Here’s an idea of what Pensacola Beach was like in the early 1970’s:
Brian Waters (pictured here) was renting a house on Ariola, near 12th Ave – across the street from the gulf. He and two roommates were splitting $100 a month plus utilities – meaning they were each paying $75 per month. One day the landlord told Brian he was going to sell the house. Brian was kind of bummed, and wondering what to do. He was making Islander Surfboards as his job, but had no idea how to buy a house. He told his dad about it and his dad encouraged him to buy it. So, being a great dad, he gifted Brian $2,000, and Brian assumed a 5% mortgage to get his own beach house. He paid $17,000 for it! 🙂
x Dave Skelton @ Panama City Bch – 1977