Margaritaville Resort Orange Beach: Condos, Construction Progress, and What Comes Next

Margaritaville Resort Orange Beach: Condos, Construction Progress, and What Comes Next

By Meredith Folger
Licensed in Alabama and Florida

Every time I drive past the Intracoastal Waterway across from The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama, I can feel the energy building. Cranes are in the air, crews are moving with purpose, and the shoreline is slowly transforming into Margaritaville Resort Orange Beach — a destination that will change the way we think about resort living on the Alabama Gulf Coast.

As a Gulf Coast real estate advisor who lives and works right here, I have been watching this project closely, talking with buyers, homeowners, and investors who are already asking how they can be a part of it. The interest is strong, and…

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December Waves Timelapse in Orange Beach, Alabama | Calming Gulf Coast Video

December Gulf Waves in Motion: A Calming Timelapse from Orange Beach, Alabama

Every season on the Gulf Coast has its own personality, but there is something especially peaceful about December on the beaches of Orange Beach. Recently, I set up my camera in the sand and captured a timelapse of the ocean waves that felt less like a video project and more like a small therapy session with the Gulf of Mexico.

The water that day was a beautiful shade of turquoise, rolling in gentle, steady lines. The sand was as white as snow, almost glowing against the blue of the sky. Frame by frame, the scene unfolded like a living postcard, and I knew this needed to live on my website, www.searchthegulf.com, not just on my camera card.

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Understanding Elevation Certificates on Ono Island & in Orange Beach, Alabama

Understanding Elevation Certificates on Ono Island and in Orange Beach, Alabama

Why I Talk About Elevation Certificates With Gulf Coast Buyers

On Ono Island and throughout Orange Beach, elevation is just as important as square footage or number of bedrooms. Whether I am helping a neighbor buy a new-construction home on the island or listing a canal-front property along the back bays, the conversation always circles back to flood risk, insurance, and something called an “elevation certificate.”

My goal in this article is to take the mystery out of elevation certificates and explain, in plain language,…

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Best Beachfront Hotels in Orange Beach, Alabama | Local Gulf Coast Guide

Best Beachfront Hotels in Orange Beach, Alabama

When future buyers reach out to me about where to stay in Orange Beach, one of the first questions I hear is, “Which beachfront hotel should we book while we get to know the area?” Over the years, I have watched guests arrive for a long weekend, fall in love with the Gulf, and eventually come back to shop for a condo or a Gulf-front home of their own.

This guide focuses on true beachfront hotels in Orange Beach, with one notable Gulf Shores property that sits so close to the line that it absolutely deserves a mention. Each hotel below offers direct Gulf of Mexico access, with an easy walk from your room, across the dune crossover, and onto the sand.

1. Perdido Beach Resort: Classic Orange…

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Gulf Coast Alabama Living: Real Estate, Music, and Boating

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.

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

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Preparing Gulf Coast Homes For The Early December Arctic Chill

Thursday, November 27, 2025: Weather for Orange Beach, Baldwin County: Current Conditions: Clear, 48°F (9°C)

Daily Forecast

* Tuesday, December 2: Low: 40°F (4°C), High: 58°F (15°C), Description: Breezy in the morning with periods of rain; otherwise, mostly cloudy

* Wednesday, December 3: Low: 44°F (7°C), High: 58°F (14°C), Description: Sunshine

* Thursday, December 4: Low: 53°F (12°C), High: 61°F (16°C), Description: Sun through high clouds

* Friday, December 5: Low: 58°F (15°C), High: 64°F (18°C), Description: Mostly cloudy in the morning followed by sun through high clouds

* Saturday, December 6: Low: 63°F (17°C), High: 71°F (22°C), Description: A thunderstorm on the prowl in the morning; otherwise, cloudy most of the time

…

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Selling a Gulf-Front Home or Condo: Show-Ready Tips That Lift Value

Selling on the Gulf Front: Is Your Property Show-Ready

When I walk into a gulf-front home or condo, I’m looking at two things at once. I’m soaking in the lifestyle — the light off the water, the sound of the surf, the way the breeze moves through a balcony door — and at the same time I’m seeing it through a buyer’s eyes. After more than twenty years in real estate, I know what sells on the Gulf Coast, and I’ve learned that small, strategic updates can make a meaningful difference in how quickly a property moves and how strong the offers feel.

If you’re considering selling your home or condo — whether in Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, or anywhere along our coastline — this is the show-ready guide I share with homeowners every week. None of it…

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Modern, Clean Coastal Design on Ono Island That Still Feels Like Home

Modern, Clean Coastal Design on Ono Island That Still Feels Like Home

I spend a lot of time walking through homes on Ono Island, and what keeps striking me lately is how many homeowners are leaning into a calmer, more modern kind of beauty. Not “cold” modern. Not a copy-and-paste trend. More like a refined coastal simplicity that lets the light, the water, and the life outside do part of the decorating.

Design is personal. One neighbor told me recently, “I don’t want my house to feel like it’s performing. I want it to feel like it’s exhaling.” That line stayed with me, because it describes the shift I’m seeing all over Ono. People are choosing restraint over clutter, texture over ornament, and quality over quantity. The result is a style…

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2025 Gulf Coast Real Estate Trends: Orange Beach, Ono Island

2025 Homebuyer & Seller Trends — What This Year’s Data Means for Orange Beach, Ono Island, Gulf Shores, and Perdido Key

As I study this year’s buyer and seller data, I’m focused on what it means for our stretch of shoreline—Orange Beach, Ono Island, Gulf Shores, and Perdido Key. The National Association of REALTORS® 2025 Generational Trends Report gives a clear picture of who’s moving, how they search, and what they buy—insight we can turn into smart action along the Gulf Coast.

Who’s Buying in 2025

Boomers remain the single largest cohort of buyers at a combined 42 percent, followed by Gen X at 24 percent. First-time buyers account for 24 percent overall—lower than last year’s 32 percent—so affordability and value positioning matter. …

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Ono Island Boat Ramp Guide — Smooth Launches, Smart Parking, Happy Neighbors

Ono Island Boat Ramp: A Friendly, Owner-Focused Guide

Welcome

I’m Meredith Folger Amon, a Gulf Coast real estate advisor and Ono Island homeowner. Neighbors, friends, and homeowners often ask me how to make launch days effortless at our ramp. Here’s the upbeat, plain-English version I share—focused on what helps everyone have a good experience.

Quick Keys for a Smooth Launch

• Owners & guests only: Our ramp is a neighborhood perk. If you’ll park or leave a trailer, use the owner’s vehicle that carries the RFID tag so you’re set for the day.
• Stage first, launch second: Do your prep—plug, straps, lines, lifejackets—in the designated staging area. When you reach the waterline, you’ll be ready to launch and keep the queue…

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