Brandon MS ~ Castlewoods Market Condition Report for October 2010

In October 2010, two new homeowners purchased homes in Castlewoods Subdivision, one of the largest neighborhoods in Rankin County. These two properties had a combined average sales price of $204,000, with an average time on the market of 174 days.

In comparison, five homes closed in Castlewoods during the month of September 2010, and a whopping 12 properties closed last year during the month of October 2009. Year-to-date closed sales for 2010 vs. 2009 are 58 and 74, respectively.

Fourteen homes were added to the market during the month of October, bringing the total number of homes for sale in Castlewoods to 80.

Four homes are under contract (pending or contingent) and four properties either expired or were removed from the market in October.

Home prices in Castlewoods range from the low $100s for resale upwards of $300,000. New construction properties are included in these statistics.

Castlewoods, one of Rankin County's premiere neighborhoods, is built around Castlewoods Country Club and is located in NW Rankin School District.

See current Homes for Sale in Castlewoods Subdivision ~ Brandon MS

If you are looking to sell your home, but are discouraged by what you read or hear about the real estate market, don't despair. While it is true that the market is challenging, it is encouraging to note that some homes DO SELL. If you need to sell, your home will have to BEAT THE COMPETITION.

What do I mean by "Beat The Competition"?

Your Castlewoods home will have to be priced competitively, because buyers shop by comparison. Your house will have to shine from top to bottom. Every nook and cranny should be clean and freshly painted. For FREE tips to Make a Good First Impression, click here:

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This is a rare opportunity to enjoy relaxed waterfront living on the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Brandon, MS. This property will be available for viewing Sunday, October 25th between 3-5 p.m.

304 Forest Point Drive

$247,500

Directions to 304 Forest Point

• Completely Updated - Approximately 2200 square feet
• Formal living room with hardwood flooring
• Formal dining
• Great room with fireplace, hardwood floors, and lots of windows
• 3 BRs/ 2 Baths
• 2 Car attached garage
• Waterfront Deck
• 150 feet of waterfront on Ross Barnett Reservoir
• Private Boat Slip
• Scenic Nature Island behind property

Listing compliments of Rita McIntosh, McIntosh and Assoc., LLC

Contact Pat Starnes at 601-278-4513 for further information

This morning as I walked out, no as I started to walk out, onto the balcony of my waterfront condo, I hesitated for just a moment as something unusual caught my eye.

In the water below me, I saw what looked like a large alligator with mouth wide open perched just off the rocks. Trembling, my first thought was "How am I going to get past this thing?", followed quickly by "Should I call animal control?"

Then, gathering my wits about me, I did what any serious blogger would do. I grabbed my camera!

Snap, snap! (Pun intended!)

I decided if it WAS a gator, I could quickly scamper back up the steps. Slowly, I gathered the courage to descend the staircase. After all, I'd never SEEN an alligator on this part of the reservoir, despite the heavy rains Jackson has experienced over the last several days. Anything was possible.

Can you make it out? Do you see what I saw?

OK. Here's the truth. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't an alligator at all, but a large piece (about 20 feet) of driftwood. It was realistic looking enough to get my adrenaline pumping this morning.

What do you think? Doesn't it look real to you?

UPDATE: November 11, 2008

My purpose for this post was to call to the reader's attention that Mississippi has a wonderful resource in the near-center of our state, the Ross Barnett Reservoir. I felt that potential clients searching for listings might not find this area because if searching by zip code, they would miss out on a wonderful lifestyle and place to live. Following is my original article: ~Pat Starnes

We may be missing some quality properties when searching by zip code in our MLS system, but more importantly, buyers may be missing US! Not all agents put the correct zip code into MLS, and most buyers don't know the zip codes in the outskirts of town. For instance, my office is in zip code 39232 (Flowood), my home is in 39047(Brandon), but none of these show up in the 33 zip codes listed for Jackson, MS.

The Ross Barnett Reservoir is a 33,000 acre man-made lake managed by the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District. Homes on the Reservoir show up in 39047, 39110, and 39157. The 17,000 acres surrounding the waterway is leasehold property, but not all property in this zip is leasehold.

The views of the Reservoir are truly spectacular. You can read about the waterway at  http://www.rossbarnettreservoir.org.

My point is two-fold. First, to encourage Realtors to explore all zip codes and ensure the properties are listed correctly in MLS. Secondly, look what you'd be missing if you overlook 39047.

This is an actual photo, non-enhanced.

Have I interested anyone in relocating?

Discover waterfront living on the Ross Barnett Reservoir! Windward Bluff features townhomes and carriage homes priced between $200,000-$300,000.

The community is gated and features a clubhouse with exercise room, meeting room, and a pool overlooking the fantastic "big" water of the Ross Barnett Reservoir. Windward Bluff is located on the Rankin County side of the reservoir.

 Photos show the community better than words. Here are some of the properties available. Homes feature high ceilings, crown mouldings, private balconies, wrought iron fencing, fireplaces, and double garages.

Windward Bluff is located at the corner of Spillway Road and Northshore Parkway at 103 Lakeshore Drive, Brandon, MS 39047.

Information on the Ross Barnett Reservoir can be found at  http://www.therez.ms/.

See Pat Starnes' website at http://PatStarnes.com