So you and your spouse have been kicking around the idea of buying a home or condo in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach. You have already realized that tourism is flourishing here. What a great opportunity to own an investment property, as well as have a place for yourself when you come down for some peace and relaxation.
Ok, enough of the hype. As there are all types of reasons to buy, there are also many different timelines for purchasing. There are some folks who are looking for a place to retire to and are 5 years away from buying their Gulf front condo. Some people are just market watchers. Others have been noticing the growth and just need to get their finances in order. Then, there are still others who have all of their ducks in a row and they are ready NOW!
I’ve said all that to say this . . . Almost every real estate website that you visit to look at properties will require you to register after the first listing or so (including mine until now). We often see that there are many people who aren’t ready to buy at the moment but just want to look around and they give all of us bogus information about themselves. I totally understand that and I’ve done it myself! The last thing that you want is for a realtor to call you every week when you are 12 months away from purchasing. I’ve put a lot of thought into this and have decided to take “forced registration” off of my website at www.livegulfshoreslocal.com.
I want as many people as possible to freely search through as many properties as they want without giving up their name, number, email address, and first born. It’s a bold strategy and I’m definitely “going against the grain” among my peers, but I feel that this is a good move for both you, the potential client, as well as me in my business. I feel that if you have a place that you can go anonymously and search to your heart’s content, you will contact me when you’re ready. You will be assured that no one will call you during dinner or at work. You won’t get unwanted emails. When you’re ready, I’ll be here.
I want to make your search very easy for you, as well. You see in this first image, there is a very simple search field that is found on the home page, as well as many other pages on the site. These are very generic search fields, but if you just simply press the magnifying glass (without doing anything else) you will be taken to the advanced search field.
In this image, you see that there are quite a few more options to choose from, including square footage, number of beds, etc. In the neighborhoods drop down menu, you’ll find every single neighborhood that is listed in our MLS system, including every condo complex. So, if you only want to see what condos that are for sale in Seachase of Orange Beach for instance, Seachase is in that list. Although this list is in alphabetical order, look for the blank field at the top of the Neighborhoods drop down with the magnifying glass. If you already know the neighborhood or condo complex that you want to see, simply type it in this field. This will save you from having to search through several hundred neighborhoods.
Once you are ready to go or have a question for me, please do register. Also, if you want to create a saved search, you will have to register because we have to know where to send the listings that match your criteria. You can also send me a message from the "Get in Touch" feature usually found on the upper right side of your screen.
I sell real estate full time and have been in this business for 10 years. I obviously want and need your business. I just got to thinking how I would want to be treated and so I wanted to carry that same thought process on to my potential clients. Search on people, free of anyone bugging you! When you’re ready, give me a call.
Jeff Nelson
IXL Real Estate - Eastern Shore
251-654-2523
jeff@livegulfshoreslocal.com
