possible transfer to orange beach/gulf shores area (Mobile, Foley: relocate, property taxes)

[Hollyj]

Hi, my name is Holly. I'm new to this forum and thought this would be the best place to ask a few questions.

We have put in for a transfer to the Gulf Shores area and we took a trip this past week to look around.

I am targeting the Orange Beach/Gulf Shores school system. I have done a bit of research and know the schools rankings and test scores which seem to be pretty high compared to others in the surrounding areas.

Due to the location my husband would be working, we need to stay in the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area.

I know the taxes for Alabama are low, especially compared to the area in which we live (South of Atlanta). We pay over $2000 a year for our property taxes which I think is ridiculous.

I have been trying to figure out what homeowners insurance rates are like and whether specific areas require flood insurance. Now I realize it depends on the proximity to the water, but we looked a little further inland. I liked several areas off of 59 on 180, Canal Road to the east and west. I also like some areas located in downtown near the civic center and what I believe is a golf course. It's an established area, very nice.

Can anyone give me some idea whether you need flood insurance in these areas? I looked at the FEMA flood maps and can't make heads or tails out of any of them. If these areas do require flood insurance, might someone know a ball park figure.

I am looking at homes that range between 2000 - 2400 square foot. Does anyone on here own a home in any of these areas I have listed, and would you be willing to give me a ballpark on what you pay for homeowners and flood combined?

If my husband is offered this position, it will not happen until this summer. I want to make sure this will be the right move and I want to have all my bases covered with no surprises.

Thanks so much.
Holly

[Keeper]

I hope someone from the area can tell you what you want to know but we don't get a lot of ppl from that area on here.

You might try calling or contacting either an ins agent or a realtor in the area. They could give you a ballpark figure. The closer you live to the gulf, the higher the HOI cost.
If I talk to my sister, I will ask her since she lives in the area she might know.

[Hollyj]

Thanks so much and good idea!

[lesdear]

i live in orange beach so i can tell you about my homeowners cost. i live in a small 1400 sq ft cottage across the street from the bay. our insurance is now $2400 a year plus $300 a year for flood. it has tripled since we bought the home in 1998, but it hasn't gone up in the past few years due to ivan or katrina. our taxes are around $1300 a year. the elementary school in orange beach is great and the middle school and high school in gulf shores is alright. i have a 2 year old so i don't have any first hand knowledge of this, but my neighbor has kids in all 3 schools so that would be her opinion of the schools. if you have any more questions about the area, i will be happen to answer. there are a lot of great homes for sale in the area at good prices.

[Hollyj]

Thanks for the information. The flood insurance certainly isn't bad, but the HOI is expensive. Of course I knew it was going to be more costly, but it's only about $800.00 more, combined taxes and insurance, than what I pay here in GA. So, not too bad.

Again, thank you.

[Keeper]

I can tell you the HOI isn't bad at all compared to what they are paying in FL now a days. Most ppl can't get HOI unless they use the state ins and if you live by the water, well I know one person whose HOI went up to 17K a year although I don't know what price of the house was at the time.

[Hollyj]

I read an interesting article back from July 2006 about condos on Orange Beach. One in particular has 71 units and the HOI yearly, pre-hurricane, was $40,000 for the year. Post-hurricane, it went up to a staggering 1.1 million. $15,000 per unit and that happened to all the others on the beach also. It varied by insurance company, but they all were ridiculously high.

I spoke with a State Farm agent in Foley who said they could write HOI North of the ICW, nothing beyond and nothing for Orange Beach since it is South of the ICW. If someone needed insurance for those areas, they would have to pull from the insurance pool and that would not include replacement or liability. It would cover wind and hail. Besides that, I didn't even bother to ask how much something like that would cost.

Well, if we end up moving, we will target the area that HOI can be written.
They gave me an estimate of $2000 for property prices $250,000 - $260,000 and in the area I would be looking, there would be no flood insurance. It is less than 2 miles North of the ICW, from what I remember.

It's a wonder how anyone could afford insurance cost on the beach. I suppose if you are incredibly wealthy.....

Thanks for your help. I guess we won't find out for a while if we are moving, just a matter of time and who the company chooses. If we miss out the first time, there will be more 4 more chances down the road.

Thanks again.

[kevin_1975]

We have ALFA insurance. I do not know if all did this, but they went up on our hurricane deductable after Katrina. It was 2% of the value of our home. Now it is 5%. We live in west Mobile about 7 miles north of I10

[kgd36580]

We switched to Farmers from Alfa in the Spring of 2005, pre-Ivan. At the time of the change our premium at Alfa was $3600 a year and the premium at Farmers was $1200 with more coverage. We have just got our renewal notice and our 2008 premium will be $1650 w/1000 deduct and 2% hurricane. Our agent told us that Farmers will not write anything south of Hwy 98 (pre-Katrina it was ICW). I keep my fingers crossed that they will not move the do-not-write line to I-10. We live 16 miles inland in Summerdale and our property taxes are approx. $600 year on 1.8 acres and 2400 sq. ft. house.

[bilyon]

Just wondering if you have relocated to Gulf Shores yet? If so, do you like it? how much is your Homeowner's insurance?

Thanks!