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Dream Destin Realty

Destin · Condo Building

Emerald Towers Condos for Sale

A gated gulf-front condominium on US Highway 98 in central Destin: one 15-story tower holding 82 county-recorded residences that run from studios through three bedroom plans, with a seasonally heated pool on the Gulf side, tennis courts, and a fitness center.

Ask About Emerald TowersMarket AnalyticsAll Destin Buildings

Yes

Gulf Front

Guest rating

4.7 out of 5

From 1,815 guest reviews on Airbnb and Vrbo

Across 39 rental listings with guest reviews in this building

  • Airbnb 4.7
  • Vrbo 4.8
See what guests rate

About Emerald Towers

Emerald Towers stands in central Destin by the county property appraiser's own area grouping, a single gated beachfront tower rather than a multi-building resort, addressed at 1044 Highway 98 East by the county's own addressing file. The county records 82 residences on the parcel and dates the structure to 1983, which places it among the earlier high-rises on this stretch of beach, and the association's management partner reports that the exterior has recently been completely renovated. Height comes off the same county file rather than off a brochure: every one of the 83 address records tied to this parcel reads 1044 Highway 98 East, and the 82 that carry a level spread over fifteen of them, four on the ground level, six on each of the twelve above it, and three on each of the top two. Those fifteen floors carry a plan range wider than the residence count suggests, running from studio layouts through two and three bedroom plans, the larger of which the same manager describes with fully equipped kitchens, in-unit laundry, and private balconies overlooking the Gulf. The shared plant is short and clearly stated: a seasonally heated pool with Gulf views, a fitness center, and tennis courts. Court and deck availability can move with renovation work, so confirm what is actually open for the season you care about rather than assuming the published list is current. Because the county dates this building to 1983, the current structural inspection record, the reserve study, and the association's own budget belong at the front of the diligence file.

HOA & Fees

What is the HOA fee at Emerald Towers?

No Emerald Towers condo is for sale right now. On the 2 Emerald Towers condos sold between April 2026 and May 2026 whose MLS records state a fee, the HOA fee was $697 a month. Fees vary with unit size and type, so the fee for a specific residence is the one its listing and the association state.

Fees billed quarterly, twice a year or yearly are shown as a monthly equivalent. Based on information from ECAR for the period April 22, 2026 through May 31, 2026. See the listings

Emerald Towers carries its shared costs across 82 residences by the county's platted count, a much smaller base than the several-hundred-unit towers nearby, so a head-to-head dues comparison against those buildings compares two different arithmetics. What the assessment costs is not publicly stated: the association's management partner keeps board information and budgets behind an owner portal. What it covers is a different question and it is answerable, because that same partner posts the articles, the bylaws, the amended and restated declaration and the recorded amendments openly. Request the current budget, the insurance summary in force, the reserve study, and the structural inspection record for a building the county dates to 1983, and let those documents set your carrying-cost expectations.

Rental Policy

Short-term rentals: not yet confirmed for this building.

Rentals do happen at Emerald Towers. The association's management company describes studio, two-bedroom and three-bedroom rentals across the tower, and licensed managers list whole units. That shows activity, not the rule. The rule is easy to find. The management company posts the amended and restated Emerald Towers declaration and its recorded amendments for anyone to read. The leasing article in that document governs. Read it in full. Ask which rules are in force now. Confirm city registration for the unit.

What guests say about staying here

Combined Airbnb and Vrbo ratings for the vacation rentals in Emerald Towers.

4.7 out of 5

1,815 reviews across 39 reviewed listings

  • Airbnb 4.7 from 238 reviews on 14 reviewed listings
  • Vrbo 4.8 from 1,577 reviews on 25 reviewed listings

What Airbnb guests rate

  • Cleanliness4.7
  • Accuracy4.8
  • Check-in4.9
  • Communication4.8
  • Location4.9
  • Value4.6

Guests rate the location highest.

These ratings describe the vacation rentals in this building, not any one unit for sale.

Market data by Key Data · 36 units tracked in this building · Nov 2025 to Nov 2026

  • Direct gulf frontage
  • Seasonally heated pool with Gulf views
  • Fitness center
  • Tennis courts
  • Gated entry

Live Inventory

Active Listings at Emerald Towers

No units are actively listed at Emerald Towers right now. Inventory in a single building turns over slowly, so an empty result here is normal rather than a sign the market has stopped.

Building Answers

Emerald Towers FAQ

How much is the HOA fee at Emerald Towers?

No Emerald Towers condo is for sale right now. On the 2 Emerald Towers condos sold between April 2026 and May 2026 whose MLS records state a fee, the HOA fee was $697 a month. Fees vary with unit size and type, so the fee for a specific residence is the one its listing and the association state. Fees billed quarterly, twice a year or yearly are shown as a monthly equivalent. Based on information from ECAR for the period April 22, 2026 through May 31, 2026.

Where does Emerald Towers sit in Destin?

At 1044 Highway 98 East, on parcel 00-2S-22-1011. The county's addressing file gives that street number on all 83 records tied to the parcel, which settles the address from an agency source rather than from a resort description. The parcel sits on the beach side of the highway, and it is the county's own area grouping that places it in central Destin. For the unit number and floor of a specific residence, work from the listing and the county record together.

How big is Emerald Towers compared with its neighbors?

The county property appraiser records 82 residences across 15 floors here. On the same county list, Pelican Beach Resort carries 339 units, SunDestin International 279, Sterling Shores 160, and Jade East Towers 88, so this is one of the smaller high-rise counts in central Destin. SunDestin is worth a note if you go looking for it yourself, because the county files it under its recorded name rather than the one on the building: search SunDestin Internatl and the 279 splits across two spellings of it. What that means for dues, reserves, and common-area wear is a question for the association's current budget and reserve study, not for the unit count on its own.

Does Emerald Towers front the gulf directly?

Yes, and now on an agency record rather than only a brand description: the county's own water body layer confirms this parcel meets the Gulf of America at its boundary. The association's management partner agrees from the other direction, describing a gated beachfront condominium with private balconies overlooking the Gulf of Mexico and a seasonally heated pool with Gulf views on the property.

Sources

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