Service Areas
Daphne, ALFairhope, ALFoley, ALLoxley, ALMagnolia Springs, ALMontrose, ALPoint Clear, ALRobertsdale, ALSilverhill, ALSpanish Fort, ALSummerdale, AL
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About Judd Gillespie
Judd Gillespie is a REALTORA(R) based in Fairhope, Alabama, and a top-producing agent throughout Baldwin County. Licensed since January 2021, Judd has closed more than $40 million in career sales and averages 18 transactions per year, placing him consistently in the top 11% of Baldwin REALTORSA(R) by both production and units. He was awarded the Baldwin REALTORSA(R) Rising Star Award in 2022 and holds six professional designations: Baldwin County Certified Specialist, Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABRA(R)), Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSAA(R)), Short Sale and Foreclosure Resource (SFRA(R)), Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRESA(R)), and Commercial Real Estate Specialist (CRES). He is reviewed on Google, with 12 client reviews to date.
Judd primarily serves Fairhope, Daphne, Spanish Fort, Foley, and the greater Gulf Coast, with Fairhope as his core market. He specializes in relocation, first-time buyer, move-up, luxury, and military real estate, and is known locally for his working knowledge of zoning, planning, and civic issues affecting Baldwin County growth - expertise he applies directly for buyers and sellers navigating new development and land-use questions.
A former print-industry professional who transitioned into real estate for more in-person client relationships, Judd approaches every transaction with hard work, honesty, and a teachable spirit. Outside the office, he's active in local charities, schools, and civic organizations. For Baldwin County buyers and sellers, Judd Gillespie is a trusted, community-rooted resource - REALTORA(R), Fairhope, Alabama.
Read More About Judd
Credentials
LICENSE
Real Estate - Alabama - # 155518
Specialties
- Buyer's Agent
- First Time Home Buyers
- Investment Properties
- Listing Agent
- Luxury Specialist
- Military/Veterans
- New Construction
- Relocation
Awards
2026
TOP AGENT
Fairhope, AL
2026
TOP AGENT
Spanish Fort, AL
2026
TOP AGENT
Magnolia Springs, AL
FAQ
Get your financing squared away before you even start looking. I can't tell you how many buyers fall in love with a house, then find out they weren't as pre-approved as they thought. Talk to a lender first, know your real number, and get that pre-approval letter in hand. It saves heartache and it makes your offer a lot stronger when you find the one.
Beyond that, my biggest piece of advice is to work with someone who actually knows the ground you're walking on. Baldwin County isn't one market, it's a bunch of them stitched together. Fairhope, Daphne, Spanish Fort, Foley, they all have their own personality, their own flood zones, their own school lines, their own pace. A good agent should be able to tell you not just what a house is worth, but what it's like to actually live there. That local knowledge is what keeps you from making a decision you regret two years down the road.
And don't be afraid to ask questions. Buying a home is one of the biggest decisions you'll make, so ask about the neighborhood, ask about the flood history, ask why the sellers are moving. There's no such thing as a dumb question when it's your money and your future on the line.
Got Questions? AskJudd.
Price it right from day one. I know that sounds simple, but it's the number one thing that makes or breaks a sale. Overpricing to "leave room to negotiate" almost always backfires. Homes get the most attention in that first week or two on the market, and if you come out too high, you miss that window and end up chasing the market down later with price cuts. Buyers notice that.
Next, get the house ready before it hits the market, not after. Fresh paint, decluttered rooms, a little curb appeal, these things matter more than people think. You don't have to gut the kitchen, but you do want buyers walking in and picturing themselves living there, not distracted by clutter or a to-do list.
And this is the big one for Baldwin County specifically: know your local market, not the national headlines. What's happening in Fairhope isn't always what's happening in Daphne or Spanish Fort or Foley. Inventory, buyer demand, days on market, it all shifts block by block sometimes. That's where having someone with real boots-on-the-ground knowledge pays off. I'm not pulling numbers from a national report, I'm pulling them from what's actually closing down the street from you.
Last thing, be patient and trust the process. Selling a home can feel emotional since it's not just a transaction, it's your life. A good agent will guide you through it and keep you grounded when things get stressful.
Got Questions? AskJudd.
Honestly, a little bit of everyone, and that's what I love about this job. I've worked with first time buyers who were nervous and needed someone to walk them through every step, and I've worked with seasoned investors who just wanted the numbers and a quick close. I've helped families relocating to Baldwin County from out of state who needed someone to explain not just the house, but the whole area, the schools, the flood zones, the drive times, all of it. And I've worked with longtime locals selling the home they raised their kids in, which always comes with a little more emotion attached.
I work across Fairhope, Daphne, Spanish Fort, and Foley, so I see a real mix, waterfront buyers looking for that lifestyle, retirees looking to downsize, young families wanting good schools and a yard, and everyone in between.
What ties it all together is that I treat every client the same way, whether it's a five hundred thousand dollar purchase or a starter home. Everybody deserves someone who's going to look out for them and give it to them straight.
Got Questions? AskJudd.
This one's a good one. I was representing the seller, and we had a buyer who wanted the house but the deal was stuck about $10,000 apart because the roof needed to be replaced. Classic standoff, both sides dug in, nobody wanting to budge.
Here's where knowing the local landscape actually paid off. Alabama has a program called Strengthen Alabama Homes that gives homeowners a grant to help cover the cost of installing a fortified roof, which is a roof built to a higher wind and storm standard. Not a lot of agents know this program even exists, but I do, so I suggested the buyer's agent bring it up to her client as a way to help close that gap on the roof issue.
She called me back and said, and I'm quoting her here, "I've been doing this for 19 years and I never heard of that." Nineteen years in the business and it was news to her. That told me everything about why staying plugged into local programs and resources actually matters, it's not just trivia, it's the kind of thing that saves a deal.
We got the buyers pointed toward the grant, it helped bridge that gap, and the deal closed with both sides walking away happy. That's the stuff I love about this job. It's not always about being the toughest negotiator in the room, sometimes it's about knowing something the other side doesn't and using it to get everybody to yes.
Got Questions? AskJudd.
Real estate actually wasn't my first career. I spent about 18 years in marketing and print, working my way up to General Manager along the way. That background ended up being more useful than I expected, because so much of real estate is really about communication, marketing a home the right way, and knowing how to tell its story so the right buyer finds it.
But the real foundation is that I've got over 33 years of roots right here in Baldwin County. This isn't a market I studied, it's a place I grew up in. I know the back roads, I know how the towns have changed, I know why people fall in love with Fairhope or why a young family picks Daphne over Spanish Fort. When I made the jump into real estate full time, it just felt like a natural extension of that, helping people navigate a place I already knew inside and out.
Since then I've closed more than 80 transactions and picked up some extra certifications along the way, ABR, PSA, SRES, SFR, plus the Baldwin REALTOR Certified Specialist designation, because I wanted to make sure I could serve every type of client well, not just the easy ones.
At the end of the day, real estate chose me as much as I chose it. I like helping people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives, and I like doing it in a place I actually care about.
Got Questions? AskJudd.
I do, and honestly I think these matter more than people realize. I hold a handful of designations that each dig into a specific part of the business. My ABR means I've got extra training specifically on representing buyers, so I know how to protect your interests and negotiate on your behalf. My SRES is focused on working with clients who are at or near retirement age, which comes with its own set of considerations, downsizing, timing, tax implications, that sort of thing. My PSA is all about pricing strategy, so I can back up a listing price or an offer with real data, not just a gut feeling. And my SFR gives me extra training in short sales and foreclosures, which not every agent has experience with.
I'm also a Baldwin REALTOR Certified Specialist, which is a local designation that keeps me sharp specifically on what's happening here in our county, not some generic national training.
On top of all that, I bring 18 plus years of marketing and print experience into how I present and market a home. A lot of agents can list a house, but not everyone knows how to actually market it well, the photography, the messaging, getting it in front of the right eyes. That background gives my sellers an edge.
All that training is great, but what really matters is how I use it, to make sure my clients feel informed and confident every step of the way.
Got Questions? AskJudd.
Answered Questions
Should I pay for my own inspection before listing?
I believe if you are concerned there may be issues, a home inspection is pretty smart. It will allow you to see the major and some of the hidden issues that inspectors look for. While it will cost $500 it may save you a lot more than that when it comes to negotiating repairs and increase the amount of offers coming in.
Answered by Judd Gillespie | Harrisburg | 218 Views | Working With an Agent | 7 months ago
Contact Information
Location
306 De La Mare AvenueFairhope, AL, 36532
Social Media
Available Listings View All
Active
$419,000
3bds | 2ba 1917 sqft
23723 Devonfield Ln Daphne, AL 36526,USA
Active
$244,500
3bds | 3ba 1440 sqft
6685 Spaniel Dr #0 Daphne, AL 36527,USA
Active
$179,900
bds | 0ba sqft
516 Volanta Ave #7 Fairhope, AL 36532,USA
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