Holmes County, Florida: A Local Guide for Home Buyers and Homeowners

Bonifay

Bonifay grew up around the railroad built through the area in 1882, when this stretch was known as the Four Hills area, and it’s named for Frank Bonifay, a railroad official. The city credits G. W. Banfill, who came from Wisconsin, as its founder, and he named Waukesha Street after his hometown. That street is now SR 79. The town incorporated in 1886 and became the City of Bonifay in 1921.

The first courthouse went up in 1907, the same year the Holmes County Advertiser started printing, and the paper still works out of its original building on Virginia Avenue. The Waits Mansion is one of the county’s historic landmarks.

US 90 runs through the south side of downtown, about 9 miles east to Chipley and 8 miles west to Caryville, and SR 79 runs about 13 miles north to Esto and 12 miles south to Vernon. City Hall is at 301 J Harvey Etheridge St., and the Property Appraiser and Tax Collector sit side by side on North Waukesha Street.

Ponce de Leon

Ponce de Leon was settled around 1830 and incorporated in 1963. It sits in the valley of Sandy Creek, which flows south to the Choctawhatchee River, and the state park is in the south part of town just north of I-10. The town motto is “Fountain of Youth for Family Fun.”

US 90 runs about 17 miles northeast to Bonifay and 11 miles west to DeFuniak Springs, and SR 81 crosses it in the middle of town.

Esto

Esto is a town incorporated in 1963, about 13 miles north of Bonifay on SR 79, on the way up toward the Alabama line.

Pittman

Pittman, once the county seat under the name Pittman’s Ferry, is home to the historic Keith Cabin.

Westville and Noma

Westville served as county seat before Bonifay and incorporated as a town in 1970. Noma incorporated in 1977, which makes it the county’s newest town.

Holmes County SHIP first-time homebuyer loan

Holmes County SHIP helps first-time buyers with the down payment, closing costs or both. It’s a 0% deferred second mortgage that the county forgives a little each year over its term, and it comes due early only if you sell, transfer the title or stop living there. You need a fixed-rate first mortgage, a homebuyer education class before closing, and no ownership of a home in the past 3 years.

ECRC opens and closes the Holmes SHIP list as money comes in, and the plan sets the award by income level. Call 888-601-8344 before you start shopping and we’ll check with ECRC’s housing staff whether Holmes is taking names and what it’s paying. You can also reach ECRC directly at housing@ecrc.org or 800-226-8914 ext. 206.

ECRC Holmes County SHIP page

SHIP help for current owners

The Holmes plan also funds moderate rehabilitation of owner-occupied homes, emergency repairs, replacement housing when a home can’t be saved, and a disaster grant after a declared disaster.

Those dollars come out of the same pot as purchase help, so they rise and fall with ECRC’s funding. If a roof or storm damage is the reason you’re asking, call or text us at 954-816-8820 and we’ll find out what ECRC can fund for a home in Holmes County.

Holmes County housing plan

Florida Hometown Heroes (statewide)

Under Hometown Heroes, Florida Housing makes a 30-year fixed first mortgage and adds a 0% second toward the down payment and closing costs. There’s no monthly payment on the second, and it’s repaid rather than forgiven, when you sell, refinance or pay off the home, or stop living in it. The first mortgage can be FHA, VA, USDA or Conventional.

At least one of you needs a full-time job with a Florida-based employer in health care, K-12 schools, first response, public safety, the courts or licensed child care, so a teacher with the Holmes District School Board or a deputy with the Sheriff’s Office qualifies. If you’re on active duty, any employer works; if you’re a veteran or in the Reserve or National Guard, any full-time job with a Florida-based employer works.

You only get to use Florida Housing assistance once in a lifetime, and you apply through a participating lender or broker. Call 888-601-8344 first so that one chance goes on the right Holmes County house with the right loan behind it.

Official program page

FL Assist, FL HLP and HFA Preferred (statewide)

FL Assist is a 0% deferred second behind a Florida Housing first mortgage, with no monthly payment, repaid when you sell, refinance, transfer the home or move out. FL HLP works differently, with a small fixed monthly payment spread over 30 years. For a Conventional buyer, HFA Advantage PLUS adds a second behind a Freddie Mac first that’s forgiven over 5 years of living in the home.

Florida Housing sets income and price limits for each county and reserves its money loan by loan. Call us at 888-601-8344 and we’ll check which of these lines up with a Bonifay or Ponce de Leon purchase and whether it can be reserved the week you’re ready.

Official program page

Schools and colleges

The Holmes District School Board runs the public schools from 307 W. North Avenue in Bonifay, 850-547-9341.

Holmes County joined Chipola College’s district when it expanded beyond Calhoun, Jackson and Washington counties. The main campus is at 3094 Indian Circle in Marianna.

Roads

I-10 crosses the southern part of the county, with exit 112 at SR 79 on Bonifay’s south edge. From there it’s 91 miles east to Tallahassee and 105 miles west to Pensacola.

US 90 is the older east-west road through Bonifay and Ponce de Leon. SR 79 and SR 81 run north into Alabama, where they become AL 167 and AL 87, and SR 2 runs east and west closest to the state line.

Ponce de Leon Springs State Park

The park is at 2860 Ponce de Leon Springs Road, and the main spring is about 20 feet deep at the head, with a spring run of about 350 feet. Swim or snorkel in the spring, fish for catfish, largemouth bass, chain pickerel and panfish, or walk the two self-guided trails through hardwood forest. It’s a popular place on hot days, so get there early. Park office: 850-836-4281.

A spring with a Civil War story

A log hotel opened at the spring in 1840. On September 24, 1864, Union troops under Brig. Gen. Alexander Asboth stopped there on their way to the Battle of Marianna, and the hotel was destroyed. The spring is named for Juan Ponce de Leon, and its unofficial nickname is the Fountain of Youth.

Vortex Spring

Vortex Spring, near Ponce de Leon in northern Holmes County, holds a steady 68 degrees and flows about 28 million gallons a day. Divers know it for a cavern entrance at 58 feet.

Holmes Creek landings

The Northwest Florida Water Management District owns land along Holmes Creek and the Choctawhatchee River in Holmes, Washington and Walton counties. Landings such as Bear Hewitt, Bruce Creek, Cotton, Hightower, Live Oak, Seven Runs and Spurling are where people launch canoes and fishing boats, and there’s camping and seasonal hunting too. No alcohol on Holmes Creek, and no ATVs.

Landmarks and history

The Keith Cabin in Pittman and the Waits Mansion in Bonifay are two of the county’s historic landmarks. The Holmes County Public Library is in Bonifay, and WTBB, the county’s first FM station, signed on in 1984.

Buying a home

FHA does most of the work for Holmes County buyers: 3.5% down, workable credit standards, and it fits with SHIP and every state second above. Eligible veterans can use a VA loan with nothing down, and we also close Conventional, Hometown Heroes and FHA 100% financing loans.

We’re a licensed Florida mortgage broker, in business since 1997, lending in all 67 counties statewide from Pensacola to Key West. Your loan goes out to several wholesale lenders, and we’ll give you a firm price range before you tour houses in Bonifay or Ponce de Leon.

Refinancing the home you have

Refinancing can cut your monthly payment, free up cash for a new roof or storm repairs, clear out high-interest debt, or let you buy out a co-owner and take the house in your own name.

Call 888-601-8344 and we’ll put your Holmes County loan next to the refinance options, with the payment, the cash in hand and the closing costs for each.