2010-2011 Costs Vs. Value: Home & Design: REALTOR Magazine

2010-2011 Costs Vs. Value: Home & Design: REALTOR Magazine

All Fun and Games || Home By Design Weekly Article

All Fun and Games || Home By Design Weekly Article

Publix is Official

The Enterprise Chamber News Letter featured the announcement of the new Publix Grocery Store which will begin construction this Spring. Silly have excited we can get over a grocery store but have you shopped in a Publix? It is exciting news and we all look forward to the opening in 2012. Check out the details on the Chamber website.

Neighborhood: Level Plains of Dale County 1 (Country Living)

The Place I Call Home

by Deborah Covington

Level Plains is a town in Dale County nestled between Enterprise and Daleville Alabama. It was home to 1,544 residents in 2000 according to the census. The town was incorporated in 1965. It’s total area being a mere 2.9 miles. The life line traveling north-south through Level ...Plains is Dale County 1.

Tiny in comparison to most of our surrounding communities like Enterprise, Ozark, Daleville, Fort Rucker and of course, Dothan which is a mere 27 miles away from this easy-going country community. Small? Yes. One gas station? True. Yet, still the oldest real estate cliché immediately comes to mind, location, location, location! Why, would this thought come to mind you may ponder?! Well, it’s simple! We are close to everything. Centrally located to all the “big city” things, yet Level Plains is the epitome of country living. How perfect is that?!

Level Plains has an eclectic array of housing choices and beautiful land. We have the newer high-end houses in established subdivisions on streets like Hannah. And then we have acre plus home sites with trees that have been around for generations. There are houses small and large beaming with character and pride. Yes, we also have older mobiles homes, sitting next to a brick house, a cotton field and a chicken house (or) two. And yet as you continue to drive through our cozy community you’ll also notice beautiful stretches of green pastures and tranquil ponds.

With such an array of housing options and price ranges I believe makes for an eclectic mix of families therefore creating a enriching, hearty, blend of people in this small country community. So on your drive through Level Plains, take moment, take a turn at our red light in either direction and get a glimpse of a great place I’m proud to call home!

Neighborhood: The Enterprise Country Club

Why Leigh Cassady Loves Her Neighborhood!            

Green Summer Links



I wish I had a fancy camera so I could just show you why I love my neighborhood! I walk a lot and every time I turn the corner I see something picturesque. Wild heron stand poised to find their daily meal in the still waters of spring-fed lakes. Right now the fall color is brilliant, but in the spring the dogwoods and banks of azaleas blow my mind.



Wonderful Fall Colors!



I love my neighborhood because I can play golf or fish whenever I want to. People travel the neighborhood, even Trick or Treat, in golf carts. In the summer the children ride their bikes or walk to go swimming or get a grilled cheese sandwich at Enterprise Country Club.

I love my neighborhood because it is safe. People fly the American flag where I live. The homes are a mixture from modest to grand. Traffic is low. The only thing crowding the streets are baby strollers, walkers, runners and bicyclists. The trees are thick here and the landscape is dotted with stocked lakes. It’s like quiet country living, but a four-lane road takes you the 4-5 miles to Enterprise.

I live in the ECC Club area and there are several neighborhoods that are included in my utopia. They include Creek Point, Honeysuckle Hills, Victorian Way, Indigo Place and Country Club Meadows. Cotton Creek and Sommer Brook are a stone’s throw away. And I love it here!





Very Interesting Reading

The following is a link to a FORBES blog page, so there will be a couple of commercials that will display before the post, but it is a very interesting article:

http://blogs.forbes.com/robertlenzner/2010/09/27/john-paulson-sell-bonds-buy-stocks-double-digit-inflation-coming/

If this is true, I think the evidence will become apparent by the summer and interest rates will begin to rise shortly.  It is a good time to buy a house!

Enterprise Alabama Neighborhoods: Gateway Estates

Gateway Estates:  What a lovely neighborhood!  I love driving home and winding my way through the neighborhood.  It doesn't matter what the time of day or the month of the year, it is beautiful.  Some mornings there is this mystic mist that rises off the lakes and just gives me chills.  Then later in the morning the sun will glisten off the water and make the ripples sparkle.  The streets in Gateway wind around and it is so easy to get lost.  Make sure your house guests can follow directions before telling them how to get to your house, or make sure they have a GPS!  You know, most of the neighborhood still has above ground utilities but you don't notice because of all of the trees. 

If you love nature, you'll love Gateway.  The other day there was a mama deer walking around my pool with twin fawns with spots all along their sides, following behind.  One night I had to wait for the deer to get out of my driveway so that I could get into the garage.  There have been  many times I've seen a flock of turkey in my yard and a couple of Toms showing their tail feathers, is that how you describe it when they show their stuff?  Anyway, it is cool.

One afternoon my husband and I were leaving the neighborhood and as we crossed one of the dams we heard this squawking from a duck as it tried to fly into the air but just as it tried to fly a bob cat jumped into the air and caught this duck in mid air!  That was one amazing afternoon.  Just take a drive through and see for yourself?    It's an eclectic neighborhood too....... homes built in the mid 70's and homes built in the last couple of years.  Gateway has it all; from homes in the 1,800 square foot range to over 5,000 square feet.  You can find it all here nested between Highway 167 North and Shellfield Road. 

So, what do you like about Gateway Estates (and Spearpoint, since you can't tell when you leave Gateway and enter Spearpoint).  To find homes for sale in Gateway Estates and Spearpoing just click here and search.

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What's for Lunch this week?

The Rawls or The Rawls or maybe The Rawls!  Oh my gosh!  I rewarded my folks that showed up on time for the staff meeting today (what does that say when I have to bribe them?) by taking them out to lunch.  We went to The Rawls!  Ya'll the food is fabulous!  I had the squash soup with basil cream and shared a steak sandwich.  It was wonderful but......... I tasted Chef Bill's version of the BLT and OMG it was fantastic!  I can't wait to go back, oh wait, I'm going for dinner tomorrow night, so do I want to each lunch there too?  Oh yeah!  I do! 

So, what's for lunch?  Who cares if you go to The Rawls, it doesn't matter what's for lunch as long as you know where to go for lunch!

The Rawls downtown Enterprise at 119 Main Street.  See ya there!

Claybank Jamboree in Ozark

Ozark, AL has a great fall street festival and it is called the Claybank Jamboree.  This festival is held on the first Saturday of October every year.  It is smack dab in the middle of downtown along all of the streets of the town square and beyond the square in a couple of directions.  They had a great band Saturday morning, I do love brass.  There was lots of great food, art, crafts and more.  Did you know they make jelly from Cudzo blossoms?  Oh yeah, and I had to have some.  Not bad, but then it was  jelly, how bad could it be?  On each corner downtown there are beautiful plants and flowers.  Ozark just has a delightful downtown. 

While you are in Ozark, don't miss the drive up Broad Street.  There are antebellum homes lined up both sides of the road.  Beautiful architecture and it just takes you back to the early 1900's.  There are all kinds of stories about these old homes.

Years ago I was in the Holman Home and taking a tour from the current resident, one of the Holman family folk.  He showed me all around both floors, great mantels and there was something about a mule trader and there were mules carved into the mantels in the living room and dining room on the main floor.  Of course there were fireplaces in all of the rooms.   We toured upstairs and then into the attic!  It was loaded with treasures, you can just imagine but the thing I most remember was an old spinning wheel.  It still worked, or so I was told, can't imagine how you would make it work.

Do you know any stories of the homes on Broad Street?  If so, please share.

What kind of neighbor are you?

Becky took the test and she's a  

So go here and take the test yourself! It's just for fun!  Then when you've taken it, post what kind of neighbor you are. 

Neighbor Quiz

Get this widget

Sushi

Today I was showing a couple some rental homes in Enterprise.  They are moving from California and just trying to get the lay of the land around here.

We were talking about things around the area and how it isn't easy to find out information about the area here.  What do you want to know?  Where do we get good sushi? 

You know, food is personal ............. but this is what I think about sushi.  For my redneck (yes I say that lovingly) I will eat bait!  I love sushi, not crazy about sea urchin but most everything else is good with me. 

There are plenty of places around here that serve sushi and some are excellent in my humble opinion.  Myori's in Enterprise is very good.  They have some great rolls and I will always skip the Hibatchi and go to a regular table for some sushi.  My favorite is the rainbow roll.  Yes, everybody has one but it is very good.  There is a place in Daleville, just outside the Ft. Rucker gate on the left.  Not my favorite, matter of fact, I'm not planning on going back.

Kyoto's is the bomb for sushi!  It is located on the north side of Dothan off Hwy 231 in a small strip center.  That is my very favorite sushi place and the lemon roll is one of my favorite treats.  Try it, you'll like it!  They have other stuff if your friends don't like to eat bait!

All in all, Myori's is my regular place and Kyoto's is my favorite.

Enterprise and South Alabama Ghost Stories

Just in time for Halloween!


I'm not a big fan of Halloween, Ghost Stories and such and you will NOT find me in the theater watching a movie that I have paid good money to get into just to have the beejeebers scared out of me. I'm happy that others support the arts in this fashion but I'm just not going to do it. That being said ...................

There are some intriguing stories though about ghosts in and around the Enterprise and South Alabama area. Just click on the links at the bottome of the page to read tales of The Rawls Hotel located at 116 Main Street in downtown Enterprise.

Years ago, my property management business included leasing and general oversight of the The Rawls Building. I had heard many of these stories. So when the police called my house in the middle of the night because they found a door unlocked it was my job to secure the building. I would get up, get dressed and head on over but I did not want to go in by myself. But onward I would go up the stairs, down the halls and check out the building and hoping I would not run upon any strange phenomenon. Music, children laughing, I could hear it if I thought about it so I just tried not to think about it at 2 o'clock in the morning.

One night the strange phenomenon appeared and turned out to be a B & B guest that was so smashed that he couldn't get his key to work and found himself locked out of the building and when the police called I went down to unlock the door to the B & B wing. I want you to know that the police officer left me there with a drunk. Oh my gosh! I guess the officer figured that the guy was so drunk that I had nothing to worry about. I promise you that I was never left by myself again! Do you need the number to the Chief of Police? Oh yeah, it's funny now! I am sure I wasn't left there deliberately but none the less.

So for The Rawls ghost stories chick here for a great restaurant experience (re-opening Oct. 1st, 2010) click here and for the best in real estate sales and property management services click here.









For your ghost stories, post here!

How do you want your information?

I was meeting with two of my newer agents in the office for training and once again it is the people thing. I see big differences in people and the way they function.  At the same time I find it fascinating what and how people operate in this world of information everywhere, or maybe it is information overload.

One agent wouldn't make a move without checking on all websites available to find what she needs, finds text the BEST way to communicate and when we schedule time for training or an activity she immediately grabs her phone to plug in the date, time and event.  Then another agent takes diligent notes and puts all appointments down on paper. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever seen him without his appointment book in hand.  He says and "I want to pick up the phone and talk to people".

So is it the difference between Gen X and Gen Y? Does it have anything to do with gender?  Certainly the ages of the people involved would validate the X vs Y theory but then what about others of us?   For heaven's sake I'm a blogging "Baby Boomer" (very young baby boomer) who loves text messaging because it is so convenient. Even bought an IPAD, but justified it because email on my phone is just too small to read.

Here is the question, when you are looking to buy a home (or shop for anything) and you log into the  website will you give me your email so that you can get more details if that is the way you get to the information?  Or are you just going to click over to the next page?  Will you sign up for automatic info giving you the most current listings that match your criteria?  Or will you hope that you can keep digging and find what your are looking for?

Well, however you want your information, rest assured we can match you with an agent that will give you the service you want and in the style you prefer.

Homes for sale in Enterprise, AL area

I wanted to show you homes for sale in Enterprise, AL and homes for sale in the Ft. Rucker area.  The gadget on the blog showing that info is kinda cool but would love to know if it is helpful?  Seems you can get it anywhere and now with this "cool tool" you are getting it everywhere!  If that sits over there quietly on the page, will you use it? 

After all, I do want to show some of the homes for sale in the area since that is what we do at Becky Hancock Realty find folks a place to live if they want to buy a home or if they want a house to rent. 

What other information might a person moving into the area be looking to find?  If we put up a mortgage qualifier, will that be helpful? 

Mostly, I just want to share what homes are available for sale in the area and give folks an easy way to get the info they are looking for. 

Happy House Hunting!  Call us 334-347-6610 or email me, we can help you make the hunt easy and fun!

What's For Lunch?

Well since it is Friday and since I'm sharing my favorite things, let me share some great places for lunch in Enterprise.

1. Mick's is always great. Be prepared to take it with you or wait for a table. This place is small but the flavor is huge. My suggestion is the Special. It doesn't matter what it is. It's good. They are located on Dauphin Street extension kind of behind Food World. By the way, Mick's is only open for lunch Mon. - Fri.

2. Annie's on Main Street is a hit! Great hamburgers! I love the sweet potato fries too. Others tell me that all the food is good. Maybe. But why try anything else when you know you can't go wrong with the hamburger? Too good to miss.

3. If you are Jonesing for BBQ you just can't go wrong with Larry's. They have three flavors of sauce. I like the hot one, it's in the yellow squeeze bottle. Not really hot but has a touch of spice and a little more vinegar.

Be sure to tell me what you think once you've tried them.

Football and South Alabama (All of Alabama I Think)

Just a silly story about living here and football .......

I'm an Army Brat! While some take offense at that phrase, I always wore it proudly. After my Dad retired from the Army we moved to Ariton, AL. Ariton is a delightful little town just north of Ozark and about 3 miles east of Highway 231. When we moved here from the big city of Pensacola I was the ripe young age of 14. What did I know?

It was the first day of school, going into the 8th grade, traumatic times.... Well I didn't know a soul. I get to my home room class, behave as I should and of course the nice folks of Ariton High School want to get to know the new kid. Now they don't care what my name is, don't ask where I moved from, don't ponder why I'm here. There is just ONE IMPORTANT QUESTION .............. Everyone simply wanted to know. "Who are you for?". Huh?????

"You know, who are you for? Auburn or Alabama?" So there it was my childhood dilemma Auburn or Alabama what?

Well when you move to South Alabama you just have to choose sides. So, who are you for? Auburn? Or Alabama?

Crisp Air, the Double Edge Sword!

Yes the air has a feel of "crisp" in it and while that is stimulating, it reminds us that Summer is coming to an end.  Really, I would guess we still have lots of hot and humid days ahead of us this year but the lower humidity makes the days much more pleasant.  This year those crisp days have come mighty early .............. does that mean that the fall days are right around the corner?  I for one, hope not!  I'm still working on my tan! 

It is so nice though to wake up to temperatures in the 60's in the mornings, it just puts a little skip in your step. 

Just remember, if we had low humidity all the time with moderate temperatures we'd be in Southern California rather than LA (Lower Alabama) and if we had weather like Southern California we'd be overrun with people and freeways and Starbucks.  Well Starbucks might be nice .........................

While I do love CA "there is no place like home, Dorothy" and home for me is Lower Alabama! Stay awhile and you'll love it too.

Last Long Weekend of the Summer

Since, the last long weekend of the Summer is just days away ..... you need to get packing.  Some of my favorite places to go are:

• Mount Dora, Florida, is a delightful little town with old buildings filled with charm, great restaurants and shops and loads of fun.  It is just about a 6 hour drive.  Let me know if you go!
• Baytowne in Sandestin, Florida is a little pricier but great restaurants and you can make of for the difference in costs by going shopping at the Silver Sands Outlet Center just down the road.
• Apalachicola, Florida is only about a 3 hour drive and has lots of charm.  Be sure to check out the Gibson Inn while you are there and at times there is a midnight (not really) ride on an antique sailing ship that used to run goods during the Revolutionary war.  Lots of cool history.

Enjoy your long weekend and don't forget the sunscreen!  Post your favorite long weekend getaway.

We had a blast at the Wildcat Tailgate Party!

Here are some clips of people at the Tailgate party. We had I especially want to thank everyone for helping, Pepsi donated some of the drinks, Kelley's donated some of the food, Woodall Heating & Cooling let us use their grill and Blake even helped us cook the hot dogs! You may have seen some of those crazy folks stopping traffic on the Hwy 84 By-Pass handing out hot dogs, and pom-poms.......... they sure had a lot of fun doing it. Good news! Enterprise won the football game against Lanier 49 to 21 so the year is off to a great start for the Enterprise Wildcats. Here is the schedule for EHS Wildcat 2010 Football See you at the game!

Football is Here!

There is a movement in the area to "Wear Your College Team Colors" to work this Friday Aug. 27th!  At Becky Hancock Realty we will be wearing WILDCAT BLUE AND WHITE!  Join us Friday afternoon in the parking lot of the log cabins located at the corner of Hwy 167 and Hwy 84 across from Lowes.  We will be serving up hot dogs, drinks and giving everyone that stops by a EHS commemorative shaker to use during the game.  Please come out and support the schools and get a look at the new stadium!  See you there!

A Beach Weekend Before Summer Ends.......

Just a few things you should ckeck out at the beach ..........

• Grayton Beach is my very favorite quiet place to sit in the sand.  One morning I saw a sailfish jump out of the water.  Too cool! 
• The Gulfarium at Ft. Walton Beach, FL offers real wild life action that you can see and touch up close.  For mor info click here  Don't forget to ask for your military discount. Kids will love it.
• Fudpuckers in Destin on Hwy 98 has tons of real live aligators and a great place for the kids.

Don't forget your sunscreen!

Summer Weather

It is August and the weather forecast is the same as last August and the August before... Anyone form South Alabama knows that you don't change your plans because of the normal Summer forecast which is; "Scattered Afternoon  Thunderstorms".  IF it rains it doesn't last long and it cools the air for a few hours,you will be able to breath the humidity for a little while but that will pass too!   So, get out doors and enjoy the warm weather, find a pool when necessary.  The family pool at The Landing on Ft. Rucker just looks like tons of family fun and don't forget Lake Tholocco for a quick dip and a chance to cool off.

Big News At The Wiregrass Board of Realtors Meeting on Thursday

As this year's Board President I am so proud of our local Board ofREALTORS!  We won!  I know that it may not mean too much to many BUT once again our area is in the National Spotlight!  REALTORS accross the country posted to the National Association of REALTOR'S website and told their story about why they love being affiliated with The National Association of REALTORS.   The Wiregrass Board of REALTORS won by having a higher percentage of REALTOR members post their story than any other REALTOR organization in the country.  The Grand Prize is $1,500.00 investment in technology either through equipment and/or training.  For more information you can go to http://www.theheartofthemarket.com/ 

School's Starting

Yesterday was the "tax free" day to allow people to buy the bulk of their school supplies and avoid sales tax.  What a great idea ....................... Thinking about school starting, I am so excited for the kids starting school in Enterprise, AL  WOW!  That school is just amazing.  Three stories, electronic boards showing kids where to go and what is happening and when.  Just cool!  Several of us toured the school in April and were stunned and it was still a long way from being complete.  I can just imagine what it is going to look like with desks and books and computers.  Almost makes me wish I could go back to high school ........... not really but I am excited for the kids.  For all the info on the new high school click here:  http://enterprise.al.ech.schoolinsites.com/