Gulf Shores, AL

Tamala Prickett with Prickett Properties LLC proudly announces the addition of the "Laguna Key Taj Mahal" to its vacation rental program.

The Laguna Key Taj Mahal in Gulf Shores Alabama is a fabulous gulf front beach house vacation vental. The Laguna Key Taj Mahal features 3 floors with 6 bedrooms and 6 1/2 baths.

The main floor has a chef's kitchen with viking and subzero appliances along with a formal dining room, additional breakfast room and two gulf front porches. The main floor also hosts a large living room, study and the Master Suite. The Master Bedroom has a King Size bed and master bath with steam shower and jetted tub.

The upstairs area has 4 bedrooms each with their own bathroom and all queen size beds. Two of the bedrooms are gulf front with their own porch access. There is also a butlers kitchenette upstairs for the added convenience of your guests.

Last but certainly not least is the lower floor that hosts the 6th bedroom and game room area. The 6th bedroom has a Queen bed and additional Twin over Full bunk bed. There is a fabulous game room area with an additional queen sleeper sofa. The game room also has a full kitchen of its own!

The neighborhood pool is literally across the street from the house. There is also neighborhood tennis courts and basketball within steps of the house.

The Laguna Key Taj Mahal bedding is K, Q, Q, Q, Q, Q, F, T and Queen Sleeper Sofa for a total sleeping capacity of 17.

CLICK HERE TO Rent the Laguna Key Taj Mahal in Gulf Shores Alabama

Ever been surprised by higher-than-expected closing costs when you bought a home? Or heard horror stories about it? Help is on the way via Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with the recent release of a proposed mortgage reform package to assist consumers in understanding the terms of loans they are considering.

This proposal will replace the 30-year old Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). HUD is requiring that mortgage brokers and lenders provide consumers with a standard Good Faith Estimate. A good amount of mortgage problems we see today are directly related to the fact that few people fully understand the home buying process.

The proposed Good Faith Estimate (GFE) will clearly state some of the important aspects of a loan including:

• The interest rate and monthly payment

• If the interest rate and principal balance can increase and by how much

• If the loan has a prepayment penalty or balloon payment.

HUD also requires that settlement agents read a "closing script" to borrowers at the settlement table and that a copy be provided to the borrower. There will be a certain script for each loan type that restates in a clear and specific manner every loan term and will also provide a visual showing borrowers which figures can change in the GFE and by how much.

The new GFE and proposed settlement scripts can be found at www.hud.gov.

Whether you are looking for a beach home for your retirement, investment property, vacation home or second home, I can help you find the perfect real estate in Gulf Shores. Don't waste any more time, let's get started today! Contact Lance Steffekat (251) 981-2225.

Many people come to Gulf Shores looking for a second home with two things in mind. Those two things are, to be nearby water and have the advantage of playing golf all year round.

A potential buyer will often explore the waterfront sites in Florida and than they will realize that Alabama also has a coastline. In fact ,Alabama has an amazing 32 miles of shoreline, the shortest among the five states that front the Gulf of Mexico. There are many housing options along the white beaches of Gulf Shores including condos and houses that are on the beach, as well as properties inland along golf courses, bays and waterways. Gulf Shores draws a lot of part-time residents who are from Southern states, as well as, the Midwest, Canada and California. One of the best advantages of Gulf Shores is that you probably have 15 days of the year that you have to wear a jacket.

In the 1960s and 1970s Gulf Shores witnessed major development. Then the horrendous Hurricane Frederic came along in 1979, but the coastline rebounded in the '80s and '90s with more major growth.

Even with the devastation of Hurricane Ivan in 2004, Gulf Shores is still growing.

Gulf Shores also contains a wider and more open beach than most coastal communities. The 6,150-acre Gulf State Park sits between Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, providing two miles of uninhabited public beach. It is a great place to take a walk and not see another person for miles.

As for golf, 200 holes of championship caliber golf are right here, with courses designed by golf legends Arnold Palmer, Bruce Devlin, Jerry Pate, Robert Von Hagge and Earl Stone offering fun and challenge. "Stay and Play " gold packages are popular with tourists.

This is a great time to put 365 days of golf and beaches into your life!According to the Baldwin County Association of Realtors, 680 condos have sold this year through till December at an average price of $350,576, down from 1,517 at an average price of $483,383 in 2006. And 231 homes have sold for an average price of $396,148, down from 296 at an average of $438,572 in 2006.

Whether you are looking for a beach home for your retirement, investment property, vacation home or second home, I can help you find the perfect real estate in Gulf Shores . Don't waste any more time, let's get started today! Contact Lance Steffek at (251) 981-2225.

Next time you visit the amazing beaches of Gulf Shores keep in mind that our hard working city officials are moving ahead with plans to make the coastline of Gulf Shores a better and safer destination. This will be accomplished by adding lifeguards and increase the area that they now patrol.

At one point, city officials had stated there may be plans developed to regulate the use of personal watercraft and put limitations on where tents and chairs can be set up. The impetus for the ban was a run away jet ski that landed on the beach in summer, 2009. The city has argued that a ban was necessary for safety reasons but businesses fear the impact on tourism if such a law were enacted.

According to a report by the Press-Register, Mayor Robert Craft has stated that the city has decided not to ban personal watercraft rental and approved an extension of business licenses for the companies that lease them through January while discussion continues.

Critics believe that some restrictions on watercraft is likely. These improvements will be implemented to guarantee the safety along the highly populated and congested coastal areas

Whether you are looking for a beach home for your retirement, investment property, vacation home or second home, I can help you find the perfect real estate in Gulf Shores . Don't waste any more time, let's get started today! Contact Lance Steffek at (251) 981-2225.

The history of Gulf Shores is as amazing as its white sandy shores and emerald waters. There are many historic forts and military museums nearby Gulf Shores that are a testament to the battles, past and present, that Gulf Shores has been involved in to protect our shoreline.

On December 14, 1819, Alabama became the 22nd state. "Alabama" was the name of a Native American tribe that lived in the area. Originally, a river in Alabama was named after the tribe and shortly after the name of the state was finalized.

Located 22 miles west of Gulf Shores is Fort Morgan, which is one of America's National Historical Landmarks. Fort Morgan survived four wars: the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II. The Fort Morgan area is now designated as a museum with several of its original buildings restored. The lighthouse and officers' housing have been restored to its original state.

Show your patriotism with a visit to Gulf Shores. Take a walk through the amazing Fort Morgan museum and experience first hand the incredible military history that has made our country great.

The Winter is a wonderful time to visit Gulf Shores. There are so many things to do. You can play golf or tennis, sail, hike, bike ride, walk, or even just relax on the lovely Gulf Shores beaches. Do not waste any time and plan your Winter escape today!

Whether you are looking for a beach home for your retirement, investment property, vacation home or second home, I can help you find the perfect real estate in Gulf Shores . Don't waste any more time, let's get started today! Contact Lance Steffek at (251) 981-2225.