James's Blog Real Estate Mobile Alabama

So You Want to Buy a House?

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:18:20 -0600

Well if you would have came to me about 2 years ago with that question. I would not have hesitated to tell you sue lets find you the house you want and get a offer written. We would have sat down at the office and followed a buyer process that delt with various steps toward home ownership.

After a initial consultation and a few questions on what you were looking for. We would then search the MLS and look around the city for properties that would fit your preferences. Maybe lining up anywhere from 20 to 30 house and then narrowing them down to about 10 and then actually looking at about 5 of them.

After picking what you want we would write a offer on the property and begin to negotiate on price with the listing agent to reach a meeting f the minds to close the deal.
Not even a thought about financing in this scenario. Just going right along with the confidence that that we can get financing because then it would not have been a problem. Credit score at 580 no problem. Debt to income ration marginal, no problem, low income not quite enough to make the mortgage payment , no problem, no down payment and just enough for closing cost, no problem. Then a person could have all those particulars or a few of them and get down payment assistance and contribution form the seller and get 100% financing and get a loan.

That type of lending is what caused the damage to the housing market. Years of sub-prime lending caught up with us all. Went to the well a fe to many times and now the water has run dry. The cupboard is bare and the funds are locked up tight as a drum.
So you want to buy a house? Can you buy a house? Sure you can. You can still become a home owner and still get down payment assistance and also 100% financing. However you now must be fully qualified and meet the requirements for the risk of lending. Now you have to be and show that you are sound financially. You have to be able to show you have what it takes to be a home owner. You have to show you have paid your bills on time the majority of the time for a period of years. In other words you must have a middle score of 620 or better. You have to show you know how to manage your money. You have to have a debt to income ratio that allows plenty of income to comfortably pay your mortgage. You have to show that you have the ability to save money by having money in the bank even after you have put up the money for a down payment, anywhere from 6% to 20% of the sales price of the property. Those fly by night days of lending are orve and done. Yep you can buy a home but now you must show you got what it takes. Actually the landscape has gone back to the way things used to be. Now the traditional way of purchasing a home having a long term job, paying your bills on time, saving money toward a down payment, then finding a home to purchase.

It was a nice idea trying to make it possible for everyone to have a home. But the result ended in disaster and damaged the market. Not everyone is supposed to have a home because to many people cannot manage their finances as they should. Too many live above their means. This is a drawback of living in a material world. Wanting more than what you can afford.
As a Real Estate Professional I have not given up on the market. If you cross my path and ask for help in buying a home be ready. My first question is what is your middle score? Then how much do you have on have in cash for a down payment closing cost and pre- paids. Then how long have you been on your job and what is your gross income. If you can't answer with good answers well..... it's a no go. I will however help you prepare to purchase if you have the discipline to get it done. Home buying is no picnic anymore.

Once again I have reached to the top of the Google Mountain

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 08:09:55 -0600

Well.... I have done it again with one of my web site domains. Reaching #1 page ranking in Google. I did it before with my other domains years ago. It was a webmaster information page. I dropped that domain years ago when I got deface hacked and everything imaginable. Plus I revamped when I got into Real Estate with a concentration of internet marketing with relevance toward Real Estate. When I set up www.jprealestate.info my first real estate domain it shot to the top and had a PR of 2! Sometimes I wonder if PR really matters in regards to Rank in the SERP's. With my excitement I posted it in this blog and also the link. Not sure what happened.. maybe the Google gods got miffed. The site got sandboxed and dropped from the page. For a time I was competing with my local Real Estate web sites with that domain. Getting plenty of web traffic. No convertible leads but at list plenty of lookers.

I was at a loss why it got sand boxed and dropped from the indexing. So I just kept moving setting up my other domains. Knowing that back linking and cross linking them would help because of relevance and content. Next came.. www.compareyourproperty.com www.jamependleton.info and www.mobilealabamarealestate.net The recruiting website took off immediate and got indexed in a matter of days. The recruiting website... my name sake got indexed just as quickly.. the search website got index due to it being a multi page nuke site. mobilealabamarealestate was dropped for a time do to expense constraints but is now back with new mambo layout and functionality.

As I was checking for indexing on all my sites and key word relevance with searches I typed in Compare Your Property. A 3 word search is significant and very hard to rank with. Even more so with a two or one word search. To my surprise my sit popped up #1 out of 13 million pages! How long will it last? I don't have a clue. I am treading lightly this time with no posted links in the blog post back to Google. Only links of the current domains so the Robots will pick them up in this post. I have also made sure I have extensive cross linking between all of the domains. As of now all my domains are indexed and even www.jprealestate.com is listed in the elusive DMOZ Directory.

What next...? Sit back and watch the change for indexing and ranking with the hope my other domains will rank with relevant keywords in order to compete with the other top ranked web site in my area of Mobile Alabama. I know for sure top ranking means web sit traffic and web site traffic mean potential conversions for business. Which is still possible even in today's market. Plus web site can prospect for you while you do other things. I have one of the Best hosts on the internet ... Blue Host. My new Blog networks are off the chain but new and unused. BuddyPress installations located at http://jamespendleton.info/realtor_profiles/register/ and http://www.jprealestate.info/Agent_Articles/ . Any Agent or others interested in starting another blog can sign up and run a blog. I am also looking for potential admins for these systems to help them grow.

My web saga continues..... now 3 years of Real Estate Related web sites built by my own hand

Now is the time to buy a home

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:19:29 -0500

Prices are down , funding is there, your home is out there waiting for you. Get up get out and contact a Real Estate person to guide you. The Market in Mobile Al. has never stopped! The prices are right and the sellers are ready to deal. Do it today without delay!

Stopping the Recession one Deal at a time

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:31:16 -0500

Who says there is a recession. At first when the market was good we are where on top of the world with sellers selling and buyers buying and mortgage people handing out loans like it was no bodies business. Then things began to slide and my phone stopped ringing. It was if everyone just disappeared. No business. We all had to find alternative means to generate income to take care of our families.

Now things are changing and are on a upswing. The power of positive thought is the key. Now I know just thinking about something won't put money in your pocket but I know for sue positive thought can play a major role in what becomes tangible. I have always been a positive person and now believe the RECESSION IS OVER! I actually began that thought a short time after it began. I refused to except my career in Real Estate was dead. I refused to except that there was no business. I weathered the storm and continued to seek new business. I am sure many gave up dropped out and fell by the way side allowing the slow done to make them think it was over.

Well it is not over and the business is there if one continues to push forward and continue to believe it can be down. Determination , persistence and continued effort to find that lead that turn into a transactions is the key. I have pressed on looking for those deals using my skills and abilities to make contacts and write contracts. Granted it is not like it was but some is better than none. I now work to build more momentum continuing to remind my self with positive reinforcement of the fact that the recession is over! Say it with me.. "the recession is over, the recession is over" ... now believe it like me! Reach out for that next lead that turns into a transaction. Now the reality of it come into being with two transactions to close this month. With more leads coming into play for the pipeline. My sponsor agent listing a selling and closing deals generating residual payouts! They also know the recession is over!

So when you here others moaning and groaning about the market and how the recession has killed their business. Don't listen to it and remind them the rescission is over! Share with them positive thoughts and have them say it with you. then each together can continue to bring back the business "On Deal at a Time"

Comparing the Value of your property

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 08:32:36 -0500

With today's Real Estate Market being a bit flat nation wide. Sellers and potential seller are still holding out on price. Not wanting to reduce the price on their properties thinking they will get the price "they want for a home. Not realizing a home will only sell for what the market will bare. In other words a home is only going to sell for what a buyer will pay for it. Seller have in their mind what they think their house is worth. They may have done upgrade and improvements and drop invested money into the property with the expectation of making that money back when they sell. This also can end up being a bad deal for the seller because the modifications to the home or upgrade may or may not be what a potential buyer deems worthy of a particular price.

Enter the Comparable property Analysis. A way the check the potential value of a home. The comparable are done via statistical data in the surrounding area. Its best not to use to wide of range in miles around a piece of property. CMA cannot be considered information for appraisal but just a professional opinion of how much a home is worth. Most multiple Listing Services provide a wealth of information and computer generated reports. There are many pubic resources for comparing property values. However the problem is that they draw from tax table and keys that are based on assed property value. Most tax fare market values run 15 to 20% below what a property will sell for on the market. The general public is not aware of this fact. Most think that information give them an accurate assessment.

The best way to get your homes value is by using the professional opinion of a Realtor. The other way it to get an appraisal. The appraisal will cost you anywhere from $250 to $400. If you don't want to plunk down that kind of money then you are back to using a Realtor. Most will provide you a professional opinion at no coast. Or at the very least provide you enough information to help you make a decision on just how much you can get for your property. Remember it is not what you think your house is worth. But how much someone else will pay for your house after it is shown. Would you like the profession opinion of a Realtor in the City of Mobile Alabama?

Then visit www.compareyourproperty.com

I am at your service!

Let's all give a welcome to Daisy!

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:36:08 -0500

Recently my office did a little free seminar on blogging. I was not able to attend due to scheduling issue. However seeing that I have several blogs and web sites I could not resist lending a hand off site. Knowing that blogging and running web sites can be time consuming, I did not expect much turn out. However there was one Agent in my office that did show interest after taking part in the seminar. Daisy asked me about blogging and wanted some help to get started. Well needless to say she did have a start up blog at another web site. However the first thing I did was tell her to forget about it and come on over to activerain! The best Real Estate Network on the internet.

I took her to my main web site and got her over via the referral link know that it would mean a few points. I have been quite busy and not active so why not! Those few point put me over the 8000 range for just the referral. Daisy is not set up as a member and on her way to using the site. I figure she will have a lot more fun and learn alot more about blogging. Not to mention the huge potential of networking with activerain! So lets all welcome Daisy to activerain with some comments and tips and information. Share your experiences here and more !!

This is her activerain web site http://activerain.com/exitwithdaisy

2916 Dunhill Trail WOODSTOCK, GA 30189

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:19:57 -0600

The Market is alive and well in the Atlanta Georgia area. This Luxury home is for sale. 2916 Dunhill Trail WOODSTOCK, GA 30189 4 Bed, 4.5 Bath | MLS ID #3808613 $419,900 Why do I have a home in Atlanta and I am in Mobile? It belong to a relocation I am working with in mobile. The home is on the market in Atlanta. Visit the web page 2916_Dunhill_Trail_WOODSTOCK_GA_30189 and bring your buyer. Contact the agent that has this listing. He is waiting to here from you.

For Sale
2916 Dunhill Trail WOODSTOCK, GA 30189

Click this link to find out more

Desperate to Kick Start the Economy

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 11:18:43 -0500

Yes its true to say they are desperate to kick start the economy. With the 700 billion dollar bail out passed and in the works. Now the Fed Chairman kicking around with Bush and wanting to see another stimulus package of hand out checks to citizens. The talk of buying up Corporate paper to loosen up and release the credit market for Banks.

All this seems to be going for naught right now. Tweaking here and there trying to see what will work. With the only positive effect being the slow down in the economy having a positive effect for the consumer in the lowering of the price of oil that has cascaded down to lowering of gas prices at the pump. Lower gas prices will in no means boost the sluggish economy. With retailers gearing up early for the holiday season with lower prices and sales trying to make sure the holiday season is profitable. Knowing full well its make or break for them during this time of year.

Another stimulus package is not a bad idea from my point of view. What the heck I will take another check from Ol' Uncle Sam. However the last stimulus package had little if no effect on the economy with most citizens taking that money and putting it away or paying off some debt. Not really putting it back into the system with purchase of consumer goods as expected.

My confidence is secure in the ability of the economy and the Country to bounce back. I see it as the natural order of things. We are simply reaching the bottom of natural swings of up and down. Good times and bad times... a natural boom and bust.This country has seen many swing over its life time over the centuries. As time goes by and things improve we will be talking about the days when things were slow. You just can't have it good all the time. There must be swing of up and down.

The Real Estate market Nationally has almost reached its bottom. Probably another year of slide downward in prices as sellers realize they will have to bit the bullet and lower prices in order to move their properties. With pockets around the country still doing well with property values still in appreciation mode. I live and work in one of those pockets here in Mobile. Property values have dropped to some degree. However not as much as the national average. As soon as the credit markets are free the sale of property will resume in earnest. With home buyer having the luxury of being able to pick and choose bargains not seen in years past.

Mobile Alabama Real Estate Market poised for a Surge

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 07:12:44 -0500

With the country being entrenched in a economic down turn. Volatile stock market and credit bound up. The Real Estate market in Mobile has held its own. Granted there was a bit of a slow down in the market but it was not impacted like the rest of the country. The city of Mobile has plenty of amenities with new industry moving in and innovative leadership that has forward thinking vision of placing Mobile in the position to be a world class city.

Planning controlled growth and expansion with deliberate control on how a what the city and surrounding areas in the County will progress. This steady growth in the Real Estate market in the area is visible with property values holding steady a bit lower but still up. You can buy much more house for your money in the City of Mobile than anywhere else in the country. Instead of being 2 or 3 hours from the beach you are only 10 to 30 minutes from Dauphin Island. 10 to 15 minutes from the many multi cultural activities that take place in the city year round. 10 to 20 minutes from a Cruise Ship that has a permanent home docked right downtown.

New housing starts have remained steady with new construction leading the way. Custom builders and track builders the like have not been swayed by the down turn in the national market and remain confident in selling inventory. Proving buyer incentives to prospective home buyers. The upcoming Parade of homes is a prime example of the confidence in the Mobile housing market. The expectation of job growth is high and the high expectation of new business start ups that are spin offs of new industry.

Things are good down here on the Gulf Coast with the Coty of Mobile leading the way as the National market recovers from the recent down turn. I expect the see overall sales pick up quickly within the next 2 years as the economy recovers from the credit crunch and downturn of the Stock markets. If you are thinking about living on the beautiful Gulf Coast, Mobile Alabama is a best kept secret.

ORCHARD DR Mobile Al TO LATE IT IS SOLD !

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 07:13:18 -0500

Quiet Neighborhood/ Convenient Location/ Great Rental Investment! This beautifully remodeled 4 Bedroom, 1 Bath Home sits on a 1 acre, partially fenced lot at the end of a cul-de-sac. This home has an updated kitchen and gorgeous new hardwood floors, tile and carpet. There is also a new A/C unit and heat pump. A new 12x25 wood deck in the back and a large storage building. You MUST SEE this home!

$85,097

1431 ORCHARD DR W

MOBILE, AL 36618

Cumlative Sales 2008 Mobile Alabama

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 21:15:11 -0500

Cumlative Sales 2008

Sales Mobile Alabama 2008
Month	Year	Monthly Sales	Avg ListPrice	Avg Sale Price	% Diff Sell/list	Avg DOM	Current Inventory	Months Inventory
January	2008	147	$133,264	$129,937	97.50%	73.0	1404	9.55
February	2008	179	$160,481	$156,353	97.43%	79.0	1454	8.12
March	2008	195	$154,621	$151,090	97.72%	79.0	1495	7.67
April	2008	196	$169,890	$165,614	97.48%	77.0	1500	7.65
May	2008	264	$169,225	$163,358	96.53%	88.0	1525	5.78
June	2008	221	$184,615	$181,564	98.35%	92.0	1573	7.12
July	2008	206	$165,212	$161,520	97.77%	74.0	1567	7.61
August	2008	180	$156,306	$152,080	97.30%	73.0	1581	8.78
September	2008	169	$161,381	$158,114	97.98%	85.0	1591	9.41

Total	2008	1757	$161,666	$157,737	97.57%	80.0	1,521	7.97

Total	2008-2008	1757	$161,666	$157,737	97.57%	80.0	1,521	8.00

Time Fly's when you ARE HAVING FUN !!

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:38:00 -0500

Wow where does the time go!! This month on the 21st will be a full year as a member of activerain. It has been a fantastic place to promote and I actually got a listing via the network. Not a flood of leads but still this network has been a great place to be. Mainly because of the magic word. FREE!!!

I want to welcome my broker to activerain. He is James "Jimmy" Lyon. Owner of the state franchise rights of Mississippi with Exit Corp. Also owner of the 1st Exit Corp franchise in Alabama. My brokerage Exit Realty Lyon. One of the best places in the country to practice Real Estate!

Be sure to stop by Jimmy's page and welcome him to activerain! http://activerain.com/jameslyon

Once Again activerain proves itself!

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 09:05:27 -0500

OK guys once again activerain has proven itself to me personally as the top premiere real estate community online. When I first visited the web site there was something about its look and feel that told me it was a great site. naturally the fact of it being free was the main hook. I am on several other real estate communities that I will not name in this post. They bagger me with email to upgrade to a professional level and send unneeded emails about this or that. Not to mention they are marketing more to me than generating viable leads.

Here at activerain there is none of that. Just pure interaction with my peers and the high exposure in the search engine from the site popularity in page rank and backward links from all of us. Bottom line hands down it is the best. I am sure they are generating income from advertising via the thousands of page views they can boast for to their advertisers. Which is valid and accurate. I figure that is why they have no need to bug us and or charge us for use of the site. Anyone that can set up a community site online and have its theme cause growth is a genius. My hats is off to them all.

Why this post? Because the site has given me my first viable lead that has turned into an active listing!! The clients found me via activerain. Front mind awareness about my company all the way in California! They have come to town to spruce up their little investment/rental property . I have met them in person and now have the listing. I will provide a high level of service to them. They too will not be named to protect their privacy.

Granted it is a small deal that will only generate pocket money for me and a descent profit for them. But hey it is a lead form the internet!! The big boys like Homegain and House values have a TV advertising budget probably in the millions of dollars and generate thousands of leads of which they in turn sell to unsuspecting agents. I never buy leads.. I endeavor to create my own!! because I have the guts and the nerve to say if the big boys can do it. Then so can I a little guy!

Yeah I know, its just one itty bitty lead, and a itty bitty listing. Like big deal so what. Well it is a start!! and as I continue to increase in rank with my domains and directories and promote my sites in the brick and mortar world. I am sure to build an increase in generated leads! I don't have a TV advertising budget of Millions. However I have my trusty color printer plenty of color ink and my feet!! hahahahahhahahaah

Investment/Rental Property Orange St Mobile Alabama Negotiable Starting at 50k

So you get down with your bad self activerain!! I am glad to be a part of this great web site!

For Sale (SOLD)7613 WILLARD DR W THEODORE, AL 36582

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 21:46:56 -0500

For Sale 7613 WILLARD DR W THEODORE, AL 36582
SOLD ! SOLD !!

The Tillmans Corner /THEODORE Alabama areas are actually small townships. But are almost a suburb just south of Mobile. Full of shopping and entertainment. Located 15 minutes from every where this home is perfect for the first time home buyer.
Room Type Lvl Dimnsns
LivingRm 11x18
Sep. DR 11x9
Bedroom 11x12
Bedroom 9x14
Bedroom 12x14
Kitchen 12x9

Located in popular Country Club Estates Subdivision. This home could be right for you!

June Pending Home Sales Shows Market Improvement in Mobile

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 07:43:58 -0500

A forward-looking indicator based on pending home sales shows the market is likely to stabilize in the
months ahead, according to the Gulf Coast MLS statistics.

The Pending Home Sales Index*, based on contracts signed in June, was higher from the
downwardly revised May index but is below June 2006.The monthly gain is a increase over three years, since 2004.

The increase occurred in all areas in Mobile County due to upcoming development and anticipated growth from new business
However, it is too early to say if home sales have already passed bottom. Still, major declines in home
sales are likely to have occurred already and further declines, if any, are likely to be modest given the
accumulating pent-up demand.

An index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes.
A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though
the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.

An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year
to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales.

Annual changes in the index are more closely related to actual market performance than are month-to-month
comparisons. As the relatively new index matures and seasonal adjustment factors are refined, the month-to-month comparisons will become more meaningful.

Sales By Area Year to date Mobile Gulf Coast

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 09:26:06 -0500

The market is holding steady on the Gulf Coast. Expectations are high as more industry is on the way. These statistics begin 01/01/2007 thru 07/13/2007. If you are familiar with Mobile and the Gulf Coast you will know where these areas are. If you are not and out side the area feel free to contact me for more information on each area.

Area	# of Sales	Total Sales	Avg Sales
Downtown	17	$3,232,000	$190,118
MidTown North East	164	$26,187,037	$159,677
Mid Town South	134	$12,258,335	$91,480
MidTown North West	60	$6,102,106	$101,702
MidCentral	35	$2,137,500	$61,071
Eight Mile/Prichard	51	$3,493,310	$68,496
Chickasaw	61	$4,348,599	$71,289
Municipal Park/West Central	165	$18,079,687	$109,574
Springhill/USA	141	$38,119,465	$270,351
Cottage Hill N	216	$37,727,516	$174,664
Cottage Hill S	176	$34,489,000	$195,960
Dauphin Island Pkwy	101	$11,737,999	$116,218
South Mobile County	159	$23,176,814	$145,766
Tillmans Corner/Grand Bay	200	$29,268,770	$146,344
West Mobile/ Airport	572	$114,180,583	$199,616
Semmes	152	$22,936,476	$150,898
Semmes/Wilmer/Lott Rd	115	$14,722,273	$128,020
Saraland	89	$14,689,643	$165,052
Saraland/Satsuma/Axis/Creola	90	$15,299,349	$169,993
Citronelle/ Mt Vernon	49	$6,018,772	$122,832
Dauphin Island	29	$9,959,900	$343,445
Other Area not in Mob/Baldwin	10	$1,865,861	$186,586
North Baldwin	61	$8,661,480	$141,991
Central Baldwin	93	$17,150,745	$184,417
Daphne/Montrose/SpFort	286	$81,085,973	$283,517
Lake Forest	65	$11,366,104	$174,863
Fairhope/PtClear	172	$58,558,379	$340,456
SBaldwin/Gulf Shores	46	$12,576,876	$273,410
Mississippi/ Jackson Cty	1	$184,900	$184,900
Other Mississippi	9	$1,479,500	$164,389
Total	3,519	$641,094,952	$182,181

Does your Brokerage have a news letter?

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 08:56:26 -0500

Gulf Coast Real Estate News
EXIT Realty Lyon Bel Air Kiosk Publication

I am very excited about my Brokerage news letter. It is not a new concept but it is new for us. In an effort to expand our reach we are quickly moving forward with a news letter in print. Slick glossy paper. If your brokerage has not set up a news letter think about it!! It is a great concept!

Who are we?

Gulf Coast Real Estate News is full color, innovative and informative magazine designed to educate buyers, sellers, investors and entrepreneurs thinking about pursuing a career in real estate in the Mobile Bay area. For each issue, we will have TIPS on buying and selling, mortgage TIPS, home inspection TIPS, various insurance TIPS, TIPS on how to become a Realtor®, a Remodelers or a Home Builder along with local community information and calendar of events for the Mobile Metro Home Builders Association, the Mobile Chamber of Commerce and what's happening at the Colonial Bel Air Mall.

BONUS...Additionally, we will have a registration coupon for adults 21 and older to register for FREE prizes such as home inspections, dinner for two, a 4 day Carnival cruise, etc. with all winners shown in the following issue. Gulf Coast Real Estate News publishes 10,000 copies of 6 issues per year and is available at the advertisers locations, at the EXIT Realty Lyon Kiosk inside Bel Air Mall in front of Dillards, at the HBA office at 1613 University Boulevard South, at the Chamber of Commerce at and at 451 Government Street and at a number of other locations around the Mobile Bay area.

Who are our readers?

Our readers are renters, homeowners, homebuilders, real estate investors and real estate affiliates in the lower Alabama area. They turn to the Gulf Coast Real Estate News for education and to find the best real estate related resources available. EXIT Realty Lyon has Mobile's first "Free Real Estate Information Center" open 7 days a week inside Colonial Bel Air Mall. Come by and visit, get your real estate related questions answered, shop for properties online and pick-up the latest FREE real estate publications.

Why advertise in Gulf Coast Real Estate News?

Your full color ad in the Gulf Coast Real Estate News will reach motivated buyers and sellers searching for the best Mobile Bay area real estate resources such as local mortgage companies, title companies, home inspectors, various contractors, appraisers, insurance providers along with information on new area developments. The registrants will be kept in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and will be available to all qualified advertisers (purchasing ads in 3 issues or more) for follow-up. We are planning to have live radio remotes bi-monthly inside the Mall to broadcast during our FREE Prizes drawings. There is no better way to introduce your business to a concentrated group of potential customers and Gulf Coast Real Estate News will quickly become the largest and most up-to-date database in the Mobile Bay area. The Gulf Coast Real Estate News is FREE for its readers.

www.jprealestate.info achieves #1 page rank in Google!

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 10:00:59 -0500

So that you know my talk (text) is not just lip service. I have been working on my relatively new site for ranking over the past several months. I am proud to announce its rank has been achieved in the key word niche I chose. The niche words are Find RealEstate in Mobile Alabama. Notice the word real estate is all one word. A over site on my part. However it turned into a ranking wind fall. Granted on my not type it as one word. Sometime the searcher may. Still as two word I still appear with the string.

Simply go to Google and type Find Realestate in Mobile Alabama and you will see my main domain rank #1 for about 5 million pages!!!!! Woo Woo.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rls=GGLJ%2CGGLJ%3A2006-37%2CGGLJ%3Aen&q=Find+RealEstate+in+Mobile+Alabama&btnG=Search

Now I will slowly tweak for different variations in the highly completive word Real Estate, Realestate, Real-Estate and other words. A delicate balance making sure I do not damage the rank for the page.

Would you like to see your web site climb in rank bringing you more traffic? Which means more possible leads. The add a link to your web site. You can do it with confidence. add www.jprealestate.info to your web site and join my extensive indexing in the major search engines.

I backed it up with results not just talk.

ThyssenKrupp Steel Corporation comes to the City of Mobile.

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Fri, 11 May 2007 18:45:38 -0500

ThyssenKrupp Steel is a German based corporation comes to the Gulf Coast of Alabama. This will mean major growth for the region. The Corpration will be pumping over 3 billion dollars into construction of a state of the art steel manufacturing plant that will employee over 2600 people. over 20,000 people will be needed to build the facility. Its target date of operation is 2010.

This development is said to be the largest development in the history of the United States. I do believe they are correct. Announcements of the deal were made this morning 05/11/07 in Montgomery Alabama. Also the announcement was made in the City of Mobile with a community welcome forum and I was there!! Doing what I do best! Meeting and networking with the major players of the city.

It is a great time to be a Realtor in the city. It is about to grow at an exponential rate. Expansion is eminent with a need for housing and construction going off the scale.

Why are you going to sell your property?

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sat, 05 May 2007 07:18:26 -0500

Sometimes I have to ask this question to potential sellers to gage their actual motivation. Some offer the answer to this question on their own. It is important to have a good idea and feel before taking a listing on a property. After all making the decision to sell ones home can be a serious emotional matter.

For some it may be 20 to 25 years living in the same neighborhood and home. Getting married and raising a family of 4 or 5 kids.Then seeing all the little birdies leave the nest and start families and lives of their own. After a time hubby and wife begin to look around their 5 bed room 3 and 1/2 bath home and realize they have only used the kitchen , family room and one bath room for the last 3 or 4 years.

Also realizing the utility bills and unused space is beginning to cost more and collect dust in places that used to be active and full of life from the kids. Realizing that all the college expenses are managed and they are sitting on tons of excess equity. Thinking it has been a couple of years since they have been on a real nice vacation. The light bulb comes on and the thought of down grading to a smaller more manageable home comes to mind. From there the thought process of selling the property begins.

That brings forward the idea of using equity to upgrade. Some younger home owners may have started out smart and acquired a smaller home that has suited their needs for a time. But as the family grows they realize they need an extra bed room or additional bath. Then it comes time to think about an upgrade. If things have gone well for them over a period of 6 to 7 years and they have made their payments on time. They may have enough available equity to net at sale and have the need funds to upgrade. Condition of the property and location can play a big part it net profit.

On the down side of why sell, are the hard times of home ownership. Some may not have faired well and due to situations beyond their control they may not have done well with payments and expenses. They could see the hand writing on the wall and begin the traumatizing period of collections. If they have enough awareness and know they can not make it. They may need to sell quickly to avoid the start of pre foreclosure. Pricing the property to net if possible but to make sure the principle balance and mortgage can be cleared completely which will ultimately save thier credit score and credit. Surviving to try again. Selling and paying off is a much better alternative of foreclosure and having ones credit destroyed.

Many of the establish home owners may realize the value in buying and then reselling the property they live in. Purchasing a fixer upper. Doing the needed repairs and living in it for a year or so then reselling it for profit. Repeating the process making a profit and or avoiding tax liabilities with tax free exchange process. Cashing in on the accumulated wealth at a later time.

There can be several other reasons to sell beyond the scope of this short article. My experience has shown me one of the primary factors that can be a hindrance is emotional attachment to a particular property. Not actually knowing what the true value of a property is. Or having to high a expectation for a particular property because of its condition and or location.

In all cases it is best to seek the counsel of a professional real estate practitioner before moving forward. Most will give free information and advise. Asking for a comparable market analysis and getting it for no charge is not uncommon. Allow the hour or so to listen to a pre listing presentation and a review of a extimated post sale net profit sheet. Even if you don't use a professional and try it on your own. The information you get will be invaluable.

I use all the power of the internet. You can view my prelisting presentation by clicking the link below.
Click Here to View the Presentation
Best viewed with a computer on a high speed connection or DSL. Sound speakers and plenty of memory.

Many try to go it alone. More fail than succeed. Statistics don't lie. Those that use a professional to sell, net more at the closing table than these that go it alone.

Some that read this may think..... get out of my head!! But don't fear, I am a professional. As a marketing listing specialist it is my job to understand every aspect of the selling process.This enables me to provide the best service for my clients.

Are you thinking about selling???
Need a bit of advise or a second opinion?
Just call or email me!

Battle House opening Mobile Alabama

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Thu, 03 May 2007 07:50:11 -0500

Closed since 1974, the Battle House Hotel -- a downtown Mobile landmark -- will reopen with public festivities on Saturday, May 12, officials announced today. The grand reopening will also help christen the RSA Battle House Tower, Alabama's tallest office building, which is opening next door to the hotel.

The festivities actually begin Friday, May 11, with a black tie gala to benefit several local arts organizations. While that event is sold out, the public can watch as RSA head David Bronner and others officially light the RSA Battle House Tower at approximately 8:45 p.m.

On Saturday, it will be Battle House Day in the city of Mobile from 3-7 p.m. Downtown Mobile will be transformed into the 1920s and 30s with antique cars, big bands, dance demonstrations from local dance studios and residents strolling in historic attire.

Events will happen in Bienville Square and tours of the Battle House will be offered. Bands will be playing in front of the Battle House and in Bienville Square. Guests are asked to park in the Civic Center parking lot and to ride the shuttle.

Free hot dogs and ice cream will be served in Bienville Square at the event sponsored by the city of Mobile.

Realtor Articles Nation Wide

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 22:38:29 -0500

I have always tried to add value to others on the web at no cost. Most of the time when I was hosting and doing web design work I would add that little extra. Or go that extra mile. Now that I am focused on Real Estate on the web. I established a full area of directories and a couple of domains as my web structure of Real Estate. To my surprise a back directory has hit fair rank in Google for a 4 key word string.

It has no back links or similar pages yet. However it is ranked 1 for the string out of 4 million pages. Not bad for a back directory of a section of my main domain. Being ranked in the 10's of millions of pages actually means you have arrived in the SERP's but hey I will take rank 1 out of 4 mill as a start. Do you want to be seen on the web? Visit http://jprealestate.info/Agent_Articles/ and post your articles about Real Estate for free!

Reciprocal Linking

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 08:35:12 -0500

Having a goal of reaching the front page in Google's Serps. I know the importance of good reciprocal linking. I do monitor my progress in many search engines. However the holy grail of the SERPs must be front page placement in Google. Simply because of the amount of traffic it will produce. After only a short time I have already clawed my way to page 3. Not with my main domain but with active rain! Not know how prominent the site was I know now. In only a short period of time my blog has reached page 3 because of the linking on active rain. Key words of Real Estate Mobile and Alabama. Also Find Mobile Alabama Real Estate.

It put a smile on my face despite the fact it is not my main domain reaching such prominence in the SERPS. Heck I'll take that because a click thru will reach my blog then possibly a visitor to my main domain. All I need to do now is continue seeking others that will use my directories and change links with them. A task in its self. I know they are out there. But they don't know how important linking is. Do you know ? If so create a free account at any of my all national Agent locations and exchange a link.

http://jprealestate.info/Agent_Articles/

http://www.jprealestate.info/Real_Estate_Open_Directory/

http://www.mobilealabamarealestate.net/Real_Estate_Agents/

http://jgp-distribution.com/reciprocals/links.php

http://www.jprealestate.info/cgi-bin/bannerex/ads_members.pl

SOLD!!Southern Hospitality and Warm WeatherSOLD

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 07:30:33 -0500

Are you tired of the cold and snow of winter?

Buy a summer home in The City of Mobile.
Winter is none existent here.
It is cold for about 3 weeks out of the year.

Summer Home For Sale **SOLD** in JULY 2007

3358 LEES LN Mobile Al. 36693
Minutes from the sought after RIVERE DU CHEIN resort area.
This small summer home is a steal at $110,000 .
Access to Dog river by boat via Moore Creek

What's Happening in The City Of Mobile

James Pendleton (Exit Realty Lyon) — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 07:15:49 -0500

Because of its Diversity. There is always something to do in the City of Mobile. You can literally go and go and go until you drop. To find out about upcoming Events in the city go to the link below.

Events Calendar

Visit my World of Real Estate at www.jprealestate.info