Kerry Veach

The Emerald Coast has some of the most beautiful beachfront in all of Florida.  Soft, white sand and clear, cool waters make this not only a great vacation spot, but a great place to live as well.  Imagine looking out onto a sun-shimmered ocean everyday from your Emerald Coast home.  Combine this everyday beauty with a dazzling day of fireworks, and you have Fourth of July weekend.

If you haven’t made plans for Independence Day yet, no worries – there’s still plenty of time.  Leading up to the big day, HarborWalk Village will transform into New Orleans on July 3^rd at 7:00pm.  There will be a parade with extravagant floats, Cajun-style cooking, live musical entertainment, and lots of beads – all staying true to “The Big Easy”.

After “Pardi Gras”, you can return to HarborWalk Village for the Fourth of July Extravaganza on the Harbor.  From 6:30 – 9:30pm on July 4^th there will be a hot dog eating contest, live music on the main stage, family activities with contests and giveaways, and a spectacular fireworks display over the water.

For a change in scenery, check out the Annual Fourth of July Celebration at Fort Walton Beach.  From 4pm – 10pm, this event will include entertainment, food and merchandise vendors, a bicycle parade for children, a fly-over, children’s games and activities, and much more.  At 9:15pm, the fun-filled day will be concluded with a celebratory show of fireworks.

If you would like something a little more cozy and comfortable, come over to Destin Beach for some patriotic pyrotechnics over the East Pass at 9pm.  This annual fireworks show will be hosted by AJ’s Seafood & Oyster Bar, the Destin Area Chamber of Commerce, and Z96.

If you or anyone you know is interested in searching for homes in the Emerald Coast, contact Kerry Veach.  Kerry is an experienced Realtor who can help you buy or sell real estate in the Emerald Coast.  With over 1,000 closings and a full-time real estate team, it’s no wonder that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

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The heat is here, and so is the time to begin thinking about ways to keep your home cool.  Besides cranking the AC to full blast and paying exorbitant electric bills, there are some other ways to help keep your home cool.  One thing homeowners can do to keep their Destin Beach homes cool is known as “landscape shading”.  This requires more effort than the simple press of a button (or push of a lever) on a thermostat, but I believe it is well worth it.

I’m sure you don’t need to be told how simply stepping into some shade on a hot day can make a huge difference.  Your home, of course, is no different.  Landscape shading and evapotranspiration (the process by which a plant actively moves and releases water vapor) can reduce surrounding air temperatures as much as 9° F (5°C).  And because cool air settles near the ground, air temperatures directly under trees can be as much as 25°F (14°C) cooler than air temperatures above nearby blacktop.

Not only is landscape shading a great way to cool your home, it’s also beautiful.  The process can be a little tricky since it requires that you analyze where and when the sun hits the hardest in your yard.  However, once you know that, you can move onto the next step:  figuring out which types of trees and shrubs you will plant.

At this point, it would probably be wise to consult a professional landscaping company (unless, of course, you have a pretty reliable green thumb yourself).  You’ll need to select the right type of tree for Florida climate, as well as a tree that will cover the areas you want shaded.  For example, you may want shade over your home during the hottest time of day, while leaving the pool area exposed.

Done correctly, landscape shading will lower your cooling bill and add beautifully customized curb appeal to your Destin Beach home.

If you or anyone you know is interested in searching for homes in Destin Beach, contact Kerry Veach.  Kerry is an experienced Realtor who can help you buy or sell a home in Destin, FL.  With over 1,000 closings and a full-time real estate team, it’s no wonder that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

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Florida Realtors recently released a report concluding that real estate in Northwest Florida has improved since last year.  Several variables play into this result, including low inventory, low interest rates and strong buyer demand.  Buyer demand remains supported in large part by investors, but first-time homebuyers have begun dipping into this pool.  Another new member to this group are buyers who are using this opportunity to move up into a more desirable home, now that housing affordability is at an all-time high.

Okaloosa County, home to Destin Beach, had 2,498 properties — single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums — on the market in March. That’s a 27.43 percent decrease from March 2011, when 3,442 properties were up for sale.  Neighboring counties Walton and Santa Rosa are reporting similar figures.

“There are plenty of other signs of improvement,” Judi Rutland, president of the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, said in an email. “A positive sign for Okaloosa and Walton counties is a decrease in inventory levels for all property types…It’s basic economics: supply and demand,” she added. “As the supply goes down, the demand will go up. Once demand increases, the prices will begin to go back up.”

Sales are also up in Okaloosa County.  238 single-family homes were sold in March at an average sales price of $207,649, and 70 townhome/condo units were sold at an average price of $271,671. Compare this to March, 2011 when 221 single-family homes were sold at an average of $205,451 and 52 townhome/condo units were sold for an average of $266,578.  In addition, single-family homes are also spending less time on the active market and receiving strong offers much faster than this time last year.

With such positive findings based on real estate market data, the future housing climate appears to provide hope to homeowners in Destin Beach.

If you or anyone you know is interested in searching for homes in Destin Beach, contact Kerry Veach.  Kerry is an experienced Realtor who can help you buy or sell Destin Beach real estate.  With over 1,000 closings and a full-time real estate team, it’s no wonder that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Now that June is here, we are entering our hottest season.  AC units will be cranked at full blast, and Destin Beach homeowners will be looking for ways to save money without compromising efficiency.  Here’s a list of things homeowners can do that will make cooling Destin Beach homes a breeze.

Change Your Air Filter Frequently

It’s good practice to check your air filter once a month and change it at least once a quarter.  In the months June – August, when your AC unit is working overtime, you may need to change your filter monthly.  If the filter is dirty, it will slow down air flow and make the unit work harder to keep your home cool.  You also need clean filters to prevent dust from building up in the system, which could lead to costly maintenance repairs down the road.

 Tune Your HVAC Yearly

Speaking of maintenance, don’t neglect your HVAC system.  Just like your car needs regular oil changes, your HVAC needs the occasional tune-up to prevent it from breaking down suddenly – and that’s the last thing you want to happen on a 100 degree scorcher!

Seal Your Ducts

By simply sealing and insulating your cooling ducts, you can improve efficiency by as much as 20 percent!  Focus first on any obvious energy wasters, like your garage.  Use duct sealant (mastic) or metal-backed (foil) tape to seal the seams and connections of ducts.  After sealing the ducts in those spaces, wrap them in insulation to keep them from getting hot in the summer.  Next, look for ducts you can access from any cooled parts of the home.  Learn more about duct sealing here.

Energy Star

If you’ve had your HVAC for 10 years or more and/or you feel it may be time for a replacement, why not purchase a new Energy Star unit?  An Energy Star unit could potentially shave up to $200 off your annual cooling bill!  However, make sure you’ve completed step 3 before installing a new unit – otherwise, your new and efficient system will be pretty inefficient.

If you are interested in searching for homes in Destin, FL, contact Kerry Veach.  Kerry is an experienced Realtor who can help you buy or sell Destin, FL real estate.  With over 1,000 closings and a full-time real estate team, it’s no wonder that 95% of Kerry’s business comes from referrals.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net