Merry Christmas to all...wishing you peace, health, and prosperity in 2012!

Sold! Sold! Sold! Buyers and Sellers Wanted...Call me so I can help you too!

My Recent Sales:  LIST WITH ME...BUY WITH ME...REFER FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO ME!

307 Saffron Ave., Edington Place,  Fairhope, AL
202 Potter's Mill Ave., Potter's Mill, Olde Daphne, AL
404 Potter's Mill Ave., Potter's Mill, Olde Daphne, AL
17411 Selden Street, The Meadows at Point Clear, AL
10225 Rebel Rd. Daphne AL
6491 Willowbridge Dr., Point Clear, AL
26404 Augustine Dr., St. Augustine, Daphne, AL
Downtown Fairhope Echo Lane Lot, Fairhope, AL

Fairhope Schools Good2Great article

Please click here to read this article about the community support for the Fairhope Schools Good2Great

Eastern Shore Real Estate Market on the Rise...Read this report

Eastern Shore Residential Real Estate Market: "significant INCREASE compared to both April and last year". The average Eastern Shore (Spainish Fort, Daphne, Montrose, Fairhope, and Point Clear) sold for an average price increase of 28.54%.  Sellers still need lots of patience, as homes are on the market for an average of 208 days before they close. Beat the odds by having your home in TOP condition, staged, and at the best price in YOUR MARKET AREA.

Don't forget about listing with an experienced, professional, and top producing agent/company, like Ashurst & Niemeyer. Call me today, 251-209-6650,  for a specific plan of action to help you sell your home.  I will help you prepare your home including, a CMA, staging advice, as well as, updating advice and design...see link to read the entire BALDWIN COUNTY Residential Market Report for May 2011>>>Baldwin County Residential Real Estate Market Report May 2011

Fairhope AL Home for sale 3/2 + office & pool great neighborhood off Morphy Ave. Under $180k Tamatha McElmurry, Realtor

Call me today to view this home...It will sell fast!  Buy it for your self!

1 story Really Cute & Charming Home

Clean and neat

Vaulted ceilings

Split Brick Floors & Hardwood Floors

Carport and Storage

Established landscaping

Immaculate swimming pool too!

VERY NICE HOME!

Tamatha McElmurry, Realtor Ashurst & Niemeyer

251-209-6650

Fairhope- Local and National Realtors are fighting for you against raising mortgage loan downpayments

All across america, we Realtors are sending letters to our senators to fight against the raising of down payments for home mortgage loans...Please read below and follow the link to the full article

Mortgage industry fights to keep 3.5% down payments
Changes to the current Federal Housing Administration requirement of 3.5% down on home purchases, is a clear example of this well-meaning, yet misguided directive coming from inside the Beltway, they said.
"NAR strongly opposes increasing the downpayment for FHA," said National Association of Realtors President Ron Phipps. "The correlation between downpayment and loan performance is significantly less important than the linkage to strong underwriting, which FHA continues to have. FHA's foreclosure rate remains less than conventional mortgages, so we don't believe changes to the downpayments would do anything but disenfranchise many creditworthy homebuyers." READ MORE>>>

Good News! Business is picking up in the Fairhope/Eastern Shore Area for Real Estate

With the market in such a long term distressed state, I am pleased to announce that we at Ashurst and Niemeyer are busier than we have been in a couple of years!  We are listing and selling homes daily and are very excited at the evidence of the market making some upward corrections.

If you have been waiting to buy, or sell, now might be the time for you to make your move.  Call me and the Judy Niemeyer Team today so we can discuss your situation.

Tamatha McElmurry

Ashurst & Niemeyer Real Estate

Office:  251-928-9265

Cell:  251-209-6650

Just south of Marriott's Grand Hotel...Great new listing on Mobile Bay, in Point Clear Alabama... Sunsets, boating, relaxing...$1,475,000.

Please watch this short video about a wonderful new bayfront listing in Point Clear Alabama.

This lovely home is located just south of Marriott's Grand Hotel directly on Mobile Bay.  The main house is very spacious and is in immaculate condition with lots of light, heart pine floors and doors, and a traditional bayhouse style charm.  The master bedroom is on the main level with separate HIS and HERS BATHROOMS and a private study that over looks the bay. 

Up stairs there are 4 more bedrooms, a den and a sewing room that could also be a 6th bedrooms.  As if that were not enough room for all of your friends and family, there is also a quaint carriage house above the garage that is very spacious with a bath and a kitchenette. 

The wharf is very desirable with a large boat lift, an extended fishing/crabbing pier, and a galley.  Come sit in the shade or sun on the deck while enjoying all that Mobile Bay has to offer. 

Call Tamatha McElmurry with the Judy Niemeyer Team at Ashurst & Niemeyer Real Estate, 251-209-6650 for appointments.  Or call Tamatha today to list your home.  Thank you!

Beware!!! Agents that will "BUY" your listing???

Let me first say that I do not "BUY" listings...What is buying a listing, you ask?  Some agents will list your home at ANY price JUST to get you to sign the listing agreement.  Then they will waste your time by constantly trying to pressure you to "LOWER" your price down to where it should have been priced to start with. 

BEWARE!!!  Agents that do this do not have a high success rate in actually selling your home.  They probably ARE SUCCESSFUL in gaining buyers that call about your home, by telling them they can show you homes that are price far better than yours.  So, who are the agents working for anyway??? You or the Buyer? 

I deal with my sellers in a straight forward and respectful manner.  It's the only way to do business in my opinion. Why?  Because you as a seller and me as your Realtor do not have the time to waste in a market like we have today!  You need to put your best foot forward when selling your home.  PRICING IT RIGHT from the start is KEY for your success in selling your home. 

What else can you do?  Look at a few of my other posts for tips on how to get your home ready to sell, in order to give you the EDGE over your COMPETITION. 
Call me today to discuss the sale of your home.  Tamatha McElmurry, Realtor, Ashurst & Niemeyer 251-928-9265/251-209-6650  http://www.imobilebay.com/

Can your emotions KILL the sale of your home?

Can emotions KILL YOUR DEAL? If you are selling your home, let go of your emotional attachement & you will sell your home faster and for more money. Here are some ways to "let go" & let potential buyers see it as THEIR home:

1. remove most of your personal photos from the home. This will allow the "buyers" to see the home as their own. 

2. De clutter closets & pantries (get a storage rental if necessary) I cannot tell you how important this is to the sale of your home.  MINIMIZE! MINIMIZE! Your home will look bigger, cleaner and allow the "buyers" to see their "stuff" fitting in the space. 

3. re-paint rooms a NEUTRAL COLOR. Again, very important.  A neutral color will insure that the "buyer" won't walk away thinking they HAVE TO PAINT right away which is an extra stress and an extra expense during an already stressful moving time. 

4. Take a WHITE GLOVE approach to your cleaning routine. You will be surprised how much we all overlook on an everyday cleaning basis due to our busy schedules.  A clean house will SHINE OVER A DIRTY HOUSE ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!

5.  Minimize furniture in each room.  I am not talking bare bones here...just take out knick, knacks and extra chairs, blankets, tables, etc... This will help make sure the "buyers" can mentally "fit" their posessions in the house.

Call me today to list your home for sale. I will help you tack your emotional attachment & get your home sold! I PROVIDE HOME DECLUTTER CONSULTING ADVISE AND HOME STAGING WITH EACH LISTING.  Let's be proactive together to get your home SOLD!

Tamatha McElmurry 251-209-6650   http://www.imobilebay.com/   tamatha@imobilebay.com

Arts and Crafts...beautiful weekend!

Thank you to all who attended the 59th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival in Downtown Fairhope Alabama this weekend!  And thank you to all of the exibitors, artists and crafters!  Once again, one of the many highlights of living in our beautiful little artsy town!  I especially enjoyed watching and dancing to ROMAN STREET!  Great performance! Great family fun!  I love my town!...Tamatha McElmurry

300% Return on Your Investment...PAINT YOUR HOME!

GRAB A PAINT BRUSH AND BE PROACTIVE IN SELLING YOUR HOME!

As a long time Realtor, and decorator, I whole heartedly agree with HGTV on this....

If you are wanting to improve your chances of selling your home in today's market, painting your home, inside and out can put you closer to that goal.  AND HERE'S A BONUS!  According to HGTV, you can get about a 300% return on your money when it is time to sell for doing so!  Make sure you choose a light neutral color...

If that is not an incentive to freshen up the paint in your home, I don't know what is!

59th Annual Arts and Crafts to Bring 200,000 Festival Goers to Downtown Fairhope Alabama

An estimated 200,000 people will flood the streets of Downtown Fairhope next weekend...Every year the City of Fairhope and the Eastern Shore Art Center put on the very best Arts and Crafts festival in the SOUTH!  Me Biased?  Yes and NO...Yes I do love the city I live in, and yes I love our Arts and Crafts Festival, but I am telling you IT REALLY IS THE VERY BEST ONE I HAVE EVERY BEEN TO!  I hope you and your families go an enjoy the festivities each and every day, starting Friday March 18th though Sunday March 20th in Downtown Fairhope.  READ MORE>>>>

Fairhope Office for Rent Hwy 181 Great Visibility

$950/mo.Office building for rent, North Fairhope on Hwy. 181

I have a commercial office for rent on Hwy. 181 in Fairhope, just south of 104. It is currently being used by my husband's building company. He is going mobile. It is available in part or all.

Great sign visibility on 181!

3 offices, kitchen, conference area, bath.

Share the space with McElmurry Homes for $500/mo.
Rent the entire building and out building (provides more rustic office space with window unit) for $950/mo.

Great for parking, retail, professional, outdoor, trucks, etc.

More ground space available if needed.

Call Mike McElmurry
251-942-6704
Thanks!

$30,000 People in Downtown Fairhope???

KOER...Knights of Ecor Rouge

rolled their 2011 Mardi Gras Parade through the streets of downtown Fairhope, Alabama Saturday night and WHAT A PARADE! The theme was "A Knight for Toys"! My favorite was Mr. Potato Head and his family.  Fairhope packed in over $30,000 Parade goers for this wonderful parade. What great family fun!

Please watch this short video...Unique Artsy Fairhope Cottage 2 Blocks from Mobile Bay...

Watch this great video about a very remarkable Fairhope Cottage JUST LISTED!  4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths
all on one level, sunroom, completely renovated by a well known local artist/home designer...READ MORE

Improve your credit>>>Call Tamatha>>>Buy a house

What You Can Do to Improve Your Credit

Credit scores, along with your overall income and debt, are big factors in determining whether you’ll qualify for a loan and what your loan terms will be. So, keep your credit score high by doing the following:
1. Check for and correct any errors in your credit report. Mistakes happen, and you could be paying for someone else’s poor financial management.
2. Pay down credit card bills. If possible, pay off the entire balance every month. Transferring credit card debt from one card to another could lower your score.
3. Don’t charge your credit cards to the maximum limit.
4. Wait 12 months after credit difficulties to apply for a mortgage. You’re penalized less for problems after a year.
5. Don’t order items for your new home on credit — such as appliances and furniture — until after the loan is approved. The amounts will add to your debt.
6. Don’t open new credit card accounts before applying for a mortgage. Too much available credit can lower your score.
7. Shop for mortgage rates all at once. Too many credit applications can lower your score, but multiple inquiries from the same type of lender are counted as one inquiry if submitted over a short period of time.
8. Avoid finance companies. Even if you pay the loan on time, the interest is high and it will probably be considered a sign of poor credit management.
This information is copyrighted by the Fannie Mae Foundation and is used with permission of the Fannie Mae Foundation. To obtain a complete copy of the publication, Knowing and Understanding Your Credit, visit www.homebuyingguide.org.

Fairhope Sunset after a SPECTACULAR DAY!

After a beautiful Sunny Day here in Fairhope Alabama...the sunset at the Fairhope Municipal Pier was outstanding!  Enjoy this lovely weather we are having...

iMobileBay.com BLOG

BUYERS...Should You Try to "Time the Market"?

One problem with attempting to time your purchase to the business cycle is that no one can accurately predict the future. Another challenge is that interest rates are generally higher during a depressed market and income may not be keeping up. For that reason, fewer people can qualify for a home purchase than in more prosperous times.

PLUS! Many buyers have already taken advantage of the low interest rates to buy the home they REALLY want, instead of waiting around until the rates start rising....if that happens, you may miss out on the home of your dreams and still end up paying a higher rate too.

I know we agents at Ashurst and Niemeyer are very busy. We are helping more buyers and sellers than we have in a couple of years. 

So get off the fence and get moving to buy your next home!  Click here to SEARCH ALL MLS LISTED PROPERTIES IN BALDWIN COUNTY TO START YOUR SEARCH...

Buyers, Get an Edge During The Busy Spring Season

Hello Fairhope, Daphne, Spanish Fort, Point Clear, Montrose, and all Baldwin County Alabama Buyers...I hope you find this interesting...

Tamatha McElmurry, Ashurst & Niemeyer, 251-209-6650

Buyers, Get an Edge During The Busy Spring Season

Sponsored By

Getting started early is key to success

By Michele Dawson

The spring and summer months are traditionally the busiest times of year for the residential real estate market. Weather is more cooperative and many families like to move while the kids are on their summer break.

But in recent years spring, for many regions, has meant more homes on the market, but also more buyers, fierce competition and an increase in prices.

If you're in the market for a house this spring, there are a number of steps you can take to try to give you the advantage over other homebuyers, including:

• If you're going to work with a Realtor or real estate professional, get started early. Interview three or four, get references and let the person you choose know exactly what you're looking for.
• Get your loan pre-approved. This will give an advantage on several fronts. First, READ MORE>>>

"On the fence"? Are mortgage interest rates going up....

If you have been sitting back waiting for mortgage interest rates to go EVEN LOWER, then I suggest that you might want to hop off the fence and get busy buying a home!  With the new issues in the Middle East, oil prices are rising.  History states that when that happens ALL OTHER COMMERCE pricing rises also.  Rates have already adjusted up around the 5% mark.  Some days the rates have already risen over the 5% mark.  Let's be honest...a 5% interest rate on a 30 year mortgage is an incredible deal!  So, take advantage of these historically low rates while you have that choice...Search all of Baldwin County MLS listings here

Welcome to my BLOG! iMobileBay.com Tamatha McElmurry

Hi Everyone!  I just launced my new website http://www.imobilebay.com/ and wanted to create an interactive blog too!  This blog will cover local events, real estate, news, travel, golf, tennis, and all my favorite local places in Fairhope, Daphne, Spanish Fort, Point Clear, Mobile and the surrounding areas of the Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay in Baldwin County, Alabama.

Tamatha McElmurry
Associate Real Estate Broker
Ashurst & Niemeyer, LLC
23800 Hwy. 98
Fairhope, AL  36532
251-928-9265
251-209-6650