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Searcy, AR Real Estate News

By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
 White County courthouse drawing.1986 is the date signed by the artist and must be the approximate date  of the drawing for this plan for the courthouse grounds.  I clipped this article by Tommy Jackson, editor of the Daily Searcy Citizen, but I did not keep the extension of the article on page 3A.  The article says there was a move afoot to enhance the beauty of the courthouse which was built in 1877.  The White County Quorum Court had agreed to match on a dollar-for dollar basis up to $3000 for contributions  made by the public to the Courthouse Grounds Beautification Committee for the purpose of professionally landscaping and maintaining the courthouse grounds, and dollar-for-dollar up to $100 per month for maintenance.I guess I liked the drawing and it looks like it is signed by She...
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By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
I wrote a blog a few weeks ago about the reconstruction going on at our downtown Stott's Drug Store.  Stott's is on the Court House Square in Searcy Arkansas. I showed photos of the changes going on in the front.  Today I took photographs of the finished work.  Main Street Searcy is active in our downtown area trying to make the downtown remain lovely and vital.  They're doing a good job. Notice the gold columns!  Notice the bench in front for resting and also notice the lovely flower pots on the sidewalk.  This beautiful new look reminds me of some kind of expensive boutique in a tourist city.  Stott's!  Good job!  
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By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
We've had a run on since we got a price for this old house.  It was built in 1911 which makes it almost 100 years old!!  It's a foreclosure and I put the sign out and the interest started.                 I had about 5 people to call when I got a price.  Those people always sound so eager to buy and when you call back they are either not available, don't reply to your message or have a response like this, "Boy, theys sure proud of that house ain't they?" So here's your example of the popular style of house in the early 1900's.  They loved porches.  Windows were huge and doors were everywhere.  This house had about 8 doors to be rekeyed.   Those doors and windows could be thrown open for ventilation.  Look how much the front looks like the back! It could be a charmer.  It has central hea...
Comments 16
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
                        What do all these pictures have in common?  They are all relections.  Reflections that are wavy and distorted.  So why do I have them on a blog?  They remind me of one of my most brilliant buyers. I was called by a local industry to see if I could help relocate a highly-sought-after individual who had finally agreed to move to Searcy and work for the company for a few years. I dressed to the hilt, met him, showed him the town, sold him a house and during this time we visited a lot.  We, for some reason, were discussing glass and how some glass is wavy. He said, "Barbara, the reason glass is wavy after it gets older is because glass is a liquid."  How could I argue with that.  He was, after all, a genius.  The liquid continues to move through the ages. So when yo...
Comments 25
By Larry DeGroat, ABR, CRS, e-PRO, GRI in Searcy
(Realty Professionals, Inc.)
Sorry, this property is no longer available!  Go to http://searcy4sale.com to search for home in central Arkansas! My name is Larry DeGroat and I am a Realtor at Realty Professionals, Inc. in Searcy, Arkansas 72143 and I sell new homes, existing homes, commercial property, farms and land as well as manage and own rental properties. If you are looking for real estate for an investment or a home, I will be glad to assist you! You can call my personal cell number at 501-278-7659 or e-mail me at Larry@Searcy4Sale.com. Visit my website at http://www.searcy4sale.com if you are looking for Searcy homes for sale or other areas.
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By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
Anita has shared another bit of Searcy's history with us.  Here's her comment as she emailed me the photo of her uncle.  Anita's mother was Corrine Hart who has been the feature of several of my blogs.  Corrine died this year after reaching the 100 years-of-age mark. Another little piece of Searcy's history, not having anything to do with real estate, other than the fact that the airport has grown.  You might want to blog that??? This is mother's brother, Jack Harrison, later Capt. Jack Harrison of the Air Force, after landing the first airplane in the city of Searcy.  My grandmother and his wife are beside  him.  I KNOW I have a picture of Mayor B.L. Oliver greeting him and presenting him a key to the city, but I can't find it.  The band was there....it was a big occasion.   I think it...
Comments 11
Here's the description that I wrote for this newly listed house as I inserted it into realtor.com.  It's listed for $69,000.  I was putting the listing into realtor.com and it was shot back to me. Two times!  I thought they'd made a mistake.  They refused to accept this description and said it was a possible violation of the Fair Housing Act. ********************** Somebody worked really hard on this house in Kensett Arkansas. They painted the large rooms pretty colors, made a new kitchen, added a bath, added central heat and air, covered with siding and added lots of closet space. You could move in with almost no work required. A roomy 1954 sq. ft. That's $35.31 per sq. ft!! Wow! **************************** That was my description for my new listing at Kensett Arkansas.  I'd like for ...
Comments 144
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
Sometimes we have to be nudged by our children.  My daughter once said to me, "Mother, you need to have a computer."  I'd never thought of wanting one.  She left hers at my house and I practiced.  You see where I am now.  Addicted.  My computer is my love!  my soulmate! My daughter said, "Mother, you need to blog." Blog?  Why should I blog?  I don't have anything to say and I can't write worth a toot.  You see where I am now.  Addicted.  Over 300,000 points on Activerain with lots of new friends all over the country.  Hello, there, Nutsy Wallenda, in case you are reading!! My daughter said, "Mother, you need to sell some of this 'stuff' on ebay." ebay?  What's ebay?  I couldn't do ebay.  She showed me how easy it was and I've had so much fun with it. They've sorta ruined it with all the...
Comments 15
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
This lovely historic home in Searcy Arkansas has just had a battle with the tree from the side yard.  I drove by today, did a double-take, backed up and took photos.  The house is probably close to 100 years old and lovingly restored.  Tall trees tower around it and are possibly even older.  I just wrote a blog saying the bigger the tree, the older the house.  And the bigger the tree, the larger the limbs, and the larger the limbs, the harder they hurt when they fall.  Ouch!  Ouch!!   Ouch, ouch, ouch!!!!! Can the house be salvaged?  Looks as if the limb had a hole through the middle causing it to be weakened. We'll have to see who wins this battle.                
Comments 32
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
While investigating a new REO property today and inspecting the work that had been done to spruce it up and get ready for marketing, I discovered these.  The cleaning agents must have been too tired to knock them down but they should have. We call them dirt dobber's nests in Arkansas and wonder whether they are all around the country or just in our neck of the woods. One thing is very certain.  They communicate.  If you don't knock down the first nests, all the relatives will come and you'll have them all over the porches. This is a very nice and expensive house so guess I'd better get off this blog and go back with a broomstick.  Upon close examination it appears the service people missed a few other nesting insects.
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By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
           This may be of interest to Searcy history buffs.   What kind of house is this?I call it a "pumping station house."  If you know Searcy you'll probably remember that these houses were brought into the city of Searcy or around the city of Searcy and set up on various lots.The pumping station referred to the gas pumping station on Highway 267 South.  My understanding is that these were sorta like employee "on base" housing and were given away or sold mighty cheap to either employees or whoever would move them off the premises.They date back to around the 50's and they were all basically the same.  I've sold a few during my career and we can tell they're pumping station houses by the glass bricks around the front door, the pitched roof with a very different kind of shingle.  Some...
Comments 12
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
  Driving along the streets of Searcy Arkansas, you're apt to see several of these strange plants. They were not there yesterday yet they are blooming all over the place. They grow about 24" overnight! They live for a few days, smell good, and then just bend over and die. I've always loved seeing them pop up, and that's exactly what they do, pop up! My husband, complaining about the yard not being mowed said, "If you stand real still you can hear the ##!!**## stuff growing!" These flowers could probably be watched and heard.  I need to go to youtube and see if anyone ever made a movie. My mother-in-law said they are called Surprise Lilies! 
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By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
An appraiser was in my office the other day asking me about a house that he'd seen on my blog.  Flattered, I said, "You read my blog?" He replied that he had it on his feed.  When one was put up, it came to him. Feed?  What is that?  I guess I'd heard of it but not in connection with me. He showed me the little RSS feed link that is on the right under our picture that is so small you never notice it.  He knew what it was for.  I didn't. I'd just put that blog up and thought it looked pretty sharp with my fancy Ctrl 2 or some combination that I'd accidentally used. Notice the nice blue Drum-roll please invitation! Then I went to see how it looked on his feed.  If someone had my blog on a "feed" would it look different? Notice the difference in the drum-roll lettering.  It looked differen...
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By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
My daughter is here visiting.  She has so much energy she is making my head swim.  She has already run about 2 miles and came back not even breathing hard.  Now she's going to the grocery store to buy fancy things to put in recipes that have so many ingredients they make me tired to read. When I ask her if she couldn't just BUY a cheese ball at the deli she looks at me like I'm crazy and says, "I like to cook, Mom!"   Geesh.....did I feel little and lazy and tired. I made her repeat my favorite story of hers.  She is heading to Little Rock for a party with friends.  That's who the food is for.  They stay in two residential suites at the 5th floor of a hotel in Little Rock, an older hotel which I suppose needs to remain nameless on this blog. She's reluctant to stay in one suite alone be...
Comments 18
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
  The new goal for the real estate offices is to offer one-stop shopping.  Our RE/MAX Advantage Realtors office at 1507 East Race in Searcy Arkansas has a mortgage originator, a closing company and a Post Office! As we scurry back and forth from one office to another we can't help passing by Stacy, who is at the front office of Executive Closing and Escrow.  But she changes!  We do a double-take every few days as we walk by.  She goes from looking like this with hair flying in every direction to looking like this. So we say, "What happened to your hair?!" She says, "It's natural.  My hair is this curly." We say, "How lucky you are to have curly hair!" The next time we walk by we say, "What happened to your hair!!" She replies, "I flat-ironed it this morning.  I was in the mood to have s...
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By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
    Driving along minding my own business! OOOOPS!!!  What happened here?? The Person Furniture building is gone!! Wiped out!  The place where 90% of the furniture in my house was bought has been wiped out by someone. The block has been swept clean while I wasn't looking!    The whole block is visible.  It's easy to see this old Sears Roebuck house that is now used for kids to come and socialize.  This building was at the corner of N. Gum and Market Streets.  The property was sold to a church and will now have a church building and a parking lot.                      And you can see all the way across the block to the big English Tudor that is obviously getting a new roof.  When another building bites the dust it makes us appreciate the progress of our town but it also makes us long fo...
Comments 15
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
  I've had to visit our White County Arkansas city of Kensett several times lately because I've been sent two REOs in the small town. Kensett is a city in White County, Arkansas, United States. Located adjacent to the east side of Searcy, the city is the hometown of noted legislator Wilbur D. Mills, who was influential throughout the 1960s in the United States House of Representatives. The population was 1,791 at the 2000 census. It was a successful little railroad town and still has lots of train traffic through the town.  Here's one of the tracks that shoots off the main tracks and leads to Searcy.   All the once active stores are closed now.  This picture shows what used to be the bank.  This branch was closed not too long ago.  Note the scenic water tank.  Remember when kids who we...
Comments 20
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
Hubby stopped by the docter's office the other day, sauntered in and approached the receptionist and said probably, "Hello, there, Honey.  I'm Rodger Duncan.  Do you know who I am?" (small town where everyone supposedly knows everyone else)(Honey pronounced hawney,Southern Speak) Blank stare back from receptionist. So he says, "I'm Barbara Duncan's husband.  Do you know her?" Big smile, dimples, and an "Oh, yes, she's the real estate lady!" She realized this old car-dealer who called her "Hawney" was actually harmless. It wasn't always this way. What a change since I've been in Searcy Arkansas.  As the picture above shows, we girls once had no identity of our own.  The pictures don't say our first names and last.  We were Mrs. Rodger Duncan, etc.  This was in the 70's.  Look at the new...
Comments 41
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
We could see the signs going up on one end of our building at 1507 E Race St, Searcy Arkansas.  Signs indicated that a US Post Office was being installed. I rushed to the broker and said, "What's going on down there!" "We're putting in a post office, contract office." My reply, "Hallelujah!  Is it one of those that you have to pay extra for service?"  "No, it's full service with no extra fees," he assured me.  "It is actually going to be taking the place of the one that was so popular at the entrance to River Oaks Subdivision.  The lady who ran it retired and had no relatives who wanted to take it over." EVERYONE IN SEARCY LOVED THAT POST OFFICE BRANCH!  She had about a dozen daughters, so it seemed, who helped her run it and we'd drive out of our way to go there and avoid the big main ...
Comments 5
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
Do you ever feel as if you've just discovered something? All of a sudden you're driving from the new subdivision with beautiful new houses with lawns that are perfect and flower beds that don't have to have the leaves blown out and you can take perfect pictures of the houses for your MLS photos. Then you move to a 30 year old subdivision and you can hardly take a picture because of the trees that have become so big that they cover your view. Then you go to a 50 year old subdivision and the picture is impossible. Fergit it!! So here comes the brilliant observation!!!  Ready!!!  Drum-roll please.THE BIGGER THE TREE THE OLDER THE HOUSE!!!  Today I went to our little railroad town of Kensett Arkansas.  Notice the old house above with the railroad track right in the front of it!  Two blocks...
Comments 35
By Barbara S. Duncan, GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR
(RE/MAX Advantage)
On the left in this picture the old Rialto Theater in Searcy Arkansas is shown.  It has had major changes since opened in 1923 as the Grand Theater.  In 1929 it had the name changed to Rialto.  In 1949  it was remodeled to include the addition of a 67 foot high neon marquis.  Searcy Arkansas and White County have enjoyed the Rialto for about 86 years.  There is a movement right now by some residents of Rose Bud High School led by Liz Clark and Julie Chism to take it on as a project and assist in trying to raise funds to make needed repairs to the old building. An article by Warren Watkins, Daily Citizen writer, reports that the Rialto, once owned by the Lightle family, was given to the city by the Lightle Family in the 1980's.  In 1994 it was leased to Victor Weber for $175 a month.  We...
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