The most expensive beach home ever sold across Escambia, Santa Rosa counties is in Navarre

A "beachfront oasis," made history in the Panhandle's housing market in April.

The home in Navarre Beach became the most expensive beach home sold in the history of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with a sale tag of $5,335,000.

That sale price is significantly higher than the previous recordholders for the highest sales in Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key by $335,000 and $235,000 respectively, according to data from Pensacola MLS, a Multiple Listing Service that covers residential and commercial properties in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

The home sold for almost $4 million more than the median home price for Navarre Beach , which has risen by $1.5 million over the past few years, according to data from Pensacola MLS.

The residence is approximately 5,456 square feet with two 60-foot balconies, a private boardwalk that provides access onto the beach and an elevated 12-foot-by-20-foot swimming pool built into the home’s deck on the second floor. It was built on Gulf Boulevard and features three levels to explore, the lowest of which holds the garage and electric vehicle charger, that each provide a view of the beach.

The historic transaction illustrates the direction that Navarre Beach's housing market has taken over the course of the past few years.

“It’s a fantastic showcase home… I think one of the reasons for the big sale is that there’s been a shift in the housing market in our area,” said Jon Worley, a realtor for Levin Rinke Realty, who sold the home. Levin Rinke Realty was the listing agency for the record-breaking home. “Navarre traditionally didn’t have those higher-end sales and over the past few years, it’s pretty clear that the market has been evolving… (Navarre) has been discovered.”

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Worley is the former owner of Navarre Bait and Tackle and has personally witnessed the area’s growth over the past two decades. “There was no Walmart in Navarre, it was very quiet and it was an awesome place to be, but we just hadn’t been discovered,” he continued. “Now we have people from all over who are coming here… We’re on the map now, we’re no longer a place to pull over between Pensacola and Destin.”

Bock Construction, Inc. finished building the home in 2023 with enough room to accommodate up to 34 guests at a time.

Levin Rinke Realty listed the property on Jan. 19 and its record-breaking sale launched the grand opening of the firm’s newest office in Navarre, which opened its doors to the public on April 29.

Levin Rinke Realty says that they opened the Navarre office in response to the high demand received from agents in addition to the influx of clients in the area.

"Some of the area’s leading realtors who have joined Levin Rinke Realty are top producers in the Navarre area. The community’s real estate market is already thriving and demand for beachfront properties along the Emerald Coast is growing rapidly,” said Levin Rinke Realty President Gordon Miles. “We are thrilled to open a new office in such a beautiful part of the Panhandle for our agents to collaborate and meet with clients.”

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: The most expensive beach home ever sold across Escambia, Santa Rosa counties is in Navarre