WHY THE “GREAT RESET” MAKES A MOVE TO THE BEACH A REALITY!

After months of remote working, you have got used to managing your time and prioritizing your day outside of the standard 9 to 5. And your company is seeing the benefits of not having office space to heat and cool and is happy for you and other employees to work remotely for the foreseeable future.

The kids’ schools are still closed, the gym is shuttered, and little league has been suspended again. And, sadly, a ‘For Sale’ sign has appeared in your neighbor’s front yard. So, with the Great Reset underway, what do you need to make the dream move to the beach complete?

Along 30-A there are a range of communities offering homes of different styles and sizes. Developers and homebuilders are looking for ways to meet the needs not just of tourists and second-home owners, but those relocating full-time to the beach too.

New developments along 30-A and Highway 98 are now providing housing options which didn’t previously exist here. New condo buildings with luxury amenities – pools, gyms, media rooms – are emerging. New townhomes and apartments are appealing to those looking to downsize from a sprawling suburban pile, and established communities like Watercolor, Alys Beach and Seaside are adding new super-luxury homes, beachside villas, and houses to their inventory.

As well as plenty of bedrooms, chef’s kitchens, sleek modern bathrooms, and open-plan living space, one of the most in-demand features home buyers are now asking for is dedicated office space. Existing homes are remodeling playrooms, lofts, and carriage houses to make dedicated work-from-home space. TV’s can double as monitors, Bluetooth everywhere allows speakers to play podcasts or read emails anywhere you want, and with a smartphone in your pocket, a laptop under your arm, and unlimited cloud storage you can work anywhere in or around your home. Because this is also your private space as well as your place of work, you can choose color schemes that stimulate or soothe, have backdrops or window views that shock and awe clients on Skype calls, and can select furniture that is pleasing to the eye as well as good for your posture. Shop wisely and work with any one of the interior designers also operating at the beach – after all, there is no need to recreate the depressing cubicle with its jumble of wires and that achingly-uncomfortable office chair you are finally leaving behind.

Technology will be your friend too in easing your move to Work from Home (WFH). The hunt for a WIFI hot spot or “bars” on your ‘phone is over. In recent months, local internet providers in the area have installed hi-speed networks, while ATT, T-Mobile, and Verizon have extended their 5G networks along 30-A. Remote workers can now confidently dial into Zoom Calls with Nashville, Microsoft Teams Meetings in Atlanta, and FaceTime Sales calls from Chicago to Corpus Christi. And, of course, you can always make phone calls from the screened porch with your morning coffee.

Working remotely does mean at times you may need to meet clients face-to-face, attend conferences, trade fairs, and seminars, or view property, facilities, or infrastructure projects in real life too. 30-A residents are blessed with two regional airports, each an hour’s drive to the west and the east. Direct flights to Washington DC, Houston, New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, Memphis, and Nashville mean you can catch the early flight and be back in time for dinner and drinks at the beach.

And you are not alone. There are hundreds of families moving to the beach each month, so there is a growing remote worker network to tap into. Access to business services and other professional groups is easy. Walton Area Chamber of Commerce, law firms and finance teams, PR and Marketing experts are all well-established along 30-A and by joining these networks you can continue to grow your business.

The family is also well catered for on 30-A. New state-of-the-art Elementary and Middle Schools have recently opened. A Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) academy has opened with landowner St. Joe’s support, and Seaside Middle School, Seacoast Collegiate, and South Walton High School continue to win state-wide awards and recognition.

And, with near-perfect weather year-round, sports and recreational amenities take pride of place in the community. Besides the world’s best beaches and some of Florida’s most challenging golf courses, 30-A residents can also enjoy a new skatepark, soccer pitches, baseball diamonds, and grid-iron fields which have all recently opened. Plus, you can enjoy the many cultural highlights which abound along 30-A too.

In the cooler spring and fall seasons, outdoor film festivals, food and wine festivals, music festivals, and arts events all take place. People fly in from all over the country to attend these events, so how wonderful to be able to cycle to the venues, walk through your own community or attend an event with neighbors and friends by the dozen.

Our team at Beach Group has long provided you with support in the search for the perfect holiday home or rental property, why not work with us now to find your ‘forever home’ right here in the place you love, wonderful 30-A.

Written by Martin Liptrot