The Cedars Condos is a well-established 130-unit sound front community built in 1974 and located on Choctawhatchee Bay in Mary Esther, Florida. Known for its expansive bay views, spectacular sunsets, and full resort-style amenities, The Cedars offers waterfront living at a significantly more affordable price point than gulf front properties. With pools, tennis courts, clubhouse amenities, mature landscaping, and strong proximity to Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base, this community appeals to military families, retirees, year-round residents, and investors seeking stable demand. The Cedars delivers spacious floor plans, proven long-term value, and authentic bayfront living in a quiet, residential setting.
Discover The Cedars, a substantial 130-unit condominium community offering authentic sound front living with over five decades of history in Mary Esther. Built in 1974, this established property combines Choctawhatchee Bay waterfront access and views, comprehensive full-service amenities, and the kind of mature community character that creates lasting value. The Cedars represents exceptional balance – large enough for resort-style facilities, established enough for proven reliability, positioned on the bay with spectacular sunsets, and affordable enough to make waterfront ownership genuinely accessible.
The Cedars occupies a premier position directly on Choctawhatchee Bay with beautiful sound front access and panoramic water views. This Mary Esther waterfront location provides stunning bay views and spectacular daily sunsets, direct sound access for kayaking and fishing, peaceful residential atmosphere away from tourist congestion, convenient proximity to Hurlburt Field and Eglin AFB, and exceptional value compared to gulf front pricing. The sound front positioning delivers authentic waterfront lifestyle at 40-60% below beach property costs while maintaining excellent access to everything.
Built in 1974, The Cedars represents over 50 years of established presence and proven community success. This early-1970s construction embodies authentic Old Florida waterfront development with spacious floor plans from an era prioritizing livability, solid construction that has withstood half a century, proven management systems refined over five decades, and mature community character impossible to replicate. The 1974 vintage means genuine heritage property, established reliability, and pricing reflecting honest long-term value rather than speculative premiums.
With 130 units, The Cedars achieves optimal scale for comprehensive amenities and professional operations. This substantial size supports resort-style facilities and full amenities, professional full-time on-site management and staff, well-funded reserves for long-term maintenance, efficient cost distribution across adequate owner base, and comprehensive services typical of larger developments. The 130-unit scale provides full-service living with proper resources while avoiding mega-development overcrowding – large enough for everything you need, manageable enough to maintain community atmosphere.
The Cedars' sound front position provides authentic waterfront lifestyle with practical advantages. Choctawhatchee Bay access for kayaking, paddleboarding, and boating, excellent fishing opportunities from accessible areas, calm bay waters safer than open gulf, stunning sunset views over the bay nightly, connection to natural waterfront environment, and year-round water recreation opportunities. Sound front delivers genuine waterfront experience at a fraction of gulf front costs – smart value for water enthusiasts.
Mary Esther offers compelling advantages as a residential community. Significantly lower property costs than Destin or Fort Walton Beach, convenient access to Hurlburt Field (minutes) and Eglin AFB (10-15 minutes), genuine residential community rather than tourist area, full services and amenities without resort pricing, excellent schools and family-friendly environment, and authentic local character. Mary Esther provides the "locals' secret" – quality of life and convenience at accessible pricing.
The Cedars represents outstanding value for sound front waterfront ownership. Bay access and views at 40-60% below gulf front pricing, established 1974 property with realistic honest pricing, Mary Esther location offers better value than Destin/FWB, 130-unit efficiency keeps costs reasonable, and beaches are still easily accessible when desired (15-20 minutes). For buyers seeking waterfront lifestyle on realistic budgets, first-time waterfront buyers, military families, retirees on fixed incomes, and investors targeting cash flow, The Cedars delivers exceptional opportunity.
The Cedars provides extensive amenities refined over five decades. Direct sound front beach and waterfront access, multiple swimming pools for recreation and gathering, hot tubs/spas for relaxation, tennis courts for active lifestyle, fitness facilities, clubhouse for community events, well-maintained grounds with mature landscaping, ample parking including guest spaces, and professional on-site management team. These comprehensive amenities rival resort properties while maintaining affordable residential pricing.
Mary Esther's position between Hurlburt Field and Eglin AFB makes The Cedars extremely popular with military families and veterans. Minutes to Hurlburt Field special operations base, 10-15 minutes to Eglin AFB main base, understanding military-friendly community, affordable waterfront on military budgets, strong rental demand from military families, proven value for service members, and supportive community appreciating military service. The Cedars has served the military community with pride for over 50 years.
The Cedars features the generous room sizes characteristic of 1970s construction philosophy. Substantial living spaces perfect for families, large bedrooms with excellent closet space, functional kitchens and bathrooms (many updated by owners), private balconies with bay views, and practical layouts emphasizing actual livability. The 1970s emphasized space and comfort over density – units feel genuinely spacious at affordable prices.
Over five decades of growth have created The Cedars' signature lush landscaping. Mature trees providing substantial shade and beauty, established tropical plantings creating resort atmosphere, park-like grounds perfect for walking and gathering, demonstrated decades of property care and investment, and aesthetic value impossible to replicate quickly. This mature landscape represents 50+ years of cultivation adding significant quality of life.
The Cedars' characteristics serve various buyer needs effectively. First-time waterfront buyers appreciate affordable bay access, military families value proximity to bases and affordability, families enjoy comprehensive amenities and space, retirees seek established community and full facilities, investors target strong military rental demand, year-round residents appreciate full-service living, and vacation home buyers want comprehensive amenities. The property successfully serves multiple ownership scenarios.
The Cedars offers excellent rental potential with multiple demand sources. Military families on assignments seek affordable waterfront, vacationers wanting bay activities and amenities, families preferring residential atmosphere over tourist chaos, budget-conscious travelers seeking value, and long-term renters (military contractors, professionals) valuing location. The combination of affordability, amenities, and military proximity creates consistent demand.
The Cedars excels for both permanent residents and flexible ownership. Mary Esther provides full residential services year-round, sound front setting remains beautiful across all seasons, comprehensive amenities support year-round lifestyle, convenient to employment centers (bases, Fort Walton Beach), and flexibility to live full-time or rent. The property equally supports primary residence, vacation home, or investment purposes.
The 50+ year history has created remarkable community stability. Many families have owned for decades – some since the 1970s, long-term military families return between assignments, the substantial size supports diverse stable community, mature resident base provides institutional knowledge, and collective pride maintains property standards. This demonstrates extraordinary satisfaction and enduring value – five decades of proven appeal.
The Cedars benefits from professional management with decades of experience maintaining this specific property. Full-time on-site staff understands every system intimately, handles maintenance efficiently with proven processes, manages HOA finances responsibly with proper reserves, coordinates effectively with the large owner base, maintains property standards protecting values, and provides comprehensive responsive service. This professional depth is invaluable.
The Choctawhatchee Bay access opens extensive recreation opportunities. Launch kayaks and paddleboards into calm protected waters, fish for redfish, trout, and flounder from numerous spots, explore miles of bay and coastal waterways, enjoy safer conditions than open gulf, connect to natural preserves and wildlife areas, and experience year-round water activities. The bay provides peaceful recreation perfect for all ages and skill levels.
Mary Esther offers excellent family appeal with quality schools and safe environment. Good Okaloosa County School District schools serve the area, family-friendly community atmosphere, safe residential neighborhoods, parks and recreation facilities, lower cost of living than tourist areas, and genuine community spirit. Many military and civilian families choose Mary Esther specifically for the quality family environment at reasonable costs.
The Cedars represents solid investment fundamentals for value-focused buyers. Sound front waterfront ensures perpetual demand, military proximity creates consistent rental market, affordable acquisition enables superior cash flow, substantial 130-unit community provides operational stability, Mary Esther's value positioning attracts budget-conscious renters, and 50+ years of performance validates the investment. Properties serving essential needs (military housing, affordable waterfront) offer stability unavailable from luxury speculation.
The Cedars invites you to experience authentic sound front living in Mary Esther. With over 50 years of established success, substantial 130-unit scale with full amenities, beautiful Choctawhatchee Bay waterfront access and views, comprehensive resort-style facilities, convenient military base access, genuine residential community, and exceptional affordability for waterfront living, this property delivers real value and lifestyle.
Whether you're a military family needing convenient affordable waterfront, first-time waterfront buyer, retiree seeking full-amenity community, family wanting space and facilities, investor targeting military rental market, or anyone understanding that sound front bay living delivers 90% of the waterfront lifestyle at 50% of the cost, The Cedars offers the perfect combination. The bay sunsets, water recreation, comprehensive amenities, and genuine Mary Esther community make waterfront dreams achievable.
Discover The Cedars – where Mary Esther sound front meets five decades of proven value, and bay living means affordability, comprehensive amenities, military-friendly community, and authentic waterfront lifestyle.
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