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Three Hottest Subdivisions Right Now In Dothan
2007-09-28 14:30:24
Here are the three subdivisions in Dothan that have recorded the most homes sold since July 1. Whether that makes them ‘hot’ areas is certainly debatable. I’m calling them hot because we need something hot in this market. Crestwood Village Located off of Fortner Street in southwest Dothan, outside Ross Clark Circle Nine sales in this subdivision with a sold price range of $140,000 to $200,000 Average days on market was 141 days Interestingly, six of these sales have been new construction, with a median price of $155,700. Two of the three resale homes sold for more than the highest new construction sale of $170,000. Honeysuckle Cove Located on Honeysuckle Road between Hwy 52 West and Fortner Street, just outside the Ross Clark Circle Seven new construction sales with a sold price range of $114,900 to $125,900 Average days on market was 121 days Each of these sales was a newly built home in a price range below the Dothan median home price (around $136,400) The Highlands Locate
Read more: Three , Right

Hump Day Fun - The World’s Smallest City Block
2007-09-26 10:55:29
I would be willing to wager than many people in Dothan don’t know that we hold the dubious honor of having the world’s smallest city block in our city. The block is located at the intersection of Museum Avenue, N. Appletree Street, and E. Troy Street, behind the Dothan Civic Center and near the Wiregrass Museum of Art. Click on the picture for a full size photo. Share This
Read more: World , Hump Day

Buy a house, Save for college
2007-09-25 09:30:24
Morningstar recently ranked Alabama’s 529 College Savings plan among the worst in the country. If you are like many Alabamians, you may be looking for an alternative to save for your child’s college education. Let me introduce you to a way to save up to $3,000 from the sale or purchase of a home toward your childs (or childrens) college education. The program is called UPromise. UPromise is free and takes only a few minutes to join. Once you join, you request your “CENTURY 21″ broker at the “Services” section of their website. If the home you are buying or selling is in Dothan, our office will receive your information and contact you to get the process started. At closing, UPromise will put a percentage of the sale price of the home you bought or sold into a savings account for your child’s college. The savings doesn’t stop their however. UPromise makes it easy to save money for college through the purchase of items we use everyday. Che


Fall is here. See you in the spring?
2007-09-24 09:30:49
Several weeks ago, I was asked in my capacity as President of the Dothan Assocation of REALTORS to comment for a newspaper article on the state of the Dothan real estate market. In particular, I was asked what advice we are giving potential home sellers during this slowdown in sales. I will try to expand on those thoughts a little in this space. First, if you don’t have to sell right now, you should wait six months to see what happens. And by having to sell, I mean either you are relocating out of the area for work reasons, or facing foreclosure. If you can think of any other reason someone would have to sell, let me know. Not only is the market glutted with homes for sale, we are entering into what is historically the slowest time of the year for sales, two compelling reasons to wait and re-examine the real estate market climate in the spring of 2008. Second, if you do have to sell right now, make sure your chosen real estate professional has done a competitive market analysi


The new kid on the block gets a black eye?
2007-09-21 18:55:03
This post is a response to a post by Greg Swann over on BloodHoundBlog that was a response to a comment I left on another post. Due to readability issues, I thought I would post my latest response on this website instead of leaving a comment to his post. Another benefit…I’ll get some traffic as Greg attempts to pummel me into submission! So, point by point in Greg’s latest post, here goes. Charles >> Changing the real estate business in the grassroots effort you suggest would be a slow process as well. Greg > I know you’re not joking with me, but are you aware of how quickly the real estate industry is changing right now? None of this is happening through the NAR cartel. I am keenly aware of how much and how fast the real estate industry is changing. Don’t believe me? Ask some of my competition around Dothan to name the brokerage company that takes the lead on adapting new technology and strategies. I agree with you that NAR is not leading thi
Read more: block

Dothan Real Estate Market Update for August, 2007
2007-09-19 16:47:15
Another month, another significant jump in the number of homes on the market. It is well documented on this site how inventory has been steady increasing over the past 18 months. However, just in the past three months we have experienced an increase of nearly 14%, up to 885 homes listed at the end of August . Click on the thumbnail to the right to see the market stats. At the same time, the number of homes sold in August fell almost 25% compared to August of 2006. Days on the market remained steady at 107 days average. Other significant trends from this months report- –   Percent of list price received by sellers dropped over 1%. That is the biggest drop in a single month when comparing last year to 2007 since March. –   Median price for the year-to-date is still up over 2006, although by less than one percent. Still, with everything that is going on, that is certainly not bad news. Share This
Read more: Estate , Market , Update

Buyer Beware
2007-09-18 08:09:42
A couple of situations have arisen recently that cause me to remind everyone of a fact about living in the great State of Alabama. We live in a caveat emptor, or buyer beware, state. What this means is that consumers in the State of Alabama must satisfy themselves as to the condition of the product they are buying, whether it is dinner at your favorite restaurant, a piece of furniture, a car, or a home. Granted there are but a few buyer beware states remaining, but Alabama is one of them. So how does this effect buyers of homes or land? Well, it puts the burden on the buyer to check out any issue or attribute of the property that would be of material interest to them in determining whether or not they will purchase the property. For example, when a buyer makes an offer on a property, they should specifically state in the offer that they have the right to inspect the property to determine that the condition is to their satisfaction. Also, when a purchase of land is considered, the buyer
Read more: Buyer , Beware

Six Reasons To Choose South Alabama Over Florida For Your Retirement
2007-09-17 07:08:14
Thinking of retiring or moving to Florida ? Before you do, take a look at what southeast Alabama  and the Dothan area has to offer. You may find Dothan has a lot more to offer. Six reasons owning property and living in Alabama is as good or better than owning and living in Florida. Property Taxes Property taxes in Alabama, especially south Alabama, are among the lowest in the nation. For example, for a three bedroom, two bath home with an appraised value of $200,000, the property taxes would be in the range of $300 - $400 per YEAR. Compare that with Florida which could be ten times that amount. Traffic Yes, we have traffic just like everyone else. However, you can still get around without much trouble. A trip from the southernmost city limits of Dothan to the northernmost city limits can be accomplished in under 30 minutes at any time of day. Parcel size If you are looking for space to spread out, then south Alabama has probably got it. Unlike south Florida where the only affordable p
Read more: Reasons , South

This Weekend Around Dothan
2007-09-14 13:48:39
Events coming up this weekend, or in the near future around Dothan and the Wiregrass 17th Annual Wiregrass Model Train Show Saturday and Sunday at the National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds. Hours are 9 am - 5 pm Saturday and 10 am - 4 pm Sunday. Admission is $5 for adults. Children are free. More than 140 tables of model railroading equipment and supplies are expected to be available. Hourly door prizes will be given away and concessions will be available.  “Yard Gal” will be performed at the Featured Players Theatre each Friday and Saturday through Sept 29.  Doors open at 6pm and shows start at 7pm. Admission $12.00. Call 334–673-1243 for more information The Cole Brothers Circus of the Stars is bringing the big top to Dothan Sept 26-27 at the Houston County Farm Center.  Daily performances will be at 4:30 and 7:30. This year’s circus will include Moto-Globe of Death, Beijing’s Bungee Divers, the Ponce Family Flyers, juggling by the Kim Brothers, Ukraine&
Read more: Weekend

Fun on a rainy Friday
2007-09-14 09:53:03
We certainly welcome the rain this morning (It would be fine with me if it rained all day long). Since it will be difficult to get outside to have some fun today, we will turn to the Internet for our fun. So you have considered buying a couple of investment properties? Try this game out to test whether you’ve got what it takes to succeed. Let me warn you, it is addictive! My best score so far has been what is probably a paltry 16+ years. See what you can do and post your best score by commenting below. Here’s the link to Mansion Impossible Share This
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2 Days Only! Dothan Real Estate Market Clearance Sale!
2007-10-04 10:43:12
Sounds like a good idea, but I haven’t quite figured out how to run an inventory clearance sale like the department stores do. But, we are going to do the next best thing. Next weekend, October 13th and 14th,  CENTURY 21 Key Realty, along with most other CENTURY 21 offices in Alabama, south Georgia, and north Florida, we be having a huge Open House Extravaganza. The exact times and locations of our open houses will be finalized next week (and posted here). Here is the best part. CENTURY 21 will be giving away a year’s supply of gas to one lucky visitor. Registration forms will be available at each house. Stay tuned for more information on Monday! Share This
Read more: Estate , Market , Clearance

REDUCED - 471 Pat Wells Road, Cottonwood
2007-10-04 08:28:54
If you are thinking of escaping to the countryside, then take a look at this home on one acre just south of Cottonwood, or about 15 miles from downtown Dothan. Features include all hardwood and tile flooring, a relaxing covered back porch with courtyard, and a beautiful formal dining room. Property stats2-471 Pat Wells Road Bedrooms Baths Sq Ft Year Built MLS # List Price 3 2 2200 1998 0125408 $208,900 Share This


It’s Business 101 - Do what you say you are going to do!
2007-10-03 09:42:56
This post will be somewhat of a rant, so proceed at your own risk. Although it is not really my cup of tea to admonish people for not doing what they say they will do (I simply choose not to do business with them), I hope anyone reading this will understand that to be successful in business, you have to follow through and do what you say you are going to do. Doesn’t that sound simple? I choose to do business with people that take their business seriously and follow through with their promises. I am fairly certain that is how folks that I have done worked for in the past (home buyers and sellers) perceive me. First, a bit of background. I had a business situation recently where I had two separate projects to be performed in our office, and decided to contact contractors I either knew personally or had used in the past for each project. The nature of each project is unimportant, but the cost of each would run anywhere from several hundred dollars to a couple thousand dollars. The
Read more: Business

Five facts everyone should know about flood insurance
2007-10-01 15:15:05
Excerpts From USAWeekend 1) Homeowners insurance does not cover flood ing. Homeowners insurance typically covers losses associated with wind, lightning, burglary, vandalism, etc. Flooding is a specific damage and is not lumped into other categories, so under no circumstances is flooding covered under your homeowners policy. The only way to get flood insurance coverage is through the National Flood Insurance Program administered by FEMA. 2) Do not depend on Federal Disaster Assistance “A community must be declared a federal disaster area before it is eligible for disaster assistance,” says Bob Rusbuldt, of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America. “Federal disaster assistance declarations are awarded in less than 50% of flooding incidents.”  If the flooding is very localized to just a few houses, which is usually the case, then a disaster declaration is likely not going to happen. 3) Flooding doesn’t stop at the line o
Read more: facts , everyone

Featured Property - 505 Thunderbird Drive
2007-09-28 16:03:20
Completely updated home in southeast Dothan featuring all new appliances, floor coverings, windows, and cabinets. There is a large fenced backyard to go along with the four bedrooms and the spacious family room. Nothing left to do here but move in! Property Stats - 505 Thunderbird Bedrooms Baths Sq Ft Year Built MLS # List Price 4 2 1857 1969 126108 $109,900 Share This
Read more: Featured

Dothan Real Estate Market Absorption rate analysis for 3rd Quarter
2007-10-16 08:38:00
We have talked about absorption rate before. For those that missed it, absorption rate is the time it would take to clear the market of inventory if no more homes were listed for sale. This is measured in months, and is calculated by dividing the current inventory by the average number of homes sold per month, in this case, during the 3rd quarter. Looking at the overall market, there is now almost a nine month supply of homes available. But the rate can vary, sometimes drastically, when you look at different areas and price ranges. Here is a table showing absorption rates in certain areas for the third quarter. Absorption Rates by area - 3rd Qtr, 2007   homes on market avg sold per month absorption rate southwest Dothan, outside Circle 189 19 9.95 northwest Dothan, inside Circle 45 3 15 southeast Dothan, outside Circle 78 8 9.75 Houston County, outside Dothan 133 12 11.08 Headland 37 6 6.17 According
Read more: Estate , Market

Three Things To Consider As You Plan For Downsizing
2007-10-15 13:47:26
It is a decision many senior Americans make everyday. Is it time to downsize? As a Senior Real Estate Specialist, I am asked all the time about this subject, and I have seen first-hand the consequences of not planning. Here are three things to consider as you think about your next move. Be realistic on how much space you really need. One of the principal reasons for downsizing is to get rid of stuff you don’t need. You’re not really downsizing if you move into a 1500 square foot house with all the belongs you had in your 2200 square foot house. Have a garage sale, donate items to Goodwill, or get a dumpster. You can watch HGTV for helpful advice on cleaning out your place. Level of upkeep required is important The level of upkeep you will be required to do in your new place is just as important as the size. If you are trying to lessen or even escape yard work, a townhouse or home with a smaller lot will appeal to you. If you plan on being on the road traveling, the
Read more: Three

Dancing with the Dothan Stars
2007-10-12 09:00:07
If you haven’t heard the new country music song by Travis Tritt, “You never take me Dancing ”, you will very soon.  The lyrics represent the sentiment that many women feel, yet many men aren’t getting the message.  Guys, if you want your girlfriend or bride to sit through hours of football, basketball, and racing, then try to remember that “Girls just want to have fun” . Many women enjoy dancing and to them, dancing is as natural as breathing. We are so fortunate in the Dothan area to have access to almost any type of dance class, including everything from the Waltz to the Watermelon crawl.  Below you will find information about where you can participate in dance lessons and help you balance your leisure time so that both you and your better half are happy. So, if watching “Dancing with the Stars” causes you to have happy feet, here are some local dance spots and helpful numbers for you to take advantage of what is available he


Dothan Real Estate Market Update for October, 2007
2007-10-11 14:57:15
The number of homes for sale in Dothan continues skyward. I have mentioned in previous market updates that we have doubled the number of homes on the market in just under two years. Well, in the past six months alone inventory is up nearly 22%. Click on the graphic on the right for a full view of the statistics. Here are the highlights: The number of homes under contract (pending sales) fell to the lowest level since November of 2006. It looks like our seasonal slowdown might be starting a couple of months earlier this year. Sales were down 33% for the third quarter just finished when compared to the third quarter of 2006. There are now over 900 homes on the market, the highest number since May of 2002. At that time, average days on market was around 150 days. Look for average days on market to continue to go up. As it most real estate markets around the country, it is a great time to be a home buyer in Dothan! Share This
Read more: Estate , Market , Update , October

Sunday Open Houses in the FREE GAS Giveaway!
2007-10-11 09:37:32
Below is a map of all of this weekend’s open houses. Be sure to click on the ones you are interested in and check the day and time of the open house. All homes will be open from 10 am - Noon on Saturday and/or 2 pm until 4 pm Sunday . You will be able to register for the FREE GAS giveaway at each of these open houses. CLICK HERE to download more detailed information (PDF) on each of these houses. View Larger Map Zoom in and out and pan using the controls in the top left corner of the map. Click on a marker for open house times. Share This


Five Things You Absolutely Must Do To Increase Your Chances of Selling
2007-10-10 08:40:41
I have covered ad nauseum how we are now in a buyer’s market and that the number of homes for sale in Dothan continues to rise. Here is quick list of things home sellers need to do to get their home sold in this market. 1) Maximize Curb Appeal Don’t underestimate the power of the view from the street. Curb appeal is paramount to getting buyers through the front door. Fresh landscaping including sod, flowers, and even pine straw in the beds will make a huge difference. Remember, if they don’t like the outside, they will never get a chance to like the inside. 2) Modernize the kitchen Again, fresh paint and ceramic tile flooring and back splash go a long way. Stainless steel appliances also add a perception of value. New counter tops and refinished cabinets do the same. If you only have the budget for limited upgrades, the kitchen is where you need to spend it. 3) Buyers do look in the closets There are lots of options for closets today, and having a professional look, e
Read more: Absolutely

Featured Fine Home - 187 Ridge, Headland
2007-10-09 15:53:10
This home has the attention to detail that you find in a custom built home. A few of the unique features include a large summer kitchen off the back, that includes a gas fireplace and built-in grill, sink, plus nearly 500 square feet of living space. The beaded board ceiling adds a nice touch. There are numerous columns and archways throughout the interior of this home that accent the beautiful hardwood flooring. A separate dining area is available, as well as a convenience study off the main living area. When its time to retreat to the master suite, a large oasis awaits you in the master bath. In the kitchen, custom cabinetry and a island cooktop as the standouts, as well as the separate oven and spacious pantry. The bonus room offered off the laundry room would be perfect for a kids playroom or theatre. Bullnose rounded sheetrock corners, the Manibloc plumbing system, and Frigidaire Professional series appliances are but a few of the extra builder touches on the exemplary home. vi
Read more: Featured

Saturday Open Houses - Win Free Gas for a Year!
2007-10-08 16:37:46
Here is a list of all open houses for Saturday , October 13. All homes will be open from 10 am until Noon. Sunday’s list will be posted tomorrow. You will be able to register for the FREE GAS giveaway at each of these open houses. CLICK HERE to download more detailed information (PDF) on each of these houses.  CLICK HERE to see a map of these open houses. Share This


Even more reasons to choose south Alabama over Florida
2007-10-05 13:24:00
This is a follow-up to an earlier post where I discussed the advantages of owning real estate and living in the Dothan area versus anywhere in Florida . It seems the Wall Street Journal agrees that Florida is losing a lot of its luster. Here are a few quotes from the article, which you can read in its entirety by CLICKING HERE. “But for Americans on the move, Florida has become a less-appealing destination. Moving company Atlas Van Lines brought 6,700 families into Florida last year and took 8,000 out, the first time it has moved more out than in.” “Few organizations have been as rattled as the local public-school system. In recent years, the schools have added an average of about 5,400 new students a year, and have put overflow classes in portable trailers. This year, through the 20th day of school, Hillsborough County schools have between 400 and 500 fewer students than last year.” Take a minute and read the story at the link above. Share This
Read more: choose , Alabama

Wiregrass Parade of Homes Showcases the Home, not the Agent
2007-10-20 13:45:59
CENTURY 21 Key Realty is now advertising several of our listings on Wiregrass Parade of Homes . The show airs on Sunday mornings at 9:00 am on FOX 34. Wiregrass Parade of Homes is an alternative to the real estate shows that are typical of the Dothan market. On this show, the house is the center of attention, not the agent. If you can’t watch the show on Sunday mornings, you can watch the current show online anytime at their website, www.wiregrassparadeofhomes.com. To see the listings we are advertising, look for the ‘Listings with Video’ section in our middle menu column, just below the ‘Categories’ section. Share This
Read more: Showcases , Agent

Featured Home - 411 Drake, Dothan
2007-10-20 08:40:44
Beautiful home with a fenced yard for the kids! (Aprox. .88 acre) Open floor plan with formal dining room. Master has private exit to patio and huge bath with seperate shower/jacuzzi. The garage has a storage room. Take time to enjoy the community lake and bring your fishing pole. Property stats - 411 Drake Bedrooms Baths Sq Ft Year Built MLS # List Price 3 2 1772 1999 0126220 $194,411 Share This
Read more: Featured

The Best on The Vine
2007-10-19 08:53:11
Living in southeast Alabama, just minutes from the home of the tomato, makes me somewhat of an authority on the subject, although I am still not sure whether it is a fruit or a vegetable. There is another type of tomato out there that I want to bring to your attention today however. I am talking about the blogging tomatoes, clients of the Real Estate Tomato. This is a group of real estate and mortgage professionals whose goal is to give their knowledge of their respective markets to the readers of their blogs. Each week, I am going to post in this space a few select posts from these fellow tomatoes. My hope is that this information will be relevant and valuable to the readers of dothanhomesearch.com. Here are the best from this week. Enjoy! What home buyers should be doing is a common theme this week. Gena over at SacramentoRealEstateVoice does a good job of reminding us that you can’t pin the tail on the bottom of the Real Estate Market until it has passed We finally h


Special Financing Offered by Home Builders
2007-10-18 07:06:45
Several homebuilders around Dothan have started offering some special financing options for purchasers of their homes. Programs called 2/1 buydowns are becoming more and more common as builders try to clear finished homes from their inventory. This post will cover this financing option in more detail. When a home buyer is using FHA financing, rules state that the seller is allowed to contribute up to 6% of the sale price toward costs associated with the sale, including closing costs, prepaid items, etc. These special financing options take advantage of this rule and use this money to buy down the purchaser’s interest rate for the first two years of their loan. Here is an example of how this might work on one of my new construction listings, 107 Brittany Drive in Dothan. At a sale price of $175,900, the seller could contribute up to $10,554 (6%) toward buyer costs. The interest rate on the loan would be 6.25%, which means a principal and interest payment of $1066.32, starting in
Read more: Special , Financing , Builders

Featured Home - 101 Crooked Creek
2007-10-17 16:50:07
Property stats - 101 Crooked Creek Bedrooms Baths Sq Ft Year Built MLS # List Price 3 2 1900 2007 0123773 $185,500 Another beautiful new construction home just outside of Ashford. Features include a large open family room with separate dining area, nice kitchen with sit down bar, plus a spacious back patio. Special financing options are available! Call or email us for details! Share This
Read more: Featured

October Dothan Planning Commission Meeting
2007-10-17 11:17:30
The Dothan Planning Commission held its monthly meeting today, and I have to say this month’s meeting is one of the shortest I have attended. There were no heavily debated or controversial issues among the ten or so items discussed. The biggest news to me is that Office Depot has received approval of development plans for a new store to be located at 4210 Ross Clark Circle, which is at the intersection of Reeves Street (Hwy 431N) and the Circle. The property is located next to Burger King and across the Circle from north side K-Mart. Whether this is a replacement store for the current location just four to five miles away (I would be surprised if this is the case), or just a second location, is unknown. The preliminary plat for Cottonwood Downs Subdivision (link goes to pdf information) was finally approved after being on and off the agenda for several months now. This development will be located off of Trawick Road near Bob Hall Road on what is currently mostly farm land. T
Read more: October

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