Hammock Bay A Community that Hangs its Vision on a Place that’s Easygoing

Modus photography

Hammock Bay was named for the ultimate lifestyle — peaceful and easy. The master-planned residential community developed by Jay Odom is nestled in Freeport between Highway 20 and County Road 331 on 3,000 acres of preserved woodlands with a portion overlooking the northeast shores of Choctawhatchee Bay. 

When completely built out the resort-style community could have as many as 1,000 homes. Currently, the population is just over 1,400. The 13 thoughtfully designed and themed neighborhood communities each has a distinctive feel and peaceful-sounding names such as Rhapsody — an intimate Southern coastal community of just nine homes — versus Symphony, a community of 203 homes networked by walking paths and boardwalks conveniently situated near both the Town Center and the Freeport Sports Complex.

Hammock Bay appeals to a range of buyers from retirees to first-time homebuyers. It offers the convenience of new construction at an affordable price point and is laden with family-friendly amenities. Here are some of the highlights:

At the heart of the Town Center is The Lake Club. Situated near Anchor Lake, the Lake Club is the central gathering place for Hammock Bay residents. It features a 6,000-square-foot clubhouse that offers residents a social function area (including a caterer’s kitchen!), bar, library, kid’s room and a spacious deck featuring a fire pit and scenic views of Anchor Lake. 

Next to the clubhouse is the 4,000-square-foot Fitness Center with men’s and women’s locker rooms and state-of-the-art fitness equipment, including cardio stations equipped with flat screen TVs. The center hosts a competition-level outdoor lap pool as well as a resort-style adult pool, a zero-entry children’s pool, tennis courts, basketball courts and a putting green. On the grounds is a kid’s playground featuring a Spider’s Web — supposedly the largest in the U.S. 

Hammock Bay is about connecting to both community and nature (nearly one-third of the community is preserved green space and nature preserve). An outdoor amphitheater holds year-round special events and activities for owners. 

The 12-acre Bay Club offers up 480 feet of bayfront coastline. The craftsman-style pavilion is popular for parties and weddings. A sunset boardwalk wraps through woodlands and reaches to a dock that extends out into the bay, providing a launch pad for watersports and the perfect perch for fishing. 

Perhaps one of the most unique amenities is the Canine Commons — a green space designed exclusively for Hammock Bay’s four-legged residents. 

The previously mentioned Freeport Regional Sports Complex at Hammock Bay gives owners ready access to the 60-acre regional sports center that includes multiple ball fields, tennis courts, sand volleyball, shuffleboard and walking/jogging trails. 

For all the latest news, owners look to The Hammock Bay Herald, the neighborhood newspaper reporting the goings-on in the community.

Though many of the neighborhoods are sold out, Hammock Bay Realty has a few vacant lots listed from $25,000; $40,000 for waterfront lot; and listings that range from mid-$200s. A high-end 3,807-square-foot home featuring five bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths listed for $339,900.

All statistics listed below pertain to sales in June 2014 and are provided by the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors, Florida Realtor and the National Association of Realtors.
Compiled by Lynda Belcher

Local
The Emerald Coast closed 532 single family home sales in June 2014 — 134 of which were paid in cash. 424 were traditional sales, 89 were foreclosures and 19 were short sales.

The median sale price for townhouses and condos was $265,000 — a 17.8% increase since June 2013.

State 
Florida closed 23,181 single family home sales — 9,114 of which were paid in cash. 17,105 were traditional sales, 4,703 were foreclosures and 1,373 were short sales.

Townhouse and condo inventory (active listings) in Florida increased by 13.4% between June 2013 and 2014.

National
Existing home sales increased in June and reached an annual pace of five million sales for the first time since October 2013. The total sales for existing home sales reached 5.04 million in June, up from 4.91 million in May. This represents a 2.3% decrease from the 5.16 million-unit pace in June 2013. 

The national median existing-home price for all housing types was $223,300 in June, up 4.3% from June 2013.