Neighborhood
Watersound
Florida US
Watersound, Florida has an investment profile marked by a 2.5 gross yield, pricing about 124% above Florida, and a Red Flag score of 78. Prices rose 3.4% over the past year, showing positive momentum despite the low yield. Walkability is 41 and education is in the 67th percentile, with the school-district test-score percentile standing out more clearly than neighborhood access.
AI Summary•Updated May 2026
Area
34.89 mi²
ZIP Code
32459
County
Walton County
State
Florida
Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesWashU ACAG — satellite PM2.5EPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024
Verified Price · Median Sale
$952,217
YoY+3.4%
Gross Rental Yield
2.5%
Listed rent · ZORI annualized
Red Flag Index
High
78 / 100
Walkability Score
41
OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile
Education Score
67 / 100
Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy
AI Score
39
DistrictScore attractiveness · national model
Watersound Property Prices & Rental Yield
Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent.
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Sign in to view — freeMarket Economics Snapshot
May 2026| Metric | Value | YoY |
|---|---|---|
| Median Sale Price | $952,217 | +3.4% |
| Price / Sq Ft (Verified) | $520/sqft | +9.4% |
| Asking Rent (Median) | $2,005/mo | -0.9% |
| Gross Rental Yield | 2.5% | — |
| Liquidity Score | 65 / 100 | Moderate |
| Homes Sold (Period) | 402 | +32.7% |
Is Watersound Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Florida crime context.
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Sign in to view — free What Stands Out AI Insight
Appreciating market — +3.4% sale-price YoY
Liquid resale market — liquidity 65/100
Active transaction volume — 402 homes sold last period
Dense amenities — 50 dining & 6 grocery options nearby
Flood risk is Very High (100/100)
Wildfire risk is Very High (100/100)
Insights are generated from Watersound's live DistrictScore metrics.
Watersound Environment & Safety
Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Florida-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.
Air Quality — PM2.5
2015–20245.9 µg/m³ Meets EPA, above WHO guideline+10.4% since 2015
EPA 9WHO 5
20152024
Annual mean fine-particle (PM2.5) concentration at the Watersound centroid, satellite-derived (ACAG). References: WHO guideline 5 µg/m³ · EPA annual standard 9 µg/m³. Latest year ranks worse than 49% of U.S. neighborhoods.
Florida Crime Trend
FBI UCR20132024
All crimes / 1k
Violent / 1k
| Year | Crimes / 1k | Violent / 1k | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 16.9 | 2.7 | -4.5% |
| 2023 | 18.0 | 2.9 | -2.3% |
| 2022 | 19.0 | 2.9 | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 18.6 | 3.4 | -13.5% |
| 2020 | 21.5 | 3.8 | -13.7% |
| 2019 | 25.2 | 3.8 | — |
Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; Watersound inherits the Florida figures.
Radon Potential
EPAZone 3
Zone 3 — Lowest potential · Watersound
EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.
Environmental Hazards
EPA / BTSIndustrial odor3 nearbyVery High
Point-source screening near Watersound: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.
Walkability & Amenities in Watersound
Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.
Walkability & Amenities
OpenStreetMap POI41
Car-Dependent
Walkability Score
6
Grocery
50
Dining
4
Schools
0
Universities
0
Hospitals
1
Pharmacies
17
Parks
0
Rail Transit
0
Coworking
POI counts are amenities within Watersound's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.
Watersound vs City vs Florida
How Watersound benchmarks against its city and state medians.
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Compare Watersound against its city and Florida medians — free with a DistrictScore account.
Sign in to view — freeBuying Property in the US as a Foreigner
Federal & Florida tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.
Buying as a Foreigner
US Tax & OwnershipApplies to everyone7
Capital Gains (Federal)
Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).
Property Tax
Property tax: ~0.76% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).
State Income Tax
No state income tax — rental income is not taxed at the state level.
State Capital Gains
No state capital gains tax.
Transfer Tax
Real estate transfer tax: documentary stamp $0.70 per $100 ($0.60 in Miami-Dade).
Assessment Cap
Save Our Homes caps homestead assessment growth at 3%/CPI; reassessed to market value on sale.
Mansion Tax / Rent Control
No statewide mansion tax or statewide rent control.
US citizens & tax residents8
Primary-Home Exclusion
Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.
1031 Like-Kind Exchange
A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.
Depreciation Recapture
Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).
Mortgage Interest Deduction
Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).
Opportunity Zones
Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.
Rental Income (Resident)
Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.
Homestead Exemption
Homestead: up to $50,000 off taxable value, plus unlimited protection from most creditors.
Senior & Veteran Exemptions
Extra $50,000 senior exemption plus property-tax discounts for veterans.
Foreign buyers (non-residents)6
FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)
FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.
Non-Resident Capital Gains
Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.
Non-Resident Rental Tax
Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).
Estate Tax (Non-Resident)
Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.
ITIN Requirement
Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.
Foreign Ownership Restrictions
SB 264 restricts buyers from 7 countries of concern (incl. China) from residential property near sensitive sites. Verify first.
Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor
FIRPTA, ITIN & Florida property-tax guidance for foreign buyers
Watersound Real Estate FAQ
Watersound, Florida has a low-yield, higher-priced profile. It shows a 2.5 gross yield, pricing about 124% above Florida, and a Red Flag score of 78. Prices rose 3.4% over the past year, with walkability of 41 and education in the 67th percentile.
Neighborhoods near Watersound
Compare Watersound with nearby neighborhoods in Walton County.
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