With roughly 1000 active home listings between Spanish Fort, Daphne and Fairhope, the Eastern Shore real estate inventory is excellent! This is the time to buy in this charming area, and your local agent Barbara S. Reeves is the one to assist you!

In November, 26 homes sold in Daphne for an average price of $173,103 or $84.29/ square foot. At 134 average days on the market, Daphne homes are among the slowest moving. There are 46 homes pending sale with an average of $235,226 or $93.81/ square foot.

Spanish Fort, with 140 homes on the market, saw just 5 homes sold in November, with the average sales price of $246,880 or $113.81/ square foot. Sixteen homes are pending sale with an average price of $276,700 or $118.82/ square foot. 

Down the highway in Fairhope, there are 411 homes active on the market, averaging $448,646 ($186.96/ sq foot). These homes have been on the market an an average of 176 days. Those 13 homes which sold in November did so after 92 days on the market. The average sales price of $182,115 ($94.07/ sq foot) is much lower than the average list price, not uncommon in the current housing environment.

Compared with July home sales in Daphne, September showed an increase in the number of transactions. 35 homes sold in September 2009, with the average sales price jumping from $204,421 to $253,199.  The average price per square foot rose from $92.43/sq ft to $97.98. Unfortunately, the average time on the market increased again from 118 up to 147 days .  There are 49 Daphne homes with pending contracts, averaging $95.45 per square foot, down from $103.28 in July. Those with currently listed homes are more optimistic, with the average price per foot at $113.87.

In Spanish Fort, there were 11 home sales in September. The average sales price decreased again from $277,989 (July) to $263,323. Price per square foot followed suit.  The sales that averaged $107.82 in July averaged $103.66 in September. Days on the market for these sold homes dropped from 134 in July to 116 in September. The inventory of homes available in Spanish Fort is 130, with an average list price of $349,074 or $120/square foot.

Down the highway in Fairhope, 16 homes sold in the month of September. Average sales price climbed a bit to $270,831 or $135.98/square foot. The days on the market for September home sales has dropped a bit to 142 from July’s 149.  While this is still longer than anyone would like to see, it is a vast improvement over the Spring, when activity was much more sluggish.  Fairhope has 30 pending contracts, averaging $124.56/ square foot. The 408 active home listings average $466,389 and $182.65 per square foot and they’ve been on the market an aveage of 162 days.  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 22nd annual Alabama Coastal Cleanup project saw another successful turn out this year.  This annual cleanup activity invites volunteers from all over the region to take part in collecting trash to keep the gulf coast looking pristine and inviting.  Not only is this event important for the appearance of the coast, but it also prevents local marine life from being negatively affected and helps residents to be more aware of their duty in keeping the gulf coast a place of beauty.  Organizers reported about 900 lbs of trash were collected at the May Day Park in Daphne AL alone, with enough volunteers present to finish the area in about an hour.

For more information on Gulf Coast homes including Fairhope, Mobile, West Mobile, Spanish Fort, and Daphne AL contact Barbara Reeves.

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.

image credit: sxc.hu

Gulf Shores Alabama was filled with athletes and tourists gathered to participate and watch the Wave Loch Flowrider National Championship.  This three day event last weekend concluded the Flow Tour which covered 16 sights nationwide.  Usually held in California, this relatively new sporting championship involves competitions for just about every age group and awards cash prizes to winners in expert standup and body board division.  The Gulf Coast of Alabama was deemed the perfect place to hold the last events of the Flow Tour due to the ideal coastal conditions and arena style atmosphere.

For information on buying or selling homes, condos or other properties in the beautiful Gulf Coast AL area including Mobile, West Mobile, Fairhope, Daphne, and Spanish Fort AL contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves today.

image credit: sxc.hu

The latest report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service field office is that Alabama farmers’ crop yields well be above the 10 year average.  These predictions are calculated on the amount produced per acre for such crops as corn, cotton, peanuts and soybeans.  This is a more positive outlook than what was expected with the obstacles to growers this year as heavy spring rains caused many to wait to plant while forcing others to re-plant.  The crop yield expectations are based on conditions on the first of August and project a bountiful harvest this year as long as rain continues to fall on a steady basis.

With the economy on the rise, now is the time to buy Alabama real estate.  Contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves today for more information on Gulf Coast AL homes including Mobile, West Mobile, Fairhope, Spanish Fort, and Daphne Alabama.

image credit: sxc.hu

With the launch of a new real estate website, Alabama realtors are urging potential homebuyers to make the move to buy this year.  The Mobile Area Association of Realtors has provided homebuyers a new tool via the ThingsAreReallyMovingHere.com website this week.  This site is meant to educate about the “good values and low interest rates” in the current Alabama real estate market.  Mayor Sam Jones reported that the housing market in Mobile AL is doing better than other cities of similar size in the Southeast region, with sales moving up.  With this positive outlook and great tools to help the homebuyer decide, now is the time to buy Mobile AL real estate.

For more information on real estate in Mobile or West Mobile AL contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves today.

image credit: sxc.hu

The planned ecological park in Foley AL is on its way to completion.  Although this Gulf Coast AL Graham Creek Preserve may be a few years from being the park that was envisioned in the multi-million dollar land purchase, a canoe launch has been finished.  The canoe launch is on the 483-acre tract and is tentatively scheduled to be opened by October; this launch is decked in benches on both sides of the landing area and the part that enters the water is a type of plastic material, according to a recent report from Baldwin County Now online.   The city had anticipated the opening of this canoe launch to be by January 2010, but if a road and a parking lot are completed it can open up as soon as October of this year.  Other developments for the Graham Creek Nature Preserve include roads, a pavilion, and hiking trails.

For more information on real estate in Baldwin and Mobile Counties, including Mobile, West Mobile, Daphne, Spanish Fort, and Fairhope AL contact your local agent Barbara Reeves today.

A new advertising and public relations idea in Mobile AL is designed to encourage guests of Carnival Cruise Lines to visit area attractions as well as enjoy their time cruising the Gulf seas.  This new ‘arrive early’ campaign which advises Carnival Cruise passengers to ‘vacation before your vacation,’ was announced this week by Mobile officials.  The current cruise ship, the Holiday, will soon be replaced by the larger Fantasy cruise ship and Mayor Sam Jones, the Mobile Bay Convention, and the Visitors Bureau are enthusiastic about promoting more tourism via the Cruise lines.  Though Carnival Cruise tourists generally only vacation on the cruise ship, Mobile and the Gulf Coast of AL has more to offer in beautiful beaches, shopping, and other entertainment choices.

For more information on real estate in Mobile and West Mobile AL or other Gulf Coast properties, contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves today.

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.