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Home Improvements for Seniors

According to an AARP survey (May, 2000), the overwhelming majority of mid-life and older Americans want to remain living independently in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. The new survey found that seven in ten of those who are able to make changes to their homes have made at least one modification to make it easier for them to get around. Two thirds of those who made home modifications believe those improvements will allow them to live in their homes longer than they would have been able otherwise, most for another ten years or more. The survey is the fifth in a series of AARP senior housing studies. Based on telephone interviews of 2,000 persons aged 45 and over, it examines the opinions and behavior of mid-life and older Americans regarding their current and future housing situations.

Eighty five percent of those polled said they have already made simple changes to their homes, such as placing non-skid strips in bathtubs or safety bars in showers and handrails on both side of the stairwells. The reasons most often cited by respondents for not making home improvements were the inability to make the changes themselves (37%) and not being able to afford the modifications (37%). HUD's HECM program (Reverse Mortgage) can turn the built-up wealth in your home to cash without having to move or repay a loan each month. Financing needed home repairs or improvements is one of the many good uses for funds received from a HECM.

The top 10 home improvements reported were:

1. Levered doorknobs.

2. Grab bars in bathrooms.

3. Levered faucets in kitchen sinks.

4. Handrails on both sides of stairwells and on front and rear steps.

5. Grab bars in showers; removal of any door threshold.

6. Movable shower heads for those who must sit.

7. Portable shower seats.

8. A bathroom with a bath/shower as well as a bedroom on the first floor.

9. Widened doors to accommodate wheelchairs.

10. Ramps for those using walkers and wheelchairs.

Seniors spend billions of dollars each year on home improvements. If you are planning on making repairs or improvements to your home it is important to know how to pick the best contractor, and choose the financing that's right for you. AARP has developed extensive resources on home modifications, to obtain this information visit AARP.

Welcome to Garrett Realty vacation rentals and the beautiful Beaches of South Walton ! We have a wide selection of condos and house rentals to meet any budget. Our offices are located in Seagrove Beach, Florida, but our properties are located all along the Beaches of South Walton area. We have vacation rentals located near:

Seaside Florida
Watercolor Florida
Grayton Beach
Rosemary Beach
Seagrove Beach

The Beaches of South Walton present so many wonderful options for your next beach vacation, that it can be very hard to choose. So before you book your next vacation, be sure to check out the information we have provided about the different areas, or better yet Call on of our Beaches of South Walton Vacation Experts at 800-537-5387 or send us an email at info@garrettrealty.com

Seaside Florida
Seaside is one of the most successful new urban planned communities in the country. It had stunning artichure and one of the most beautiful streches of beach in the area. The shops of Seaside are some of the best in the area and provide a real sense of community. There are nine beach pavilions, each architecturally distinctive and each a symbol of the sharing of the beach and of Seaside’s commitment to harmony with the environment. Seaside has been designated a Blue Wave Beach from the Clean Beach Council. The Blue Wave, America’s first environmental certification for beaches, recognizes responsible beach management practices, including water quality, beach and intertidal conditions, safety, services, habitat conservation, public education and erosion management.

For many that choose to spend time in Seaside, the experience is all about enjoying the long, lazy days and soaking up sun on our award wining beach. But for those that choose to tear themselves away from that beach, they find a great deal of other fun and exciting things to do. Whatever your sport, you will find it, from sailing, kayak adventures, family croquet or playing tennis with a pro. If you're a golfer, a fisherman or have an unquenchable thirst for action Seaside provides a concierge that can arrange just about any kind of activity our unique part of Northwest Florida has to offer.

Watercolor Florida
The newest addition to the Beaches of South Walton, Watercolor is another stunning example of careful planning on the part of the develope Arvida, a St. Joe company. The 499-acre resort was designed by acclaimed architect, Jaque Robertson, on St. Jow Company land.

The stunning Watercolor Inn is a prominent feature of this new community. The inn was designed by acclaimed restaurant designer, David Rockwell, the designer of over 60 Planet Hollywoods. The inn combines the warmth and hospitality of a Southern grand hotel with the intimacy of a B&B inn and the charm of classic coastal beach house. An experience you will not want to miss and will not soon forget.

WaterColor has one of the very best and newest restaurants in the area, Fish Out of Water, which prepares choice selections of the finest local seafood and prime cuts of meat in an wonderful beachside setting. The restaurant’s wine collection has over 3000 bottles, representing some 325 vineyards.
WaterColor visitors enjoy access to a variety of diversions situated throughout the 499-acre community such as Western Lake, a rare, 220-acre coastal dune lake bordered by coastal pine forests, providing canoe, kayak, and sailing excursions. Other activities include WaterColor Workout, a full-service exercise gym, Cerulean Park, linking the gulf to the lake, and Town Center, a collection of retail shops, offices, and the WaterColor Market. There are also hiking and biking paths along an extensive woodland trail system within WaterColor as well as nearby state parks offer differing perspectives of coastal dune lakes, sand pine scrub, longleaf pine flatwoods, cypress ponds, wet prairies and titi swamps.

Grayton Beach FL
A Grayton Beach vacation rental is the perfect family vacation. The historic beach village of Grayton Beach, FL ia located minutes from our offices in Seagrove Beach. A Grayton Beach rental puts you in the center of a 20-mile long stretch of spectacular beaches, with rugged dune systems, and freshwater lakes which includes the villages of Dune Allen Beach, Santa Rosa Beach, Blue Mountain Beach, WaterColor, Seaside, Seagrove Beach, Camp Creek, Seacrest Beach, Rosemary Beach, and Inlet Beach. The landscape is absolutely stunning and the ecosystem is one of the only ones of its kind in the world. A rental in Grayton Beach allows you to stay in one of the oldest beach towns in the Coastal Southeast. It is a free-willed and free-spirited place that is hard to describe, but very easy to experience! It first belonged to the Choctaw Indians, then American pioneers braving the sand, mosquitoes and wild hogs. Currently, Grayton Beach is made up mostly of southern folks and their descendants who came to Grayton to escape the speed of modern urban life.

The main attraction while staying at your Grayton Beach Rental is the beach itself. It is wide, with bright, clean sand and warm, clear Gulf water. Many first-time visitors are surprised that the water is clear and turquoise much like the Caribbean. The Western Lake of Grayton is one of a dozen or so freshwater lakes in the area that open to the Gulf, which provide a unique natural habitat and an abundance of fish and marine life. The lake extends to the beach and is a grat place for families and children to swim and play in the shallow lake adjacent the normally calm Gulf surf. There are numerous parks in the area including the beautiful Grayton Beach State Park which offers camping, cabins, boating, fishing, hiking, and more. While staying at your Grayton Beach Rental you will have access to some of the very best restaurants in the Southeast, including the unique and “must visit” Red Bar


Rosemary Beach
Inspired by the small, waterfront towns of the Caribbean, Rosemary Beach was realized by a skilled group of planners, architects and local craftsmen. Its neighborhoods form an intricate patchwork: Singular homes, open spaces and intimate courtyards, woven together by lanes, sand paths and boardwalks.
Time- and climate- tested building traditions from the West Indies and American South combine with a rich palette of colors and architectural forms. Deep eaves, shuttered sleeping porches and hipped roofs are both beautiful and functional. High ceilings allow sea breezes to circulate; open balconies offer space to appreciate the sounds of the gentle surf. Rosemary Beach is named for the native species of rosemary herb that lines our sand paths and can be found throughout our town. As you stroll along our footpaths, you will discover some delightful surprises.

Here are a few of the many fine dining choices presented to Rosemary Beach visitors:

Onano Neighborhood Cafe at Rosemary Beach is situated on the ground floor of the Pensione, a minute's walk from the beach and the beautiful blue-green water of the Gulf of Mexico. This establishment, owned and operated by Penny and Mark Dragonette, specializes in Northern Italian cuisine and features fresh local seafood, choice beef and exciting foods from the Tuscany region. Tel. 850.231.2436

Courtyard Wine & Cheese, featuring 50 wines by the glass and a wide variety of upscale wines from around the world stored in the only environmentally controlled wine store in the Panhandle. Gourmet cheeses from Europe and America priced by the pound or served by the plate. Enjoy your wine and cheese in a beautiful and unique open-air courtyard. Wireless high speed internet available. Open daily from 11 am - 11 pm. Cheers! Tel. 850.231.1219

Summer Kitchen and Blue By Night is by day a casual breakfast & lunch hangout adjacent to the Lofts East, with an eclectic menu of roll-ups, salads, sandwiches, desserts and daily specials. Nighttime brings our metamorphous into Blue by Night, serving fresh Gulf seafood at it's finest. Hours are: 8am to 10:30am CST for Breakfast & 10:30am to 3pm CST for Lunch, 7 days a week (closed Christmas day). Sesonal dinner hours are Tue - Sun, 5:30 - 9:30 pm. Please call for more information. Tel. 850.231.6264

Sugar Shak is the place to enjoy ice cream cones, shakes, malts, homemade lemonade, cookies, sodas, special candies and even real sugar cane stalks! Everything tastes better at the Sugar Shak, a fun stop for the young… and the young at heart. Tel. 850.231.3655

Seagrove Beach
Visiting Seagrove Beach is like a trip to the past. It is one of those charming old towns that families have been visiting since the 1940’s and 50s. In Seagrove Beach, you will find charming seaside cottages with wide screened front porches tucked among scrub trees which provides a cozy, peaceful retreat. Seagrove Beach also has many recreational activities to chose from such as swimming, sandcastle building, surfing, snorkeling, sunning and swimming with dolphins. At nearby Eastern and Deer Lakes you have the choice of canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, fishing or boating. For those land lovers out there are many non-beach activities as well including nearby hiking and biking trails, golf and tennis. And just down the road from Seagrove Beach you will find an amazing selection of antique stores, art galleries, unique shops, and award winning restaurants. Seagrove Beach provides a great “Home Base” to explore the other nearby beach communities, including famous Seaside, site of the 1998 Jim Carrey movie, “The Truman Show.” If you are looking for a vacation that is pure Florida at it’s best, then Seagrove Beach could be the answer to your dreams.

Garrett Realty - The Choice for Beaches of South Walton Vacation Rentals including Grayton Beach Florida Rentals, Rosemary Beach rentals, Seaside Florida rentals and Seagrove Beach rentals