Julie Martin Realtor® Broker Mobile Alabama Real Estate

The headline of the Real Estate section of the Mobile Press-Register Sunday was:

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET

Dismal 2009 predicted

The article that was written did not indicated a dismal 2009. I kept reading, waiting for the dismal statements from the Realtors and experts the reporter was interviewing. She interviewed the manager of Bel Air Mall, who said there aren't many retailers expanding, but also said the mall had an occupancy rate in the high 90s. She interviewed the director of the Center for Real Estate Studies at the University of South Alabama, Don Epley, who said that the Mobile area has the port, recreational trade at the beaches and enough employment to keep the economy going. She went on to quote another mall manager who said that business at that mall on the Eastern Shore was better than anticipated in 2008.

Everyone the reporter quoted had positive things to say about our local ecomony. She was able to give the readers some national statistics that did not sound good. And Don Epley did say that consumers lack confidence, and even people with jobs and money aren't spending.

I predict that the most dismal thing that is happening to our local economy in 2009 is the headlines. After reading the article I think a better headline would be

Local Market is Doing Quite Well Compared to the National Market

or

Good Local Ecomony Is Helping

or

Positive Outlook for 2009

Consumers so often scan headlines without reading the entire article. It is hard for consumers to be confident, even in a good local economy, with the headlines they read every day.

For the record, if anyone in Mobile, Alabama is reading this, our local real estate market is doing good. I personally have already had two closing in 2009 and my third one is scheduled for Thursday. I wrote one offer today. I have multiple offers on another house right now, and one of the buyers is upset because it is the third multiple offer situation she has been in. And I am not Mobile's Top Agent (though I stay in the top 2-3%). Now is a good time to buy because the interest rates are good, but the sellers are not giving the houses away. They are being more reasonable than they were this time last year, but the prices of houses in Mobile is steady and improving in most areas. If you wait to buy interest rates will probably go up and houses prices almost certainly will.

So don't listen to the media. Get a real estate professional to pull actual numbers for you...and act now. This is not a sales pitch. I am just trying to counteract the mis-information from the media!

Here's a picture from the Sugar Bowl. My son sent this and said he is sitting right in the middle of the second row in the Alabama End Zone. He said you should be able to see him during the field goals. He will be jumping up and down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have one full time employee, who is also a licensed agent. I have one part time agent who is my MLS secretary. They both are crossed trained in each other's jobs. The part time person would like more hours. It occured to me that I could hire either of them out as a virtual assistant. They run an office with 20 agents and can do everything.

Any suggestions on how I can get them started?

We took down the Christmas Tree yesterday. Last night we went downtown where they were raising a giant moon pie to celebrate the New Year. This year is the first year that the city added to the celebration a $9000, 12 foot, 600 pound moonpie, painted banana-yellow. The Chattanooga Bakery that makes moon pies gave away pieces of the world's biggest edible moon pie, a 55-pound, 45,000 calorie moon pie, made to serve hundreds. In addition to the moon pies there was 5000 cans of RC Cola available for 25 cents each.

Why would Mobile be raising a 12 foot moon pie? Here in Mobile we go from Christmas to New Years right to the Mardi Gras season. And moon pies have been a favorite throw in all the Mardi Gras parades in Mobile for years.

Here's a short Mardi Gras history lesson.

The first Mardi Gras celebration in Mobile was in 1703 when Mobile was still a French colony. The first parade was New Year's Eve 1830 when Mobilian Michael Krafft and some tipsy friends paraded through the streets with cow bells, rakes and hoes. The Cowbellion de Rakin Society became the first parading Mystic Society. In 1840 the Cowbellion's paraded for the first time with designed floats and a theme. Then in 1857 the Cowbelions helped a group in New Orleans set up a Mardi Gras celebration and Mardi Gras began in New Orleans.

Mobilians are very proud that Mobile is the home of Mardi Gras. I hear our Mardi Gras is more family friendly than that of our sister city New Orleans. Don't get me wrong, it's a very big party!! But the fabulous thing about Mobile is that thousands of people can party in the streets in a very civilized manner. It's something we have had years to learn how to do properly.

This year we really have a lot to celebrate. Our economy, including our real estate market, is expected to be really good in 2009. With a the construction of ThyssenKrupp Steel Mill there will be new jobs for 2700 permanent employees, not to mention all the jobs that will become available once the multimillion-dollar Dale Earnhardt Jr.-affiliated racing venue and theme park gets under way. Located between the Gulf Beaches and the Mississippi casinos, Mobile has made top lists on moneymagazine.com, forbes.com, entrepreneurs.com and more. I have the links on my www.CoastalAlabamaInvestments.com page.

So, if you would like to celebrate Mardi Gras, Mobile style, plan a visit, any time in the two weeks leading up to Mardi Gras Day, which this year will be February 24th. It's a big party and you are all invited.