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- 16K Residents
- $612M County GDP
- $37,918 GDP per Capita
Gulf County
Gulf County
Gulf County hugs the Forgotten Coast around Port St. Joe and Wewahitchka. The economy is anchored by tourism, fishing, paper-mill heritage, and a growing vacation-rental market. Hurricane Michael (2018) caused major destruction. Court records run on Civitek OCRS.
Property in Gulf
What every owner, heir, and investor should know.
Owning a home in Gulf.
Gulf is a small coastal market with significant hurricane and flood exposure.
- Florida Homestead Exemption and Save Our Homes apply.
- Tax bills Nov 1; discounts through February; delinquent April 1.
- Wind/flood insurance and Hurricane Michael recovery still drive carrying costs.
- Tax deed redemption to day of sale (Ch. 197, F.S.).
- Foreclosure surplus rights under § 45.032, F.S. (60 days).
Investing in Gulf.
Gulf delivers premium short-term rental opportunity on Cape San Blas and St. Joseph Peninsula.
- Tax deed search at gulf.realtaxdeed.com.
- Court records via Civitek OCRS (county/23).
- Property Appraiser at gulfpa.com.
- Watch for unrepaired Michael damage, coastal setbacks, and septic/well issues.
After a Gulf foreclosure or tax deed sale.
Gulf uses Florida's judicial foreclosure process and runs Ch. 197 tax deed sales online via RealTaxDeed.
- Foreclosures filed in the 14th Judicial Circuit.
- Surplus claim window: 60 days under § 45.032, F.S.
- Tax certificates sold yearly; tax deed application after 2 years.
Courts and records in Gulf.
- Gulf County Courthouse — 1000 Cecil G. Costin Sr. Blvd, Port St. Joe, FL 32456 — 14th Judicial Circuit
- 14th Judicial Circuit (Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Washington)
- First District Court of Appeal — Tallahassee
- Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller — Rebecca Norris — (850) 229-6112 — gulfclerk.com
- Property Appraiser — Mitch Burke — gulfpa.com
- Tax Collector — Port St. Joe
- Sheriff — Mike Harrison — 1000 Cecil G. Costin Sr. Blvd