Laketown Wharf

Laketown Wharf is a large resort-style condominium on Panama City Beach — a 765-unit high-rise at 9902 S Thomas Drive, completed in 2007, that functions as much like a vacation resort as a residence. It's best known for its amenity deck: five separate pools (including a kids' pool and a lakeside pool), a quarter-mile lakefront boardwalk, and a nightly fountain-and-light show over the lake that has become a local landmark.

Unlike most buildings in this directory, Laketown Wharf is a rental-friendly community — a large share of its units are used as short-term vacation rentals, which makes it a common choice for investors as well as second-home buyers. Amenities are geared to that: on-site retail and dining at street level, a fitness center, covered parking, and easy beach access across the street rather than a private beachfront (the tower sits on the lake side of Thomas Drive, with deeded beach access).

If you're buying here, weigh the rental economics carefully — occupancy, management fees, and the association's rules on short-term rentals all shape the return. And because it's a resort building, the monthly assessment covers a lot of amenity and is correspondingly higher than a plain residential condo. Confirm the current fee, the rental policy, and reserve status before making an offer; see our buyer's due-diligence checklist and our guide to renting out a Florida condo.