Alamo Circle Flex Buildings – Four One-Story Offices/Warehouses Approved in Gulf Shores

Alamo Circle Flex Buildings, Gulf Shores: My First Look at a New Commercial Node

My quick overview

The Planning Commission has approved a site plan on Alamo Circle for three office-warehouse buildings and one professional office building on an 8.5-acre parcel zoned BG (General Business). The site sits north of County Road 10 East at the northern edge of the Gulf Shores city limits. Each of the four one-story buildings is planned at about 2,600 square feet. Parking totals 42 spaces, exceeding the minimum of 33.

I like the balance here: modest footprints, generous parking, and attention to the landscape. The plan preserves two protected trees and two heritage trees—credited toward landscaping—and handles drainage with …

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Rowan Oak PUD, Daphne – Units Reduced to 545 and Mix Shifts Toward Multifamily

Rowan Oak (PUD) in Daphne, Alabama: What the Master Plan Change Means

My quick overview

The Daphne Planning Commission approved a modification to the Rowan Oak Planned Unit Development. The developer’s change reduces the planned homes from 585 to 545—a net decrease of forty units—while shifting the product mix to fewer single-family and townhome residences and an increase in multifamily. The community spans about 127 acres located southwest of the intersection of County Road 13 and Milton Jones Road.

From a planning perspective, this kind of rebalancing can improve feasibility in today’s financing and construction environment while creating a broader range of housing options.

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Rayley Farms Phases 5 & 6 in Gulf Shores – Final 23 Acres, 51 Lots, Trails & Open Space

Rayley Farms (Phases 5 & 6), Gulf Shores: My First-Person Take on the Final 23 Acres

My quick overview

A preliminary plat has been approved for the final phases of Rayley Farms in Gulf Shores, located north of Coastal Gateway Boulevard (CR 8). These last phases add 23 acres to the community and are planned for 51 single-family homes—50 lots in Phase 5 and one lot in Phase 6—with a conditional R-1-5 zoning framework. Average density is noted at ~2.2 dwelling units per acre, with minimum lot sizes of 8,400 sq ft and minimum lot widths of 65 ft.

What stood out to me is the emphasis on open space and conservation. This phase is slated to preserve about four acres of wetlands and twenty heritage trees, and to designate ~31% of the…

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What Today’s Buyers Want in New Construction on the Alabama Gulf Coast—Now With a Boater’s Edge

What Today’s Buyers Want in New Construction on the Alabama Gulf Coast—Now With a Boater’s Edge

When I walk new construction sites in Orange Beach and on Ono Island, I’m constantly asked what separates a high-quality coastal home from the rest. After years of helping buyers and sellers along the Gulf Coast, it comes down to durable building envelopes, effortless indoor-outdoor flow, livable floor plans—and, for many of my neighbors and friends, serious boating functionality baked into the design. Below is how I guide buyers and builders to meet that bar.

Meredith Amon is an expert real estate advisor on Ono Island in Orange Beach, Alabama. Explore Ono Island homes, lifestyle, and updates: https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/ and the…

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North Hills at Fairhope | 2025 Baldwin County Parade of Homes

2025 Baldwin County Parade of Homes: North Hills at Fairhope Spotlight

Why I’m Highlighting North Hills at Fairhope

Each year, the Baldwin County Parade of Homes is my chance to walk through fresh design thinking and construction craft across our coast. This season, North Hills at Fairhope earned a special place on my list. The neighborhood’s setting—tall pines, gentle elevation, and a measured, architectural aesthetic—feels pitch-perfect for buyers who want privacy, intention, and a community that quietly yields timeless elegance. The collective design language is masterfully blended: thoughtful streetscapes, well-scaled homes, and outdoor living that captures Fairhope’s breeze and light. On an October afternoon you can catch the scent of…

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Top 5 Waterfront Restaurants to Boat To in Orange Beach, Alabama

Top 5 Waterfront Restaurants to Boat To in Orange Beach, Alabama

On the Orange Beach coast, dining and boating often go hand in hand. After a morning cruise past Ono Island or a slow drift through Bayou St. John, nothing beats pulling up to a dock, tying off, and sharing a meal overlooking the water. Here are my five favorite restaurants that capture the flavor, charm, and boating convenience of life on the Alabama Gulf Coast.

1. Zeke’s Landing Restaurant

Located at Zeke’s Marina off Canal Road, this full-service restaurant and marina hub offers slip-side dining and a refined menu featuring fresh Gulf catch. It’s a favorite for those returning from offshore trips. Draft depths average 10–14 ft (3.0–4.3 m), ideal for larger center…

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Boating in Orange Beach, Alabama: A Complete Guide to Depths, Navigation, and Vessel Compatibility

Boating in Orange Beach, Alabama: A Complete Guide to Depths, Navigation, and Vessel Compatibility

The Heart of Gulf Coast Boating

In Orange Beach — https://www.searchthegulf.com/orange-beach/, boating isn’t just a pastime; it’s the pulse of daily life. From early-morning anglers easing out of Terry Cove to sunset cruisers drifting past Robinson Island, the water is where our community gathers, explores, and connects. Over my years living and working along these shores, I’ve come to appreciate how uniquely diverse Orange Beach’s boating waters are — from deep-draft channels for sportfishing yachts to shallow coves perfect for pontoons and skiffs.

Understanding the Waterways

Orange Beach sits at the junction of several navigable bodies…

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How to Build Equity with New Construction on the Gulf Coast

How to Build Equity with New Construction on the Gulf Coast

Along the Gulf Coast, building a home isn’t just about creating a place to live—it’s about crafting equity from the ground up. I’ve spent years helping investors and homeowners turn land into legacy.  In markets like Orange Beach and Ono Island, new construction offers one of the most rewarding paths to long-term appreciation. Whether it’s a spec build, a second home, or a custom coastal retreat, strategic construction can significantly outperform the resale market when planned thoughtfully.

My Investment Strategy: Buy, Build, Hold (or Sell)

The strategy is simple in principle but powerful in execution: purchase the right parcel of land, build smart with proven…

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Lagoon-Front Home with Deeded Gulf Access | 2780 W Beach Blvd, Gulf Shores

2780 W Beach Blvd — Gulf Shores, Alabama

Featured Lagoon-Front Listing with Deeded Gulf Access

A Boats + Beach Address That Lives Larger

I’m proud to feature 2780 W Beach Blvd as a rare dual-water lifestyle on West Beach—Little Lagoon in the back yard for calm-water days and a deeded Gulf access directly across W Beach Blvd for seamless beach time. This extra-deep parcel lives bigger than typical lots, creating a private outdoor envelope with room to breathe and plan. A newer pier with a covered dock makes staging paddleboards and smaller bay boats straightforward, and the raised construction combined with a Gold Fortified roof supports practical, low-stress ownership and clearer insurance conversations.  Listing page —…

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Orientation: Light, Breeze, and View — Living with the Elements on Ono Island

Orientation: Light, Breeze, and View — Living with the Elements on Ono Island

There’s something deeply Southern about the way Ono Island breathes — the salt air, the sway of marsh grass, and the rhythm of tide and light. Here along Old River, the sun and wind dictate the day as surely as the church bells do in small coastal towns. The island’s southern exposure creates its own microclimate — breezier in summer, slightly warmer in winter — and orientation becomes the invisible design element that shapes how life unfolds.

Morning Light and Evening Glow

When I walk a vacant lot with buyers, I suggest: paying attention to the light. The direction your home faces can define the feeling inside it.

East-facing lots welcome the first light…

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