About Walton County, FL

The Market Report is out for the Month of June.

I can send you a full report, but below are my comments.

Walton County Florida ranks third in the whole State of Florida for the lowest mileage rates in the State. It is a beautiful county the size of the State of Rhode Island with 50,000 permanent residents. The county stretches from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama border to our north. If you have never been here, you should place this county on your must see list. The diversity of the county from rich Horse Farms in the North and rural living to the beaches of South Walton are something to cherish. I love living here where the people are friendly and happy all of the year. Why not? It is one of the most beautiful places to ever live. Come and see our beautiful sandy white beaches and the beautiful color of the Gulf of Mexico contrasting with a blue, blue sky. When you do come, make sure you look me up for a full tour.

In June, we had 26 new home sales compared with same period last year of 28.

Resales are up. This year we had 95 compared to 87 resales last year in the home category. What is selling? Bargains! Lots of foreclosures and short sales are in the marketplace and people are buying them up. You can get a weekly list of these from me if you like by emailing me your request to Kelly@KellyKleinSoldMine.com

63 Condos sold in the month of June. Financing can be tricky on resort condos, but I have resources who can finance these with 75% down and some terrific rates all under 6%. Last year same period only 56 condos sold.

Even lots are selling again. There were 91 lots sold in the month of June compared to just 74 last year.

With sales up and inventory slowly coming down, don't wait too long to own a piece of paradise. Prices I believe are at their lowest now and will soon go back up again. It is a great time to invest in a property in Florida's beautiful Gulf Coast region.

My Real Estate Services cover the areas of Destin, Santa Rosa Beach, Niceville and Panama City Beach. Make the most exciting investment in Real Estate In Destin FL, Santa Rosa Beach FL, Waterfront Properties, and Panama City Beach FL Real Estate or purchase a Niceville FL Home For Sale, it will be a satisfactory and rewarding experience for you. Feel free to browse through our listings of the finest Panama City Beach FL Homes For Sale today!

Kelly Klein, Broker Associate, ABR, CIPS, CRS, e-Pro, GREEN, PMN, RSPS
Cell: 850-420-2480
Kelly@KellyKleinSoldMine.com

Red Hot Realty

There are a number of measures that homeowners can take to ensure that their homes are not attractive to burglars. If clients are concerned about break-ins, inspectors can pass on to them basic strategies for burglar-proofing their homes.

Some interesting statistics concerning break-ins in the United States:

• Theft makes up more than three-quarters of all reported crime.

• In 2005, law enforcement agencies reported more than 2 million burglary offenses.

According to a survey, burglars enter homes through the following locations:

• 81 percent enter through the first floor;
• 34 percent of burglars enter through the front door;
• 23 percent enter through a first-floor window;
• 22 percent enter through the back door
• 9 percent enter through the garage;
• 4 percent enter through the basement;
• 4 percent enter through an unlocked entrance;
• 2 percent enter through a storage area; and
• 2 percent enter anywhere on the second floor.

Some interesting statistics (2002) concerning break-ins in Canada.

• The burglary rate in Canada (877 per 100,000 people) is seven times higher than that of the country with the fewest break-ins, Norway.

• The burglary rate in Canada is slightly higher than that of the United States (746 per 100,000 people) but significantly less than the burglary rate in Australia (2275 per 100,000 people).
  

Exterior Doors

• Doors should be made of steel or solid-core wood construction. Hollow-core wood doors are more easily broken than heavy, solid-core doors.
  
  
• Doors should be free of signs of rot, cracks and warping.
  
  
• Doors should be protected by quality deadbolt locks. Chain locks are not adequate substitutes for deadbolt locks, although chain locks may be used as additional protection.
  
  
• If a mail slot is present, it should be equipped with a cage or box. Mailslots that are not equipped with cages or boxes have been used by burglers to enter homes. Burglars can insert a contraption made of wire and cord into the mail slot and use it to open the lock from the inside, if no box or cage is present.
  
  
• If a door is equipped with glass panes, they should be installed far from the lock. Otherwise, burglars can smash the glass and reach through the door to unlock the door.
  
  
• Spare keys should not be hidden in obvious locations. Burglars are very good at finding keys that homeowners believe are cleverly hidden. The best place for a spare key is in the house of a trusted neighbor. If keys must be hidden near the door, they should not be placed in obvious locations, such as under a doormat, rock or planter.
  
  
• A peephole can be installed in doors so homeowners can see who is on their doorstep before they open the door.
  
  
• Clients should consider installing bump-resistant locks on their doors. "Bumping" is a technique developed recently that can open almost any standard lock with less effort than is required by lock-picking. This technique uses "bump keys," which are normal keys with slight modifications. Lock companies such as Schlage Primus and Medeco manufacture a number of locks that offer some bump-resistance.

Pet Doors

• Pet doors can be used by burglars to enter homes. Some burglars have reached through pet doors in order to unlock the door. It is advisable to not have a pet door, but if one is necessary, it should be as small as possible and installed far from the lock.
  
  
• A crafty burglar may convince or coerce a small child to crawl through a pet door and unlock the door. Also, some burglars are children.
  
  
• Electronic pet doors are available that open only when the pet, equipped with a signaling device in their collar, approaches the door. These doors are designed to keep stray animals out of the home, and may provide protection against burglars, as well.
  
  

Sliding Glass Doors

• They should be equipped with locks on their tops and bottoms.
  
  
• They should not be able to be lifted from their frames.
  
  
• A cut-off broom handle, or a similar device, can be laid into the door track to prevent it from being opened.
  
  

Illumination

• Lights should be installed on the exterior of all four sides of the house. Burglars prefer darkness so they cannot be seen by neighbors or passersby.
  
  
• When building occupants are not home, a few lights should be left on.
  
  
• It is helpful to install exterior lights that are activated by motion sensors. Burglars that are suddenly illuminated may flee.
  
  

Windows

• All windows should be composed of strong glass, such as laminated glass, and be in good operating order.

• They can be installed with bars, grilles, grates or heavy-duty wire screening. Barred windows must be equipped with a quick-release mechanism so occupants can quickly escape during a fire.

• Windows should not be hidden from from by landscaping or structures. If landscaping or structures cannot be moved, lighting can be installed around the windows.

Landscape and Yard

• Shrubs and trees should not obscure the view of entrances. Shielded entrances can provide cover for burglars while they attempt to enter the residence.
  
  
• Fences are helpful burglar deterrents, although they should not be difficult to see through.

While the house is vacant:

• A loud radio can be used to make burglars think someone is home. Timers can be used to activate radios and lights to make the home seem occupied.
  
• A car should always be parked in the driveway. A neighbor's car can be parked there so that it appears as if someone is home.
  
  

• The lawn should be cut regularly. Uncut grass is a clue that no one is home.

Other tips:

• Dogs are excellent burglar deterrants. For clients who cannot own dogs, they can place "beware of dog" signs around the yard for nearly the same effect.

• If no security system is installed, the client can post security alarm stickers around the yard.
  

In summary, there are a number of tactics that inspectors can pass on to their clients that will help safeguard their homes from break-ins.

For more informatiion please visit: HOMEINSPECOTRUSA

I was recently featured in the Walton Sun Newspaper as I was digging in the sand during a beach boot camp with my fellow workout partners. We meet four times a week for a beach workout that is killer. We start with heavy ropes walking to the beach in Grayton (about a mile) and those without the ropes have to carry medicine balls 15 pounds or more. Then we run -- balls ahead of the ropes, then ropes ahead of the balls. It isn't easy. It is a lot easier on the bike lane than it is in the sand. Once in the sand we have to do the heave and retrieve. More like I feel like heaving. It is hot and difficult. But being one of the oldest women in the class I try to keep up with my younger role models. So there I am heaving and retrieving a 16 pound medicine ball in the sand. Once we do this on an imaginary unmarked course, we next drop down for 30 push-ups in the sand. Have you ever tried to do push-ups in the sand? I am talking about the type of sand we have here at our beaches. Beautiful white powdery sand. It isn't easy, let me tell you. Okay, I got through them and then he made us roll over and give him 50 butterfly kicks. Not done yet, we had to dig a hole in the sand to the depth of our elbows. (I felt like my dog Haley at this point) Then we fill it back up so the sea turtles don't fall into them later this evening. One last move, don't forget the burpies. You may now be hurting yourself just thinking about burping. I said burpies. You have to drop to your hands do one push up and then jump back up and clap your hands above your head. Burp. They are killer.

Well, this is one way to stay fit as a Realtor. Now its on to sell, sell, sell.

For a full class schedule, visitors welcomed too! Go to http://www.graytonbeachfitness.com

Paul Hunter -- Owner

Located at 38 Clayton Lane, Grayton Beach, FL 32459

Thanks for stopping in.

Kelly Klein, Broker / Agent

Red Hot Realty ~ Servicing the Panhandle of Florida

http://www.kellykleinsoldmine.com

Are you looking to purchase Panama City Beach Real Estate or one of the beautiful Santa Rosa Beach Condos or homes? If so, you definitely came to the right place. Call on me today to be your guide to the finest properties in the Panama City Real Estate area. My real estate services cover Santa Rosa Beach and the surrounding communities including the Rosemary Beach Florida Real Estate and Destin Florida Real Estate markets. I work hard so you don't have to, and I would be more than happy to help you find your dream home today. When looking for the best Panama City Beach FL Real Estate Agents, rest assured that I am experienced and that my services are guaranteed to provide you with 100% satisfaction. Real estate on Florida's gulf coast is booming, and as the number of master-planned communities here increase, Watercolor Florida Homes For Sale are becoming more and more available as well as affordable. For more information about the real estate in the above areas or to learn more about luxurious Panama City Beach Condos and the Panama City Real Estate market, feel free to contact me today. I am confident that with my help, you will find the right real estate at the right price!

The earliest settlers of Walton County specialized in livestock: cattle and sheep. During the late 19th century and early 20th, lumber and naval supplies became important components of the local economy. Red Bay was established in the 1820s, and Freeport and Paxton were founded during the 1830s. Freeport, on the Choctawhatchee Bay, served as a commercial port transporting lumber, cattle, and naval supplies. Walton County's beaches remained quite unpopulated until the completion of the Clyde B. Wells Bridge in 1946, which spurred coastal growth.

Walton County's oldest beach community is Grayton Beach. Beginning in 1890, DeFuniak Springs and Chipley residents and their famililes started vacationing there. A beach patrol guard station was created in Grayton Beach in 1920; before that, horses patrolled the beaches. At that time, it has been said that a person could vacation on the pristine sand and encounter nobody. Seaside, established in 1981, set the standard for southern small-town living. Over the next 30 years, Walton County's beaches have grown a great deal, though with a population of just below 50,000, they still retain the quaintness and charm of their early days.

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271 Observation Pt, Sandestin, FL 32550

Village of Baytowne Wharf

MLS#:510476 $155,000

Not a short sale! Owner needs an offer! Large unique studio located in the Village of Baytowne Wharf. It's L-shaped floorplan with separate sleeping area and washer and dryer in the condo (not found in any other studio) make it a must see. There is a huge terrace, great for sunbathing or just enjoying the sounds of the Village, and private parking in a gated underground area. Observation Point is in the heart of The Village of Baytowne Wharf and just a short stroll to the fabulous shops and eateries. Beautifully landscaped amenities terrace with heated pool, fitness center, barbeque area and access to the Owners Founders Club that offers a pool table, tv and bar area and large balcony overlooking the Events Plaza - perfect for watching the fireworks, parades or the many other special events the Village has to offer. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is also home to 4 championship golf courses, a 15-court lighted grass and clay tennis center, full service marina, miles of walking trails, and of course the most beautiful beaches in the world.