Compared with June home sales in Daphne, July showed a significant decrease in the number of transactions. 27 homes sold in July 2009, compared with 38 in June. Average sales price decreased from $236,074 to $204,421, while the average price per square foot went from $98.15 to $92.43/sq ft. Fortunately, the average time on the market decreased from 145 days to 118.  There are 51 Daphne homes with pending contracts, averaging $103.28 per square foot.

In Spanish Fort, a mere 12 sales in June dropped to 9 in July. The average sales price decreased from  $305,800 to $277,989. Price per square foot, however, made a modest gain. The sales that averaged $106.16 in June climbed to $107.82 in July! Days on the market increased by only 7 days from 89 to 134 in July.

Down the highway in Fairhope, 15 transactions in June grew to 19 in July. Average sales price retreated to March numbers at $249,136. This translates to a price per foot of $103.19. The good news in Fairhope is that the days on the market for July home sales has receded to 149 from June’s 178.  While this is still longer than anyone would like to see, it is a vast improvement over the Spring.  Fairhope has 40 pending contracts, averaging $122.15/ square foot. The active home listings average $456,282 and $172.77 per square foot.  Barbara Reeves, REALTOR, is an expert in these communities and is able to assist you in taking advantage of this market to find your dream home. Visit her at http://www.barbarasellsdaphne.com.

Compared with March home sales in Daphne, June showed a significant increase in the number of transactions. 38 homes sold in June 2009, compared with 18 in March. Average sales price increased from $210, 433 to $236,074, while the average price per square foot went from $90.58 in March to $98.15/sq ft. Unfortunately, the average time on the market increased from 91 days to 145, a nearly 50% increase.

Similarly, in Spanish Fort, a mere 8 sales in March grew to 12 in June. The average sales price increased from $212,612 to $305,800 and price per square foot followed suit. The sales that averaged $83.75/ sq ft in March went to $106.16 in June! Days on the market increased by only 7 days from 82 to 89.

Down the highway in Fairhope, 13 March sales grew to 15 in June. Average sales price grew modestly from $246,065 to $263,353. This translates to a price per foot of $109.49 in March decreasing to $106.34 in June. The good news in Fairhope is that the whopping 272 days on the market for March home sales has receded to 175.  While this is still longer than anyone would like to see, it is a vast improvement over the Spring.  Barbara Reeves, REALTOR, is an expert in these communities and is able to assist you in taking advantage of this market to find your dream home. Visit her at http://www.barbarasellsdaphne.com.

The newly completed recreation center at Municipal Park in Fairhope AL is slated to open early this summer 2009.  This 19,355-square-foot $2.4 million building will be operating as soon as staffing needs and necessary equipment are in place.  Currently city staffers are working to bid on cardiovascular machines, cable weights and free weights, and computer software that will effectively track memberships and facility usage.  Thus far the building includes three basketball courts, sauna, racquetball court, space for a weight room and a game room.  The recreation center’s sturdy construction was built to withstand 140-mph winds, and city officials hope that this center will serve the needs of the whole Fairhope community.

For information on real estate in Fairhope AL or other Gulf Coast AL areas including Spanish Fort, Daphne, Mobile or West Mobile, contact your friendly local agent Barbara Reeves by email or through the “Talk Live” button on this page.

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Fairhope Alabama’s own Bay Breeze Guest House will be featured on Sunday, April 19 on a PBS special.  The program will be entitled “At Home in Alabama” and the second week of the program will include the Bay Breeze Guest House, a wonderful bed and breakfast along the Scenic 98.  In 1997, this quaint bed and breakfast was featured on another PBS special that walked viewers through the top 10 bed and breakfasts in Alabama; owners Bill and Becky Jones have also lent their masterful southern cooking tips to a PBS cooking show called “Lower Alabama Pie.”  The Bay Breeze Guest House is even known internationally with English and German guests staying for a weekend or two for great southern food, entertainment and lodgings at this prime location near Mobile Bay.

Click here for more information on staying at Bay Breeze Guest House.

For information on Fairhope AL real estate or other Baldwin County AL area real estate contact your friendly local realtor Barbara Reeves via email or by clicking the “Talk Now” button on this page.

New condos in Fairhope Alabama are well on their way to completion with 10 built out of the 48 planned units.  The project by developers Matt Bryne and Todd Boothe, is on 4.8 acres and is being built in phases, including a pool and gazebo after the fourth phase is complete.  Given that some of the condos are priced under $100k, they have been quick moving with three of the built condos preselling.  The development is located in the family-friendly Fairhope on Blueberry Lane.

Many retirees or downsizers choose to purchase a condo on the Gulf Coast when looking for a private, convenient way to live without the hassle of maintaining a house or yard.  For more information on condos and other real estate matters on the Gulf Coast of Alabama including Mobile, West Mobile, Fairhope, Daphne, and Spanish Fort, contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves via email or by clicking the “Talk Live” button on this page.

In Spanish Fort, there are 121 homes on the market with an average price of $344,439, unchanged from January’s $344,717. Homes pending sale rose from an average of $314,633 to $320,164. Maybe the most important figure is that of homes actually sold. In February, sales activity rose from 7 homes with an average sales price of $152,357 ($76.31/ sq ft) to 11 homes with an average sales price of $276,914 ($106.38/sq ft).

Down the highway in Fairhope, there are a whopping 423 homes on the market with an average list price of $452,883, slightly higher than January’s $441,318. Homes pending sale dropped from an average of $327,703 to $323,202.  In February, sold home prices dropped substantially from January’s $399,700 or $146.41/square foot to an average February sales price of $205,695 ($112.70/sq ft). This is a 23% drop in average price, which we attribute to the fact that none of Fairhope’s high end homes over $500,000 have sold since December. Typically the aveage price in Fairhope reflects the upper-end homes that are on the market.

image credit: sxc.hu tomatoes

Agri-tourism has increased in recent times and Fairhope AL and other Baldwin County areas could benefit economically from its popularity.  The first of a series of meetings throughout Alabama will be held today in Fairhope to explore options for developing an Alabama Agri-Tourism Association.  Just as people in general want to find new ways to be eco-friendly in building, eating, and living, farms have been of renewed interest to provide the ‘old fashioned’ way of being healthy and eating organic.  The development of a state agri-tourism association will offer a way of marketing, serve as an industry networking group, allow industry members to offer input into Alabama’s Agri-Tourism Trail program, and basically assist Agri-tourism in being an economic stimulus for the area.

For more on Alabama’s Agri-tourism Trail program visit alabamaagritourism.com.

For information on available real estate in Fairhope AL and other Baldwin County areas, contact local agent Barbara Reeves via email or by calling toll free at 888-489-8001.

Real estate sales in this very popular Southern city have been hit quite hard by the shaky economy. In January 2009, nine homes sold, compared with eleven in January 2008. The big difference is in the average sales price of $254,947 compared with $399,700 one year ago. That translates to $109.30 per square foot compared with $146.41 last year. The median has dropped comparably, as well, from $360,000 in January 2008 to $225,000 last month.  These homes are also spending nearly twice as long on the market than they were a year ago – up to 226 days compared with 117 in 2008. On the bright side, for buyers there are so many lovely homes available now – 410 on the market in January. See them at www.barbarareevesrealtor.com or call Barbara at the link at the top of this page.

image credit: sxc.hu construction tools

Fairhope Alabama’s city zoning officials approved the subdivision of a few lots at the Wal-Mart Supercenter at the beginning of this month.   This supercenter is located on Ala. 181, just south of its intersection at Fairhope Ave.  Wal-Mart owns the 59 acres where they built a supercenter in 2007, and the grassy lots that were recently subdivided into three parcels of 2 acres or smaller are not earmarked for anything yet.  Though there are no plans yet how they will be developed, zoning officials will be notified before anything is started.  Other conditions of the approval of the three parcel subdivision include a submittal of a grounds maintenance plan, a drainage compliance letter, and electrical certifications, as cited in the Press Register online.

For more information on real estate in Fairhope AL, contact your local agent Barbara Reeves via email or by clicking the “Talk Live” feature of this page.

image credit: sxc.hu plane photo

The Baldwin County geographic information system will be updated soon, as new aerial photography has been underway for a few weeks now.  Starting on Monday Jan 26th, and still in the works, aerial photos of the area are being taken to offer a better way for the county to keep track of various geographical information.  These photos will be used to create maps that can be viewed publicly free of charge as well as zoning, tax and wetland information; businesses will be able to use the data on conditions of summiting a request and paying a specified fee.  Other uses for the data include natural disaster preparedness and related relief efforts, law enforcement, infrastructure development, and planning projects and zoning.

Aerial photos are updated every 4 years in Baldwin County Alabama to ensure accuracy in their records.  Residents have been asked not to do any outside burning over the next few weeks to allow for the best possible photos to date.

For more information on real estate in Baldwin County, including Fairhope, Daphne, and Spanish Fort as well as Mobile and West Mobile AL, contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves via email or by clicking on the “Talk Now” feature of this page.