Don't judge the local real estate market by what's going on nationally, advises Don Epley, real estate professor at the University of South Alabama.

Mobile's economic activity is at its highest point since 1990, and the area economy is projected to grow almost 9 percent annually, according to a report released by Epley, director of the Center for Real Estate Studies at USA. Plus, he said, "We're showing 8 to 9 percent nominal growth in Baldwin County, which is very good for what is basically a rural county that has been branded as a retirement and commuter area to Mobile."

Mobile's housing stock has appreciated at an average 6.6 percent for the past three years, the report showed.

"In Mobile, our real estate market is very steady, but steady is beating all the other real estate economies in the nation." said Richard Weavil of The Weavil Co., who is chairman of the real estate center's 31-member advisory board.

Source: http://www.al.com/business/press-register/ index.ssf?/base/ business/1193563720221640.xml&coll=3