Wayne Long's Blog: All Categories

The 3rd Brigade combat team is being called on once again for deployment to Iraq.  They are headed to the training center in Fort Irwin to prepare for deployment from Fort Benning to Iraq in March.   They will be part of the 20,000 troop surge in Iraq.

The officers club has now become the Benning Club and is open to all the enlisted men and their families.    Their is a nominal monthly charge to be a member and a launch party is scheduled for January 26th to kick off a membership drive.  Read Full Post

President Bush visited Fort Benning today.   Air Force One flew into Lawson air field where troops will soon be deploying to Iraq.   Approximately 300 soldiers as well as Major General Walt Wojdakowski ate lunch with President Bush at Freedom Hall.  The soldiers here are at Fort Benning are preparing for the next deployment.  Read Full Post

Purchasing a new home is a great idea if you avoid these pitfalls!

1) Mistake number 1 is not knowing the area.   When purchasing a new home as well as a resale it is important to know the area.  What schools will my children attend?   How far is it to conveniences?   What are the demographics of the area?  All of these questions will effect the enjoyment you have in your home while you live there and ultimately the resale value of your home when you get ready to sell.   

2) Mistake number 2 is not hiring the best builder.   If you are new to the area or you are not involved in the building and real estate business - it is hard to know the better builders.   Let's face it - some builders cut corners while others make sure they produce an excellent…

Why invest in Real Estate when the increase in the value of your investment only grows 4-5% per year?   Good question and I am glad you asked.

1) Real Estate is a safer investment than most other investments because of its very nature.  It is real property.  While the stock market has gone up and down at a dizzying pace - the worst year in Real Estate over the last 40 yrs was a 2% decrease in value nationally. 

2) You can live in it while your investment grows.  Have you ever asked if you can live at a stock brokerage?

3) Leverage!  Real Estate can be bought with only 5 to 20% down.  If you purchase stock you must put down 100%.  If you invest $100,000  in $100,000 worth of stock and it increases 5% this year you will have made 5% on your investment.  …

       As in most metropolitan areas the land has become so valuable that if you want to live on a piece of land larger than a postage stamp you will have to live outside Columbus.    The areas to the north of Columbus have become bedroom communities for this reason.   Midland as well as the communities in South Harris County like Ellerslie, Cataula, and Fortson GA are prime bedroom communities for Columbus.  
       Midland is the most northern part of Muscogee Co. bordering Harris Co.  As a community it is one of the more affluent parts of the Columbus  and has some of the top schools  as well.   Many of the subdivisions in Midland are on 1 acre lots as opposed to the postage stamp sized lots in most of Columbus. 
     Ellerslie, Cataula, and Fortson…

Infantry Museum finally breaks ground in South Columbus adjacent to Fort Benning.  The museum should open in 2008 with an IMAX theatre and draw up to 500,000 visitors per year.  The facility will cost close to $85 million dollars of which about $60 million has already been raised.   You can read more about this facility at our Fort Benning Real Estate website. 

Phenix City ALcontinues to improve the infrastructure in the city.  The most recent addition includes the Summit Hospital.  The Summit is a $36 million facitility located at 4401 Riverchase Dr.    Phenix City is growing leaps and bounds and like Columbus is trying to keep up with the demands of growth for hospitals, schools, water, sewer and the other essentials needed for the new residents.   All this is good for the Phenix City Real Estate market.   

In other hospital news long time rivals St. Francis hospital and Columbus Regional Healthcare in Columbus have created a formal partnership that should make health care and insurance concerns improve for the Columbus Ga population.