mara: MARCH 1ST POTTERY SALE AT THE LOCAL MUSEUM - 02/22/08 02:23 AM
The JULE COLLINS SMITH MUSEUM opened in Auburn in 2003. The modern architectural style proclaims a 40,000 square foot building. I get motivated to visit because I also like their gift shop and delicious menu and urban ambiance at the cafe, seating you alongside a wall of windows, bordering the terrace that overlooks the 3-acre lake & fountain. The menu is prepared by URSULA, a local, favorite caterer. ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDINGLY DELICIOUS! There is a lower level that you need permission for. It has a study room for research and writing, a vault system, a carpentry shop and the staff and security offices. The building is surrounded by … (1 comments)

mara: NEW, NICE, & NOT OVERPRICED! Enjoy Home Ownership at Wimberly Station - 02/21/08 01:55 PM
Here are new, completed homes in Auburn, with a very nice price (under $200K). They are in the school district of Richland Road Elementary, the new school, opening this fall! And they all include a $6000 Buyer incentive! WOW! Very affordable. Very nice.
My favorite thing about this location is the acreage that borders the entrace to the subdivision. It's very peaceful and beautiful, and I sometimes can see a herd of sheep, grazing there...
 
http://www.visualtour.com/show.asp?T=1399683
 

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mara: IF YOU GIVE A HOUSE A COOKIE... - 02/21/08 01:23 PM
 
Oftentimes, creating a flyer or writing an ad for your home for sale, is not about a formula, but rather a fascination with and the delight in PLAYING with pictures/images/symbols. It reminds me of doing board puzzles when I was young, and the concentration and watchfulness I associate with that to make the pieces come together. I loved the challenge and the anticipation of the familiar surprise of completeness... a perfect picture!  I often relive this playful, joyful  experience, when working on an ad. It's like all the pieces are scattered. No one, including myself, has seen the completed picture--- the … (3 comments)

mara: GETTING BIG PLANS AND LOWER PRICES TOGETHER IN AUBURN - 02/14/08 04:03 AM
Call me for more info or to set up a free consultation for a beautiful, customized home in Auburn. The is something new and very exciting in Auburn. Let me tell you about the development and the master plan. This is where I want to be living!
(c) Copyright of photos and content, 2008. Mara Hawks, All Rights Reserved
 
 
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mara: VOGUE & VANITY - A LOCAL BUSINESS THAT I LOVE - 02/13/08 11:12 PM
Finding a good hairdresser is one of the top transitional moments for many women moving to a new area. The search can be downright agonizing (AND time & cost consuming) if you go it alone. Like all good services, A REFERRAL can put your mind at ease and alter your outlook. In Auburn, the VOGUE AND VANITY Salon at 221 N. College Street will take good care of your hair, and offers other, related services. Owner, Gina Waters, is a native of the Auburn area. You will find her manner and style very comforting while you entrust her with your tresses. I love the passion she has … (5 comments)

mara: 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)

mara: January 2008 Housing Statistics for LEE COUNTY Alabama - 02/11/08 11:23 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? If you would like to receive these monthly reports, emailed directly to you, along with other local area information, just send your reaquest to me at mhawks7@aol.com.
JANUARY HOUSING STATS
JANUARY 2007 - ALL AREAS
871 Houses on the Market this Month                $188,854 Average Selling Price
143 Average days on the Market                       $177,500 Median Selling Price
64 Houses Sold
$12,086,666 Total Home Sales Dollar Volume … (1 comments)

mara: Incredibly priced, incredibly sized NEW HOME in Opelika, Alabama is SOMETHING NEW in town - 02/09/08 12:04 PM
 THE WINDSOR HOUSE plan is being built NOW by Fred D Peak & Associates, Inc in the Auburn-Opelika area, noted as "the 6th fastest growing small metro in the country" says Forbes last week! (see previous post 020108). This home is under construction at THE ESTATES, centrally located near schools, shopping, restaurants and the movie theatres. Over 3000 htd & cooled square feet is being offered at $252,000! This is affordable quality and a fantastic floorplan for a growing family or for someone who can never have enough space!. Call Mara Hawks at FIRST REALTY (334.826-0111) today for specific location, standard features, or … (2 comments)

mara: 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)

mara: Today the weather is FURRY --- HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY! - 02/01/08 09:31 PM
"IF CANDLEMAS DAY IS BRIGHT AND CLEAR, THERE'LL 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. … (4 comments)

mara: FORBES Ranks Auburn-Opelika area as #6 for fastest growing small metro in country! - 02/01/08 05:55 AM
http://www.forbes.com/2008/01/30/economy-cities-alabama-biz-cx_bw_0130econcities_slide_17.html?thisSpeed=25000
If the thought has even crossed your mind ONCE in recent months to move to the South, specifically the Auburn-Opelika area, NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO MOVE! The area is growing &  developing, from a small town to a "small metro," just ranked #6 in this category by Forbes!  This is a great time in a growing town for investing in real estate. You'll be making A GOOD MOVE.
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mara: 12 inches of snow in Auburn Alabama - 01/19/08 02:04 PM
I never thought it would happen here... here in the hot town of Auburn Alabama, but TODAY it fell like manna from the heavens... TODAY IT WAS SNOWING!!! I was showing property in a very woodsy area, and got my camera out of the car to take some photos. When we went outdoors, we could hear children's voices in the neighborhood, shouting with delight. Over the next couple of hours, I got to see some of the smiles and images that only a first snow of the season can bring to a town... I watched people bundled up and walking against the wind so … (1 comments)

mara: Winter Solstice - 12/21/07 01:20 PM
Well this is it! The official day of midwinter, the WINTER SOLSTICE... the shortest day (and longest night) of the year in the northern hemisphere. A perfect evening for starting up the yule log, because this is a time of firelight and dreaming. While it's a busy, bustling time, it's really a time for relaxation and repose-itioning... to prepare ourselves for brighter light now, and a new beginning...if you are still... really, really, still for a moment, you might be able to feel the brink of a new beginning, sort of like that moment just before you open a present! Maybe a … (3 comments)

mara: testing - 12/10/07 10:03 PM
Hope this link will be working now. Getting ready for 2008! LEE COUNTY in Alabama is an exciting place to be right now. There is a lot of growth and expansion going on and a ton of good folks here. There are also, like everywhere else, a lot of wonderful animals... people with horses and guinea fowl, goats and sheep, and of course all the domestic animals like dogs, cats & birds. My dog, BHODI has been lost since Thanksgiving. If you've ever lost a pet, you know how I feel. I'm hoping she will find her way HOME soon, and … (5 comments)