Coronavirus Updates

Gov. Ivey has extended the statewide mask mandate through April 9, 2021. The mandate states that all people must wear a mask in public when they are within six feet of a person from another household.

-Restaurants, bars, and breweries no longer have to limit party size at tables. Partitions or keeping tables six feet apart still apply.

-Outdoor programs will be allowed at senior centers. Guidelines for the programs will be written by the Department of Senior Services.

-Hospital patients and nursing home residents will be allowed visits from two people at a time. The previous order limited that to one.

-Summer camps may operate subject to social distancing and sanitation rules.

Safer at Home Mandate Extended

Gov. Ivey has extended the statewide mask mandate through January 22, 2021. The mandate states that all people must wear a mask in public when they are within six feet of a person from another household at any of the following places:

Indoor spaces open to the public

Vehicles operated by a transportation service

Amended Alabama Statewide Mask Mandate

Gov. Ivey has extended the statewide mask mandate through December 11, 2020. The mandate states that all people must wear a mask in public when they are within six feet of a person from another household at any of the following places:

Indoor spaces open to the public

Vehicles operated by a transportation service

Alabama Limits Alcohol Sales

Starting Saturday, August 1, 2020 at 11 PM, Alabama will prohibit on premise alcohol sales past 11 PM. Consumption is to stop by 11:30 PM.

Consumers may still purchase alcohol at stores if they are open. This order is to limit on premise consumption.

*Must be 21 years of age or older to purchase alcohol in the state of Alabama.

Alabama Statewide Mask Mandate

Today, Gov. Ivey announced a statewide mask mandate that goes into effect Thursday, July 16 at 5pm through July 31 (when updated guidelines will be released). The mandate states that all people must wear a mask in public when they are within six feet of a person from another household at any of the following places:

Indoor spaces open to the public

Vehicles operated by a transportation service

Outdoor public spaces where 10 or more people are gathered

The statewide safer at home order can be viewed here.

June 19, 2020 Update

Several states have issued a mandatory quarantine for any resident traveling to a different state. If Alabama is on the list of your resident state, Harris Vacation Rentals will issue a refund or allow guests to reschedule their booking. Harris Vacation Rentals is not able to refund fees collected by third party websites. If a reservation was booked through a third party booking site, you will have to contact that site directly to collect those fees.

Govenor Kay Ivey has amended the Safer at Home Order

Beginning May 11 at 5 PM, Alabama businesses may open at 50% occupancy subject to social distancing guidelines.

Click here to see FAQs

At Harris Vacation Rentals, our guest's safety is our top priority. In order to keep our guests safe, we will be disinfecting each property prior to every arrival with an EPA certified cleaner approved to kill COVID-19. Our pre-arrival team will be spraying all high touchpoints in the properties to keep our guests safe.

Brian Harris, CEO of Harris Vacation Rentals and Josh Null, President of Gulf Coast Financial Advisors have started a webinar to discuss what you need to know about Real Estate during the COVID-19 crisis.

Learn more.

Alabama's beaches will reopen Thursday, April 30th at 5 PM with visitors subject to social distancing guidelines. We are so excited to welcome travelers back to our beautiful beaches and we hope that you and your families will be able to visit us again soon.

Our restaurants will remain open for carry-out only and many are offering family-style meal plans at discounted rates. In order to keep our guests safe, we will be disinfecting each property prior to every arrival with an EPA certified cleaner approved to kill COVID-19. Our pre-arrival team will be spraying all high touchpoints in the properties to keep our guests safe. A few social distancing tips we would like to share:

- Stay 6 ft apart.

- Rent a single-family home.

- Bring groceries from home or order grocery pick-up.

- Rent a home with a private pool.

- Prepare meals in our fully-equipped kitchens.

- Wear gloves when pumping gas.

We miss you and hope that you will be able to come to relax with us soon!

Learn more and see FAQS.

Beaches and the Alabama economy have been suggested to reopen as early as May 1.

The recommendations must be approved by Governor Kay Ivey and Health Officer Scott Harris. This would be great news for vacation homeowners, rental companies, and businesses throughout the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Ivey will not act immediately.

Learn more about businesses reopening.

Learn more about when beaches may open.

The City of Gulf Shores Proposes Beaches Re-Open For Limited Use May 1

Gulf Shores proposes beaches to re-open for limited recreational use on May 1.

>Activities such as walking, running, swimming, surfing, and fishing would be permitted as long as social distancing guidelines are followed.

>Congregating on the beach, use of chairs, tents, and umbrellas would be prohibited.

Small Business, Food and Beverage Establishments would Re-Open May 1

Small businesses, food establishments, and beverage establishments would open while subject to social distancing guidelines as set by the Health State Officer May 1.

Beaches would Be Subject to Normal Activity May 15

All beaches would re-open subject to normal activity with implementation of social distancing could begin May 15.

Click here to learn more.

SBA Loan Opportunities

The main loan program that may be of assistance for you, the homeowner is the "Economic Injury Disaster Loan" (EIDL). This is a loan and can be applied for through the SBA.

    > Should I apply?

Yes. We really do not know who will be deemed eligible or ineligible but you need to apply.

    > Should I apply if I am not in need of a loan?

Yes. Even if you are not in need of a loan, we encourage you to apply. There is a portion of this loan that has the potential of being deemed a "grant" and free from repayment responsibility. But you must apply for the loan to possibly be eligible.

Beach Closures

The current beach closure is through April 30th. We will not be surprised to see these extended.

We are still seeing modest bookings come through into homes but these are not coming close to replacing the lost revenue from the pandemic.

With the loss of rental revenue, if you are worried about paying for your investment property, you have some options.

    > Reach out to your bank/lender and speak to them about a "Deferment"

Click here to read a Forbes article on loan deferments.

Click here to read a BBB article on what banks are doing to help.

    > Apply for an SBA loan. *At this time we am unsure about the qualifications needed to receive this loan but we would suggest starting the application process right away if you think there is a chance you will need it.

I have a "loss of rental revenue" coverage on my home-owners insurance policy. Will this help me?

    > Unfortunately, this coverage will not be effective for the viral pandemic. This coverage would only come into play if there were physical damage to the home which cause it to be unreliable. Obviously, you should reach out to your carrier because all policies are different but it looks like this will not be of any assistance in this situation.