Panama City Beach for retirement (Miami, Sarasota: transplants, sales, real estate)

[syrnative]

Hi Everyone:
My husband and I are considering a retirement property in Panama City Beach or areas close by. We have relatives in Rosemary Beach and Destin but we know very little about this area. We are looking at the new Margaritaville 55+ resort they are building. We will be coming down in February for a visit but I really want to hear what people think of the area…good, bad and ugly. Is it mostly a tourist spot? How are the medical facilities? How warm is it December-April? I appreciate any info that doesn’t come from a sales brochure - they make every place look perfect

[slduvall]

Rosemary Beach and the Destin area are different from each other and both are very different from Panama City Beach. Rosemary beach is basically a very expensive group of houses (very close together) with a town center of some resort shops and restaurants. It is located on the very expensive state road 30A, along the gulf. It is gorgeous, and you can visit if you aren't staying, but can't get to the beach. Destin is a city with your regular stores, (Walmart, Target, grocery stores, schools etc) but lots of condos and resorts tossed in, so crowded with tourists, but tons of people live there year-round as well.

PCB is an entirely different place. The main drag is Hwy 98, but the condos etc are located on Front Beach road, it is much wider separation between the two which allows for more single-family homes, etc to be built. But as it was much cheaper back in the day, many of those homes and trailers remain. I'm noticing more new construction starting to replace the old stuff, but there is plenty of the old. Margaritaville is not on the beach, it is up 79 and there is very little there now. I doubt it will have deeded access to the Gulf (meaning a place dedicated for residence with parking etc) So you are fighting with everyone else for space on the beach. It isn't far, about 10 miles to the beach. The closest large hospital would be over the bridge in Panama City proper. There are some ER type places in PCB.

PCB has a nice Target, Walmart, World Market and Lowes, HD etc, and a nice outdoor mall area Pier Park. It can definitely get very touristy.

It was 32 this morning..and is about 48 right now, but it was 75 on Sunday, so kind of hard to describe the weather. It is very humid and moist all year, so the cold can reach the bones even when it's only 45!

I have lived in Panama City (before the hurricane) and absolutely hated it. There was basically no zoning and only a few very nice areas. It was pretty gutted by the hurricane, so hopefully, there will be better zoning etc on the new builds. PCB sustained very little damage during hurricane Micheal but has been hit pretty bad in the past, so a lot of the older condos were torn down, and replaced with much larger ones. Not to offend anyone but the whole PC area is very Blue Collar, both the area where locals live and the rental areas. Prices are going up there, but doubt the face of it will change much in the next decade.

I recommend taking a "drive" using google maps and see what the brochures aren't showing you.

[syrnative]

Thank you so much for all this info…this is exactly what I was looking for. We have never visited the Panhandle so I’m still looking forward to going there and getting a feel for the area. We usually spend our vacations in the Ft Myers/Naples area but real estate is ridiculous there and even the rentals are becoming unaffordable. We’re not going to rush into anything and then have buyer’s remorse.

[slduvall]

Originally Posted by syrnative

Thank you so much for all this info…this is exactly what I was looking for. We have never visited the Panhandle so I’m still looking forward to going there and getting a feel for the area. We usually spend our vacations in the Ft Myers/Naples area but real estate is ridiculous there and even the rentals are becoming unaffordable. We’re not going to rush into anything and then have buyer’s remorse.

Be prepared for a little culture shock. The area between Destin and PC on 98 is nothing like anything down south. 30A which is the road along the water, is super cute and super $$$$.

[maybeflbound]

Hello,

I am wondering what you thought of Margaritaville in PCB after your visit? My husband and I are doing a tour at the end of this month. Thanks!

[syrnative]

Originally Posted by maybeflbound

Hello,

I am wondering what you thought of Margaritaville in PCB after your visit? My husband and I are doing a tour at the end of this month. Thanks!

We haven’t been able to get down there yet but still hoping to go soon. My husband is not sure he would like the Jan-March temps (he wants year round warm) but I like it cooler. Please let me know what your thoughts are on the area after your visit.

[BeirksDentley]

Originally Posted by syrnative

We haven’t been able to get down there yet but still hoping to go soon. My husband is not sure he would like the Jan-March temps (he wants year round warm) but I like it cooler. Please let me know what your thoughts are on the area after your visit.

He won't like the weather that much in Jan to Mar, but I found the people are not the sort of nasty transplants now hurriedly infecting south Florida (Miami-Dade) and southwest Florida (Sarasota Manatee Lee counties). I find the locals and long time residents from P-cola, Destin, Ft Walton, Orange Beach AL are much more decent in many ways by comparison many would say.

[maybeflbound]

I will definitely post about it. I was just told that there is a 2 year waiting list but that's when we are retiring so it works for us. Thanks for the imput and it's good to hear about the people there! We have family in the area so we would love to retire near them.

[BeirksDentley]

Good luck to you, take your time.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by BeirksDentley

He won't like the weather that much in Jan to Mar, but I found the people are not the sort of nasty transplants now hurriedly infecting south Florida (Miami-Dade) and southwest Florida (Sarasota Manatee Lee counties). I find the locals and long time residents from P-cola, Destin, Ft Walton, Orange Beach AL are much more decent in many ways by comparison many would say.

Probably true! Here in Southwest FL it's mostly people from MA, NJ, NY, PA, CT and such. Snobs. Around 2000 this started here in SWFL. I lived in Naples from 91 to 2002 before moving back to St. Louis for 13 years. Around 2000 is when I noticed it changing. Not many lower midwest or upper south people anymore. Way outnumbered.


Northwest FL is also popular for people from places like Missouri, Georgia, TN, IL, etc. due to the shorter drive for summer vacations.


It's amazing how different the weather is in winter. It could be a high of 48 degrees in Destin but 77 degrees here in Punta Gorda in the middle of Jan. There is a reason I guess in the winter things slow down up there.


The Dec to March weather doesn't look like fun. Places like Crestview get into the teens sometimes! If it's that cold I'd rather just live in MO. Only difference you still get hardly any snow in the Panhandle.