Mobile River Road plan presented

The new Mobile River road plan will be open for public comment today from the Mobile Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).  MPO is comprised of local elected officials and engineers and approves all federal road funding in the Mobile AL area.  The road plan in question is referred to as the Long Range Transportation Plan which will stretch over a 25 year period and includes various projects estimated to cost $750 million.  Some of the named projects include a new Mobile River crossing, the widening of Snow Road from Jeff Hamilton Road to U.S. 98 in order to make a new bypass west of Schillinger Road, and widening Alabama Highway 193 from Hamilton Boulevard to a little north of Fowl River.  Mobile AL community members will be able to attend the hearing from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. today at the GM&O Building in downtown Mobile to learn more about the road plan and voice their opinions.

For more on other projects that the MPO are planning visit their website at mobilempo.org.

And for all your Mobile AL real estate endeavors contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves today.

School is back in session at the University of South Alabama and homes near campus are desirable!  16 homes sold in July 2009 in the Springhill / USA  area of Mobile.    The average sales price of $314,591 equated to $118.21 per square foot.  These homes spent an average of 98 days on the market prior to selling. There are currently 177 homes actively listed in Springhill/ USA, and their average prices is $432,847 or $135.99 per square foot.

In Cottage Hill, there is a large inventory of available homes, with 371 on the market.  37 sold in July for an average sales price of $159,819.  This works out to $81.69 per square foot of living area and they spent an average of 87 days on the market. There are currently 62 sales pending in Cottage Hill, with the average sold price of $157,409.

The Downtown / Midtown area of Mobile has a big inventory of 475 homes on the market, with an average asking price of $181,878 or $96.99 per square foot of living area. This is significantly higher than the price of homes which actually sold. In July, 28 sold in Downtown / Midtown for an average of $121,616 or $74.50 per square foot. 

West Mobile/ Semmes continues to be the most active area for Mobile’s real estate market. In July, 61 homes sold in this area for an average sales price of $182,996 and $90.32 per square foot. These homes sold after 92 days on the market.  There are 110 contracts pending in West Mobile / Semmes for an average sales price of $160,829 or $89.39 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.

The $60 million contract for the replacement of the Mobile AL 14-Mile bridge has been awarded to the Scott Bridge Co. of Opelika, according to a recent Press-Register report.  This Jacksonville Florida based company will take on a project that has been waiting a decade to commence after it was given approval from the CSX Transportation Inc.  The project is estimated to cost $72 million and will begin within the next two months.  It is also expected that the work on the replacement bridge will be completed in a two year period and have minimal impact on the river and the rail traffic.  With a new bridge in operation in Mobile AL, shippers will save on costs due to the anticipated ease of logistics that an up-to-date bridge in place.

For more information on real estate in Mobile AL, including West Mobile AL, contact your local agent Barbara Reeves today.

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.

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.

This August construction is expected to start on a new hotel in downtown Mobile AL.  The project is estimated to cost $9 million and will include 81 rooms.  Though it is being developed by the same people that brought the newly opened Hampton Inn and Suites to Royal Street downtown, this project is more ambitious; this new four-story Candlewood Suites hotel seeks to accommodate those guests that wish to have an extended-stay in the area, especially business traveler.  Featured highlights of the hotel include a pool, courtyard and fire pit, and a kitchen in each room.

The presence of more hotels in the downtown Mobile AL area will allow more business into the area as larger conventions and other events will have their visitors accommodated in the nearby vicinity.

Whether you want to vacation or live year round in the beautiful Gulf Coast area of Alabama, contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves for more information on homes and condos available in your favorite areas.

image credit: sxc.hu business

This week, Forbes Magazine cited Mobile AL in the top 10 cities for recession recovery.  While many cities will be feeling the effects of the recession for a number of years, Mobile Alabama is bouncing back, with economists predicting growth this year.  The Forbes study’s rankings offer data concerning projected gross domestic product of metropolitan areas across the nation, unemployment figures, home prices, incomes and affordability.

Read more about the findings of this Forbes study at forbes.com.

Now is a great time to look into Mobile AL living and real estate.  For more information about Mobile or West Mobile AL real estate as well as Fairhope, Daphne, and Spanish Fort, AL contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves today.

image credit: sxc.hu large foamy ocean wave

Automated beach parking may be coming to the Gulf Shores of AL as early as late June this year.  Starting under a trial basis, the city’s main public beach will be using a pay-to-park system that will eliminate the need for parking attendants.  The automated system will allow visitors at Gulf Place to pay the $5 parking fee to a machine, without an attendant needed; this move is estimated to save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars over the next five years.  In addition to saving the city money, it will help to alleviate the traffic jam situations at the lot’s entrance when the beach is in its peak tourist season.  Community officials estimate that they will need 6 machines to cover the area, costing about $10,000 per machine and an additional $1,250 to post signs explaining to visitors how to use them.

For information on available real estate on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, including Mobile, West Mobile, Fairhope, Daphne, and Spanish Fort AL, contact your local realtor Barbara Reeves today.

The Atlanta-based Ryla Inc. has selected a site for their new regional headquarters in Saraland, according to a recent article at wkrg.com.  Ryla Inc. is a corporate data center and regional call center and this move will add more than 1,200 new jobs to the area.  The company expects to hire about 400 employees by early summer.  A growing business, Ryla Inc. had outgrown their Georgia location and is happy to bring in over a thousand jobs to the Mobile AL area.

For more information on buying or selling real estate in the Mobile or West Mobile AL area contact local agent Barbara Reeves today.

On the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay, the community of Spanish Fort saw 8 homes sold in April for an average price of $222,312 ($111.15/ sq ft). One year ago, there were 13 sold for $238,114 ($104.14/ sq ft). Although values have dropped  some, the declines are minimal compared to most other areas locally and certainly nationwide. Surprisingly, days on the market actually got quicker from 106 in April 2008 to ony 60 days for homes sold last month!

There are 395 single family homes for sale in Daphne, with listings averaging $308,657 and $119.12/ sq ft. These are optimistic list prices, as April saw 19 homes sold for an average price of $204,205 ($90.23/sq ft) and 163 days on the market. Compare this with April 2008, when 29 homes sold for an average of $220,865 and $104.46/ sq ft. and 111 days on the market.   Dapne has one of the largest inventories of lovely homes available in the Mobile Bay area, and Barbara Reeves can help guide you into just the right one for you!

The City of Fairhope has a very large inventory, also, with 392 homes for sale. The average list price is $474,005 ($169.93/ sq ft) and these are averaging 160 days on the market. Twelve homes sold in April 2009 for an average of $185,208 or $99.87/ sq ft. Homes that sold spent 279 days on the market, or nine months! In April 2008, there were fifteen sales averaging $407,150 ($152.57/ sq ft).  This is a drop in value of one third. Higher priced homes are simply staying on the market longer and longer with the more affordable homes selling.  The charm and natural beauty of Fairhope have not diminished one bit, and this is an excellent time to enter the market.