Robert & Dinny St. John Release New Children's Book

Currently out on book tour, Robert and Dinny St. John are traveling the state having fun promoting their new children's book "Fred The Red Frog".  Here is what the mother and son duo share about this collaborative endeavor.

Robert, where did the idea for Fred The Red Frog come from? 
When my children were young it was my wife who was in charge of putting the kids to bed on most nights. She always read them stories from various children’s books. When I put them to bed I told stories. Most of the stories were centered on a frog I named Fred that lived by the back steps of my boyhood home.

In these stories I told my kids that Fred and a boy named Bobby went on wonderfully fun misadventures. The kids loved them and requested the Fred stories over the books we already had on the shelves.

One day I sat down and put one to rhyme. That is the story which made it into this book. 

Most people know you as a chef and restaurateur. What was your goal in writing a children's book?

It was mainly due to the response of my children. They are teenagers now, but they loved the stories of Fred’s adventures.

Why did you decide that your mother should illustrate this book?

I love collaborating with people, whether it’s in business or creative pursuits. The greatest joys of my professional career have been the three books I co-authored with Wyatt Waters.

Marshall Ramsey and I also collaborated on a book several years ago and we had fun doing that.

My mom taught art for 50 years. She just retired this year at the ripe, young age of 81. I had a blast collaborating with her and look forward to continuing the book tour as we travel around the state to different schools, kindergartens and daycare centers.

Ms. Dinny, what medium did you use to illustrate this book? Also, tell us a little about your involvement in the book.

I used Prismacolor Coloring Pencil to create each illustration.

Robert brought me what he had written. He asked me if I would do the illustrations. It took a while to do it. I remember him letting Holleman showing them at the school library for show and tell. Robert read the book and Holleman showed the pictures.

Ms. Dinny, you are a retired art teacher. How long did you teach, and what do you hope this book accomplishes?

I have taught art since 1968 at a number of places including Hattiesburg Public Schools, Presbyterian Christian School in Hattiesburg, MS, William Carey University, and The University of Southern Mississippi.

I hope that children really enjoy the book. The story is different and interesting. I think they will enjoy the story of “Fred the Red Frog”.

Do you want to meet the author and illustrator? For a list of book signings and tours, CLICK HERE.

Hattiesburg Area Housing Statistics: October 2013 vs. October 2014

As we shared in the last Sigma Realty e-newsletter, the realty market in the Pinebelt area improved in September based on last year’s statistics concerning the number of houses sold, median and average sold prices.

For those wanting to join us in following the progression of the real estate market in our area, here is some specific data from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for October.  These statistics are based on residential homes only and does not include land, multi-family or commercial properties.

 

ALL MLS	10/01/13-10/31/13	10/01/14-10/31/14	01/01/13-10/31/13	01/01/14-10/31/14
Homes Sold	120	107	1307	1300
Days on Market	88	90	97	100
Med. Sold Price	$122,750	$122,000	$134,000	$139,000
Avg. Sold Price	$135,785	$133,543	$145,345	$155,862

 

Forrest/Lamar Co. MLS	10/01/13-10/31/13	10/01/14-10/31/14	01/01/13-10/31/13	01/01/14-10/31/14
Homes Sold	91	87	1018	1006
Days on Market	89	91	97	97
Med. Sold Price	$130,000	$129,900	$142,412	$148,250
Avg. Sold Price	$148,943	$143,302	$158,581	$168,525

 

ALL MLS	10/31/13	10/31/14
Homes Actively for Sale	1091	1072
Forrest/Lamar Co. MLS	10/31/13	10/31/14
Homes Actively for Sale	769	774

Like most industries, the realty market tends to fluctuate a bit with some months being higher and others lower.  Over the past few months, we have seen a slow steady climb in selling prices but October 2014 dropped compared to October 2013.  The year to date for 2013 compared to 2014, however, continues to show an increase for median sold price and average sold price both locally in Lamar and Forrest Counties as well as across the entire MLS area.

 

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To find out more about our company and see our listings click HERE.  To view ALL MLS LISTINGS, visit our MLS Home Search tab on our website by clicking HERE.

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Protect Your Investment - Hire a Licensed Contractor

by Guest Contributor Marty Milstead
Executive Vice President Home Builders Association of Mississippi

A home purchase or home renovation is the largest expenditure that most people make in their lifetime. However, too many times that investment goes bad when an unlicensed contractor is hired to perform the work.

There are some steps that anyone hiring a contractor should follow to protect their investment:

Verify a license.  Mississippi law requires any builder that is constructing or overseeing the construction of a home for sale to be licensed by the State.  It also requires any contractor performing a remodeling project over $10,000 to be licensed by the State.  All licensed contractors can be found on the Mississippi State Board of Contractors website at http://www.msboc.us. 

Verify insurance.  Your contractor should carry general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance.  The general liability insurance protects the home owner on construction related issues during and after construction on the home.  Workers’ compensation insurance gives protection to the property owner should someone get injured while working on your home.

Verify in writing.  Always insist on a written contract and written change orders.  Include details regarding the scope of work and terms of payment.  Incorporate warranties, guarantees or other promises in your written contract.

Verify that your contractor is a member of the Home Builders Association.  Most qualified and legitimate contractors choose to be a member of their professional trade organization.  Home builder members are more prone to be up to date on current building codes and trends for quality construction.

Verify references.  Ask your contractor to provide you with references. Make sure the contractor has a permanent business location and a good reputation with local banks and suppliers.

By following these important guidelines you will eliminate a lot of potential problems that occur when homeowners and homebuyers use unlicensed contractors.

Marty Milstead is the Executive Vice President Home Builders Association of Mississippi.  For more information you can check out the National Association of Homes at www.nahb.org or contact Milstead at 601-969-3446.

Hattiesburg Area Housing Statistics: September 2013 vs. September 2014

 As we shared in the last Sigma Realty e-newsletter, the realty market in the Pinebelt area improved in August based on last year’s statistics.   For those wanting to join us in following the progression of the real estate market in our area, here is some specific data from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) for September.  These statistics are based on residential homes only and does not include land, multi-family or commercial properties.

 

ALL MLS	09/01/13-09/30/13	09/01/14-09/30/14	01/01/13-09/30/13	01/01/14-09/30/14
Homes Sold	110	138	1172	1181
Days on Market	97	109	98	101
Med. Sold Price	$130,000	$147,450	$135,000	$141,000
Avg. Sold Price	$149,977	$166,893	$146,345	$158,022

 

Forrest/Lamar Co. MLS	09/01/13-09/30/13	09/01/14-09/30/14	01/01/13-09/30/13	01/01/14-09/30/14
Homes Sold	88	107	915	909
Days on Market	97	107	98	97
Med. Sold Price	$136,500	$162,000	$143,000	$149,900
Avg. Sold Price	$165,587	$186,105	$159,545	$171,248

 

ALL MLS	09/30/13	09/30/14
Homes Actively for Sale	1,105	1,134
Forrest/Lamar Co. MLS	09/30/13	09/30/14
Homes Actively for Sale	789	810

 

The number of houses sold during September 2014 has increased over September 2013.  Both the median and average sold prices have risen locally in the Forrest/Lamar county areas and in the broader MLS area as well.

 

For monthly updates on local realty statistics and other related topics, please join our blog spot by submitting your e-mail address at the bottom of the page.

 

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Economic Growth Continues in Greater Hattiesburg

When it comes to fostering relationships with both local and international companies
as well as providing comprehensive and reliable information about businesses, statistics, and other economic news in the Pinebelt region, the Area Development Partnership (ADP) remains a great resource.

We recently asked Chad Newell, ADP President, about the outlook for our community and he stated "The economy in Greater Hattiesburg continues to outpace the state and nation as our region shines here in the Gulf South.  We are experiencing population growth 2.5 times the state rate and about 1.4 times the national rate while our unemployment rate has averaged 6.6% over the last twelve months. 

At the ADP, we continue to help local companies grow and prosper and recruit new ones from around the globe.  Green Bay Converting is the latest business recruitment project.  The company analyzed areas around the Southeast and selected our community for a new $48 million, 400,000 sq.ft. manufacturing facility that will employ 300 over a five year period.  General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) recently located a back-office customer service center in the Cloverleaf Center and has hired 1,200 employees during the last year.  With $2.5 billion annually in regional sales, the City of Hattiesburg ranks 2nd statewide in total sales. 
 

Housing sales remain strong with new construction underway throughout the market.  Consumer confidence continues to increase, thereby further stimulating the market as more consumers and businesses move forward with investment decisions.  I'm very optimistic about what the future holds for Greater Hattiesburg.  We appreciate Sigma's membership in the ADP as we strive to enhance the regional economy."

Sigma Realty and our sister company, Sigma Companies, offer complete services in Hattiesburg and outlying Pinebelt real estate. If we can help with construction, purchase and sales, property management and rentals, renovations or maintenance, through Sigma Realty, LLC or Sigma Companies, LLC, call Christa Saulters or David Saulters at 601-602-0046 visit us at www.sigma-realty.net.

 

ADP Recognizes Strong Housing Sales in Greater Hattiesburg

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