Five-Bedroom Ranch Home on 2.18 Acres with Pool and Two-Car Garage – Fountain, FL – $299,900

Property Overview

Welcome to 18738 Highway 231 in Fountain, Florida, a spacious single-family ranch home set on approximately 2.18 acres. The one-story residence offers five bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and 3,367 square feet of interior living space, with a flexible bonus area that can serve as a home office, playroom, media room, or guest space.

The home combines established character with substantial recent improvements. Hardwood flooring extends through most of the interior, while the kitchen has been refreshed with quartz countertops installed in 2024. Additional updates include a 2024 metal roof, new insulation throughout the home, energy-efficient windows installed in 2022, a five-ton HVAC system that is approximately two years old, and a tankless water heater.

Outside, the 2.18-acre parcel provides room for gardening, outdoor activities, recreational vehicles, and entertaining. An above-ground private pool, attached two-car garage, detached storage building, and Generac generator plug-in add practical functionality to the property. A 4-Point Inspection was completed in February 2024.

Property Features

Interior & Improvements

The interior features hardwood flooring throughout most of the home and a main-level primary bedroom. The kitchen received new quartz countertops in 2024. Energy and mechanical improvements include new insulation throughout, energy-efficient windows installed in 2022, a five-ton HVAC system approximately two years old, and a tankless water heater.

The home also includes a Generac generator plug-in for connection to a portable generator. A 4-Point Inspection completed in February 2024 provides additional documentation of the home’s maintenance condition.

Exterior, Land & Parking

The property encompasses approximately 2.18 acres, with recorded dimensions of approximately 239 feet by 398 feet. The expansive parcel offers substantial outdoor space around the one-story residence.

Exterior features include a private above-ground pool, attached two-car garage, detached storage building, and space suitable for a range of outdoor uses. The 2024 metal roof is among the home’s major recent improvements.

Location & Community

Located in Fountain in Bay County, the property sits along U.S. Highway 231. Bay County had an estimated population of 204,479 as of July 1, 2025, with 115,291 housing units and a 66.8% owner-occupied housing rate for 2020–2024. The county’s 2020–2024 median value of owner-occupied housing units was $310,500.

Safety & Crime

For county-level context, FBI-reported 2024 data compiled from participating Bay County law-enforcement agencies recorded 605 violent-crime offenses and 2,372 property-crime offenses, along with one reported arson. The reported offense categories included 6 murders and non-negligent manslaughters, 66 rapes, 22 robberies, 511 aggravated assaults, 422 burglaries, 1,826 larceny-thefts, and 124 motor-vehicle thefts.

These figures describe reported county-level offenses from participating agencies and should not be interpreted as measurements of conditions at the property itself. FDLE notes that Florida’s transition from summary reporting to incident-based reporting affects how crime information is collected and presented.

Schools & Education

Nearby and regional schools associated with Fountain-area property searches include Waller Elementary School, Merritt Brown Middle School, and Deane Bozeman School. Waller Elementary serves grades K–5, Merritt Brown Middle School serves middle-school students, and Deane Bozeman School serves grades K–12.

School proximity does not by itself establish enrollment eligibility or attendance assignment for this address. Buyers should verify current attendance boundaries and enrollment requirements directly with Bay District Schools before making school-related decisions.

Healthcare & Hospitals

Healthcare services for the broader Fountain area are available in nearby communities, including Panama City. Ascension Sacred Heart Bay Hospital in Panama City provides 24-hour emergency care and operates as a Level II Trauma Center, with specialty and diagnostic services available on campus.

Housing Market History

For a consistent historical comparison, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s All-Transactions House Price Index for Bay County is shown below. The series uses an index where 2000 equals 100 and combines sales-price and appraisal information. It is a measure of county-level single-family home-price movement rather than a valuation of this individual property.

From 2021 through 2025, the Bay County index increased approximately 33.2%. This historical series is descriptive and does not predict future property values.

Transportation & Access

The property is located directly on U.S. Highway 231, providing a principal north-south road connection through Bay County. Florida Department of Transportation identifies the Bay County portion of U.S. 231 as Allan Bense Highway.

Regional air service is available through Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in Panama City. The airport is owned and operated by the Panama City-Bay County Airport and Industrial District and provides scheduled commercial airline service.

Shopping & Everyday Services

Fountain provides basic everyday services within the local community. Local listings include grocery and convenience shopping along Highway 231, Dollar General locations, a local hardware store, and the Fountain Post Office on Silver Lake Road. Additional restaurants, shopping, and services are available throughout the broader Bay County area.

Parks & Recreation

Outdoor recreation is a significant feature of the surrounding Northwest Florida region. The Econfina Creek Wildlife Management Area spans more than 41,000 acres across Washington and Bay counties and offers activities including hiking, fishing, paddling, horseback riding, swimming, camping, birding, and wildlife viewing. The Florida National Scenic Trail also includes a 14-mile segment through the management area.

The Econfina Creek paddling system includes a designated canoe trail with access points along the creek, including an access point shown near Fountain on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s paddling-trail guide.

Utilities & Connectivity

Utility service should be confirmed for the individual property because rural-area availability can vary by address. The FCC National Broadband Map allows buyers to enter a specific address and review reported internet providers, technologies, and advertised speeds at that location.

The property-specific features include a tankless water heater and a Generac generator plug-in. The available property information does not establish the property’s water, sewer, septic, electric-service provider, or waste-service arrangements, so those items should be verified during due diligence.

Development & Planning

Washington County’s Planning Department maintains the county’s Comprehensive Plan, Future Land Use Map, Land Development Code, and information concerning subdivisions under review. Because this property is in Bay County, county-level development questions for the property should instead be directed to the appropriate Bay County planning and land-use authorities. Current project status should be verified before relying on any proposed or pending development information.

Bay County planning information and current development records should be reviewed separately from general regional growth information. No specific pending development has been identified here as being associated with this parcel.

Property Summary