Yesterday I joined friends for a bike ride along Hwy. 30A.  What fun.  Highway 30A is a scenic 19 mile stretch of bike trails and old Florida atmosphere.  Height limits on Hwy. 30A are 50 feet and it is so nice not to have to worry about high density and high rises here.  It is very scenic with lots of coastal dune lakes and lazily follows the Gulf of Mexico in the Panhandle.  If you have never been here, you ought to make it a priority of places in the U.S. to visit.  It is breath taking. We stopped at the Red Bar in Grayton Beach first and had two Bud Lights there.  They had an afternoon bluegrass band in there and that was lively.  The place was packed for a Saturday afternoon.  Next stop was Rollie Poly in Seaside.  The beers there are much cheaper than at Bud and Alleys and you can... 11/24/2008

I got to thinking about tithing and closing gifts at different points today. Thinking that I need to be more consistent with my donations even more so in this down economy. I was also thinking about some of the silly closing gifts I've purchased for clients that just bought a $700,000 property. I know that most people buying in that price range donate to one charity or another during the course of the year. Why not combine my tithe with a closing gift to my client? I've decided what I will do is take 10% of my commission check and split it with my client. 5% of that check will go to my church or charity of choice and 5% will go to that of my client. It seems like a win-win for both parties involved. I'll keep a running record here of the charities that we contribute to. I would love to ... 11/20/2008

You may want to check out FIRE restaurant on Halloween.  Redd the singing bartender will be behind the bar in costume singing the Monster Mash and there will be prizes for best costume.  Redd is a local Hwy. 30A singer who is a lot of fun to hear if you have never heard her before.  I have enjoyed Redd on more than one occassion and she has a new CD out now that is terrific.  Hope you can come.  Of course if you do, I won't recognize you and vice versa, ha. 10/29/2008

       "Hold-harmless clause (Inspector/Realtor)"         John M. Acaron, CHI, CMI                   (850-814-3889) To be a Professional Home Inspector you must be well-trained, and training should be an ongoing process. Education, experience and expertise are the key elements to determine if a Professional Home Inspector can perform an accurate and un-bias home inspection.  Additionally, the job requires integrity, honesty, and determination and adherent to the standard of practice and ethical codes dictated by his or her professional trade association. Home inspectors are only one of many professional individuals involved in a real estate transaction. A real estate transaction involves a series of professional individuals with a unique specialty to close a real estate transaction dea... 10/04/2008

Home inspectors perform a critical function of providing expertise to keep homeowners safe. With the huge area of concern no one can be an expert on everything it has to be a partnership of industry and home inspectors to inform the public of potential risk and ways to mitigate that risk.  DeckLok are proud to be included in this partnership to inform the public of existing safety issues or possible safety concerns and provide cost effective solutions. The homeowner, has enough to worry about. Their deck should be a place for peace of mind for themselves, their family and their guests. A deck collapse comes with little, if any, warning. You may not have heard of these crippling, sometimes deadly deck failures because many are never reported to the media (see list of news reports in the ... 08/31/2008

Driftwood Estates is a little-known jewel in the crown of coastal living.  Located in Santa Rosa Beach on Choctawhatchee Bay, only minutes from the Gulf of Mexico, Driftwood Estates enjoys boating, fishing, biking, convenient shopping, restaurants, a new hospital, several inland lakes, and a county party currently under construction.  Watching the dolphin frolic in the bay is a daily ritual in Driftwood.  Driftwood Estates is the tip of a peninsula extending north into Choctawhatchee Bay.  Driftwood lies five miles north from the Gulf of Mexico adjacent to the Sandestin Resort.  Topsail State Park, Sacred Heart Hospital, shops and restaurants of the Grand Boulevard, and the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico are all conveniently located within minutes of Driftwood Estates.  Located four mile... 08/26/2008

Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds have the potential to cause health problems. Molds produce allergens, irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances. Allergic reactions to mold are common and include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. The most common health problems caused by indoor mold are allergy symptoms. Although other and more serious problems can occur, people exposed to mold commonly report problems such as: Nasal and sinus congestion Cough Wheeze/breathing difficulties Sore throat Skin and eye irritation Upper respiratory infections (including sinus) Are the ri... 08/19/2008

Choosing the right Certified Home, Commercial & Mold Inspector can be difficult. Unlike most professionals, you probably will not get to meet me until after you hire me.   Different Home, Commercial & Mold  Inspectors have varying qualifications, equipment, experience, reporting methods, and yes different pricing. One thing for sure is that a comprehensive visual Home Inspection requires work, a lot of work. Ultimately a thorough Home, Commercial & Mold Inspection depends heavily on the individual Inspector's qualifications and own effort. Our knowledge, experience, expertise, engineering background and construction (residential & commercial) set us apart from the average inspector.    If you honor HOME INSPECTOR USA (HIUSA) by permitting us to visualy inspect your prospective home or p... 08/18/2008

Mistakes to Avoid IT'S NOT NECESSARY TO LEAVE YOUR COMPUTER, SIMPLY "CLICK BELOW" AND SEND YOUR PHONE NUMBER TO MY CELL PHONE... I'LL CALL YOU WITHIN MINUTES.     Deadly Mistake #1: Thinking you can't afford it. Today, buying the home of your dreams is easier than ever before.  Many people who thought that buying the home they wanted was simply out of their reach are now enjoying a new lifestyle in their very own new home.   Buying a home is the smartest financial decision you will ever make.  In fact, most American and Canadian homeowners would be financially broke at retirement if it weren't for one saving grace - the equity in their home.  Furthermore, mortgage rates are more flexible today than ever and tax allowances favor home ownership.   Real estate values have always risen stea... 08/17/2008

Here are a few pictures of sunsets on Choctawhatchee Bay, from Driftwood Estates, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.  Amazing sunsets appear everyday, but today was special.  Hope you enjoy. Isn't that breathtaking?!  When you have scenery like this to work with, you don't need to be a great photographer. Can you think of any other planet you would prefer to live on? Just more reason to love Driftwood Estates, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, and Choctawhatchee Bay 08/04/2008

Hi, sunset in late July, from Driftwood Estates in Santa Rosa Beach, Walton County, Florida, across Choctawhatchee Bay, Mid-Bay bridge, Destin, Sandestin, Fort Walton Beach.  Sunsets are spectacular all year long, and change by the second.  Choctawhatchee Bay widens across the intracoastal waterway which goes from Pensacola all the way up the east coast to Virginia.  Barges and all sorts of pleasure watercraft are seen on the intracoastal.  Often, on Choctawhatchee Bay, sailboats are out and about.  There was hardly enough wind for them on the day of this picture.  08/01/2008

3000 square feet brick home, 4 large bedrooms, 3 full baths, large open floor plan, large kitchen with breakfast room, great room, dining room, 2-car garage, utility room, large pantry, fireplace, vaulted ceilings, 100 feet by 250 feet level lot, trees, Choctawhatchee Bay view, northern point of Driftwood Estates, near Gulf of Mexico at Topsail State Park, near shopping and restaurants at Grand Boulevard of Destin Commons, near Sacred Heart Hospital.  For rent at $2000.  Call               850-428-1776       .      07/21/2008

 The new County Road 30A development of Redfish Village has an interest in coasts far away from our Emerald one.Every Friday night through Aug. 30, the eight-acre development is holding a "Beach Villages of the World" celebration - whether it's Capri in Italy, Dingle in Ireland or July 11's salute to Goza in Japan. England, Spain, Germany, India and Greece are also on the schedule, with celebrations that will "recapture the culture of the selected village through music, food and beverages," according to Stuart Slicis, Redfish Village broker associate.Slicis told The Log that Redfish has 80 residential units: "It's a mixed-use project. The first floors of our buildings are commercial, with select merchants; upstairs ranges from 1,185 square foot two-bedroom units to 1,685 square foot thr... 07/17/2008

 Spring is a special time here in Driftwood Estates.. It seems like everything beautiful grows in abundance. Why, there are more colors here than you find in a rainbow!  And the insects, and lizards, and birds, and bees,... they're just everywhere you look!  I really need to get a picture of the beautiful little humming birds that visit us during this time.  And soon, the most beautiful bluebirds the eye can see will stop to say 'hello'...  Gosh, what a wonderful place to live!!  04/27/2008

Looking northwest from the shoreline in Driftwood Estates, reveals one more testimony to the logic of living in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.  Now I ask you, can there be a more peaceful, tranquil place in the world?  Where dolphins frolic in Choctawhatchee Bay, birds of all sizes and shapes fill the airspace, while small sea creatures scramble busily at the shoreline...  Just another reminder of why we live in Florida!! 04/27/2008

Inventory is high, prices have dropped, and it is a buyer's dream come true.  I feel bad for the many people who have had to give their homes back to the banks.  We have record number of foreclosures and short sales as well as bank owned properties.  What is the difference you might ask?  Well a short sale is when the bank will accept less than what is owed on a property prior to a full foreclosure.  A foreclosure is when the court steps in and trys to sell it at the court house steps and a real estate owned property is a property that did not sell at the court house steps.  We have them all and they all offer a buyer a tremendous deal on buying a property in an "as is" condition.  What is an "as is" condition?  That is when you buy a property exactly as it sits today.  Some offer probl... 04/15/2008

Today was 'Open House' day for the house I showed you on Choctawhatchee Bay.  The weather this morning was beautiful, save for a little too much humidity.  Then came a few droplets, then the winds, then the torrential downpour.  It's just another of those wonderful reasons to live on the northwest Florida gulf coast.  The picture is taken from inside looking out against the wind.  In fact, during this moment a 'Tornado Warning' was being reported by the national weather service.  We're safe and sound, hope our neighbors are!The next picture was taken moments later, but not through a window. 12/15/2007

Topsail State Park, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, is a must see for visitors to northwest Florida, Destin, Sandestin, or Miramar Beach.  Campers return year after year.  They bicycle, play shuffleboard, fish, swim, hike at the beach and on the park trails, cook out, socialize, and seem to thoroughly enjoy their vacations.  I hope you enjoy the pictures, and that you'll come to visit us in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida!!      10/30/2007

Is the Red Tide upon us?  First I heard from a friend in Jacksonville that she was having a scratchy throat and some serious breathing problems, then to the west, in Houston, I heard about the same thing from family members, and new for the past few days, I am experiencing the same stinging, burning breathing problem they described.  Historically, the Red Tide kills a lot of fish, but just what is the source of the symptoms?  Wikipedia calls the Red Tide a phenomenon know as algal bloom. The phenomenon produces a neurotoxin called brevetoxin, which kills fish, birds, marine mammals and other organisms.  Let's hope it ends soon. 10/15/2007

This sign greets you at the entrance to Driftwood Estates, located approximately four miles north of the Sacred Heart Hospital at the intersection of Highway 98 and Mack Bayou Road.  Driftwood Estates is the northernmost tip of the peninsula into Choctawhatchee Bay.  The young development is convenient to shopping and restaurants on the new Grand Boulevard, and is also near the Gulf of Mexico at the Topsail State Park.  Many homes were constructed here during the development frenzy of 2003-2005.  Driftwood Estates is a great community and an excellent area to find a wonderful Florida home at a great price. 10/11/2007