Condos in Gulf Shores Blog » 2008 » February

I’ve have noticed a lot of creative approaches to selling real estate in Baldwin County lately.  Here are just a few:

• Homeowner’s Association dues paid for a year
• Insurance paid for a year with the purchase of a home or condo in Gulf Shores
• Free boat or car if you’ll buy this Orange Beach condo or home
• Free vacation to the islands with the purchase of this Fort Morgan beach condo
• $1,000, $2,000, $5,000 and I’ve even seen a $10,000 bonus to the selling agent if you will sell my real estate in Baldwin County.

I can’t remember seeing the free boat, car or vacation idea work, but I know of sales that have closed where the HOA dues or insurance have been paid at closing.

The selling bonus is a whole different deal, though.  It’s pretty self-explanatory really.  The seller offers X number of dollars to the buyer’s agent if he brings a buyer to closing on the real estate he has listed in Baldwin County.  Now, it’s not illegal, but here is the problem that I have with it.  I make my living selling real estate in Baldwin County.

Not only will I not let a selling bonus influence whether or not I show a property to a potential buyer, I will disclose to the buyer that a selling bonus is being offered and negotiate it out of the purchase price.

Here is the bottom line, in my not so humble opinion.  The market, the buyers and sellers, determine the price at which real estate will be sold – and even whether it will be sold at all – as we have come to realize in the last two years.  The real estate agents do not drive the market as some would have you to believe.

I would much rather see a property owner price his property competitively than offer a bonus to the selling agent. 

If you own real estate in Baldwin County and have been thinking of selling, I would welcome your call or e-mail.  I’ll be happy to do a Price Analysis and go over a marketing plan to get your property sold!

I noticed this week that an Orange Beach condo had recently sold in a complex where I used to own a one bedroom unit.  On January 30th a one bedroom unit sold for $235,000.  Wow, I thought, how long has it been since something in Four Winds sold for $235,000?  I looked back in our handy dandy Multiple Listing Service for Baldwin County real estate and found a one bedroom unit at Four Winds sold in November of 2003 for $236,500.

I wondered if that would be true of Fort Morgan beach condos and condos in Gulf Shores.  Here is what I found.

A two bedroom Fort Morgan beach condo at The Beach Club sold on February the 2nd for $389,000.  A two bedroom sold in November of 2003 for $389,900.

On January 15th a three bedroom condo in Gulf Shores called Surfside Shores sold for $350,000.  A 3BR sold in January of 2004 for $343,000.  Pretty consistent, huh?

I showed property to a couple last week who were looking for an Orange Beach condo in the $300,000 to $350,000 range.  Among the condos I showed them were the two least expensive Gulf front 2 bedroom units at Seaside Beach and Racquet Club.  They called back today to talk about making an offer and both units have received accepted offers within the last week.

The point I am trying to make is this:
Yes, we are in a buyer’s market.
Yes, sales have been molasses slow.
But when properties are priced correctly somebody will buy them!

If you are thinking about purchasing a home or condo in Gulf Shores, an Orange Beach condo or a Fort Morgan beach house or condo, right now is the time to start looking.

Give me a call or shoot me an e-mail and let’s talk about real estate in Baldwin County.