SperlingViews - Fort_Walton_Beach, Florida

Great community located between Eglin and Hurlburt AFBs. Easy access to the best beaches, 20 minutes to the more expensive and modern city of Destin, make Fort Walton Beach the best value for the money. I'm thrilled at not finding a home in neighboring towns of Niceville, Crestview, and Navarre. We have better stores, restuarants, and travel time.[read more...]

After failing to get a house in Niceville (where folks we talked to said was the place to live), we found a home in Ft Walton Beach...and love it. Easy access to Eglin AFB, Hurlburt AFB, and the beach makes it the ideal spot. Niceville residents come to Ft Walton Beach to shop, Crestview residents drive over 20 miles to get to the beach (5 miles for me), and Navarre...well just don't travel on Hwy 98 in the morning or after work and you'll be fine. So glad we settled in Ft Walton Beach![read more...]

Aggressive drivers! The Gulf Coast has very aggressive drivers, I have driven all over the east, and the only place I can say that may be worse is the Atlanta area. If you think I am kidding try driving on I-10. Everyone drives like they are late heading somewhere, tail gating, cut offs, and there might as well not even be speed limits. In fact I was actually driving down 10 recently going above 5 miles over the limit, and folks were blowing past me like I was standing still. Driving 20 over the limit isn’t uncommon. Probably the best thing you can do, is stay in the right lane, and take your time, all it takes is one lunatic out there and you could have a real disaster. I have noticed that this extends from Florida all the way to Louisiana. While driving around in the Fl Gulf Coast, it almost seems like fellow drivers are out there with the intent of aggravating others drivers. I don’t know how true this is, maybe it’s just my experience, but it’s like drivers are trying to get others mad while driving. It just gets annoying because you feel defensive, and a sunday drive turns into you wanting to get home in one piece. Other than that, the Gulf Coast is very nice; I have met some very nice people down there. Just don’t try to keep up with them on 10, LOL![read more...]

Real estate here is out of control. A typical 3 bed, 1.5 bath, 1 car garage, 1350 sg ft home, will cost you in the range of 180K or more. To sum it up, wages low, housing HIGH![read more...]

We are looking to move to the area and was wondering about the cost of living. We are also concerned about homeowners insurance is it high due to the hurricanes? What is the average? Is this a good place to live and raise a family? Thanks for all your help. [read more...]

I would like to know if anyone out there ( Pink Floyd ) has any ideas or suggestions for someone over forty who has lived in larger cities and now must adjust to the change of not much to do here. Especially speaking on the side of culture, not knocking Ft. Walton, I think it is a nice town but let's face it, Denver-Chicago-Dallas-Charelston S C it is not. Would be grateful for some suggestions, I do ask that you do keep it clean as my mother use to say and I am an Artist so keep that in mind. I do enjoy all the arts though. Not an actual Stage Production Theatre to be found in sight that I can tell.[read more...]

I bought a house in 1989 for $50k and today it is worth $250K. Not a bad investment.[read more...]

The Housing bubble is popping. Many potential buyers are not buying, they are waiting for the prices to drop further. The prices are dropping, but not enough yet for the average guy to afford a house. I have seen many people who moved here to take a job, turn around and leave because they took one look at the housing market and said "no way, we can't afford to buy on the wages of our new jobs". Then there is a large population of homeowners who want to sell because they want to cash in on the inflated market, plus sell before hurricane season comes. It is really tough to insure your home here because the insurance companies are moving out. The result is a glut of homes on the market, and they are simply not selling. This is a military town. The average buyer is an enlisted soldier who will not buy because they are only going to be here for a short time, and cannot turn the house around and sell it when they leave,without losing their shirts, especially when prices are on the decline. The sellers are waiting for a wave of idiots to be their gravy train, but all I can say is "wake up and smell the bitter coffee"......they are not coming!!!![read more...]