The type of home you can afford depends greatly on your financial obligations and your income. There are a lot of great tools online that will give you an idea of what you can afford, but the only way to know for sure is to meet up with a lender and go through the pre-qualification process. Doing this before starting a home search will ensure you don’t go out and find a perfect home, only to learn later that you can’t actually afford it. Additionally, a pre-approval makes your offer a lot stronger in the eyes of a seller. 

Once you’ve been pre-qualified, you need to start thinking about how you’re going to go about selling. Can you sell your current home and buy a new one at the same time? Obviously, the goal is only to move once, but making it happen is a tightrope walk. If you go ahead and purchase a home before you’ve sold your current one, you may over-extend your finances and put yourself in a tight spot. The other option is to sell first, but then you have to find a place to rent until you find a new home. Of course, you always have the option to put a moving contingency in your offer, but often sellers are not drawn to those types of offers.

A question that comes up a lot has to do with how many homes should be viewed before putting in an offer. Obviously, every buyer is a little different, but the average home buyer looks at about five homes before making a decision. The key is understanding what your needs and wants are, and also sharing that information with your agent. 

Once you’ve found the perfect house and your offer has been accepted, it’s important to get a home inspection. You have a right to a 10-day period where a professional will come out and take a look at all the major aspects of the home to take note of any defects. Buying a home is one of the largest, if not the largest, purchases you’ll make in your life, so the least you can do is invest a little bit of money in a home inspection.

Today, we have our listing specialist with us to answer some common questions that home sellers have in Orange Beach.

How much needs to be done before listing a home? A lot of sellers have anxiety about this, but really a home just needs to be cleaned, organized, and staged. The best thing that you can do is get the opinion of a Realtor to tell you what might need to be done to the home to sell for top dollar.

How long will it take my home to sell? This depends on a number of things. The condition of your home, your neighborhood, and your asking price will all be major factors in how quickly you sell. Nationally, the average is 100 days.

How much is my home worth? On average, the median home price is $228,000. But again, your home price will vary according to your area and the condition that it is in. A real estate agent can run a comparative market analysis in order to gauge your home’s market value.

What is the agent’s commission? On average, an agent will take home 4-6% of the sale price. This is usually split with the buyer’s agent. We recommend interviewing several different agents to see what they will do to get your home sold. An agent with a strong marketing plan is essential in today’s market.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you!

The spring selling season is upon us, and buyers are out searching for good homes in Orange Beach and the Gulf Shores. We’ve done some research, and we have found that buyers are looking for a specific type of property right now.

Buyers are looking for 2 and 3 bedroom condos right now. There are not many of these available currently and buyers are waiting in line to see them once they become available.

Demand is sky-high for these properties, so if you know anyone that owns one or wants to sell one, please get them in touch with us. It could be a very lucrative time to sell.

We look forward to hearing from you!

 If you’re planning on selling this spring, there are a few things you need to take care of before you list your home. Here are the top three tips to help you accomplish your selling goals:

Amp up curb appeal. Any change in seasons brings an opportunity to refresh the curb appeal of a house and make it feel more inviting.

Fix it and don’t forget it. Be proactive and take this opportunity to make easy fixes that you know are going to come up during a home inspection.

Market like you mean it. With the influx of new listings that come on the market each spring, you need to make every effort to make your home stand out among the competition!

If you have questions about how you can get the best possible results when selling this spring, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re always available to lend a hand.  

Today we are going to talk about why you need to hire a real estate professional if you’re thinking of buying or selling in Gulf Shores. Here are 5 important reasons why:

1. Paperwork. An agent can help with filling out all the paperwork and disclosures necessary in today’s heavily regulated environment.

2. Experience. Agents are well educated and experienced with the entire home buying and selling process.

3. Negotiations. They act as a buffer with all parties throughout the transaction

4. Pricing. They help you understand today’s values when seeing the price of a listing, or sifting through multiple offers.

5. Understanding current market conditions. Real estate agents simply and effectively can explain today’s real estate headlines and decipher what they mean for you and your home buying and selling goals.

If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!

Homeownership is an amazing opportunity to begin growing wealth and securing a brighter future for yourself and your family. Today, we have four very simple reasons why you should buy a home rather than rent.

You can protect yourself from rising rent prices.

It’s much more affordable to pay down a mortgage, and you’re also investing in your own wealth when you’re paying your mortgage.

You need to know your options. Many people have the ability to buy a home, but they just don’t realize it.

Don’t get caught in the renter’s trap where you cannot save enough money or build enough credit to purchase a home.

This year is going to be a great year to purchase a home. Rising interest rates are going to be pushing a lot of buyers out onto the market, so get an early start before it gets busy this spring!

The first is Bella Luna, which is a fantastic bay-front complex. This was built in 2006 and offers top of the line amenities including three outdoor pools. These units range in price from $480K to $1.4M.

White Caps is another hot condominium complex. This sits on the Gulf Coast and offers amazing views while also being located nearby shops and restaurants. These range in price from $370K to $445K.

Phoenix East has also been getting a lot of attention lately. This may be because of the extraordinary views of Perdido Pass and the Gulf of Mexico. This complex was built in 1995 with reinforced concrete and stucco. There are pools, tennis courts, game rooms, and more. Prices are quite affordable, too, ranging from $280K to $359K.

Thanks for watching, and if you have any questions whatsoever, please don't hesitate to contact me. Now is a great time to enter the real estate market!

If you need help financing and need a good lender, please ask me to refer you to one.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report

Today, we will discuss the most popular condominium complexes in Gulf Shores.

First of all, the Colonades is an exquisite complex with fantastic amenities. There's even a library to accommodate all of your beach and poolside reading. The Gulf State Park and Gulf Shores Pier are a short walk away, as are great restaurants and shopping. Enjoy the breathtaking views from your balcony overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, and the miles of white sandy beaches. The Colonades's prices range from $565,000 to $1.2 million.

Another excellent choice is the Lighthouse. The Lighthouse is considered to be one of the most popular complexes and is located in the heart of Gulf Shores. In addition to its great location, the Lighthouse offers some great amenities for owners and renters. Prices range from $370,000 to $499,000.

Finally, there's Crystal Tower. Crystal Tower is located on the lagoon side of West Beach Boulevard, and there is a skywalk to bring you to the beach. Built in 2006, this complex has 20 stories and 170 units. The amenities are fantastic! Relax in the pool's lazy river, or the media room. The only thing missing is you. Prices range from $294,500 to $349,000.

If you have any questions on today's video or about real estate in general, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be happy to help you!

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report

What are the three hottest subdivisions in the Gulf Shores this week?

Number one is the Peninsula subdivision, which is a premier golf and tennis community with six custom home neighborhoods. Manicured lawns and protected nature preserves make this a perfect place anyone who enjoys the outdoors. Prices range from $279K to $899K.

Craft Farms is another golf community that features custom-built homes. This neighborhood is spread around two golf courses that were designed by Arnold Palmer! Pools, clubhouses, and tennis courts are only a few of the amenities that you'll find here. Prices range from $250K to $675K.

Martyn Woods is a custom-home neighborhood within city limits that is still only 10 minutes away from the Gulf. There are over 20 acres of nature preserve, and there is also access to the river. Prices range from $290K to $598K.

Thanks for watching, and if you have any questions whatsoever, please don't hesitate to contact me. Now is a great time to enter the real estate market!

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search
Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Value Report

Today I'd like to speak about condo sales, and I'd specifically like to focus on the areas where we're seeing a lot of people buying condos.

One of the hottest places for condos right now is Sanibel, which is an 18-story complex that is located on the North side of West Beach Boulevard. The unit was built in 2006 and offers panoramic views from its floor-to-ceiling glass windows. There is an outdoor hot tub and pool, and also an area for outdoor events like barbecues. These units all range in price from $279K to $349K.

Another great condo complex is Crystal Shores West, which offers 2, 3, and 4 bedroom condos with equally amazing views of the Gulf. This is a beachfront property that is located next to shopping outlets, grocery stores, and restaurants. These units range in price from $349K to $850K.

Lastly, The Beach Club consists of four high-rise complexes at Fort Morgan. This is a great option for people who want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and make a short drive to the beach. These come with all the same amenities as Crystal Shores and the Sanibel. The units range in price from $279K to $799K.

These three units are what I would recommend over many others. If you're looking to purchase a condo, please don't hesitate to contact me. If you don't think these three will suit your needs, I can recommend many others to you.