Mobile Realtoreality

Yesterday an out-of-town developer stopped by the office to ask questions about the housing market in Mobile and in particular, how condos are selling. He is responsible for one major condo development in downtown; one that is not selling well at the moment. Prior to his visit to the office he had toured other condo units downtown and had some interesting comments on several. He was especially surprised at the current asking price of a number of "upscale" units and questioned the market for such high-end units in downtown Mobile. He may be right or wrong. I don't have any data supporting otherwise. In my own opinion, I would think if the pricing were correct, upscale units would sale rather quickly.

Why shouldn't Mobile have condos with unique finishings, high-end appliances, and extra features not currently found in many available units?

Later in the afternoon I got into a discussion with another agent over development in downtown and what I had been hearing from potential clients looking to move downtown. Most people in the Mobile metro area currently live in single family homes with yards. When I have shown property downtown, one of the first observations I hear is, "there is no outside space". And I have heard this repeatedly. Quite honestly, if I were looking to move downtown, I would prefer a small backyard; somewhere to at least let the dogs out or to have a small grill, maybe a few plants.

So the question is, why can't I have both the luxury of living downtown, outside space, and maybe other amenities I have grown accustom to in my midtown home?

It's not that Mobile is a major metropolis where the only way to build is up. There is plenty of space, empty lots, and full city blocks waiting for the "just right" development to bring more people downtown. Look at cities such as Washington, DC or even a smaller city such as Savannah, GA -- the downtown areas offer rowhouses with yard space in most cases. This is a idea waiting to hatch in Mobile. Not only would this concept of rowhouses bring what a number of people want, it would make downtown Mobile a more attractive, appealing, and liveable city.

The time to plan for this development is now. Why can't we have the best of both worlds? --

One of the few, if not only, blocks of rowhouses in downtown Mobile