Gulf Shores, AL

Did you know the Alabama Gulf Shores is considered one of the best beach wedding destinations? With the incredible soft white sand as your aisle, the warmth of the sun above you and the emerald green water nearby, all of this becomes an amazing backdrop for your special day.

Destination weddings often maximize romance and minimize family pressures at a reasonable cost. Nature provides the beautiful setting, so you can make the event as simple or sophisticated as you‘d like. Since most couples live out of the area, wedding planner firms local to Orange Beach or Gulf Shores can coordinate the event for you by phone or email. When you step off the plane in time for the big event, the cake, the photographer, the set up on the beach await you.

When your guests come, beautiful beach condos provide perfect accommodations. Of course, once the guests go home, you will need a lovely condo to stay in to make your adventure in Gulf Shores complete. There are many different condos available in Gulf Shores.

Seaside Beach and Racquet Club offers some of the finest vacation rental properties in Gulf Shores. The fully furnished vacation rentals feature the finest amenities, including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, fitness centers, saunas, tennis courts and laundry available in most units. Whether you're looking for a 1, or 3 bedroom condo, experienced local Realtor® Lance Steffek can direct you to the very best available options.

Maybe your upcoming big event is not a wedding, but a renewal of your vows or even that special family vacation. Whatever it may be, Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are the perfect destination to celebrate in style and create wonderful memories that stay with you for many years to come! Be a trend-setter and join the many newly weds and golden weds who take their vows on the amazing shoreline of Gulf Shores! Or, bring your family down to a beautiful area with lots to do.

Maybe you are considering calling Gulf Shores home. If you are looking for an exclusive property on the beach located in the lap of luxury and style, Gulf Shores is the place for you. Allow me to help you find the perfect Gulf Shores home, or if you have any questions, please contact Lance Steffek via phone at (251) 981-2225 or my Coastal Properties website.

WASHINGTON - Nov. 5, 2009 - The $8,000, first-time homebuyer tax credit has not yet been extended beyond its Nov. 30 end date, but it's very close to gaining a longer life.

The extension was added as an amendment to an existing bill, HR 3548, that extends unemployment benefits. The U.S. Senate passed that bill on Wednesday and, after debate, the U.S. House passed HR 3548 this afternoon. It now needs only President Obama's signature to become law, and the White House has indicated it will sign it, perhaps as early as tomorrow.

Until the president signs the bill, however, it is not law.

In addition to extending the tax credit for first-time homebuyers under the current rules, the bill adds a smaller tax credit for move-up homebuyers who have lived in the house for five of the past seven years. The bill also increases the income limits of homebuyers from $75,000 (single) to $125,000; and from $150,000 (married) to $225,000.

Florida downpayment assistance

After the president signs the bill and extends the tax credit, the Florida Homebuyer Opportunity Program - a downpayment and closing costs assistance program relating to the federal tax credit -automatically gets extended too. The state still has about $28 million available for homebuyers. The money is essentially a loan to first-time buyers; they receive it upfront, use it for a downpayment or other costs, and pay it back once they get their federal refund.

For more information on the Florida Homebuyer Opportunity Program, visit the Homebuyer Center on floridarealtors.org: http://www.floridarealtors.org/AboutFar/homebuyercenter/index.cfm

Also check floridarealtors.org for updates as they're released; and, after the tax credit extension becomes law, details on the new program.

© 2009 Florida Realtors®

Since the 1960s there has always been a fishing pier located in Gulf State Park. In 2004, Hurricane Ivan decided he had other plans for the pier by destroying its structure. The storm's heavy rain and strong winds wrecked the pier until there was nothing left.

Maybe it's the sound of the waves against the shore, or perhaps it's the white sand and sparkling emerald water that makes you think of Gulf Shores. But now there is another reason to think of Gulf Shores. Gulf Shores is the new home to the longest fishing and sightseeing pier on the Gulf of Mexico.

The new pier is not only the largest, but is considered the best and most modern pier that has ever been built. Without a doubt, the newly built pier is the ‘'gem'' of the entire gulf coast.

The $16 million pier is 1,520 feet long, which is nearly twice the length of the old pier. The old pier ended in water about 12 feet deep. The new pier ends in water about 26 feet deep.

A ribbon cutting ceremony took place on July 23, 2009 to make it official. The longest fishing and sightseeing pier on the Gulf of Mexico is now open for business.

The daily rate is $8.00 for adults and children age 12 and over, while children age 11 and under are free when accompanied by a paying adult. You can pay $40.00 for a weekly pass or $80.00 for a monthly pass, $160.00 for a semi-annual pass, and $320.00 for an annual pass. Sightseers will pay $3.00 per day.

Find out why USA Today is calling Gulf Shores one of the best "five hidden, affordable beach destinations."

If you are looking to call Gulf Shores home, or if you have any questions, please contact Lance Steffek at (251) 981-2225. Have questions about buying a vacation home along the prettiest beach in Alabama? We offer a great series of buyer reports plus the individual attention you need when considering a new home. Coastal Properties also arranges rentals in Gulf Coast, Orange Beach, Fort Morgan, and other popular Alabama locations.

If you are looking for a great opportunity to buy a condo on the beach, look no further than Gulf Shores, Alabama.

The prices have dropped to approximately $139 per square foot for an amazing Gulf Shores condo. Whether if it will be your full-time home, or a vacation destination, now is your best opportunity to live at the beach. You can experience the resort lifestyle 365 days a year when you buy a condo in Gulf Shores. You'll find an average summer temperature around 90° and temperature winters that average about 65°.

The gorgeous Gulf Shores coastline is over 30 miles long. Once you have experienced Gulf Shores you will never want to leave the warm emerald green waters and the white sugar sand beaches. The beaches are considered some of the whitest in the world because of the quartz sand which is very powdery, soft and wonderful to walk on. The emerald green waters are colored by currents bringing suspended silt from the Mobile Bay estuarial system.

It appears that home sales on the coast are starting to show signs of leveling out. It is certainly not considered a recovery, but possibly the beginning stage. The total of active home listings has stopped climbing so quickly. The inventory of used homes remains at a high level. Since new construction has slowed, it has stopped adding to the glut. There are many unanswered questions ahead of us, but, there is a strong possibility that things will continue to improve.

The average price per square foot for Gulf Shores AL ($139) represents a decrease of 24% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Gulf Shores AL for July, 2009 to September, 2009 was $197,250 based on 67 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 17.6%, or $42,200, and the number of home sales increased 86.1%.

The average listing price for homes for sale in Gulf Shores AL was $377,599 for the week ending Oct 13, which represents a decrease of 1.4%, or $5,357, compared to the prior week.

Find out why USA Today is calling Gulf Shores one of the best ‘'five hidden, affordable beach destinations."

The period from Labor Day to the end of January is traditionally a good time to buy beachfront property in the Gulf Shores/ Orange Beach area. Sellers are motivated and there tends to be less competition for great properties. If you are looking to call Gulf Shores home, or if you have any questions, please contact Lance Steffek at (251) 981-2225.