Baldwin County is one of the fastest-growing counties in Alabama — and right now there's a document on the county website that shapes land use, roads, infrastructure, and open space for years, open for public comment before the fall votes. In this episode I break down what the Draft Master Plan 2026 actually is, why a land-use plan touches your street more directly than it sounds, and how a handful of residents who speak up carry outsized weight. I also point you toward a free community program, 'Building Baldwin County: Balancing Real Estate, Growth and Community,' on Aug. 13 at the USA by the Bay Auditorium in downtown Fairhope with Dr. Grayson Glaze of the University of South Alabama. Whether you're planted here for good or researching a move to the Gulf Coast, this is the quiet stuff that shapes the rest.

Questions about buying or selling as the county grows?

Reach Katie Ragland, Realtor® · Real Broker, LLC at 256-366-6974.

More resources: linktr.ee/katieraglandrealtor

Foley, Alabama is growing, and most people are watching the biggest projects on the board — the indoor aquatic center, the Wolf Creek Park boardwalk, the 99-acre Magnolia Walk development. Katie has covered each of those in earlier content, so this episode goes the other direction. She walks through the quieter changes that actually shape daily life: the new 40,000-square-foot public library opening August 4 on East Orange Avenue, Half Shell Oyster House opening in the historic Foley Bakery building downtown, and Foley Main Street's new Friends of Downtown Foley giving program. Along the way, she shares the framework she uses with relocating clients for reading whether a growing town is becoming a place you'd actually want to stay — not just a place spending money. If you're considering a move to Foley or anywhere along the Alabama and Florida Gulf Coast, this is the honest version of what growth looks like. Questions or want to talk through a move? Call or text Katie at 256-366-6974.

Full Gulf Coast Hurricane Preparedness Guide: https://www.katieragland.realtor/blog/ready-not-rattled-a-gulf-coast-hurricane-preparedness-guide-for-baldwin-county

Download the PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/14q3eer0aI8FtLKWVGf5CocRvCBBTLy1y/view?usp=sharing

Check your evacuation zone: alertbaldwin.com

Baldwin County EMA app: free on iPhone and Android

I've lived through Gulf Coast hurricane seasons, including Hurricane Sally, and I know what it feels like to watch a storm approach and wonder if you've done enough to prepare. I put this guide together so my neighbors have everything in one place before they need it. When you're ready for a REALTOR® who treats your home and your community like they matter, I'd love to be your person.

Katie Ragland | Real Broker, LLC

Associate Broker, Alabama | REALTOR®, Florida

256-366-6974 | [email protected] | linktr.ee/katieraglandrealtor

Katie gets personal in this episode — talking about what exotic animal training, a decade of massage therapy, a wrist injury, a boot and crutches, and a colleague's well-timed nudge all had to do with her becoming a real estate agent at 40. This one is specifically for two people: someone considering real estate as a second (or third) career, and someone early in their agent journey who's already starting to feel the burn. The through-line: as your expertise grows, your income should not shrink.

Buying a home from out of state is totally doable—if you stop trying to “wing it” and start using a real plan. In this episode, I break down the step-by-step process that helps relocating buyers stay confident, avoid expensive surprises, and make smart decisions from a distance.

Key takeaways:

• How to build a timeline that reduces stress fast

• What a good virtual tour should actually include

• Why inspections and insurance questions can’t wait until the end

• How remote closings work (and what to watch for)

Compass and Anywhere just combined in a $1.6B deal—big industry news, but what does it mean for real people buying or selling a home? In this episode, Katie breaks down what likely won’t change (the fundamentals) and what could change (marketing choices, listing visibility, and how tech shows up in your experience).

Key takeaways:

• Why “everywhere” is not a marketing plan

• What questions to ask your agent right now

• How to stay calm and focused when the industry gets loud

Remodeling sentiment finished 2025 stronger — and that’s a clue that more homeowners are choosing to improve what they have instead of selling. In this episode, Katie breaks down what that can mean for Gulf Coast buyers and sellers, how it may affect inventory, and a simple, no-BS framework for deciding whether you should remodel, sell, or stay put.

Key takeaways:

• What the Remodeling Market Index actually tells you

• Why remodeling can tighten inventory now

• A simple “timeline filter” for remodel vs. sell decisions

• How buyers can find opportunity in “solid but dated” homes

Gulf Shores is making moves — and not just the “traffic shifted again” kind. In this episode, Katie breaks down the newest updates: the new Highway 59 pedestrian crossing, Waterway Village’s upcoming pedestrian plaza upgrades, and where ALDOT stands on the Intracoastal Waterway Bridge and SR-161 Connector.

Key Takeaways:

• Where the new Hwy 59 crossing is and what it includes

• What’s planned for Waterway Village’s new pedestrian plazas

• What ALDOT’s progress update means for traffic patterns

• A quick local calendar add: Junior City Council Spring Market (March 28)

Relocating to the Gulf Coast? The beach is amazing—but the real “this feels like home” moment usually comes from local traditions. In this episode, Katie breaks down the parades, seafood festivals, markets, Friday-night rhythms, and Blue Angels days that help new locals plug in fast—without trying too hard.

Key takeaways:

• The beach is the backdrop; community rhythm makes it home

• Big seasonal events help you understand local culture quickly

• Weekly markets and small events are where you actually connect

• A simple 60-day plan to feel settled faster

You ever get your weekend plans locked in… and then the weather says, “Cute.”
Today I’m giving you the quick update on OWA’s Arts & Crafts Festival being rescheduled — plus a few tips so you actually enjoy it and don’t end up standing in a parking lot wondering where everybody is.