My New Blog

The beautiful sugar white sand beach graces both Orange Beach Alabama and Gulf Shores Alabama. Some families have made Gulf Shores Vacations a family tradition. Today’s Daddy and Mama bring their kids to an Orange Beach Vacation or a Gulf Shores Vacation because their Daddy and Mama brought them to a special Gulf Shores Vacation Home. And their Daddy’s Daddy brought them to Orange Beach for a family vacation. At one time you would see many travel trailers on the island with families enjoying their vacation at the beach.

There are so many options as there are older homes to new condos. You can find a Gulf Shores cottage rental, Orange Beach vacation condo, Gulf Shores vacation rental home, Orange Beach Pet Friendly rentals, Gulf Shores cabin rental, Gulf Shores condos rental, Orange Beach vacation homes and other Orange Beach and Gulf Shores vacation rental by owner. This is a different way to own income producing property. Many families have a Gulf Shores vacation rental home that is rented out to families and groups during the year.  It is an ideal way to be able to spend your week vacation at the beautiful  beach.  Be sure to talk with you CPA about the benefits of owning a vacation rental.  Every trip you make will have some work projects you will need to take care of.

There are “seasons” for a vacation rental in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores. The end of the year through February you will find snow birds all around Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. Some states have snow bird clubs that gather to play card games each week. As the spring arrives so do the spring break renters. You will see families who have spent many months in cold weather here for their Spring Break week. When the summer starts to roll around you will find a Gulf Shores vacation rental house or Orange Beach vacation condos hard to come by. It is smart to make your reservations 6 months in advance. During Spring and Summer you will find Gulf Shores weekly rentals and Orange Beach weekly rentals.  Most of these rentals go Saturday to Saturday.

Here is an example of a Gulf Shores Duplex with a private pool . You will find this Gulf Shores vacation rental on www.HomeAway.com. Here is a pet friendly rental in Gulf Shores Posh Paradise. You can see how the rental rates reflect the high season to the low season. 

Orange Beach and Gulf Shores have maintained a small beach community with a down to earth resort feel. There are amusement parks, a zoo, water park, dolphin cruise, para sailing, scuba diving, outlet mall shopping and so much more.

The beach is pristine. Shells, sand dollars, hermit crabs and other water goodies can be found on the beach.

Now we are seeing a significant down value market with the island properties. Many of these Orange Beach condos and Gulf Shores condos have come to the market via foreclosure or “short sale”. There are great deals to take advantage of here at the beach. Many of my clients are a bit nervous of managing an Orange Beach vacation rental by owner. Or a Gulf Shores vacation rental by owner. You can hire a management company to the tune of 25% to 33% of the rents. You do not need to hire a management company as I will teach you how to manage your vacation rental.

I was blessed to meet “Joe the Vacation Rental Guru”. Joe founded www.IVacationOnline.com which is a one stop vacation rental web site. Joe taught me how to market vacation rentals. I am a big believer in “pay it forward”. So as my client I help you set up your web site and your marketing so you can keep that 25% to 33% rent fee a management company will charge you. Here is a condo that went on the rental market June 26, 2009 for a client "Changes In Attitude".  We were so happy that we booked all the days in July except 3 days. Next year will be more productive as the owners will have a full year to generate income from their sweet Gulf Shores condo.

Weather you buy an Orange Beach vacation rental or a Gulf Shores vacation rental you will have my expertise to put your new beach home out to the vacationers. In no time you will want to buy another Gulf Shores vacation house!

So many opportunities here at the beach… Please feel free to call me at 251 923 7400 or email me at Jona@FirstAmericanRealEstate.net.

Thank you for reading my blog.  Please let me know if you have ideas or questions that I can include in future blogs.

ARE YOU A FIRST TIME HOME BUYER?

Most people think they are NOT a first time home buyer because they owned a home 8 years ago.  The "first time home buyer" rule is: have you been on title on your primary residence (real estate) in the past 3 years.  So the first part of this post the individual would qualify as a first time home buyer because they have not been on title of their primary residence in the past 3 years.  For more specific information on first time home buyer and the amazing $8,000.00 tax credit please go to Get Off The Fence. Really, click on the link for more information.

First time buyer in Gulf Shores, or first time buyer in Orange Beach or the first time buyer in Foley can find very good deals right now.  There are great deals down by the beach if you are looking for Gulf Shores beach houses and the same is true with Orange Beach houses.  The Orange Beach condos and the Gulf Shores Condos are seeing prices down due to many foreclosures at the beach.

The first time home buyer can take advantage of a special tax credit as long as they qualify.  The first time home buyer will get up to $8,000.00 tax credit if they purchase their home on or before November 30, 2009.  A tax credit is the best you can get!  This is truly an amazing benefit to anyone.  Tax credits equals tax dollars.  Tax credits are like actual tax dollars that are taken out of your pay check. 

What a time to buy a home!  The home values are down, interest rates are down and first time home buyers get $8,000.00 Tax Credit!  If you are sitting on the fence get off the fence and start the process of buying your home.  I do believe the economy will turn around.  Right now is the time to take advantage of low prices in the Gulf Shores Realty market. For that matter take advantage of low prices in Orange Beach realty 

I will keep saying "I have never seen a real estate market like this one".  I welcome you to call me at 251 923 7400. You are welcome to ask your real estate questions either by email or phone. JonaBriggs@gmail.com 251 923 7400

For decades the real estate market has followed a couple trends.  The real estate market follows to some degree the interest rates set by the Feds.  The rule has been when interest rates go up real estate values goes down.  The opposite is true as well.  When interest rates go down the real estate values go up.

In August 2007 the real estate loan market slammed the door shut on various loan programs.  What happened virtually dried up a majority of money banks and investors were willing to lend to people like you and me.  This drastic change many call the "Bubble Bursting".  The end effect has made the real estate market drop like a hot rock.

Right now we are seeing a real estate market like no other time in my life.  Today you have a great market to purchase real estate in.  We have interest rates low and values low.  The bottom line is this is a buyers market!!!  You have so many opportunities to buy a Gulf Shore Foreclosure, an Orange Beach Foreclosure, a Foley Foreclosure, a Robertsdale Foreclosure, a Daphne Foreclosure, a Fairhope Foreclosure, Spanish Fort Foreclosure or any Foreclosure in Baldwin county.  You get the idea... there are great deals in South Baldwin County right now.  You can find great deals that are not foreclosures.

The real estate deals are abundant!!!  The "Bubble Bursting" has made a real estate market available to many people who never thought they could buy a home.

In Alabama there is a 1 year right of redemption on foreclosure properties.  The Alabama 1 year right of redemption law allows the owner who lost the property to foreclosure to come back and reclaim the property.  Now that sounds a bit crazy.  There are several rules that apply to the previous owner in the redemption period.  If the previous owner does reclaim the property they have to pay the loan balance plus interest plus the costs incurred to sell the property.  There are other factors that apply to redemption of a property.  It is best for you to talk with an attorney about the details of the Alabama 1 Year Right Of Redemption.  It is rare in this market for people who have lost their house to come back and reclaim it through the redemption period. 

Please feel free to call me to discuss your real estate questions.  Jona Briggs 251 923 7400