Vacant Land Buyer’s Guide for Old River, Ono Island: Building from the Water Up

A Lot Buyer’s Guide for Old River, Ono Island: Building from the Water Up

The Allure of a Blank Canvas by the Water

When I stand on a vacant lot along Old River — https://www.searchthegulf.com/homes-and-waterfront-properties-on-old-river-ono-island/, the first thing I notice isn’t the soil or the seawall — it’s the light. Morning sun glimmers across the current, palm shadows ripple against the sand, and I imagine how a future home might rise from that setting, perfectly aligned to capture both breeze and view.

There’s something special about this southern stretch of Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/. The lots here feel both intimate and open, shaped by the rhythm of the tide and the quiet of the island. For…

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Flood Preparedness in Orange Beach & Ono Island | Coastal Homeowner Guide

Flood Preparedness on the Gulf Coast: What Every Orange Beach and Ono Island Homeowner Should Know

Living along the Gulf Coast means embracing the water—its beauty, its rhythm, and sometimes, its challenges. Whether you own a home in Orange Beach — https://www.searchthegulf.com/orange-beach/ or on Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/, understanding how to prepare for potential flooding is an essential part of coastal living.

The Baldwin County Building Department recently sent letters reminding property owners that areas like ours have experienced multiple flood events and claims filed with FEMA. As part of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Community Rating System (CRS), Baldwin County helps…

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Mirella Street on Bayou Garcon | Exclusive Waterfront Land for Sale in Pensacola, Florida

Mirella Street on Bayou Garcon: A Waterfront Legacy in the Making

There’s something quietly reverent about a piece of land that still feels untouched — where the water meets the marsh in a slow, steady rhythm, and the only sound you hear is the rustle of the bay breeze through the pines. Along Mirella Street in Pensacola, Florida, that kind of rare coastal serenity still exists.

Set on the tranquil curve of Bayou Garcon, this exclusive collection of six waterfront tracts spans nearly twenty acres of pristine Gulf Coast landscape, offering a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create something extraordinary.

The Setting: Where the South Meets the Sea

This stretch of Innerarity Heights and Perdido Key has long been one of Pensacola’s…

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Luxury Living in Gulf Breeze & Navarre, Florida | Southern Coastal Homes

Luxury Living in Gulf Breeze and Navarre, Florida: Where Southern Charm Meets Coastal Sophistication

Every once in a while, you come across a stretch of coastline that seems to understand balance — where refinement meets relaxation, and where every porch, marina, and palm-lined street whispers the promise of an unhurried life. Gulf Breeze and Navarre, Florida, offer that kind of rare equilibrium — a luxurious, coastal lifestyle rooted in Southern grace and guided by water.

When I tour these communities with clients, I always tell them: “Luxury here isn’t about excess — it’s about ease.” It’s the way a home feels when the sunlight hits the bay through a wall of windows, or how the air seems to carry both salt and stillness.

The…

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Homes and Waterfront Properties on Old River, Ono Island

Homes and Waterfront Properties on Old River, Ono Island

Life Along Old River: The Southern Edge of Ono Island

As a homeowner and real estate advisor on Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/, I’ve always been drawn to the quiet rhythm of Old River, the southern edge of the island where the light shifts like silk across the water. The river bends gracefully between Alabama and Florida, a ribbon of calm that catches the morning tide and the afternoon breeze. It’s a place where the days feel longer — not because of time, but because of how gently life moves here.

Homes and vacant lots along Old River line Ono Boulevard and River Road, tracing the waterfront with private docks, shaded porches, and long, open views. Here,…

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Building a Waterfront Home in Orange Beach, Alabama: Where Architecture Meets Southern Salt Air

Building a Waterfront Home in Orange Beach, Alabama: Where Architecture Meets Southern Salt Air

There’s a quiet poetry to homebuilding along the Alabama Gulf Coast. The light here bends differently — softer in the morning, golden by late afternoon, when the sun slips low over Bayou St. John and the air carries just a trace of salt. In Orange Beach, where architecture meets water and hospitality meets heritage, building a home isn’t just construction — it’s an act of devotion.

As someone who has spent years walking job sites with builders and homeowners, I’ve come to believe that coastal architecture here is less about square footage and more about soul. A waterfront home in Orange Beach should feel like it’s always belonged — rooted in…

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Stem Wall vs. Monolithic Slab Foundations | Gulf Coast Home Building Guide

Stem Wall vs. Monolithic Slab Foundations on the Gulf Coast

When you’re building along the Gulf Coast, the foundation is one of the most important structural choices you’ll make. Conditions vary from lot to lot — from the higher elevations of Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/ to the flatter areas of Orange Beach — https://www.searchthegulf.com/orange-beach/ and Gulf Shores — https://www.searchthegulf.com/gulf-shores/.

Two primary foundation types dominate new construction here: the stem wall and the monolithic slab. Both provide excellent strength when engineered for local soils and elevations, and both can be used successfully across the region.

Stem Wall Foundation

A stem wall foundation begins with poured…

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The Hidden Shield: Why I Recommend VPN Protection for Every Gulf Coast Home

The Hidden Shield: Why I Recommend VPN Protection for Every Gulf Coast Home

By Meredith Folger Amon, Licensed in Alabama and Florida
Guided by Integrity. Backed by Experience. Search the Gulf with Meredith Folger Amon.

Living on Ono Island, Orange Beach, and throughout the Gulf Coast, we spend so much of our time connected—streaming SEC football, checking radar before a boat day, or helping a neighbor troubleshoot a dock camera. But what most homeowners don’t realize is that every one of those moments creates a digital trail. A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, acts like a digital cloak, wrapping your online life in protection and privacy.

What a VPN Really Does

Think of a VPN as disguising your return address and sending it through a…

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Top 10 Offshore Center Consoles (33–36 ft) for Orange Beach, Alabama

Top 10 Offshore Center Consoles (33–36 ft) for Orange Beach, Alabama

On a good Orange Beach day, you can idle out of Terry Cove, slide past the markers to Perdido Pass, and decide—bluewater dash or Robinson Island raft-up. In this size class, a deep-V center console with triple power gives you the flexibility to do both. The hull softens the afternoon chop, a second-station tower helps thread crowded anchorages, and the range is there when the Gulf window opens. If you’re pairing a boat like this with a home, plan for a 20k–25k lb lift, double-check beam and piling spacing, and think through fuel and shore-power access at the dock.

Orange Beach — https://www.searchthegulf.com/orange-beach/
Ono Island —…

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Autumn Reflections on Ono Island & Orange Beach Real Estate | Gulf Coast Market Insights

AUTUMN REFLECTIONS ON ONO ISLAND AND THE GULF COAST

By Meredith Folger Amon, Licensed in Alabama and Florida
"Guided by Integrity. Backed by Experience. Search the Gulf with Meredith Folger Amon."

Autumn on the Gulf Coast

Autumn on the Gulf Coast feels different than anywhere else. Here in Orange Beach and on Ono Island, the season shows up in subtler ways—bronze marsh grass lining Ole River, fiery sunsets stretching across Perdido Bay, and calm waters that invite longer boating days. Neighbors are still out on their docks, tying up boats after an afternoon cruise, or gathering at marinas for live music.

For me, autumn is both a time of gratitude and forward vision. It’s harvest season—a moment to reflect on what has been built and to…

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