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Alexander City, AL Real Estate News

By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
The numbers confirm what we all felt in our guts - according to the Lake Martin Multiple Listing Service - in the second quarter of 2008, sales were down compared to 2007.  Also, just as importantly, the number of active listings was up, therefore keeping a lot of pressure on sellers. If you recall, in 2007 by June we really had a pretty good idea that we were in for a miserable drought.  I would have thought that meant June 07 waterfront sales would be a lot lower than 2008 (drought tempered).  But I was wrong.  The year to date numbers get even uglier...... CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE POST ON MY BLOG'S HOME - Lake Martin Voice.com
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Recently two auctions were held at waterfront property on Lake Martin.  A quick check with each of the auction companies revealed that neither homes sold for the reserved prices.  Both remain unsold at post time. Here's the lowdown: 1. 284 Lakeview Drive - The "Waterfall House" at Willow Point - This auction was held on July 20, 2008.  I wrote this post before the auction to spread the word.  I haven't talked to anyone that attended, but I spoke to a representative at Albert Burney Auction Company. He said that neither the lot nor the home met the reserved price that day and therefore did not sell at auction.  He did say that..   Click HERE to read the entire post at my blogsite, Lake Martin Voice
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
Is driving all about the steering? No.  Then why should Lake Martin real estate agents think that a transaction is all about him or her? It always puzzles me when real estate agents let their egos become part of the buying and selling process. It happens all of the time at Lake Martin, as I am sure it happens everywhere.  Now, I am not talking about good ole competitive spirit or clean hustle.  I am talking about the instances where the agents seem to think that if wasn't for them, the whole transaction wouldn't happen at all.Here are 4 ways Lake Martin realtors are like power steering: 1.  Not essential - people have been selling each other land since the beginning of the deed. I am sure that the first horseless carriage was hard to steer, but possible. 2. But helpful CLICK HERE to rea...
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
Recently around Lake Martin (online and offline) I have heard a lot of talk about eating at the lake.  Some were bemoaning a lack of restaurants, others were extolling the virtues of cooking at home. Still others admitted wanting someone else to do the cooking, but when they get down to their Lake Martin home on Friday night, they're too tired to go out. One solution is eating some of the great cooking from a local Click here to read the entire post on my blog, Lake Martin Voice
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
Lake Magazine - Lake Martin Edition - has a section called "My Lake Martin" where (apparently) they allow just about anybody to submit an article about the lake.  They were kind enough to print one I submitted. I was inspired to write an ode about a window unit air conditioner that we used to have in our cabin. Judging by its girth and sound, it had to have been made in the 1940s. Its brand name was "Kelvinator."  That's what we called it, as in "it's hot in here, turn on the Kelvinator." When things are around that long, they deserve individual respect.  It's kind of like how we refer to one of the couches as "The Herculon" as in q: "where is mainsail?" a: "stuffed behind The Herculon" or q: "why are you sweating so bad?" a:"it's The Herculon  - laying on it makes me sweat." Anyway,I d...
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A waterfront home and lot will be auctioned off at Willow Point on July 20, 2008. No, it is not an auction by Russell Lands. Even though Willow Point is a Russell Lands development, this auction is by a private landowner. Click here to go to my blog and learn more..
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
Lots of people enjoy Lake Martin by taking their RV to or camping in Wind Creek State Park.  It has lots of sites on the waterfront, and is really a pretty park.  As you can imagine, it can get crowded on the summer weekends with camping spots in high demand. Recently this was a topic of discussion on the Lakes Online forum that is dedicated to Lake Martin.  You can read the posts' thread here. The general consensus was one of wishing for more options to RV or camp on the water, and why there aren't more places like that around Lake Martin. I chimed in on the thread, saying: click here to read the whole post on my blog's home page, Lake Martin Voice
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These questions were submitted to me from a Lake Martin Voice reader needing more info on Alabama Power leased lots on Lake Martin.  If you have more questions on this or another subject, please email me or call me (info at top of page) and let me know.  Who knows, maybe your questions will inspire a post like this.    1. Are Lake Martin lot leases standardized?  If so, where can I get a copy of the lease to preview? Yes in that most all leases on Lake Martin are with Alabama Power. A lease they did 15 years ago might differ very slightly from one they did 2 years ago, but for the most part are the same. Copies - I doubt they would send you an example but as a practical matter I can send you copies - 4 of my listings (see each linked here) are leased lots right now. I can email them to ...
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
You may have heard the new F word that is seeping through the real estate industry and trickling down to Lake Martin – Foreclosures!  A lot of folks ask me if Lake Martin has as high a foreclosure rate as the rest of the nation. First of all, I must give a huge hat tip to Kevin Warmath on his blog LiveInAlpharetta.  I read this post on Alpharetta Foreclosures of his a few weeks ago and I loved his “new F word” phrase I had to use it: “While a lot of sellers want to use the real ‘F’ word for this real estate market, my ‘F’ word in this market is Foreclosure.  Everyone is fixated on Foreclosures. Last week alone, I had three people contact me out of the blue looking for Foreclosures…looking for a deal.” Back to the local question: Are there many Lake Martin waterfront homes in foreclosure...
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
The Annual Lake Martin Cleanup portion of the Renew Our Rivers program will be held this Saturday, June 7, 2008. Renew Our Rivers is a joint effort between Alabama Power and the Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership.  If you pitch in and help, you'll get a free T shirt and all sorts of other cool swag.  Plus you get the satisfaction of helping keep Lake Martin clean. How long have you just ridden by that old air conditioner that's laying in the woods just off the road to your cabin? Click here for more...
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Lake Martin real estate waterfront sales showed some signs of improvement in April 2008 as compared to April 2007. In April 2008, there were 18 waterfront homes and condos and 1 lot sold through the Lake Martin MLS.* Compare that to 2007 when 17 homes and condos were sold and 2 lots.  Combine them together, and you're at a dead heat of 19 properties in each year CLICK HERE FOR THE GRAPH AND MORE STATS
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
Saturday May 17 you will have another chance to tour some really nice homes in Trillium on Lake Martin while benefiting the Children's Harbor. This is not your average Lake Martin home tour, where they are all for sale and realtors are there breathing on you while you try and eat those weenies in BBQ sauce.  These homes are not (to my knowledge) for sale, they are just opening them up to tour.  Click here for more..
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
The Ridge Marina on Lake Martin hosted its In Water Boat Show for 2008 last weekend.  I went down there on Thursday and filmed a little video footage of the Marina.  It was a beautiful day, albeit windy.  I was going to post this on Friday to give folks a chance to look around before they came.  So by posting this today, I guess it becomes a "in case you missed it" vlog. Click here for the video..
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The Alex City Jazz Fest, held in downtown Alexander City and at the Lake Martin Amphitheater, announces its dates and the performing acts for 2008.  As usual, it is loaded with talent:Friday, June 13, downtown Alex City:6:00 PM - Coolbone Brass Band - they are a true marching New Orleans style "Brass Band."  Don't confuse them with your Uncle Leo in his ban-lon playing a snappy ditty on the oboe.  These guys march, play, dance, get among the crowd and entertain the whole time.  Don't be late, I hear they are going to do something different on their opening song.  7:30 PM - Amanda Shaw - she is a 17 year old fiddle phenom from Louisiana.  This is a great example of how the Jazz Fest seeks to bring you a wide variety of different music.  I think they tried to book her last year and are gl...
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
A couple of Sundays ago found us at Willow Point eating lunch to celebrate my Mom's birthday.  We ate lunch in the Willow Point Clubhouse, which overlooks the golf course, and of course, Lake Martin.  I had my camera with me, and it was such a beautiful day, I thought to take a few photos.  Why do most Lake Martin lovers wait until Memorial Day to come to the lake?  Beats me.  Springtime has great weather - plenty of sun and temps in the low 70s.  What a beautiful day.  Enjoy:Willow Point's 18th green:            Willow Point's Driving Range:            The tee box on number 10, one of the holes that play along Lake Martin:            Willow Point Villas (available for rent by members):  click here for more pics
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
I grew up on Lake Martin, in the real estate business.  I know what I like.  I know which parts of Lake Martin I prefer.  I have been all over this lake, and have friends in every corner.  But guess what...No one cares about that.Especially my clients... nor should they.One of the first things my dad taught me about Lake Martin real estate was "don't show them what you like, show them what THEY like."  Simple but true.The key to helping people be happy with their waterfront property is to focus on what they think, not you.A realtor's local knowledge and experience does matter, but only to the extent that they use that to help their clients get what they want.  There are all kinds of buyers out there.  Some Lake Martin buyers prefer Kowaliga Creek to Blue Creek.  Some prefer the Preserve...
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
Lake Martin, like any real estate market, will always have its share of people selling their waterfront property themselves - aka For Sale By Owner or FSBO (pr FIZZ-bo).  And that's fine with me.  I am not one of those realtors that looks down on FSBOs as idiots or realtor hating zealots.  I think it is up to me as a real estate agent to prove to the FSBO prospect that I will save them time and make them money if I list and help sell their Lake Martin home or lot.I talk to FSBOs all the time.  What I try to do is help them by giving them the clear and un filtered truth about the Lake Martin market and how the market might react to their home.  The decision to list or not to list is certainly up to them.That being said, there will always be a segment of people that choose to sell their r...
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Why do some real estate agents insist on holding their sellers to the last day of a listing contract?  I don't know if my market on Lake Martin is different, but I don't see the point in guilt tripping a seller into staying with me if they are unhappy or decide not to sell.Obviously, I am in the business to sell Lake Martin real estate.  I don't go into a listing intending not to sell it, not to give bad service.  But I find that in talking to some sellers, they are leery of signing a listing contract for fear that they will be held in slavery by an agent.  Once they figure out that they can fire me anytime they want, it makes them feel better about the agreement.  I only want them as clients if they're happy with how hard I am working for them.Click here for more.....
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Spring rains have filled Lake Martin faster than almost anyone expected In the first 3 months of 2008 we went from bone dry to runnething over.  Will the waterfront real estate market bounce back in three months, too?Maybe, maybe not.  There is still a lot of inventory to sell which I think will continue to make 2008 a great time to be a buyer.  To wit:click here for the rest of this post..
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By John Coley
(Coley Real Estate)
This is not a news flash: Lake Martin's water level is back!It's hard to believe, but in the 5 short weeks since I wrote this post  about the water hitting 480, Lake Martin stands inches away from its highest possible mark of 490.  All of the nay sayers have been proved wrong.  Many (myself included) wondered if it would take more than one summer to recover from the worst drought recorded in 80 years.  The next time we have a rain shortage, I hope we remember how fast it bounced back.How has it affected businesses around the lake?Real EstateI have been extremely busy in the last month especially  click here for more
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