Think Real Estate
Ashley Ice
Realtor®
Residential Real Estate
A Champion for Families
As a military wife, and a mom of two boys, I understand the
stress and challenges of relocating. After moving most of my
adult life, we moved here for good in 2014. I’m so happy to
make Bay County my permanent home. My husband and I grew up in
a fishing town on the Gulf Coast of Florida, so Panama City
was a natural fit for our family. We love the unique
personality of this town, and as well as the hospitable
southern culture. When I’m not being a mom taxi, I can usually
be found searching the MLS, planning my next remodel project,
searching for my headphones so I can go to the gym, or
throwing vegetables into a grocery cart as quickly as
possible.
I’m active in several military spouse organizations,
my local church, my kids’ schools, as well as their sports
activities. Real estate is my passion. I live and breathe the
exchange of properties, and study contracts like they’re
romance novels. But I also enjoy fitness, sports, and outdoor
pursuits. Hiking, skiing, fishing, being at the beach,
surfing, rock climbing or playing sports are some of my
favorites, as well as shopping, spending time with my friends
and family, and finding ways to make healthy food taste good.
skill bars
Family Real Estate
99
Military Relocation
97
Property Searches
94
Bowling
14
Are you ready to buy, sell, or rent in Bay County, Florida?
Call Ashley Ice, Realtor with Think Real Estate.
850-625-9791
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.
