Gulf Coast Market Notes: Contract Assignments, 1031 Tactics, and Local Moves

What I’m Seeing on the Coast Right Now: Contract Lessons, 1031 Strategy, and Local Moves Shaping Value

Earlier this week, I sat down with colleagues to compare notes on contracts, market balance, and the steady drumbeat of local planning decisions in Orange Beach and nearby corridors. The conversation ranged from mold and crawlspace protocols to an unusual assignment request on one of my beach condo deals. Below is my first-person recap with the takeaways I’m giving my buyers and sellers today. For current property search and deeper context, start here: Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/, Orange Beach — https://www.searchthegulf.com/orange-beach/, Gulf Coast condos — https://www.searchthegulf.com/condos/.

1) Contract…

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Orange Beach and Ono Island Real Estate Market Update with Meredith Folger

Orange Beach Real Estate Market Update

I’ve pulled together a quick, data-forward update using the latest inventory-to-sales ratios and recent municipal actions that affect our market. If you’re watching homes on Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/ — or considering a move anywhere in Orange Beach — https://www.searchthegulf.com/orange-beach/ — here’s the signal I’m seeing in the noise.

Market Overview (as of the September 2025 snapshot)

• Tight under $300k; looser above $400k. Entry-level segments show lean supply across coastal Baldwin County sub-markets.

• Orange Beach Condos: Months of supply (MOS) skews tight under $300k, then steps up meaningfully: roughly ~0.5–3.0 MOS below $300k; ~7.1 MOS at…

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Ono Island’s Newest Listings For Sale: A Local Advisor’s Take

Ono Island’s Newest Listings: A Local Advisor’s Take (Past 30 Days as of October 15, 2025)

As an Ono Island homeowner and real estate advisor, I study every new opportunity that hits the market. Below is my straight-from-the-dock perspective on the newest listings over the last 30 days. If a property catches your eye, explore current Ono Island homes and land here: Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/. For broader community context, see Orange Beach — https://www.searchthegulf.com/orange-beach/ and Boating — https://www.searchthegulf.com/boating-accommodations-on-the-gulf-coast/.

3983 Oleander Court — Bayfront Modern, Near the Bridge

MLS 385551 | Offered at $5,500,000 | 5 BD | 4.5 BA | ~3,972 SF | Built…

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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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Top 10 Design Considerations for Building on Old River, Ono Island

Top 10 Design Considerations for Building on Old River, Ono Island

Building Along the Edge of the Gulf

When I walk a vacant lot along Old River — https://www.searchthegulf.com/homes-and-waterfront-properties-on-old-river-ono-island/, I see more than land — I see how the light falls across it, how the tide shifts, and how a home could rise with balance and purpose. Building here, along the southern edge of Ono Island — https://www.searchthegulf.com/ono-island/, is both a privilege and a craft.

Every decision — from how high the slab sits to how far the dock extends — carries both aesthetic and regulatory weight. Below, I’ve shared ten design considerations that I discuss with clients and builders before any form board is set or…

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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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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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Designing the Modern Southern Coastal Home: Where Tradition Meets Innovation on the Gulf Coast

Designing the Modern Southern Coastal Home: Where Tradition Meets Innovation on 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

When I walk through a newly built home on Ono Island or along the bays of Orange Beach, I can always tell when a builder has truly understood what it means to live on the Gulf Coast. It’s more than architecture — it’s the art of blending Southern heritage with modern craftsmanship. Our homes must be both beautiful and brave, built to welcome a salty breeze and withstand the strongest storm. That’s the balance of coastal living, and it’s what defines the modern Southern home today.

Preserving the…

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Best Boats for Ono Island Homeowners: Draft, Depth, and Design for Every Waterway

Best Boats for Ono Island Homeowners: Draft, Depth, and Design for Every Waterway

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, boating isn’t just a pastime—it’s woven into the rhythm of daily life. Morning tides guide coffee on the dock, and evening breezes decide which way you’ll drift toward Bayou St. John or Old River. As a homeowner and real estate advisor on this private island, I’m often asked the same question: “What’s the perfect boat for my dock?” The answer depends on your water depth, your lift capacity, and your lifestyle on the Gulf Coast.

Matching Draft and Depth to Ono Island’s Waterways

Ono Island offers a…

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