Author: Debbie Roney Smith

Panacea Blue Crab Fest

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The Panacea Blue Crab Festival is happening soon. For 50 years locals have paused on the last Saturday in September to feast on the blue crab bounty harvested from their waterfront community; the last Saturday is this Saturday, September 27th!!! This year is the 47th annual event. There will be a parade along U.S. Hwy 98, live music and entertainment, arts and craft vendors, and a Blue Crab Pickin’ Contest. Panacea is a nature lover’s paradise; sitting between the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and the Apalachicola National Forest. Learn more by visiting the event website HERE. 

Hair Haven: Your New One-Stop Shop For Hair Care

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Join us in celebrating the opening of Hair Haven Salon! They had a soft-launch in April and are thrilled to open their doors for full services Monday through Saturday (closed on Sunday).

They’re a cute, cozy salon that offers more than just hair cuts, colors, and extensions. They also offer nail services like full set acrylics and gels. Or, get some skincare and waxing done while your friend gets their hair colored; they offer facias, brow tinting, spray tanning, waxing, and more. Tomorrow’s opening features a few specials, refreshments, and a chance to win some goodies with a name-in-the-jar.  

Learn more by visiting the Hair Haven Facebook page. 

When’s the Best Time to Buy A House in 2025?

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Based on US housing market data from 2023 and 2024, the best time to buy a house is in fall and winter – September until February. That makes today the first day of a five month window for purchasing. What makes this the ideal time frame? 

  1. The average price of homes on the market. Median sales prices are more affordable between September and February. January has the lowest median sale prices overall. So searching for your new home September through December can put you on track to purchase in January; but even if you don’t make the lowest median month, you can benefit from reduced prices.
  2. The median number of days a home spends on the market rises. Between November and January, the median rises which creates less competition for home buyers. A higher number of days on the market can also encourage sellers to be more receptive to negotiations on 1) price, 2) closing date, and 3) other buyer terms. January is once again the best month for median days on the market.
  3. The percentage of price reductions is higher. Once a home has been listed on the market for a while with very few or even no offers, it’s common for homeowners and/or real estate agents to reduce the asking price. According to FRED Economic Data, December has the highest percentage of price reductions in every housing season.

This indicates that the ideal timeline would be searching for your home September through November and following through on purchasing December through January. However, as the numbers indicate, purchasing anytime between September and February will result in lower costs for potential homeowners.

Want to take advantage of the ideal purchasing time? Check out my listings and schedule your viewing today to start the process of securing your new home! 

35th Annual Juana Good Time Regatta

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Juana’s Pagodas & Sailors Grill is thrilled to host the 35th Annual Juana Good Time Regatta! Come out next weekend, September 5th-7th, to enjoy a weekend of both experienced and novice racers, drinks, and live music. With a focus on everyone having a “Good Time,” it is open to all sizes of multihull sailboats, from beach cats and trimarans to cruisers. 

Want to participate? You can still register online HERE. 

Sandy Creek State Forest

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Photo Credit: Bear Creek Forest Florida Forever Project by Lauren YohoWildpath

Welcome to Sandy Creek State Forest!

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has acquired 12,243 acres in Bay County that will become a new state forest system. The new forest acreage will expand the Florida Wildlife Corridor; it will also provide a new natural destination for public recreation in Northwest Florida. Completed under the Bear Creek Forest Florida Forever Project, the new acreage protects a key portion of the St. Andrew Bay Watershed. Protecting the watershed helps 1) safeguard water quality, 2) reduce flooding in surrounding communities, and 3) supports a wide variety of habitats. Habitats include: longleaf pine forests, wetlands, and floodplains. The habitats support wildlife like the keystone gopher tortoise, the Florida black bear, and other potentially threatened and endangered species like the reticulated flatwoods salamander and dark-headed hatpins flower.

The property will be managed by the Florida Forest Service to support both conservation and recreation. DEP Secretary Alexis A. Lambert says, “With the creation of Sandy Creek State Forest, we’re not only preserving vital ecosystems and expanding wildlife habitat but also connecting conservation lands from Eglin Air Force Base to Apalachicola National Forest. This new state forest will offer meaningful public access while protecting the natural resources that make our state so special.”

The park isn’t open to the public quite yet, but will offer hiking, wildlife viewing, and outdoor education once it is. According to an email from the DEP Press Office, “Florida is at the forefront of the nation’s land protection efforts and continues to be a model for other land acquisition programs across the country. Through the Florida Forever Program, the state conserves land that provides environmental, recreational and preservation benefits, including water quality and quantity safeguards; resilience from storm impacts; habitat and species protections; and outdoor recreation opportunities.”

For more information about the Florida Forever Program, visit Florida DEP here.

Jackson County Mosquito Control

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Jackson County offers a mosquito control program in partnership with the Florida Department of Health in Jackson county and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The service typically runs March-October and is free to Jackson County residents. 

Call DOH-Jackson at 850-482-9227 to make a service request. Please note: requests are at the mercy of the weather (no spraying in rain) and spraying cannot be completed within one mile of any known apiaries (bee hives). 

Back-to-School Sales Tax

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Florida’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday is happening now!

The holiday runs August 1st to August 31st, and North Florida schools are back in business on August 11th. Tax exemptions apply to various items including school supplies, clothing, learning aids, and computers. The exemptions do have specific price limits especially for higher-priced items like electronics. For example, the cap for tax free computers is $1,500. 

For specifics on what items are exempt and limitations, view the 2025 Tax Information Publication. 

Another Year, More Beer!

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The Tallahassee Beer Festival is back for its 7th annual craft brew extravaganza! The event is getting bigger every year. This year, it’ll take place August 8th and 9th at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center.

The event will feature over 360 fermentations of more than the ‘traditional’ beer — ciders, sparkling sodas, meads, wine, and seltzers! The fermentations are the best of some 100 national, regional, and local brewers. Along with plenty of drinks and food, there will be a beer run, live entertainment, ax throwing, and vendors. Please note this is a 21+ event. Learn more about the event HERE. 

Bear Paw Adventures

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Looking for something fun to do this coming weekend? Consider visiting the Bear Paw Adventures service! They offer kayak, canoe, and tube rentals for individuals, pairs, and groups. Come out for a relaxing, gorgeous trip down Spring Creek and the Chipola River. Learn more or book your trip today on their website.