Jackson, MS

Have you ever driven downtown (any city, USA), looked at vacant buildings and thought, gee, it would be nice to renovate that old building? Maybe even construct a loft apartment so you could live & work in the same place? I have, but maybe that's just me.

The Jackson Association of Realtors (MS) had their monthly meeting today. Our special guest was Ben Allen of Downtown Jackson Partners, who shared with us several proposed revitalization projects in the downtown area. The projects include the King Edward Hotel, Standard Life Building, and the Farish Street project, to name a few. Mr. Allen said the Farish Street project was one of the most frustrating projects the city has ever endured, but that it was only 5% of the total project. It is noteworthy that the King Edward Hotel has been vacant since 1965. The total investment to revitalize downtown Jackson is 2.3 billion (with a B) dollars, with a majority of the funds coming from out of state.

Mr. Allen mentioned some statistics, stating 90% of people want to live in the suburbs, which is where most Realtors spend their greatest efforts. But that leaves 10% of the population who prefer the urban lifestyle. He made an interesting observation, especially to me, by mentioning my hometown of Columbus, MS. Some 20 years ago, no-one, and I mean no-one, wanted anything to do with downtown Columbus. Buildings were dilapidated, crumbling, and vacant. Fast-forward 20 years later, and downtown Columbus is one of the most charming areas I've seen throughout the southeast. The storefront facades resemble cute little cottages, there are quality restaurant choices within walking distance of office and retail, and there are loft apartments above the retail and office spaces.

Mr. Allen gave a very informative, enthusiastic talk which was a pre-cursor to an October 15th meeting, where we Realtors will be giving an in-depth presentation of the numerous happenings in our downtown area. It's important for Realtors to be knowledgable about the growth and changes in their market area, so you can bet I'll be at the next meeting to see what Jackson is building!

Condominium development, sales and rentals are on the rise in Jackson, Mississippi. Most of the nation's home foreclosures were from single family homes, and it is becoming a trend to buy or rent condominiums.

This year's nationwide condominium and other multi-family developments, will surpass the 2007 development by 56,000 units, totaling over 250,000 new units. That's the highest level of condominium development in three years.

Many cities around the Nation are aiming at urban renewal programs with new multi-family housing construction, in hopes to revitalize downtown regions. Jackson, Mississippi is seeing an increase in condominium and other multi-family developments lately, so don't miss out on buying a new condo or town home, they'll go fast.

Great changes are coming to Metro Jackson, Mississippi. Two schools will be getting more physical exercise and eating better. Both changes are part of a program designed to get Mississippi kids healthier.

Canton Elementary and Byram Middle will be the first to begin the program. They were both awarded $160,000 each in Bower Foundation grants. This move will help districts and schools reach the Healthy Students Act of 2007 standards.

The program will help schools tighten up on the amount of sugary foods and drinks sold at school. It will also mandate physical education, health classes, and fitness testing in the schools. Gone will be the days of deep fried food, which will be replaced by steamer ovens, and fruit and vegetable slicers.

Jackson, Mississippi will soon be in the footsteps of these other schools and their program. We like the way Metro Jackson area schools are trying to improve the lives of our future nation, and wanted to share this information with current Metro Jackson residents or anyone looking to buy a home in Metro Jackson.

Since January 2008, Jackson, Mississippi city officials have torn down over 500 properties. They have recently approved excavators to tear down another eight abandoned homes and buildings last week. Seven of the eight were torn down this past weekend. The last one should be torn down today. There are also another 200 on the list scheduled to be torn down by the end of the year.

This is great news for neighbors on Capitol Street in Jackson. Tearing down these eyesores will make way for new homes. As new homes are built, property values will go up. Soon every vacant or abandoned structure on Capitol Street will be leveled.

So, if you are in the market to buy vacant land and build your own home, now is the time and Jackson, Mississippi is the place. The land value is very affordable right now, but as new homes are built, the value of the land will go up. Many people can only dream of building a home in a larger city, because property values are so high; but now many dreams can become a reality. Don't let this great opportunity pass you by.

This October, Jackson, Mississippi residents can expect to see lower power bills. Thanks to a recent fuel-price adjustment that was filed Friday, August 15^th by Entergy Mississippi.

The filing will cover October through December energy bills and is expected to drop prices by nine percent. The adjustment will still need to be approved by the Mississippi Public Service Commission, which is expected to happen as early as next week.

Studies show that the average energy bill in July is around $132, while September bills are around $120, and October bills are around $108. So, a nine percent drop on your energy bill, each month, can save you well over $100 a year.

We are happy to hear about this energy adjustment and hope it is approved soon. The approval of an energy price drop will make Jackson, Mississippi an even better and more affordable place to live.