Architectural Beauty and Coastal Landscape on Ono Island

Architectural Beauty and Coastal Landscape on Ono Island

Every time I cross the Ono Island bridge and head down the winding streets, I’m reminded of how distinct the architecture and landscape are here. The homes are a reflection of coastal resilience and timeless design, framed by lush palms, magnolias, and heritage live oaks that give the island its character. On a clear November afternoon, I drove the island again — sunlight glinting off metal roofs, sand dunes softly framing driveways, and dolphins surfacing in the nearby channel. It’s the perfect blend of nature and design that makes Ono Island one of the most beautiful places to live on the Gulf Coast.

A Look at Ono Island’s Architectural Mix

From traditional…

869 Views, 0 Comments

Bellator Leader's Club October 2025 | Real Estate | Meredith Folger Amon

BELLATOR LEADER'S CLUB OCTOBER 2025

Bellator Leader's Club October 2025

153 Views, 0 Comments

Gulf Coast Pesce al Cartoccio: Fish in Parchment with Lemon, Basil, and Tomatoes

Fish in Parchment Paper (Italian-Style Pesce al Cartoccio)

This is one of my favorite “simple but impressive” dinners. The fish steams gently inside parchment, and everything tastes bright, clean, and genuinely Italian. The packet traps aroma and moisture, so even a lean fillet comes out tender. It is also beautifully low-mess, which I always appreciate on busy weeks.

Best Fish to Use

• Snapper, grouper, flounder, cod, halibut, sea bass, or salmon
• 6–8 oz portions cook best in individual packets

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 2 fish fillets (6–8 oz each)
• 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 10–12 cherry…

3231 Views, 0 Comments

Best Income-Producing Condo in Orange Beach, Alabama | Investor Insight by Meredith

What Is the Best Income-Producing Condo in Orange Beach, Alabama?

Investor’s Resource for Orange Beach Condos

I get asked this constantly: “Meredith, what’s the best condo in Orange Beach to buy for income?” It’s a smart question. But it’s also the wrong way to look at it. The better question is, “What is the best income-producing condo for me, right now, based on my goals, budget, usage, and tolerance for fees and assessments?” That is where I come in.

I’ve been selling Gulf Coast real estate for over two decades, and I work the Orange Beach, Ono Island, Gulf Shores, and Perdido Key condo market every week. I know which buildings stay booked, which ones have loyal repeat renters, which associations are strong, which properties are…

4755 Views, 0 Comments

Alabama Income Tax: What Buyers on the Gulf Coast Should Know | Meredith Folger Amon

Is Alabama Really Getting Rid of Its State Income Tax?

Every so often I get a text from a homeowner, an investor, or a buyer relocating to the Gulf Coast asking, “Meredith, are we about to become a no–state-income-tax state like Florida or Tennessee?” Since so many of my conversations are with people comparing Orange Beach, Ono Island, Gulf Shores, Perdido Key, and the Florida Panhandle, it makes sense that taxes come up early. Today, the short answer is no. Alabama leaders are talking about reducing and refining our income tax, not eliminating it.

I wanted to put this in writing for my readers on https://www.searchthegulf.com, because tax rumors have a way of getting ahead of the actual legislation, and those rumors can influence how…

7025 Views, 0 Comments

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…

137 Views, 0 Comments

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…

908 Views, 0 Comments

Perdido Key Neighborhoods to Watch — Meredith Folger Amon

Top Neighborhoods to Watch in Perdido Key, Florida

I spend a lot of time moving between Orange Beach and Perdido Key, touring homes, walking docks, and studying how each neighborhood actually lives beyond the listing photos. When buyers ask me where to focus on the Key, I look for a balance of design, water access, and long-term livability. These are my top neighborhoods to watch right now.

Why these neighborhoods

I evaluate the Key the same way I advise buyers to do it: start with your daily rhythm, then layer in water access, design quality, and the quiet details that matter over time. Is boating part of your life, or is your perfect day a beach walk followed by an easy lunch run by boat or golf cart. Does a north-facing back porch…

1296 Views, 0 Comments

Boating Paradise on Ono Island: A Local’s Guide to Waterfront Living and Deep-Water Access | Meredith Folger Amon, Gulf Coast Real Estate Advisor

Boating Paradise on Ono Island: A Local’s Guide

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

Island Living with Southern Charm

Hello — I’m Meredith Folger, a proud Ono Island homeowner, boater, and Gulf Coast real estate advisor. Nestled where Alabama meets Florida, Ono Island stretches five and a half miles along the mouth of Perdido Bay, surrounded by sparkling waters that define life here. Legend has it, the island’s name came when Alabama officials once told Florida, “Oh no you don’t!” during a boundary dispute — a touch of Southern sass that still lives in our tight-knit island community today.

Gated, guarded, and gracious, Ono Island…

857 Views, 0 Comments

Depth, Draft, and Design: Boating Ono Island’s Waterways

DEPTH, DRAFT, AND DESIGN: BOATING ONO ISLAND’S WATERWAYS

By Meredith Folger Amon — Licensed in Alabama and Florida

Guided by Integrity. Backed by Experience. Search the Gulf with Meredith Folger Amon.

On Ono Island life moves with the tide and the hum of an outboard at dusk. Morning coffee on a dock becomes a ritual, and the day’s decisions often start with a glance at the waterline. As a homeowner on Ono Island and a local real estate advisor, I help buyers and boaters match the right waterfront home with the right draft and the right waterway. Depth is not just a number here. It is a lifestyle choice that determines how and where you run, from inshore flats to the Gulf beyond Perdido Pass.

Reading the Water: Ono’s…

819 Views, 0 Comments