Plenty of dockspace for a scarab.
Posted on 08/30/2004 7:18:52 PM PDT by quidnunc
Santa Rosa, Florida – A wanderer from one of Europe's dim corners reached Jim Anders's office, plunked down on a couch and asked the chairman of the Walton County Republican Party for the Light as seen on the Red Neck Riviera.
Anders, who mixes politics with the real estate business, seemed to search for a buyer-appropriate parable.
"Remember Neville Chamberlain being nice to Hitler?" he asked cautiously.
Yes, responded the congregation of one. "Well," Anders said, "if you remember what happened, the lesson is we can't be nice to everybody who makes clear they want to hurt us. To me, Neville Chamberlain would have been a Democrat. They think let's not risk doing something that, if we're friendly, might not happen."
Fact is, in the Florida Panhandle, with its stereotype of a Republican bloc-vote of retired military officers, the Christian right and unreconstructed Good Ol' Boys — a complex notion running both true and counter to reality — there isn't much of a presidential race.
Around here, there's more suspense in the outcome of the great TV-commercial wars between the athlete's foot sprays Tinactin, Lamisil and Lotrimin, or for that matter, in the on-air ad clashes between the erectile dysfunction medications Levitra and Viagra.
George Bush will win the region, down the coast from Pensacola to Panama City, and up north, deep through the piney woods, to the Alabama state line.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Was this written by a European? It doesn't sound like he's ever been there. As someone who lived in Pensacola for 6 years, I don't ever recall anyone spelling "Redneck Riviera" as three words...
Is it full of rednecks?
(Seriously, it's probably one of the most wonderful areas in the nation to live, other than the fact that the job market down there stinks - unless you're in the Navy. It was truly a pleasure to live there - the people down there are truly wonderful!)
Nope, its getting as over developed as any other shore. Just got back from vacation on St. Georges Island..beautiful place.
Them Europeens are just so damn fascinated by Redneck mythology, ain't they?
The "redneck" part of Redneck Riviera has more to do with the tourist than the locals. The Florida Panhandle has (was?) long been the less expensive place to take your family on their "Florida Vacation".
I was born and raised in Pensacola, FL. and after having lived in Tampa for 12 years, I have moved back. I am 39 now. P-cola is not a large place, 50,000 in Pensacola proper and 250,000 county wide. I can tell you it is not full of rednecks. We may not be as diverse as a large city, but there are plenty of people from various backgrounds represented here. People can call us the "Redneck Riviera", but we still vote and that vote has an impact.
I was looking at real estate prices on St. George Island.
Those places aren't cheap. I can get beach front real estate in Hawaii for those prices. I guess the real estate bubble still hasn't broken everywhere.
Just don't come on Memorial Day weekend. Not pretty in my opinion.
more bullshit.
has anyone seen what any beachfront property between Fort Morgan Road in Gulf Shores and say Alligator Point near Appalachicola goes for these days? (that is approximately what is known as the 200 miles of Redneck Riviera)
hardly redneck economics.
weekly rentals and Seaside and Rosemary beaches start at 2K per week blocks from the beach.
Tell me about it.
About 10 years ago my mother sold our last beachhouse at Orange Beach. It went for $200,000. Not bad since they paid $1000 for it in the late 50's.
When we were there over Labor Day, we saw a comparable house and lot going for $1.2 million.
Ouch!
"weekly rentals and Seaside and Rosemary beaches start at 2K per week blocks from the beach."
Holy chit. I was thinking of moving down there.
Guess not.
Florabama Bump!
Our family condo at SanDestin was purchased in 1984 for $125k. The unit next door to ours, and of the exact same layout just sold for $1.3M. Redneck Riviera indeed, you lame piece of euro-trash! (not you chaos, the author of this story!)
Selling new homes wiith empty vaults on the Geraldo Riviera.
You say that like it's a bad thing. You want diversity, let's trade residences for a couple of weeks. I live in Philadelphia PA. You could come up in November and be a poll watcher. (snicker )
And, if he was there, you wonder why he bothered to write about it, since he observed so little. Exceedingly shallow article...about an area that clearly deserved more study than the author was willing to give it.
I go to the Beaches of South Walton County (between Destin and Panama City) every year.
I like Fort Morgan road at Gulf Shores as back up but Seaside/Grayton/Seagrove/Rosemary are more Southern Wasp and I and especially my wife fit in their as renters (not owners..we are not rich)
If one hunts for bargains they can be found. I find them every year and usually with Dale Peterson Realty. I wait until the last couple of weeks and look for empties or I book way ahead and hard bargain with sure money. In July, we had a three bedroom townhome that opened onto the beach at Grayton (sorta art colony shabby sheik) for 1083.00 for 5 nights.
Last year I did a huge old florida home replete with pecky cypress on a bluff on the beach with 4 bedrooms for 1450.00 for 6 nights.
Had I just waltzed in and rented thost it would have been at least 50% higher.
I really love it there....Fort Morgan Road is maybe 10-15% cheaper but Mobile Bay and that whole Weeks Bay area is really hot and prices are booming. I did my senior year at Fairhope living right next to the Grand Hotel at Point Clear and have kin there so it has an attraction.
* Panama City Beach is much rougher in spots but has an old Florida feel and more young single chicks for those in need. The prettiest gals in South Walton are teenagers and their moms..lol
**Do not under any circumstances try to go down around Pensacola during Blue Angels Week...there will be no rooms for at least a 60 mile radius.
*** Damn I'm ready to go back....all those years on the water and I took it for granted. Funny how things change in 10-20 years.
****I have no clue why anyone buys down there....you could never make your mortgage nut from rent...not in 100 years. I can rent a 1.5M to 2.5M dollar beachfront home for 2500-3000 tops per week. Takes a lots of those weeks to add up to purchase price.
*****There is a nice bayfront home down there somewhere waiting for Travis McGee with his name on it. Lots and lots of bayfront yet to be had...that is where the deals are.
I'm holding out for a stilt house on Biscayne Bay.
Plenty of dockspace for a scarab.
I wonder if they are still there. last I heard only 7 remained and the Park wanted them gone...that was 4 years ago.
John D. McDonald left Fort Lauderdale by the 1970s, and lived in a stilt house on Tampa Bay somewhere. Maybe it's available?
Or, I'd like to live in a huge barge house, with dock space for a few boats. Have it towed from place to place every few years.
And yeah, living on a big boat where you could move about when the feeling strikes you would be extremely cool. If I hadn't decided to go the standard route of wife and family, I'd already be doing it. One of life's choices; I have no regrets. When I get the $$$, I'm still gonna get me a nice boat though!
I don't consider it a bad thing. I prefer it this way. Besides being called the Redneck Riviera, some people refer to this part of Florida as "L.A." (LOWER ALABAMA).
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