Seawind in Gulf Shores luxury condominiums will stun you with its view and atmosphere. This beautiful tower is located right on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and is within a short distance of a wide variety of Alabama landmarks and attractions.

Actually, Seawind consists of two buildings. The main tower has 20 floors, the first three of which are used for parking. In this tower, units begin on the 4^th floor, and continue to the 20^th. Most of the units have two bedrooms and two baths, as well as another room that doesn’t have a closet and can be used as a den, a study or a bunk room. These units come in two sizes. The units in the turn of the building, or the ‘04 stack are pie-shaped and cover 1,237 sq. ft. All the other two-bedroom units cover 1,130 sq. ft. On the top floor of the main tower are some three-bedroom/three-bathroom penthouse units.

A smaller building which is six stories high houses all the amenities. It has one unit on each of the 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th floors. These units have three bedrooms and three bathrooms covering 1,618 sq. ft. each.

The list of amenities is long. You will find a state-of-the-art fitness room, as well as an indoor/outdoor pool, with a ten-person hot tub close by. You can treat yourself to a number of spa services--have your hair styled, get a manicure and/or a pedicure, or enjoy a relaxing massage. Many other services are located nearby.

In 2011, 12 of these beautiful units were sold. The list prices ranged from $255,000 to $369,000. The selling prices ranged from $241,500 to $365,000. You can see that negotiation is worth a try.

I would like to be the agent to help you find the perfect place. I can assist you in looking for a condo at Seawind, and/or several other real estate options. I have extensive knowledge of theOrange Beach/Gulf Shoresarea and enjoy living here. Give me a call today,Lance Steffek: 251-981-2225, or contact me online.

You probably know that inbound links are one of the best ways to increase traffic through your web site. This is true for 2 reasons. One reason is that there are more links to your web site for people to find. This is not the primary benefit of many inbound links however. The biggest benefit is the credit you get from a search engine standpoint and how the engine relays search results that contain your URL; this is your rank.

Look at it like this. You're debating on a restaurant. Aaron's restaurant has 50 positive reviews (links) versus 200 positive reviews (links) for Lundy's restaurant. Well just before you go to Lundy's restaurant, you read one of the reviews and find out that her reviews are from a diesel mechanic in Robertsdale, AL. Meanwhile Aaron's restaurant reviews are from different food critics in the area and when you search Google for the best restaurant to visit, Aaron's is at the top of the results and Lundy's is no where to be found. Lundy's restaurant has bad inbound links and probably bad food too.

Where am I going with all of this you ask. Quality links are what you are after. Links from sites that offer similar services are most beneficial.

Timing is another thing to watch out for. If you are on a link acquisition rampage and Google sees that you collected 42 new links in 30 minutes, they will probably think you bought them and diminish their collective quality. So pace yourself and add links slowly over time. Sucessful SEO campaigns are done over time through consistency and quality content.

If you have multiple web sites, as many of us do, you can't swap links between them all and just link everything together if you want the maximum SEO benefit. There is a technique called a "Link Wheel" that should be incorporated.

Understand what "no follow" links are. A no follow link is basically ignored by search engines. They are used primarily with larger sites. Facebook is a good example of a "no follow" site. In your link building campaigns, be sure to check whether the site is a no follow linking site.

If you are in real estate and have a site with a broad condo theme, I would be interested in discussing possible link exchanges with one of our sites. My primary site focuses on Gulf Shores, AL Condos.

Thanks for stopping by.

I started my business career as a plain and simple Realtor. When I started, things were slow and I quickly found I had nothing to do with the majority of my day. I mean there was free cell, solitaire, video poker etc. but instead, I began building my own web site. I simply couldn't afford to have a professional do it. I guess I took the road less traveled. No offense intended to other new Realtors that choose something different to try and drum up business.

You're doing the same thing and think you may have bitten off more than you can chew.....nonsense! You ARE up to the task and I may have something beneficial if your in the same toil I was in 2003. Yes you, the person that is still reading this because, you too, are in condo sales somewhere in the world, do your own web design / marketing and are interested in more business.

Something important to consider while planning a hostile take over for your areas internet traffic is Search Engine Optimization. This basically means planning your web site in a way that is most appealing to Search Engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN etc.). Here is the first suggestion.

Google provides approximately 75% of the ENTIRE Internets search results. In Laymans terms, 75% of all searches done on line use Google to provide results for your search regardless of whether you're using Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari or any one else. This should tell you that you are optimizing your site for Google and should proceed with all of your efforts keeping this in mind. All of the searches you make for fresh ideas and answers should be implemented for Google to acknowledge them.

Something imperative to incorporate in optimizing your site is unique reliable content. Quality content is probably the single most important characteristic of a great web site. Quality content can't be copied from some one else in order to use on your site......I mean can you copy an article from someone else to use on your site? Sure you can but Google knows and they don't like it. Don't get me wrong now, addresses and names of condo complexes for example and other things like this relevant in nature will obviously be reproduced. All I'm saying is enough of the copy/paste after the address and name. Don't continue to copy the entire summary and just smear it everywhere. If you're serious about your campaign, you must do things the right way.

Another important factor is structure. Your site and its pages should be titled properly with head tags used correctly. The images should all be named with key words and ALT tags used. There should be approximately 10% of your pages content dedicated to your pages theme. If you are selling sod, you would probably want words like grass, sod, fescue (that's for Les Miles....Roll Tide) etc. to constitute 10% of the overall word count.

Here is something else to think about. Yeah it's neat when you pull up a web site and a giant house is created from scratch in front of your very eyes. Next, a blinking neon banner "Use Aaron Pugh For All Of Your Real Estate Needs" floats across the screen in tow behind a single-engine Cessna. That’s cool alright and entirely possible, but slow to upload and while your potential client is watching the hour glass, they begin to drift. Not good. Yet another concern is compatibility. Not everyone has their browser configured to allow all of this graphic chaos to unfold and may need to install additional software. In most cases are you going to install software to find the phone number to Pizza Hut? No. I tell you all of that to tell you this....simple is not boring, it's informational and that's probably what they want.

These are a handful of tips for getting started. For many of you this may seem rudimentary. I intended this for those who are getting started. Maybe its been suggested by your web design company that you need a giant house created upon the loading of your site and this comes in handy. Here is the part where I invite those with a site similar to mine (which offers info for Gulf Shores Alabama Condos) to request a reciprocal link. Please understand that I have spent hundreds of hours of my time on this particular site and I have never sold a link and will not swap with everyone who asks. If you are interested, add your sites URL and I'll check it out. Thanks for stopping by.

2011 Coastal Baldwin County Real Estate ReCap

If you asked me to sum up the 2011 Real Estate Market for the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and the surrounding coastal communities in one sentence, I would have to say, “It was all good.”

Of course with the already sloping 2010 economy, the market was even further disabled due to the Oil Spill and all of its fallout. With this being said, it should be a no-brainer that our area market be shining in comparison. As I have written about previously, 2011 was not only an improvement for our general tourist market, but an overall record in terms of the volume of dollars absorbed here in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and surrounding areas.

Since people were in such a bustle to get back to coastal Baldwin County after withdrawing the previous year, one would wonder if the sales market would also put on a good show. The coastal Baldwin County Real Estate market showed improvements in 2011 in all areas when compared with 2010.

Total Condos Sold 2010 vs. 2011

Areas Factored: Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fort Morgan, Perdido Key

Factors to note:

o Average price per square foot: $258.00 / 2010

o Average price per square foot: $262.00 / 2011

o Distressed property sales: 40% / 2010

o Distressed property sales: 26% / 2011

Average Condo prices sold | 5 Year Snapshot

Areas Factored: Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fort Morgan, Perdido Key

Total Coastal Baldwin County Condos Sold | 5 Year Snapshot

Areas Factored: Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fort Morgan, Perdido Key

Total Single Family Homes Sold 2010 vs. 2011

Areas Factored: Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fort Morgan Perdido Key

20102011

Factors to note:

o Average sold price: $265k / 2010

o Average sold price: $298k / 2011

o 96% increase in sales of $500k or more in 2011

o Distressed property sales: 53% / 2010

o Distressed property sales: 44% / 2011

Average Coastal Alabama Single Family Homes sold prices | 5 Year Snapshot

Areas Factored: Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fort Morgan, Perdido Key

Total Coastal Baldwin County Single Family Homes Sold | 5 Year Snapshot

Areas Factored: Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Fort Morgan, Perdido Key

As you can see, sales are up, and it appears that prices may be ready to start an upward trend up as well. 2012 numbers will help determine this more clearly. With our Gulf Coast communities banding together towards the common goal of plumping up our economy, efforts seem to have resulted in a positive result.

National housing experts have mixed outcomes on the Real Estate Market as a whole. Most say that prices will continue to fall, while REO properties will continue to increase. Our 2010 to 2011 numbers are not in line with this forecast, as our foreclosure properties have decreased (and have almost diminished on the beach front), and prices have started to move up.

Whether you are a buyer or seller, the market in our area can be seen as favorable. Sellers have a much smaller number of REO properties to compete with. Buyers can still feel confident that the prices they are purchasing have only just begun to rise.

The only thing that is safe to assume is that things will change. Nothing is constant, especially in the market, real esate and otherwise. It's hard to imagine what 2012 has in store for us with the volatility of international relations, and upcoming elections. The nation is likely in for ups and downs, ifs and whens. That fact has high probability of being a good bet.

Gulf Shores welcomes back the winter guests. Each year thousands of retired couples trade in white snow for the white beaches of the Gulf Coast. These retiree's are affectionately known as snowbirds. These snowbirds start migrating down in November staying anywhere from a month to several months, departing in the spring months giving way to the spring breakers.
Most of these snowbirds rent beach front condos, with others either renting homes or traveling and staying in their motor homes. They migrate down to the warmer more moderate temperatures to escape the bitter harsh winters of the Midwest and Canada. The majority are from states such as Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Despite renting by the month and at a much reduced rate, as compared to the spring/summer months, they are an integral part of the economy. During these non-peak months of the year, they provide the local businesses with much needed revenue. Businesses that may not survive otherwise. In addition, having these months occupied, it rounds out and increases rental revenues for rental companies and condominium owners alike.
For these condominium owners who rent their units, we have seen rental rates and occupancy increase over the past several years. Thus, making condos f or sale in Gulf Shores a great investment. Unlike areas such as the south Florida communities that have just a short window of time in which owners are able to rent their condos, the rental season for Gulf Shores' can average 260-325 days a year. It is a destination that investors can purchase a second home/investment property and actually "cash flow" it. Imagine owning a beach front condominium and have renters make your payments for you. It's an investment of love. An investment that appreciates over the time period it is being paid off. In the mean time, it is also providing the owner with a beautiful place to vacation (thus a second home).
Tourism is what makes the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach areas what they are today. Over the past 10 years we have seen many changes to our beach front community. Gulf Shores continues to grow and develop into one of the premiere vacation destinations in the entire country. As such, it also offers a unique community to live and work. Much has changed from the early days when this was nothing more than a "fishing" community. From the high rise condominiums along the beach to the infrastructure that continues to develop.
Now Gulf Shores offers amusement and water parks, arcades, parks, championship golf courses, a zoo, horseback riding, numerous restaurants and some of the best shopping anywhere. There is something for everyone. If fun in the sun is your cup of tea, Gulf Shores Condos sit on some of the prettiest beaches in the world. The beaches are sugar white sand that is made up of crushed quartz. There are less that 100 miles of this type of sand in the entire world. At the beach, the warm Gulf of Mexico waters make for great swimming. In addition, vacationers can enjoy diving and snorkeling, parasailing, jet skiing, boating and fishing or just basking in the sun. Gulf Shores offers numerous activities when the sun goes down as well. There are many unique restaurants ranging from seafood to theme restaurants. Visit one of our night clubs for dancing, or to listen to top bands. There is even an outdoor amphitheatre that draws in top music acts throughout the year as well.
Gulf Shores hosts many events throughout the year. In the spring there is the annual Mullet Toss that is hosted at the famous Florabama bar. This is a fish throwing contest that is hilarious to participate in or just watch. Also, over the past couple few years the Hangout in Gulf Shores hosts a music festival on the beach. This is 4 days of live music with several stages set up on the beach with music for most of the days and nights. In the Fall the biggest event of the year is the Shrimp Festival. Held the second week of October, this event is held at the "T" in Gulf Shores. It is offers crafts, food vendors and music. It is estimated that over 30,000 people come each year to be part of this event.

We have a lot of informational sites available. Whether you're looking to rent an Orange Beach, AL condo or maybe you are interested in Gulf Shores Real Estate or Orange Beach Real Estate we have all the details you will need to make well informed decisions concerning your Gulf Shores experience.