Real Estate Information

THUNDER BEACH is coming to Panama City Beach next week.  Please take the time to look both ways and please look out for motorcycles.  There will be 75,000 or more participants coming to our small town starting mid week April 26 thru May 1.  The roads will be very busy from Appalachicola to Destin and especially along Panama City Beach so please look out for the motorcycles, back off and give yourself more time to react. 

Hey Bikers, while you are here, please respect the locals and keep your noise down as much as you can, don't revv up your engine late at night or in residential areas of Panama City Beach.  We locals LOVE Thunder Beach and want it to continue! Please don't ride if you have had too many beverages, there are plenty of taxis to get you back to your room.

Places of interest to check out while in Panama City Beach for Thunder Beach:

• Ms Newbys, great place to people watch, but watch out for the hunch punch, it will get you
• The Outpost, just a great ride to a real biker retreat on the Black Creek, buckets of beer and good burgers and always great bands
• Appalachicola, an older fishing town east of Panama City Beach, a good ride.  Best oysters in the world
• Red Door Saloon, people watching on Front Beach Rd
• Uncle Ernies, good beer, great views and excellent food, located in historic St Andrews

Be safe, have fun!  Enjoy Thunder Beach!

The real estate market in Panama City Florida is starting to heat up, will it continue?

Right now in Panama City Florida, the real estate market feels like it has rebounded and is making a strong comeback.  Sales numbers are up, buyer numbers are up BUT prices are still falling AND inventory numbers are still climbing.

What does this mean?  It means that the best properties are selling quickly and the overpriced properties are not selling, they are just adding to the inventory numbers.  As real estate pricesdrop, buyers become more interested and their urgency increases.  In Panama City, there are pockets of real estate that working toward a sellers market.  These areas are foreclosures that are priced at or below the average sales price and in good condition.

What can you do to compete as a seller in this real estate market in Panama City?  Price your home to compete with foreclosures and make sure your home is in top condition.  Make it available to show and make it shine when it does show.

What can you do as a buyer to capitalize on the Panama City Real Estate market? First things first, call The Payne Group and schedule a personal, one on one consultation before you start your search.  Make sure that you have cash or are preapproved for a mortgage and MOST OF ALL, do NOT hesitate when you find the property that meets your needs and your financials.  You are not the only buyer that could think this is the home! 

Where is the market going?  No one can say with 100% accuracy what is going to happen to the real estate market in Panama City or Panama City Beach.  What we do know is that interest rates are low and prices are prime for purchasing.  We do know that timing the real estate market rarely works.  We do know that mistiming the market can be very costly.   In a nutshell, don't worry about where the market is going, worry where it is today!

To start your real estate search in Panama City, Contact The Payne Group ASAP!

Let your imagination run wild at the newest attraction in Panama City Beach, Florida

Wonder Works is located at 9910 Front Beach Rd, Panama City Beach, Florida, across the street from Ripley's Believe It or Not and just down the street from Angelo's Steak House.

Check out the WonderWorks website for more details.  

Trustees approve Gulf Coast State College as new name for Panama City Institution

~ New name connects the institution to its rich history and traditions while acknowledging its expanded mission ~

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Panama City, FL – In a historic vote, Gulf Coast Community College District Board of Trustees unanimously approved a new name for the Panama City institution: Gulf Coast State College. The vote is the culmination of months of research and evaluation of input from College stakeholders that included students, employees, alumni and members of the community.

  Over 1,700 people responded to the online community survey and 74% thought that Gulf Coast Community College should move ahead with a name change. The trustees discussed the issue after hearing a presentation that included a list of names for consideration as well as the reasons for and against each choice. Gulf Coast State College rose to the top as the trustees all agreed that it kept the history and tradition while acknowledging the addition (and future growth) of 4-year degree programs.

The names under discussion were:

• Emerald Coast College  (ECC)
• Emerald Coast State College  (ECSC)
• Gulf Coast College  (GCC)
• Gulf Coast State College  (GCSC)
• Coastal College  (CC)
• Coastal State College  (CSC)
• Florida Gulf Coast College  (FGCC)
• Florida Coastal College  (FCC)
• Florida Panhandle College  (FPC)

With the approval from the trustees, College officials will begin submitting applications for the name change with the Florida Legislature, the State Board of Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) accrediting body.

Take a virtual campus tour of the new Gulf Coast State College in Panama City, FL

What in incredible display of patriotism and respect for our Soldiers!  The Wounded Warrior Beach Retreat is this weekend in Panama City Beach, Florida.  Yesterday the streets were lined with American flags to honor those that fight for our freedom.

Please take a moment to view the video. 

Most of all, please thank an Soldier for their service.

Thank you to all of those that protect and serve our great country!!!!

Click on the photo for more pictures of the Soldiers Angels on the Hathaway Bridge.

First Annual St Andrew Bay Saltworks Raid, Panama City Florida. 

 Sponsored by the Panama City Downtown Improvement Board

Hosted by: United States Naval Civil War Museum

Located along gorgeous Beach Drive

PROPERTY REPORT COURTESY OF The Payne Group

Historic Old Town in Panama City is home to this Juan Montoya custom design that combines clean lines and graceful curves to create a truly captivating piece of livable art. Montoya, rated among the top 100 designers in Architectural Digest, has contributed his modern aesthetic to the design of several remarkable homes along the Gulf Coast. This luxurious residence does not shy away from its curb appeal as a focal point on West Beach Drive. The beautifully landscaped property is as special as the home itself and the large, rectangular swimming pool compliments the front entry of the home. The property line extends south from West Beach Drive all the way to the Bay, whereas many other homes on the street do not own the land south of the road to the Bay. The backyard is home to one of the oldest registered hickory trees in the Panama City area. Inside, pleasant surprises await. The open interiors showcase amazing hardwood floors, wood millwork and arching wood ceilings. The first floor accommodations include a library/study, along with a bedroom and full bath. Upstairs the master suite features a large, circular bay window, south facing balcony, custom bath and views of the living and dining rooms. Two additional bedrooms with private baths occupy the upstairs living quarters. You will not be uninspired by this modern masterpiece.

--Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed--Copyright: 2011 by the Bay County Association of REALTORS®
WWW.KNOWPAYNEKNOWGAIN.COM
Prepared by Jeff Payne of KELLER WILLIAMS SUCCESS REALTY on 4/13/2011 12:25:57 PM

WOUNDED WARRIORS BEACH RETREAT

Panama City Beach, Florida

Come on out this week to Panama City Beach to show your respect for those that fight for us!  The Wounded Warrior Retreat is this week in Panama City Beach. 

Panama City Beach-- Local folks have the opportunity this week to honor those who've been wounded in service to our country. The wounded warriors beach retreat was founded several years ago by a woman whose son lost his legs after a roadside bomb exploded in Iraq.

Linda Cope has seen the struggles her son has faced and has made it her mission to give those in similar situations a chance to let go of their problems, even if only for a little while.

Twice a year, the organization hosts wounded warriors and their caretakers for a weekend of relaxation and fun in Panama City Beach. The latest group will begin to arrive Wednesday.

"It's such a struggle for the caregiver as well as the soldier so what we do is focus on the caregiver and the soldier and make it a very memorable time for all of them," said Linda Cope.

The public is invited to take part in the retreat Thursday night. A motorcade will escort the wounded warriors from the Bay Point Marriott to First Baptist Church on Harrison Avenue for an opening ceremony.
Cope asks the public to line the streets from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m. along the route. The opening ceremony is also open to the public and begins at 7 p.m.

Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Pier Park, Panama City Beach

April 13- April 17

The Seabreeze Jazz Festival was named in the top 10 for jazz festivals in the USA and also named best jazz festival at the Oasis Smooth Jazz Awards.

Come on out to Pier Park in Panama City Beach to enjoy a weekend of smooth jazz on stage at Aaron Bessant Park.

This time of the year in Panama City Beach there is something for everyone. Be sure to check out The Payne Group blog daily for more exciting news and events around Panama City and Panama City Beach

For sale:  $60,000 less than 1/2 of what I paid for it.

1 bedroom with loft, log cabin located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Georgia in Blairsville.  This cabin sleeps 6 total and has a fully covered front porch, open back deck and gorgeous views of the mountains.  The garage was built for 2 motorcycles or a golf cart.  The cabin is located in the former "Copperhead Lodge" resort that now called The Lodge at Copperhead

View the slideshow

If you love the mountains and are looking for an affordable place to get away to, check out my cabin.   My loss is your gain, I just don't have time to enjoy it.

Call me at 850-890-0132 or email me at jeff.payne@kw.com