The Grayton Beach House, with a 130-year history, hit the market in Florida.
Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty listed 10 Hotz Avenue, a 19th-century home intertwined with the origins and history of Grayton Beach near Santa Rosa Beach in the Florida Panhandle.
Long before Scenic Highway 30A became synonymous with Florida’s Gulf Coast, 10 Hotz Avenue was already part of the story of Grayton Beach. Dating to the 1890s and closely connected to Charles T. Gray, the community’s namesake, the landmark residence known today as The Grayton House was listed for $10.75 million by Michael Tounge of Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty.
More than 130 years later, the home remains a physical connection to the small coastal settlement that grew into one of northwest Florida’s most distinctive communities. Historical accounts identify the structure as one of Grayton Beach’s earliest recorded buildings and its last surviving 19th-century residence. Over the decades, it has weathered hurricanes, changing ownership and the remarkable transformation of the community around it.
That history includes survival against extraordinary odds. The house was knocked from its foundation during the hurricane of 1926 yet remained standing. During World War II, it served as quarters for members of the U.S. Coast Guard who patrolled the beaches on horseback as part of coastal defense efforts.
Today, The Grayton House represents a meeting of preservation and reinvention. A substantial reconstruction and expansion completed in 2022 retained the historic structure while bringing the residence to modern building standards and expanding it from approximately 2,200 square feet to 6,225 square feet of interior living space. The home now includes six king bedrooms, a seventh bedroom with built-in bunk beds, eight bathrooms and a game room, while preserving architectural elements and references to its past.
“Properties along 30A are often described as unique, but 10 Hotz Avenue truly exists in a category of its own,” global real estate advisor Michael Tounge said. “You are not simply buying a home in Grayton Beach; you are becoming the next steward of a place that has been part of Grayton’s story for well over a century. The fact that this history has survived while the home has been thoughtfully adapted for the way people live today makes this an extraordinary offering.”
Rooted in the heart of Grayton Beach, with origins dating to the 1890s, the storied residence was thoughtfully reconstructed and expanded in 2022 for modern coastal living. Architectural design by Gregory D. Jazayeri, interiors by Tami Owen of Owen Group Interiors, and reconstruction led by Daniel Brock transformed the historic home while honoring its original character. More than 3,000 square feet of outdoor entertaining space takes advantage of the prominent corner setting, while expansive porches carry forward an architectural tradition long associated with the property.
Set on approximately 0.27 acres, the home sits in the heart of Old Grayton Beach, within walking distance of Chiringo, The Red Bar, the beach, and the eclectic collection of restaurants, shops and gathering places that define the community of Grayton Beach.
Despite its prominent place in local history, the property has changed hands remarkably few times. Only six families have owned the home during its approximately 127-year history, reinforcing its status as a legacy property rather than simply another coastal residence.
“Grayton Beach has changed tremendously, but there are certain places that carry the memory of what came before,” Tounge said. “This house has watched the community grow up around it. Preserving that connection while creating a residence capable of carrying the property into its next century is what makes 10 Hotz Avenue so compelling.”
The $10.75 million offering gives the next owner something increasingly difficult to replicate along Scenic Highway 30A: not simply a home with proximity to the beach, water views and substantial living space, but an opportunity to become part of Grayton Beach’s continuing history.
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