Clipper you sound a lot like me. I've been working on this for years. I was (jokingly) abducted from Panama City by a young family chasing a job at a paper company in Natchez, MS when I was a child so young that I couldn't resist. As a result, I have spent the rest of my life in limbo somewhere between the swampland and the beach. Several life changes and career changes have had to be dealt with. I have waterfront property here that I need to sell to realize a dream that is similar to yours. I get Realty emails daily. I have been interested lately in an area just east of where you are targeting. Property around Bonifay, Geneva, Vernon, even New Hope is at more or less fire sale rates and at the most, you are less than an hour from the beach. The down side would be the economy (depressed), availability of jobs (lack of), schools, and hospitals. The upside is the proximity to the beach, a little further from hurricane winds and flooding, fresh water fishing and deer and turkey hunting. I am also familiar with that area because my mother was from Holmes County. Good luck and maybe we can fish together someday. Hope this helps.