Destin is known for white sands and emerald green water, hence why it’s called the Emerald Coast. Regardless, recently, the sands along Destin and other cities along the gulf coast have started taking a grayish color, according to an article on local news website WJHG.com. While in the article some state that the sands of Destin never appeared grey or black before until the beach was re-nourished a few years ago to protect the beachfront properties, others claim it as a common effect of gulf coast storms.

Regardless, in the case of Destin and other Emerald Coast cities like South Walton, is this a cause for concern, especially as others are claiming it as a result of re-nourishing the beach to combat effects of erosion? One argument could be that the appearance of grey sands diminishes Destin’s visual appeal as a gulf coast town, especially as it is located along the Emerald Coast. So, while the sands are grey for the next few months, is calling this area false advertising? Not exactly, as the waters are still green. Could this have an impact on tourism in the area? In theory, it could, as the beauty of Destin’s beaches is one reason why visitors all over the country come to Destin to rent a property for a week or longer at all times during the year, but, as recent articles and press releases have shown, the rental market has actually increased since the start of 2009.

In terms of protecting beachfront properties from eroding coastlines and storms, having grey sand for the sake of re-nourishing the beach is a minor inconvenience in comparison to ruined gulf front homes and a severely diminished tourism industry. Re-nourishing the beach allows the beachfront homes, many of which are rental properties, to be protected from damage and, if the grey sands on the beach now in Destin are a result of re-nourishing, it’s a small price to pay for keeping the rental and tourism industries intact.

     A recent post detailed the shift in the Gulf Coast real estate market from purchasing a home to rental properties, with the increase of rental properties in the first quarter of 2009 up 200 percent from the same time period in 2008. But, is this shift simply a result of people not wanting to purchase a permanent or vacation house and preferring to rent instead, or have Gulf Coast resorts been advertising themselves differently to entice vacationers to communities like Destin and South Walton?

     The latter is probably the case. Resorts, as well as other luxuries, are at the mercy of the current economy and, with the coined term “staycation” becoming common for a family’s yearly vacation, a vacation destination needs to make itself desirable to potential customers. According to a recent article about family beach vacations, resorts along the Gulf Coast are becoming more affordable by offering discounts from ten to 25 percent off the typical price and many complimentary packages.

     The vacation industry isn’t the only one offering special packages to entice customers. Restaurants, as many cut their eating out budgets, are cutting prices and offering certain deals – two meals for $15 to $20 and neighborhood restaurant “tours” for $16, as examples. Although this blog can’t speak about dining packages for the restaurant industry, the cutting prices and vacation packages for the resorts in Destin seem to be bringing many to the rental homes along the Emerald Coast.

     How are these vacation packages found? According to this article, the most obvious location is through online newsletters advertising certain vacation deals that are valid for a certain period of time. Other options include researching beach resorts in the Destin and South Walton beach areas to ask about certain vacation deals. Beach houses and hotels are available in a variety of price ranges along the coast and, with these vacation deals, the possibility of a Gulf Coast vacation becomes more affordable.

     When spending a week on the Emerald Coast, why not take it to the max? Five Star Gulf Rentals has a range of properties along the ocean, including rental homes and condos, and luxury properties are included. Whether you’re looking to spend your vacation in Destin at a resort or right by the beach, the luxury properties available include Caribbean Paradise and Utopia, with the former being a beach house with a private walkway and the latter a large Destin condo in a resort close to the center of town.

     Caribbean Paradise is a large beach front home with a direct view of the aqua marine-colored waters and white sands that make the Emerald Coast so famous. This particular property has four bedrooms and four baths to match, as well as large and spacious living areas inside the rental house. Located in the Carib neighborhood of Destin, the property is part of a gated community which, in addition to a private walkway with railings directly to the beach, has two swimming pools, a tennis court, and a lakeside gazebo. With 4,500 square feet inside and 6,000 square feet for the property total, Caribbean Paradise can give renters a taste of Destin paradise for the week.

     Large rental homes aren’t for everyone and, if you can’t fill a home with six or eight people, a luxury condo is another option for enjoying a week in Destin. Utopia is one of Five Star’s top-tier, luxury condo properties. Utopia can be found in the Silver Shells resort, located in St. Maarten directly in the center of Destin. The location is near shopping, dining, and other family activities in the area, and the condo itself is the largest in Silver Shells. With a ground floor location, Utopia opens directly into the resort, which includes all amenities of a beach resort and a 7,500 square foot pool.

     To buy or to rent? That is the question brought up recently in an article about real estate in the beach communities of South Walton. South Walton, like many cities and towns during the past four years, saw housing prices increase and, as of 2007, fall, with foreclosed properties in the area, as well as planned developments left unfinished. This latter category marks the state of many South Walton communities, according to this article, as luxury properties in a premier beach destination halted due to a lack of buyers. Whether as a permanent residence or a vacation home, many planned homes and developments were planned and when the buyers didn’t come or weren’t able to pay enough, the projects stopped. In some cases, the proposed beach front properties remain unfinished.

     But this doesn’t mean that the traffic into South Walton and other Gulf Coast towns has increased. In fact, according to this article, it has remained the same, with the focus of the vacation communities shifting to rental properties. According to this article, the rentals in Gulf Coast communities like South Walton increased by 200 percent from January to April of 2009 – not a popular vacationing time – in comparison to the same period of 2008. Although at this period, excluding spring break, is when many beach rental properties are at their lowest rates, the vacationers have been coming, nevertheless. Even with housing prices falling, renting appears to be the more popular option for people looking to experience the Emerald Coast.

     Although this is a significant blow to the housing market, it is a boom to the rental market and the local tourism industry. As the article explains, construction hasn’t stopped in South Walton and is, instead, focused on improving and adding to the beach communities more options for entertainment for renters. With summer approaching, will this rental boom in the Gulf Coast communities continue? And what further aesthetic changes will happen to entice vacation renters to spend a week in South Walton or Destin?

     Renting a vacation home in Destin doesn’t always need to be expensive. Rather than staying a few nights in a hotel, a rental property gives you all of the comforts of home in a luxurious beachfront location. Five Star Beach Properties has two properties that, for a week stay, average about $2000 for a beach house designed to hold from six to eight people. Each house is within walking distance of the beach and restaurants and activities in the center of Destin. As one of Florida’s premier vacation destinations, Destin is a picturesque location and both of these rental properties have views of the green waters of the Gulf Coast.

     One property is Lilly Pad. Lilly Pad is an apt name for this property as, in addition to a view of the Gulf waters, it sits on an inland coastal lake. For enjoying the outside view, this property has three large porches and a private dock on the lake. Indoors, the vacation home is large enough for eight people, with 2,200 square feet divided up into a living space and kitchen, with three bedrooms and baths. All bedrooms have a private bath for convenience purposes.

     In the same price range for the same number of people is Destiny Dreaming. Dreaming of Destiny-by-the-Sea, the most sought-after location in Destin? Look no further than this beach house, which offers a glimpse of Destiny-by-the-Sea at an affordable price. This particular property has three bedrooms and two baths, as well as spacious living areas and a kitchen, divided up between 2,000 square feet.

     Whether you’re a family looking for a unique beach vacation destination or a group of college students looking for a spring break house, one of these beachfront rental homes averages $2,000 per week at all points during the year. Fall and winter seasons, in addition, allow the beach homes to be rented for three days to a week at a time. For tours of the beach homes, follow the respective links for more details and videos of the insides and outsides of both properties.

     Destin, FL and other towns along the Gulf Coast are known for their beaches of white sands and clear aqua marine-colored waters and, inevitably, are vacation towns. From Destin and South Walton to even the southern shores of Alabama, this section of the Gulf Coast is a popular destination for vacationers from all over the country. But, a vacation destination often has a number of rental properties, as well as homes used as permanent residences and vacation homes. As seen on many Destin vacation rental websites, vacation homes are large villa structures with multiple bedrooms that, if not a permanent residence, are divided up during the year for vacationers looking to spend a few weeks in one of Florida’s premier vacation destinations.

     Even with communities as upscale as Sandestin in pockets along this section of the Gulf Coast, this part of the nation, however, has still been hit by the real estate boom and bust of this past decade, with rising housing prices and high mortgage payments resulting in foreclosure for many homeowners. In the present, many foreclosed homes are being auctioned at a fraction of the price of the value from 2007 or earlier, and this includes many homes along the Emerald Coast.

     This week, JP King auction, one of the leading real estate auctioning firms in the Gulf Coast area, has been preparing homes for auction on June 5th, as detailed in this news piece about Destin and other Gulf Coast communities. As stated in the article, bank ordered condos and homes are up for auction in towns along the Emerald Coast and the southern coast of Alabama.

     If you’ve been looking for a permanent or vacation residence in Destin or one of the surrounding towns, one of these auctions is worth attending. For this particular event, auction properties were open as soon as May 22 for viewing by customers. Although this event has since passed, many similar auctions are held in the area and have a similar format. Aside from choosing one of the most ideal beach locations in the country, purchasing a foreclosed property allows its condition to be maintained and keeps up the property value in the town or neighborhood.