WALTON COUNTY
Real Estate
|
2007 |
2008 |
4/2009 |
| Median Price* Single Family Home |
$199,800 |
$191,400 |
$159,500 |
| Median Price* Condominium |
$286,500 |
$250,000 |
$165,000 |
* Median Price of 101 homes sold would be that price which is lower than 50 of the prices and also higher
than 50 of the prices. In other words, there are homes and condominiums available in every price range in
Walton County. Median prices shown above are for the Panama City MSA. The statistics are meant to give you a
feel for the area as compared to others you may be considering and to show the direction of the market.
Taxes
Visit Buy a Home in Florida for comprehensive property tax information.
Weather
Average High/Low in January 62/39, in July 89/71
Walton County is home to the beach towns of:
Seaside is the most well known, appearing in many architectural magazines. It was also the town where the movie “Truman” was filmed. Throughout most of the Panhandle, there are the beach towns and there are options for you inland, not far from the beach. Step back in time to towns that date back to the 1700’s. The restored downtowns of
Crestview,
DeFuniak Springs and Marianna all brim with
antique shops, frilly Victorian homes and inviting
cafes, the latter offering everything from oyster bars to soul food.
Walton County is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and eco-cultural activities. Forty percent of its 53,000 acres is state-owned and thus is protected from future development. Home to the most beautiful beaches in the nation, Walton County also has 17 fresh and salt water lakes and the Choctawhatchee Bay. Fishing is a popular activity year-round, as is golf.
Events
Celebrate arts and culture with fascinating Florida festivals and heritage tours or experience the beautiful outdoors with one-of-a-kind Florida events and fairs; Beaches of South Walton, Florida events offer something for everyone.
- Moonlight & Movies Website
- SandCastle Lesson Website
- Wednesday Night Concert Series Website
- Transformations Art Show Website
- Saturday Beach Bon Fires Website
- Sunset Cinema Website
- 22nd Annual Triathlon Website
- Summer's Edge: Labor Day Weekend Celebration Website
- A Starry Starry Night at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Website
Arts & Culture
From exquisite Florida arts to unique Florida antiques, there is something for everyone in Walton County. This easygoing region celebrates a richly diverse palette of Florida arts and culture. That's because people of many interests live side by side, their traditions merging to create an artistic community of neighborhoods that offer incredible energy and fascinating contrasts. Take a stroll down the winding streets of Rosemary Beach and get a feel for the neighborhood and local lore. Or peruse the South Walton, Florida art galleries throughout the area -- from funk to fine art - and then venture through relics from the past at Florida antique shops. This delightful series of hamlets offers everything from historic main avenues and relic railroads to artsy urban street painting and indulgent wine tasting.
The Florida Chautauqua Theater holds monthly performances and is dedicated to providing art activities and educational opportunities. Visit www.floridachautauqua.com.
Grit & Grace is the official folk-life production of Walton County. Grit and Grace celebrates through storytelling, song, music, dance and drama of the cultural heritage and history of Walton County. Visit www.gritandgrace.com.
The Seaside Repertory Theatre is dedicated to producing high quality productions for both adult and children audiences. Visit www.seasiderep.org.
Parks & Recreation
Throughout the diverse geological and ecological landforms in Walton County, lie five exquisite state parks. With unspoiled acres of natural vegetation, miles of hiking and biking trails and magnificent gardens, the beauty throughout the county is second to none.
More than 40 percent of Walton County is preserved through Northwest Florida's state park system, creating a variety of diverse ecological communities, including beach dunes, music flatwoods, scrub, depression marshes and coastal dune lakes. The area’s 15 coastal dune lakes are so rare that they are only found in Beaches of South Walton and remote portions of Africa and Australia.
To the north of the pristine beaches, lies the Choctawhatchee Bay. Formed with the waters from several creeks and rivers, including the Choctawhatchee River, the bay shares a direct connection with the Gulf of Mexico. This connection allows the bay to maintain varying levels of salinity creating a great biodiversity of wildlife species. These unique waterways in Walton County have the highest occurrences of rare wildlife species in the state, some of which are found no where else in the world. Running through Walton County is the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. This distinctive, 3,000-mile waterway passes through the county and the Choctawhatchee Bay providing sheltered passage for commercial and leisure boats. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is connected by many miles of navigable waterways along the Gulf of Mexico from Brownsville, Texas to Carrabelle, Florida.
Walton County is home to 17 freshwater and saltwater lakes as well as the Choctawhatchee Bay and is sure to please even the most serious angler or fly fisherman. Experience a wide array of fishing excursions. From the beach, lines are cast into breaking waves in hopes of the perfect pompano, bluefish or Spanish mackerel. For the thrill-seekers, private charter trips escort you into the Gulf of Mexico searching the vast blues for grouper, snapper and even amber jack. But for those seeking a day of quiet solitude, look no further than the Choctawhatchee Bay.
Visit Your Florida Lifestyle for more information on fishing and our Guide to Establishing Florida Residency for Florida fishing license information.
Beaches
Walton County has 26 miles of pristine, award winning, white, powdery quartz sand, mountainous sand dunes and emerald gulf waters. The sun reflecting off the white sand, is what creates the emerald colored water of the “Emerald Coast.”
Check out The Florida Beach Bookfor comprehensive information on all Florida beaches and gift certificates to the best Florida restaurants on or near them.
Golf
Emerald green waters and gulf breezes welcome golfers year-round. Golf enthusiasts yearn to take a swing at one of Walton County’s highly acclaimed Florida golf courses. With 207 challenging holes of the Gulf's top-rated, professionally designed, well-manicured courses, spending a day on links is par for the course.
Visit Your Florida Lifestyle for additional golf information.
Hospitals
Visit Florida Medical Resources for comprehensive information including Florida hospital ratings.
Colleges
Okaloosa-Walton Community College http://okaloosacc.edu-college.com/
For comprehensive information on Lifelong Learning, visit Your Florida Lifestyle.
Airports
Northwest Florida Regional Airport http://www.flyvps.com/
Shopping
Walton County shopping offers hidden treasures around every corner. Whether it's designer and name brands at affordable prices, hand-made art by talented artists or eclectic gifts and home accessories, shopping is as indulgently diverse as each of its beach communities
Shopping Seaside style is a relaxing, unhurried pastime that revolves around the town center. Central Square is where you’ll find shops and restaurants, with no building more than four stories tall. Ruskin Place, named after John Ruskin, the famous supporter of Victorian Art in London’s 19th century, is considered to be the "artist colony" of Seaside. Here you will find art galleries, a coffee shop and an interior design shop. In all, more than 50 Seaside shops reveal wonderful treasures and mementos from a coastal retreat. Every year, this picturesque beachside community hosts the South Walton Community Yard Sale, one of the area’s top attractions in the fall.
Shopping experiences are endless in Sandestin. The Village of Baytowne Wharf features a unique collection of more than 40 specialty merchants. With the recent addition of Grand Boulevard, shoppers will find Coldwater Creek, Brooks Brothers, the Orvis Company, Victoria’s Secret, and much more opening throughout 2007-08. With more than 30 unique boutiques, The Market Shops at Sandestin, located on the beachside of the resort, features everything from the latest retail fashions to fine home furnishings.
Walton County, Florida, Cities & Towns
Incorporated
Unincorporated
Additional Resources:
Walton County Government http://www.co.walton.fl.us/
Visitor Information http://www.beachesofsouthwalton.com/
Featured Towns/Cities
Grayton Beach
Grayton Beach, Florida is a laid back place with quaint historic cottages next door to modern beach homes. It's an eclectic beach burg with good times, picket fences, old oak trees, funky art, and great dining & shopping. If you walk down one of Grayton Beach's well-worn roads, you get the feeling things haven't changed much in the last hundred-plus years since the town's founding. Magnolias, pine and oak trees surround the authentic beach homes.
Be sure to spend a sunset strolling on the beach before visiting the famous Red Bar, the most popular spot in the area is a favorite for fun with friends and family while listening to live music and enjoying great food and drink.
Grayton Beach is home to the natural beauty of Grayton Beach State Park, along the Gulf of Mexico and most of Western Lake. The Grayton Beach hiking trail is one of the most scenic in the area, circling sand dunes, skirting the coastal dune lake, and cutting right through a dense oak hammock. A public dock allows boating and fishing.
Grayton Beach’s unofficial slogan: “nice dogs strange people”.
If you would like to get a feel for home prices in Grayton Beach or the surrounding area, visit www.zillow.com and search for recent homes sold.
If you would prefer to save precious time and would like personalized assistance, call or email us today to take advantage of our free Florida Relocation Services. We’ll answer all of your questions and if the timing is right for you, we’ll introduce you to one of the best real estate agents in Walton County who can provide detailed information and professional assistance.
