Does "beach access" on a listing actually mean you have a legal right to the beach?

Sometimes, and it is worth confirming exactly which kind before you write an offer. Deeded access is a recorded easement in the property's chain of title, spelling out a specific path to the water that transfers with the home. Public access is a government-maintained crossover open to everyone, reached from a public right of way rather than through a recorded right tied to your parcel. A title search during your due diligence period settles the question in writing, so you know precisely what you are buying rather than assuming it from the listing photos.

By Billy Joe Smiley | July 30, 2026

I get some version of this question every time a buyer falls for a…

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8th Annual Forgotten Music Festival Returns to Port St. Joe in October 2026

Music lovers, mark your calendars for one of the most anticipated fall events on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. The 8th Annual Forgotten Music Festival returns to Port St. Joe on Saturday and Sunday, October 10–11, 2026, for two days of blues, soul, funk, blues rock, and American roots music overlooking beautiful St. Joseph Bay. 

Held at George Core Park, the festival brings nationally recognized performers, regional favorites, residents, and visitors together for an unforgettable weekend of live music in one of Port St. Joe’s most scenic waterfront settings.

Two Days of Live Music on St. Joseph Bay

Forgotten Music Festival is more than a concert. It is a…

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Can I build a dock or boat lift on my Forgotten Coast waterfront property?

In most cases, yes, but the answer depends on where the lot sits and what's under the water in front of it. Bay-front and canal-front lots on the Forgotten Coast typically qualify for a straightforward state exemption or a simple general permit, while lots on St. Joseph Bay near protected seagrass beds may need extra design steps and a submerged land lease from the state. None of this should scare you off a waterfront purchase. It just means dock rights are a due-diligence item to confirm before you write an offer, not something to assume.

By Billy Joe Smiley | Published July 28, 2026

I get this question more than almost any other from buyers looking at bay-front…

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Nine Closings in the Mexico Beach Corridor, and a $5.3 Million Sale on the Cape

Late July settles into a rhythm out here. Storms build over the water most afternoons, roll through around four, and leave everything rinsed and steaming by six. The rentals are full. Parking at Beacon Hill is gone by ten. And underneath all that summer noise, the market put together its second solid week in a row.

Nineteen homes closed across the coast, two more than last week and the strongest weekly count we have logged in at least five weeks. What changed was where they closed. The Cape carried the headlines a week ago; this time the run of highway between St. Joe Beach and Mexico Beach did the heavy lifting.

What is the Forgotten Coast real estate market…

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2026 Florida Scallop Music & Arts Festival Moves to Beacon Hill

Mark your calendar for one of Gulf County’s favorite Labor Day weekend traditions! The 2026 Florida Scallop Music & Arts Festival is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, September 5–6, 2026, at a beautiful new waterfront location—Gulf County Veterans Memorial Park at Beacon Hill in Port St. Joe, Florida.

With live entertainment, local art, food and coastal fun overlooking the Gulf, this two-day festival is the perfect opportunity to gather your family and friends, support the community and enjoy a memorable weekend along Florida’s Forgotten Coast.

2026 Florida Scallop Festival Details

Dates: September 5–6, 2026
Location: Gulf County Veterans Memorial Park at Beacon Hill
…

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What does Florida's new builder warranty actually cover if I buy new construction on the Forgotten Coast?

Since July 1, 2025, Florida law requires builders to provide a one-year warranty on every newly built single-family home, covering construction defects that create a material violation of the Florida Building Code. It doesn't cover normal wear, settling, storm damage, or appliances under their own manufacturer warranty, and it runs from the date you take title or move in, whichever comes first. Combined with a solid final walkthrough and your own agent at the table, it gives buyers on Cape San Blas, in Ovation, at WindMark Beach, and across the rest of the Forgotten Coast real protection they didn't automatically have before.

By Billy…

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Wooded 2.2-Acre Parcels for Sale in Indian Pass, Florida

Private Gulf County acreage near Indian Lagoon, the Indian Pass Public Boat Launch, Port St. Joe, and Apalachicola

Buyers searching for acreage near the coast without the congestion of a traditional beach community should take a closer look at these approximately 2.2-acre wooded parcels on County Road 30-A in Indian Pass, Florida.

Carved from a larger wooded tract, each parcel offers privacy, natural surroundings, and the flexibility to create a homesite that fits your vision. Keep the mature pine and oak trees for added seclusion, selectively clear an area for a future residence, or preserve much of the land in its current, largely undisturbed condition.

Additional adjoining acreage…

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Cape San Blas Catches Fire as Closings Nearly Triple on the Forgotten Coast

Something shifted this week. After a stretch of slow, patient trading, the coast came alive, and Cape San Blas led the charge. The state park was booming, boats lined the boat ramps at first light, and buyers who had been circling for months finally wrote offers. It felt less like the dog days of July and more like the market waking up early for fall.

Seventeen homes closed across the coast this week, more than double last week's count, and inventory got a real dent put in it for the first time in a while.

Homes Sold on The Forgotten Coast

What is the Forgotten Coast real estate market doing this week?
For the week of July 13–19, 2026, the Forgotten Coast recorded 17 residential closings and 8 land…

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254 Water Plant Rd: Move-In-Ready Commercial Building For Sale in Port St Joe, FL

There's a particular kind of relief that comes from finding a commercial building that's already done. No permitting marathon, no guessing what the last contractor buried in the walls, no wondering if the roof will hold up through the next season on the Forgotten Coast. 254 Water Plant Rd in Port St Joe is that building, and it's on the market now at $699,000.

The Location

The property sits near the Hwy 98 corridor, in that stretch of road between Port St Joe and Mexico Beach where a lot of contractors, service businesses, and storage operations have quietly set up shop over the last few years. You're close enough to both towns to serve either one without…

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A $3.4 Million Sale Steals the Spotlight While Summer Inventory Piles Up on the Forgotten Coast

July on the Forgotten Coast has that thick, salty heat to it, the kind that has boat ramps full by eight in the morning and porch fans running until well after dark. The beaches are packed with vacation-week families, the ice cream line at Shoobie's stretches around the block most evenings, and the real estate market is doing what it usually does this time of year: moving, but at its own unhurried pace.

Seven homes closed across the coast this past week, and one of them did some heavy lifting on the numbers before anybody even looked at the rest.

What is the Forgotten Coast real estate market doing this week?
For the week of July 6–12, 2026, the…

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