land: In Honor of Veteran's Day - 11/10/11 03:13 PM
VETERAN'S DAY 11-11-11War is wrong but the fight is right. This is a day to pause and reflect...to pull in our aligned forces of gratitude for those who serve our highest ideals in the fight for freedom. TODAY I want to acknowledge and remember the men and women I've learned of (including my mom, pictured below), known of and some I've met here in Auburn and Opelika, Alabama through my work as a REALTOR.  What a privilege I have in America---to have such an opportunity to work and encounter so many incredible people along the way.  Each one is a brilliant … (9 comments)

land: Home For Sale - 902 FLORAL ST - Opelika Alabama 36801 - 11/06/11 11:50 PM
For Sale in Opelika-Auburn / Lee County Alabama, 902 FLORAL STREET, Opelika Al 36801; Realtor Mara Hawks with homes for sale at First Realty Auburn, a Realty South Company. * * *An above average home with a below appraisal price of $198,902.                                 Call for same day showing.                       
~Legendaty homebuilder Ewell Screws introduced this classic, craftsman style to Opelika in the 1920's and 30's. Its architectural theme and detail was influenced by the Spanish mission home designs … (0 comments)

land: HOUSING STATISTICS for Lee County (Auburn-Opelika) - July 2011 Market Report - 08/13/11 12:19 AM
The following report is calculated by the Alabama Center of Real Estate. This report, along with more detailed information, can be found on their website: http://arerec.cba.ua.edu/ Are you considering a move into or out of Lee County Alabama? Are you looking for an agent to help you find a home or sell your home in Auburn-Opelika? Let me be your Realtor! If you would like to receive these monthly reports, emailed directly to you, along with other local area information, or have any questions about homes in Auburn or Opelika, feel free to contact me with a request.
     
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land: HOUSING STATISTICS for Lee County (Auburn-Opelika) - April 2011 Market Report - 05/28/11 11:22 AM
Pending Home Sales Rise Again March saw another increase in pending home sales, with contract activity rising unevenly in six of the past nine months, according to NAR. The Pending Home Sales Index rose 5.1 percent to 94.1 in March from a downwardly revised 89.5 in February. The index is 11.4 percent below 106.2 in March 2010, but activity was at elevated levels in March and April of 2010 to meet the contract deadline for the home buyer tax credit.
The following report is calculated by the Alabama Center of Real Estate. This report, along with more detailed information, can be … (3 comments)

land: 153 S Brookwood Dr Auburn Alabama - 04/28/11 02:59 PM

Auburn Alabama Real Estate - Home For Sale at 153 S Brookwood Dr Auburn Alabama.
Listed at $204.900 by Mara Hawks, First Realty Auburn. Seller offers $5000 in Closing Costs!




3-STORY SPLIT LEVEL, 1/2-ACRE
Plenty of living space in this 4BR 2BA home on the corner of Thach Ave & Brookwood Dr, that transposes into an oasis of serenity with a dash of retro!  This older home is engraved with architectural interest and craft, with cathedral windows, cedar siding, pine built-ins, a stone fireplace and wonderful wood beams, all perfectly tuned to the haven of gardens, … (1 comments)

land: Who is Moses? Moses George Hogan?? - 01/29/11 12:51 AM
TODAY, at 2:00 the Auburn University Gospel and Chamber Choirs present THE MOSES HOGAN MEMORIAL FESTIVAL in Auburn Admission is FREE! Who is Moses? Moses George Hogan?? Way after the biblical Moses, and just before there were musical Blues, African American folk songs worked on the railroads, picked bales of cotton, and sang softly in the night.  These songs of slaves, also called African American spirituals, were, essentially, songs of tears. While they expressed a spiritual devotion, the songs were drawn from depths of sorrow. Much of the music gives voice to the prayers and anguish of a people, a culture, … (7 comments)

land: HOUSING STATISTICS for Lee County (Auburn-Opelika) - JUNE 2010 Market Report - 08/01/10 02:52 PM
The following report is calculated by the Alabama Center of Real Estate. This report, along with more detailed information, can be found on their website: http://arerec.cba.ua.edu/  Are you considering a move into or out of Lee County Alabama? If you would like to receive these monthly reports, emailed directly to you, along with other local area information, feel free to contact me with a request.  
 
                                      
                   

(Copyright Notice for photos, all rights reserved by Mara Hawks, 2010)
I … (6 comments)

land: ON AFRICAN SOIL... American Soccer Squad surrenders to "The Hope Of Africa" - 06/26/10 04:49 PM
Oh that sinking feeling of elimination---a contract falls through, a short sale doesn't happen for nearly a decade, a pended sale falls way below appraisal, your promising prospects vanish---sigh.
Today, time ran out for the U.S. soccer team. For those of us that cheered them on, it played out like the best of times (in victory) and the worst of times (in defeat). But what a great Tale of Two Lands, sharing one goal, ultimately surrendered by the American team when Ghana leaped ahead in overtime. Over and out.
The Ghana team traveled to the tournament in a motor coach, covered with … (23 comments)

land: 4th of July FIREWORKS IN AUBURN, Al - HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! - 07/03/09 02:26 AM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! AUBURN celebrates 4th of July and YOU ARE WELCOME to Celebrate Independence Day with the Auburn Community and Auburn Parks and Recreation, behind the Home side of the Duck Samford Football Stadium. Gates Open at 6 p.m. Entertainment begins at 7 p.m.  Fireworks begin at 9 p.m. Enjoy great food, live special musical entertainment and the best fireworks display in the entire area!
  
Active in Alabama, Mara Hawks, REALTOR with FIRST REALTY of Auburn, AL, #1 Real Estate Team in Lee County, THE LEADER in professional real estate services in Auburn, Opelika & Lee County for over 3 decades! Committed to … (7 comments)

land: TODAY THE WEATHER IS FURRY - Happy Groundhog Day! - 02/02/09 01:45 AM
'IF CANDLEMAS DAY IS BRIGHT AND CLEAR, THERE WILL BE TWO WINTERS IN THE YEAR.'
The legend of Groundhog Day stems from this Scottish verse.  In the late 1800's a man named Phil, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, began predicting whether or not the winter was going to be long, or if spring would arrive early. This was all calculated on the actions of a groundhog emerging from his burrow on the second day of February, and looking for his shadow. If a shadow is seen, it means another six weeks of winter. If there isn't a shadow, it's agreed that spring will arrive soon. Residents … (11 comments)

land: BLOCKS OF EARTH - In A Class By Itself - 05/15/08 03:53 AM
 While her world is evolving and her days are revolving around the GROUND LEVEL explorations of her one-year-old, my daughter, Rebecca, has taken up the wooly feel of fine-grade felt and cotton embroidery threads, crafting stuffed, soft sculptures for the tactile world of her son. She just sent me a photo of one of her projects (Earth Blocks). Now I must tell you that, I opened up her email/photo, just after reading The Preamble to the Code of Ethics, as set out by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS. No, this is not a daily habit by any means (although it would be a good one!). Rather, … (19 comments)

land: EARTH DAY - 04/22/08 12:52 AM
It's been nearly 40 years since the first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970. Founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson, it was established as a time for communities the world over, to recognize our deeper responsibility by minding our ways in caring for our natural resources. It was intended as a global reminder that The Earth is, essentially, our home... so let's all pitch in and do our part to promote clean and economical uses of energy and preserve our irreplaceable, natural resources. I don't think it's enough to simply think about recycling trash. It might be more to think about the freedoms … (6 comments)

land: Happy Birthday Abraham Lincoln! - 02/11/08 11:10 PM

"I am not bound to win, but I'm bound to be true. I‘am not bound to succeed, but I'm bound to live up to what LIGHT I have." Abraham Lincoln
When I was very young, I fell in love with the legacy of Abraham Lincoln after reading a biography in a Best In Children's Books series. I grew up in ILLINOIS, the Land of Lincoln, and on a school trip in eighth grade to Springfield, I was fascinated to see the historical home where he had lived and raised his family and prepared for the presidency. Sometimes people forget that he was … (6 comments)

land: A NAME FOR THE LAND - The Cotswolds - 02/02/08 08:11 AM
 
 
Traditionally, the naming of land has always been of great importance to its people, since it bears some recollection of the legacy or story behind it.  THE COTSWOLDS in Auburn, Alabama is so named as the Development aspires to recreate an authentic ambiance, inspired by countryside on the outskirts of London that is known for its serene landscapes, cottages, and simply beautiful design that has taken in many travelers and endured for centuries.  From Shug Jordan Parkway, travel west on RICHLAND ROAD to the entrance of this master planned, 500-acre community. As of August 2007, the Developer, in conjunction with the City of Auburn, has … (1 comments)