Mark & Maxine + Joey
BEACH HOME BUYERS: Mark & Maxine - Married Couple
Current Home: Gaylesville, AL
Beach House Hunting In: Gulf Shores, AL
Beach Home Budget: $400K
Mark and Maxine are a motorcycle riding, coast chasing couple whose story isn’t a fairytale, it’s built on resilience, second chances, and a swipe that changed everything. Both single parents when they met, they were rebuilding their lives while raising kids on their own. What started as a dating app match became something lasting, and eighteen years later, after raising five children and weathering financial struggles together, their bond is stronger than ever. Now, for the first time in years, they’re intentionally shifting focus back to themselves and the life they want to build together.
After selling their longtime home in Birmingham once their children were grown, they moved into a quiet mountain cabin meant to be a temporary reset, a place to slow down and figure out what was next. But instead of feeling like a final destination, it’s only reinforced what they already knew, they’re not meant to stay in the mountains forever. The coast has always been the pull.
Years earlier, they had purchased land in Mexico Beach, Florida with plans to build their forever home. But Hurricane Michael changed everything, forcing them to let go of that dream. While they eventually sold the land and settled into mountain life, the idea of coastal living never left them.
Recently, after visiting friends along the Alabama coast, something clicked. The lifestyle, the ease, the water, it all felt like the version of life they had always imagined. Shortly after that trip, they met their agent Joey by chance over dinner, and what once felt like a distant dream suddenly felt within reach again. Now they’re searching for a two to three bedroom condo where the whole family can gather, kids and grandkids included. They want a place that feels like a reward, with a pool, hot tub, easy beach access, and a golf cart friendly community. Mark is grounded and budget conscious, while Maxine is drawn to light filled spaces, thoughtful finishes, and the details that make a home feel special. For both of them, this is a full circle moment, a chance to finally live the coastal life they never fully let go of.
The Agent - Joey Hipp - Gulf Shores, AL
With a last name like Hipp, not being cool was never really an option. Joey doesn’t just sell beach houses, he turns the entire experience into something unforgettable. With big personality and even bigger energy, he has a knack for landing deals that leave buyers thinking, how is this even in our budget? Originally from Mobile, Joey grew up spending weekends and vacations in Gulf Shores, long before it became home. Once their kids were grown, he and his wife realized they were done just vacationing and made Gulf Shores their home and fully leaned into beach life.
Before real estate, Joey spent years traveling the country as a speaker, sharpening a natural gift for connecting with people that now defines his approach with clients. His clients don’t just walk away with a home, they walk away with a relationship. When he met Mark and Maxine through a mutual connection, the chemistry was instant. With deep roots in the Gulf Shores market and a sharp eye for opportunity, Joey is exactly the kind of agent who can turn their beach home dream into reality .