HOA vs Non-HOA: What It Means To You As An Owner!

When you start the process to purchase a condominium, townhouse or another type of property in a planned development such as a gated community, often times you are obligated to join that community's homeowners' association (HOA) and pay monthly or annual HOA fees for the upkeep of common areas and the building. At Century 21 Blue Marlin we have been in tune with these organizations and have some light to shed on their influence on you as an owner.

Living in a home that is a part of an HOA means that the association gets to determine the acceptable appearance for your home. The paint color, where you park your car, how often you landscape or mow your lawn, and how you decorate your home’s exterior for the holidays may all be scrutinized by the HOA. If all of these rules seem reasonable to you and are in line with how you are likely to maintain your home anyway, this community may be right for you.  If not, you may want to consider other housing options.

Love thy neighbor? One advantage of an HOA is mediating disputes between neighbors. The association will contact a neighbor about a noisy dog or loud party, alleviating awkward neighborly interactions. And there may very well be a rule about noise levels after hours that the association will be able to enforce.

You won’t spend your Saturdays cleaning the pools with an HOA. HOA’s Homeowners handle the upkeep of recreational areas so the pool and tennis courts in a neighborhood are likely to be maintained in a good condition.

At the end of the day, the decision to purchase a home with an HOA vs. one that does not all comes down to personal preference. Many homeowners appreciate that HOA rules often help maintain higher standards for a neighborhood's appearance, but there's no question that you need to understand the regulations and costs in every community where you're considering buying a home.

For more information, give Century 21 Blue Marlin a call at (850) 837-7800 or browse our inventory online at C21BlueMarlin.com.

Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican Grows Team by Four Agents and Recognizes Agent Accomplishment

Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican is pleased to announce that four new agents have joined its firm and one agent has been certified to be a Military Relocation Professional.

After graduating from Virginia Tech in 2003, newcomer to the Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican team, Courtney Harris, moved to Savannah, Georgia and began her successful career as a property manager of luxury condominiums.  It was while she was living in Savannah that she met her husband whose career brought them to Panama City Beach.  Passionate about the water, boating, and condominium management, moving to Panama City Beach was a natural fit. Harris has been a Community Association Manager in Florida now for 10 years. She recently obtained her Real Estate license to further educate herself and allow her to assist sellers, buyers and investors in the residential market.

Julie Morrill comes to Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican from across the pond. Originally from the UK, Morrill married into the military where she moved with her husband many times. Due to her family constantly changing locations, Morrill understands the trials and tribulations ensued in being a military family. Because of this, she has dedicated herself to her customers and making the buying process as fluid as possible.

“This is your home, the most important purchase ever,” says Morrill. “As a member of the Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican team, I will offer every customer the highest level of service and commitment designed exclusively to fit their wants and needs.”

An Ohio native and Buckeyes fan, Wendi Townsend spent 12 years vacationing on the Emerald Coast and six years ago decided to make it her permanent home. Townsend began her career working for Home Depot and then transitioned into construction. She will now be working for Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican out of their Seagrove office, however, she will not be limiting herself to that zip code.

“Sales is truly my passion,” states Townsend. “I can’t wait to pursue it with Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican and look forward to the relationships I’m going to build.”

Originally from South Florida, Zarina Ellis has lived in the area for three years and is new to the real estate community. Ellis began her career in the military and has since transitioned out to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Information Systems and Business Analytics. The Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican realtor will be concentrating on a multitude of areas, including 30A to Pensacola and north to Crestview. The married, mother of five is dedicated to providing the best possible real estate experience to her clients.

“Real Estate has been something which I have been interested in since I was a child,” says Ellis. “Now I get to share my love for Real Estate with all my customers.”

Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican is also pleased to announce that realtor, Stefanie Greenwood, has been awarded the nationally recognized Military Relocation Professional (MRP) Certification.  The National Association of Realtors^® awards the MRP certification to realtors who help military personnel, veterans and their families find housing that lets them make the best use of their benefits and serves the unique needs of military life. 

One of the area’s fastest growing real estate and vacation rental companies, Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican continues to seek new realtors as well as homes and condos throughout the Emerald Coast to expand their real estate portfolio. For more information, contact Johnathan Hughes or Jerry Sullivan at (850) 837-7800.

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About Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican
Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican is a team of dedicated real estate agents that specialize in providing clients with an unprecedented level of personal attention. They have sixteen locations to better serve Florida’s Emerald Coast, spanning a 125-mile radius from Pensacola to Panama City Beach, Florida. For more information call (850) 837-7800 or go to www.c21bluemarlin.com. Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Blogger, LinkedIn and YouTube.

The Off-Season: A Fast Growing Vacation Time For The Gulf Coast

There are very few budget-friendly places to travel to that boast world-class fishing, award-winning golf courses, premium shopping and jaw-dropping beaches. Nestled amongst the Gulf of Mexico and the Choctawhatchee Bay in Northwest Florida, Destin sits in the heart of the action during peak and shoulder season. And it’s because of this that we’ve seen a steady increase in traffic in the months usually reserved for the locals.

With offices located across the Panhandle, Century 21 Blue Marlin Pelican has certainly seen the increase in our area’s popularity.

Through marketing and community outreach maintained in our area during “shoulder season” (October through May), Destin has quickly become much more than a Spring Break destination. Thanks to the seasonal events such as the Destin Fishing Rodeo and numerous reoccurring wine festivals, there’s something for the entire family to enjoy during their fall break.

Outside of the events, the natural entertainment can’t be beat. Affectionately known as the "world’s luckiest fishing village," Destin harbor’s deep-sea fishing, jet skis, snorkeling and dolphin tours are all accessible by one dock!

In response to the traffic seen in these fall months many nearby airports have picked up direct flights to large feeder markets such as Orlando, Tampa, Dallas and Houston. Before these flights many visitors drove major corridors such as I-65, I-55, I-10, and US Hwy 331 from cities such as Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans.  

Getting to Destin is easy, it’s having to leave this beautiful city that’s the hard part.