Niceville · Shalimar · Fort Walton Beach
Waterfront Homes Market Report
By Jim Whatley, Principal Broker, Uber Realty LLC · FL License BK3174026
Updated November 1, 2026 · ECAR/Flexmls snapshot: 11:25 a.m. Central
Waterfront homes market report for Niceville, Shalimar and Fort Walton Beach: nearly two-thirds of active listings have passed 90 reported days on market.
There are 37 active waterfront detached-home listing records. Of those, 24 have more than 90 reported days on market. Buyers completed 20 purchases in the past 90 days. If you are selling, compare your home with properties offering similar water access, dock utility, condition and price.
Jim’s read: give buyers a clear reason to choose your waterfront home
Sales are happening, while much of the available inventory has been waiting. Twenty sales closed in the past 90 days, yet 24 of today’s 37 active records show more than 90 reported days on market. Thirteen have passed 180 days.
Start with the buyer’s alternatives. Compare the water, the usable dock and lift, the house and the asking price. If your listing has been waiting, review showing feedback and comparable pending homes before deciding to continue at the same price.
Day 15 is a review date, not an automatic price-cut date.
Your price band changes the competition
The $1 million to under $2 million range holds 22 of the 37 active listings and six of the eight pending listings. Above $2 million, 11 active records compete against three sales closed in the past 90 days.
| Price band | Active | Pending | Sold, 30 days | Sold, 90 days | Seller read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under $1M | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | Four options below $1M; three sales in 90 days. |
| $1M to under $1.5M | 11 | 4 | 4 | 8 | Largest pending group: four listings. |
| $1.5M to under $2M | 11 | 2 | 2 | 6 | Eleven listings compete with six recent sales. |
| $2M to under $3M | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Eight listings; two sales in 90 days. |
| $3M+ | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Three listings; one sale in 90 days. |
Active and pending bands use asking prices; sold bands use sale prices.
What changed since the October 13 report?
Active and pending counts are lower; the share of older listings is slightly higher.
- Active records decreased from 42 to 37, a decline of five.
- Pending records decreased from nine to eight.
- Active records past 90 DOM decreased from 26 to 24, but their share increased from 61.9% to 64.9%.
This compares November 1 with the latest dated report retrieved from the published page, October 13, rather than a seven-day interval.
Bay, bayou and canal homes need different comparisons
Match the water relationship before using a waterfront median to discuss price. An open-bay property, a bayou home and a canal home can serve different buyers. Compare usable frontage, exposure and boat access alongside the house.
| Water descriptor | Active | Median asking | Closed, 365 days | Median sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay | 10 | $2,647,450 | 30 | $1,255,000 |
| Bayou | 27 | $1,690,000 | 43 | $1,275,000 |
| Canal | 2 | $1,738,700 | 7 | $825,000 |
MLS water descriptors overlap; these rows cannot be added together.
What to check at the property
- Dock and lift: condition, capacity, utilities and available permit records.
- Depth and route: evidence for depth, bridge clearance and access suited to the buyer’s boat.
- Seawall and shoreline: condition, maintenance history and any work that needs specialist review.
- House and ownership costs: roof, systems, repair needs and property-specific insurance information.
What it costs to sell a waterfront home
Use a seller net estimate before choosing between offers. Start with the sale price, then subtract your mortgage payoff, negotiated brokerage fees, buyer credits, repairs and estimated closing expenses.
Uber Realty’s 1% Listing is its full-service listing and sale option. The 2% Listing, With Hands-On Help adds in-person help for sellers who are out of town or cannot manage the work themselves. All commissions are negotiable.
A sample offer: sale price is only the starting point
On a hypothetical $1,200,000 sale, a 1% listing fee is $12,000. If you also agree to pay a buyer’s broker 2%, that adds $24,000, for $36,000 in total brokerage fees. That leaves $1,164,000 before your mortgage payoff, buyer credits, repairs and other closing expenses.
This is an illustration, not a quote or a required buyer-broker payment.
Compare listing optionsFive waterfront seller questions
Are waterfront homes selling in Niceville, Shalimar and Fort Walton Beach?
Yes. The report’s combined waterfront detached-home cohort recorded six closed sales in the past 30 days and 20 in the past 90 days, through November 1, 2026. There are also 37 active and eight pending listing records.
Can I use the $1,365,000 median as my asking price?
No. That median comes from just six sales in the past 30 days. Your asking price should reflect comparable water access, lot, dock, house condition and current competition.
Does a listing past 90 days need a price reduction?
It needs a review. Compare showings, repeated buyer objections, competing properties and recent contracts. Price may need to change, but condition, access, presentation or terms may also explain the response.
Does having a dock mean a buyer can keep any boat there?
No. A dock label alone does not answer questions about depth, route, clearance, lift capacity, permits or condition. Check the facts for the property and the intended vessel.
Should I repair the dock or seawall before listing?
Start with a qualified assessment and an estimate. Then compare repairing before sale with disclosing the condition and pricing accordingly. The right choice depends on the condition, cost, buyer pool and your timing.
Waterfront sales across six time windows
The 90-day group has 20 sales and a $1,415,000 median sold price. The 30-day group has only six sales, so the longer window adds useful context.
| Window | Closed | Median sold | Median sold $/sq ft | Median reported DOM | Sold/final-list dollars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 days | 3 | $1,607,770 | $427 | 32 | 90.6% |
| 30 days | 6 | $1,365,000 | $424 | 37 | 92.0% |
| 90 days | 20 | $1,415,000 | $454 | 33.5 | 95.2% |
| 180 days | 43 | $1,300,000 | $447 | 34 | 93.5% |
| 365 days | 73 | $1,260,000 | $427 | 38 | 93.4% |
| 2026 YTD | 57 | $1,300,000 | $427 | 38 | 93.3% |
Sold/final-list dollars equals total sold prices divided by total final list prices for the same sales.
Why national portal waterfront searches show different results
A waterfront search can include a different set of homes from this report. The accessible pages below use city searches. This report uses specified MLS areas, detached homes and selected waterfront descriptors.
| Source | Accessible waterfront searches | Comparison with this report |
|---|---|---|
| Zillow | Niceville · Shalimar · Fort Walton Beach | Not comparable as counts: retrieved searches include property types outside detached homes. |
| Redfin | Niceville · Fort Walton Beach | Not comparable as counts: portal boundaries and waterfront categories are not reconciled to the MLS cohort. |
| Realtor.com | Niceville · Shalimar · Fort Walton Beach | Not comparable as counts: city waterfront searches are not the defined three-area detached-home cohort. |
| Homes.com | Fort Walton Beach | Not comparable as counts: this city search does not reproduce the combined report geography and filters. |
Retrieved pages may be cached; no portal count is presented as a simultaneous MLS inventory comparison.
Market time: 24 active listings have passed 90 days
Only two active records are within their first 30 reported days. The table also shows 43 closed sales from the past 180 days.
| Reported DOM | Active | Pending | Closed, 180 days | Median individual sold/list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–15 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 100.0% |
| 16–30 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 94.5% |
| 31–60 | 8 | 2 | 9 | 95.6% |
| 61–90 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 100.0% |
| 91–180 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 92.9% |
| 181+ | 13 | 0 | 4 | 94.4% |
DOM buckets describe reported listing time; the ratio column uses median individual sold-to-final-list ratios.
Niceville, Shalimar and Fort Walton Beach waterfront
Shalimar’s 90-day median comes from only three sales. Use comparable properties rather than treating any reporting-area median as the value of your house.
| Reporting area | Active | Pending | Median asking | Active past 90 DOM | 90-day sales | 90-day median sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Walton Beach | 19 | 4 | $1,499,000 | 12 of 19 | 7 | $1,430,000 |
| Niceville | 9 | 1 | $1,849,000 | 5 of 9 | 10 | $1,280,000 |
| Shalimar | 9 | 3 | $2,459,000 | 7 of 9 | 3 | $2,178,645 |
Reporting areas follow the MLS grouping described below, rather than municipal boundaries.
Monthly sales: October closed with eight records
October’s median sold price was $1,365,000 across eight sales. November is shown only through the source snapshot.
| Close month | Closed | Median sold | Median sold $/sq ft | Median reported DOM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5 | $1,625,000 | $425 | 38 |
| February | 3 | $1,000,000 | $301 | 72 |
| March | 3 | $900,000 | $362 | 8 |
| April | 3 | $980,000 | $335 | 41 |
| May | 9 | $950,000 | $287 | 33 |
| June | 9 | $1,350,000 | $450 | 54 |
| July | 5 | $1,300,000 | $508 | 29 |
| August | 8 | $1,325,000 | $496 | 53 |
| September | 4 | $1,700,500 | $421 | 26 |
| October | 8 | $1,365,000 | $437 | 37 |
| November through Nov. 1 | 0 | — | — | — |
Monthly medians reflect different homes selling, rather than changes in the value of the same home.
How this was measured
The calculations use the November 1 CSV; all status counts match the accompanying ECAR/Flexmls CMA.
Source, scope and status reconciliation
Sources: Waterfront 11:1:26.csv and waterfront 11:1.pdf. The CMA states listings as of November 1, 2026, at 11:25 a.m. Central and was prepared at 11:26 a.m. Residential, Detached Single Family records in the Fort Walton Beach and Niceville MLS areas are included. Every CSV row carries at least one selected waterfront descriptor: Bay, Bayou, Canal, Gulf, Gulf/Pass, Harbor or Intracoastal Wtrwy. Harbor appears in this search but adds no Harbor-only records.
The 163 records reconcile as 37 Active, 8 Pending, 82 Sold, 11 Expired, 22 Cancelled, 3 Temporarily Off Market and 0 Coming Soon. The CMA uses 400-day relative contract/sold-date filters and November 1, 2025–November 1, 2036 expiration, withdrawal and cancellation filters. Recent-sale calculations apply the separate Sold Date windows below. Records can include relistings of the same property. New construction remains included.
Geography and water categories
Niceville means the Niceville MLS area. Shalimar means Fort Walton Beach MLS subareas 1209 Poquito Bayou and 1210 Shalimar. Fort Walton Beach means the remaining Fort Walton Beach MLS area. Postal cities can include Mary Esther and Valparaiso. These groups are not city limits.
Bay, bayou and canal rows use exact MLS waterfront feature labels. Labels can overlap on one record. They do not establish depth, navigability, frontage accuracy, dock condition or permitted boat access.
Exact sale windows and calculations
All windows are inclusive through November 1, 2026: seven days, October 26–November 1; 30 days, October 3–November 1; 90 days, August 4–November 1; 180 days, May 6–November 1; 365 days, November 2, 2025–November 1, 2026; YTD, January 1–November 1, 2026. November 1 was incomplete at the snapshot.
Medians use Sold Price, Sold Price/SqFt and Days on Market. Dollar-weighted sold/final-list ratios divide the sum of Sold Price by the sum of List Price for the same cohort. The DOM matrix instead uses the median of individual ratios. Final List Price is the export’s List Price field; it is not independently established as the contract-date asking price. Reported DOM is not used as an exact list-to-contract interval. Zero DOM is retained. No missing or negative DOM values were found in the 163 records.
Price bands are under $1 million; $1 million to under $1.5 million; $1.5 million to under $2 million; $2 million to under $3 million; and $3 million or more. All valid reported figures are retained, including sales above final list. No missing median is replaced with zero; a dash means no sale-based median. Ratios do not subtract concessions, repairs or closing costs. Counts and medians can change as MLS records are revised. This report is not an appraisal or a prediction of an individual sale result.
Start with your water, then your competition
Your home needs a comparison set that fits what the buyer can actually use. Send Jim your address and what you know about the dock, lift, shoreline and house. The next step is a property-specific comparison and an estimated seller net.
Jim Whatley
Principal Broker, Uber Realty LLC
FL License BK3174026
Source: ECAR/Flexmls CMA and matching CSV, November 1, 2026. Aggregates calculated by Uber Realty. MLS information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Housing Opportunity.
More local reports: Niceville · Shalimar · Fort Walton Beach · All market reports
Before You List
What should I know before selling my Niceville home?
Four things matter early in the process.
What could your home sell for?
Look at homes that have sold and the properties a buyer can choose today. Consider location, lot, floor plan, condition, improvements and major systems.
What should you do before listing?
Find out what truly needs attention. Some repairs may help a sale. Others may cost more than they're worth.
How will buyers discover your home?
Good preparation, professional photography, accurate information, MLS exposure and reasonable showing access help buyers understand what you're offering.
What will you keep when the sale closes?
The sale price is not your take-home amount. Look at your mortgage payoff, listing fee, any agreed buyer-broker compensation, seller concessions and other closing costs.
Niceville Market
What does the Niceville market tell me about selling?
The city gives us context. Your home competes with properties a buyer can actually choose in your price range.
Inventory, pending sales and market time change. We keep those numbers in the Niceville Market Report instead of freezing them on this page.
Niceville Neighborhoods
Does my Niceville neighborhood affect how I should sell?
Yes. Your neighborhood helps us understand what buyers may compare, but the subdivision name alone does not determine the price.
What if my neighborhood isn't listed?
That's fine. We start with your property and identify the homes buyers are likely to consider.
Pricing Your House
How do I know what my Niceville house is worth?
A citywide average cannot price your particular house. Start with relevant closed sales and then look at what's available and under contract.
A home in Bluewater Bay may compete with different properties than one in Deer Moss Creek or Swift Creek. Lot, layout, condition, improvements and the homes available at similar prices matter.
The goal is to find a price that makes sense to buyers without leaving money on the table.
The useful question: Why would today's buyer choose your house at this price instead of the alternatives?
Before You Spend
Should I make repairs before selling my house?
Not everything needs fixing. First look for problems that might affect the buyer, inspections, financing or insurance. Then decide whether cosmetic work would meaningfully help your home compete.
Start with known issues
Understand the condition before deciding what needs repair.
Investigate big expenses
An older roof or HVAC deserves a closer look, but age alone doesn't say whether replacement is necessary.
Keep helpful records
Save maintenance records, permits, invoices, warranties and inspection reports you have.
Prepare for buyers
Cleaning, less clutter, landscaping and clear presentation may matter more than a costly cosmetic project.
Before spending thousands, ask what problem the work solves.
If we cannot explain why the work matters to a buyer or the transaction, question the expense.
Finding Buyers
How should my Niceville home be marketed?
Your buyer needs to find the house, understand its features and be able to see it. That begins before the listing goes live.
We discuss pricing, property condition and presentation. The 1% Listing includes professional photos with a 3D tour and drone photography, accurate MLS information, showing coordination and syndication to participating real estate websites. Every listing is syndicated to social media.
After listing, we monitor showings, feedback and market changes. If the evidence suggests an adjustment, we discuss it. Marketing gives buyers an opportunity to discover your home, but cannot guarantee an offer.
Offers And Negotiation
What happens when someone makes an offer?
Look beyond the price. Compare what you're likely to keep, what could affect closing and whether the terms fit your plans.
What do you keep?
Look at the estimated net after seller-paid costs, agreed compensation, concessions and other expenses.
What could affect closing?
Financing, inspection rights, appraisal, insurance, title and contingencies can matter.
What choices do you have?
We review the terms and your alternatives. You decide whether to accept, reject or counter.
Your Listing Choice
How much does Uber Realty charge to sell my Niceville house?
You choose what you pay. Uber Realty provides full-service representation with two listing options. Both are based on the final sale price.
1% Listing
What you pay: 1% listing-side compensation.
What you get: Consultation and market analysis, pricing advice, listing paperwork, professional photos with 3D tour and drone, MLS entry, sign and lockbox, ShowingTime scheduling, syndication, buyer-agent emails, feedback, offers and negotiation, key dates, inspections and appraisal scheduling, repair negotiation, and title coordination through closing.
What it does not add: The additional in-person property and vendor coordination described in the 2% option.
2% Listing, With Hands-On Help
What you pay: 2% listing-side compensation.
What you get: Everything in the 1% Listing, plus property checks while you're away; letting in and meeting inspectors, appraisers, photographers and contractors; and getting estimates, hiring from Jim's vendor list and checking repairs in person.
What you give up: An additional 1% of the final sale price in exchange for hands-on coordination. You may not need that additional service if you can manage these parts of the sale yourself.
What about Simple Fee?
Simple Fee is a fee choice available with the 1% Listing option. It is not a third marketing package. If you are interested in a fixed-dollar structure, ask me about the current Simple Fee terms and I will explain how it works. The current written agreement controls the fee, payment timing, service scope and any cancellation or expiration obligations.
Real estate broker compensation is negotiable and is not set by law. Uber Realty listing-side compensation is separate from any seller-authorized buyer-broker compensation, concessions, repairs and other transaction costs. Exact fees, services and terms are controlled by the current written agreement.
Choosing Representation
How do I choose a listing agent in Niceville?
Don't start with a presentation about the agent. Ask what the agent would do with your house, how the price is chosen, what needs attention, how buyers will find it and who will help when decisions get difficult.
How did you choose the price?
Ask which recent sales and current listings matter, and why.
What should I do before listing?
Ask which repairs or changes are worth the cost.
What is included?
Ask about photography, MLS exposure, showings and coordination.
Who helps me decide?
Ask how offers, inspections, repairs and negotiations will be handled.
Niceville Seller FAQ
Questions Niceville homeowners ask before selling
How do I start selling my house in Niceville, FL?
Start with a property-specific home value analysis and a review of current competition. Then decide what preparation, pricing and listing services make sense for your situation.
Should I renovate before selling my Niceville house?
Not automatically. Review known defects and possible insurance or financing concerns before spending money on cosmetic improvements.
Can new construction affect my Niceville home's selling price?
Yes. If buyers are comparing your resale with new construction, those new homes may affect your pricing and marketing decisions.
How much is Uber Realty's listing fee?
Uber Realty offers a full-service 1% Listing and a 2% Listing, With Hands-On Help. Buyer-broker compensation, if seller-authorized, and other selling expenses are separate. All brokerage compensation is negotiable.
Can I sell my Niceville house while living somewhere else?
Yes. Uber Realty's 2% Listing, With Hands-On Help includes property checks while you're away, meeting service providers and coordinating repairs in person.
Where can I learn more about selling a home?
Visit the Uber Realty Seller Hub at /sell-my-house for the broader home-selling process, listing choices and additional guides.
Property Research
Where can I verify information about my Niceville property?
Permits, zoning, flood information, jurisdiction and association rules can depend on your exact address. Check material facts with the agency or professional responsible for them.
City of Niceville
Planning, permitting and local government information.
Okaloosa County
County resources and property-related information.
Start With Your House
Ready to find out what your Niceville home may sell for?
Tell me about the house. We can start with the address, look at comparable sales and see what buyers can purchase instead.
You don't need to have the house ready or know which listing option fits before we talk. I'll explain what I see, what I recommend and why. You make the decisions.
I'm Jim Whatley, Broker/Owner of Uber Realty.
Jim Whatley, Broker/Owner, Uber Realty LLC. Florida Broker License BK3174026. Florida Brokerage License CQ1038333. Equal Housing Opportunity.
Property, association, permit, flood, insurance and other information can differ by address and may change. Verify material property-specific information with the appropriate source or professional before relying on it.