Today's Tip is of a cautionary tale; if you have dead or dying trees on your property, it's better to face the problem head-on rather than let nature take its course.Thousands of acres of Mississippi forests were affected by last year's drought, then many of these weakened trees were hit again by a devastating pine beetle infestation. Not only did the drought and pine beetles affect our forests, individual homeowners and landowners were also affected. Our golf courses and neighborhoods sustained a large loss of trees, many of which have yet to be removed.The danger, of course, is a dead or dying tree falling during severe storms and high winds, causing serious damage to property or life and limb.In these photos, you'll see dead trees near homes in my neighborhood. I would have a hard ti... 06/11/2024

Today's maintenance tip "Keep Your Gutters Clean" comes from practical experience in the life of a Realtor.On occasion, I have viewed homes with small gardens growing in the gutters. It's ok to have roof-top gardens if they are designed as such, but vegetation growing in gutters is not ok.The number one purpose of gutters is to direct water away from your home. If gutters are clogged with leaves, dirt and debris, you could soon face an unsightly and damaging situation.Clogged gutters can also be the "root cause" of other issues, including foundation and roof issues, fascia rot (I've witnessed this first-hand), and insect infestation. Do yourself a favor; keep your gutters free from debris by having routine maintenance performed on your gutters. All you need is a sturdy ladder and a pair... 05/28/2024

Happy Tuesday!Todays' home maintenance tip is timely, especially with the high rate of insurance premiums and early cancellation of policies by insurance companies...MAINTAIN YOUR ROOF!It's fairly easy to take care of your roof. Perhaps the easiest thing you can do is keep debris from accumulating on top of your home. You'll need a ladder and someone who isn't afraid of heights.  You can usually clear the gutters from the ground, but if you have pine trees or other trees in your yard, you'll need someone to get high enough to remove the debris. Debris can accumulate in the valleys of the roof and cause rain water to seep into the crevices and create a leak.The first photo is a pic I took this Spring while showing homes in a nearby neighborhood. This roof is a disaster waiting to happen!... 05/14/2024

Flowood MS is home to a new, exciting neighborhood called Bristol Crossing. Bristol Crossing is located off Hugh Ward Blvd and Manship Road on the northwest side of Lakeland Drive (see map below).Phase One is in the early stage of development with a dozen or so homes under construction. The first homes are slated for completion in March 2024. The starting price point for homes in Bristol Crossing is $399,900, with a minimum square footage of 2,000 heated and cooled square feet. All homes are four bedrooms with standard amenities you will appreciate like luxury vinyl tile or engineered flooring, soaker tub with separate shower in the primary bedroom, double vanities, and open floor plans.The first video below shows the current status of construction of the neighborhood while the second v... 03/24/2024

My phone rang bright and early this morning. On the other end of the phone, a lady said "Do you want to sell my house?" Well, certainly I do. (Let's find out more about the mystery caller).Turns out, it was a nonagenarian (I'll wait while you look it up) calling to sell the home she had lived in for 31 years. When we met in person, I learned today is her birthday.She woke up this morning and decided today was the day. Her "gift" to herself was to list her home with me, a Seniors Real Estate Specialist.I am pleased Miss Martha decided to call me to list her home. The mystery was solved when she told me where she lived. I had canvassed her neighborhood six months ago and she saved my contact info.Happy Birthday, Miss Martha. Now let's get your home sold! 11/16/2023

Excitement has been swirling around the construction and Grand Opening of the new Aldi Supermarket on Lakeland Drive in Flowood.  Since today was Opening Day, I had to see what the buzz was all about. I brought my reusable grocery bags and a quarter for the shopping cart. The parking lot was full when I arrived. I grabbed my cart and immediately was bumper to bumper with other shoppers. It seems everyone got the memo that today was Opening Day. The store was full of friendly, smiling faces, but as I mentioned, shoppers and grocery carts were everywhere. If you couldn't go down the produce line, you went down the center isles, which is where the seasonal goods and "Aldi's Finds" are located. I went a little wild as I found gardening supplies at great prices.Before I knew it, my cart was ... 06/08/2023

Today was Realtor Open House Day in my neighborhood. Three homes were on preview, all priced between $399,000 - $420,000.As I was leaving the first home on the tour, a car pulled up and rolled down the window. The driver asked if I was showing the home or if it was open to anyone, as the Realtor Open House signs were posted on the property. I explained it was for Realtors, but she appeared very interested, so I agreed to show her the home.While we toured the home, the prospect told me more about what she was looking for, the number of bedrooms and baths, etc. Coincidentally, the other homes on the schedule fit the criteria, so I offered to show her the other two homes as well.The theme of the Open House was Cinco de Mayo, and a Mexican lunch was served at the last house. Since I picked ... 05/04/2023

Step into the time machine and travel to the mid 70's. Young and in love, my boyfriend and I were engaged to be married. I'm not sure how the topic of buying a house came up; I'm not sure we even discussed it. My parents had always owned a home, so we assumed we would own a home one day, too.My dad worked for the largest employer in town, the local factory, so he knew a lot of people. He came home from work one day and mentioned an older couple wanted to sell their home. He asked if I was interested. It was an incredible opportunity to own a 3 bedroom, one bath home for the AMAZING price of $9,500! We said YES to seeing the home, and YES to the address.What is more incredible than purchasing a home for $9,500 is the seller offered us all their furniture for an additional $1,000. So for ... 04/13/2023

We all know it is a strong sellers market. Rates are great, homes are selling like hotcakes, and buyers are throwing money at sellers hand over fist. Inventory nationwide is low, and that is true in Central MS as well. I reviewed our local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) this morning and was inspired to share this data.Let's talk statistics. Rankin County, MS includes the cities of Brandon, Flowood, Pearl, Richland, Florence, Pelahatchie and Puckett. 158 homes are currently available for sale and priced between $98,000 to $4 million. The median price for sale is $388,000. The number of homes priced below $500,000 is 120. Homes priced between $500k to $700k is 32. Homes priced under $250,000? 29 properties for the entire county. 312 properties are "pending closing", while 496 homes have c... 04/04/2022

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on our blessings, and November has become a time to "give back" to show appreciation and gratefulness to family, friends, and clients. The last Tuesday in November is designated Giving Tuesday, which is a global movement to show generosity to those around us.Typically speaking, our real estate business slows down in the fall and we have more time to devote to our favorite charities. There are plenty to choose from! So I challenge you to look around your community, see who you can reach out to, and give someone a blessing today. Don't wait for a designated date to share the love.A group from my office recently visited two local fire departments. We carried homemade Jambalaya and in return, were given a tour of the newest Flowood Fire Department. It was i... 11/08/2021

My pumpkin carving talents are limited, and let's be honest; scooping the "brains" out of a Jack-o-lantern can get pretty messy.The secret for carving pumpkins has eluded me, but I admire the looks of painted pumpkins. Since painting and creativity appeal to me, the idea of a pumpkin painting contest was born.The contest ran for a couple of weeks on Facebook. I created videos and encouraged adults as well as children to get involved. The goal was fun, fun, fun! And I wanted to increase my Facebook followers on my business page. The rules were simple: Like my Facebook page, tag a friend, and take a selfie with your painted pumplin. Carving was discouraged.The entries were all good, but at the last minute a client's 12 year old submitted a pumpkin design I could not resist. It was 3 stack... 10/31/2021

In the heart of Flowood, a row of quiet, unassuming townhomes sit tucked away from the hustle and bustle of city life. You might have driven past this community numerous times but never noticed the gated entrance. Behind the gate are 16 townhomes built in 2008. The units feature 2 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a single car garage, laundry room, family room with fireplace, and a fully equipped, stainless and granite kitchen. Each unit has a private fenced patio and small yard.The HOA maintains the front yards and pays for neighborhood lighting and gate maintenance. The setting is secluded and peaceful, yet minutes from shopping, dining, schools, and churches. You'll find Braeburn Court on Luckney Road, directly across the street from The Ivy Venue. A unit is currently for sale at Braeburn Cou... 08/11/2021

I hosted an Open House today (Sunday) in my neighborhood. You might wonder why I'd have an open house, since the market is hot and homes sell quickly. Here's why:1. The house is in my neighborhood. I am one of several Realtors in my neighborhood, all of whom have good reputations, but I want to be recognized as one of the TOP Realtors in my neighborhood.  If an opportunity presents itself, it gives me the chance to be visible, active, and be seen as the neighborhood professional.2. Open Houses are a good way to attract buyers. I posted in advance on the neighborhood Facebook page, and invited neighbors and prospective clients. I put my Open House signs out the day before to get extra exposure, and gathered marketing materials, flyers, disclosures, etc to be ready for Open House day.3. F... 08/02/2021

Here's a glance at Central MS real estate statistics for last week. Inventory remains low as the sellers market continues. Sales prices ticked up from last week and homes are selling at 98-100% of list price.Inventory (overall supply) is up slightly but we are a long way from reaching a neutral market.What constitutes a sellers market? A sellers market is defined as a shortage of available homes, thus prices remain high and homes sell quickly. You'll see a buyers market when homes are plentiful. It's the basic law of supply and demand.WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?If you are a seller, it means more buyers are competing for your home, which can drive the price up through multiple offers and a shorter time on the market.If you are a buyer, interest rates are phenominally low, but you'll need a sa... 07/15/2021

Most of you know we are in a strong sellers market. You hear it on the news and from your friends, but what does it mean if you are a homebuyer or seller in the Central MS marketplace?Let's talk numbers.The statistics are provided by Central MS Realtors on a weekly basis. We will discuss the sales, active listings, etc., for June 18-24, 2021. In this graphic, Hinds County (Jackson, Byram, Terry, Clinton) had 47 closed sales with a median sales price of $215,000. Madison County (Madison, Ridgeland, Canton, etc) had 39 closings with a median sales price of $285,000. Rankin County, which includes Pearl, Brandon, Flowood, Florence, and others, came in strong with 57 closed sales and a median sales price of $217,500.Now look at the list to sales price ratios. Hinds County homes sold at a 99.... 06/30/2021

Gathered around the dinner table, my family started a lively discussion about the names of each generation. I'm a proud Baby Boomer, and my son is a Millenial (although he would argue he's a Gen X) and the kids around the table tried to decide where they fit in, whether it was Millenial (Gen Y), Gen Z, or Generation Alpha.So, as I began studying for my SRES Designation (Seniors Real Estate Specialist), I was fascinated to review the dates of birth and characteristics of each generation, and how these groups relate to buying or selling real estate. The GI Generation, also known as the Greatest Generation, were those born between 1901-1924. These were the teenagers during the Great Depression and they served during WWII. Their numbers are dwindling as this age group is over the age of 95.... 01/23/2020

June is National Home Ownership Month! I am a firm believer in home ownership. I purchased my first home at age 17. Since then, I've bought and sold over a dozen PRIMARY residences, not including fixer uppers and flips. Perhaps I move more frequently than most, but with each move, I was able to reinvest my profits and "move up" in value. Did I mention I love real estate? As a child of Depression Era parents, I learned at an early age home ownership was the ONLY way to go. Mortgage payments were substantially less than they are today, but so was the cost of living. In 1950, the average annual income for the middle class was roughly $3,000, which would equate to around $29,000 today. (Courtesy of a quick web search.)  In college, one of my assignments was to present a speech to the class.... 06/28/2019

Vendors, volunteers and tasters had a wonderful afternoon at the 2019 Taste of Flowood. The event was held at Mirror Lake Plaza on Lakeland Drive. Food tents were set up outside while restaurant owners served samples of their signature dishes to the delight of ticket holders.           The weather could not have been more perfect. The food was scrumptious, and a local band entertained participants throughout the evening.   Over 35 vendors served food and liquid refreshment to the sold out crowd. There was a vast array of tasty treats, from BBQ to grilled oysters, shrimp, chicken salad, steak, prime rib, sub sandwiches, homemade mac and cheese, tea, coffee, and specialty drinks, and a wide variety of cakes, cookies, puddings, and tiramisu.   There were activities for the kids too, with a... 04/12/2019

Do You Love Where You Live?  My February postcard with its Valentines Day theme is one of my favorite marketing pieces. The flip side contains a message about allowing me to play matchmaker to help you obtain the home of your dreams. I've always considered myself a real estate matchmaker. I pay attention to what my client tells me they want, then put my years of experience to work to find it. These postcards were distributed to hundreds of Brandon, MS residents in time for Valentines Day. If buying a new home is one of your goals this year, share your dreams with me. We'll create a plan so you will soon love where you live. #lovewhereyoulive #letmeplaymatchmaker #loveyournest View homes for sale in Central MS Happy Valentines Day! Image courtesy of renjith krishnan at FreeDigitalPhotos.net 02/13/2019

Halloween is approaching and is a childs' third favorite holiday behind Christmas and Thanksgiving. While older teens and adults may enjoy costume parties, kids can't resist Trick or Treating. Follow these 10 tips to ensure a safe and fun-filled Halloween: Know when Halloween will be observed in your area. Strange as it may sound, many communities designate alternate nights for Trick or Treating if the 31st falls on Sunday. Check your neighborhood Facebook page or the city's website to be sure. Teach your children to look all ways when crossing the street. Look left, right, then left again when crossing and continue to look while crossing. Always walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk FACING traffic as far off the road as possible. Decorate costumes and bags with re... 10/24/2018