When people are relocating to a new city/state, they have one thing in common! Everyone has a lot of questions. Well, ask away! I'm going to try to give you some good answers.

Let's start with the basics ... when you are relocating to a new area you need an expert guide to help you! I am working hard to be YOUR local expert in Bay County, FL including Panama City and Panama City Beach, Lynn Haven, Parker, Callaway, St Andrews, and Mexico Beach.

BASICS include things like utilities, phone service, water services, cable television, internet, and even florists!

ELECTRIC COMPANIES

Gulf Power 800-225-5797

Gulf Coast Cooperative 850-265-3661

Bay County 850-872-4785

Panama City 850-872-3166

Lynn Haven 850-265-2121

Callaway 850-871-6100

Parker 850-871-4949

Springfield 850-872-7570

Cedar Grove 850-763-0102

Panama City Beach 850-233-5100

GAS COMPANIES

TECO People’s Gas 877-832-6747

Telephone, Mobile, Cellular, and Wireless Phone Services

Bellsouth 888-757-6500

Alltel 850-785-7000

T-Mobile 800-866-2453

Cingular 850-769-9770

Nextel 888-516-3983

Bellsouth Long Distance 888-757-6500

Knology 850-215-1000

Comcast 850-769-0392

Look at this Big Screen HD TV ... you know he had to find just the right home for this one!

Hallmark Flower Shoppe

700 East Bus Hwy 98

Panama City, Florida 32401

Phone: 850-763-3863 Visit the Website

Panama City Florist

755 Harrison Avenue

Panama City, Florida 32401

Phone: 850-769-1575 Visit the Website

Artistic Balloons & Flowers

929 Cherry Street

Panama City, Florida 32401

Phone: 850-763-1816

Caroline's Florist

3308 W. Highway 390

Panama City, Florida 32405

Phone: 850-747-9447 Visit the Website

Callaway Country Florist

515 N. Tyndall Pkwy

Callaway, Florida 32404

Phone: 850-785-7400

Lynn Haven Florist

725 Ohio Avenue

Lynn Haven, Florida 32444

Phone: 850-265-8974 Visit the Website

One Stop Flowers

219-A N. Tyndall Parkway

Callaway, Florida 32404

Phone: 850-763-3978 Visit the Website

When you are ready to relocate to the Northwest Florida coast on The Gulf of Mexico, let me be your local real estate expert. I can answer you questions and guide you to finding your new home!

What could be better than having your local hometown featured on Localism.com?

It's one place where you can find out everything you need to know about schools, civic groups, hospitals, clubs and organizations, churches, shopping, parks, recreation, and so much more.

Localism.com is a website where real estate professionals and others including mortgage companies, title companies, and others who service customers in the real estate business can post articles, calendars, blogs, maps, photos, and other important information about local areas.

If you are considering buying a new home in the Panama City/Beaches areas of Bay County, Florida, there are some important things you need to know.

NEW HOME BUYERS: You might be wondering about the local school system or churches, civic clubs, and business organizations. It would be really helpful to have information about the utility companies, cable, phone, and internet services, doctors, hospitals, dentists, insurance companies, and banks.

SECOND HOME INVESTORS: Perhaps you are thinking about purchasing a beach house or condominium, even a timeshare or fractional ownership. You will certainly want to know about the newest condos and resorts on the beach, and where to find the best buys, nighttime entertainment, local restaurants, and shopping!

MILITARY RELOCATION: If you are active duty military or a private contractor for the Air Force Base or Naval Station located in Bay County, I can help you find the right areas near these bases for your new home, and I can help you with information about the schools and recreation programs in the area.

Recently, I have written two very informative articles that were featured on LOCALISM.COM about Bay County. You can click on these highlighted links to read these articles. I am writing more articles each week that will give up-to-date information in an interesting way. I will add links to these articles as they are published on Localism.

Blog Entry: Back To Nature - Oaks by the Bay Park, St Andrews Bay, Panama City, FL - 1/15/08

Blog Entry: Bay County: Home to the Coastal Systems Station and Tyndall Air Force Base - 1/14/08

Other articles I have written for Localism.com:

Main Street Events ... In Downtown Panama City, FL

2008 Bay County Schools Planning Calendar

Vintage Victorian Home in Historic St Andrews Area, Panama City, FL

Statistics: Sold Terms and Days on the Market in Bay County, FL for 2007

6029 E. Hwy 98, Panama City, FL 32404

Bay County (FL) International Airport Ceremonial Groundbreaking

Along the Bay in the historic St. Andrews area of Panama City, FL is a wonderful park called Oaks By the Bay!  I've been spending a lot of time in beautiful St. Andrews lately.  I have a wonderful new listing in that part of Panama City ... it's the oldest part of town... where the first settlers of Bay County chose to stay and build their homes and raise families.  When you see these photos, you will know why they came to stay.

This must be like the view early home settlers found on St. Andrews Bay.

That little bird is a heron! And he's enjoying breakfast on a sandbar during low tide.

Oaks By The Bay Park ... so the sea oats and sand dunes are protected here ... preserved for your enjoyment.

This is the entrance to Oaks By the Bay Park ... pretty much like any park in the USA ... with the American Flag flying high, open spaces, nice wide walk-ways, and big old Southern Oak Trees.

The St. Andrews area of Panama City is home to a small marina providing safe harbor for fishing vessels, a variety of small shops, boutiques, and art galleries, and several wonderful locally owned restaurants serving breakfast, homemade lunches, and delicious seafood dinners.

You can take a walk at the marina during sunset, sip fresh coffee, or enjoy strolling by beautiful St. Andrews Bay in this park.

Words cannot express the beauty of life enjoyed in Oaks By the Bay Park.  Natural beauty on the Bay.

Where's the best place to have breakfast in Bay County?  On this sand bar in St Andrews Bay!  Ask the Heron!

This pavilion is near the front entrance of Oaks By the Bay Park.  Summer jazz concerts and Christmas carol sing-a-longs make this a year-round favorite stop for locals and tourists alike!

Here's something you just won't see anywhere else ... this Park is home to this rare four-headed palm tree ... the sign on the fence surrounding it says that it is believed to be the only one of its kind in the world.  It was relocated to this park for preservation.

This Heritage Oak Tree (below) is believed to be 250 YEARS old... it is believed to have stood as a "Sentry" over St Andrews Bay during the Civil War.  It may have been one of the few things left standing along the bay after that war.  It is said that a Union Gunship blasted every home along the bay.  There were fine homes built along the bay in the early 1860s, but none were left standing ... destroyed in an act of senseless aggression.

This Heritage Oak is believed to have survived the Civil War ... making it more than 250 years old....

It stands as a Sentry overlooking the pristine waters of St Andrew Bay in Oaks By the Bay Park in the St Andrews historical area of Panama City, Florida.

 One more view of the pristine waters of beautiful St Andrews Bay, Panama City, FL

When I first moved to Panama City, Florida in 1984, the downtown area still looked a lot like the 1960s.  And that was after the downtown stores that had been updated.  Some of the area was even more dated back prior to the '50s. Of course that was when some major rennovation had been done the first time around.  Now... over the past few years things have really changed. 

Panama City was actually incoporated in 1909 and became the county seat of newly established Bay County, FL in 1913.  Most of the original buildings remain today that were buit in the 1920-1930s.  Things pretty much stayed the same until a revitalization effort was begun in 1957. 

In 1974, the Downtown Improvement Board was created to manage ongoing redevelopement in the area. In 1985, Panama City was one of the first 5 cities to earn the MAIN STREET designation from the State of Florida. This program was initiated to help cities improve revitalization efforts. In 1999, the DIB began extensive updating and they are greatly responsible for the beautiful downtown Panama City area that we enjoy today.

One of the best things lately that I've seen coming from the Downtown Improvement Board is a newsletter called The Downtowner.  The emphasis is on current events planned for the area along with a monthly feature about one of the downtown businesses.  There are always lots of great photos from recent activities. 

JANUARY upcoming events... starting today ... dates and times taken from The Downtowner:

January 11, Friday

5:30 pm:  Main Street After Hours, Cassandra's Place, 120 Harrison Avenue, Special Prize Drawing at 6pm.

January 12, Saturday

10:00am:  Put on your walking shoes and "stride" through Historic Downtown Panama City.  This monthly event is perfect for families including children and pets. There are marked 1, 2, and 3 mile courses. Walkers should meet at the Visual Arts Center parking lot on the corner of 4^th St and Harrison Avenue.  The $10 entry fee includes a t-shirt, map, and beverage.  Proceeds support the Panama City Main Street programs.

 January 13, Sunday

2:00-3:30 pm:  "Second Sunday" at the McKenzie House (17 E 3^rd Ct) with Pat Nease, a local Storyteller.

January 25-26, Friday-Saturday

Krewe of St Andrews Mardi Gras festival and parade. This event has drawn 50,000 people to the St Andrews area of downtown Panama City for the past several years. 

Jan 25, 2:00-10:00 pm with the main events at 4:00pm: Kids and Pets Parade;  7:00 pm Maskers Parade

Jan 26, 10:00 am-10:00 pm with main event 3:00 pm The 8^th Annual Krewe of St Andrews Mardi Gras Parade

For more information about these events call the DIB at 785-2554, Molly Martin, Main Street coordinator.

UPDATE!  Molly Martin sent a follow up email... there's another Mardi Gras Parade scheduled for Panama City, and although it is not an event sponsored by the DIB, she wanted to share their plans with us:

January 18-19, Friday-Saturday: 

Krewe of Massalina Mardi Gras, Downtown Panama City.

Jan. 18, Friday:  Block Party 6:00 pm-11:00 pm

Jan. 19, Saturday:  Festival Sat. 10:00 am-11:00 pm with Parade at 3:00 pm
  
For more information visit their website: www.kreweofmassalina.com

It's winter-time on Panama City Beach, FL.  This past week there was a "hard freeze" in our area.  Nighttime temps were in the 20s-30s.  Daytime temperatures in the mid-40 degree range. 

I know ... you all want to post beautiful bright snow pictures right now, don't you?  If only you could somehow make those photos chill me to the bone!  I really do appreciate living on the coast of NW Florida!

My parents live in a condo on Panama City Beach.  They retired and decided to live there more than 20 years ago ... they have owned a unit in the same complex for about 30 years.  Last week as I entered the elevator in this condo complex, a couple of ladies were getting in the elevator with a cart loaded with luggage and groceries. They had just arrived ... snowbirds... I asked where they live.  "Chicago."  I joked that they had brought this cold weather with them.  Without a trace of a smile, one of the ladies said, "You have no idea what cold is."

I laughed and agreed with her.  I've never been to Chicago, but I hear they have their own brand of cold there.  As they exited the elevator, I wished her a good vacation and said, "Enjoy the warm weather!"  Even though it has been cold by NW Florida standards, we still have gorgeous sunsets on "the world's most beautiful beaches."

While I was visiting my parents last week, I decided to "document" the winter sunset (which I think is more beautiful than summer sunsets).  I've made a photo show from the pictures I took of this sunset from their 13th floor balcony.  Click on the link here if you would like to watch.  Enjoy!