SANTA ROSA ISLAND
Homes for Sale in Fort Walton Beach, FL

SANTA ROSA ISLAND market snapshot (as of July 25, 2026): the median sale price is about $702K, and a median 20 days on market for closed sales. The trailing-12-month median is up 30% from the prior 12 months and up 67% since 2012, computed from record-level emeraldcoast closed sales (12 closings in the current window).

SANTA ROSA ISLAND is a community of 307 homes in Fort Walton Beach, Okaloosa County, built between 1954 and 2024 (median 1972), with a median living area of about 2,449 square feet. 56% of parcels are homesteaded, the owner-occupancy proxy in the Florida DOR assessment roll (2025 roll, public records).

This is a small, tightly held island inventory of roughly 300 homes with only a handful active at any time, so the story is scarcity and location rather than volume. Expect older bones — the median home dates to 1972 — behind a mix of renovation levels.

• Elliott Point · Elementary
• Bruner · Middle
• Fort Walton Beach · High

Zoned schools reflect the assignments reported on recent SANTA ROSA ISLAND listings and can change; always confirm with Okaloosa County Public Schools for a specific address.

Buying with schools in mind? We can confirm the exact zoned schools for any SANTA ROSA ISLAND address.

The age range here is the whole story. With homes built from 1954 through 2024 and a median year of 1972, you are choosing between original or lightly updated structures and full rebuilds. On a barrier island, that also means asking hard questions about elevation, construction type, insurance, and how the home has weathered its decades near salt air. The median living area of about 2,449 square feet gives you real room, but two homes at the same size can be worlds apart in condition — and that's where the price spread lives.

Momentum on the ground is strong: a market heat score of 70, a sub-20-day median days-on-market, and appreciation of 30.1% over the past year on top of a 67% gain since 2012. A homestead share of about 56% suggests a meaningful slice of owner-occupants alongside second-home and rental use. No specific community amenities show up in current MLS listings, so value here is about the island itself and the individual property, not shared facilities.

With only 8 active listings and homes moving in under three weeks, this market rewards preparation over browsing. We help buyers separate cosmetic updates from structural and elevation realities on older island stock, and we help sellers price to condition rather than to the headline median — because on Santa Rosa Island, two similar-sized homes rarely deserve the same number.

Confirm the current HOA dues, exactly what they cover, and any CDD bond or special assessment for a specific address before you offer.