Gulf Shores, AL

Over 300,000 people will head to Gulf Shores, Alabama, this October 13-16 to focus on shrimp- - shrimp prepared in a zillion delicious ways! Along with plenty of shrimp dishes to feast on, the festival features music, arts & crafts, sandcastle/sand sculpting competitions, other festival foods and drink, and a children's village.

One of the most amazing facts about our Annual National Shrimp Festival is that after all these years, it is still FREE. Enjoy four days of fun with no admission charge! The Festival has become one of the nation's premier outdoor festivals. Over 300 vendors participate in the marketplace, and two stages present non-stop music and entertainment the entire time. The full schedule is listed on AlaGulfCoastChamber.com.

You don't have to take my word for how great this Gulf Shores festival is - - check out the recent honors it has received! The Annual National Shrimp Festival, or Gulf Shores Shrimp Festival as we still tend to call it, was recently named #7 best festival in the southeast by Southern Living Magazine. It was also named one of the top 5 tourist attractions in the state of Alabama!

Festival events include a 10K run that will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 15 as well as a 5K run and 5K walk starting at 8:30 that day. Details for registration and awards are found at the Festival Events site. Children have their own "village" at the festival where they are even supplied with free snow cones and popcorn. The village includes games, activities, and arts & crafts. Here are some scenes from last year's festival.

If you'd like to view the complete Annual National Shrimp Festival 2011 Program, it is available on line. Here you can check out the list of entertainers, exhibits, and vendors as well as a map of the festival. A contest is held every year for the annual festival poster, and the series of posters available are quite an art display by themselves.

Gulf Coast shrimp deserve a national festival! They are known for their sweet taste, firm texture, and crunchy meat, and are one of many "delicious" reasons to come to Gulf Shores. With a home in this paradise, you can have a "festival" everyday. Let me help you find that perfect home. Give me a call: Lance Steffek, 251-981-2225, or contact me online and we'll get started.

I have decided to repost this information that was blogged on al.com in the real estate section. This is the same information that we walked away with last week at our monthly RE/MAX of Gulf Shores sales meeting. It's nice to see that it's being reiterrated here as well.

-Kristy

www.kristydoggett.net

"2011 (Baldwin County)

• Closed Volume 1/1/11 - 8/31/11: $1,241,637,662
• # of Transactions 1/1/11 - 8/31/11: 6,188
• Closed Volume 6/1/11 - 8/31/11: $507,172,014
• # of Transactions 6/1/11 - 8/31/11: 2,448

2010 (Baldwin County)

• Closed Volume 1/1/10 - 8/31/10: $998,789,328
• # of Transactions 1/1/10 - 8/31/10: 4,962
• Closed Volume 6/1/10 - 8/31/10: $356,369,438
• # of Transactions 6/1/10 - 8/31/10: 1,776

Comparing the Numbers

• The # of Transactions increased by 1,226 transactions YTD, which is a year over year increase of 24.71%.
• The # of Transactions increased by 672 transactions during June through August, which is a year over year increase of 37.8%.
• The Closed Volume increased by $242,848,334 YTD, which is a 24.31% year over year increase.
• The Closed Volume during the summer months increased by $150,802,576 during June through August, which is a 42.32% year over year increase.

A wide variety of deals continue to present themselves on all different levels, and if you are someone that has been on the fence there is no time like the present to get involved whether you are looking for a new primary residence or an additional investment opportunity.

The numbers above are a strong indicator that the inventory is getting consumed and as soon as all of the distressed inventory gets removed from the market prices will most definitely start back up again.

There are certain pockets that already exist where prices reached a bottom several months ago and have started ascending. No one can ever time the market perfectly (without just plain luck), and there is no doubt in our minds that if we haven't hit bottom we are close to it.

So where do you go from here? Find the deal that is right for you then be aggressive and go after it with a vengeance because opportunity is staring you in the face. Don't look back in 12 months with a lot of "would of, could of, and should of's" because even though it is going to take some time to get there we can assure you Baldwin County is poised for a strong comeback.

Nathan Cox, founder and president of Bellator Real Estate & Development, Inc. located in Baldwin County, Al, provided commentary for this article. Mr. Cox specializes in single family residential development and the management of numerous investment groups. He is currently a member of the ACRE Advisory Board of Trustees. "

Article Courtesy of the Press Register. Direct link to article: http://blog.al.com/acre/2011/09/real_estate_commentary_baldwin.html

The pristine beaches of Orange Beach will be alive with "thunder” when the Offshore Powerboat Association World Championships begin on October 6. This event is rated as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast according to the Southeast Tourism Society and rated even higher on my list!

The State Park Pavilion becomes Race Village during this event and will be open to the public daily from 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. On Saturday, October 8, there will be a boat parade that starts at Race Village and ends at the Orange Beach Event Center. This is a great chance to get photos of the boats and autographs from the race teams. After the parade, a gala will be held in the Event Center with music by the Tip Tops, hors d'oeuvres, cash bar, and silent auction.

For four days, the roar of "thunder" will be heard while power boats qualify and race on the 6.8 mile Gulf of Mexico "race course". The World Championships will be awarded Sunday evening at a ceremony held at Live Bait II. VIP passes are popular for this event because they allow race fans free access to Race Village and special viewing areas as well as other perks. VIP fans are also invited as special guests to the pre-parties and get free entrance to the gala. VIP passes went on sale in June, and they are still available at ThunderOnTheGulf.com.

Race Village, which becomes jam packed with excitement as soon as the race teams arrive, includes vendors, concessions, and a kids' pavilion. It is the gathering place to meet race teams and get autographs. Here you can see the race boats up close. For the kids there is also a petting zoo and inflatables. There is entertainment in Race Village on Saturday from noon - 4:00 p.m.

Here's a glimpse of some of the incredible boats that will be racing in Orange Beach - you can feel the excitement in the video! More updates and comments can be found on the Thunder on the Gulf Facebook Page.

This is one type of "thunder" we look forward to in Orange Beach, and it is an exciting 4 days in our area. Whether you enjoy the excitement of racing or the relaxation of finding a quiet beach, there is a place for you here in this beautiful paradise! I am ready to help with your real estate choices. Give me a call today. Lance Steffek: 251-981-2225.

photo courtesy of Thunder on the Gulf Facebook Page