Southwest Missouri News

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Branson|ret||ret||tab|

Home sales set high mark in 1999|ret||ret||tab|

Home sales were at an all-time high in the tri-lakes area of Stone and Taney counties in 1999, according to Cooper Appraisal of Branson. With information gleaned from the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors, Cooper Appraisal reported that the year-end total was 1,118 homes sold, an 11 percent increase compared to 1998 when 1,005 homes were sold. The third highest year, with 814 homes sold, was Branson's "boom" year of 1994. Three areas around Kimberling City were listed among the top six "hot" sub-markets in the two counties. In the Cooper report, sub-markets (divided according to price category) were ranked by a demand-and-supply ratio figuring the total number of homes sold in a price category as opposed to the number of properties available in the sub-market.|ret||ret||tab|

The 1999 top sub-markets as ranked by Cooper Appraisal were, in order of greatest demand-to-supply ratio:|ret||ret||tab|

Homes priced from $70,000 to $109,999, Kimberling City area;|ret||ret||tab|

Homes priced for less than $70,000, Kimberling City area;|ret||ret||tab|

Homes priced for less than $70,000, Forsyth area;|ret||ret||tab|

Homes priced from $150,00 to $189,999, Branson area;|ret||ret||tab|

Homes priced from $110,000 to $149,999, Kimberling City area;|ret||ret||tab|

Homes priced for less than $70,000, Branson area.|ret||ret||tab|

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More than 7 million visitors logged|ret||ret||tab|

For the first time, total visitors to Branson topped 7 million, according to the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau. During 1999, about 7.05 million visitors came to Branson, representing a 2.8 percent increase since 1995 and a 30.4 percent increase since 1993. In 1998, the visitor count was 6.83 million. According to the chamber, using data provided through D.K. Shifflet, Branson ranked as the 18th most visited overnight leisure destination in the country.|ret||ret||tab|

The chamber reported that the number of inquiries to the chamber were also up 34.7 percent compared to 1998. Room-demand statistics, provided by Smith Travel Research, indicated a 6.5 percent increase for 1999.|ret||ret||tab|

In a news release, Randy Fiveash, president and chief executive officer of the Branson chamber, said, "We believe in many ways the Branson community has turned a corner and is moving in an extremely positive direction toward its growth as a tourism destination ... . We have developed and will continue to develop strong branding messages and a comprehensive integrated marketing program that we believe will take us into the ranks of the top 10 leisure destinations in the country."|ret||ret||tab|

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|bold_on|Taney County home permits up|ret||ret||tab|

Although Taney County residential permits were up slightly in 1999, commercial permits and the overall number of permits decreased from 1998. The Taney County Planning Commission year-end report said 637 Division I (single family residential, decks, carports, garages and sheds) permits were approved in 1999 as compared to 620 permits issued in 1998. The county approved 82 Division II permits in 1999 (multifamily residential, commercial, industrial, institutional and church structures) as compared to 111 in 1998. A total of 817 permits were approved in 1999, a drop of about 4 percent from the 852 permits issued in 1998.|ret||ret||tab|

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Hollister|bold_on||bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

|bold_on|Public hearing on fire station set|ret||ret||tab|

The City of Hollister will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Hollister Town Hall to complete a needs assessment for a fire station within the city limits. According to Vonnie Fuqua-Mathiesen, administrative assistant with the city, the meeting is the next step in the process to obtain a Community Development Block Grant. A community meeting will follow the hearing.[[In-content Ad]]