Inspired by the lyrics and lifestyle of Jimmy Buffett, Latitude Margaritaville communities are being developed in a partnership between Florida-based developer Minto Communities—No. 56 on the 2021 Builder 100—and global lifestyle brand Margaritaville Holdings. The creative approach to active adult living has captured the attention of many of today’s “vibrant 55-and-better home buyers” in the Southeast markets.
With the first two installations in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Hilton Head, South Carolina, the duo recently debuted the brand’s third community—Latitude Margaritaville Watersound—in Florida’s Panhandle region near Panama City Beach with an expanded partnership that includes The St. Joe Co., one of Northwest Florida’s largest real estate development companies.
BUILDER spoke with William Bullock, president of Minto’s Latitude Margaritaville division, to learn more about the community, its product and amenity offerings, how it differs from the first two master plans, and what’s next for the Latitude Margaritaville communities.
Rob Harris
BUILDER: From Daytona Beach to Hilton Head, why did the teams choose Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast for the new development?
Bullock: The Emerald Coast is home to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, dunes, lakes, and forests. The area has a temperate climate; an excellent transportation system; a comprehensive education system; ranked health care systems; and a wide range of shopping, dining, entertainment, and recreational opportunities.
BUILDER: How does Latitude Margaritaville Watersound differ from the first two Margaritaville installations?
Bullock: The potential for Watersound is unlimited. Our partner, The St. Joe Co., has approvals in place for 100,000 acres of land and over 150,000 residential units. From a sheer size perspective, this is unprecedented. Watersound has direct frontage and access to the Intracoastal Waterway, which opens up all kinds of water-based activities.
BUILDER: What have the teams learned from the first two communities that they might do differently with Watersound?
Bullock: We’re always learning from our customers. For example, attendance at our on-site restaurants has been exceptional. As a result, the restaurant at Watersound will be the biggest yet and is designed for future expansion. Plus, we overhauled our amenity campus design. While it is still focused on music and entertainment, it now orients itself to the Intracoastal Waterway views. The concert atmosphere will be breathtaking. We also made several floor plan enhancements that are now available across all the Latitudes.
BUILDER: What floor plans will be offered?
Bullock: Floor plans include Conch Cottages, paired villas, and single-family homes. Plans at Latitude Margaritaville Watersound are basically the same as those offered at Daytona Beach and Hilton Head. There also are many options for exterior and interior treatments.
BUILDER: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected Watersound’s timeline?
Bullock: We did a virtual launch drawing as opposed to having thousands of people show up for an event as with our prior Latitudes. In advance of the drawing, our model tours were by appointment only and conducted with a daily visitor limit to maintain distancing and crowd control. Fortunately, none of our plans have been altered with regard to development timing or home construction progress.
BUILDER: What home features are important to this buyer demographic, and how did the teams incorporate them into the plans?
Bullock: Our active adult buyers want low-maintenance, energy-efficient homes. They regularly say they’re looking for more fun and less maintenance. They also want construction quality and safety. Buyers express many desired features that are in all Latitude Margaritaville homes, including open floor plans, high ceilings, natural light, master suites with walk-in closets, walk-in showers rather than bathtubs, and raised-height vanities.
BUILDER: With the Panhandle known for its harsh hurricane seasons, how are the homes—and the community overall—prepared for weather events?
Bullock: While we are proximate, we are still 5-plus miles from the coast with elevations 15 to 30 feet above sea level so the direct impacts of storm surge are a non-issue. All of our homes are built to the latest Florida Building Code, which takes into account the latest hurricane construction practices for wind mitigation. We have all seen the devastating pictures of Mexico Beach, but you must understand a lot of those homes that were destroyed were older homes that did not employ the newer construction standards. One only had to drive a couple of miles to the east where new construction is present and was spared the catastrophic damage during Hurricane Michael.
BUILDER: What amenities will be offered in the master plan?
Bullock: Latitude Margaritaville Watersound’s amenities will include a town square that features a tiered amphitheater and thatched-roof band shell with full-size concert stage and jumbo screen. There will be a fitness center with an indoor pool and spa; an outdoor pool with a beach-style entry; a Tiki island with a two-story restaurant overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway; tennis and pickleball courts; nature trails; and a dog park. Future amenities include a theater, a workshop for golf cart tuneups, and a pet spa. St. Joe also has plans for a full-service public marina and commercial village on the Intracoastal, which will offer a new dynamic for the community.
BUILDER: Since the sales center opening in April, how much interest has the community received?
Bullock: We had over 1,000 people enter the virtual drawing for the first release of 200 homesites. We have now transitioned into having those people return for contract writing appointments. It is safe to say all 200 homesites in the first phase are spoken for, and we’re telling people still on the list and any new walk-ins to hold tight for the next phase release.
BUILDER: Given the popularity of the communities and the intense housing market, how do the partners expect to handle the sales volume?
Bullock: With the success of our other two Latitude Margaritaville communities, this is a case of show me don’t tell me, which is exactly what we did. We worked with local trade partners and toured them through the high-volume production in our communities. In addition, our trade partners from our other Latitude Margaritaville communities have come to the Panhandle to supplement the local workforce as needed. Latitude Margaritaville definitely has developed a loyal trade partner following.
BUILDER: What’s ahead for Latitude Margaritaville Watersound?
Bullock: With a potential of tens of thousands of homes at Watersound, the build-out is decades away. We are planning the second increment of another 3,500 units on top of the first increment we are currently developing. We also have new tricks up our sleeve with regard to future amenity offerings, which will be released at the appropriate time. The worst thing we could ever do at Latitude Margaritaville is to stop innovating and simply rely on cookie-cutter replicas like plenty of builders who have fallen into that trap. Our commitment is to not let that happen.
