Updated Nov 13, 2026
If you want a Panama City Beach home for sale with a boat slip or a private dock, most of the good water is on the bay side, not the Gulf side. Grand Lagoon, Bay Point, the Hathaway Bridge shoreline and West Bay are where I look first, plus Pinnacle Port on Lake Powell at the west end. My boat slip search link below is filtered to slips inside those areas, in Bay County. The cards above are not limited to those zones. Below is what's sold lately, where each area works, and what I check before a buyer writes an offer on a boating home.
View PCB homes for sale with boat slips · Call or text me: 850-596-5844
What boating property sold for here
Per the MLS, 113 homes and condos with a dock or slip sold in the Bay County beach area in the 12 months to November 13, 2026. The middle price was $410,000, but the type of property moves that number a lot:
Type | Sales | Middle price | Sold range |
|---|---|---|---|
House with a private dock | 40 | $1,150,000 | $365,000 to $3,000,000 |
Condo with a slip or marina access | 63 | $329,000 | $129,000 to $799,000 |
Townhome with dock access | 6 | $349,950 | $275,000 to $700,000 |
If you want your own dock out back, you're usually looking at seven figures. If you mostly want somewhere to keep the boat, a condo with a slip gets you on the water for much less. Budget for the dues, though: condo owners in this group paid a median of about $742 a month.
On November 13, 2026, the MLS showed 87 active listings in the Bay County beach area with a dock, boat slip or boat lift in their waterfront features. 66 of them were in the areas this page covers: 55 around Grand Lagoon, Bay Point and the Hathaway Bridge, and 11 at Pinnacle Port.
Source: MLS sold data, Bay County beach area, November 13, 2025 to November 13, 2026, and active listings as of November 13, 2026, from my MLS pull.
Where the boating homes are
Grand Lagoon and Lower Grand Lagoon
This is where most of my boating buyers start. Grand Lagoon sits between Thomas Drive and the St. Andrew Bay shore, and its canals and lagoon frontage put you minutes from the pass by St. Andrews State Park, Shell Island and the Gulf. Look along North Lagoon Drive, South Lagoon Drive, Treasure Circle and the side streets off them for canal homes with docks and lifts. On the Thomas Drive side, older complexes like the Villas of St. Thomas and Treasure Cove have slips. Depth and canal width change from one street to the next, so judge each lot on its own. My Lower Grand Lagoon guide and Thomas Drive guide cover the rest of each area.
Bay Point
Bay Point is a gated community on the east side of Grand Lagoon with homes along Wahoo Road and the canals, villa complexes and golf-course homes. Point South Marina at Bay Point is inside the community. Buying in Bay Point doesn't come with a marina slip, so slip availability, charges and boat limits are a separate conversation. My Bay Point homes for sale page has more.
The Hathaway Bridge bayfront
At the west foot of the Hathaway Bridge, Bay Shore Drive, Harbour Towne and the condo towers face St. Andrew Bay where it meets West Bay. Hibiscus by the Bay and Marina Landing are the condo choices here. Not every unit in either one comes with a slip, so check the unit, not the building.
West Bay
The south shore of West Bay is quieter, with bigger lots and fewer listings. The run to the Gulf is longer than from Grand Lagoon because you go under the Hathaway Bridge and down St. Andrew Bay to the pass. Factor in fuel, travel time and the kind of boating you do.
Lake Powell and Pinnacle Port
Lake Powell, at the west end of the beach, is a coastal dune lake. It's great for kayaks, paddleboards and small boats, but it doesn't give you a regular route to the bay or Gulf the way Grand Lagoon does, so most Lake Powell homes are left out of the search map. The one exception is Pinnacle Port, the gated Gulf-front condo community at 23223 Front Beach Road next to Carillon Beach, where listing remarks describe a community dock, boat slips and a launch on the lake. See Pinnacle Port condos with boat slips. As of November 13, 2026, the Bay County MLS (Flexmls) showed 11 active Pinnacle Port condos with a dock, slip or lift in their waterfront features, asking $329,000 to $739,000. Ask the association how slips are assigned before you count on one, and plan on lake boating, not Gulf runs.
Waterfront doesn't always mean boatable
A listing can say "waterfront" and face a pond, a marsh, a shallow canal or a stretch of bay your boat can't use. Other homes are near a marina or a public ramp but have no docking rights of their own. Boating rights come in a lot of forms: a deeded slip, an assigned slip, a leased marina slip, a slip bought separately, a private dock, a shared community dock, a lift, or a neighborhood ramp. The listing description is a starting point. Confirm everything before your inspection and due-diligence deadlines run out.
What I check on every boating property
A dock photo doesn't tell the whole story. These are the four things I check before we talk price.
Depth at low tide, not "deep water"
"Deep water" in a listing doesn't mean anything until you know the depth at low tide where the lift sits and along the route out. I get a depth reading or ask the seller for one, and I ask when the canal or slip was last dredged. Compare that number with your boat's draft.
Whether the slip conveys
A deeded slip, an assigned slip and a leased marina slip are three very different things at closing. A deeded slip may have its own legal description, taxes and fees. An association can sometimes change an assigned slip or put it on a waiting list. A lease can change rates or end. I ask for the deed or the association document that ties the slip to the home before we're under contract.
Permits on the dock and lift
In unincorporated Bay County, new docks and seawalls, and any structural change or repair, need a Bay County building permit. Inside Panama City Beach city limits, the City's Building Division handles permits. The state regulates docks over the water too, through an exemption or an environmental resource permit depending on size and location, and you can look up permit records in the Florida DEP's ERP e-permitting system. I ask the seller for permit records, and we check the history before the inspection period ends.
Whether your boat fits
Write down your boat's length, beam, draft, height above the waterline, loaded weight and hull shape. Then check the slip size, lift capacity and cradle, canal width, turning room, overhead power lines, any fixed bridge, and the distance to fuel and open water. A lift with the wrong weight rating or bunk setup can mean replacing it.
Dock, lift and seawall inspections
A regular home inspection may not cover marine structures well. On a dock home, I recommend a marine or dock contractor look at the pilings, decking, framing and fasteners, the seawall panels, caps and tiebacks, any soil loss behind the wall, the lift motor, cables and cradle, and the shore power and lighting. Ask for storm repair history too. Seawall, dock and dredging work can need government approval, which takes time.
Flood zones and insurance
Get insurance quotes early, not at the end of the inspection period. Ask for home, wind and flood quotes on the exact property, and ask how the policy treats the dock, lift and seawall, since some policies exclude them. Look up the address on FEMA's flood map viewer and read my flood zone guide. The seller's premium doesn't tell you what yours will be.
Ramps, trailers and storage
A home without a dock can still work if it's near a public ramp and has room for the boat. Bay County keeps a list of its public boat ramps, and the state's boating rules and resources are on the FWC boating page. Before you buy, check whether the HOA or deed restrictions allow a trailer in the driveway, how big the garage door and side yard are, and whether the gate is wide enough.
Dock home or condo with a slip?
A home with its own dock gives you the boat out back, more privacy, room for a trailer and full control of the dock and lift. You also own the seawall, the pilings, the lift service, the permits and the storm exposure.
A condo with a slip means less upkeep and shared marina facilities, and it's easy to lock up and leave. The trade-offs are dues, boat-size limits, possible waiting lists, little trailer parking, rental rules and the chance of a special assessment. Your boat, budget and how much upkeep you want decide it.
Renting a dock home
Don't assume a boating home can be a short-term rental, or that guests can use the dock. Inside Panama City Beach city limits, each short-term rental needs a city Vacation Rental Certificate. In unincorporated Bay County, the county's short-term vacation rental ordinance applies to one- to four-family homes. HOA rules, parking limits and insurance can also restrict guest use of docks, lifts and personal watercraft. Read more in my boat slips and marina access guide.
Buying a home with a boat slip or dock
Start with your boat: length, beam, draft and how often you'll run to the Gulf. That tells us whether you need Grand Lagoon, Bay Point or whether West Bay works. Send me those numbers and your budget, and I'll set up alerts for only the homes that fit. Before you offer, I'll ask for the slip documents, the permit history and a low-tide depth.
Selling a home to buy on the water? Get a value estimate on it first so we know your budget. Call or text me at 850-596-5844.
Selling your dock home
Buyers of boating homes ask about depth at low tide, the lift's capacity and age, the seawall's condition, permits, and whether the slip is deeded. Gather your permit records, lift service records, any seawall work and your slip documents before we list. Measure the dock and get a depth reading too. A listing with those answers sells better than one that only says "deep water."
Get a value estimate for your dock home, and I'll price it against recent boating-home sales. Call or text 850-596-5844.
Panama City Beach Homes With Boat Slips questions buyers ask
Are there homes for sale with boat slips in Panama City Beach?
Yes. On November 13, 2026, the MLS showed 87 active Bay County beach-area listings with a dock, slip or lift, 66 of them in the areas this page covers: 55 in Grand Lagoon, Bay Point and along the Hathaway Bridge bayfront, and 11 at Pinnacle Port on Lake Powell.
Where are the best areas for homes with docks?
Grand Lagoon, Lower Grand Lagoon, North and South Lagoon Drive, Treasure Circle, Bay Point, the Hathaway Bridge bayfront and West Bay. For a small boat on a lake, Pinnacle Port on Lake Powell has a community dock. The best one depends on your boat and your route.
Is a boat slip the same as a private dock?
No. A slip is a place to keep a boat, and it may be deeded, assigned, leased or owned separately. A private dock is usually tied to one property, but ownership and permits still need checking.
Does a boat slip transfer with the home?
Not always. Some slips transfer with the home. Others are assigned by an association, leased from a marina, deeded separately or need approval.
How do I know the water is deep enough?
Compare your boat's draft with the low-tide depth at the slip and along the whole route out. A local marine contractor can measure it.
What sells for more, a dock home or a condo with a slip?
In the 12 months to November 13, 2026, houses with a private dock had a middle sale price of $1,150,000, while condos with a slip had a middle price of $329,000.
Can renters use the dock?
Not automatically. Insurance, HOA rules, marina rules and city or county rental rules can limit guest use.
Can I park a boat trailer at the house?
It depends on the lot, the garage, the HOA and deed restrictions, and local parking rules. Confirm before you buy.
I'm Roger Rietsema with Allison James Estates & Homes, selling on this coast since 2003. Reach me at 850-596-5844 by call or text.
Where these facts come from
Checked November 13, 2026:
- Bay County MLS (Flexmls): sold data for homes and condos with a dock or slip, Bay County beach area, November 13, 2025 to November 13, 2026, and the active listings export of November 13, 2026, including Pinnacle Port (23223 Front Beach Road)
- Bay County Building Services, building permits page, and Bay County's boat ramp locations page
- City of Panama City Beach Building Division and short-term rental pages
- Florida DEP ERP e-permitting
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer viewer; FEMA's Flood Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov)
- FWC boating
- Point South Marina at Bay Point
- Bay County GIS parcel and road centerline layers (for the search map)
Rules, permits and fees change, so confirm each one for the property you're buying.
