MUMBLINGS August 10, 2006

As recorded in this column and many other places, Baldwin County is still flourishing, economically and otherwise.

Gradual changes are coming about within the borders of the largest county in Alabama. I am going to term it “moving north”.

Indications are that the Gulf Coast area, so far as housing and condos are concerned, is in a sales lull. I have been told there are 110 houses for sale on Ono Island and around 3,700 condos for sale in the county.

There are still a lot of projects ongoing and being planned from I-10 south, but people are gradually discovering 1-10 north and are slowly moving that way.

Bay Minette area for example, has about 300 to 400 permits for housing issued this year and more seem to be coming in rapidly. One real estate man says that as fast as a house is finished, it is bought immediately. Of course, this does not compare in the number to Foley and other places….Foley has over 3,000 permits issued for residences, apartments, etc., within their city limits. How many will be built is unknown, but most of them will, no doubt.

Why is this happening? Price of land is number one, flood and hurricanes in the Gulf Coast area, along with high insurance prices is another.

There are numerous housing projects and developments planned and underway throughout the county. I am told however, that some of them are withdrawing their interest in building at this time.

People have been predicting for years that the market will be over developed. However, it has lasted a long time, but looks like the downward trend has finally caught up with us. No doubt it will come back. If we can have a year, which we all pray for, without any serious hurricanes will do as much as anything for developers to jump back in and finish planned projects.

Big projects are planned north of I-10, in what I have long referred to as the Golden Triangle. It includes 3900 acres in Stapleton between Highway 31 and 59 down toward Loxley. Two of these huge projects have been sold and the purchasers already have the plans. If it is all done within the next few years it will cost an expenditure of $200 to $300 million, or even more. Two big developers have already purchased big parts of it and have tremendous plans to enhance the area with a lot more people.

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Another big development is in Crossroads by Jan Stevenson, a famous Golfer from Australia. Work has already begun on this project, which will eventually have over 1300 homes, lakes and golf courses with such amenities to attract people.

There are other smaller projects…you have several builders who are still building houses in the $90 to $170,000 range. This is the price that most people are looking for these days rather than $300,000 and up. However, there are still a lot of them being built.

The Roberstdale-Loxley area is still flourishing, and several projects are considered and built in that area. Some cities are having such rapid growth like Foley, Fairhope, Daphne, etc…are considering a moratorium up to six months so that they can re-plan and see what’s going on, so to speak. It has been mentioned that the county might be considering such a moratorium. But I hope not. If the commission declares that, it will bring a halt to things that might not ever start up again. Of course, this will suit some people who already live here. People looking for homes or places to retire are aware of the horrible traffic conditions in the Foley south area. As far as that goes, it’s not good anywhere in the county, except the extreme north end perhaps. Besides the problem of transportation, there is sewage and in a few areas, a shortage of classrooms for students. I am confident the County Board of Education will correct this as soon as possible. I am not so sure that the other problems will be solved so soon. You can rest assured that those two problems will get worse before getting better.

There is a lot to talk about in Baldwin County and thousands of people are discussing it.

See you again soon, I hope.