Think Real Estate
Abigail Soper
Realtor®
Residential
Enjoying Our Beautiful Coastline
Born and raised in Panama City, Florida, Abigail Soper grew up following in the footsteps of her three older sisters, attending Mosley High School and getting her start in the restaurant industry at 15 years old at the Red Elephant Café. Abby attended the University of Central Florida in Orlando (Go Knights), earning a degree in Marketing. She began her professional journey at the Four Seasons Orlando, where she developed a deep appreciation for luxury hospitality and the exceptional standards that define it.
In 2020, when the pandemic brought her back home, Abby returned to the workforce quickly, managing the WaterColor Beach Club before becoming a Beach Club Manager at Alys. It was in Alys that she met her husband, Gray, and together they now share a joyful life with their two pups, Annie and Tippet. The couple married in 2023 and launched a catering company, working side-by-side to serve clients throughout the Florida Panhandle.
Now, with the flexibility of entrepreneurship and over a decade of hospitality experience, Abby is pursuing her passion for real estate. Her heart for people, strong work ethic, and commitment to service make her a trusted partner for buyers and sellers alike. Grounded in her faith and guided by a spirit of servant leadership, Abby is excited to help others find the same joy in the Panhandle that she has always known.
When she’s not helping clients or managing events, Abby can be found on the boat with her family, soaking up sunshine and casting a line. She’s proud to call the Panhandle home—and ready to help others do the same.
skill bars
Hospitality
99
Problem Solving
97
Multitasking
94
Delegating Tasks
17
Are you ready to buy, sell, or invest in Bay County, Florida?
Call Abigail Soper, Realtor with Think Real Estate.
850-276-0538
Think Real Estate
Buy Land and Build A Home or Buy An Existing Home in Bay County
Your future home awaits and we are here to help.
Are you in the process of locating your next dream home? If you are, you may be considering the differences between buying land and building new versus buying an existing home. Both of these options can be great, but each has a different journey to completion.
Fortunately, the real estate market in Bay County, Florida is still activity pushing along. And while there is not as much inventory, compared to 2020, there are still land & homes for sale across our wonderful community.
You can buy a neighborhood lot in a beachy or in-town community, or possibly find acres of land in the northern part of Bay County to start your own farm. Lynn Haven has become a very popular community to call home and the Cove has long been a wonderful community for those seeking to be near downtown Panama City. Lots and lots of choices to create a future that is uniquely you.
It is far more complex to buy land and build a home than it is to buy a home that is already built and move-in ready. Someone has to be available to make the continuous decisions that go along with such a project. And it is often times more expensive, too. Land costs, architectural design, permits, foundation work, framing, site work, exterior finishes, interior finishes, mechanical rough-ins— the details can add up rather quick. When building a custom home, $350,000 doesn’t build a palace in Bay County in 2020. Here is an example of what a $350,000 build budget would look like:
- Architectural Design: $17,430.00
- Site work. Design, Permit fees, inspections, etc.: $7,810.00
- Foundations. Excavation, concrete and retaining walls: $38,685.00
- Framing. Sheathing, trusses, etc.: $44,930.00
- Exterior finishes. Roofing, windows, and doors, etc.: $75,245.00
- Interior finishes. Drywall, flooring, insulation, paint, lights, appliances, etc.: $77,840.00
- Major systems rough-ins. Electrical, HVAC and plumbing: $35,445.00
- Hardscapes and softscapes. Driveway, fencing, landscaping, shed, etc.: $49,490.00
In contrast, the same budget of $350,000 can buy an existing home or condo, land included, that is move-in ready and waiting to welcome you home. And with the inventory in the Bay County Real Estate MLS, you can likely find your new home or investment project without too much effort.
Whichever your choice may be, Think Real Estate has two convenient offices in Bay County, Florida to serve your real estate needs. Our beach office is on Middle Beach Road, just east of Shipwreck Island Water Park, and our in-town office is on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., about one mile north of the mall. Both of our real estate offices offer the same high-quality service and personable, professional, dedicated Realtors. Contact us today to get started.
