Destin Florida Featured in New York Times Travel Section!

Remember the TV show the Jeffersons? …We are movin’ on up!!!! Our “little piece of paradise” is finally being recognized by the “big boys”!! My parents, who live in Connecticut, said they are even seeing TV commercials for Destin. If you want to read the entire article, here is the link: 14 Easy Weekend Getaways. I believe it’s just a matter of time before we see more direct flights from NY airports…come on Southwest and Vision Airlines!

By MICHELLE HIGGINS
Published: March 11, 2011

Destin, Fla.

EASY GETAWAY FROM Atlanta; Charlotte, N.C.; Dallas; Houston; Miami; Niagara Falls, N.Y.

WHAT YOU GET Emerald-green surf, Southern charm, family-friendly everything, dolphins frolicking offshore.

WHY NOW Even though its sugar-white beaches were largely unspoiled by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill last year, tourism came to a standstill at this laid-back resort town on Florida’s upper northwest coast. While visitors are now on the upswing — thanks in part to aggressive marketing efforts — rates remain low with hotels offering discounts of as much as 20 percent, according to Mark Bellinger, chief executive of the Emerald Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. “There are a lot more package plans — stay two nights, get the third night free,” he said, and hotels are throwing in extras like golf or half a day of fishing to entice guests. Destin is also easier to get to thanks to Vision Airlines, a new low-fare carrier that will begin nonstop service March 25 to Northwest Florida Regional Airport from 13 markets including Little Rock, Ark., Louisville, Ky., and Asheville, N.C., with rates as low as $79 each way. It plans to add more routes by April 1.

WHERE TO STAY Jetty East Condominiums (jettyeast.net) is a beachfront condo-hotel with one-bedrooms from $137 a night on weekends in March and April. Sterling Shores condominiums (sterlingresorts.com) has a 4,300-square-foot lagoon-style pool, a 42-seat surround-sound theater and one-bedrooms from $169 a night. Looking for a more resort village feel? Eight miles east of Destin, the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort (sandestination.com), a 2,400-acre family resort, has two-bedroom villas from $139 a night if booked 21 days ahead.

Labor Day weekend is behind us…wow hard to believe it’s September. Time is flying!

While many were at the beach, at a bar-be-que, shopping or just plain having fun, I was showing property. I’m not looking for the “let me play my small violin”, lol, because I’m so happy to do so! Several reasons…

• I absolutely love to show property because I love what I do. I have the best Clients!
• Holiday weekends aren’t necessarily a holiday for us Realtors. The long weekends means buyers have the time to be here and look at property.
• I’m lucky to live at the beach…and I need to continue to sell real estate to live here

One of my buyers, whom I showed property to this weekend, called me yesterday to ask a question. She started our conversation by saying “You are lucky to live at the beach. You don’t have to go back to reality”. When we hung up, her statement really hit me…more about the going back to reality part. Yes, I know I am lucky to live here, and I don’t take it for granted…hence the reason my husband and I work so hard…we want to stay here! It’s funny because whenever I leave the area, about 2 days later, I’m “home sick”. I just want to get back to paradise. So even when I “come back to my reality, Destin, Florida” I am glad to be here and ready to get back to selling real estate.

Check out the updated YTD-2010 spreadsheet in the “stats” box to the right. For those of you who believe nothing is selling…the numbers don’t lie.

What do you think?

Santa Rosa Beach made Travel+Leisure’s Best Little Beach Towns!!!!

Santa Rosa Beach, FL

This northwestern Florida beach town was once a turpentine mecca, back when you needed the distilled sap to build ships. Today, it prides itself on its hiking and biking trails, as well as its Caribbean-style artists’ colony.

Stay: Architect David Rockwell designed the airy-looking WaterColor Inn & Resort, where you get free use of bicycles, fishing gear, and kayaks that you can paddle around its on-site dune lake.

Eat: Stop in for a cappuccino, ice cream, an “outrageous cinnamon roll,” or even just a beer at Miss Lucille’s Gossip Parlor. If you don’t have anything to

pass along to Miss Lucille herself, you can just watch the beachgoers stroll by, or check your e-mail on one of her co

ffeehouse’s computers. —Katrina Brown Hunt

America’s Best Little Beach Towns

Here are some pictures of the beach at the intersection of Pompano Street & Scenic Hwy 98 in Crystal Beach. It was absolutely glorious and hot!

P.S. I’m working on the page for the updates…having some “issues”. Will post here until I get them worked out.

Crystal Beach

Crystal Beach Looking West

Crystal Beach Looking East