If you haven't been keeping up with the news in Mobile Alabama, Pensacola's next door neighbor is about to have a major economic boom. Here in Pensacola, nothing seems to be happening economically, and even less in the real estate market. So this article is not about Pensacola, but should be of interest to those in Pensacola. Shift focus west to Mobile. What do we see?German steel mill in Northern Mobile County - $3.7 Billion dollarsContinued growth in ship building industryPossible airplane assembly plantAccording to a forecast by Moody's Economy.com, the Mobile Alabama economy is projected to grow over 34% in the next 5 years.  This would make Mobile's economy the fastest growing economy among all 363 American metropolitan areas. The biggest economic stimulus is a huge new steel mill.... 02/01/2008

Your mother was right about keeping clean. But, was she thinking about parts of your air conditioner and furnace?If your AC/furnace is dirty on the inside, it can cost you big bucks. You can pay higher monthly utility bills AND need to replace your system sooner than necessary.Here's a normal, clean evaporator coil (below). All of the air in your central HVAC system passes through this coil. This coil provides the cooling for your house in the summer. If you have a heat pump, this coil provides most of the heating for your house in the winter.Compare the coil above with the coil below. Notice the debris (dust, mold, hair, who-knows-what) on the coil below. All of the air in the house passes through this coil. That's the air we breathe! Yuck! How long can you hold your breath?0So, what d... 10/24/2007

This new program may help generate sales for buyers and savy listing agents FREEAgentRegistration!Sell Faster. Buy Smarter.Certified Pre-Owned Listing. http://news.inspectorsmart.com/c.asp?gDGnPpWq1Zmim0sE4Mw0WAH+eKEOikNNTiNG0HrqB8HA This is a Buyer's Market .... Let CPOL give your Sellers the Power of Calling the Shots! Registration is free to all real estate agents! Why wait? Get registered today and have all your listings rated on our Certified Pre-Owned Listing program! Certified Pre-Owned Listings. The faster way to sell your listings. When 20 or more homes are for sale in one neighborhood, how else will you ensure that your listing sells first?Give your sellers the advantage, your buyers peace of mind and yourself satisfaction. Search the database for CPOL inspectors in your area,... 10/18/2007

 September showed a drop of 22% in number of units sold in Mobile County.  This trend was also apparent at the time last year.  The median sales price of a home in Mobile County has taken a drastic turn down in past two months.  We show a drop of $18,000.  We still show an increase of $3000 when compared to December of 2005.  We had a drop in median sales price last September and then it went up again in October.  We will have to see what happens this October.Our inventory levels in Mobile County have doubled since December of 2005.  The inventory levels at that time were depleted as a result of the migration of people moving here after Hurricane Katrina and the demand on the local real estate market that the storm created.The Days on Market of 59 days is a great number when compared to... 10/06/2007

I found this great artcile about the relationship between window and air conditioning that I wanted to share. Here is an excerpt:HVACWindows Pave Way For HVAC Innovation High-performance glazings plus radiant heating and cooling can be a cost-effective combination By Geoff McDonellA high-performance glass unit offers superior thermal resistance (R or U value) and infinite variations in low-e coatings, tints and ultraviolet light control, along with solar energy control. High-performance glazing can reduce energy use, benefit lighting design and improve comfort. What's more, high-performance glazing can help reduce the size of the HVAC system.So why aren't high-performance glazings more widely used? The main barrier is the long payback for the premium cost of the glazing. And that issue ... 10/04/2007

Well I guess it is a good news when a major media site ranks you in the top 10 of anything. Last week CNN Money released its top 10 markets where a bounce back can be expected. I am not sure what the Mobile area is bouncing back from because it has been a really good market for home price appreciation since the fall of 2005. CNN Money has ranked Mobile in its top ten cities in the country.  According to their web site, the housing market may be melting down in other parts of the country, but Business 2.0 worked with Moody's Economy.com to identify 10 cities that have just about hit rock bottom - and offer opportunities for savvy investors to get in while the getting's good. The folks at CNN Money looked at expected home price appreciation rate in the first quarter of 2008 and the net ga... 10/03/2007

Not associated with Farmers Insurance 10/01/2007

Imagine 30-40 gallons of water over your head at this very minute; enough to fill a normal size water heater. One more drop and it'll be too heavy. One more drop and it will burst through the ceiling onto your desk, computer or sensitive electronic equipment.The picture below is that nightmare. This is the bottom side of the metal roof of a metal building. The roof has been leaking since it was new. Not a lot. Maybe a few cups of water every time it rained. The water became trapped on top of the vinyl coating of the roof insulation. And the water stayed there. And more water came. And it stayed there.Fortunately we found the problem before it became a catastrophe for the business owner. What's in your attic?Tom SinclairAbout the House - Home InspectionsFairhope, Alabama (251) 990-3169ww... 09/26/2007

The selection of existing homes in any one of Mobile’s downtown and midtown neighborhoods, including seven historic residential districts, ranges from mansions to Victorian cottages. Further away from the central business district, suburban neighborhoods offer the options of waterfront property, rolling hills and quiet cul de sacs. During 2005, 2,050 new homes were built and a number of new subdivisions, with a variety of house plans, are currently under development. Visit www.mobile-alabama-realestate.com and search Mobile AL Homes, Mobile Towhomes, Mobile Condos for sale 09/25/2007

Mobile Real Estate offers a wide range of housing styles from waterfront properties, victorian mansions to exceptionally affordable single family homes, townhouses and condos for home buyers and real estate investors. Cost of buying a home in Mobile is well below national average at around $150,000 (in 2005) with robust home appreciation rates. With a steady supply of new construction, new subdivisions and variety of housing plans, rest assured that Mobile Alabama Real Estate market offers something for everyone. Are you planning to buy or sell real estate in Mobile, AL? Visit www.mobile-alabama-realestate.com and search homes for sale in Mobile, Mobile Towhouses, Mobile Condominiums, for sale Mobile, Alabama was founded in 1702 by Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville, as the first capital of F... 09/25/2007

We create a monthly MLS Statistics review of the 3 MLS associations that we belong:  Gulf Coast MLS, Baldwin County Association of Realtors, and the Pensacola Association of Realtors.  This analysis compares activity from one month to the previous month. Here is the Report that was generated in Mid August to report July Activity:MLS July Statistics  Baldwin CountySingle Family Homes Sold: 235 (1% Increase from June)Average Sales Price: $274,993 (2% Increase from June)Median Sales Price: $195,000  (3% Decrease from June)Average Days on Market: 164Homes on the Market: 3,340New Listings in July: 368 Baldwin CountyCondominium Units Sold: 84 (18% Increase from June)Average Sales Price: $373,100 (6% Decrease from June)Median Sales Price: $337,500 (1% Decrease from June)Average Days on Market:... 09/01/2007

OK guys once again activerain has proven itself to me personally as the top premiere real estate community online. When I first visited the web site there was something about its look and feel that told me it was a great site. naturally the fact of it being free was the main hook. I am on several other real estate communities that I will not name in this post. They bagger me with email to upgrade to a professional level and send unneeded emails about this or that. Not to mention they are marketing more to me than generating viable leads. Here at activerain there is none of that. Just pure interaction with my peers and the high exposure in the search engine from the site popularity in page rank and backward links from all of us. Bottom line hands down it is the best. I am sure they are ... 08/12/2007

A forward-looking indicator based on pending home sales shows the market is likely to stabilize in the months ahead, according to the Gulf Coast MLS statistics.The Pending Home Sales Index*, based on contracts signed in June, was higher from the downwardly revised May index  but is below June 2006.The monthly gain is a increase over three years, since 2004.The increase occurred in all areas in Mobile County due to upcoming development and anticipated growth from new businessHowever, it is too early to say if home sales have already passed bottom.  Still, major declines in home sales are likely to have occurred already and further declines, if any, are likely to be modest given the accumulating pent-up demand.An index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales ... 08/03/2007

The market is holding steady on the Gulf Coast. Expectations are high as more industry is on the way. These statistics begin 01/01/2007 thru 07/13/2007. If you are familiar with Mobile and the Gulf Coast you will know where these areas are. If you are not and out side the area feel free to contact me for more information on each area.Area# of SalesTotal SalesAvg SalesDowntown17$3,232,000$190,118MidTown North East164$26,187,037$159,677Mid Town South134$12,258,335$91,480MidTown North West60$6,102,106$101,702MidCentral35$2,137,500$61,071Eight Mile/Prichard51$3,493,310$68,496Chickasaw61$4,348,599$71,289Municipal Park/West Central165$18,079,687$109,574Springhill/USA141$38,119,465$270,351Cottage Hill N216$37,727,516$174,664Cottage Hill S176$34,489,000$195,960Dauphin Island Pkwy101$11,737,999$... 07/15/2007

In Mobile, Alabama Airbus under the guise of EADS North America is lobbying to build the planes at the former airbase and seaport Bookley Field. If EADS wins the contract then Mobile, nearby Mississippi, Dauphin Island and parts of Florida will reap the rewards of 1500+ high tech jobs and salaries.  EADS already has a military contract to construct helicopters in Mississippi.This week the Paris Air show highlighted Mobile's high profile in the race to land the contracts.In reception rooms filled with southern drawls could be heard the Gallic tones of top officials from EADS and Airbus.  Sharing the dais with Governor Bob Riley was Louis Galois, co-ceo of EADS (Parent of Airbus), Ralph Crosby, the chief executive of EADS North America, and Allan McArtor, chairman of Airbus North America.... 06/19/2007

 ThyssenKrupp Steel is a German based corporation comes to the Gulf Coast of Alabama. This will mean major growth for the region. The Corpration will be pumping over 3 billion dollars into construction of a state of the art steel manufacturing plant that will employee over 2600 people. over 20,000 people will be needed to build the facility. Its target date of operation is 2010. This development is said to be the largest development in the history of the United States. I do believe they are correct.   Announcements of the deal were made this morning 05/11/07 in Montgomery Alabama. Also the announcement was made in the City of Mobile with a community welcome forum and I was there!! Doing what I do best! Meeting and networking with the major players of the city. It is a great time to be a... 05/11/2007

Sometimes I have to ask this question to potential sellers to gage their actual motivation. Some offer the answer to this question on their own. It is important to have a good idea and feel before taking a listing on a property. After all making the decision to sell ones home can be a serious emotional matter. For some it may be 20 to 25 years living in the same neighborhood and home. Getting married and raising a family of 4 or 5 kids.Then seeing all the little birdies leave the nest and start families and lives of their own. After a time hubby and wife begin to look around their 5 bed room 3 and 1/2 bath home and realize they have only used the kitchen , family room and one bath room for the last 3 or 4 years. Also realizing the utility bills and unused space is beginning to cost more... 05/05/2007

Closed since 1974, the Battle House Hotel -- a downtown Mobile landmark -- will reopen with public festivities on Saturday, May 12, officials announced today. The grand reopening will also help christen the RSA Battle House Tower, Alabama's tallest office building, which is opening next door to the hotel.The festivities actually begin Friday, May 11, with a black tie gala to benefit several local arts organizations. While that event is sold out, the public can watch as RSA head David Bronner and others officially light the RSA Battle House Tower at approximately 8:45 p.m.On Saturday, it will be Battle House Day in the city of Mobile from 3-7 p.m. Downtown Mobile will be transformed into the 1920s and 30s with antique cars, big bands, dance demonstrations from local dance studios and res... 05/03/2007

I had the pleasure to inspect this house a few weeks ago for a fabulous client.It was built in 1902 and has been remodeled several times over the years.Of the many issue the house had, one of the most interesting was a problem with the mortar between the bricks in the pier foundation. The mortar was turning back into sand.Several of the piers had actually failed due to this condition. Have you seen this before?Tom SinclairAbou the House - Home InspectionsFairhope, Alabama (251) 990-3169www.InspectTestAnalyze.com  04/22/2007

You just got to wonder when they noticed and who noticed first.Was it the bricklayer himself or his boss? Maybe it was the homeowner in a panic. I bet the local code building inspector had a headache with this one.I actually inspected this house (at an undisclosed location in southern Alabama). It's this type of work that gives builder a bad name.Tom SinclairAbout the House - Home InspectionsFairhope, Alabamawww.InspectTestAnalyze.com 04/10/2007