Franklin County, FL · The Forgotten Coast · Eastern Time Zone

Two markets sharing one coastline — St. George Island's $890K homes and Apalachicola's historic character require the same standard of protection.

Franklin County is the third-least populous county in Florida — fewer than 13,000 permanent residents spread across 535 square miles of some of the most pristine coastline in the southeastern United States. St. George Island attracts wealthy second-home buyers from across the country. Apalachicola draws historians, artists, and retirees to its National Historic Register district. Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and Lanark Village are working communities with deep fishing and maritime roots. All of them face the same Gulf storm exposure. Brannan serves every one of them.

Franklin County in full

A County of Two Real Estate Markets — and One Insurance Crisis That Hits Both

Franklin County is the third-least populous county in Florida — fewer than 13,000 permanent residents spread across one of the most pristine coastlines in the southeastern United States. On the south end, a premium barrier island market where St. George Island averages $890,000 per home and second-home buyers from Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Tampa own properties they visit a handful of weeks each year. On the mainland, the working waterfront communities of Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and Lanark Village — families with deep roots in the county's fishing and maritime economy, now navigating the economic fallout of the Apalachicola Bay oyster industry collapse. Apalachicola's National Historic Register district adds a third layer: Victorian-era homes and early American vernacular buildings that require installations sensitive to historic fabric and preservation standards that most contractors don't know exist.

What ties every corner of this county together is the insurance crisis. Franklin County was specifically named among Florida counties with the highest insurance policy nonrenewal rates following Hurricane Michael. For the St. George Island investor, this means rising premiums on a property worth nearly a million dollars. For the Carrabelle bay cottage owner already stretched thin by the oyster economy's collapse, it means holding on to a policy they can barely afford to keep. A Florida Building Code-compliant installation with a completed wind mitigation report is the most direct mechanism both populations have to demonstrate property hardening and support their coverage situation. That documentation — delivered at every Brannan project completion — is why homeowners across this county's full economic spectrum call us.

Franklin County insurance reality: Franklin County was named among Florida's highest insurance policy nonrenewal counties following Hurricane Michael. In a county where the working communities of Carrabelle and Eastpoint were already financially stressed by the oyster industry collapse, insurance nonrenewal compounds that burden significantly. A documented, permitted, code-compliant installation with a wind mitigation report is one of the only available mechanisms to demonstrate hardening and support retention of existing coverage — for both the $890K island property and the $200K working waterfront cottage.

What Franklin County owners bring to us

The Conversations That Define This Market — From the Island to the Bay

Franklin County's two markets share a coastline and a storm exposure but bring entirely different conversations to Brannan's assessment process. Here are the four we encounter most often across the county.

"We own on St. George Island and live in Atlanta. The house needs to protect itself when we can't get there."

The overwhelming majority of St. George Island property owners are not local. They visit their island homes several weeks a year and rely on property managers or neighbors for everything else. When a storm system enters the Gulf of Mexico, a 36-hour timeline from advisory to landfall leaves no time for a six-hour drive. Roll-down systems that a property manager can deploy without the owner present are not a preference here — they are the only viable protection strategy for a remotely managed barrier island property worth nearly a million dollars.

"Our home is on the Apalachicola National Historic Register. We can't just put any shutters on this building."

Apalachicola's historic district contains some of the most architecturally distinctive homes in Northwest Florida — Victorian-era structures and National Historic Register properties that require careful product selections and mounting approaches that fully respect the building's architectural character. Contractors unfamiliar with historic construction cause permanent damage that neither the homeowner nor the preservation registry takes lightly. We know this district and exactly what it requires.

"Our insurer nonrenewed us after Michael. We can barely find a policy, and we can't afford to lose the one we have."

Franklin County's high insurance nonrenewal rate following Hurricane Michael created a crisis for year-round residents in Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and Lanark Village who were already navigating the economic impact of the oyster industry collapse. Many households are now operating on Citizens coverage or a high-premium private policy with limited options. A wind mitigation report supported by a documented, compliant installation is one of the only available mechanisms to demonstrate hardening and potentially retain or improve their coverage situation.

We've fished this bay for 30 years. The economy is harder than ever. We need this done right and fairly priced.

The Apalachicola Bay oyster industry collapse removed a primary income source from many Franklin County working families who had built their lives around it. The county's working waterfront communities — Carrabelle, Eastpoint, and Lanark Village — are navigating a difficult economic transition. Homeowners here need contractors who give them an honest assessment, a fair proposal, and installations that don't require callbacks. Every dollar spent on home protection has to deliver real value — not a coastal premium on a modest working waterfront property.

Communities across Franklin County

From the Island to the Bay — Every Franklin County Community, One Standard of Work

St George Island, FL 32328, USA

St. George Island

A 28-mile barrier island consistently ranked among America's most beautiful beaches. Nearly entirely composed of second homes and vacation rentals owned by buyers from across the Southeast and beyond. St. George Island properties face maximum Gulf exposure and carry the county's highest wind load requirements. Remote ownership means storm protection must operate independently of the owner's presence. Every installation here requires both coastal-rated products and remote-deployment capability built into the system design from the beginning.

Apalachicola, FL 32320, USA

Apalachicola

The county seat and one of Florida's most intact historic downtowns — a National Historic Register district with Victorian-era commercial buildings and residential homes that draw retirees, artists, and history-conscious buyers from across the country. Installations in Apalachicola require product selections sensitive to historic fabric and mounting approaches appropriate for older construction types. The combination of historic architecture and Gulf storm exposure makes Apalachicola one of the most specific installation contexts on the Forgotten Coast.

Carrabelle, FL 32322, USA

Carrabelle

A small fishing and maritime community at the eastern end of Franklin County. Carrabelle's working character is reflected in its housing stock — modest waterfront and near-waterfront properties owned by families with deep roots in the county's fishing and timber economy. The insurance nonrenewal crisis hit this community particularly hard, creating urgent demand for wind mitigation documentation that supports the few available coverage options for year-round residents navigating a constrained insurance market.

Lanark Village, FL 32322, USA

Eastpoint & Lanark Village

Eastpoint sits across the bay from St. George Island — connected by the Bryant Patton Bridge and serving as the island's mainland gateway. Lanark Village is a small planned community east of Carrabelle with a mix of retirees and year-round residents. Both communities share Apalachicola Bay frontage and the exposure that comes with it. Properties here are more modestly priced than St. George Island but face similar tidal and wind exposure that makes proper, permitted storm protection essential for any homeowner carrying insurance in this county.

Franklin County's insurance crisis makes protection documentation critical.

Named among Florida's highest nonrenewal counties after Michael. Free assessments countywide — virtual consultations, historic district experience, honest working waterfront pricing.

What we install in Franklin County

Coastal protection designed for the Forgotten Coast — from barrier island to working bay.

Here's how Brannan Aluminum serves Franklin County — remote-deployable systems for St. George Island investors in Atlanta, historically sympathetic installations for Apalachicola's National Historic Register homes, and wind mitigation documentation for Carrabelle and Eastpoint homeowners navigating one of Florida's most challenging insurance markets.

Franklin County's insurance landscape changes everything

In a County With High Nonrenewal Rates, Protection Documentation Is Not Optional

Franklin County was named among Florida's highest insurance nonrenewal counties after Michael. For both the St. George Island second-home investor and the Carrabelle year-round resident, the stakes of proper documentation are higher here than in most Florida coastal counties.

✔ Properly protected with documentation

St. George Island: remote deployment ready — property manager secures the house from anywhere before landfall

Wind mitigation report supports the strongest possible position with an insurer that has nonrenewal history in this county

Apalachicola historic homes protected with product and mounting choices that respect the building's registered character

Carrabelle and Eastpoint working families have the documentation needed to maintain what limited coverage they have

Screen systems making the Forgotten Coast's spectacular outdoor evenings genuinely usable through the season

✖ Unprotected in a high-nonrenewal county

St. George Island owners watching the weather from six hours away with no way to secure an $890K property

No wind mitigation documentation — in a county with high nonrenewal rates, this accelerates the path to Citizens

Historic Apalachicola buildings exposed to Gulf storms with no protection — and uninsurable damage to registered facades

Working waterfront families with the county's most constrained insurance options and no mitigation offset

Outdoor living on one of America's most beautiful coastlines — unused from May through October because of insects

How we work in Franklin County

One Process Built for Both Ends of Franklin County's Real Estate Spectrum

Whether you're protecting an $890K island property or a $200K Carrabelle home, the process begins the same way — with an honest assessment of what your specific property needs.

Virtual or in-person — remote owners fully accommodated

St. George Island and Apalachicola owners who live out of state receive virtual walkthrough assessments via video call. We coordinate with your property manager for on-site measurements and leave written assessment results that don't require your physical presence to proceed.

A proposal matched to your property's character and exposure

St. George Island gets coastal wind load specs and remote deployment capability. Apalachicola historic homes get preservation-reviewed product and mounting choices. Carrabelle and Eastpoint proposals are built around honest budget priorities. No single package fits this entire county.

Permitted installation with full insurance documentation

We manage Franklin County permits from filing through inspection. Every project includes the wind mitigation documentation package that Franklin County homeowners navigating this market's insurance challenges need — delivered at completion, organized for direct submission to your insurer.

Franklin County's insurance crisis makes protection documentation critical.

Named among Florida's highest nonrenewal counties after Michael. Free assessments countywide — virtual consultations, historic district experience, honest working waterfront pricing.

From St. George Island to Apalachicola to Carrabelle

What Franklin County Property Owners Say About Working With Brannan

Questions from across the Forgotten Coast

What Franklin County Property Owners Ask Before They Call

We own on St. George Island and live out of state. Can shutters be deployed without us or a trip to the island?

Yes — remote deployment capability is the foundational requirement for virtually every St. George Island installation we complete. Motorized roll-down systems can be deployed by your property manager, a trusted neighbor, or remotely operated without the owner's physical presence. We walk your property manager through the full operation at installation completion and leave clear on-site instructions. For an $890K island property on a barrier island facing the Gulf with a 36-hour storm advisory window, this is the only protection approach that actually makes sense.

Our Apalachicola home is on the National Historic Register. Does Brannan have experience with historic installation requirements?

Yes. Apalachicola's historic district is one of the most architecturally specific installation contexts we work in. Before proposing any product for a National Historic Register or historic district property, we review the property's specific preservation guidelines and select mounting approaches that comply with the district's standards. We have completed installations on historic properties in Apalachicola and understand what the preservation office and your insurer both need to see from a compliant installation on a registered building.

Franklin County was listed as having high insurance nonrenewal rates. Will a Brannan installation actually help with that?

A Florida Building Code-compliant installation with a completed wind mitigation report gives your insurer documented evidence of property hardening. In a county specifically identified for high nonrenewal rates, this documentation is one of the few mechanisms available to demonstrate improved insurability and potentially retain or reduce premium on existing coverage. It does not guarantee a policy outcome — but it removes a primary basis on which carriers justify nonrenewal or high-risk rating for coastal Florida properties.

Franklin County is on Eastern Time while the rest of the Panhandle is Central. Does that affect how you schedule service here?

We're aware of the time zone difference and account for it in all scheduling, permit filing coordination, and inspection appointments. Franklin County operates on Eastern Time — an hour ahead of the rest of the Panhandle — which affects county building department hours and inspection windows. Our Franklin County service scheduling is built around Eastern Time from the first appointment to the final permit inspection, with no confusion passed on to the homeowner.

Complete Franklin County coverage

Communities We Serve Along the Forgotten Coast

All communities listed below are within our Franklin County service area. We serve every community from St. George Island to Carrabelle and the communities in between.

Communities, Neighborhoods & Zip Codes in Franklin County

St. George Island · Apalachicola · Carrabelle · Eastpoint · Lanark Village · Alligator Point · Carabelle Beach · St. James Island · Money Bayou · Indian Pass

Zip codes served in Franklin County: 32320 · 32322 · 32323 · 32328

Franklin County, FL, USA

Franklin County's insurance crisis makes protection documentation critical.

Named among Florida's highest nonrenewal counties after Michael. Free assessments countywide — virtual consultations, historic district experience, honest working waterfront pricing.