South Offers 'Snapshot' of Mobile's Economic Outlook

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Posted on November 16, 2017

Alice Jackson

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The Mobile and Baldwin County business community has a new and innovative tool to help determine various economic outlooks, thanks to the University of South Alabama’s Center for Real Estate and Economic Development.

The “Mobile Bay Economic Snapshot,” delivered monthly via email and posted on the Center’s website, is a primary data and education resource for professionals, business owners, nonprofits and government entities. The newsletter combines public data from national, regional and local sources in a way that’s easy to understand.

“It is a robust compilation of key economic data presented in a visually dynamic, contextually significant format, complemented by commentary and insight from the CREED staff, Mitchell College of Business faculty and invited guests,” said Dr. Reid Cummings, director of CREED and an assistant professor of finance and real estate in the Mitchell College of Business. “The Center for Real Estate and Economic Development tracks key local and national economic indicators to present them in a user-friendly,  interactive slideshow that provides viewers with a quick snapshot of how the local economy performs on a monthly basis and how it relates to national economic, financial and business activity.”

Cummings added that having the data in one place is especially important as Mobile and Baldwin counties market the area to potential businesses considering locating here.

Each month, Cummings will share insight and commentary about the data, including monthly and year-to-date numbers, from:

• Local airport passenger traffic
• Residential and commercial building permits
• Residential and commercial real estate sales
• New business licenses
• Local and national labor markets
• National financial metrics
• Selected national economic indexes

“Some of the data, like real estate sales, is highly specific because we obtain the information through court records rather than real estate listing services,” said Jana Stupavsky, assistant director of CREED, who compiles the data.

The website also includes information about why tracking the data is important and can be vital to those working to grow the region’s economy.

“Eventually, we plan to expand our efforts to include economic data for the Gulf Coast region stretching from the Pensacola area to the Mississippi-Louisiana border,” Cummings said.

To receive the email edition of the “Mobile Bay Economic Snapshot,” visit CREED's "Snapshot" website and click on “Subscribe.”

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