All things Niceville w/ Tammy Summers

In this episode of Keys to the Emerald Coast, we sit down with Tammy Summers, Niceville Area Director, to talk about what makes this community so special.

Tammy shares her perspective on the growth, character, and opportunities in the Niceville area, along with insights from her role supporting local REALTORS® and strengthening the real estate community. From market trends to the people behind the scenes, this conversation highlights the heart of what makes Niceville a great place to live and work.

Whether you’re a real estate professional or just love the Emerald Coast, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at leadership, community, and the future of our area.

🎧 Tune in and get to know the story behind Niceville through Tammy’s eyes.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome to Keys to the Emerald Coast, the official podcast of the Emerald Coast Association of World Tourists. Each episode we unlock market insights, advocacy updates, and member stories to help you thrive one key at a time.

SPEAKER_05 0:12

Welcome back, ECAR. Thanks for joining us for another episode of Keys to the Emerald Coast. I am Chad Nelson, Marketing Communications Director with ECar, joined by the ever-amazing Maria Howell.

SPEAKER_03 0:22

Hello, Chad.

SPEAKER_05 0:23

How are you today?

SPEAKER_03 0:24

Good.

SPEAKER_05 0:24

Good. I I feel a little outnumbered. I'm surrounded by Niceville. You are. Is it are we a Niceville alum? No? Or I know or you're local. You were local, weren't you?

SPEAKER_03 0:35

Yeah, but not alum.

SPEAKER_05 0:36

Not alum.

SPEAKER_03 0:36

No. We've been there since 2003.

SPEAKER_05 0:39

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 0:39

Yeah, and we moved we moved to Niceville in uh 2019 from Fort Walton.

SPEAKER_05 0:46

Okay. Okay. Just everyone presides there now. Yes. Okay, perfect. Well, the the the other voice you hear is our Niceville area director, Tammy Summers.

SPEAKER_04 0:56

Hi.

SPEAKER_05 0:57

Thanks for joining us today. We uh we're we're also uh as always another Niceville, you know Niceville native now, I guess. We're with uh Scott Mallory in studio. So that's why I feel a little outnumbered, but I'll I'll try to hold my own.

SPEAKER_03 1:14

Well, your city does start with an N, but not Niceville.

SPEAKER_05 1:17

Navarre nicely, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:18

Yeah, you know, not the same. Not the same. It's not the bill.

SPEAKER_05 1:20

Well, well, Tammy, we've we've been we're kind of in this little series of bringing some of our area directors in and just kind of getting a chance to let our membership know about those areas specifically. Um, but I guess before we jump into that, we'd love to hear just your story personally, professionally. Um, how did you get into this industry? And then if we can segue a little bit of how did you get into this leadership role with eCar?

SPEAKER_01 1:45

Okay. Well, um I started my uh real estate journey in uh 2016. Um, and before that I owned a day spa in Mississippi for over 20 years. So I've kind of always been in business for myself. Yeah, you know, most of my life. And uh in um in 2009, my husband was killed. And I decided that I needed a career change. So I went to school, packed my little self up, moved to Florida, um, did something completely different. I did X-rays and C T for a minute and hated it, and ran into a friend at a wedding, and she's like, I need an assistant. And I was like, I are you hiring me? And she said, Yes, I am. And that's kind of where it started. Yeah. And uh, so I have loved every minute of it. So here we are, and moving into leadership with e-car, I think my mentor uh pushed me to to do that because again, a little bit out of my my role that I typically take, but she she really taught me how important it was to be involved, to be on the side of knowing what's going on in our association and just in the real estate industry in general. And I'm very thankful that uh she pushed me to take that step.

SPEAKER_03 3:00

That's awesome. She was well and told, like a lot of people. Yeah, yeah. A lot of us are.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

And by the way, so Kathy Alley, uh, president Kathy Alley, is in my office. So a lot of times, you know, you just can't tell her no.

SPEAKER_06 3:14

There's just a lot of pressure there.

SPEAKER_01 3:15

That's true.

SPEAKER_00 3:16

It goes back to she's like, mm-mm, I'm the president. Yes, maybe there. What else can you say?

SPEAKER_05 3:22

Yeah. Seems like there's a lot of people that either cannot tell Maria no or cannot tell Kathy Alley no.

SPEAKER_03 3:28

That that is true. Yeah, that is true. I yeah.

SPEAKER_05 3:31

Well, I I will say they have good pickers because I think we have some fantastic leadership, have for the last couple years. So um obviously uh appreciate your leadership in stepping into this role um for the association. But um that we we've been joking around a little bit before we kind of got on air here, but um I guess what does what does the temperature feel like? What's the market like um in Niceville in your your kind of purview here?

SPEAKER_01 3:58

Well, right now we have about 148 properties on the market in Niceville. Um and that inventory seems a little bit low to me, you, Maria. Um and uh they're ranging single family homes are ranging from about $245,000 up to $3.8 million is our highest um listing at the moment. Um, I think buyers are being very picky. Even with the low inventory, I feel like the house has to be, you know, presented very well, priced very well. And um, I mean, I just had a listing had six offers on it. And oh wow, that's great. So uh that was crazy.

SPEAKER_05 4:34

It's a little reminiscent of it.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

It was, it was. Um, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:38

I sold my personal home in Blue Water, and like you said, I think buyers are very picky, and mine was dated, and so it took a little bit longer. But but yeah, they want something that's already been, you know, updated and they do not done.

SPEAKER_01 4:50

And yeah, I don't think buyers are having a vision of what it could be. Uh they just want it done because well, military, they don't want to have to do anything, they just want to move in and drop their bags and get on with their life. So uh yeah, that's it's it's definitely um, I think we're still in I'm not sure where our market is. It's kind of nice.

SPEAKER_03 5:12

Yeah, it's kind of a little bit above its own area because like you were saying earlier, you know, where the the bases, you know, the where we are uh in distance to the bases in Dukefield and all of that and who's coming in and buying in there and the prices have jumped up, right? And I think that's very much so.

SPEAKER_01 5:31

After COVID, I mean pricing just went nuts. Yeah. Um, but still very desired area, and I think when people are PCSing uh into I think Niceville is the first place that they're looking because uh the location and proximity to all of the bases do field, Harlowfield, Eglin. Um, and our school system is amazing.

SPEAKER_05 5:53

So yeah, I I guess we the uniqueness of being kind of geographically in that area, um, and like I think we said before we got on air, uh kind of against that flow of traffic, it it's a little beneficial and prime location, but very sought after. I I guess um outside of it being this weird kind of but like you said, maybe balanced market. What are some trends outside, you know, we said they're they're kind of wanting this perfect finished product right now, but what are what are some other trends that we're seeing?

SPEAKER_03 6:30

We're seeing some new builds, right?

SPEAKER_01 6:32

Yeah, I'm definitely seeing some new construction. Um and the builders are offering lots of incentives, so that's been um you know good for a lot of the buyers coming in, and I think a lot of buyers are choosing to have a smaller yard and things like that, so they can get those incentives uh from from the builders. Yeah. Because it's just making sense financially. Makes sense for them. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 6:57

Yeah, and there's not much land really left right around nice fields.

SPEAKER_01 7:00

Deer moss, yeah, deer moss is for new construction.

SPEAKER_03 7:03

Yeah. And so I think it well in Blue Water, like they took the one golf course, right? And yeah, and and I think Wendy Wise built homes.

SPEAKER_01 7:10

Brain Boss is building over there, which are if you haven't toured that, it is they are stunning. Yeah, we'll have to go do that.

unknown 7:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:18

So, but yeah, that's I mean, I think that's what you're seeing. Or, you know, yeah, maybe older homes that are being have you know renovated.

SPEAKER_01 7:25

If they're older and they've been renovated well, yeah, I think they're selling. Yeah. But they I think buyers want that clean, white, finished product. Um, the houses that I have that are not in that color range are not are not the ones that are getting getting scooped up.

SPEAKER_05 7:43

Gotta find that right color palette.

SPEAKER_02 7:45

That right color palette. That's true. That's good. That's a good way to put it. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 7:50

What what are some things? Um, you know, some new things that are going on that we're aware of, businesses, companies, locations. What's what's going on in the area?

SPEAKER_01 8:00

Well, we are very excited about the Wawa.

SPEAKER_00 8:03

There we go. The Wawa's coming.

SPEAKER_05 8:07

I've never been to a Wawa. You haven't been in one? I think we talk about this all the time on the I know we do, don't we? I have not been to a lot of things. You can tell I've lived a sheltered life, I guess. I've been to a Wawa.

SPEAKER_03 8:19

I've been to Well, you're gonna have to go to your first one.

SPEAKER_05 8:21

Yeah, go to Munchville. I I think we're actually supposed to be getting one in Navarre as well. Probably, yeah. I think I saw that at some point, but because my sister loves Wawa.

SPEAKER_03 8:30

And then speak in the while we're talking about convenience stores. Have you seen Sefco has turned into Casey's? Like Casey has bought like 197 Sefco's and the one in Freeport has switched over. So I wonder if ours are in the world.

SPEAKER_00 8:44

I don't know, but I wish they would get their car washes working. Can we send that out there?

SPEAKER_03 8:50

Yeah, can we get your car wash working?

SPEAKER_05 8:52

Being a Midwesterner, I love Casey's.

SPEAKER_03 8:54

Okay. So you know Casey's one. I've never heard of it. Yeah, so I was, I mean, I went down a deep dive into it on the on our drive to Fair Hope Saturday to the Arts Fest. But um, but yeah, it was reading all about it. I guess they're known for their pizza. Yeah. So I'm like, okay, if you have good convenience store pizza.

SPEAKER_05 9:11

Phenomenal breakfast pizza. Oh, interesting. Probably the best breakfast pizza I've ever had. And it's very sought after in the morning. Well, there you go.

SPEAKER_02 9:20

I've made breakfast pizza before. When I cooked. Yeah, I don't cook anymore. I don't cook anymore.

SPEAKER_06 9:26

All right. I'll get to reel it back in a little bit. But outside of the Wawa.

SPEAKER_01 9:31

Okay, the Wawa Lost Pizza just hope at Lost Pizza. Um, if you guys have not been to Lost Pizza, please go and make sure you get the cheesy bread with the olive top and not because it is spectacular. Um, I will have to limit myself on the consumption of that because wow, it's really good.

SPEAKER_03 9:51

Yeah. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_01 9:52

And then what else are we going?

SPEAKER_00 9:53

Yeah, I'm trying to like what else we have going on coming. Uh well, oh, we need a new football coach.

SPEAKER_03 9:58

Oh, yeah, I saw that yesterday. Anybody out there want to be a football coach for Niceville High School?

SPEAKER_05 10:04

I've been a coach my entire life, I would say. So Chad, see? Nah, not football. I think I've coached almost everything except for football.

SPEAKER_03 10:11

Except for football?

SPEAKER_05 10:12

Yeah. From tennis, softball, baseball, golf, basketball, volleyball. I've never coached football.

SPEAKER_01 10:19

Well, I was not raised. Like that wasn't our thing when I was a kid. So, y'all, this is a hysterical story. So I go to my very first college football game and they said first down.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

And I looked at everybody and I'm like, where's the yellow line on the field?

SPEAKER_06 10:35

I love it. So ended it.

SPEAKER_00 10:40

Of course, everybody's looking at me. And so that's when I learned that, yeah, that only happens on TV.

SPEAKER_05 10:47

How do they know how far they're supposed to go?

SPEAKER_00 10:50

Where is that line?

SPEAKER_05 10:51

That's great.

SPEAKER_01 10:53

Well, what else is going on? Uh what else is going on? Um we've got the um you said a water tower, new water tower. I think the water tower is going in in Deer Moss Creek, um, which is if you haven't ridden through there in a while, please go. Houses are popping up everywhere. Um, and they're beautiful. Um and then we have the oh, the waterfront park is happening. Yeah. So they've started they've broken ground on that. So that's going to be amazing. I can't wait for that to get it's gonna be a good com community events, uh a good venue. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 11:26

I think that that that's a good segue just in itself of community events. I feel like Niceville being such a sought-after area. What type of you know, family events, what type of festivals, what what kind of is going on in that area that that we're aware of?

SPEAKER_03 11:41

We used to have those. I mean, we have mullet festival and we don't have that anymore. That used to be huge, yeah. But I mean, sports wheat Turkey Creek. Um Turkey Creek. Yeah, Turkey Creek is beautiful. And all of the um It's a nice place to walk in. Yeah. It's the tubes, the tubing. Like we bought tubing and have taken it down Turkey Creek before. I swear I I lose my words.

SPEAKER_05 12:06

Tubos, right?

SPEAKER_03 12:07

Like tubing? I grew up tubing down the river. Yeah, there you go. You could do that at Turkey Creek.

SPEAKER_04 12:12

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 12:12

But they have great, yeah, they have great walkways too. Um see, she learned something new. Um I know they've talked, so I've been to um like the Niceville Town Hall, and a lot of the residents that were there were really, you know, they're talking about the a sporting um the complex. Yeah, a sporting complex place and wanting like a pool and other things, but I don't know, you know, if the city's got there's enough land there for the company.

SPEAKER_01 12:37

Yeah, that's what the city was was talking about. Um, you know, they didn't know. But what a great, I mean, if if that gets done, it's gonna be amazing. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:46

And pickleball. There's pickleball courts. Okay. Yeah, over by where I am.

unknown 12:51

Nice.

SPEAKER_03 12:51

Yeah. So there's uh, but yeah, other than I mean, I think with that new waterfront park, I think that's gonna bring more events to Niceville, which will be great. Um every Saturday there's the farmers market. Um, you know, the the craft bar, that's a new newer restaurant and wine worlds come in there. So that's that's a good um new place.

SPEAKER_05 13:11

I know I'm heading to Third Planet.

SPEAKER_03 13:13

Yep, Third Planet Bar. Yep, that's another place for events. They just did their huge bonfire. Um and yeah, yeah, that was last Saturday, I think it was. Yeah. Yeah. And then um over in Blue Water, they do their Oktoberfest um every I think it's at the end of September with the No October's gonna be in October. Is it? Yeah. Yeah, it's like the Rotary Club or something, I think does that. So that's usually um a big event for Hennessville.

SPEAKER_01 13:37

Well, my favorite uh community um is the Exchange Club. And I don't know if you you guys know about this. What is this? It's it's a civic club uh and it focuses on um patriotism. And um they are the ones that put out all the flags at uh well we used to do it at the mullet at the mullet grounds, and then now we've moved it over to the armament museum for the 4th of July. So um that is a great it is it's a small club, uh, but they uh they do some big things. Um they're chart starting a uh children in crisis, I wouldn't say home, but a place uh to help with uh with with the situations that some children find themselves in. Yeah. And um all of course nonprofit to help. So if uh, you know, that you guys that's a great one to be involved with. Yeah, I haven't heard about.

SPEAKER_05 14:32

But what are some ways, I guess, that our membership listening in, um, you know, what are some things that they really need to be aware of if they've got buyers or sellers in the market, or um what are some opportunities for them to really capture something there?

SPEAKER_01 14:47

Well, Niceville is fickle. Um, but um I don't know. I I Niceville to me uh is such a s they we have, or I feel like we have such a sense of community in that area. Um I feel like neighbors help their neigh neighbors, you know, and for the most part, people are very kind to each other. And I love that about our I love that about our town. Yeah, and I don't I I don't think I ever want to live anywhere else. Yeah, it's very nice.

SPEAKER_03 15:19

Good to know. And the Walmart's wonderful.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

And the Walmart is wonderful.

SPEAKER_03 15:22

Walmart's wonderful wonderful. I I'm telling you, it's so clean. It's clean. It's it's a great shopping experience.

SPEAKER_05 15:30

Yeah. There's nothing against that. There's times of living in Navarre. We've got two we don't want to go anywhere near them.

SPEAKER_03 15:39

Because I've been to the Milton one, I've been to the Dustin one.

SPEAKER_05 15:42

But I mean, they're so full because it's so cold. Because that's that it's yeah, Destin.

SPEAKER_01 15:48

When when I go to Dest, I have to go to the Destin Walmart the same way. It's just packed all the time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:52

Yeah, because I used to go to Destin One all the time before we got the one in in Niceville. But it's uh Yeah, and also, you know what we didn't mention two, I just thought about was um we have a marina and like restaurants down there, like LJ Schooner, they have um music events down there. And uh yeah, it's uh the marina. Yeah, I mean there's there's a lot. You got Rocky Bayou State Park. Like, I mean, for a small town, we do have a lot, a lot to offer.

SPEAKER_00 16:18

Yeah. So come on over to Niceville. Yeah, come on over to Niceville.

SPEAKER_05 16:23

There we go. I I think we'll we'll we'll try to throw maybe Kathy Alley will get her back on and throw her under the bus a little bit on some of the things.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

Well, she is uh she is the expert in an all things niceville. Yes, she is, being on the uh city councilwoman.

SPEAKER_03 16:40

Councilwoman, yeah.

SPEAKER_05 16:41

I'm sure she's she's got another inside scoop that can let our listeners know what's going on. But no, it's good.

SPEAKER_03 16:47

Yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_05 16:49

Well, any anything else, anything that we're missing, um ways that uh our members need to get involved, stuff that you would love. Uh I mean, really as the area director, um people are looking to you possibly even to understand a little bit more knowledge of of that area. How how can they get in contact with you? Um, what are ways that they can get involved?

SPEAKER_01 17:11

Uh well I'm always available. Uh my phone number is in on everything. You can you can find me easily. And I think that just getting involved with eCar, um, to know about the things that are going on, and that would cover all the areas, uh, not just Niceville. And uh you just you have to support the community outreach through camo and other things like that.

SPEAKER_03 17:34

Yeah, and Tammy's been very involved in camo and the building homes for hair is when we dedicated the house last year.

SPEAKER_01 17:40

Didn't you help with the yeah, with the build and the decor and Faron Campbell did that build and it was beautiful, and I help I worked with the the recipients to make their dream house. And so it that was an an amazing experience. And of course, we couldn't do it without Chrissy Hartley. So yeah, and who is our for Wild Beast director? That's right. Um we're getting her on soon. Yes. Yeah. So that that that event is wonderful. Perfect.

SPEAKER_05 18:07

Well, thank you so much for joining us today. Thanks for thanks for having uh having a few laughs and kicking back and talking a little bit at Niceville. But I know you've got a very busy schedule, so we'll we'll we'll let you get out of here soon. But um Yeah, uh again, just really want to appreciate all that you do for the industry that you've done um while you're in this leadership position and and not in this leadership position, knowing knowing all that you've put forth for eCar and for your clients. So we just appreciate taking the time out.

SPEAKER_01 18:35

Well, thank you. I appreciate you guys. This is my last year on the board.

SPEAKER_03 18:38

Yeah, it'll be my sixth year, and so yes, maybe I'll you'll be okay on the other side. Um I'm adjusting still, but but it's gonna be okay.

SPEAKER_05 18:46

We'll have to fade out with some old western music or something so long for the wells. I don't know. That's awesome. Well, thanks so much. Thank you. Um as always, uh, thanks so much for listening in. Uh remember that this podcast is for you. Please reach out. Uh, we'd love to hear from you. Um if there's anything you want to know, want to hear about, uh, we'd love to bring that forward. Until next time. We'll talk to you soon.

SPEAKER_03 19:11

Bye bye. Bye.