April 27, 2012

The Fastest Realtor?

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

I thought you might get a kick out of knowing that Realtors now have their own race car! It will be competing in the ARCA race on Friday, May 4th in Talladega. Come down to the new SandBAR downtown at the river to check it out tomorrow from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. The driver is a 3rd generation Realtor, Thomas Praytor, who is from Mobile.

If you need a realtor fast call Alfa Realty….but, we probably will need to do the speed limit.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



April 02, 2012

Montgomery Corporate Challenge

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Several years ago, in a land far far away (not really, just always wanted to say that) I participated in the Montgomery Corporate Challenge. I am not sure if they have had one recently but either way it was a ton of fun. When I got home the evening after the event, I was tired but it was the kind of tired where you know you have good healthy fun.

Whether you work for a large corporation or small one you need to check this out. According to the City of Montgomery website, this challenge promotes fitness, fellowship, and of course-- fun-- for participants with athletic activities to challenge both the mind and body with a little corporate competition.

The teams must consist of full-time employees who will compete in the age category determined by their age. There are four different team sizes which is determined by the number of full time employees so that like sized companies compete against each other. There are swimming events, track and field, 10K run and 10K bike. Swimming events and track events will be held at different days and locations.

If you would like to volunteer to help in organizing, officiating, etc. the click here to find out how.

With the beautiful weather we have had don’t sit at home—get out and enjoy another event that Montgomery has to offer!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 21, 2012

Krispy Kreme Changes

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

For years one of my favorite “stops” along the Atlanta Highway is Krispy Kreme. I do not know about you, but my automobile manufacturer put a “Hot Donuts Now” sensor in my dash board. When that sign is flashing, the turn signal on the steering wheel automatically clicks on and away my car goes to the front of the donut shop before I know it! And to think, some people have a car that automatically parks itself….I did not have to pay an extra fee for my Krispy Kreme feature!

Well, that being said, I found out from my commercial broker, LeRoy McEntire, that he just brokered the renewal for that Krispy Kreme little-piece-of-heaven.

“Krispy Kreme was founded in the 1930’s in Winston Salem North Carolina, and I was given the enviable task of renewing their ground lease at the corner of Atlanta Hwy and Eastern Blvd in the free standing building in front of Plaza East.

Many people think renewing leases is a perfunctory process about as complicated as renewing your driver’s license. I maintain in today’s real estate world realistic Landlord’s, Shopping Center owner’s, and savvy business people have one important task these days… RETAIN YOUR TENANTS!

The Krispy Kreme in front of Plaza East has been in that location since the 1960’s. It is a rare opportunity in the retail leasing world to actually participate in history during the course of a deal, but in the course of the year long process of getting this deal done I felt as though I had been a part of the history of development along the Atlanta Highway corridor. In fact, I think it is a bit ironic that last week the city of Montgomery hosted a charrette concerning the Atlanta Highway all the way out to the Eastern Boulevard.”

Did I mention they are adding a drive through—HELLO! So all you folks coming out of Carol Villa, College Grove, Fox Hollow and other areas, remember—It will be a lot easier in the future to get a little bite of heaven from Krispy Kreme!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 20, 2012

Hunting for Hunting Land?

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland, Don Brewer

Looking for that perfect hunting land? What are some good features to consider when going through your search? Well, BANG, here you go….

Consider hunting land that has a water feature of some sort, whether it is a pond, creek or river frontage. Border fencing is of importance along with established food plots for deer and turkey. Also consider the manmade additions, as in gates, fencing, deer stands, lodge etc. These improvements can be added later. Remember, price per acre will be reflective of how hunt-ready the land is. If the land price is low, check to see if it needs to be prepared for hunting (create food plots, work open areas or clear the stream bed, etc.). You may need to weigh the cost to prepare plus the cost of the land against acreage that is already set up for hunting.

Be ready to go over the land so that you know what you are buying. Google has a great feature that shows a satellite view of land that may be of use to you. Of course, if the property is being currently used as hunting land, the owner may be able to give you numbers, size, type of animals that are on the land. The local county extension service or game warden may be of assistance in the research to see if this is the land you are interested. The State of Alabama has multiple resources online to help also.

If the property has a house that could be used for the hunting camp it will need to have a home inspection just to be sure that there are no unforeseen issues. Yes, sometimes the hunt camp house is more along the lines of “roughing it” but you do not need additional expense after the sale. After all the discussion about the land the house on the land seems to be the least important but again needs inspection before purchasing.

Best of all, you should use the services of an agent who is a hunter also. Alfa Realty hunter (for land, houses and game), would love to be of assistance in your search for that hunt camp/home away from home.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 10, 2012

Wynlakes Beauty

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Wynlakes is one of the premiere golf course communities in Montgomery, Alabama. Wynlakes was literally “ahead of its time.” Through the vision of Jim Wilson, one of the premiere developers in the South, this beautiful community was established on the then, outskirts of the city of Montgomery. The city has slowly grown toward the subdivision and now has surrounded it with strategically placed shops, grocery stores, and schools. Convenient to I-85, without the noise, you can live in beauty and be 10-25 minutes from the largest employers in the area.

Rambling through the community are multiple lakes with fountains, gorgeous common areas and the golf course and country club. This championship course covers 200 acres throughout the subdivision along with 14 peaceful scenic lakes.

If you are considering a golf course community or just a beautiful place to call home then this is it! With homes ranging up to $795,900, the home at 9717 Bent Brook is wonderfully priced! This 3,316 square foot home priced at $384,900 has elegance and comfort all wrapped in one beautiful package. If you love to cook you can entertain your passion and your guests with the big kitchen and ample gathering room. Call Tia Glenn at 334-462-1563 or for a personal appointment to view this beautiful home.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 07, 2012

Tops in Training

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Alfa Realty has made a serious commitment to providing the most comprehensive training resource available to its Realtors. In today’s complex market the typical agent needs a professional source for top shelf training to enable them to more effectively serve the ever changing needs of their clients in the River Region? Through its affiliation with the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Alfa has been able to deliver dozens of video training topics, certifications and a resource library to its team on 90+ agents. These high impact courses are taught by recognized industry experts and available 24/ 7 through this internet site.

As an incentive for its Realtors to aggressively embrace this training tool Alfa Realty is announcing a training contest that will run for six weeks. Every agent will have a chance to win the three day two night vacation weekend to Orange Beach. Each agent will receive an entry into the drawing for every five courses they successfully complete. The winner will be announced at sales meeting on Tuesday, April 10, 2012.

In addition to the online classes, Alfa Realty also offers regular instructor training and guest speakers to address relevant local topics that are of interest to our Realtors.

Last, but not least, is Alfa’s commitment to attract and educate new licensees through its partnership with Fraser Sparkman and the Alabama School of Real Estate. Fraser teaches courses that are required by the Alabama Real Estate commission in order for you to take the test to be able to get a real estate license. He also teaches post licensing and continuing education classes.

Alfa Realty continues to be the leader is real estate education for the Montgomery, Pike Road, Prattville, Millbrook and Wetumpka areas.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 05, 2012

Schralping the Pow

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

The other day I was talking to Alfa Realty agent, Ruth Prendergast. We were talking about real estate (of course) and understanding the average buyer or seller…

“Throughout our lives we learn many languages, and I don’t mean the typical English, Spanish, Italian. I mean the languages of music, trade, math, work, etc. The other day I was watching a movie, and I had no idea what they were talking about because I don’t know the language of horseracing. I also get really confused when my daughter, who lives in Steamboat Springs, Colorado talks about “shredding the gnar,” or “schralping the pow.” I’m from Montgomery, Alabama; I don’t know the language of snow. I do, however, know the language of real estate.

One of the reasons it is important to use a Realtor when buying or selling a home is because real estate has a difficult and changing language, and it is critical to have someone working for you who understands and can negotiate it. The burgeoning foreclosure market has brought with it an entirely new vocabulary, which we in the real estate industry have had to learn. At Alfa Realty we make it a priority to stay on top of the nuances and linguistic changes in the language of real estate so that we can more effectively serve the public.”

So, as there is no “pow” to “schralp” this week, it would be a great time to look for the home of your dreams…Call Ruth Prendergast 318-1830 to help you in with your search!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



February 02, 2012

Don't forget Valentine's Day!

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Here is a little tidbit that has just come in from the City of Montgomery. On Valentine’s Day, if you want to be REAL sweet to your Valentine, take him/her downtown to one of the several dining establishments listed below. These eateries will feature a special Valentine menu, white tablecloth dining, and a complimentary rose…

  • Dreamland
  • Cantina
  • The Alley Bar
  • Saza’s
  • Central @ 129 Coosa
  • The House
  • Olive Room
  • Montgomery Café at the Embassy Suites

So plan to dine OUT of the home and enjoy a night on the town—downtown that is! And, if your sweetie offers to buy you a house while you are at dinner—well—remember you heard it here first! We are here to help! Alfa Realty 334-213-2532.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 30, 2012

Cloverdale Playhouse

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Let’s take a look around and see what is out there to do (and what it is near!)

February 2nd-February 12th The Cloverdale Playhouse -The Gin Game

This is a great play for the small stage. It is completely entertaining with lots of humor and insight.

The Cloverdale Playhouse is located at the corner of Cloverdale Road and E. Fairview Avenue. The actual address for you GPS’ers is 960 Cloverdale Road. Click here for ticket information.

The Cloverdale Play house is situated deep in the heart of the Historic Cloverdale District. It is less than a block from several wonderful restaurants. El Rays, Sinclair’s and Jubilee (great seafood!) are just a few of the restaurants you could dine at before the show.

Want to live where you are close to this neat entertainment area? The surrounding area has many opportunities to purchase a home. Houses for sale for investment start at $29,000 and go up to the luxurious home for sale listed at $865,000( a 4800 square foot beauty built in 1865.

Call Alfa Realty for you appointment to check out these great houses!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 28, 2012

Pet Supermarket at Perryhill Place

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

I recently ventured over to Pet Supermarket to find a ball that my Australian Shepard couldn’t bite a hole in (I am a dreamer). It is a great store with lots of accessories for our canine, feline, avian, etc. friends. This prompted me to talk to LeRoy McEntire, a commercial broker with Alfa Realty who recently leased this space…

“Have you ever noticed no matter how bad the economy or how tough times might be we always take care of our PETS!

Just prior to Christmas, Pet Supermarket opened up at Perryhill Place Shopping Center at the corner of Perryhill and Carmichael Road.

The interesting thing is PET SUPERMARKET doesn’t sell dogs and cats. In fact, most pet stores these days don’t sell pets… they sell pet accessories. The discretionary income spent on our pets is interesting to me. Frankly, I would consider this expenditure a little on the ridiculous side until I reflect on my own situation. My family currently “houses” four cats (only one was purchase all others are rescue felines), one snake, one lizard, and five horses.

At one time we had four dogs, but slowly and sadly all of our old dogs have passed away and I thought thankfully we were out of the dog business. After all, we do have two kids out of the house and we are down to one.

My college student daughter bought “herself” a puppy over the summer. I pointed out I didn’t think college dorms allowed puppies. I was curious why she was calling this animal her dog? Two of our cats arrived being rescued by the same daughter, and I don’t even LIKE cats! I have one mammoth gray tabby from Lake Martin, and another fat calico from college. Now don’t get me wrong I like animals, but WC FIELDS used to say anybody who hates dogs and children is not all bad, and I tend to think WC wasn’t half wrong.

Let me take a brief aside here… do you know the term PUPPY DOG SALE? I have been taught through the years various sales techniques. The assumptive sale, the close on a negative sale, the hand on the door knob sale… but the strongest sale may be the PUPPY DOG SALE. Imagine a puppy dog salesman convinces a family to take a puppy home for the “weekend for a trail run.” He knows that the kids will forget about the cute little creature by Sunday… but the parent will have fallen in love… Here comes WILLIE.

Sure enough I was less then excited when my daughter said she had rescued a pound puppy in Nashville and was bring the dog home… but it was her dog she had even named the puppy RUFUS (a fine name except my only living Uncle has the same name and he likes it himself. Beside imagine calling out RRROOOOFUUSS in the neighborhood).

No, this black and brown prize with a ridiculous curled up tail is a WILLIE. The puppy dog sale worked to perfection. My wife fell completely in love with the dog even though we need another animal like we need tooth decay….and that gets us back to PETSUPER MARKET… Willie’s special puppy food, Willie’s various chew toys (including most of our furniture), Willie’s bed, Willie’s personalized collar… Yep we are living proof that Montgomery NEEDS pet stores!"

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 27, 2012

Teachers of the Year

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Two Montgomery teachers have been announced as receiving an award for Montgomery Public School’s Teachers of the Year. MPS Superintendent Barbara Thompson announced that Quebe Bradford (Jefferson Davis High School) and Clark Waggoner(Vaughn Road Elementary) were the recipients for this award. These two teachers will go on to represent our district in the 2012 Alabama Teacher of the Year Program.

In talking about these recipients, Superintendent Thompson said, “It takes a special person to be a good teacher and I believe we have a number of talented teachers in our district.” She went on to say, "Mr. Waggoner and Ms. Bradford have demonstrated a unique capacity to bring out the best in their students. They excel at motivating and inspiring students even when barriers to achievement exist. They are committed to professional development because they want to be the best for their students, and serve as a model for their peers. I couldn’t be happier for our nominees. I know they will represent us well.”

Jefferson Davis High School (Go Volunteers!) is located on Carter Hill Road and is bordered by the subdivisions of McGhee Estates, Brentwood, and Gay Meadows. Vaughn Road Elementary is located on Vaughn Road and is bordered by Heatherton Heights, Green Acres, Young Farm, and Young Place.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 17, 2012

Thank you Chad!

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Recently, Chad Emerson, Director of the Development Department for the City of Montgomery, spoke to the agents here at Alfa Realty. The agents in this office have houses to sell in Montgomery and work with buyers who want to buy houses that are for sale in Montgomery and the surrounding area. Chad talked to them about the different areas of focus that the city is currently working on. All of those areas will be discussed over a series of blog posts. Some of the ones that he highlighted were the Maxwell Gunter, Capitol Heights area, West Fairview, and Oak Park/ Centennial Hill, among others.

The city has a developmental process where it discusses its intent with citizens and other people of interest. It announces a series of planning meetings which are called charrettes. To put it simply, a charrette is a planning session to collaborate on creating a vision for a possible development or revitalization. One of the upcoming charrettes is for section of the Atlanta Highway which will be held February 9-12th. These meetings are held at the Development Office located in the building recently renamed as 1 Dexter Plaza. This particular office looks out onto the Court Square Fountain side of that building.

There should be a future charrette that will discuss the area around Crampton Bowl with the new sports complex, The Armory, Patterson Field, and Capitol Heights. The Capitol Heights area has significant historical residential value being one of the first true subdivisions here in the city. There is so much opportunity for this area. When I find out the date for that charrette I will post it on this blog.

Alfa Realty and its agents, through these meetings and other educational endeavors, try to stay on top of what can affect the sale of your home or the purchase of your next home. We are here to help!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



January 07, 2012

Fresh Market Freshens Up Their Location By Going INSIDE the Bypass

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

I was talking to LeRoy McEntire, Alfa Realty’s Commercial Broker the other day and asked him about one of my FAVORITE places to shop for groceries—Fresh Market. I figured he would be enjoying the new location as I thought he lived INSIDE the bypass…This is an excerpt of that conversation where Leroy let the “cat out of the bag,” so to speak:

“Okay I have a deep dark secret to divulge… I live in Pike Road.” said McEntire.

"To several of my friends admitting that I live 'outside the by-pass,' is the beginning of fighting words. People who think I am supporting the creation of a city to the detriment of the CITY of MONTGOMERY aren’t married to someone with four horses. I’ve lived 'outside the by-pass' long before Eastchase, Wynlakes, Sturbridge, Chantilly, or even the by-pass of the by-pass were on the drawing boards."

When it comes to retail commercial leasing in Montgomery with my association with Eastchase, Sturbridge, and Chantilly I have a rather EASTERN outlook on retail. So the Fresh Market Perryhill Place grand opening has been a refresher course on Montgomery retail demographics.

FRESH MARKET had an unbelievable grand opening…. INSIDE THE BY PASS! Perryhill Shopping center was originally developed with a Delchamps Grocery Store. After Delchamps sold to Jitney Jungle (for about two days) Bruno’s bought the Delchamps lease and opened a wonderful Bruno grocery store. Perryhill Place was 100% leased with a Rite Aid, Movie Gallery, and Chappy’s as the anchors. In fact, Bruno’s, Movie Gallery, and Chappy’s had their number one stores in the market at Perryhill Place.

The plight of Bruno’s, Bi Lo, Ahold, Southern Markets, and Lone Star Funds is well documented. Unfortunately, for the owners of Perryhill the demise of Bruno was timed, unfortunately, just as Publix was opening at Zelda Place and Walmart was opening at Midtown. At the same time Movie Gallery filed chapter 11, Rite Aid closes, and the occupancy level of Perryhill takes a dive inside the by-pass.

Enter Fresh Market. Apparently when Fresh Market first surveyed Montgomery they wanted to be perfectly positioned midway between Wynlakes and Montgomery Country Club. They accomplished that feat, but a significant number of grocery buyers just didn’t want to shop "all the way out there?”

"I have another admission to make," McEntire continued, "My son attends Montgomery Academy… so even though I am an “Eastern” my world for the last twenty-something years has revolved around the Perryhill I-85 exit to the Ann street I-85 exit. This is an interesting area of influence forming a circle around the two Montgomery Academy campuses including Perry hill Place, Zelda Place, and Westminster shopping center. I have many friends and relatives who live in an area bounded by Huntingdon College to the West, I-85 to the north, McGhee Road to the south, and the Eastern Blvd to the East. These folks love their neighborhoods, and are quite happy to shop 'their stores.'

Well, I have been practically a daily shopper at Fresh Market after dropping by MA in the morning or the evening for the carpool line. My faith in the retail market INSIDE the BY PASS has been renewed. The sales people report to me sales volumes doubling their previous location, and most surprisingly their Grand Opening sales have out distanced same day Fresh Market new store openings outside Chicago and on South Beach (Miami)! Okay so there may be a few more things to do in South Beach than Montgomery, and Chicago is mighty cold in the winter…. But Montgomery certainly got the Fresh Market Greensboro home office’s attention.

My eighty-five year old momma once told me she was NOT going to drive half way to Auburn to shop for anything. She has yet to eat at BONEFISH! That’s okay, Eastchase is doing quite nicely without her business, but the manager of Fresh market who had also managed the Twin Oaks store told me a ton of new customers had “discovered” the new and improved Perryhill Place Fresh Market.

From a retail commercial brokerage basis Alfa Properties definitely sees these distinct retail segments in the Montgomery retail market. Sturbridge Village at Vaughn and Taylor, and Westminster Shopping Center at Vaughn and Carterhill serve two distinct and unique customers. There is a reason Starbucks is at Eastchase and Zelda. Chappy’s Deli has figured out the business at Perryhill Place and at Peppertree. There is a reason Publix is a Zelda and Cornerstone… Fresh Market moved off Vaughn and Eastern by-pass and they are doing great business at Perryhill Place shopping Center INSIDE THE BYPASS.”

Click here to check out the grand opening announcement from WSFA Channel 12.

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



December 22, 2011

Merry Christmas

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

The agents and management at Alfa Realty wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Enjoy your holiday and may the peace and happiness of this season prevail through the New Year!

Please remember us and if we can help you in your real estate needs just give us a call!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland



December 21, 2011

No More Excuses

Posted to Area Attractions, Denise Haviland

Leasing commercial retail space in shopping centers always draws critics. Recently Alfa Properties leased seven thousand square feet to the YMCA in Westminster Shopping Center for a much expanded Y’s UP YMCA branch facility. Mary Brocious the director of the YMCA branch facility is very excited about the new location. Looking at the December Group Exercising Schedule with Cycling Classes, Cardio Circuit, Pilates, Wild Wednesday, Simple Strength, and Child Watch I’m convinced this location conveniently offers something for everybody… Even ME!

LeRoy McEntire, commercial broker for Alfa Realty said, “A buddy of mine who fancies himself a leasing critic told me 'I wish you hadn’t leased to the YMCA.'” One of the 'blessings' a commercial retail real estate broker has is the preponderance of people who suggest prospects for their neighborhood shopping centers. Alfa Properties owns, Westminster Shopping Center, Vista View Shopping Center, Sturbridge Village, and Westport shopping Center in Montgomery; so I am 'blessed' with a lot of suggestions for prospects.”

Westminster Shopping center has a long history of stable retail tenants some of whom have been in the shopping center since the 70’s. Examples of our excellent local tenant line up are: Kut Above, Jim Massey Cleaners &Formal, Chantilly, and Jan’s. I tend to be a little defensive when people say things like… “I wish you hadn’t leased to the YMCA.”

Actually the space we leased had been reserved for a restaurant use. In fact, I hear a lot of “I wish you could get us XYZ store at XYZ shopping center” and the most frequent request is for a restaurant or some food use. I wish you could get us a PF CHANGS, a Qudoba, a Ruth Chris Steak House, a Dunkin Donuts, or my personal favorite a California Pizza Kitchen. Common suggested tenants are a good hardware store, a good gift store, a designer dress shop, and from my own dear mom…. WHY CAN”T YOU GET ME A FIVE AND DIME? Let’s forget for a moment that most folks born in the last thirty years don’t know what the term FIVE AND DIME means!

LeRoy said, “The YMCA doesn’t serve food, but what it does do for my middle age, overweight, sedentary colleagues is remove a big excuse for postponing working out. There is an entire community bounded by Huntingdon College to the west, the eastern by pass to the east, McGee Road to the south, and I-85 to the north that no longer can say… “GEE I DON”T HAVE A CONVENIENT PLACE TO WORK OUT BEFORE OR AFTER WORK OR AT LUNCH.”

In my over sensitive, defensive reaction to my buddy’s comment… “I WISH YOU HADN”T LEASED To THE YMCA” I didn’t realize he wasn’t promoting another tenant that I should have recruited. He actually wasn’t even complaining about the use in the shopping center. He WAS lamenting that as a resident of McGhee Estates his wife was now telling him…. YOU HAVE NO MORE EXCUSES TO PUT OFF WORKING OUT! Me neither.

Westminster is bordered by several subdivisions Brentwood, McGehee Estates, and Hillwood just to name a few. If you are considering purchasing a home and want to be near shopping AND a workout facility then you may want to think about these…No more excuses!

Posted by:  Denise Haviland