LEE COUNTY HOUSING STATS DECEMBER 2007 & DECEMBER 2008 RESIDENTIAL - DECEMBER 2007 RESIDENTIAL - DECEMBER 2008 ALL AREAS: ALL AREAS: 823 Houses on the Market this month 901 Houses on the Market this month 77 Properties sold 56 Properties sold 173 Average days on the market 167 Average days on the market 91 New listings 115 New listings $187,400 Median Sold Price $204,275 Median Sold Price $223,565 Average Sold Price $227,821 Average Sold Price $17,214,539 Total Property Sales Sold Dollar Volume $12,757,999 Total Property Sales Sold Dollar Volume AUBURN: AUBURN: 418 Houses on the Market this month 452 Houses on the Market this month 33 Properties sold 31 Properties sold 201 Average days on the market 201Average days on the market 46 New listings 49 New listings $229,900 Median Sold Pric... 01/14/2009

As I grow older---or younger as I'm sometimes accused of---I understand better the usefulness of contrast in our lives...the value of LIGHT after having been in the dark, the value of shelter after having lost a home, the value of a best friend after losing one, the value of RAIN after a drought and the renewed value of a dollar for the same reason in every season.  Through the lens of contrast, I can, at one point, view LIFE as a complete loss---I will pretty much leave with most of what I arrived with---NOTHING...so, where is the value?  Where is the equity, the unconditional love, the shelter, the return on investments, both financially and emotionally? WHERE IS LIFE kept anyway? Where does it RESIDE?? Where does it truly come to LIFE? Sometimes we hear the phrase that something ‘tak... 12/31/2008

Not sure if folks saw this or not. I'll be honest with you, I didn't. To tell you the truth, I hardly ever watch the Today Show. Not because I'm not up and out of bed early enough like most realtors in my area, but because I'm too busy getting myself and my family ready for the day while the show is on. It's rather exciting to have our little corner of the universe featured on the Today Show though. Here ya go: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/28193890#28193890 I really like Barbara Corcoran. She's an out-of-the-box thinker in an in-the-box world. You can check out more about her and her company here. 12/14/2008

You don't want to miss the Christmas Tour of homes in Auburn, Alabama.  This year the Auburn University President's home and the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts will be on this year's annual Loveliest Village Christmas Tour of Homes sponsored by the Auburn Preservation League. The tour is Saturday, Dec. 13, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 14, 1-4 p.m. Tickets for the tour are $20 and are available at the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, Behind the Glass and Auburn Hardware. The cafe at the museum will be open Saturday for lunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Reservations are encouraged by calling 844-7016. The museum is closed on Sundays and will be only on the tour Saturday. Visit this link for details of the other homes included in this year's tour or call the Auburn Chamber of Commerce for m... 12/10/2008

The following report is calculated by the Alabama Center of Real Estate. This report, along with more detailed information, can be found on their website: http://arerec.cba.ua.edu/  Are you considering a move into or out of Lee County Alabama? If you would like to receive these monthly reports, emailed directly to you, along with other local area information, feel free to contact me with a request. NAR UPDATES: The marketplace is as vulnerable as ever, especially this time of year, to fraud. The Treasury has spelled out an alert and warns against "private offset bonds." Read, too, on how the Stimulus Plan will bring some changes to the market.: A notice directed to REALTORS® warns about scammers' attempts to use fraudulent bonds to buy houses. If a buyer tries to use a "personal promiss... 12/06/2008

Buy low, sell high.  That is the basic investment principle of any market.  Real Estate, Stocks, anything you invest in, that is the rule.  The question is how do you know you are at the low point and when will the downturn reverse itself?  Of course there is no way to know for sure, but  when it comes to the Real Estate market there are some basic indicators you can watch that will give you the opportunity to make an educated decision. •·        Is it a buyer's market or a seller's market?  No question here, the sellers are anxious, and there are fantastic deals to be had. •·        Is financing available?  The lenders  are not giving money away "no questions asked"  like they have in the past, but if you have a reasonable credit score, and your income versus your debts are not out of ... 12/01/2008

Here is a comparison of this year to date compared to last year for residential real estate in Auburn:  Market Comparison Report Dates:  01/01/2008 to 11/20/2008    01/01/2007 to 11/20/2007 Property Types:  Residential Areas:  Auburn     Jan 1 - Nov 20, 2007 Jan 1 - Nov 20, 2008 Difference Percentage Property Type Units     Dollars Units Dollars Units Dollars Units Dollars Residential 910 205,778,821.00 702 153,678,101.00 -208 -52,100,720.00 -22.86 -25.32 Totals: 910 205,778,821.00 702 153,678,101.00 -208 -52,100,720.00 -22.86 -25.32   11/20/2008

VETERAN'S DAY... a day to pause and reflect...to pull in our aligned forces of gratitude, for those who serve our highest ideals in the fight for freedom... to take a priceless moment to acknowledge and remember the men and women I've learned of, known of and some I've met here in Auburn, Alabama through my work as a REALTOR.  What a privilege I have in America---to have such an opportunity to work and encounter so many incredible people along the way.  Each one is a brilliant reflection of humanity's collective struggle to be free and to have a place to stand and understand... to know of HOME on earth.  Today I especially salute the men and women who have participated in the action, to those who gave (and are still giving) of their own blood, sweat and tears to foster FREEDOM. Today I ... 11/11/2008

The following report is calculated by the Alabama Center of Real Estate. This report, along with more detailed information, can be found on their website: http://arerec.cba.ua.edu/  Are you considering a move into or out of Lee County Alabama? If you would like to receive these monthly reports, emailed directly to you, along with other local area information, feel free to contact me with a request.   And some promising news seems to be traveling a wave from the west coast to the east, according to trends studied by the National Association of REALTORS (NAR: Active in Alabama, Mara Hawks, REALTOR with FIRST REALTY of Auburn, AL, #1 Real Estate Team in Lee County, THE LEADER in professional real estate services in Auburn, Opelika & Lee County for over 3 decades! Committed to INTEGRITY, KN... 11/06/2008

It has been said that Auburn University's chapel is haunted by the ghost of Sydney Grimmett.  Sydney is said to be the ghost of a Civil War solidier and has been sighted by people in the church's rafters.  The 158 year old church was originally set up by plantation owners as a hospital for a regiment originating in Texas.  Supposedly Sydney was a part of this regiment and was shot in the leg and developed gangrene and was later buried in Pine Hill cemetary.  The majority of the paranormal activity occured while the chapel was being used as a theatre.  Since this time the theatre has moved to Telfair Peet Theatre.  It is said some students still leave candy out for the ghost as they believe the ghost followed them to the new theatre location. Haunted or not it truly makes for a spooky st... 10/31/2008

"War Eagle Native American Festival celebrates history and cultureThe Auburn University Multicultural Center and the Access and Community Initiatives will host the 2008 War Eagle Native American Festival from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on both Friday, Oct. 31, and Saturday, Nov. 1, on the grounds of the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. The free event will celebrate the history and culture of Southeastern indigenous peoples with traditional singers, musicians, dancers, storytellers and reenactors from Oklahoma, Alabama, Georgia and Florida. Living campsites will be set up on the grounds and traditional Native American food, artifacts and souvenirs will be available for purchase. Faron Weeks of the Echota Cherokee Tribe of Alabama and a member of the White Horse Singers will emcee the event. The... 10/28/2008

IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE! The Auburn-Opelika area is the HEART of LEE COUNTY, AL. In 1836, the wilderness land captured the hearts and imagination of settlers who established a colony here, which Legislature approved and incorporated as Auburn in 1839. The land is rich with stories from these times, and also marked with the imprint of missionaries and Creek Indians that preceded the colonists. With it's comparatively low taxes and strong work ethic, the Auburn-Opelika area is perfectly primed for expansion, and, in the past two years, has gained national attention as a prime location for business growth. Here is my pick of the week of HOMES FOR SALE, (Click on each house to enlarge listing data) wonderful places to live, in Auburn-Opelika, Alabama. YOU ARE WELCOME to CONTACT ME or... 10/23/2008

The following report is calculated by the Alabama Center of Real Estate. This report, along with more detailed information, can be found on their website: http://arerec.cba.ua.edu/  Are you considering a move into or out of Lee County Alabama? If you would like to receive these monthly reports, emailed directly to you, along with other local area information, feel free to contact me with a request.     Early this month, President Bush approved the bill from the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. entitled the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. According to Gary Keller, head of national residential real estate franchisor Keller Williams in Austin, Texas,   "The market should regain some confidence, and since markets are built mainly on confidence, that's no small thi... 10/19/2008

LEE COUNTY HOUSING STATS SEPTEMBER 2007 & SEPTEMBER 2008 RESIDENTIAL - SEPTEMBER 2007 RESIDENTIAL - SEPTEMBER 2008 ALL AREAS: ALL AREAS: 897 Houses on the Market this month 951 Houses on the Market this month 69 Properties sold 65 Properties sold 183 Average days on the market 146 Average days on the market 145 New listings 128 New listings $182,000 Median Sold Price $167,000 Median Sold Price $217,140 Average Sold Price $188,359 Average Sold Price $14,982,635 Total Property Sales Sold Dollar Volume $12,243,313 Total Property Sales Sold Dollar Volume AUBURN: AUBURN: 487 Houses on the Market this month 477 Houses on the Market this month 37 Properties sold 28 Properties sold 207 Average days on the market 137 Average days on the market 49 New listings 54 New listings $248,500 Median Sol... 10/10/2008

Auburn-Opelika, Ala.Rank: 6 Projected total GMP growth, 2007-2012: 24.01% In the mid-1980s, Auburn officials decided to focus on attracting small and medium-sized employers in the technology sectors. Their work seems to have paid off. Auburn University is still the metro area's largest employer, but the area's location along the I-85 corridor makes it an ideal spot for auto parts suppliers that serve manufacturing centers elsewhere in the South. By 2012, Auburn's population is expected to grow by more than 17% above 2007 levels. Source: Moody's Economy.com, City of Auburn 10/09/2008

The following link provides a list of the Home Inpectors for the State of Alabama.  http://bc.state.al.us/HI_search.asp     09/29/2008

I'm all out of gas so what do I do now?  If your area is like my area you are experiencing a shortage in gas for your car.  So many of the gas stations I visited this weekend were completely out of gasoline.  In order to conserve your gas and make it last longer please consider the following tips.  Anyone wishing to share additional tips they have are welcomed. 1 Avoid High Speeds 2 Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard 3 Keep Tires Properly Inflated 4 Use A/C Sparingly 5 Keep Windows ClosedWindows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%. 6 Service Vehicle Regularly 7 Use Cruise Control 8 Avoid Heavy Loads 9 Avoid Long IdlesIf you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel tha... 09/23/2008

The following report is calculated by the Alabama Center of Real Estate. This report, along with more detailed information, can be found on their website: http://arerec.cba.ua.edu/  Are you considering a move into or out of Lee County Alabama? If you would like to receive these monthly reports, emailed directly to you, along with other local area information, feel free to contact me with a request. Active in Alabama, Mara Hawks, REALTOR with FIRST REALTY of Auburn, AL, #1 Real Estate Team in Lee County, THE LEADER in professional real estate services in Auburn, Opelika & Lee County for over 3 decades! Committed to INTEGRITY, KNOWLEDGE & SERVICE. 09/15/2008

LEE COUNTY HOUSING STATS AUGUST 2007 & AUGUST 2008 RESIDENTIAL - AUGUST2007 RESIDENTIAL - AUGUST 2008 ALL AREAS: ALL AREAS: 909 Houses on the Market this month 953 Houses on the Market this month 107 Properties sold 85 Properties sold 157 Average days on the market 1147 Average days on the market 153 New listings 140 New listings $193,400 Median Sold Price $180,000 Median Sold Price $223,320 Average Sold Price $194,933 Average Sold Price $23,895,272 Total Property Sales Sold Dollar Volume $16,569,299 Total Property Sales Sold Dollar Volume AUBURN: AUBURN: 511 Houses on the Market this month 483 Houses on the Market this month 57 Properties sold 42 Properties sold 181 Average days on the market 139 Average days on the market 65 New listings 68 New listings $249,000 Median Sold Price $22... 09/10/2008

Regardless of whether you had to move away from the "Lovliest Village on the Plains" or are still living here, if you enjoy Auburn, Alabama as much as me you can keep an eye on what is going on my viewing the following webcams: http://www.auburnalabama.org/cams/default.asp These webcams are placed in the heart of Auburn. Alabama.  Hope you enjoy them and War Eagle!!!!!!  08/14/2008