30A week in review: tax vote, storm help, fall events

Amendment 3 passed this week, and it changes property taxes for both full-time and second-home owners. Hurricane Isaias recovery help is now open in Walton County, and a full weekend of wine, film and music is underway along 30A.

This weekend on 30A

• The 34th Seeing Red Wine Festival runs in Seaside from Thursday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 8, with the Grand Tasting in Central Square on Saturday, Nov. 7. General admission tickets are available for the Saturday tasting, and you can expect a busy downtown and tighter parking. Read more · More · More
• Walton County's Coastal Dune Lakes Week wraps up Friday, Nov. 6, with a Grayton Beach ecosystem tour. Check with Walton County to confirm times before you go. Read more · More · More
• The 30A BBQ Festival is Friday, Nov. 6, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. CST on the North Lawn at Grand Boulevard, 585 Grand Blvd in Miramar Beach, with samples from 18 restaurants and live music. General admission is $70, VIP $150 and children 12 and under $20, plus fees, with proceeds going to The Sonder Project. Check with the organizers to confirm details before you go. Read more · More
• The First Friday Fall Concert Series plays the Pavilion in Watersound's Town Center on Friday, Nov. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. It's free, with Webb Wilder and his trio headlining and Jessica Willis Fisher opening. Details weren't confirmed, so check with Watersound Town Center before you go.

This week's posts

• Amendment 3 Passed: What It Means for 30A Property Taxes: Florida voters approved Amendment 3 on Nov. 3. Here's how the bigger homestead exemption, the Dec. 31 residency cutoff and the new 5% cap affect 30A owners.

Property taxes

• Florida voters passed Amendment 3 on Tuesday, Nov. 3, with about 62 percent of the vote, just above the 60 percent a constitutional change needs, and Walton County backed it by a wide margin. On a primary home, the exemption from non-school taxes grows from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, then keeps pace with inflation, while school taxes and the $25,000 school-tax exemption stay the same and a second home gets no new exemption. For second homes, rentals and other non-homestead property, the yearly cap on assessment increases falls from 10 percent to 5 percent starting Jan. 1, 2027. Full-time owners gain the most, and since city and county leaders have warned of less money for local services, every owner should watch how the county fills that gap in the coming budget talks. Read more · More · More · More · More · More · More · More · More · More

Election results

• Byron Donalds beat David Jolly in Tuesday's race for governor and follows Ron DeSantis into office in January, and Ashley Moody won the U.S. Senate race. Donalds has promised a public scorecard for insurers that may track how fast they pay claims, and he wants to end a build-up charge in the state's hurricane Cat Fund to lower premiums, though the fund warns that could mean more borrowing after a big storm. He also says a state tax and budget commission will work on more property tax measures for the 2028 ballot. Anything that moves premiums or taxes matters to every owner on the coast. Read more · More · More · More
• Walton County voters approved a half-mill property tax tied to bringing in outside construction money, including BP oil spill funds, and a school board race was decided by a close margin. The renewal of the half-cent sales tax for Walton County Schools was also on the ballot, with results still coming in when polls closed, so it's worth checking the final count. Neighboring Okaloosa County had its own races and a sales tax question. [Read more](http://linktr.ee/midbaynews) · [More](http://linktr.ee/midbaynews.com) · More

Hurricane Isaias recovery

• Walton County's Multi-Agency Resource Center at the DeFuniak Springs Community Center, 361 N 10th St, is open again starting Friday, Nov. 6, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central every day but Sunday until Dec. 5, with no appointment needed, and there are also sites in Paxton and Freeport but none on 30A. Homeowners, renters and businesses can meet with state, FEMA and SBA staff, ask about SBA disaster loans, and get help if an online claim was denied or only partly approved, which may just mean missing paperwork. You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov or 800-621-3362. Read more · More · More · More
• After the Oct. 27 federal disaster declaration, low-interest SBA disaster loans are open in Walton County and seven other Florida counties. Homeowners can borrow as much as $500,000 to fix the home they live in, plus up to $100,000 to replace belongings, at rates as low as 3% with terms up to 30 years and no payments for the first 12 months. The deadline for physical damage is Dec. 28, and until then SBA staff are answering questions in person at a recovery center inside Pensacola's Ferry Pass Community Center, 8800 N. 9th Ave. [Read more](http://www.northescambia.com/2026/11/sba-opens-disaster-recovery-center-in-escambia-county-to-assist-hurricane-victims) · More
• FEMA has approved individual assistance for eight Panhandle counties hit by Isaias, and applications are now open. The help can cover housing grants and essential home repairs.
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance is open to people in Walton and seven other Panhandle counties whose work or self-employment was lost or interrupted by Hurricane Isaias. It's for those who don't qualify for regular state or federal reemployment help, claims are due by December 28, 2026 at FloridaJobs.org or 1-800-385-3920, and supporting papers must follow within 21 days. This may help workers and small business owners along 30A who lost income after the storm.

Weather and beach safety

• The National Hurricane Center is watching for a low that may form a few hundred miles northeast of the Bahamas in the next couple of days, with a 30% chance of development over seven days. Forecasters expect it to drift east into poor conditions by the weekend, far from us. Isaias, which came ashore near Destin on October 9 as a Category 2, is still the season's only hurricane. Read more
• A rip current statement was issued for Walton County beaches, shared with county leaders and the South Walton Fire District. Lifeguard season has wound down for the year, so check the beach flags before anyone goes in the water. Read more
• A Panhandle weather page shared a satellite image of Hurricane Isaias' winds at landfall and asked why ponds have formed on local beaches since. The short post gave no clear answer for 30A, but it's a reminder to keep an eye on beach and dune conditions after a storm. Read more

Insurance

• A new look at this fall's flooding found that losses were manageable statewide, but many Florida homes carry little or no flood insurance. Standard homeowners policies don't cover flood, so it's worth checking your own coverage. Read more
• A new national study of extreme-weather risk puts Florida among the most exposed states and expects storm and flood losses to keep growing through 2050. It also notes that insurance is becoming a bigger part of the monthly cost of owning a home, which buyers here should plan for. Read more · More
• For a conventional mortgage in Florida, lenders want coverage at replacement cost that includes wind and named storms, with no deductible above 5 percent of the coverage amount. Homes in flood zones starting with A or V need flood insurance, and Citizens policies must carry flood coverage by January 1, 2027. Buyers should expect inspections like a four-point, wind mitigation and roof check before closing. Read more
• A national review of the homeowners insurance industry found insurers had a strong year in 2025 and that premium growth is slowing, with conditions in Florida better since the state's legal reforms. That is a national picture, not a promise of lower bills here, but it is welcome news for owners who have watched premiums climb. Read more
• A reminder making the rounds for Florida homeowners: certain wind mitigation features can earn credits on your policy. If you haven't had a wind mitigation inspection in a while, it is worth asking your insurer which credits you are getting. Read more

Real estate

• Since Aug. 3, 2026, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac no longer offer streamlined project reviews for condo purchases with a loan. That means a building's reserves, inspections and overall condition get a closer look before a loan can close. Condo buyers, sellers and associations along 30A should build that extra review into their plans and contracts. Read more
• Statewide, Florida filed suit on October 23 against a company whose climate-risk scores show up on home search websites, saying the ratings hurt property values. Owners and buyers on the coast see these scores often, so it's worth knowing they are now being challenged. Read more
• My post this week looked at how long homes and lots along 30A have taken to sell over the past six months. The short version is that sales are moving at a steady pace, and the speed varies a lot from one neighborhood to the next, so sellers may want to plan for a few months and buyers likely have time to look carefully. Read more
• A Gulf-front cottage on Blue Mountain Road in Blue Mountain Beach is on the market, built in 1970 and held by one family since then. It sits on about 0.45 acres with roughly 75 feet of Gulf frontage and has had a price cut since summer. Gulf-front homes in Blue Mountain Beach rarely come up for sale. Read more
• A Gulf-front home finished in 2025 on the far east end of Inlet Beach, on Lupin Beach Drive, remains for sale after first listing last November. It has four bedrooms, an elevator and wide private beach frontage, next to Camp Helen State Park and Lake Powell. Read more
• A fully furnished townhouse in Prominence in Inlet Beach, one street back from the community pool, is now under contract. The listing notes that short-term rentals are allowed there and that it sits outside the high-risk flood zone. Read more

Vacation rentals

• A new guide for anyone thinking about buying a 30A vacation rental walks through the basics. It suggests reading HOA rules on rentals before making an offer, judging a home on its income after dues, management, insurance and cleaning, and checking the flood zone, roof age and an insurance quote early. It's sound advice for any buyer weighing a rental. Read more
• Vacation rental owners on 30A often underestimate a few costs: management and cleaning on each stay, tourist development and sales taxes on short stays, and Walton County's short-term rental registration. Furnishings need a tangible personal property return each April 1, and a non-homestead home is reassessed at market value the January after it sells. Read more
• A local guide put together restaurant picks along 30A and tips for stocking a rental kitchen, from groceries to private chefs and delivery. It's useful for owners who host guests. Read more
• Visitor guides for South Walton were refreshed with tips on the Beach Park and Ride trams, public beach access, rip current safety and fall events. They're handy to pass along to guests and renters. Read more
• An old county tourism release from 2014 about a record summer for South Walton rentals resurfaced on a local forum this week. It is a look back, not current data, so it says little about today's rental market. Read more

Roads and county

• Walton County began repairs on the pedestrian path along 30A near Deer Lake, close to Seagrove, on Nov. 2. No finish date was given, so walkers and cyclists in that stretch should expect some work zones for now. Read more
• The South Walton Dog Park on JD Miller Road will close for one day, Thursday, Nov. 12, while a crane installs a prefabricated restroom, and it reopens Friday, Nov. 13. Walton County Public Works can answer questions at (850) 892-8108. Read more
• A local beach access group posted a new call this week for people to weigh in on the long-running beach access debate in Walton County. The post didn't name a specific decision or deadline, but the issue matters to anyone who owns near the Gulf or plans to buy there. Read more

This weekend

• The 30A BBQ Festival is tonight, Friday, Nov. 6, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. CST on the North Lawn at Grand Boulevard in Sandestin, 585 Grand Blvd in Miramar Beach, with unlimited samples from 18 local and regional restaurants, live music and a guest vote for Best BBQ. General admission is $70, VIP $150 and kids 12 and under $20, plus fees, and proceeds go to The Sonder Project, a nonprofit based in Santa Rosa Beach. It usually sells out. Check with the organizers to confirm details before you go, or check with Grand Boulevard before you head over. Read more · More · More · More
• The 34th Seeing Red Wine Festival runs Thursday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 8 in Seaside, and Mountainfilm on Tour screens at the WaterColor Marina Park Amphitheater Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7, with gates at 5:45 p.m. and films at 7 p.m. The Flutterby Arts Festival is listed for Nov. 6 through 8 at the Pavilion in Watersound's town center, and a ranger-led hike at Camp Helen State Park for Thursday, Nov. 5, from 10 to 11 a.m., but neither could be confirmed, so check with the venue or call the park before you go. Thursday also lists a fraud-prevention lunch talk at the Walton Area Chamber of Commerce starting at 11:30 a.m. and an evening contractor meetup at AJ's Grayton Beach, so confirm with the hosts first. Mountainfilm on Tour, now in its 26th year here, is set for Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8, at 7 p.m. at the WaterColor Marina Park Amphitheater. The weekend also lists a First Friday concert in Inlet Beach on November 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. and the Flutterby Arts Festival in Watersound on Sunday, November 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check with each venue to confirm before you go. The Seeing Red Wine Festival is underway in Seaside, Thursday, Nov. 5 through Sunday, Nov. 8, now in its 34th year. It includes a reserve tasting, a sommelier competition, the Grand Tasting in Central Square on Saturday, Nov. 7, and a sparkling wine brunch, and general admission tickets are available for the Saturday tasting. Expect a busy downtown and tighter parking around Seaside this weekend. Mountainfilm on Tour brings short outdoor documentaries to WaterColor Marina Park Amphitheater tonight, Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, with gates at 5:45 p.m. and films at 7 p.m. Children 8 and under get in free, and tickets left on event day cost more than the regular price, so it is worth buying ahead. Tonight, Friday, Nov. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m., the Pavilion in Watersound's Town Center hosts a no-cost evening of the First Friday Fall Concert Series, with Webb Wilder and his trio headlining and Jessica Willis Fisher opening. Bring a chair and cooler, and a food truck will be on site; details weren't confirmed, so check with Watersound Town Center before you go. The county's events calendar lists the Flutterby Arts Festival in Watersound on Sunday, Nov. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eggs on the Beach at Seascape on Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and a turkey trot on Nov. 22. None of these were confirmed with the hosts, so check before you go.

Thanksgiving and holidays

• Thanksgiving morning, Thursday, Nov. 26, brings the 30A 10K Thanksgiving Day races and the Rosemary Beach 1-Mile Fun Run, starting in Rosemary Beach, with 30A expected to close to all traffic between Rosemary Beach's East Water Street and Bridge Lane from about 7 a.m. until roughly 10:30 or 11 a.m., and Watersound Parkway closed for the 5K route. Runners pick up packets at The Big Chill in Watersound on Wednesday, Nov. 25, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and The Big Chill is closed Thanksgiving Day. If you own on the east end or have guests arriving that morning, plan around the closure, check with Rosemary Beach to confirm before you go, and confirm the details with the race before the day. Read more · More · More
• Seaside opens its holiday season Sunday, Nov. 22, at 5 p.m. with a free Nutcracker Act II at the Seaside Amphitheater, the first season since Hurricane Isaias came ashore near Destin on Oct. 9 and flattened beach dunes in Grayton, and the high-bacteria advisory on Eastern Lake has since been lifted. Alys Beach has a tree lighting and Alys in Winter Wonderland at the Alys Beach Amphitheatre on Friday, Nov. 27, from 4 to 6:30 p.m., and on Saturday, Nov. 28, WaterColor holds a winter market while Seaside's free Turn on the Town runs from 3 to 8 p.m. with the Holiday Parade, a theater performance at Krier Plaza, the tree lighting at the Seaside Amphitheater and Santa photos at the Christmas Village until 8 p.m., with parade registration proceeds helping Point Washington Medical Clinic. The Seaside Holiday Market brings local artisans and makers to Central Square on Dec. 5 and 6. Times weren't confirmed with the hosts, so check with the town before you go, check with each town center before you go, and check with Seaside to confirm times before you go. Read more · More ·

Alys Beach

• Starting Monday, Nov. 9, Alys Beach will offer nightly valet in Town Center from 4 to 11 p.m. for $20 per car, tip not included, with the stand set up along the slip road outside The Citizen and NEAT Bottle Shop for drivers coming from the west. Free three-hour parking stays near the Town Center Amphitheatre and on the slip roads along 30A, and residential streets and parking courts remain for homeowners and rental guests, which should help keep busy nights off the neighborhood lanes. Read more · More
• Alys Beach is spotlighting NEAT Bottle Shop in Town Center, a shop for small-batch spirits and wine with a patio for a drink. It sits right where the new valet stand will be. Read more
• The Alys Beach Crafted Holiday Makers Market is drawing attention as a place to shop handmade goods from regional artisans this season. Dates and times weren't confirmed, so check with Alys Beach before you go. Read more
• Alys Beach introduced Vera's Garden as its newest spot in town. Details on what it offers and when it opens haven't been shared yet. Read more

Music and nights out

• Posts about the 2027 30A Songwriters Festival don't line up: one artist gives the dates as Jan. 15 to 18, 2027, in South Walton, listings name performers such as Larkin Poe, S.G. Goodman and Amelia Day, and other posts mention different dates, a different venue and names like Jeff Tweedy, Elvis Costello and Rosanne Cash. One listing has Mary Gauthier playing a 7 p.m. CST show somewhere in Santa Rosa Beach, with no date or venue. Check with the festival before making plans, and confirm dates and venues with the festival before buying tickets. Read more · More · More · More · More · More · More · More
• Otha Allen Jr. plays at Crackings in Uptown Grayton from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with his next set on Friday, November 13, after a Monday show on November 2. Call Crackings to confirm before you go. Read more · More

New shops and dining

• The flagship 30A Store is now open at 5311 E County Highway 30A in Seagrove, daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Some of its merchandise is sold only at this location. Read more
• AJ's Grayton Beach has taken over the former Pandora's at 63 DeFuniak Street, serving lunch and dinner with live music. The space has three bars, two stages and an outdoor patio with a firepit. Read more
• Grindstone Cowboy, a coffee shop, restaurant and music venue from Tennessee co-owned by country artist Craig Campbell, plans to open a location in the 30A area of Santa Rosa Beach next year. No address or opening date has been shared yet. Read more
• The Grayton Beach tiny library was lost in the hurricane, and new tiny libraries made from upcycled materials by Sean Allen Meredith have been shared. Small touches like this are part of what makes Grayton feel like home. Read more