Salt Grass at Ward Creek Homes for Sale off SR 79 in Panama City Beach

Updated Nov 2026

Salt Grass at Ward Creek is a new-construction neighborhood off N Arnold Drive and State Road 79 in Panama City Beach, FL 32413, about 2.5 miles from the Gulf. The St. Joe Company planned it for 535 homesites, and two builders, Fischer Homes and Kolter Homes, are building single-family homes there. If a home is for sale today, you'll see it in the listings above. Below is what I go over with buyers before they sign a builder contract.

View Salt Grass at Ward Creek homes for sale · Call or text me: 850-596-5844

Salt Grass at Ward Creek by the numbers

• Homesites: 535 planned, according to St. Joe's SR 79 corridor page.
• Builders: Fischer Homes (Designer Collection, seven floor plans) and Kolter Homes (Carson Collection). Kolter's announcement covered 300 homesites on 60 acres for its part of the neighborhood.
• Master plan: Ward Creek, St. Joe's SR 79 community planned for about 1,600 homesites across three neighborhoods: Bayside, Breakwater and Salt Grass. Ward Creek is part of the greater Watersound community.
• Building pace: Bay County's permit office counted 234 homes completed across Ward Creek since 2023, with 30 more sites permitted, as of January 2026 (PCB Life).
• Prices today: Fischer lists its Salt Grass plans from $419,995, with quick move-in homes up to about $640,000 on November 11, 2026. The 9 homes in the listings module above range from $651,269 to $820,990.
• Location: off N Arnold Drive / SR 79, north of St. Joe's planned 87-acre medical campus with Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, and across from Bayside.
• Distances (Fischer): about 2.5 miles to the beach and 9.5 miles to Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport.
• ZIP: 32413, with a Panama City Beach mailing address.

Who's next door

Salt Grass is one of three Ward Creek neighborhoods, and it's easy to tour all three in one trip:

• Bayside at Ward Creek is across from Salt Grass. D.R. Horton is building about 355 townhomes and single-family homes there, usually at a lower entry price.
• Breakwater at Ward Creek is Toll Brothers' gated neighborhood, planned for 348 single-family homes, with a clubhouse, pool, fitness center, pickleball and tennis.
• Ward Creek new construction homes for sale is my overview of all three.

Beyond Ward Creek, buyers shopping newer houses in this part of Panama City Beach also look at Palmetto Trace, Summer Breeze, The Glades, Breakfast Point and Whisper Dunes. If you're 55 or older, Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is the age-restricted option nearby; Salt Grass is open to all ages. If you'd rather own a condo near Pier Park, compare Calypso Resort & Towers and Tidewater Beach Resort. The wider guide is Panama City Beach homes and condos for sale.

What kinds of homes you'll find

Every home in Salt Grass is a detached single-family house. There are no condos or townhomes here.

Fischer Homes, Designer Collection. Fischer's Salt Grass page lists seven plans: Edenton, Amelia, Wilmington, Camden, Linden, Olive and Ivy. They run from about 1,500 to 2,800 square feet, with one to six bedrooms depending on the plan and options. Base prices started at $419,995 for the Edenton and $556,995 for the Ivy on November 11, 2026. Fischer's model homes are the Wilmington at 623 Millbridge Drive and the Ivy at 627 Millbridge Drive. Fischer also lists quick move-in homes, which are already built or under construction.

Kolter Homes, Carson Collection. Kolter announced four one-story plans for Salt Grass: Emily, Julia, Lila and Madison. They range from 2,482 to 2,971 square feet, with three to five bedrooms, two-car garages (some with a three-car option) and at least 25 structural options per plan.

When I compare two Salt Grass homes for a buyer, I look at:

• the builder and what's standard versus upgraded
• the lot: backing to a pond or preserve, an interior lot, or a corner, plus drainage
• garage count and covered outdoor space
• the flood zone and elevation certificate for that lot
• an insurance quote, before the numbers are final
• HOA dues and any other assessments
• the build timeline, warranty and punch-list process
• resale comps inside Salt Grass, not just builder list prices

Amenities, beach access and parks

The builders market a neighborhood pool, a pavilion or covered social area, and pickleball courts. Fischer lists a pool, pavilion and pickleball. Kolter's plans describe a resort-style pool with a sundeck, a covered social area and resident-only pickleball courts. Because the neighborhood is still building out, ask which amenities are open on the day you write an offer and which are still planned.

Salt Grass isn't on the beach. Fischer puts the Gulf about 2.5 miles away, so plan on driving or biking to a public beach access. Walk the route to the access you'll actually use before you buy. Nearby parks and trails include Conservation Park and Gayle's Trails, Frank Brown Park and the Publix Sports Park, and St. Andrews State Park is a longer drive east. Pier Park is the closest big shopping and dining district.

St. Joe also lists a planned marina on the Intracoastal Waterway as part of Ward Creek. It's planned, not built, so don't pay extra for it yet.

Who Salt Grass fits best

Salt Grass tends to suit:

• Full-time residents who want a new house with a warranty and modern energy features, close to Pier Park, the new medical campus and the airport.
• Second-home buyers who'd rather have a yard and a garage than a high-rise condo, and are fine driving a few minutes to the beach.
• Buyers comparing builders who want Fischer and Kolter plans in one neighborhood, with Bayside and Breakwater across the road for comparison.

It's a weaker fit if you want:

• sand ownership or a Gulf view
• mature trees and a long resale history (this is a brand-new neighborhood still building out)
• a 55+ community (look at Latitude Margaritaville Watersound)
• guaranteed short-term rental income (read the HOA rules and Bay County's ordinance first)

Getting around and day-to-day living

SR 79 is the main road between the beach and the airport, so Salt Grass is a short drive from both. St. Joe is building an 87-acre medical campus with Florida State University and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare at SR 79 and Philip Griffitts Sr. Parkway, just south of Salt Grass. Pier Park is the closest big shopping and dining district, and Conservation Park's trails are close by for walking and biking.

Rental rules and who's in charge

Jurisdiction. Salt Grass has a Panama City Beach mailing address, but Ward Creek sits along SR 79 north of the Panama City Beach city line. That means Bay County, not the City of Panama City Beach, sets the local short-term rental rules. Confirm the jurisdiction on the parcel's Bay County Property Appraiser record before you count on rental income.

Bay County's short-term vacation rental rules. Ordinance 23-18, passed August 1, 2023, covers one- to four-family homes rented short-term in unincorporated Bay County. According to the county:

• the home needs a Short-Term Vacation Rental certificate and must pass the county fire inspection
• the owner files a registration affidavit with a Florida vacation rental license (DBPR) and Bay County tourist development tax registration
• the owner names a rental responsible party and keeps that contact current
• the certificate is renewed every year, and recertified when the home is sold
• the county can inspect the interior, and violations can go to the code magistrate

Taxes on short stays. Florida's 6% sales tax plus any Bay County surtax applies, and Bay County adds a 5% tourist development tax in its tax district, which includes the Bay County part of ZIP 32413. Since October 1, 2026, the Bay County Tax Collector, not the Clerk, collects that tax.

The association comes first. County rules are the minimum. The Salt Grass HOA documents can restrict or ban short-term rentals, minimum stays or the number of rentals per year. Get the recorded covenants and rules before you write an offer. I don't assume rental income in Salt Grass until I've read them.

HOA, flood zone and insurance paperwork

• HOA: Salt Grass has a homeowners association. Ask the builder or seller for the current budget, the dues, what they cover, any capital contribution at closing and the estoppel fee.
• Flood zone: look up the exact lot on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and ask the builder for the elevation certificate. Being inland doesn't mean outside a flood zone.
• Insurance: get wind and flood quotes before your option or inspection period ends. Quotes can differ a lot between a new and an older house.
• Taxes: if this will be your primary home, file for the Florida homestead exemption after closing. My Florida Amendment 3 homestead guide covers the 2026 changes.

Buying in Salt Grass at Ward Creek

Builder sales agents work for the builder. Bring me along on your first visit to the models, and ask each builder about its agent registration policy before you go. I review the builder contract and options, compare Fischer and Kolter homes side by side, and check the comps inside Salt Grass and across Ward Creek. For a sense of how prices compare across Panama City Beach, read how much a home or condo costs in Panama City Beach and my November 2026 market snapshot. For what's going up around Pier Park, see what's being built near Pier Park.

Call or text me: 850-596-5844, or view Salt Grass at Ward Creek homes for sale.

Selling in Salt Grass at Ward Creek

When you resell in a neighborhood that's still building, your home competes with brand-new builder inventory and incentives. I price against current Salt Grass resales and the builders' quick move-in homes, and show buyers what your upgrades, lot and finished landscaping are worth compared with a new build that's months from move-in. Start with a free home valuation or call or text me at 850-596-5844.

Salt Grass at Ward Creek questions buyers ask

How many homes will Salt Grass have?

St. Joe plans Salt Grass for 535 homesites. Kolter's share was announced as 300 homesites on 60 acres. Ward Creek as a whole is planned for about 1,600.

Who builds homes in Salt Grass?

Fischer Homes and Kolter Homes. D.R. Horton builds in Bayside and Toll Brothers in Breakwater, the other two Ward Creek neighborhoods.

Where is Salt Grass at Ward Creek?

Off N Arnold Drive and SR 79 in Panama City Beach, FL 32413, north of St. Joe's planned medical campus and across from Bayside. Fischer puts the beach about 2.5 miles away and the airport about 9.5 miles.

Can I rent my Salt Grass home short-term?

Only if the association documents allow it, and you'd need Bay County's short-term vacation rental certificate, a state vacation rental license and tourist tax registration. Ward Creek is outside the Panama City Beach city limits, so the county's rules apply. Check the HOA rules first.

What amenities does Salt Grass have?

The builders market a pool, a pavilion or covered social area and pickleball courts. Confirm what's open and what's still planned on the day you buy.

Is Salt Grass a 55+ community?

No. Salt Grass is open to all ages. Latitude Margaritaville Watersound is the nearby 55+ community.

What do Salt Grass homes cost?

Fischer's plans started at $419,995 on November 11, 2026, and the homes in the listings module above ran from $651,269 to $820,990 that day. Check the listings above for today's prices.

Where these facts come from

Checked November 11, 2026: St. Joe Company, State Road 79 Corridor (535 homesites, location, medical campus) and Ward Creek (1,600 homesites, Bayside, Breakwater, planned marina); Fischer Homes, Salt Grass at Ward Creek (plans, prices, models, amenities, distances); Kolter Homes announcement (300 homesites, 60 acres, Carson Collection); Toll Brothers, Breakwater at Ward Creek; PCB Life, January 2026 (city line, permits); Bay County short-term vacation rentals and registration affidavit (Ordinance 23-18); Florida DOR DR-15TDT (Bay 5%, ZIP 32413); Bay County Clerk, tourist development tax (move to Tax Collector); listings module on this page.