My family first discovered the Gulf Coast in the early 1950's, and has been living here enjoying it ever since. At that time my grandfather initially purchased waterfront property in Fort Walton Beach, vowing to return and raise his family there after retiring. He kept his promise to himself and the rest is history! In 1970 my grandfather became a real estate broker, beginning his career selling the first condominiums in the area at El Matador, one of the first residential properties built in Northwest Florida. Soon the name Abbott became synonymous with real estate along the Gulf Coast as my father, William W. Abbott, Jr., and uncle Stephen J. Abbott, joined the family business and founded Abbott Realty Services, Incorporated in 1977. With personalized customer service and an unsurpassed work ethic, they built a company employing more than 1,000 people, thus becoming the largest employer in Destin since the mid 1980's.

I grew up enjoying all this coastal community has to offer. After playing baseball in Tallahassee and graduating from Florida State University with a Business Management degree, I pursued a career in yacht sales, as life on the water has always been a passion of mine. The yacht sale industry helped hone my sales skills, so the transition into real estate sales in 2004 was a natural one. I am the third generation of Abbott realtors in this area, and although times have definitely changed since the inception of the Abbott real estate business, the founding principles that guide me tried and true - customer service, knowledge, hard work, and dedication. I found these principles also practiced at Destin Real Estate Company whose market presence as the top luxury real estate brokerage on the Emerald Coast has lead my business there in 2010. I have lived, worked, and loved Florida's Gulf Coast for over 30 years.

• CDPE - Certified Distressed Property Expert