Old Magnolia West
Wakulla County, Florida⁞2861± ACRES
One of the last, large privately held recreational properties with entitled Higher and Better Use within 25 minutes of Tallahassee.
- 2,861+/- acre high-quality recreational and investment property in Wakulla County
- One of the last, large privately held recreational properties with entitled higher and better use
- Exceptional “Higher and Better Use”
- Just 25 minutes to Tallahassee
- Over 1,000 square miles of State and Federal lands making this one of the last large subdivision opportunities in the region
- 1,621 +/- acres fully platted and entitled lots, Turkey Ridge Farms, which contains 33 lots
- Cash flow revenues:
- Heavily stocked with genetically improved timber for cash flow
- Multiple conservation easement opportunities to harvest HBU potential
- Lodge, cabin and two barns
- Ideal Social Storm Property ™ with vast natural resources, and multiple income streams
- Fantastic recreation:
- One of the prominent deer and wild turkey areas of the South
- Minutes to some of the best saltwater fishing in Florida
- 25 minutes from Florida's capital city
- Moments from public boat launch to access the Gulf, marinas, and restaurants
- Strategically planned for timber, recreation, and “higher and better use”
- The Gulf of Mexico is just a ten minute drive making this a year-round recreational get away
If you’re looking for a safe place to store wealth, capitalize on growth through a conservation easement, or looking for a generational property, this is it! The property has been strategically planned for timber, recreation and “higher and better use.”
** Video encompasses Old Magnolia East and Old Magnolia West
At 2,861+/- acres in Wakulla County, this property is one of the last large privately held properties with “HBU” potential in the region. The property has been strategically planned for timber, recreation and “higher and better use.” It is arguably impossible to find another large investment-grade property as strategically planned and entitled as this one.
It is renowned in the region as the former log cabin office of St. Joe and a key holding in the region with two+ miles of HWY frontage on 267 and three miles on Old Plank Road, just off Coastal Highway 98. The northern boundaries are planned PUD’s with sewer and water. Of the 2,861 acres, this property has 1,621 +/- acres fully platted and entitled lots, Turkey Ridge Farms, which contains 33 lots ranging from 23 acres to 100 acres each. The landowner is consistently selling 20-acre lots across the highway for $8,000 to $8,500 per acre. This development value could very well be monetized today with a conservation easement.
However, it is being used for timber production and recreation. The property is heavily stocked with genetically improved timber for cash flow and the hunting and recreation are exceptional. Located just 25 minutes from Tallahassee and its international airport with the Gulf of Mexico just a ten-minute drive, Old Magnolia West is a year-round recreational get away. There is a public boat ramp just 2 minutes away with a 10-minute boat ride to the Gulf and another ramp actually on the Gulf that is a 10-minute car drive from the property. All the comforts and conveniences of Shield’s Marina are just 10 minutes away as well.
The property is Moments from Public Boat Launch for Gulf Access
“Recreationally, from a deer and turkey perspective, it’s about as good as it gets in Florida outside of a high-fence. From an investment perspective, the property is preplanned for “higher and better use” with 1,621+ acres already fully platted. From a cash flow perspective, it offers many revenue avenues: timber revenues, existing residential lots could be sold or expanded, or a conservation easement could be sold or donated to harvest its exceptional “higher and better use” potential.” - Jon Kohler
This opportunity is essentially “five asset classes in one.”
- An exceptional recreational property in one of the most prolific deer and wild turkey areas. There is quick and convenient access to the Gulf of Mexico making this a year-round property.
- An exceptional timber property, fully planted with genetically improved pines, a high site index, with exceptional roads.
- It’s an exceptional “higher and better use” property with 1,621 acres platted in fast-growing Wakulla County, just 25 miles to Tallahassee and ten minutes to the Gulf (1,621 +/- acres fully platted and entitled lots, Turkey Ridge Farms, which contains 33 lots ranging from 23 acres to 100 acres each). Over 1,000 square miles of almost contiguous State and Federal lands nearby means there is little left for Florida’s growth.
- It is an exceptional conservation easement play. Given the rapid lot sales in Wakulla County, along with the existing 1,621 acres of platted lots, and current sales literally across the street, this 2,861 acres will appraise exceptionally well from a development perspective. The development value here is well situated to be monetized through a donation or sale of conservation easement providing immediate cash or income tax savings. There are also options with DEP acquiring part of the property through sale.
- This is an ideal Social Storm Property ™ and exactly the type of property one would want to own in either bad times or good. It has vast natural resources, and multiple income streams, is surrounded by 1,000 square miles of federal and state lands, and is located in one of the safest areas left in America. It’s perhaps the perfect hedge. Its Social Storm ™ score is exceptional.
“To me, this opportunity reminds me of the story of many of our clients who owned great central Florida ranches that, too, were in the path of “progress.” They eventually sold for unbelievable fortunes, some sold conservation easements and raised cattle to pay the costs during the hold, but in the end, it was a financial windfall with real estate values that no one could have predicted. This is Florida. There isn’t a better way to transfer generational wealth." - Jon Kohler
“The conservation easement value here is real. Development is already happening along the north property line. The lots here are fully vested. The seller has been selling some non-contiguous lots in the $8,500+ acre range. The opportunity is here now to monetize this value." - Jon Kohler
Blue Sink is on the property, which connects directly to Wakulla Springs, the largest spring in the world. The deer and turkey hunting is exceptional. Lodging is generous on this large property with a log cabin, the former St. Joe office, and barn on the southwestern corner off Hwy 98 as well as another hunting camp and barns on the eastern side of Old Plank Road.
On the south side of this property lies what was once Florida’s 2nd largest city, Newport - a seaport with cotton, turpentine, grist, and sawmills, once the epicenter of international commerce. Tragically, it was burned by the Confederates during the Battle of Natural Bridge… the town was never rebuilt. It’s unbelievable that in 2023, just 25 miles from Tallahassee, this area and the nearby St. Marks River once served, not one, but two port cities - including Old Magnolia that was located on what is now Old Magnolia West. These lands that were once the international “gateway to Florida” have completely reverted back to nature. It looks almost exactly like it did when Florida’s first Governor anchored here 500 years ago; it’s beautiful beyond belief.
Historic Map of Old Magnolia (1828) and Newport Springs & Swimming Pool (1921)
"Florida's last best places are going quickly. If you told me there was a tract like this available in today's Florida, well in the path of growth, with highway frontage for less than $3,000 overall per acre and only 25 minutes from the steps of the Florida capital, I wouldn't believe it." - Jon Kohler
"Road to Pinhook River, St Marks" by famed wildlife artist, Dean Gioia
“It offers me just a sense of being back to the things that matter to me. It's just me, family, land and traditions.” - Tony Layne, Landowner
Between timber harvesting, to selling already platted lots (which are commanding $8,500 per acre), to selling or donating a conservation easement on all or a portion of this property, there are numerous income opportunities during the hold. Furthermore, with the Social Storm Properties ™ aspect, this property is about as hedged as a place could be and will perform in any market.
SUMMARY:
“What the landowner has done here is impressive. From a recreational standpoint alone, this land package is a rare find, but with development plans at your fingertips, and income production from future timber harvesting, this place is equal parts pleasure and equal parts smart investing.” - Jon Kohler
“This property reminds me how creative site planning could yield dividends; at Centerville Conservation Community I bought 975 acres for $15,000 per acre in 2004, put 70% of it under conservation easement, and developed only 200 lots - today that same land is worth over $40,000 per acre. Another interesting note is in 2006, I made an unsolicited offer for El Destino Plantation’s 4,000 acres at $15,000 per acre. It was rejected but shows where the highs were and in Florida where they will return to as they always have in the past. It is located a little over 12 miles from Tallahassee. Today’s property is a little over 14 miles. This property has the same win-win opportunities between conservation and meeting investment-backed expectations.” - Jon Kohler
*** An additional 1,803 acres Featuring 4.5 Miles of Deep-Water River Frontage on the St. Marks River, Gulf access and a 2nd Magnitude Spring are also Available!
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Bruce Ratliff is a retired elected official (Property Appraiser Taylor County). Bruce brings years of experience in ad valorem tax knowledge. His property tax background gives JKA Associates & clients a unique insight into the complicated tax process. Bruce held several positions in the Florida Association of Property Appraisers, including member of the Board of Directors, President, Vice-President and Secretary, and served on the Agricultural & Legislative Committees for the Association. The real estate business has been part of Bruce’s life since childhood. His mother, Shirley Ratliff owned Professional Realty of Perry, Florida and his father, Buster owned Ratliff Land Surveying which Bruce was General Manager of before his political career.
From murky farm ponds to pristine glacier-cut lakes and everything in between, Knox Daniels’ expertise stems from a lifelong fascination of water and the creatures that live in and around it. He recognizes and helps clients appreciate the value water features bring to a property. “My goal is to help buyers realize and sellers maximize the value different water bodies bring to a property, not only in a recreational sense, but also for social storm reasons.” After extensively traveling the country for collegiate BASS fishing tournaments, Knox graduated and worked for the Southeast’s finest fisheries and wildlife biologist, Greg Grimes. With Grimes’ company, AES, Knox managed many of the southeast’s finest private lake estate/impoundment properties, and learned the intricacies of upscale property management. Learning from Greg and other biologists, Knox honed in on the specific conditions and habitat needed for optimal gamefish growth in private lakes. He has also worked as a property manager on several thousand acres and for a commercial developer, facilitating the dirt work and builds of several apartment complexes, but his true passion has always been in the outdoors. “I’ve always had an insatiable fascination with ponds/lakes and am grateful to be able to help to place clients on the properties of their dreams and make their personal fisheries/wildlife goals reality with JKA.” – Knox Daniels
As a landowner of his own family farm, Lick Skillet, along with family land that has been passed down and enjoyed together at Keaton Beach for 40 years, Jon knows what it means to be a steward of the last best places. As a third-generation land broker with more than 30 years of experience in advising landowners in this niche, Jon is known for his innate ability to harvest a land’s unique intrinsic value. Touting several notable sales under his belt, Jon personally closed Rock Creek/Molpus – 124,000 acres of premium timberland at $142,000,000 – which was known as the largest timberland land sale in the Southeast for eight years running. He is a co-founding member of LandLeader and achieved the real estate industry’s highest honor, “2022 National Broker of the Year – Recreational Land Sales,” by the Realtors® Land Institute.
Prior to joining Jon Kohler & Associates, Walter Hatchett served for 30 years as a land manager to several of the south’s most esteemed properties, including Rock Creek. As a former property manager himself, and a consistently ranked “Top Sales Producer” nationwide and achieved “APEX Top 20 Land Broker” multiple times, Walter has a keen eye for the best in habitat management.
With Madison County roots, Lori grew up on her family farm at Pettis Springs along the historic Aucilla River. A love of the land was instilled in Lori very early on by her father who was a local farmer. Lori understands the importance of good land stewardship and has witnessed first-hand how her own father, a former 2-term member of the Florida House of Representatives whose district encompassed many rural counties of the Red Hills Plantation Region, with a little bit of sweat equity, so lovingly worked their own family land. These are core values she carries with her today, and nothing gives her more personal satisfaction than to represent some of the south’s best land stewards.
Hailing from a long line of outdoorsmen, Tim learned a great deal from his father and grandfather. He saw first-hand what it means to be a good land steward. He believes land is so much more than a place to hunt, fish, and grow timber or crops. “It’s an identity, a resting place, a safe haven and a way of life, said Tim.” Tim’s family ties to Alabama run deep. During his grandfather’s first term, Governor James was responsible for signing into law Alabama’s first state duck stamp which helped to ensure funding for the procurement, development, and preservation of wetlands for migratory waterfowl habitat. He also established Alabama’s lifetime hunting license, so it is no surprise that Tim is an avid outdoorsman with a keen eye as to how best to improve habitat for the greater good of its wildlife.
Jason has been assisting landowners for the last 28 years in Georgia and South Carolina obtain achievements the owners did not realize were possible. His degree in Biology from Georgia Southern stemmed from the desire to know how things in nature work. His plantation roots began at just 16 years old outside of Albany, GA and the last 20 years were spent in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. His entire career has been spent developing a global approach to plantation management. That plan included sales. Sales is in Jason’s blood- his mom had a 45-year career as a real estate broker. After college, he chose to pursue his passion of making properties great. In 2011, Jason sold his first plantation. Since then, he has assisted buyers and sellers with over $20 million in sales while most of that time working as a full-time General Manager of a large Lowcountry plantation. Today, he is committed to using his unique skill set and experience to guide landowners through the many challenges of plantation ownership.