Stretching for some 100 miles along the Gulf of Mexico shoreline, the Emerald Coast is a true Florida gem. Away from the bustle of locales like perpetually trendy Miami and amusement-park-themed Orlando, the area boasts paradisiacal beaches, serene cerulean waters and secluded state parks that offer a quiet yet thrilling lifestyle.
It is no wonder, that the Emerald Coast has garnered appealing accolades such as the best summer destination for families, the most popular US beach, as well as the best place to live and boat. In recent years, as the Sunshine State’s western coastline has gained increased national attention, its luxury real estate industry has seen a healthy spike in demand and prices.
The 2017 end-of-year report by the Nathan Abbott Team indicated sales-volume increases as high as a whopping 34 percent in key venues. North Santa Rosa Beach, which rests between Panama City Beach and Destin, registered a 25 percent swell in mean prices of single-family residences – among the highest increases on the Emerald Coast. At 95 days on the market, on average, the area also flaunts some of the shortest sales times, although sales volumes went up by only 4 percent.
“Northwest Florida is being recognized nationally and internationally now versus just the Southeast, and we are getting new customers entertaining our market,” said Nathan Abbott. “Once they see how beautiful our beaches are here and the amazing coastal lifestyles provided, they are spreading the word that the Emerald Coast is the place to be.”
Spring-break-favorite Panama City Beach recorded modest rise in prices, sales volume of condominiums shot up 34 percent, from slightly more than 700 transactions in 2016 to nearly 950 a year later. While Destin’s condominium sales volume expanded at a slower pace, average price per square foot showed a steady growth at 15 percent increase. Single-family home sales in Destin remained much the same in terms of volume and price, possibly cuing to an ongoing industry shift from residences to amenities-rich condominiums.
With a booming national economy, amplified publicity and wonderous natural setting, the Emerald Coast continues to nurture enticing high-end real estate opportunities.
Nathan Abbott is the real estate agent exclusively representing the Destin, Santa Rosa Beach market as part of the Haute Residence real estate network. View all of his listings here.
Top image: 1026 Dune Allen Drive, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459 is offered at $2,288,500 by Nathan Abbott