Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty

06/03/2026

There are houses in the Shoals I think about every time I drive past them.

Not the biggest. Not the newest. Just the ones that stop you for a second and make you look twice.

This one happens to be the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in Alabama.

What house makes you slow down every time?

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

06/02/2026

The Shoals market stayed busy in May.

Here's where things stood across the region — from Killen to Tuscumbia and every city in between.📊 SAAR MLS Coverage Area: 822 active listings, 233 homes sold, $249,000 median sale price, 21 days on market.

Swipe through for your city's numbers ➡️

Want the full breakdown? Read my May 2026 Shoals Market Report at https://www.benjaminnewbern.com/blog/market0526

Data is preliminary and sourced from SAAR MLS.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

06/02/2026

The Shoals market stayed busy in May. Here's where things stood across the region — from Killen to Tuscumbia and every city in between.

📊 SAAR MLS Coverage Area: 822 active listings, 233 homes sold, $249,000 median sale price, 21 days on market.

Swipe through for your city's numbers ➡️

Want the full breakdown? Read my May 2026 Shoals Market Report at https://www.benjaminnewbern.com/blog/market0526

Data is preliminary and sourced from SAAR MLS.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

06/02/2026

Your phone calculator is not a lender.

Before you start touring homes, get a real pre-approval letter — not a guess, not a budget sheet, and not “I did the math.”

The bank will want documents. Your realtor will want you ready.

Thinking about buying in the Shoals? Let’s get the first step right.

06/01/2026

Your Zestimate might be flattering. It might be insulting.

Either way, it is not a pricing strategy.

Automated home-value estimates — Zillow, Redfin and the rest — can be useful starting points. They use available data, property records, sales history, market trends and statistical models.

But they do not walk through your house. They do not know what your neighbor did to their kitchen. They do not know whether your street sells differently than the next one over.

In the Shoals, I have seen online estimates run $25,000–$40,000 off in both directions.

Before you decide what your home is worth — or whether to sell at all — get a Comparative Market Analysis built from verified closed sales in SAAR MLS. That is the same kind of closed-sale data buyers’ agents review when advising their clients on what to offer.

Free. No obligation. No pitch.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

05/30/2026

Even old rivals can agree on the right house.

Had a little fun showing this home to two very spirited clients. Around here, a few old rivalries still live rent-free in people’s memories — but when the right house comes along, everybody can get on the same page.

Whether you’re buying, selling, or just starting to think about your next move, I’d be glad to help you make it a little more straightforward.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

05/30/2026

See you this afternoon!

⭐ PRICE DROP | NOW OFFERED AT $595,000 ⭐
OPEN HOUSE | 119 Caroline Way, Muscle Shoals

Join me this Saturday, May 30, from 1-3 p.m. for an open house at this spacious Cottonwood Estates home.

Newly priced at $595,000, this two-story offers 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and 3,140 square feet, plus a dedicated office/flex space. Inside you'll find open living areas under 18-foot ceilings, a stone fireplace, a large kitchen with two islands and a walk-in pantry, and a main-level primary suite with a soaking tub and glass shower.

Out back is built for entertaining, with a covered rear porch, built-in grill, mini-fridge and a private fenced backyard.Stop by and enter for a chance to win a $50 gas card — no purchase necessary, just come tour the home.

Listed by Tammy Kimbrough - CRC Realty | 256-577-1557
Hosted by Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

Come see it in person Saturday, or message me if you'd like more details.

05/30/2026

THIS OR THAT: Retro or refreshed?

A retro 1970s-style living room inspired by classic TV design versus what that same space might look like with a modern update.

Are you keeping the original character, or are you taking the updated version?

Comment your pick: RETRO or REFRESHED.

Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty | 256-762-9436

05/30/2026

Most sellers think the process starts when the sign goes in the yard.
It really starts weeks — sometimes months — before that. Especially if you're selling one home and buying another at the same time.

I put together a guide covering 10 things I'd want every Shoals seller to think through before they list: financing, timing, pricing strategy, what you'll actually net at closing, how contingencies affect your leverage, and what happens if you sell before you've found your next place.

The part most people skip? Having a gap plan. The final week before closing is not the time to figure out where you're going.

https://www.benjaminnewbern.com/blog/10-things-sellers-should-do-before-they-list-their-home

Selling your home is not just about getting a sign in the yard. If you are planning to sell in the Shoals, especially if you also need to buy your next home, the smartest work starts before your listing ever goes live.

05/29/2026

Know someone who's been looking in Muscle Shoals?

119 Caroline Way is worth a walk-through.

Four bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 3,140 square feet in Cottonwood Estates.

Open house tomorrow — Saturday, May 30 — from 1 to 3 p.m. Hosted by Benjamin Newbern - CRC Realty. Listed by Tammy Kimbrough - CRC Realty.

If this isn't the right fit for you, it might be exactly right for someone you know.

Share this with them.

📍 119 Caroline Way, Muscle Shoals
🗓 Saturday, May 30 · 1–3 p.m.

Listed at $599,900