Auburn Alabama Area Real Estate Living

© Copyright 2009 - This posting and the contents written here, except where noted, are the property of Mara Hawks, All Rights Reserved

Active in Alabama, Mara Hawks, REALTOR with FIRST REALTY of Auburn, AL, #1 Real Estate Team in Lee County, THE LEADER in professional real estate services in Auburn, Opelika & Lee County for over 3 decades! Committed to INTEGRITY, KNOWLEDGE & SERVICE.

SEARCH FOR HOMES IN AUBURN-OPELIKA, ALABAMA at www.marahawks.com

LAND Development around our National Parks is an issue of growing concern. I was moved by RICHARD WEISSER's blog post yesterday, written on the eve of the 44^th Inauguration of The President of the United States, at a time when we can collect the best of ourselves and our country with the greatest hopes for peace and progress. As a plea to our new President, Richard wrote "Please save our national parks! Our National Parks are treasures that need to be preserved and protected for all time! They are the definition of both our heritage and our culture. In times of distress, the parks are always the victims of budget cuts and loss of personnel. This has led to a degradation of some of the most beautiful and pristine ecosystems on the continent."

At the Auburn Planning Committee Meeting earlier this month, a controversy was sparked by the request for road service use for a gas station in the area of Shell Toomer Parkway. In spite of the fact that this Parkway is the tree-lined, approximately 4-mile, bike/walking path that stretches from South College to the entrance to Chewacla State Park, approval was granted to a development company for three points of access after suing the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for its use. In the aftermath of 2008's crashing economy, downturn in the real estate market (unlike anything seen in America since The Great Depression), retail sales plummeting and stores closing their doors, it seems surprising that any development company can chisel away resistance from the Auburn Planning Commission, and proceed with each step of a plan for a shopping center that  claims to be "the largest retail center in the city, generating millions of dollars in tax revenue." According to the Auburn Villager report of January 8^th, the gas station is, so far, ‘the only tenant that has been publicly confirmed.'  Without question, quality and convenient shopping is an essential aspect for overall growth and development in the master plan for Auburn, but should it be at the expense or risk of its State Park?  It seems that we are living in a time when we absolutely cannot afford to think in the "old" ways of if you build it, they will come... no development is so isolated that it doesn't impact the land and life surrounding it. Too often, it is ignorance that destroys what we don't realize, sustains us---THE EARTH---the land itself and its delicate ecosystems.

There is simplicity as much as complexity in making EARTH our HOME. Each one of us is a designated steward for the EARTH. As a REALTOR, I am guided by the NAR Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice: 'Accepting this standard as my own...pledging to observe its spirit in all of my activities...'

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS Code of Ethics The Preamble to the Code of Ethics - Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization. REALTORS should recognize that the interests of the nation and its citizens require the highest and best use of the land and the widest distribution of land ownership. They require the creation of adequate housing, the building of functioning cities, the development of productive industries and farms, and the preservation of a healthful environment.

This PREAMBLE speaks to me as a prayer, as well as a plea, not only to our new President for the preservation of our national parks, but for the community leaders in every State across America, to recognize the highest and best use of our land.

WEBSITE for Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

VISIT THIS WEBSITE to learn more about the local group efforts towards preserving the integrity and status of Shell Toomer State Parkway.

Richard Weisser is also the owner and creator of the worlds number one website for the nearby Great Smoky Mountains. His photos have been used in hundreds of publications and products. Interesting, too, is that his photos, published on his Smoky Mountain.com website, was commissioned by Past-President George W. Bush in February 2001 to provide four photographs as backdrops for a major political speech.

© Copyright 2009 - This posting and the contents written here, except where noting and quoting Richard Weisser, with his permission, are the property of Mara Hawks, All Rights Reserved

Active in Alabama, Mara Hawks, REALTOR with FIRST REALTY of Auburn, AL, #1 Real Estate Team in Lee County, THE LEADER in professional real estate services in Auburn, Opelika & Lee County for over 3 decades! Committed to INTEGRITY, KNOWLEDGE & SERVICE.

SEARCH FOR HOMES IN AUBURN-OPELIKA, ALABAMA at www.marahawks.com

A few weeks ago, surfing the Active Rain net, I landed in Hawaii, reading Randy Prothero's blog post: SO YOU WANT TO BE A REAL ESTATE AGENT.  He references Margaret Rome and recommends and links to an order form for her newly published book: Real Estate The Right Rome Way.

I was excited to order the new book, clicked the link and an order form opened up. I filled in the usual blanks, and was then asked if I would like an autographed copy or not. (WHAT? Are you kidding?! This is a question?) And my thoughts simply wandered away...

... far, far away, to Marshall Field & Co in downtown Chicago in the 1960's. Once in a blue moon, my father would take me out of school for a day for what he decided was an "educational" day on the finer things of life (sending me back to school the next day with a sick excuse). Leaving the south side neighborhood of St. Christina's parish behind, we headed out, in our finest, to Michigan and State Avenue, where we set off on an adventure through the many forests floors of this world-famous, iconic department store. A true, fairytale-of-a-day, with his red carpet of words presented to me each time the elevator door opened up for our entrance to another department. He pointed out all the things I would never see in our cookie-cutter home where about 10 children slept at night. So, before I'd lived a decade, I had learned to appreciate the art and the BEAUTY of beveled glass, bone china, cut crystal, Egyptian cotton, fine linen, solid wood-handled real hairbrushes, Italian leather shoes, silk dresses, and delectable pastries, properly served at The Walnut Room. One afternoon, he kept me huddled in a long line that had formed around a table stacked high with books. Perplexing enough, every book was the same. It took me awhile to put all the pieces together, long after I shook the hand of writer, Virginia Graham who stooped down to greet me as I held on to my father's enthusiasm. So before I was a decade old, I'd been hugely impressed with the autograph my father showed me in the book he proudly carried home. And the photo of Virginia on the book jacket was a face I never forgot. I MET AN AUTHOR!

Sorry about that...back to the online order form I was completing earlier this month. OF COURSE if an autograph was offered, OF COURSE that would be a treat! So OF COURSE I selected YES!  Then another box appeared for me to enter the text of how I would like it autographed. HUH? Gosh... I had no words except the obvious "To Mara, the best, from Rome"... No, that just wouldn't do. So I entered "surprise me."  Less than a week later, my phone rang. "Hello Mara, this is Margaret Rome." "Oh my gosh!" I answered, "the lady who wrote the book?!" "I wanted to surprise you," she said. Well, mission begeezus accomplished! I couldn't have been more thrilled with this absolute GIFT of a surprise, enjoying a delightful conversation that blessed me with inspiration and put a 1000-volt charge into my day. I learned she was one of Active Rain's first thousand members (800+), and that she left the first comment on Broker Bryant's first blog---now that is some real history folks! She told me about her days as a ceramic artist, and how she, too, became an unintentional Realtor. She told me the heartwarming story of blog artist, Marti Garaughty, who worked diligently and brilliantly with her time and design constraints, pulling through with the amazing (as his work always is) book cover design. Listening to Margaret was being educated to the finer things of life. It was that special day out of school and a trip to the world of downtown. It was the art of ROME and a delectable surprise, properly served. THANK YOU, Margaret Rome, for the gift of surprise---the ROME Way!  Thank you for the beautiful, red-carpeted inscription in my book:  "keep surprising yourself" and for the ultimate surprise of your phone call. THANK YOU for the BEAUTY of ACTIVE RAIN that was left pounding in my heart.

© Copyright 2009 - This posting and the contents written here, except where noted, are the property of Mara Hawks, All Rights Reserved

Active in Alabama, Mara Hawks, REALTOR with FIRST REALTY of Auburn, AL, #1 Real Estate Team in Lee County, THE LEADER in professional real estate services in Auburn, Opelika & Lee County for over 3 decades! Committed to INTEGRITY, KNOWLEDGE & SERVICE.

SEARCH FOR HOMES IN AUBURN-OPELIKA, ALABAMA at www.marahawks.com

© Copyright 2009 - This posting and the contents written here, except where noted, are the property of Mara Hawks, All Rights Reserved

Active in Alabama, Mara Hawks, REALTOR with FIRST REALTY of Auburn, AL, #1 Real Estate Team in Lee County, THE LEADER in professional real estate services in Auburn, Opelika & Lee County for over 3 decades! Committed to INTEGRITY, KNOWLEDGE & SERVICE.

SEARCH FOR HOMES IN AUBURN-OPELIKA, ALABAMA at www.marahawks.com

I take great pride in working with the FIRST REALTY team in Auburn, Alabama. Their considerable ranking in closed real estate transactions has been sustained for more than three decades in LEE COUNTY. The Company philosophy of INTEGRITY, KNOWLEDGE of all phases of the real estate business and SERVICE  established the FIRST REALTY mission statement in 1976. Since then, EXCELLENT leadership and TEAMWORK have patterned agents with this underpinning, creating the durable fabric of sheer success in working with Buyers and Sellers. THE NUMBERS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES, pointing to First Realty as having consistent results and experienced success in Auburn, Opelika, and Lee County real estate year after year. Get to know us by visiting our website or give us a call. Agents are available seven days a week!

Are you thinking about a career selling real estate in Auburn, Opelika or Lee County, AL?  Does your business philosophy encompass INTEGRITY, KNOWLEDGE and SERVICE to your customers and clients?  If so,you are invited to use our Real Estate Simulator to find out if a career in real estate is right for you.  Give us a call for a confidential interview or contact GLORIA or SHERRI by email.   

 Active in Alabama, Mara Hawks, REALTOR with FIRST REALTY of Auburn, AL

SEARCH FOR HOMES IN AUBURN-OPELIKA, ALABAMA at www.marahawks.com

This brand new year brought the sudden passing away of ALLAN HORWITZ, a fellow colleague, REALTOR®, and a man that everyone who knew him felt honored to call a friend. He loved the Lee County area and had a wonderful enthusiasm and knowledge for the community and neighborhoods, considered to be a resident expert by many in the real estate industry. Behind his service and craft was an immense library of knowledge and experience, along with an index of illustrations and applicable scenarios that polished encounters, transactions, and the lives of those who sought his leadership.  For those of us who had the privilege of working closely with him, he was recognized as a man who stood IN HIS JOY with the daily transaction of Life... with the give and take, with the deal and the play--- especially in the world of real estate. His wisdom, candor, compassion and daily example made him a natural coach and mentor for so many. He was always about LISTENING and doing the right thing, SHOWING UP and getting it done...and regularly pausing for coffee and conversation with his friends and colleagues---who were everywhere.

ALLAN provided unparalleled service for this community, including serving on the State & Local Professional Standards Committee and as President of Lee County Association of Realtors®.

Oh how terribly we will miss you Allan! A LIGHT has gone out in LEE COUNTY, but you have left the world a BRIGHTER PLACE. You were one of the elite in the BIG LEAGUE, where you were a true champion --with the most natural dignity and greatest humility...you made your LIFE a HOME RUN.

© Copyright of photos and content, 2009. Mara Hawks, All Rights Reserved