Paradise Found Exploring the Beauty of Destin, Florida

Paradise found. That's right. If you're exploring up here on the Emerald coast and you found Destin, well, here we are. Finally found Paradise as we explore Destin, Florida. So, if you're wondering about this area and want some more information, you are in the right video. So, stick around.

Okay. So, let's talk about Destin. Finally got it, right? So, what is Destin really known for? What makes this area unique compared to other beach towns just in general? Well, it's due to the pristine beaches, the emerald-colored water, the stunning sunsets that you're going to see around here. It just really makes this town unique. The thing that really makes it unique is that it's situated on a peninsula. And you have access to the golf, and then you also have access to the bay. So, you have all these cool things that you can do, where the water is pretty much calm except through the jetties for the most parts, which is ideally good for boating, some of the best world class boating. You have fishing, paddle boarding, and of course you do have opportunities for swimming, surfing, soaking up the sun, whatever you want to do, you're in a beach town.

Now, Destin is also home to one of the largest fishing fleets in Florida. Yeah. Heck, I didn't even know that until I researched it. It's actually led to the name of the world's luckiest fishing village. This is pretty cool. In addition to the beauty and serenity of this area, it's also a really charming small-town feel. Right? It's not condo city that you're going to have in central and South Florida. It's this beautiful lush forest that goes onto this white sand beach into emerald colored water. Like, some of the most beautiful things in the world. And not only that, but to the community itself, because where it's situated. You know, just south of Alabama, but still has a Floridian feel. You have this southern charm mixed in with Floridians. And specifically here in our area, where we have a bunch of military bases, you have a lot of really respectful and diverse military veterans that are still in the area. So, it's just a friendly community to be a part of. It's the reason I've moved here.

So, what's Destin most known for? Of course, the breathtaking waters. The beaches is a big one. Now, of course, it does boast some of the most beautiful stretches of beaches too, because some of this isn't developed. A big reason why it isn't developed is because of those military installations where they don't allow anything. In some areas, it can even build above six or seven stories, which is actually pretty advantageous to keep this area kind of looking the way that it does. Now, of course, the sand on those beaches is really what makes it. It's very, very fine. It almost sounds like it squeaks, it does squeak when you're walking across it, and some people call it sugar sand because of how fine it is.

Now, of course, deep sea fishing is a big thing out here as well. There are several fishing tournaments that actually come around the Destin area. Now a couple of those, we have the Destin fishing rodeo and the Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic are just a couple that do come through here. So, if you're an angler, this is it.

Alright. So, Destin's also known for a pretty live nightlife and entertainment scene. And I say that with a big grain of salt, no pun intended with a sugar sand. It's really good nightlife and entertainment for a small town. Alright? If you're used to the entertainment of Miami, it's probably not going to live up to that expectation. But, if you're looking for nightlife that also incorporates that relax beach atmosphere? Well, yeah, it's going to be great. Okay? The city offers also a wide range of restaurants, bars, night clubs, even, and some of which are just located right on the beach. So, you can have dinner, hang out, and then watch the sunset over the bay or over the golf or whatever, and it's just a beautiful area to visit and to live. Right?

Okay. So, what's most famous about, Destin, Florida? Well, we would consider it probably being the beaches, but the biggest one that it's known for specifically the beach is what they call Destin Beach. Now, Destin Beach is also known as Crystal Beach. Because if you look up Destin Beach, it's probably not going to get you what you're looking for. Well, Crystal Beach is located just south of 98. It's kind of over by where the commons are, the Destin Commons. If you're looking at a map, it's just kind of south of that area. And the beach is most famous, of course, for the white sand, the emerald-colored waters, and also compared to the beaches of Caribbean. Now, I'll be honest, after living here and vacationing in the Caribbean, our beaches are way better. It's not even a contest. This is way better. Alright? In fact, like I said before, I have been in the Caribbean and walked around and my feet were squeaking when I walked across the sand. It's just, it's not the same.

Alright. So, if you are coming here to Destin, obviously it's going to be a popular tourist destination. So, if you're wondering what it's going to be like to live here, if you were thinking about moving to this area, yeah, it's no surprise it's going to be a little bit pricier in Destin. However, for the cost of living, it's really not that high in comparison. Right? It's across a national average, it's still bouncing within 3-5% either above or below the national average. Which is really saying something. The thing that is really going to make it expensive are the housing cost. Transportation's a little bit higher because there's not a whole lot of public transportation, and the food prices can go up. Now when I say food prices, I mean, if you're getting prepared meals like you're not cooking. But if you are cooking and go to the grocery store, again, it's about the same as a national average. Okay? Housing is going to be the most expensive. Matter of fact, if you live in Destin proper, it's going to be one of the most expensive outside of living in Miramar Beach. Everywhere else around Destin will be cheaper. In some cases, it's significantly cheaper. Alright? If you look it up and look at these statistics on any of these websites, it's going to say that your median home price value is around $450,000. That's a lie. I don't know where they're getting that data from. Realistically, if you're looking for a single-family home for a median home price, it's going to be closer to $800,000-$900,00. Yes, for a single-family home. And the reason being is that you have homes that are selling for 7 million, 10 million, on the water in certain places of Destin. And then, of course, you also have townhomes that are selling for $200,000-$300,000. So, there's a big stretch between there, right? As we look at median home values from waterfront versus those that are kind of landlocked. Right? So, is it going to be more expensive? Yes. Would it behoove you if you wanted to live or access Destin to live in Niceville or Fort Walton Beach? Probably. You'll probably have lower taxes, and you'll most likely pay significantly less for housing. However, if you are moving there and that's not a factor, expect somewhere around there to get what you're looking for. Town homes are also a place to look into and also condos. There are tons of condos. But it really depends upon what sort of lifestyle that you're going to want to live. Do you want the condo life? No storage, everything taken care of for you? Sure. Right? And you're going to be around to a risk for, you know, a good eight months, you get to make new friends every weekend. But, if you want something else, there are apartments. There's not a whole lot of apartment buildings, but there are some condo units that aren't the beachfront type of condos that only allow long term rentals in there. There's a whole bunch of new townhome and apartment that were put together over by Destin High School over there by Walmart. So, they're kind of newer in those sorts of communities, so that's something course that you can look into. But, I do want to let you know that this was recorded in 2023. Rent prices nationally and this is no exception in our area are in like a 3-5 year lagging. So, expect over the next half a decade that it's going to increase to try to catch up to the increase in what prices were for homes in 2021, 2022 era when we just had that huge spike in real estate. So, know that the rents are really going to increase. We're not seeing any indication at this time that home values, true home values are going to decrease. So, investing something in this area, yes. Most likely, if you are going to be looking in here, the long-term sort of investment based on appreciation should be good to go. Real estate in general is going to be that way. But because of the military base, because of the demand for vacation rentals, like all and vacationers. All of these things are still to help and be a little bit more of a stable market than what you would normally see in Florida. So, yes, invest in Destin. I'm not just saying that because I'm a real estate agent, I'm also an investor,

Alright. Some other things to keep in mind too. So, if you are going to be coming here, we do have hot, we do have cold, right? So, we do have AC, we do have heat. You know, we still need heat in Florida. So, know that when you're looking at say a monthly electrical bill, whether you're in a condo or a reasonably sized single-family home, that you're going to be paying somewhere around 120 bucks a month.

So, that's what I have for you for Paradise found, exploring the beauty of Destin Florida. If you have any questions about anything I mentioned here, please feel free to call/text us at 850.320.7757 or email us at Admin@WhittemoreGroupRE.com

Search for all Homes for sale in Destin, FL here.