GRAYTON BEACH

Grayton Beach consistently ranks among the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the United States. Western Lake offers fishing and paddling, and those who want to explore on foot have four miles of trails to traverse through a coastal forest where scrub oaks and magnolias stand, bent and twisted by salt winds.

Voted 2020 #1 BEACH

in the U.S.

Dr. Stephen Leatherman (Dr. Beach) has been rating beaches for decades, utilizing 50 different criteria to designate the top U.S. beaches every year. 2020 marked the second time (the first was in 1994) that Grayton Beach State Park came in at the top for the first place slot. Anyone who lives in or near Grayton Beach, or has visited, won’t be surprised. Grayton Beach has sand so white it hurts your eyes, and the pure, super fine quartz squeaks when your bare feet walk across it. The beach is wide with a gentle slope down to the Gulf. The breathtaking emerald green of the water stretches out to the horizon lazily lapping on the shore where it froths around your toes. The beach is perfect for sunbathing, walking, running, and fishing. Whether you’re looking to read and nap while working on your tan or wanting a good workout, you’re in luck. It’s true that miles and miles of the Panhandle of Florida’s coastline along Panama City Beach and stretching westward down Scenic 30-A is covered with this same beautiful sand, dotted with plenty of communities to live in, vacation in, and play. But Grayton Beach, for 2020, was crowned as its jewel. Established in 1890, Grayton Beach was the first village in the area. The state park is nestled between Grayton Beach itself and Watercolor and comprises 2,000 acres including Western Lake, a rare dune lake, and tons of nature and protected wildlife. The hiking trails meander around dune and coastal forests filled with scrub oak and fragrant magnolias.

LOT 33

000 S. COUNTY HWY. 283

.32 Acres • 100 X 139 #859260 • $199,000

For those visiting the area, you’ll find wonderful places to stay in that feel like home away from home, fine-dining and cozy bars. You can drive along Scenic 30-A and drink in the spectacular views of the water, hike nature trails or sunbathe on the pristine beach. Some quality eateries you should check out are The Red Bar, newly rebuilt after a fire destroyed much of the building last year. It hasn’t lost any of its former ambience. There’s also Chanticleer Eatery, Grayton Seafood, and FOOW – Fish Out Of Water, just down the street at Watercolor. Another mile or so east, in the quaint village of Seaside, you’ll find the locally popular Bud & Alley’s. While you’re there, make sure you check out Sundog Books bookstore across the street. This bookstore has books literally climbing the walls. It’s worth the visit, trust me. You’ll also find all kinds and styles of shops and boutiques, with local artists contributing fine-art quality paintings, sculptures, and home decor, so you can take a piece of paradise back home with you. Scenic 30-A with all its community treasures, has been a popular destination for years. The next time you’re looking to get away from it all for a while, check out Grayton Beach, and familiarize yourself with paradise living at its finest. Many vacationers fall so much in love with the area, they end up buying a place of their own to use for themselves, and as a rental, enjoying not just the location, but the passive income it produces. Grayton Beach and its state park are the epitome of living in paradise. Sun and water, nature and wildlife. Come visit and learn how to chill on the top beach in the entire United States.

Your memories are waiting!

3,847 Sq. Ft. | 5 Bedrooms | 51/2 Baths | #849988

THE VIE BEACH HOUSE

A SHOW HOME

Turning a vacant piece of land into a beautiful beach house can be a daunting task. It is one thing if you are building the home for personal use because after all you know what the owner’s tastes are. It Written by is another challenge if you are building it for the JAMES WATTS purposes of selling. In that case you are trying to Broker Associate mesh personal taste with what you think other people are looking for. Do you go generic and play it safe with neutral colors or do you take some risks with bold colors and over the top finishes? When I first started talking with Jim Accola (Coastal Elements Construction) and Suzy Accola (Q-Tile) about building a new home on their lot in Sugarwood, the plan was never to play it safe. Their plan was to partner up with VIE Magazine to create a show home. The home would be a collaborative effort of several local artists, artisans and designers. Each person or “partner” would have the opportunity to showcase their talent in the home. VIE Magazine would create the story and provide marketing and updates throughout the build. Romona Robbins would perfectly photograph and capture the home once completed. With this backdrop, the stage was set for a truly unique home.

This is not the first time that Jim and Suzy have partnered with VIE Magazine to create a show home, but this one would be the “beach house.” Luxury needed to mesh with the beach lifestyle. The idea was to create a home that incorporates the highest quality fixtures and finishes, but yet still has the comfortable feeling of a family beach house. You could host a formal dinner prepared by a chef in the gourmet kitchen or host a poolside birthday party and cook hamburgers on the grill. You can flip the switch from cocktail attire to swimsuits in the blink of an eye.

The Beach Group was chosen to be the real estate partner. I am not one to idly sit on the sideline waiting for updates, so I tried to be as hands on and present as possible from when the lot was cleared until the CO was issued. Jim, Suzy and the other partners supplied the ideas and creativity.

I acted as a sounding board people could bounce ideas off of. I would comment based on what I was seeing in other homes both in this area and other luxury markets. This mixing of ideas led to every detail in the home being thought through.

The home itself has too many features to list. Just walking up to the home you get a taste for what is inside when you see the 12 foot tall custom iron door. The siding is thermally enhanced spruce cladding. Various light fixtures were designed and made specifically for this home. The custom “Ocean Blue” Blue Star appliances perfectly match the cabinets creating a pop of color. Each bathroom has a unique tile mosaic culminating with a tile mural of the world in the upstairs bathroom. The floor to ceiling sliding glass doors open the living area up to the outdoor pool deck and entertaining area. The pool acts as an oversized spa with multiple jets along the edge for enjoyment. Venetian plaster walls create a chic feel but the rough sawn wood beams soften the sleek edge creating a perfect combination of style.

When we first listed the home, several realtors and potential buyers questioned the price. The home was not finished and we were well above any other sales in the neighborhood. However, as the house came together, we quickly realized that all of the parties involved nailed it. Upon completion it is official; The VIE Beach House is a Show Home.

The first people to see it loved and decided to make it their own.

luxury needed to mesh with the beach lifestyle

*See viemagazine.com/beachshowhome for more information on the show home and a complete list of all partners involved in making the home come to life.

MASTER BATH

BEES ROOM WORLD ROOM

THE W hy “T he G M akes a M B each a rea T r ese T ove T o T he r eali T y ”

GREAT RESET

After months of remote working, you have got used to managing your time and prioritizing your day outside of the standard 9 to 5. And your company is seeing the benefits of not having office space to heat and cool and is happy for you and other employees to work remotely for the foreseeable future. The kids’ schools are still closed, the gym is shuttered, and little league has been suspended again. And, sadly, a ‘For Sale’ sign has appeared in your neighbor’s front yard. So, with the Great Reset underway, what do you need to make the dream move to the beach complete? Along 30-A there are a range of communities offering homes of different styles and sizes. Developers and house builders are looking for ways to meet the needs not just of tourists and second-home owners, but those relocating full-time to the beach too. New developments along 30-A and Highway 98 are now providing housing options which didn’t previously exist here. New condo buildings with luxury amenities – pools, gyms, media rooms - are emerging. New town homes and apartments are appealing to those looking to downsize from a sprawling suburban pile, and established communities like Watercolor, Alys Beach and Seaside are adding new super-luxury homes, beach side villas and houses to their inventory. As well as plenty of bedrooms, chef’s kitchens, sleek modern bathrooms and open-plan living space, one of the most in-demand features home buyers are now asking for is dedicated office space. Existing homes are remodelling playrooms, lofts, and carriage houses to make dedicated work-from-home space. TV’s can double as monitors, bluetooth everywhere allows speakers to play podcasts or read emails anywhere you want and with a smartphone in your pocket, a laptop under your arm and unlimited cloud storage you can work anywhere in or around your home. Because this is also your private space as well as your place of work, you can choose color schemes which stimulate or sooth, have backdrops or window views which shock and awe clients on Skype calls, and can select furniture that is pleasing to the eye as well as good for your posture. Shop wisely and work with any one of the interior designers also operating at the beach – after all, there is no need to recreate the depressing cubicle with its jumble of wires and that achingly-uncomfortable office chair you are finally leaving behind. Technology will be your friend too in easing your move to Work from Home (WFH). The hunt for a WIFI hot spot or “bars” on your ‘phone is over. In recent months, local internet providers in the area have installed hispeed networks, while ATT, T-Mobile and Verizon have extended their 5G networks along 30-A. Remote workers can now confidently dial in to Zoom Calls with Nashville, Microsoft Teams Meetings in Atlanta, and FaceTime Sales calls from Chicago to Corpus Christi. And, of course, you can always make phone calls from the screened porch with your morning coffee. Working remotely does mean at times you may need to meet clients face-to-face, attend conferences, trade fairs and seminars, or view property, facilities or infrastructure projects in real life too. 30-A residents are blessed with two regional airports, each an hour’s drive to the west and the east. Direct flights to Washington DC, Houston, New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis and Nashville mean you can catch the early flight and be back in time for dinner and drinks at the beach. And you are not alone. There are hundreds of families moving to the beach each month, so there is a growing remote worker network to tap into. Access to business services and other professional groups is easy. Walton Area Chamber of Commerce, law firms and finance teams, PR and Marketing experts are all well-established along 30-A and by joining these networks you can continue to grow your business. The family is also well catered for on 30-A. New state of the art Elementary and Middle Schools have recently opened. A Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) academy has opened with landowner St. Joe’s support, and Seaside Middle School, Seacoast Collegiate, and South Walton High School continue to win state-wide awards and recognition. And, with near perfect weather year-round, sports and recreational amenities take pride of place in the community. Beside the world’s best beaches and some of Florida’s most challenging golf courses, 30-A residents can also enjoy a new skatepark, soccer pitches, baseball diamonds and grid-iron fields which have all recently opened. Plus, you can enjoy the many cultural highlights which abound along 30-A too. In the cooler spring and fall seasons, outdoor film festivals, food and wine festivals, music festivals and arts events all take place. People fly in from all over the country to attend these events, so how wonderful to be able to cycle to the venues, walk through your own community or attend an event with neighbors and friends by the dozen. Our team at Beach Group has long provided you with support in the search for the perfect holiday home or rental property, why not work with us now to find your ‘forever home’ right here in the place you love, wonderful 30-A.

“Why do we have to go home?”

Written by Martin Liptrot