8504202480: Walton County Sales Trends Report December 2012 - 01/06/12 02:32 PM
The Walton County Sales Trends Report just came out for the month of December.  Like the unemployment rate going down to 8.5% Nationally, the employment is evident in Walton County Florida.  I am seeing new construction popping up all around me again.  It feels so good to see this positive trend.
Here are the numbers:
Single Family Home sales rose for the month of December by 56.14% over same period last year.
Single Family Home sales for the year rose by 19.58% over 2011 sales.
Condos and Townhomes rose 46.77% for the month of December over same period last year.
Condos … (0 comments)

8504202480: Walton County Sales Trends for November 2011 - 12/07/11 09:06 AM
The report in Walton County just came out and for the month of November sales are up 5.41% in the Single Family Homes category and up 16.25% year to date overall.
Sales of condos and townhomes were slightly down for the month of November, but still way up at 33.55% for the year.
Residentail Lots in Walton County are selling and were up 10.19% for the month aand up 18.04% for the year.
The good news is that the number of Foreclosures filed fell 34.98% and the number of new filings or Lis Pendens fell 49.29%. 
With foreclosures, short sales, REOs … (2 comments)

8504202480: Economy Affecting my Business - 08/09/11 07:59 AM
I work primarily as a buyer's representative.  In just the past two days I have gotten emails from buyers I have been working with pulling the plug on their purchases.  I have copied and pasted their comments below.
Week of August 08, 2011
 
Thanks Kelly. After discussing with my wife, we are going to hold off for now. We have a new infant and would not be able to use a beach house now.
 
We are still hoping to find something but a bit skittish about the current market. Probably won't do anything until we see how this all … (9 comments)

8504202480: Real Estate Sales Activity July 2010 - 08/08/11 09:34 AM
This report covers all of Okaloosa County.  Okaloosa County is home to cities like Destin, Ft. Walton Beach, Crestview, and Niceville and surrounding areas.  It is a market filled with military men and women stationed at either Eglin or Hurlburt Field operations.
For the month of July there were 305 Total Single Family Homes sold.  This was an increase of 22.49% over last July.  For the year-to-date figure, Okaloosa County is up 17.70% overall.
Condo sales have taken off again as well and there were 99 condos that sold in the month of July.  This compares to only 55 last July.  … (1 comments)

8504202480: Blue Mountain Beach - 08/05/11 08:03 AM

This view could be your view if you lived in Blue Mountain Beach.  Blue Mountain Beach is located in Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459.  On this same road there are homes built in 1950 out of cinderblock that have withstood the tests of time and then there are brand new homes built out of ICF or Insulated Concrete Foam.  The newest house on Blue Mountain Rd is x-Governor and Fox News Reporter Mike Huckabee who calls this area home.  More likely to run into on this road are some of the area's most interesting locals. 
Blue Mountain Beach is home … (6 comments)

8504202480: Saving you Money - 06/02/11 08:40 AM
In my local market area, I am beginning to see some incredible price increases overnight.  From prices like $860,000 up to $995,000 with agent notes that state that the seller is FIRM.  What?  They weren't FIRM just yesterday?  This is nuts.  This is why it is a very good reason to work with an Exclusive Buyer's Representative like myself.  I will help you discover prices yesterday and today and disclose to you what you need to know to make a good buying decision that will help you save thousands of dollars.
Kelly Klein, Lifeguard Real Estate, Inc.
Broker / Owner / … (4 comments)

8504202480: Photo Updated - 05/24/11 11:23 AM
How many times have you gone to a website, seen the Realtor's Photo and then you go to meet them and you don't recognize them?
it happens.  You may have that one photo that just looks just right and you were afterall 10 years younger and slimmer in the photo too.  So you hang on to it.
Well, I believe you should be able to at least recognize the Realtor you are about to do business with.  I am not a glamourous Realtor.  Oh I tried the a glamour shot photo once.  Even went so far as sending it to my … (1 comments)

8504202480: Memorial Day Weekend Activities - 05/20/11 11:18 AM
There is plenty to do over Memorial Day Weekend in our local area.  If you have not yet booked a reservation, you may be too late.  The hotels, bed and breakfast's and even those who rent on www.vrbo.com websites are all reporting that they are already booked.
The weather should be perfect and you can take a bike ride along Hwy. 30A, enjoy a picnic along the way in one of the State Parks or just pull over to sit along one of the 13 coastal dune lakes. 
If shopping is more your venue we have plenty.  We have the Silver … (1 comments)

8504202480: Booking your Visit - 05/12/11 01:52 PM
You may not want to wait too long to book your visit to our area.  According to the rental companies they are almost at 100% capacity from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  I am being told it is hard to find a room right now.
Make sure you look at these sites for possible rentals while in the area and don't forget to use www.vrbo.com  The Vacation by Owner Website sometimes can be your best source for a rental in the area.

See you at the Beach!
Kelly Klein, Lifeguard Real Estate
Broker/Owner -- Buyer's Representative
850-420-2480
Kelly@KellyKleinSoldMine.com
Vacation Rentals, … (1 comments)

8504202480: Walton County Sales Report -- April 2011 - 05/10/11 03:15 PM
How can you not love this area? 
Emerald Green Waters and Coastal Dune Lakes.  Lake above is Oyster Lake.  I love Oysters!  You can find them for .25 cents a piece during happy hour at the Hurricane Oyster Bar.  $2 Beers.  Love it, Love it, Love it.
Well this past month in Walton County there were 142 homes that sold during the month of April.  This was a year to date increase of 10.22 percent.
There were 105 condos that sold and that was a year to date increase of 21.40%.
182 Residential Lots sold and signs of building is … (0 comments)

8504202480: FREE iPhone APP - 04/14/11 09:36 AM
Introducing to users is my newest tool of the trade.  If you are an iPhone owner, please download my free APP by doing a search using my name.  Kelly Klein
Enjoy looking at properties along the Panhandle while still being mobile. 
The Android OS system will soon be out.  I will announce this as well as soon as it is ready.
Enjoy your day! 
Below is a photo from our State's Capitol in Tallahassee, FL.  Dolphins represent our area well.
Warmly yours,
Kelly Klein, Lifeguard Real Estate, Inc.
850-420-2480
Destin, Sandestin, Miramar Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, Dune Allen … (4 comments)

8504202480: Area 17 - 03/30/11 09:45 AM
Every MLS has a map that divides the larger geographical area into Main and SubAreas for means of searching for a property.  Let's take Area 17 where I live which is in Santa Rosa Beach, FL and more commonly known as areas like Dune Allen, Gulf Place, Blue Mountain Beach, and Grayton Beach.  I looked this morning being bored as the rain and lightning passed through and found out we only have 94 condos for sale in this area as of this morning.  Then I ran the calculation for absorption rate and found out that Area 17 has a 12 month … (0 comments)

8504202480: Panama City Beach - 03/29/11 02:38 PM
Spring Break brought a ton of visitors to the area.  Spring Break weekend of March 19th was 100% occupancy at the beach.  The clubs and restaurants, the grocery stores and WalMart were all over capacity with people and running low on supplies.  Traffic was nearly at a stand still on Front Beach Rd. as I tried to show Gulf Front Condos.  I went about 3 miles in 1 hour and was entertained along the way.  Why so busy?  Spring Breakers love Panama City Beach and why not?  Our beautiful white sandy beaches are among the best in the world.  The temperatures … (2 comments)

8504202480: Activity at the Emerald Coast - 03/21/11 02:21 PM
There are currently 6,595 properties available for sale in the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors MLS system.
There are 1,692 properties currently under contract waiting for a closing.
There have been 2,743 sales in the last six months.  21 of these sales were foreclosures which is less than 1% of all sales.  582 of the total sales were short sales or 21% of all sales were short sales that successfully closed.  The majority of the sales were well priced properties with a motivated seller and a qualified buyer.
There is still plenty of inventory and buyers are flooding the market again … (0 comments)

8504202480: Adagio Condos in Blue Mt. Beach - 03/15/11 09:18 AM
The Adagio Complex is located at the curve in Blue Mountain Beach along the beautiful scenic 30A corridor.  This is one of the area's highest elevations above sea level along this route. 
Adagio defined by Websters Dictionary means a slow tempo or direction of music.  That is what you can expect at Adagio.  A slower way of life where you can spend the afternoons by the Gulf of Mexico or play in the 8,000 waterfall pool area.  Just relax.  You will want to stay awhile.  There is also an onsite fitness center or you can rent a bike and be among the … (2 comments)

8504202480: Seaside Report -- February 2011 - 03/14/11 01:05 PM
Seaside currently has 30 Active listings.  Only 2 sales in the month of February.  With this type of inventory and sales ration, it will take 65 weeks to exhaust the total inventory in Seaside.
There are a lot of pedestrian walkovers in the Seaside Area and it is extra busy during this time of year.  If in the area, please know that the pedestrians have the right away and move slowly through this area. 
I look forward to seeing you here soon.  The weather is beautiful this time of year and buyers are everywhere.  If you are looking to buy, please … (2 comments)

8504202480: Watercolor Activity Report -- Feb. 2011 - 03/12/11 10:27 AM
Watercolor is an upscale community located off of Hwy. 30A in Santa Rosa Beach, FL.  It has been rated as the number one family vacation spot for a number of years by many different sources.  It is no wonder.  It is absolutely the beautiful.
Currently there are 86 active listings in Watercolor.  In February there were 7 sales.  Figuring out the absorption rate of what is there and how long it would take to totally absorb the other 86 homes of inventory, there are 53 weeks of inventory left.  That is just one week over a year's worth.  If there were … (0 comments)