Why invest in Hattiesburg?

Home buyers and sellers are hearing a lot of distracting information about the real estate market today. Reports that prices are still too high, there are too many houses on the market, loans are difficult to get and housing just isn’t the investment it used to be all discourage consumers from entering the market. The good news is that Mississippi real estate markets remain a stable and responsible marketplace for home buyers and sellers.

All real estate is local. There is no such thing as a national real estate market. If you pay attention to the news media, you might think that real estate markets are troubled everywhere. Not true! If you’re considering buying or selling a home, pay attention to sales price trends, volume and inventory in your target market. Get the facts straight by talking to a local REALTOR®.

Purchasing a home in Mississippi is a great long-term investment. Homeownership is still the number one way that Mississippi families build wealth. Did you know that 60 percent of the average homeowner’s wealth comes from their home’s equity? The average renter’s net worth is $4,800, while the average homeowner’s net worth is $171,000. And the average return on a five percent down payment over 10 years is usually three to five times greater than stock market returns. Real estate has delivered the most consistent positive return over any investment over the past 40 years.

Source:   Mississippi Association of Realtors
 

Hattiesburg offers a diversity of lifestyles, high standards in education, excellence in medical care, economic growth, and an exceptional way of life that blends cultural, historical, and recreational activities.

Whether it's a home in the country, in an historic neighborhood, or in a modern, gracious housing development, there is no finer place to call home than Hattiesburg.

Our historic neighborhoods, such as the Oaks District, offer a variety of home opportunities ranging from the breathtakingly elegant to the challenging fixer-upper ... all in a setting of brick streets lined with stoic oaks which form a canopy cover.

Exclusive home-sites are offered in neighborhoods such as Timberton, featuring Hattiesburg's only 27 hole golf course designed by Mark McCumber; Canebrake with its newly opened Canebrake Golf Community and its Jerry Pate designed golf course; Homestead, Longleaf Acres, Sandstone, Bridgefield, and Big Bay ... just to name a few. And for those looking to get away from it all on a daily basis, acreage is available within a short drive of the city.

A large network of public schools, encompassing five school districts, gives area students the foundation they need to succeed. The Hattiesburg area school districts all have national recognition home to south Mississippi. The Hattiesburg High Theater Department, the Petal High School Choral Department, and Oak Grove High School having been named an Exemplary School by the U.S. Department of Education. Church sponsored schools are also available such as Sacred Heart, Presbyterian Christian School, and Presbyterian Christian High School.

In the Greater Hattiesburg Area students don't have to leave home to continue their education -- and neither do their parents. The avenues to higher education include Pearl River Community College, and Jones County Junior College. Both of these two year schools offer full academic curriculum to prepare students to move forward to four year colleges and universities, as well as vo-tech training for students choosing non-traditional college careers.

The University of Southern Mississippi and William Carey University both call Hattiesburg home.

The University, or USM as it is known, is the only state-supported four year college in the southern portion of Mississippi. It offers students a challenging and diverse educational opportunity. Students come from every state in the Union and almost as many foreign countries to study nearly 200 graduate and undergraduate programs. USM has earned national recognition for its polymer science programs. A member of Conference USA, the Southern Miss Golden Eagles have also brought national attention to its NCAA Division-1 athletic programs.

William Carey University, a Baptist University, offers its students a family atmosphere with personal attention as they pursue degrees in the arts, science, business, education, music, and nursing. Graduate programs are also offered in business, counseling, education, and music.

The Hattiesburg Medical Community is literally second to none! In recent years Hattiesburg was ranked Number-1 in healthcare among small cities in the United States. Hattiesburg is home to two modern hospitals ... Forrest General Hospital and Wesley Medical Center. Together these facilities provide nearly 1,000 beds and offer the latest procedures including cancer treatment, laser and endoscopic procedures, and wellness programs.

With a warm southern climate, there is an abundance of outdoor activity to keep both residents and visitors happy.The many streams, including the Okatoma River and Black Creek, provide hours of enjoyable canoeing among beautiful settings and sometimes challenging stretches of water. Both creeks attract canoeist from throughout Mississippi as well as from neighboring Louisiana and Alabama. The Leaf and Bouie Rivers offer exciting fishing opportunities, and the abundance of lushly forested areas provide excellent hunting.

Without a doubt, golf makes Hattiesburg the perfect Tee Time spot! There are more than one dozen courses within the Greater Hattiesburg Area. Those include the recently opened Pine Belt National Golf Course, the new Canebrake Golf Course, and the Mark McCumber designed Timberton Golf Course.

One of the Hattiesburg's attractions is the Lake Terrace Convention Center. This modern, attractively designed, building sits within a 32-acre park where U.S. Highway 49 meets Interstate 59. The facility is designed to accommodate meetings and conventions, trade shows, dances, and a variety of parties for groups of 10 to 2,000.

The James Lynn Cartlidge Forrest County Multi-Purpose Center is opened. This state-of-the-art facility is the only one of its type within Mississippi. With nearly 3,000 chair-back seats and seating for up to 5,000 patrons, this facility is used to host horse and livestock shows, along with concerts.

A part of Kamper Park, the Hattiesburg Zoo is a Hub-City highlight. The zoo is home to Siberian tigers, zebras, a white jaguar, ostriches, primates, and white-handed gibbons.
Hattiesburg ... an unique area built on the traditions of the past, with its focus set on the progress of today, and the promise of tomorrow ... home of Coldwell Banker, Don Nace, Inc.