“Real Estate Matters” November 1, 2025 Video Podcast – Palm Coast, Built from Scratch

For more than 11 years, Real Estate Matters has been the voice of real estate in Palm Coast and Flagler County. Veranda Bay, the new luxury Intracoastal Community in Flagler Beach, sponsors the show.

Palm Coast’s Historic Ambitions vs Reality. Largely successful, it’s built from scratch, but its past still haunts it.

Be sure to check out the new Flagler County Map of Developments and Subdivisions.

Raw Show Notes

Our behind-the-scenes guide to the show’s flow, covering many topics we didn’t have time to get to on the show. This is raw and likely contains typos. Data reflects the date of the show’s recording.

Show Notes 11-1-2025

Recorded 10-31-2025

 Welcome to Real Estate Matters, for over 11 years, the voice of real estate in Flagler County and Palm Coast. Welcome to the quiet side of Florida.

I’m Toby Tobin, the publisher of GoToby.com, contributor to the Palm Coast Observer, and a Florida-licensed Realtor with The Landmark Group at Compass. Co-host, Annamaria Long, with the Flagler County Homebuilders Association, is in the studio with me today.

Thanks to Our Sponsors:

• Our Lead Sponsor is Veranda Bay – A private developing community of lots and luxury homes on the Intracoastal Waterway in Flagler Beach, featuring custom homes by Olsen Homes, AR Homes by Arthur Rutenberg, ICI Homes, and Hulbert Homes. Newly opened sections feature homes by Toll Brothers and Dream Finders. To learn more, visit VerandaBay.com.
• Flagler County Home Builders Association
• Hammock Community Church – On A1A in The Hammock – Small enough to know you but large enough to serve you. North of the toll bridge with the message sign out front. It’s not just for Hammockians. Like me, many people cross the bridge.

Late October

• 211 Homes sold via the Flagler MLS at $372,000 vs 196 homes at $359,495 last October, DOM = 85 this year
• $250K and lower = 9, 3 were cash, DOM 46
• $1M or higher – 7, 3 for cash, DOM 55
• Homes listed – 1,264
• Homes Pending – 315
• Median Price of homes pending – $380,000
• GINNdex is down from 4.9 in July to 4.0
• 30-yr fixed mortgage rate is 6.17%, the lowest in more than a year

Analysis

Wait until the world settles down and the economy becomes more predictable.

News

Marineland bankruptcy auction

Marineland went under contract via a bankruptcy auction on October 13. A hearing was scheduled for this past Monday. Hearing did not accept winning bid.

Any updates on the FHBA impact fee lawsuit?

Interesting Article from the Orlando Sentinel:

I came across a 1988 news article from the Orlando Sentinel. It was enlightening in many ways. First, it talked about Palm Coast’s vast vision at the time. The city was initially designed to contain 750,000 residents over 92,000 acres of mostly swamp land. This was adjusted later to only 42,000 acres. Flagler had roughly 5,000 residents when the plans were drawn.

ITT land went well beyond what is now the incorporated city limits. It included six miles of oceanfront that are not in today’s city:

Hammock Dunes, which includes a golf course, and Island Estates.

Ocean Hammock, including Cinnamon Beach, and a golf course. The golf course is now part of the Hammock Beach Resort.

Hammock Beach Resort plus Hambor Village Marina.

Sea Colony.

Matanzas Shores, comprised of:

• Surf Club condominiums
• Matanzas Lakes
• Las Brisas condominiums
• Las Lagos
• Las Casitas

The community’s basic needs were planned before the first spade of earth was turned. The infrastructure for 230,000 residents was completed first.

533 miles of streets

529 miles of water lines

508 miles of sewer lines

Remember, Flagler County was born from the poorest land in northern Volusia County and southern St Johns County. The county currently has an estimated population of 140,000 and an infrastructure problem.

Flagler County Residential Development Map

Thanks to an introduction article by Flagler Live, the map has received over 6,800 views. You can find it on GoToby.com on the first page. Click on the map image to reach the live map page.

Chipotle Restaurant

Chipotle has filed a technical site plan with Palm Coast to build a restaurant at the closed gas station property at the corner of Belle Terre and Palm Coast Parkway (the Publix that used to be an Albertsons).

That Publix does not have the traditional Publix floor layout. It is reversed because that’s how Albertson’s designed its stores.

Speaking of Publix, they are reportedly looking to build a new store at US1 and Matanzas Woods.

Filler News:

• WalletHub ranked four Florida cities among the best cities to retire. Orlando #1, Miami #4, Tampa #5, and Fort Lauderdale #7
• Homeownership Costs Have Jumped 26% Over 5 Years as Hidden Expenses Rise. Typical monthly expenses for homeowners surged by more than a quarter in the five years through 2024, a comprehensive new report from the U.S. Census Bureau has revealed.
• Affordable housing, the Tobin Plan – explain how opening up the mobile home ownership model to traditional homes will make homeownership more affordable.
• The typical home buyer’s FICO credit score was 735 in the third quarter of this year, according to Realtor.com; that’s roughly 20 points higher than the national average.

Wrap up:

Video podcasts of Real Estate Matters are now available on GoToby.com. Click on Podcasts on the top navigation bar.

If you have a question or a suggestion for Real Estate Matters or GoToby.com, reach out to me.

(386) 931-7124 or email me at Toby@GoToby.com

I’m Toby Tobin and I approve this show.