Mardi Gras & More Look no further for fabulous Easter Bunnies, decorative eggs and ornaments. And be sure to look through a wide selection of Spring banners and flags to add a splash of color to your home or garden.   457 Dauphin Street251-432-0537     Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown This Easter, hop into the Hampton!   The Hampton Inn & Suites Downtown Mobile is offering a free upgrade from a standard room to a suite April 9, 2009 through April 12, 2009.  Please contact the hotel directly for booking and mention the code HOP.  Promotion is limited, please book early.  62 South Royal Street251-436-8787  Hampton Inn and Suites   Bellingrath Gardens and Home Spring Gifts for everyone on your list:colorful hats, sandals and gloves for sun and garden fun. Garden supplies and gifts to beautif... 03/31/2009

Here are the upcomng events from the News From Downtown Mobile Alliance: Some upcoming entertainment: Crescent Theater TimeCrimes, through March 19th - Lauded short film director Nacho Vilalondo makes his feature debut with this tense, unstoppable vision of science and natural law gone awry. A man accidentally travels back into the past and meets himself. A naked girl in the middle of the forest. A mysterious stranger with his face wrapped in a pink bandage. A disquieting mansion on the top of a hill. All of them are pieces of an unpredictable jigsaw puzzle where terror, drama and suspense will lead to an unthinkable crime. FanBoys, March 20-26th - Set in 1998, FanBoys is the story of a group of friends who, eager for the premiere of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace - and because... 03/27/2009

I have been given permission to publish news from the Downtown Mobile Alliance on my blog, so here is some current Mobile Updates: At recent economic and real estate summits, we've been reminded that there are winners and losers in every economic crisis. Mobile in general and Downtown in particular seem poised to come out of the current recession in better shape than much of the rest of the country. Our overall economy is fairly diversified, with a healthy mix of manufacturing, health care and knowledge-based industries.As for Downtown, Richard Florida, the economist who coined the term "creative class," has written recently that urban centers will fair better than the suburbs as the economy shifts. The cost and aggravation of commutes will encourage many to move closer to city centers,... 03/27/2009

Saturday The Luck of the Irish Cook-Off was held in Bienville Square to benefit The Exchange Club's Family Center. The Best Irish Stew's 1st Place prize went to The Conde Cavaliers, The Best Corn Beef and Cabbage's 1st Place prize went to Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, The Best Dressed Irish Chef's 1st Place prize went to Mobile Mystics and The Best Irish Theme's 1st Place prize went to SSI Group. At 2:00 the parade rolled through the streets of Downtown. Oh how Mobilians love a parade! In the Oakleigh District of Downtown Mobile Callahan's was having their annual St. Patty's Day block party. At the fairgrounds the 8th Annual BBQ Championship & Hog Will Festival was held. Sunday from 2:00-5:00 55 waterfront homes in the area on Dog River, Fowl River and Mobile Bay held open house to the... 03/15/2009

This may sound like a crazy idea, but I have a question to throw out to mortgage professionals - With the onslaught of bank-owned homes now, because of the foreclosure crises, wouldn't it be in the best interests of the bank to hire a home stager to evaluate a home and make recommendations about what needs to be done to the home to enhance it and make it more marketable? I visited a home today that was a foreclosure - and I have to say one of the most beautiful homes I have ever seen - well, at least in the eyes of a stager.  There are issues with the home, some simply cosmetic, that I think could have been addressed and taken care of if the mortgage company had enlisted the help of a professional home stager.  The tragedy is that this house has been sitting on the market, owned by the ... 03/11/2009

Mobilians Love Any Good Reason To Take To The Streets Mardi Gras ended a week and a half ago, and the weather was so beautiful today. It was a perfect day for everyone to head back downtown to The American Cancer Society's Chili-Cookoff. Thousands of people attended, more than 100 teams participated and $248,000 was for the American Cancer Society. The Chili Cook-Off was in Bienville Park, the Boat Show was at the convention center and the merchants in Downtown Mobile were enjoying the crowds. Plenty of boats were on our rivers and in the bay with people enjoying the waterways. This is one of those days that reminds me why I live in Mobile. What is unique about the town or city you live in? What were people doing on this beautiful day? 03/07/2009

Hello friends, I thought this might help you understand the changes the new economic stimulus package will have on our 08 tax returns. I found this on Fidelity web site. Please feel free to forward. Deepa Rajan   Tax-Saving Ideas for Your '08 Return Opportunities to consider By Rick Sauder February 27, 2009 To provide some relief for taxpayers hit by the economic downturn, Congress created several new tax-saving opportunities and continued a handful of popular deductions that would have expired. Here's a look at some of the items tax experts recommend that you give some extra attention. 1. Contribute to your IRA. A Traditional IRA is one of the few ways you can reduce taxable income in a previous year after it has ended, says Jeff Schnepper, a tax attorney and author from Cherry Hill, N... 03/01/2009

A major provision of the The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that was signed into law last Tuesday was the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.   The National Association of Realtors has succeeded in removing the repayment  requirement for 2009.  The credit has been extended to on or before November 30, 2009 and can be claimed by those who closed on homes on or after January 1, 2009.  It is still repayable for 2008 purchases. The credit has been expanded to $8,000.  §But, it is still only for first time homebuyers. Please send us an e-mail.  We will be happy to send you a power point presentation that highlights the differerent features of the tax credit.  The power point was presented by Ken Trepeta, Director of Real Estate Services for the National Association of Realtors.   02/26/2009

Tax Credit for HomebuyersFirst-time homebuyers who purchase homes from the start of the year until the end of November 2009 may be eligible for the lower of an $8,000 or 10% of the value of the home tax credit. Remember a tax credit is very different than a tax deduction - a tax credit is equivalent to money in your hand, as opposed to a tax deduction which only reduces your taxable income. The tax credit starts phasing out for couples with incomes above $150,000 and single filers with incomes above $75,000. Buyers will have to repay the credit if they sell their homes within three years. Tax Credit Versus Tax Deduction It's important to remember that the $8,000 tax credit is just that... a tax credit. The benefit of a tax credit is that it's a dollar-for-dollar tax reduction, rather th... 02/23/2009

  The Conde Cavaliers took to the streets to begin Mobile's non-stop Mardi Gras season of parades & balls.   It's a fabulous party and everyone is invited. If you have never visited Mobile during Mardi Gras you really should come. It's a really fun tradition. And when I say tradition it really has a lot of tradition involved every year that would not be obvious to visitors. From driving downtown along the same route, to parking in the same area each year to standing in the same spot.    I have friends who watch all the parades under the same oak tree every year, and have for years (I'm sure 20+) Now on Joe Cain Day (the Sunday before Mardi Gras), the Monday before Mardi Gras and on Mardi Gras Day they watch the parade in front of the motel that they stay in first. But then it's to the t... 02/07/2009

I have the highest respect for Realtors.  Because I have so many of them in my family, I have spent a good part of my adult life watching them work tirelessly on behalf of home buyers and sellers (and often, myself).  Yes, there commissions can be good, but many times they do a lot of work and don't get paid a dime.  Buying or selling a home can be one of the most stressful transactions an individual ever undertakes and having someone alongside you who knows what they are doing helps alleviate a lot of that stress.  One of the responsibilities of professional home stagers is to assist Realtors by helping to prepare their listings to be seen by the public.  Realtors can refer us to clients, but educating home sellers on the staging process and why it will benefit them is up to us.  It is... 01/27/2009

I have started including photographs of places of interest in the area of town where the listing is located.  I think it is very helpful, especially for out of town buyers who find it difficult to narrow down where they want to live in a town they are unfamiliar with.  This is a small 2/2 in a popular midtown neighborhood in Mobile.  If location, location, location is the key, and your listing has it, you should pique the buyer's interest by showcasing that in your slideshow.    01/20/2009

  Our January WCR luncheon was titled "Sell this House" and presentations were given by three speakers: a home stager, a real estate photographer (me) and a local home inspector.  Jane Ann Lance of Enhanced by Lance, and an Active Rainer, gave an excellent presentation on the benefits of home staging.  I gave some tips on improving Realtor's listing photos and John Williams, our home inspector talked about what issues show up most often in an inspection report and how to take care of those issues beforehand.  I think the combination of speakers was a great idea on the part of the WCR leadership, and hopefully everyone came away with some good information to take back to their clients.  01/20/2009

This was a slideshow a did recently for a waterfront listing using Photoshop Elements.  I decided to combine background music with sounds of water lapping at the end to make you feel like you were sitting on the pier enjoying the water.  Do you think I accomplished this?  I did the twilight shots with the help of a very sturdy tripod. 01/07/2009

I just have to say that Home Staging Resource has far exceded my expectations.  I considered many staging training companies and finally decided to go with HSR, because I felt like a 21 day training period would teach me more than a 3 day one.  I did learn a great deal during that time, but now I am constantly amazed at how much information they still provide for their stagers.  Every time I need a form, or have a question about something, I visit the HSR library and find it.  There is a wealth of information there, so much so, that I still haven't read it all.  And it is continually updated.  Audra is very dedicated to the success of her students, and stays in contact with you.  I feel like I have a safety net with HSR - if any situations arrive that I do not know how to handle, I feel... 12/31/2008

With the holidays behind us, we can look forward to a new year of health and prosperity (think positive!).  Unfortunately, it is hard to be prosperous when you feel bad and are knocked off your feet by colds, flu or respiratory illnesses that are common this time of year.  Here are a few tips to help you stay well: 1.   Get enough rest.  When your body is tired, it does not have enough reserve energy to fight off germs, viruses and bacteria that we come into contact with every day.  American's love to burn the candle at both ends, and sometimes we feel like getting enough sleep is a luxury, but it is imperative to your health.  You cannot function at your optimum, mentally or physically, when you are tired. 2.   Eat the right foods.  I know we all ate too many rich foods over the holida... 12/30/2008

A recent article by the City of Mobile Press Register reported that Mayor Sam Jones had given a directive to the telecommunications and technology departments to look into the plausibility of providing free wireless internet service in downtown Mobile. According to Mayor Jones "That's something we consider a priority. A lot of people are interested in having broadband access.... It would be a selling point for Mobile." Apparently the mayor realizes the potential benefit to business users, and the social impact for our young people. Currently and for the last few years, Southern Light, a local fiber-optic company located on St. Anthony Street has been providing free wireless internet access in the downtown Cathedral Square area, but with disappointing results. Perhaps Mobile can follow i... 12/29/2008

The City of Mobile has released its master plan.  Please visit the comprehensive website that outines the details - Mobile AL Master Plan website, Before this plan, the last master plan was prepared in 1996.  It is standard practice for a community to update its plan every 10 to 15 years to keep pace with new market, neighborhood and government conditions as well as advancements in technological, environmental, transportation and land-use planning. The Master Plan is expected to be an extensive and forthright assessment of the potential and liabilities of Mobile's continued development for the next 10 to 15 years. The Master Plan For Mobile is the core philosophy that directs all development activities in the city.  By its very name, the Mobile Master Plan will focus on both public real... 12/17/2008

Press Release Release Date: December 16, 2008 For immediate release   The Federal Open Market Committee decided today to establish a target range for the federal funds rate of 0 to 1/4 percent.  Since the Committee's last meeting, labor market conditions have deteriorated, and the available data indicate that consumer spending, business investment, and industrial production have declined.  Financial markets remain quite strained and credit conditions tight.  Overall, the outlook for economic activity has weakened further. Meanwhile, inflationary pressures have diminished appreciably.  In light of the declines in the prices of energy and other commodities and the weaker prospects for economic activity, the Committee expects inflation to moderate further in coming quarters. The Federal Re... 12/16/2008

Many things are happening in the Mobile, AL that have me concluding that now is a great time to be buying properties.  Obviously it's a buyer's market.  Simple supply and demand.  For investors, rentals are the way to go until the market picks back up in order to do flips to retail people.  People that currently can not get financing need a place to live and it's up to investors to help this problem.  If your rentals have positive cash flows then you can wait until the market swings back into the favor of the seller -- then the choice is yours -- sell and put money in a new rehab or continue earning passive income.  I've got a local website I've started that will grow into the premier listing site for Mobile, AL investment deals. Here are some positives I see currently for Mobile, AL.  ... 12/05/2008