THE MATTHEWS FAMILY TOWNHOME
1323 Ravens Run East, Miramar Beach, FL 32459
Our Phone Number for Questions: 812-987-8824


Welcome - Arriving from the West - Arriving from the North - Setting Up - What to Do
- Tour the Townhome (Pix) - See Sandestin Resort (Pix) - Places to Eat (Pix) - Did I mention there is a beach? (Pix)
- Churches to try - Favorite Tourist Attractions - Favorite Places for Sunsets




Welcome to the Matthews Family Townhome website. If you are reading this it is probably because we invited you to come stay in our townhome for a wonderful Florida Vacation. We would kindly ask you to read the following to understand a few things we'd like you to know to keep it nice for the whole family for years to come.

1. Cheryl and I purchased this townhome with three primary objectives in mind, and we'd like to share them with you:
     a. We wanted the townhome to be a place she and I could go any time we wanted to so she could enjoy going to Florida and the beach.
     b. We wanted the townhome to be an asset we could share with the members of our family so they could enjoy it too. As a result, it needed to be big enough and have enough facilities for families the size we have. I'm sure we won't ever be able to get the whole family down there at once, but it is big enough that we don't have to restrict it to just four or five people. Nice, huh?
     c. We wanted the townhome to continue to be an appreciable asset. That means we want it to continue to grow in value. Please help us keep it that way.

2. Now, the townhome is not a rental. Actually, our fourth objective was that if we ever wanted to rent it out, we could do so. But we don't plan to use it as a rental real soon. We want to see how just using it by our family goes. As a result, we aren't asking you to pay any rent like you might for lots of the condos and townhomes that are down there. Just take care of it and treat it like you want it to last forever for all of us to enjoy.

3. Because the house is not a rental, we have some general requirements we ask you to consider for all of us to get to enjoy it as much as we can. The good side of renting your townhome down there (and there area LOTS of rentals to be seen), is that a rental management company takes care of coordinating the rentals, cleans the townhome thoroughly between rentals and also manages repairs and lets us know how much those will cost. Because we don't plan on asking for any rent for our townhome, we do ask everyone who uses it to help us do some of those management things and leave it ready for the next members of our family who will be coming down to enjoy it, maybe even real soon after you leave. It isn't real difficult, just different than it would be if you were renting a place. That being said, we'd ask you, before you depart, to:

     a. Wash the sheets on all the beds you used and make them up, ready for the next family members to use them. Hopefully, that isn't anything more than making it look like it did when you got there. There is a very nice, and fairly new washer and drier in the closet in the kitchen/dining room area with detergent there. If we are out, maybe go to WalMart and buy some more. Cheryl and I did purchase an extra set of sheets for every bed in the house. We found it easiest to just put the fresh sheets on each bed and then wash, dry and fold the ones you took off. I might also say that we don't expect anyone to spend half of their departure day cleaning up the townhome. If you clean everything and sleep in the beds once, the night before your departure, I don't think anyone will object at the beds...unless they aren't made or someone got them dirty over night. Let's see how that works.

     b. Please wash all the dishes that were used and put them back in the cabinets for the next visitors. The dishwasher works very well, and if you have kept up with washing dishes in it as you have gone along, it shouldn't be any more of a deal than washing the latest ones you used and putting them away.

     c. Please get rid of any perishable food you can't take with you. The freezer might have had some treats for you to enjoy, but it is small and doesn't hold a whole lot extra. We don't want any unwanted critters enjoying food you left behind. So if it is possible for them to get to it, please either throw it away or take it home with you. This is a good time to remind you that someone comes along and collects those trash bags you use that you tie up and put in front of the bush by the driveway every day between 7 and 10am.

     d. Lastly, please give the rugs/carpets in the townhome a quick vacuum and clean up any sinks, tubs or showers you used one last time. The bottom line is always try to leave the townhome the way you found it (hopefully, that being beautiful) and ready for the next folks coming, like you would want it to be for you. And, hopefully, treat the townhome like it is your home too. It's a "Family Thing" and we want all the family to enjoy it just as much as the last ones did.

     e. We would ask you to turn back on/plug into the lights the three timers we try to leave going off and on while the townhome is empty so it continues to look like someone is there for security. Also, please leave the air conditioning on COOL and the thermostat set at 75 before you depart. That will help me save on utility payments. Please make sure no water is left running and no lights are left on continuously too please. Thanks.




So, welcome to our home in Florida! Next, let's take a look at how to get there. If you are getting to Sandestin from the west, please click on this link:
Approaching from the West

If you are approaching from the North, most of your approach will be along I65. Take a look at this link:
Approaching from the North

OK, OK, if you are approaching from the South, please let us know what time your boat arrives. And from the East, my suggestion is that you use Google Maps to see how to best get to Montgomery, Alabama and then follow the directions above for coming from the North. Have a great vacation! Dave