Found 228 blog entries tagged as Gulf county.

Do you need a CCCL permit to build or remodel on a Gulf front lot on the Forgotten Coast?

If your work sits seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line, you generally need a permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, though several categories of work are exempt outright. The control line is a jurisdictional boundary, not a building prohibition. New homes, additions, remodels, and repairs are all allowed seaward of it, and a general permit offers a streamlined path for a single family house sited landward of the mapped general permit line.

By Billy Joe Smiley | September 17, 2026

A buyer called me last spring about a Gulf front lot on Cape San Blas. Beautiful parcel, good dune, the right side of the road. Then…

47 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

What Does 106 Hidden Ridge Rd Offer at $499,900?

106 Hidden Ridge Rd is a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with 2,004 sq ft of heated/cooled living space, listed at $499,900 in the Palm Ridge subdivision of St. Joe Beach. Built in 2006 on a 0.33-acre lot, the property features a spring-fed pond, a screened Florida room with French doors, vaulted ceilings in the great room, and a bonus room sized for a real office or studio. There's no HOA, all utilities are connected, and the location sits roughly midway between Port St. Joe and Mexico Beach, with Gulf access a short drive in either direction.

By Billy Joe Smiley | September 11, 2026

106 Hidden Ridge Rd is a three-bedroom, two-bath home on a third of an acre in the Palm Ridge subdivision of St. Joe…

38 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Can I sell my Forgotten Coast home if it already has vacation rental bookings on the calendar?

Yes, and on this coast it happens constantly. Florida's standard purchase contract handles it directly in Paragraph 6(b), which covers a property that will still be subject to a lease or occupancy agreement after closing. The buyer reviews the booking schedule, deposits for post-closing stays are credited to the buyer at the table, and the guests keep their vacation. For an investor buyer, a full calendar is usually an asset rather than an obstacle, because they are purchasing income that begins the day they take title.

By Billy Joe Smiley | September 10, 2026

This question comes up almost every time an owner of a rental property on Cape San…

52 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Do You Need a License to Rent Your Forgotten Coast Home Short-Term?

Yes. If you rent a whole home for stays under 30 days more than three times a year, Florida requires a state DBPR vacation rental license, and your county adds its own layer on top. On the Forgotten Coast that means a Gulf County STR business license, a City of St. George Island business license, or a Bay County Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate, depending on where the property sits, plus sales tax and tourist development tax registration.

By Billy Joe Smiley | August 27, 2026

I get this question from almost every investment buyer I work with, and it usually comes up late, right after they have fallen in love with a house and started running the rental numbers in…

77 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Your inspection found issues. Can you get the seller to fix them or pay you for it?

Yes, and in today's Forgotten Coast market you have more room to work with than buyers have had in years. Florida's standard AS IS contract does not require a seller to make repairs, but it gives you a defined inspection period, typically 10 to 15 days, to use your findings as leverage for a closing credit, a price reduction, or repairs before closing. With inventory rising across Cape San Blas and the surrounding coast, sellers are saying yes to reasonable requests more often than they were even a year ago.

By Billy Joe Smiley | August 6, 2026

The inspection report just landed in your inbox and it's longer than you expected. Maybe the roof is pushing 17…

101 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM FWC!!!!!

FWC just released an announcement regarding the 2026 bay scallop season, and if you're in the Gulf County area, here's what you need to know.

The Gulf County Zone, including St. Joseph Bay, is closed for the 2026 bay scallop harvest. The closure covers state waters from Mexico Beach Canal down to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Island, and it's a precautionary move based on this summer's population survey. FWC is already working with the community on restoration efforts and will continue monitoring.

The bay is still wide open for fishing, boating, and swimming. And scallop season is still running in Franklin County waters east of St. Vincent Island all the way through Hernando County through September 24th.

…

722 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

Do HOA fees and rental rules differ between Ovation, WindMark Beach, and Secluded Dunes?

Yes, significantly. Ovation enforces strict signage rules and tiered dues penalties, WindMark Beach charges roughly $490 to $600 per quarter with rental policies that vary by neighborhood, and Secluded Dunes has recorded covenants but no active HOA collecting dues or enforcing them day to day. I always pull the actual documents for the specific lot before a buyer writes an offer, because the rules can differ even within the same community.

By Billy Joe Smiley | August 4, 2026

I love this question, and I get it often, because it means a buyer is thinking ahead instead of getting surprised later. Cape San Blas and Port St. Joe have some of the best…

153 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

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…

273 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post



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…

138 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post

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…

109 Views, 0 Comments

Read Full Post