Kerry Veach

A new six building condominium project is scheduled to be built in Sandestin, a golf beach resort that was rated “Best Resort” in Destin by Destin Magazine, and the “Best Resort of the Emerald Coast” by the readers of Emerald Coast Magazine.  This community, Osprey Pointe, will offer a limited number of reservations for two and three-bedroom units exclusively to Sandestin homeowners, and opened to the public in about one month.

The four-story condo buildings, each containing 16 units, will be located off of Heron Walk Drive and overlook Choctawhatchee Bay.  This central bay front location is a brief walk to the tunnel that goes to the beach, walking distance to the village, and a golf cart ride from any of the Grande Boulevard amenities.

The horseshoe designed community will feature its own clubhouse center, a lookout tower, and an exquisite pool area.  The units will feature European fixtures and cabinets, custom moldings, walk-in showers, expansive balconies, and plenty of amenities.  Prices will range from $450,000 to $550,000 range.

If you have considered purchasing a new home, don’t begin shopping around without your Destin, FL Realtor to represent you.  Builders have sales representatives that can assist you throughout the purchase process, but remember that these representatives are working for the builder – not you.  If you would like to buy a home in Destin, FL, or sell a home in Destin, FL, contact Kerry Veach online or by calling 1.800.879.0309. With over 1,000 closings, 20+ years of experience  and a full-time real estate team, it’s no surprise that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

Last week, I wrote about the benefits of landscape shading for Destin, FL homes.  This week, I’m going to focus on cool roofs.

Satisfying both meanings of the word “cool”, these roofs combine hip with energy efficiency.  A cool roof reflects the sunlight and absorbs less heat – also known as solar reflectance and thermal emittance.  They may be constructed out of a highly reflective paint, sheet covering, or highly reflective tiles or shingles.  Cool roofs average temperatures that are about 50 degrees less than that of standard or dark colored roofs.

If the difference in temperature isn’t enough to entice you, then consider these benefits as well:

• Since your air conditioning unit won’t have to work quite as hard as it would with a standard roof, you can expect reduced electricity bills.
• If many houses in the same neighborhood have cool roofs, you can expect fewer power outages during peak times due to a lower electricity demand.
• Areas outdoors (such as a patio) that are shaded by the roof, but not air conditioned, will be cooler than they would be with a standard roof.
• Since your roof isn’t taking the quite the beating it was before you upgraded, you can expect the service life of your roof to last longer.
• Because you are using less electricity, you will be contributing to a reduction in power plant emissions such as carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, and mercury.

To learn more about cool roofs, download Guidelines for Selecting Cool Roofs from the EERE Building Technologies Program.

Make sure you check the Veach View Blog frequently to get more energy (and money) saving tips.  And as always, if you or anyone you know is interested in buying real estate in Destin, FL, or selling a home in Destin, FL, contact Kerry Veach online or call him directly at 1.800.879.0309.

With over 1,000 closings, 20+ years of experience and a full-time real estate team, it’s no surprise that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Northwest Florida homes have a lot of desirable qualities, one of which is location along white sandy beaches and cool ocean waters. With this location comes ample opportunity to rent a home to vacationers escaping to the south, or people who wish to relocate to a warmer climate. Either way, rentals rates are on the rise for both groups.

2011 saw a 64.5% increase in investment property home sales from the year before – that’s 12.3 million units sold in 2011, versus 749,000 in 2010.

“Investors have been swooping into the market to take advantage of bargain home prices,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “Rising rental income easily beats cash sitting in banks.”

Foreclosures have largely contributed to this boost in second-home purchases. In fact, half of the above mentioned investment home sales from 2011 were distressed properties. Many investors are attracted to the long-term rental income, versus the short-term profits from a flipped home. This is good logic since the national rental average is expected to increase by 5%-10% each year.

Renting has always been more expensive than buying due to the tax benefits, but now it is becoming even more so. As inflation looms in the distance, we can expect to begin seeing cost of living increases across the board, and housing expenses will be no exception.

If you would like to begin your home search, or are thinking about selling your home in Northwest Florida, contact Kerry Veach online or call 1.800.879.0309. Kerry’s experienced team has closed more than 1000 transactions and specializes in providing their clients with the highest quality service possible.

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net