Playing the real estate game

 What: lron Bowl Properties

Who: Founders Roy McCrary Jr. and Shane Campbell

What it does: Provides real estate brokerage services. The firm buys and sells residential and commercial holdings "with an expertise in investment properties and commercial property management," Campbell said.

Employees: Three: Campbell, broker; Shauna Wesson, Realtor and certified new-home sales professional; and Cassy Childers, office manager

Company history: Founded in July, Iron Bowl Properties was formed to better serve existing clients while growing business relationships with future clients. Initial focus was commercial real estate, but the residential market flourished by the firm's "promoting revitalization of older neighborhoods in a way no one else has," Campbell said. In its Five Points project, the firm obtained 15 lots on Rison Avenue and brought "new life to an older neighborhood. This type of project not only benefits the investors but the community as a whole by raising property values."

Tradition: Playing up the "Iron Bowl" moniker, University of Alabama alum Campbell and Auburn University graduates McCrary and Wesson color signs in team colors, at clients' request. All are Huntsville natives.

Secret of success: Honesty and truthfulness. "People can tell if you aren't telling the truth." Campbell believes in sacrificing a sale if the property isn't correct for the client. "They will respect you for it."

Lesson learned: "You cannot do it all yourself. I've surrounded myself with honest, energetic, 'go getter' people."

Contact: Campbell, 990-4861 or shane@ironbowlproperties.com; Wesson, 348-1116 or shauna@ironbowlproperties.com

Mann selected as Huntsville's Realtor of the Year recipient

Sunday, September 02, 2007 By ANNA THIBODEAUX For The Times htimes@bellsouth.net

Award 'an exciting and humbling experience for me'

Named this year's Huntsville Area Association of Realtors Realtor of the Year, Cliff Mann says his near 13-year experience as an agent has taught him that buying and selling is more about people than property.

"Receiving the Realtor of the Year Award was an exciting and humbling experience for me," Mann says. "It is most special because it is an award given by one's peers in the real estate profession."

Betty Hughes, president of the Huntsville Area Board of Realtors, says the award recipient is chosen by peers based on work, ethics, charities supported, and Realtor board and community service.

"He has been invaluable to me, with good advice to prepare me for this years role," Hughes said of Mann, also describing him as a man of his word. "I admire him for his sincere convictions, at times being challenged in taking a bold stance."

Mann served as president of the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors in 2005.

When he received the award, Mann says he told his peers: "I love being a Realtor most days. Every business has its ups and downs, but it's a great profession and I hope I can continue to be of professional service and live up to it."

The Huntsville native says he continues to look up to past recipients of the Realtor award for their high ethical standards, professionalism and service to the profession and the community.

"It is an award given to recognize involvement on the local, state and national levels of the Realtor organization, as well as dedication to community and family," he says. "I am always proud to be part of the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors and I hope I can continue to uphold the sense of cooperation, fairness, honesty and service that so many have helped to establish over the years."

As a Realtor, Mann says he's also learned there's not a big difference from how he dealt with people when he was a minister.

"It's their goals and dreams that you need to listen to, even if they are not exactly sure where they want to end up yet," he says. "It's about being honest with people and looking out for their best interests, even when they may not see it yet. I have learned that being a person's Realtor is not a lot different from my previous work as a minister: there is still the need for calmness, counseling and care to help individuals and families through what can sometimes be stressful situations."

Mann says the industry has changed in his 13 years as an agent. More agents are in the business these days, and the buying and selling public is more educated in properties.

They're taking advantage of the Internet to shop prospects and typically know what they want to see by the time they come to him, he says. They still rely on agents to help them with the contract, potential shopping pitfalls of the area and to anticipate closing issues.

"Another big change is, the developers have their onsite sales people," Mann says, which he has seen in recent years. Prospective buyers are riding from subdivision to subdivision talking to these people, but he says they shouldn't approach unaccompanied by their real estate agent or without disclosing they're working with an agent.

With recent volatile developments with mortgages, he says he's seen more questionable mortgage practices, and that has been reflected in some contracts.

"You have to be more careful about the mortgage company you go to, and be sure you're pre-approved in an interest rate and funded, or there's no guarantee your loan will be funded even if you're approved for it," Mann says. "We're having to be more cautious and trying to educate buyers when they ask about mortgage companies. Get that approval letter and lock in that interest rate. Shopping at the last minute is not a good idea because you may not get the loan at all."

Mann has also observed new construction exploding in the area.

"The good thing is, it's giving people more options for new or existing houses, and it may have slowed existing home sales somewhat," he adds.

Despite the national real estate woes, Mann says he believes the local market is in very good shape.

"The doom and gloom of the national market is not in Huntsville," he says. "Property appreciation keeps going up. Homes are selling. People are buying. A variety of companies are moving people in and out of the area, in addition to the Arsenal, and all that keeps our market pretty well-balanced."

Mann has been an active member of the area Board of Realtors since November 1994. He serves as a local association director and as a state director of the Alabama Association of Realtors. His agent designations include certified residential specialist (CRS), graduate of Realtors Institute (GRI), and e-Pro - Advanced technology for Realtors.

In 2002, he served as president of the Huntsville CRS sub-chapter. He is a graduate of the 2002 Alabama Association of Realtors Leadership Class, was a member of the Alabama Realtors Honor Society 2000-2006, and chaired several committees for the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors. He is a past board director for Habitat for Humanity of Madison County. He also was a Bible professor at Faulkner University's Huntsville campus.

Mann has a bachelor's degree in speech communications and public relations from Auburn University. He has a masters of arts from the Alabama School of Religion in Montgomery.

He and his wife, Angela (a pharmacist at Kroger) live with their two children, Rebecca, 14, and Adam, 10, in Huntsville.