One Minute Guide: Destin

Destin, Florida sits just west of Panama City Beach. Among the handful of Gulf Coast cities affectionately referred to as the Emerald Coast, Destin is known to have some of the most stunning beaches in the world and is famous for its sugar-white sand and warm emerald-green waters.

Destin – also known as “the World's Luckiest Fishing Village” – is also known for its fresh local seafood and variety of fine restaurants. It also has a growing nightlife with everything from live music, comedy and dancing.

In recent years, people have been flocking to Destin for its incredible shopping. Many come from all over the Gulf Coast and beyond, year-round, to shop at the Silver Sands Factory Stores, boasting over 120 stores, and numerous other luxury boutiques, home furnishing stores, and specialty shops.

With plenty of water activities, shopping, miles of gorgeous beach and stunning sunset views, Destin is a perfect place for good old family fun or a dreamy romantic rendezvous.

Source : http://www.bookit.com/

Vacationing in Destin, Florida

Sitting majestically along the coast of the Florida Panhandle, Destin is part of one of the most gorgeous stretches of beaches in the world. A relative newcomer among the popular vacation destinations of the Emerald Coast, this city is fast becoming one of the best places to go for sun, sand, and relaxation along the Gulf of Mexico. Make your way to Destin, Florida for your next vacation, and the multitude of golf courses, the beautiful beaches, and the abundance of water activities will keep you coming back year after year.

As a part of the Emerald Coast, Destin is blessed with the same attributes as the other cities that line the southwestern corner of the Florida Panhandle. The beaches have sugar white sand, whose color is caused by the Appalachian quartz that arrives at the coast from the mountains, that is perfect for a stroll along the water or for simply throwing down a towel and catching some sun. The most distinct feature, however, is the sparkling emerald-green water, which creates the area’s namesake hue from the sugar white sand that lies beneath the crystal blue water. Whether you want to build a sandcastle, play in the water, or work on your suntan, the beaches of Destin can accommodate your needs and look amazing doing it.

One of the best places in Destin to swim and simply enjoy an all-around exciting day is Henderson Beach State Park. Located off the Emerald Coast Parkway, this park is bordered by the Gulf of Mexico and lays claim to over 6,000 feet of shoreline. While swimming is the most popular activity on the beautiful beach, visitors can also enjoy a nice picnic lunch in the afternoon or cast out a line on one of the docks. If you want to break up your day and experience more than the water, there are nature trails for hiking and wildlife viewing is not an uncommon activity as dolphins regularly emerge from the waters this area.

Since you are visiting some of the most breathtaking waters in the world, why not take advantage of the numerous water adventures and sports at your disposal. Snorkeling is a popular inshore option since the exceptional water quality makes it easy to catch sight of vibrant yellow angelfish, manta rays, and loggerhead sea turtles. If you want to venture offshore, rent a wave runner for some action-packed excitement on the water and to view the impeccable shoreline of Destin. For those looking for a more calm experience, rent a kayak and create your own adventure by paddling into the open waters and exploring different nooks and crannies.

The Destin area is home to some of the finest year round courses in the country, meaning the hardest part any golf enthusiast’s vacation will be deciding which courses to play. While there are over ten courses in the area, there are two that stick out as both visually stunning and worth your best effort. The Emerald Bay Golf Club, designed by Bob Cupp, borders the Choctawhatchee Bay on the back nine and has a unique design that provides for an unrivaled experience. The Sandestin Raven Golf Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. and presents a difficult test of golf through marshes, wetlands, and pine trees. There are dramatic changes of color throughout the course and players will face a variety of shot options that will undoubtedly lead to an exciting round.

While enjoying the beach and the emerald-green water of the Gulf of Mexico is probably your top priority, you will need accommodations that make it easy to spend your time soaking up the sun on the sugar white sands. For easy access to the beach and everything this amazing city has to offer, look into Destin vacation rentals for your next trip to the Florida Panhandle. You will find a wide selection of waterfront homes that have all the amenities you need for a relaxing, water-filled vacation away from the stresses of everyday life. Begin your search for the perfect home or condo rental today, and learn what a difference it makes to have all the comfort of home at your fingertips during vacation.

Source : http://ezinearticles.com/

Beyond the golf courses of Destin, Florida, the red snapper awaits

On a Florida golf vacation, in Destin, you might want to skip the golf course for a day and fish the Gulf of Mexico, where the highly-sought red snapper awaits

If you're a first-time visitor to Destin, Florida, you may be surprised at the way the white-sand beaches and turquoise waters look like something straight out of a glossy travel magazine.

No, they don't treat them with chemicals.

I was born and raised in Florida, and lived in the north, south and central, as well as on both coasts, from Fernandina in the north to Key West in the south.

The Panhandle doesn't yet have the high-paid marketers that Miami or Naples do, but I can tell you firsthand that the waters and beaches in these parts are as scenic as anywhere in the state, and prettier than most.

For example, were you aware that Key West has to haul in the sand for its beaches?

You'll see what I mean when you drive along the thin strip of land from Destin to Ft. Walton Beach, with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the huge Choctowatchee Bay on the other.

So I'm betting that if you go to Destin for the golf, at some point you'll want to stow the clubs and break out the fishing gear, however briefly, if nothing more than as an excuse to get out on the water.

Gulf of Mexico fishing

Just as the redfish is king around the Louisiana bayous and the tarpon is king around Boca Grande, red snapper is the preferred catch around this part of the Gulf.

And it's with good reason: Seafood connoisseurs swear by the taste of red snapper, with its firm flesh and sweet meat, which tastes almost like smoked almonds.

It's so good, in fact, it is often faked. Just because you ordered red snapper off the menu doesn't mean that it's red snapper you're eating. It could be barracuda, for example, or it could be rockfish.

Also, studies have found that red snapper is often mislabeled in supermarkets.

If that isn't enough, be aware that, even though the Destin area is surrounded by waters that host a big charter-fishing industry, many seafood restaurants in the Destin area don't serve the fresh, local stuff. So make sure you ask upfront.

Your best bet is to catch your own red snapper. To do that, you'll have to be in the area for the red snapper season. Again, beware, it's complicated: The fish were over-harvested for so long that restrictions have been in place for a few years now.

The recreational red snapper season opened April 21 this year for 194 days in the Gulf. The limit is four with a minimum length of 16 inches, until May 2, when the limit is lowered to two.

If you hire a charter boat, you don't need me to tell you how to catch red snapper. There are around 120 operations to choose from in the Destin area.

If you want to rent a boat and strike out on your own, the first thing you'll probably want to do is tie up a snapper rig. Tie enough weight onto a 60-pound test line made up of either mono or fluorcarbon - remember, red snappers of up to 40 pounds are not that uncommon - to hold you straight down in the water, against whatever current you're fishing in.

Rig some dropper loops above your sinker, with the first anywhere from a foot to 16 inches above the weight. Tie the hooks on to the loops - the hook size depends on the size fish you'll most likely hook up with.

For bait, use dead squid or cigar minnows. Don't worry about having to venture too far offshore; legal red snapper can be caught within five or six miles out. You can use the Okalaoosa County Web site for GPS coordinates.

Fishing Choctawatchee Bay

You don't have to rent a boat to catch fish here. Fish off the Okaloosa Island pier for Spanish mackerel - another one of my favorite fish to eat - bluefish, pompano and the hard-fighting cobia.

Choctawatchee Bay offers the chance to catch all sorts of fish without the risk of getting seasick, like redfish, sheepshead and spotted seatrout. For sheepshead, you can simply stick a little crab on the end of your hook and hold it down beside any piling. Catching them requires a touch of magic, though, because their mouths are soft and you almost have to anticipate their bite.

There is good freshwater fishing in the tributaries of the bay, including the Choctawatchee and Yellow rivers. Go after black bass, shellcrackers, speckled perch and bluegill in Lake Talquin. There's no admission into the Lake Talquin state park.

Source : http://www.worldgolf.com/

Destin Florida Triples In 3 Years

Do you want to see something that is absolutely amazing? Let me show you what has happened in Destin, Florida over the last 3 years. Back in August of 2002, the median price of a home selling in Destin was $229,000. One year later, August 2003, the median price in Destin increased to $305,000, or a 33% price increase.

Roll the clock forward in July 2005, and we see that the average price is now $658,000 as you can see in the price charts below. Do you think there was a little money made in Destin over the last few years? Since I live in the area, I can attest to the HUGE role real estate has played in our local economy and large amount of wealth that has been produced.

For the Monday morning arm chair quarterbacks of the world, you can just hear them at a dinner party saying…. "Boy, I knew that real estate was going up around there and I came close to buying a piece of property back in …….". "If I WOULD OF have purchased that property, I COULD HAVE made a killing…. I guess I SHOULD HAVE bought it before prices went so high. This is what investors call the Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda syndrome.

The WORST thing an investor could do right now is to realize that they missed some gain potential in Destin and then assume that prices will just keep going to the moon. Rather than kicking themselves for actions taken in the past, what this investor should be doing is trying to understand what has happened in the past and then apply that knowledge to FUTURE investments. Let' rewind the clock and see what happened to see if it sheds any clues as to what we should be looking for in the future.

Twenty years ago, Destin was a sleepy little fishing village that calls itself the "Worlds Luckiest Fishing Village". In addition to sugar white beaches, the area has great fishing and emerald colored waters that actually rival some spots in the Caribbean for water clarity. But twenty years ago, very few people wanted to live in Destin and only a small number of tourists wanted to visit the area. Boy has that changed.

In 1993, there was a major event that, in many people's opinion, changed the course of Destin forever. This was the opening of a major bridge into Destin that now provided easy access to tourists. Today, only 12 years after that event, Destin is a huge international tourist destination with multi-million dollar beach condos, Lear jets depositing visitors for the weekend, and a wide array of dining and shopping that rivals many upscale areas. Not too bad for a bunch of people that were affectionately called "fishheads".

So looking back, how could the individual investor have made smart moves in Destin?. Suppose you put on your investor hat and you came down to visit in 1993 right after the mid-bay bridge was constructed. You would have seen

" A great beach and fishing location;
" An expanding offering of hotels and condos;
" Have realized that it was very unlikely for this area to drop in price due to the ever increasing demand for waterfront and nice vacation spots.

At that stage, somebody with a little bit of foresight could have made a longer term investment and planned on holding for 10 years. This longer term approach might not be your style, however.

Fortunately, you really did not have to really be that smart. Supposed you decided that Destin was likely to be an EMERGING area but you just didn't know when. You would have seen both price and volume of sales start to shoot up in the middle of 2002. When this BUY signal occurred, you would have found that you could have purchased many types of properties that would easily rent out and cover your expenses; i.e., there was a safety net for you. At that point in time, it was absolutely obvious to EVERYONE here that Destin was a major tourist destination that was not going to go away anytime soon.

As time went on, you would have seen the price and volume of sales continue. Looking at the figure below, you would have seen the year-to-year % change in price and the year-to-year % change in volume continue skyward until around December, 2004. After this time, the prices kept going up but not as aggressively. Also, you can see that the rate of change of volume has been dropping over the last 6 months which is a sign that things are definitely cooling off in this local market.

To me, that chart speaks volumes. It says there was a great opportunity to get in and there has been plenty of time to get out. However, it also tells me that I probably don't want to invest in Destin right now even though in the longer term, I think Destin will do just fine. For my taste, I would rather find the next EMERGING market rather than one that has already EMERGED.

Source : http://www.isnare.com/

Destin Florida Vacations

Hugging the turqoise waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Destin, Florida awaits to meet all of your vacation expectations. No matter where you stay, a hotel, motel, bed & breakfast, campground Destin condo rental, or a Destin for rent by owner property, you are sure to find the perfect accommodations.

Whether you are seeking activities like, charter boat fishing, sailing, golfing or parasailing, the Destin, Florida area has a lot to offer! If you love the great outdoors, you might want to spend the day on a Destin charter boat from one of our many area marinas for some of the south's finest saltwater fishing.

Perhaps you'd like to browse the many shops, boutiques, galleries and specialty shops. For family time, there are amusement parks, miniature golf and water parks to round out your daily itinerary. Our most sought after attraction, fresh local seafood, is available at our one-of-a-kind restaurants.

Destin, Florida offers a wealth of entertainment for folks of all ages!

Source : http://www.destin-vacations.com/

Helpful Destin, Florida Vacation Information

Sitting on a round harbor off East Pass, which lets broad and beautiful Choctawhatchee Bay flow into the Gulf of Mexico, Destin is justly famous for its fishing fleet, the largest in the state. It's also Northwest Florida's fastest-growing and most upscale vacation destination, with a multitude of high-rise condominiums, the huge Sandestin resort, several golf courses, and some of the Panhandle's best restaurants and lively nightspots. By and large, Destin attracts a more affluent crowd than Fort Walton Beach, its more down-to-earth neighbor.

Although Fort Walton Beach has its own strip of white sand on Okaloosa Island, it is a city whose economy is supported less by tourism than by the sprawling Eglin Air Force Base. Covering more than 700 square miles, Eglin is the world's largest air base and is home to the U.S. Air Force's Armament Museum and the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing, the "Top Guns" of Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Once a prehistoric Indian settlement, a Civil War era encampment, and a thriving shoreline tourist destination in the 1930's, Fort Walton Beach is the largest municipality in Okaloosa and Walton County.

For as long as most local residents can remember, this entire 30 mile stretch of beach has been referred to as "Destin." Lately, however, each little hamlet has sought a separate identity. These days, the area between Destin and Panama City is known as the "Beaches of South Walton."

Destin/Ft. Walton Weather and Climate:

* Average daily temperature — January: 49?F, August: 81?F
* Average annual rainfall — 68.6"
* Wettest Month: July (9.1" of rain)
* Driest Month: April (4.2" of rain)
* Average annual snowfall: Less than 1" per year

Interesting facts about Destin:

* Destin is one bauble along the famous Florida stretch known as the Emerald Coast. Many miracles of nature dazzle locals and visitors alike, including the sugar-white sandy beaches and pure sparkling emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico which present a beautiful backdrop to the luxurious resorts with golf courses conference facilities.
* Don Francisco Tapia was commissioned to survey the Florida coast and in 1693, drew the first known map of East Pass and its shores.
* Known as the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village", the largest and most elaborately equipped fishing fleet in the State of Florida docks at the Destin Harbor. Destin is known as one of the finest fishing locations in the entire world.
* Destin is also referred to as the "Billfish Capital of the World" because more billfish are caught here each year than at all other Gulf ports combined.
* Destin also boasts the Gulf's widest variety of game fish, including cobia, scamp, triggerfish and king mackerel.
* In addition to fishing, recreational opportunities include golf, tennis and watersports, including diving and snorkeling.
* The 100 Fathom curve draws closer to Destin than any other spot in Florida providing the speediest deep-water access on the Gulf. This phenomenon makes the area one of the top five off-shore shelling destinations in the world.
* The homes of Destin residents lit up with electricity in 1947 and Destin opened its first Community Center. In order to raise funds for the Center, the first Destin Gulf Coast Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo was held in 1949.

Source : http://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com/

Destin Florida Oceanfront Condos

If you're wondering if Destin Florida is the right place for you and your family to vacation, let me offer you some humble advice . . . Don't wait another minute!Destin Florida Oceanfront Condos offer the very best in luxury Destin beach vacations. Experience the wonderful charm of a family beach vacation in Destin Florida by staying in one of the many oceanfront condos available to rent.

There's nothing better than being able to step out onto your balcony overlooking the beautiful gulf coast and see for miles and miles. The view is both exhilarating and relaxing at the same time, something you'll cherish during your entire stay.

All of the Destin Florida oceanfront condos I've had the pleasure of staying in were full of all the luxury amenities you would expect from any five-star resort but with the warm feeling of home as well.

Whether it's a large scale resort like Sandestin or one of the smaller condominium developments along the Destin shores, each one offers the vacationer something unique, with the beautiful relaxing view found on any coastal destination.

There are many oceanfront condos in Destin and each one will cater to any size family or group. My favorite oceanfront condos in Destin are Sandestin and Edgewater, but there are others that are equally luxurious and comfortable.

Contact any of the condos below for rates and reservation details, and begin planning your Destin vacation today.

Hilton Sandestin Beach, Golf Resort & Spa
4000 Sandestin Blvd., South
Destin, Florida 32550
1-800-367-1271
(850) 267-9500

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort
Westwinds and Beachside One & Two
For Reservations Call 800.622.1038 or 850.267.8150

Edgewater Beach Condominium
291 Scenic Gulf Drive
Destin, Florida 32550
(800) 822-4929
(850) 837-1550

The Beach Manor at Tops'l Beach and Racquet Resort
9011 Highway 98 West
Destin, Fl 32550
1-866-451-1006

Maravilla Beachfront Resort
Mara Lee Vacation Rentals
1-913-338-2372

Source : http://www.destin-resort.com/

Destin, Florida Beach Front Pet Friendly Condo Rentals

Destin Florida is known as the most beautiful beach in the United States. Destin’s sugar white sandy beaches and emerald coast will make your family beach vacation an unforgettable experience. The Destin Connection offers the best gulf view condos in Destin at Beach Retreat Condos, Maravilla Condos and Majestic Sun at competitive prices. Beach front condos are 2-3 bdrms some accommodating up to ten guests and are luxuriously appointed. Beach Retreat and Maravilla condo rentals include a complimentary beach umbrella and two chairs where you can spend your afternoons dreaming in the warmth of the sun and sounds of the waves at Beach Retreat Condos. Sink your toes into the soft white sands as you walk hand in hand with the one you love watching Destin's most romantic sunsets at Maravilla Condos, Beach Retreat Condos or Majestic Sun Condos. Every night spent in Destin Florida Condos on your family vacation will begin with this magnificent warm and inviting sunset then experience the nightlife options Destin has to offer then return to your private condo at Majestic Sun.

Dance the night away at some of Destin's hottest clubs or spend a quiet evening in some of the best restaurants around town or just spend it relaxing in your beach front condo watching DVD's or listening to some classical music on our complimentary cd and DVD players in your Majestic Sun Condo. Start your day with a trip to the wonderful shops in Destin just minutes from Beach Retreat Condos and Maravilla Condos or try the outlet shops at Silver Sands which is one of the nation's largest designer factory stores. Visit art shops and take home some extraordinary pieces that will remind you of the wonderful time you spent on your family or pet friendly vacation in Destin Florida at Majestic Sun, Beach Retreat or Maravilla Condos.

Have lunch or stop for coffee in a little bistro and rest your tired feet then head back to your luxuriously appointed condo throw on your bathing suits and relax on our private beaches in your complimentary two beach chairs and umbrella at Beach Retreat and Maravilla Condos soaking up the sun. If sports and activities is what you’re looking for then you've come to the right place! Destin Florida is know as the "World's luckiest fishing village", enjoy your day on a charter fishing boat for some deep sea fishing or try your hand at wind surfing, kite surfing or any of the other water sports Destin has to offer. Diving and snorkeling are also available if staying above the water is not daring enough for you. If water activities have you exhausted then spend your afternoons on any of the championship golf courses here in wonderful Destin Florida on your family vacation at Beach Retreat, Maravilla or Majestic Sun Condos.

Source : http://thedestinconnection.com/

Destin Florida (FL) Value Vacation Rentals

Destin Florida (FL) Vacation rentals by owner are private vacation rental homes, villas, condos, apartments, chalets, cabins, and lodgings all available to you at a tremendous value.
Please click on any of the Destin Florida (FL) listings for vacation rental and contact information.

Destin’s location is quite unique. It rests not more than 25 miles from the Bob Sikes Airport and 60 miles from the Pensacola Regional Airport in the Florida Panhandle. This small fishing village is sandwiched between two bodies of water. To the south of Destin is the Gulf of Mexico with its beautiful emerald green waters. To the north is the Choctawwhatchee Bay, which separates the peninsula from the mainland. You will find everything in Destin is built around the water. After all this is home of one of the largest charter fishing fleets in the United States. So if you are at all interested in going fishing during your Florida vacation, this is a wonderful spot to come to. In addition to the spectacular fishing there are some great beaches along the peninsula. Okaloosa Island is just a short drive or bicycle ride away from Destin and provides an unspoiled beach and some wonderful shopping. Back in Destin you can enjoy the water even more by renting a powerboat or jet skis for the day and touring the coastline and Choctawwatchee Bay. There are plenty of shopping plazas with a wide range of stores, restaurants and cafes and the golf courses in nearby Sandestin are world renown. In fact there is so much to do and enjoy in this little fishing village that you will want to come back again to see it all.

Source : http://www.valuevacationrentals.com/

Destin Florida Condos Market Watch

November 2007 -- The fall festival season is a great time to be in Destin. Cooler breezes make long walks on the beach a very popular pastime for visitors and locals alike. It's a great time to visit and tour the local area!

Condo Inventory. There are currently 3,621 condos for sale in the Destin vicinity. Considering an average of 55 condos are sold each month, a persistent buyers market continues and buyers can expect a good chance of coming away with a bargain. Our property summary table below shows the distribution of the home inventory across the geographic markets of our area.

Condo prices hold fairly steady this month. Although their is a large number of condos for sale the number of legitimate bargains remain small. Smart buyers are the rule these days and Seller's who price carelessly receive no attention and quickly become frustrated as the time on the market often surpasses 2 years. Those who price well, however, are rewarded with a quick sale.

Condo Value Trends. Statistics show condo property values along the coast have adjusted downward 25 - 30% from their market peaks in mid- 2005. Although a slight downward slide in prices continue, recent cuts in prime lending rates combined with tax cut legislation being phased in by Florida's governor and legislature may finally succeed in stopping the downward trend.

What does this mean to home buyers and sellers? The higher than normal condo inventory will likely sustain the current buyer's market throughout the upcoming year. The downward momentum in prices, however, is nearing the end by most analytical accounts.

* Sellers should be prepared to price aggressively to catch the renewed interest of buyers who have noticed the interest rates and tax cuts.
* Buyers should pick-and-choose their properties now to gain better pricing in a market where buyers are scarce.

Source : http://www.destin123.com/

Destin Florida Destination Guide

Destin Vacation Rentals, Condos, Hotels & Guest Info
Destin Florida - Unpretentious, uncomplicated and breathtakingly beautiful, Destin Florida is simply irresistible. Famous for its miles and miles of dazzling sugar white sands and brilliant emerald green waters, the Southern sea villages known as Destin Florida offers simple pleasures -- the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village," memorable seaside celebrations, over a thousand holes of great golf, the freshest of fresh seafood and some of the world's finest shelling - all wrapped within an unassuming charm.

The casual, easy pace of Destin Florida revolves like a slow ceiling fan caressing visitors with a refreshing breeze of Southern pleasantries and warm-hearted hospitality. Although the most popular activity in Destin Florida is "doing nothing," searching for shells, challenging 1,080 holes of famous name designer golf courses, fishing from Florida's largest charter boat fleet, sailing along the emerald-green surf, tubing down meandering moss-draped rivers and catching a few rays on white powdered shores are all simple enticements.

Need a place to stay while you are visiting our area? We have links to guide you in selecting between Destin vacation rentals, hotels and the best Destin condos available. Destin Florida condos are quite plentiful, especially along the beachfront. Most of the Destin hotels have been replaced by luxurious condominiums over the years, as have been most of the vacation rental homes. However, one could not possibly appreciate all of Destin's charms without staying for a spell, so the condos in Destin are designed to have the space necessary (separate living areas, bedrooms and multiple baths) to accomodate families and make it comfortable for longer stays. Condos in Destin are easier on your pocketbook too, as they have the extra room for entire families to share a rental unit rather than getting multiple hotel rooms and the fully furnished kitchens in most condo rentals can help reduce the cost below that of eating out every meal.

If you want a romantic getaway, a short-term vacation rental, or the annual family trip, you’ll see that there is something for everyone in Destin Florida.

Source : http://www.destin-florida-destinationguide.com/

Destin Florida Condos

Destin Florida Condo

For anyone thinking of buying a condo, Destin Florida is an absolutely perfect choice. If you aren't already familiar with the peculiarly beautiful landscape of Destin's waterfront, imagine a world of white sand, emerald water, beach grasses and cypress marshes. Enjoy the 360 degree views of a gulf view peninsula with a beachfront condominium in Destin, Florida.

Waterfront Condos in Destin, Florida

It is one thing to look out the window at the surf, or to hear the gulls from your bath, but better still is the ability to walk out down to the sand. The Destin, Florida beach condo is an exceptional lifestyle choice. Even if for some reason you aren\'t interested in the exotic ecosystem of the Destin beachfront real estate, your investment will never become obsolete or undervalued.

Destin, Florida Condos For Sale

As you would expect, condos for sale in Destin, Florida are in constant demand from those wanting to buy a waterfront condo. The variey of condominiums for sale in the Destin area is amazing. In Destin you can have condos that are gulf front, gulf view or gulf access. As you might guess the price is usually based the size of the unit but more importantly the condos proximity to the water.

Source : http://www.destin-florida-real-estate.com/

Condo-buyers' suits in Florida continue to rise

Countless buyers, who eagerly locked in prices during the Florida condo boom's height only to see the market collapse before their units were built, are suing to recoup their deposits and get out of their real estate purchase contracts.

There appear to be numerous cases in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties but the trend extends far beyond the glutted South Florida condo market:

According to Manatee County court records, buyers have filed dozens of suits against multiple developers.

Attorneys representing Buyers in Charlotte County and in Sarasota County, have filed at least five suits.

According to the St. Petersburg Times, Almost three dozen buyers in one condo in Tampa's Channelside district are suing the developer.

The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation said it opened investigations on 2,682 condominium complaints between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007 - a 44 percent jump from two years earlier demonstrating the fact that Buyers are increasingly complaining to state regulators.

According to Florida real estate observers, the unique nature of Florida's condo boom and bust are behind the rise in legal actions.

During the boom's 2004-05 height, investors busily purchased condos at pre-construction prices looking to flip the units for profits. Developers supplied the buying craze with plans to build numerous new condos, including as many as 3,000 in Manatee.

Labor shortages and hurricane-related supplies may have delayed construction or in some cases canceled construction outright. Early in 2006, as the first projects were nearing completion, the once-hot and sunny Florida market began to go cold and cloudy. As more units became available for sale, prices dropped in an overabundant market. The resale market basically disappeared.

Getting out of contracts

Investors, under contract for units have began seeking ways to get out of their contracts.

Lawsuits on behalf of some buyers generally alleging the developer broke the terms of the purchase contract - usually by failing to complete the unit on time, failing to build promised amenities, canceling projects or making other changes the lawsuits claim are "material and adverse" to buyers.

Developers generally argue the contracts remain valid, the delays were legally excusable and any changes were not detrimental to buyers.

Source : http://www.zimbio.com/

Construction of condo, rental suites is under way

Origin Evergreen
LOCATION: Mississauga
BUILDER/DEVELOPER: Origin Retirement Communities
SIZE: 842 to 1,356 square feet

PRICE: from $229,000
SALES CENTRE: 800 Scollard Court, Mavis Road and Eglinton Avenue West, Mississauga

Builders of condominiums that are aimed specifically at retirees have to take certain marketing considerations into account. The first is that the people in the target market aren't really in a big rush to sell their homes. And, since they are usually experienced real estate buyers, they know exactly what they want out of a new property.
"We're selling a condominium to somebody who is not interested in buying real estate," says Neil Prashad, president of Origin Retirement Communities, which is building Origin Evergreen in Mississauga. "They're buying a lifestyle choice, and peace of mind. They want you to answer the question: 'Tell me how my life is going to be improved.' "
Mr. Prashad has helped market and build other retirement condominiums in Greater Toronto, but this is the first time he has been at the helm as developer. Another factor is that retirees usually aren't comfortable buying off of plans in a presale campaign. Thus, Origin has already started building the 246-unit community, consisting of 106 condo suites and 140 rental suites. Sales began last January, and about 30 per cent of the condo units - to be contained in a 13-storey tower - have been sold.
"Sales are always very slow while you're building, so you need to build on spec to a certain extent," Mr. Prashad says. "The biggest factor for these buyers is certainty."
The rental suites will be in a separate 10-storey building, which will include assisted-living services such as housekeeping, laundry and meal preparation.
Condo residents will have access to these services on an à la carte basis.
The Origin site will also include a separate townhouse-style complex with 54 suites known as garden flats. Layouts will range from one bedroom with a den to two bedrooms and a den, offering between 842 and 1,356 square feet of space.
There will be elevator access to each floor and an underground tunnel connecting the complex to the main towers and amenity areas, The latter will include 42,000 square feet of fitness and recreational space, dining services and cafés, a beauty salon, and a spa with an aqua-therapy pool.
Source:http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071116.SITEORIGIN16/TPStory/TPEntertainment/Ontario/