Canary Palm Trees on Ono Island: Why These Coastal Palms Turn Heads



Not long ago, I was riding around Ono Island with a buyer who was touring homes with me for the first time. As we slowed past one particular property, she pointed toward the front yard and asked, “What kind of palm tree is that? It looks like something out of a resort.”

Canary Palm Tree Ono Island

She was talking about a Canary palm, sometimes called a Canary Island date palm. I smiled, because these are some of my favorite statement trees on the island. There are several beautiful examples scattered across Ono Island, and they add a very specific kind of presence to a property: a sense of Gulf Coast grandeur that feels both timeless and intentional.

As a local real estate advisor who…

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HL Storage Facility on County Road 12 in Foley, Alabama – A Practical Addition for Gulf Coast Boat & RV Owners


My name is Meredith Folger Amon, and I am a Gulf Coast expert real estate advisor licensed in Alabama and Florida. Guided by Integrity.  Every week, I talk with homeowners and buyers who are trying to solve the same puzzle: “Where am I going to keep my boat or RV so it is convenient, safe, and not overwhelming my driveway or street?”

Recently, I reviewed the Baldwin County Planning Commission staff report for Case No. CSP24-34, the proposed HL Storage Facility on County Road 12 in Foley, Alabama. This proposal calls for an open-air boat and RV storage facility with a front office building on approximately 3.3 acres at 20524…

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Opal Condos in Orange Beach, Alabama: Floor-Through Gulf-Front Luxury


Opal Orange Beach Alabama Condos


There is a very short list of condo addresses in Orange Beach that make my buyers’ eyes light up the moment I mention them, and Opal is always on that list. It is one of the most private, low-density gulf-front buildings on the Alabama coast, with just thirteen residences total and one residence per floor. When I say “Opal units rarely become available,” I mean it — years can go by with only a handful of opportunities to purchase in the building.

On www.searchthegulf.com, the Gulf Coast’s premier website for searching all real estate listings on the Gulf Coast, I watch Opal as closely as any address in town. When you understand how it is built, how it lives, and how…

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Heron Court’s Lot 1 Replat on Ono Island: My Local Real Estate Perspective

Heron Court Subdivision Ono Island Homes

Looking at Heron Court’s Lot 1 Through a Local Lens

Living on Ono Island, I pay close attention to how our lots, canals, and waterfront peninsulas evolve over time. When I saw the proposed replat for Lot 1 in the Heron Court Subdivision, I pulled the staff report from the Baldwin County Planning Commission so I could understand exactly what was being requested and what it might mean for current and future owners. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

The proposal is straightforward and, in my opinion, very positive. The owners are asking to relocate the interior lot line between the existing Heron Court Lot 1 and a neighboring meets-and-bounds…

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A Mediterranean-Style Dream Home That Caught Our Eye on Ono Island

Last week I was showing property on Ono Island in Orange Beach, Alabama, and one of the buyers I am working with did what so many people do here. As we eased down a quiet street toward our next showing, he leaned forward, pointed through the windshield, and said, “Wait, what is that house?”

Ono Island Homes Architecture

Framed by tall palms and a long, pale paver driveway, the home in front of us really did stop the car. It is a true Mediterranean Revival coastal estate, the kind of property that feels more like a private resort than a single-family home. I told him that while this particular residence is not currently for sale, it is a great example of a style we see in several luxury homes across Ono…

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Radicchio Salad with Hazelnut Brittle, Apple, and Blue Cheese

I love having a seasonal salad on the table that feels a little dressed up but still easy enough for a weeknight. This radicchio salad does exactly that. Bitter radicchio, a sweet, crisp apple, tangy blue cheese, and a crunchy hazelnut brittle all come together with a simple honey–Dijon vinaigrette.

It holds up well, so it is easy to take to a friend’s house or tuck into the fridge for a quick lunch the next day.

Gulf Coast Living

Ingredients

For the hazelnut brittle

  • 3/4 cup whole hazelnuts
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Pinch of kosher salt

For the honey–Dijon vinaigrette

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine…

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How Builders Use String Lines To Start New Home Construction In Orange Beach, Alabama


When I walk a new-construction lot in Orange Beach, Alabama, or over the bridge onto Ono Island, one of the first things I look for is the web of bright nylon lines stretched across the sand. Those simple strings tell me a builder is being intentional about layout, level, and long-term performance on the lot.

New home construction on the Gulf Coast is very visual for me. I love standing on a cleared site and imagining where the front porch will face, how the primary bedroom will catch the morning light, and how high the floor system will sit above the water or street. Before any of that becomes reality, the crew does something very old-school and very…

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Gulf Coast Alabama: Water, Sound, and the Art of Living Well



First Light, Last Light, and Everything in Between

Gulf Coast Alabama has a way of resetting your idea of what a shoreline should feel like. Morning might find you on a quiet canal, watching the sun lift over marsh grass and pastel houses as the water turns from slate to silver to soft gold. In my mind’s eye, I see one of my favorite images: a sunrise pouring over still water, the light catching the tin roofs and the silhouettes of palms, while the marsh holds a low, blue haze. It is the sort of scene that never looks the same twice, even when you stand on the same dock every day.

Gulf Coast Alabama Beaches

By evening, that softness gives way to drama. A marina settles into blue hour, yachts…

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A Modern Gulf-Front Tunnel House in Kiva Dunes: What I’m Telling My Buyer


I have a client asking me about a truly unique home listing in Kiva Dunes in Gulf Shores, Alabama. It is important to share up front that this is not my personal listing, but I am always happy to help buyers evaluate special properties like this and represent their interests as a dedicated Gulf Coast advisor. Here is what I am telling my client about this remarkable modern Gulf-front home.

Kiva Dunes Setting: A Modern Work of Art on a 25-Foot Dune

This residence sits directly on the Gulf of Mexico, perched atop a 25-foot natural dune in Kiva Dunes, one of the most notable communities along this stretch of coastline. From the Gulf side, the home reads as a…

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