Did I scare you?  Let me be completely clear, "THERE IS NO OIL IN ORANGE BEACH AND GULF SHORES!"  Our beaches are open for business.  The water is pretty.  The waves are crashing.  As I am writing this, I am watching a dolphin boat sail by and a para-sailor get dipped. 

Do not cancel your reservations.  Do not cancel your vacations.  Do not let the media scare you.  Check with informed local officials or these websites for correct info. 

NOAA

Deep Water Horizon Response

Mobile Press Register

 

 

This is Emily from The Seamitchell Team at http://www.seamitchell.com to talk with you about investing in Alabama and Florida's Gulf Coast. These are some simple steps you should take to make sure you find the right property.

 

Before you take these steps, contact us to be your Realtors at the Beach!

1st GET PRE-QUALIFIED. Why? The bottom feeders are out there and they are scooping up the "steals" faster than you can imagine. Financing is obtainable, but sometimes can take longer to get then it did a few years ago. If you are pre-qualified you have taken a very important step toward establishing a relationship with your lender AND you know what you can spend. It may be fun to look at 2 million dollar condos, but if you can only afford something in the 200k range, you may miss the right opportunity.

2nd BE HONEST. Be honest with your self and your Realtor. You may think that by talking to several different Real Estate agents you will get the "best deal." Most likely, you will offend each of the agents. We will be loyal to you if you are loyal to us. I have never gone to someone's condo after a storm to check and make sure things were okay if they purchased the condo from someone else. I will do it all day if you purchased it from me. As far as being honest with yourself, think about your needs and wants. Are you going to use the property, or is it just for rental income? Do your kids hate the beach and love the boat? Maybe the bay would be a better fit. Will your 17 year old be comfortable in built in bunk beds in the hallway? Know your needs.

3rd ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS. If you don't ask, you won't find out. Find out what? Well for starters: Insurance assessments, HOA dues, rental history, upgrades, building construction, law suits/liens against the building or HOA, maintenance of the grounds, AND I CAN GO ON AND ON! Now, I don't want you to ask me these things about every unit that I show you. BUT once you have found a complex or two that you are really interested in and they fit your criteria and are in your price range...ASK!!! You are working with a Realtor because they have or can get this information.

FINALLY: Don't be afraid to make an offer. An offer can be dependent upon any variety of things that will allow you to "get out" if you need to. Keep in mind, if you don't write an offer, you CAN'T purchase a condo. Case in point: I sent a guy 43 listings on Tuesday. By Thursday 3 were pending and 2 were under contract. By next Tuesday, who knows what will still be available. I am NOT telling you to make offers willy-nilly. I AM saying that if you find something that fits you and your needs ACT!

Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you with your condo purchase in Orange Beach, Gulf Shores or Perdido Key!

 

p.s. these are just some of the steps you need to take when thinking about investing in the condo market here on the Gulf Coast.  Some other steps to take may include and are not limited to: talking with your spouse, talking with your CPA, pay your kids college tuition bill, get a hair cut, visit the area, talk to your neighbors, eat a pizza, go bowling...just kidding...just use common sense and act in a responsible way!

Good morning!  Today the Seamitchell team is doing open houses at 2 different Orange Beach locations.  We will be at Escapes! to The Shores from 11-3 (come find Chad on the 4th floor) and Tidewater from 11-3 (Come see Emily in unit 1005).  Stop on by and see some beautiful units in some great buildings.  Realtors! Bring your clients.  We don't mind.  We are happy to let you look around.

 

See you soon!

I just wanted to let you all know that I am now with Remax Realty Centre!  It is an exciting move for me and I look forward to the opportunities that will come with the Remax name and The Remax Realty Centre family of agents.  I am still primarily listing and selling beach and bay front condos in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama.  If there is anything I can do to help you please let me know. 

Don't forget, I pay referrals to agents regardless of your company affiliation!

 

I look forward to working with you!

 

Thanks,

Emily Brunette-Mitchell

Wow! Has the face of politics changed this year?  Yes!  It is hard to say who will be the best president, especially because none of them are worthy.  This may be a "spit in your face" blog, but in actuality, I am serious.  Which candidate will help our market?  We are in a strange situation with everything that is going on.  Insurance is still not steady, loans are hard to come by, and Texas just got hit by a hurricane.  What next?  I love the fact that I have the right, ability and smarts to vote.  I just wish there was a candidate I could stand behind.  Anyone feeling the same way?

With lenders tightening their belts and offering less money to buyers, it takes money to make money.  If you have money, I have some great opportunities for you in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, Alabama.  If you can afford 20% down and a 7% interest rate (and lets face it rates are lower than that right now) I have some great beach front rentals that can positive cash flow after taxes and home owners dues are paid.  Too good to be true?  Ask me about it.  I want to see people make money this year!

In the past couple of weeks I have run across a good number of people at open houses, or in the elevator at our condo, or at the pool, that are asking buying questions.  They are asking questions like, how much per sq/ft? What was the last sold?  What is the market doing?  

These kind of questions indicate, to me at least, that people are turning into buyers and are no longer shoppers.  With these questions you have to be careful about your answers.  How much/sqft seems like it would require a straight answer, however, it can be much trickier.  Are they asking about a 1, 2, or 3 bedroom unit?  Are they asking about foreclosure, or short sale pricing?  The last sold price is an easy answer, but is usually is followed by the questions When did it close, and what was the one before that?  I am always careful when answering these questions as I don't want to give a buyer, or potential seller, a wrong answer.  

Now for my favorite question!  WHAT IS THE MARKET DOING DOWN HERE?  My answer...it is really picking up, it WAS slow but we are seeing things sell.  Sales are up, calls are up, business is good!  I don't add that I haven't had a pay check in over a year, and that sales are off slightly over last year.  I don't need to add this.  There are agents here that have made more money so far this year than the whole last year combined.  I would guess if you ask them, they are going to say things are good, and that is how I choose to answer. 

I think positive, I talk positive and I work positive!  I am absolutely positive that THE BUYERS ARE COMING!  THE BUYERS ARE COMING!  

How many of you have heard nothing but negative comments about Real Estate lately?  It seems like you can't get away from it.  I wish there was an annual NO-NEGATIVITY day.  It would be great to turn on the news and hear about 5 people SURVIVING a bus crash, rather than about a bus crash that almost killed 5 people.  Or how about a story about the people who heeded the flood warnings and got themselves and their animals out when they were warned and they are all safe now.  In Real Estate news I would like to hear about all the good things that are happening.  I would like for my fellow Realtors to talk positively about the market rather than cursing it.  Folks, we are in sales.  Sales go up and down and it is what you do during the down time that will make your up time better. 

There are buyers out there!  They are buying houses, condos and land.  There are people making money.  If you look at sales here on Alabama's Gulf Coast, you will see it.  We have had almost 1000 properties sell since the beginning of the year.  Almost 1000!!!  That is a little off from last year during the same period, but hey, properties are selling.  

I can't tell you how many times I have heard Realtors in the area talk to clients, or I over hear them on the phone, talking about how slow it is and how much prices are down.  Hey, flip that around and lets tell them what IS selling and that prices being down are a good thing for buyers.  Lets get people excited about Real Estate again.  It is still a sound investment and buyers who buy now have a better shot at making more money in the long run.  

 

LETS GET POSITIVE!  IF WE ALL TELL OUR BUYERS WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY THEY HAVE RIGHT NOW, WE WILL CHANGE WHAT IS GOING ON.  LETS STOP LETTING THE NEWS RUN OUR MARKET AND DO WHAT WE ARE TRAINED TO DO WHICH IS SELL, SELL, SELL! 

Are you or your clients looking for a property or two to buy that will positive cash flow or come pretty close?  Do you know anyone who wants to have a place to come to on the beach with out worrying about out of pocket expenses each month?  Do they have 20% to put down?  If you answered yes to these questions, let me know.  I have done an extensive study of the beach front units in Orange Beach Alabama.  I have found about 10 units that will positive cash flow during year one, and should appreciate over time.  

Of course I can't say all this with out the caveat of...subject to credit approval, rates and availability may vary, not available in all areas, projections based on an 80% loan at 6.5% interest and kept in a rental program at 60% occupancy through our the year.

If you have not been to our area, we have beautiful white sandy beaches, blue water, great fishing and boating opportunities and is a very comfortable drive from Birmingham, Atlanta, New Orleans and even not too bad from Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, and Ohio.  

Just give me a call or shoot me an email referencing this blog and I will do whatever I can to help you or your clients find that perfect property.   

This past weekend I dared to leave the Orange Beach area and venture a little bit further away to try a restaurant that came highly recommended.  It is called the Oar House in Pensacola that the Bahia Mar Marina.  Sometimes it is good to stay home.  The drive to the Oar House was not that bad although we did pass the turn the first time.  Once at the restaurant we noticed the colorful decor (very beachy and nautical).  After we got inside we took a seat at the bar because no one offered us a table.  About 10 minutes in the bartender asked us what we wanted to drink and, being a Saturday afternoon, we ordered margaritas.  Have you ever had a margarita that tastes like it was made with moldy mix?  I can now say that I have. I had to ask for a menu and silverware and napkins.  We finally decided to order an appetizer of fried pickles, the Combo Basket of fish and shrimp, and the Jezebel's Grill.  When I inquired about what kind of fish they were serving, I was told some kind that I had never heard of.  It was likened to a grouper or catfish.  I didn't realize that grouper and catfish were that similar.  The pickles were the highlight of the meal.  The fish was mushy the asparagus was limp and the rice was under cooked.  The french fries were fine, but it is hard to mess those up.  We asked for to-go boxes, knowing we wouldn't be eating the left overs, and the check.  It came to around 50 dollars.  

After paying, we left.  As I walked out into the parking lot, I couldn't help but think I had no desire to return.  

Perhaps we caught them on a bad day.