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STEPHANIE MO SS D ANDRIDGE
Celebrating Home
on the Space Coast
LUXURY R E A L E STATE
As we approach this holiday season, I reflect on
the value a home brings to a family. Not the
financial value, but its true value as the key to
a happy heart. So many of life’s memories are
crafted in the walls of a home. Some of my
fondest childhood memories were spent sitting at the
counter of my family’s kitchen talking and laughing as
my mother prepared our meals, and more recently, the
feelings evoked when walking through the doors and rooms
of the homes of loved ones.
The Space Coast has served as a welcome backdrop to my
life, and as the market shifts, our community continues to
be the ideal setting for those searching for a place to settle
their hearts and create a home of their own.
Lured by the lower cost of living and year-round warm
weather, transplants from other states and countries have
been coming to Florida for years. The attraction of the
sunshine state is not a myth invented by the tourism council.
With an average of 300 days of sunshine and low property
taxes, it’s no wonder that 28% of the 8.9 million people who
changed their address in the wake of the pandemic settled in
Florida. And something about the trend is sticking. In other
areas of the country, there has been a distinct rise and fall in
relocation, as seen in the buying and selling habits the past
few years. Some of the hottest markets during the pandemic
have cooled significantly. One Forbes article written in
September 2022 noted San Francisco, Phoenix and Denver
among those cities which have seen a housing decline.
But out of 17 of the largest housing markets projected to
remain neutral for 2023, the majority are located in Florida,
and among them, Brevard County.
Rather than seeing a decline in the wake of the pandemic
chaos, the Space Coast housing market remains steady with
the normalization of its economy, favoring both buyer and
seller for a healthy, robust market.
The steady influx of new residents, a projected 845 every
day for the next 3 years, secures an upward trajectory for
Florida’s market and economy. These new residents are
no longer simply the stereotypical retirees. Among the
elderly, we’re seeing younger transplants and whole family
relocations. They bring with them careers, both virtual
and brick-and-mortar. They bring expertise and knowledge,
culture, and financial awareness, all of which contribute
to the vitality of an exciting community.
The opportunity is spilling out over and along the eastern
seaboard of Florida to the Space Coast, where despite
the shift in national markets, we are still seeing our iconic
space launches, which serve as the perfect metaphor for
our growth.
As I work with luxury clients, I can tell you firsthand that
rather than running away from investing, individuals of
influence are investing in Space Coast property — not simply
because they believe in Florida, but because they believe in
America. Investing in real estate is investing in our country
despite turmoil. Because though the tides of culture move
like the waves of our beautiful Atlantic Ocean, history tells
us that America is what it is because we rise above.
Being fluent in five languages, including Spanish, Arabic,
French and Italian, and having a degreed background in
diplomatic relations has offered me a front seat among the
elite classes of real estate. My clients seek out the Space
Coast because it is regarded internationally as a strong real
estate investment, even as the world economy struggles to
regain composure.
Americans have always had an unbelievable ability to rebuild
in the wake of trial and have therefore been the envy of
astute internationals. It’s our status quo. We mourn, but we
fight to come out stronger. When one part of the country
struggles to keep up, another area picks up the slack. For
decades, central Florida has been quiet, but quietness is not
indicative of weakness. As we deal with the aftermath of the
pandemic, Florida’s strength and desirability is revealing
itself to the world.
So here is where I pause to say: It’s going to be okay. it’s
going to be better than okay. The rhythms and systems have
undoubtedly changed for the Space Coast. But unlike many
other areas of the country, the changes we’re seeing will
propel us forward and give opportunity for discerning
individuals looking to make wise investments.
This is not a time t o fear. It’s a season of great opportunity.
It’s a new American frontier. It’s difficult to imagine that there
can be any place left to discover in this country, but little by
little, the Space Coast is being discovered. Like a vein of gold
in the California mountains, like the wheat of the west, or
the first traverse over Appalachia, America is discovering
our home. We who have already seen and experienced the
wealth and opportunity of the Space Coast know that the
potential has always been here. We’ve always known what
it has to offer.
With privilege, I look forward to serving my clients and the
community in the coming year.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS xx Stephanie Moss Dandridge