𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗔𝗨𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡 𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗠𝗔 – 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗥 𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗞 𝗔𝗧 𝗝𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗔𝗡-𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘?

𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗔𝗨𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡 𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗠𝗔: 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗥 𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗞 𝗔𝗧 𝗝𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗔𝗡-𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘?

Moving to Auburn Alabama means discovering that sometimes the “best” view depends entirely on what you want to see.

That’s certainly true at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Would you rather sit on the first row, incredibly close to Pat Dye Field and the action?

Or would you rather sit high in the upper deck where you can look across the field, see the plays develop and take in the entire stadium?

I’ve experienced Auburn football from different perspectives over the years, and that question reminds me of something I tell real estate buyers all the time:

There isn’t always one universally perfect choice.

There is the choice that works best for you.

That applies to football seats.

And it definitely applies to buying a home in Auburn or Opelika.

𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦

First Row or Upper Deck?

Why Perspective Changes Everything

What Auburn Football Tells Us About Home Buying

Moving to Auburn Alabama

Auburn vs. Opelika

What Matters Most in Your Home Search?

Quick Q&A

Local Auburn–Opelika Real Estate Perspective

𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗥 𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗞?

Imagine you could choose.

First row at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

You’re close to the field. You see the players up close. You hear the sounds. You feel like you’re right in the middle of everything.

Pretty incredible.

Now imagine sitting high in the upper deck.

You aren’t nearly as close to the field, but suddenly you can see everything.

The field.

The formations.

The crowd.

The band.

The student section.

The video board.

The entire sweep of Jordan-Hare Stadium filled with Auburn fans.

Which seat is better?

That depends on what you value.

And that’s the point.

𝗝𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗔𝗡-𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗨𝗠 𝗚𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗔 𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗗𝗜𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗢𝗣

Jordan-Hare Stadium has been home to Auburn football since 1939 and holds more than 88,000 fans.

From lower in the stadium, Auburn football can feel incredibly close and intense.

From higher up, you begin to appreciate the scale of it.

Thousands upon thousands of people surrounding Pat Dye Field.

A sea of Auburn fans.

The band.

The movement of the entire stadium.

And when you look across all of it, you realize there are advantages to seeing the bigger picture.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗔𝗨𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗖𝗛 𝗨𝗦 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗕𝗨𝗬𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘

That first-row-versus-upper-deck question is actually a pretty good analogy for real estate.

Buyers sometimes become so focused on one feature that they lose sight of the entire property.

Maybe it’s the kitchen.

Maybe it’s the backyard.

Maybe it’s being within a certain distance of Auburn University.

Maybe it’s having a particular floor plan.

Those things matter.

But so does stepping back and asking:

Does the whole picture work?

A house can have the prettiest kitchen you’ve ever seen and still be wrong for you.

Another house may not have every finish you imagined, but the location, floor plan, price and everyday functionality may fit your life beautifully.

Sometimes you need the first-row view.

Sometimes you need the upper-deck view.

𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗔𝗨𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡 𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗔𝗠𝗔 𝗠𝗘𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗘 𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘

Relocation buyers frequently begin with a very specific idea of where they want to live.

That makes sense.

If you’re relocating for Auburn University, for example, you may assume that living as close to campus as possible should be your first priority.

But once we start looking at properties, other questions become important.

How often do you need to be on campus?

What kind of commute are you comfortable with?

What type of house do you want?

How important is yard space?

Do you want a condominium, townhome or single-family home?

How do you feel about game-day traffic?

Where do you expect to spend most of your everyday time?

What does your budget buy in different locations?

That’s the upper-deck view of a home search.

You’re not looking at one feature.

You’re looking at everything together.

𝗔𝗨𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗔: 𝗗𝗢𝗡’𝗧 𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪 𝗧𝗢𝗢 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗬

Some buyers relocating to the area begin by searching only in Auburn.

Depending on your priorities, that may be exactly where you ultimately decide to buy.

But Opelika can also deserve consideration.

The two cities are neighboring communities, and residents routinely travel between them for work, shopping, dining, appointments and entertainment.

Opelika’s Tiger Town is one example of how interconnected everyday life can be between the two communities.

Looking at both cities doesn’t mean you have to compromise.

It means you’re giving yourself enough information to make an informed decision.

𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗥𝗢𝗪 𝗩𝗦. 𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗞: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡

FIRST-ROW THINKING

“I absolutely have to live this close to Auburn University.”

UPPER-DECK THINKING

“What does my actual commute look like from several different areas?”

FIRST-ROW THINKING

“I have to have this exact kitchen.”

UPPER-DECK THINKING

“Does the entire house work for me, and could I change cosmetic features later?”

FIRST-ROW THINKING

“I only want to look in Auburn.”

UPPER-DECK THINKING

“Would looking at both Auburn and Opelika give me more options that fit my priorities?”

FIRST-ROW THINKING

“This house is missing one thing on my wish list.”

UPPER-DECK THINKING

“How well does the property meet my most important needs overall?”

𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗦𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪

Seeing the bigger picture doesn’t mean ignoring your priorities.

If being close to Auburn University genuinely matters to your daily life, that deserves significant weight.

If a particular floor-plan feature is essential, don’t pretend it isn’t.

If a home doesn’t work with your budget, the beautiful backyard doesn’t magically make the numbers work.

The point isn’t to talk yourself into something you don’t want.

It’s to make sure you’re evaluating the whole property instead of letting one detail make the decision for you.

𝗔𝗨𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗜𝗦 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘

If you’re moving to Auburn, football season is one of those things that is difficult to understand completely until you experience it.

Jordan-Hare Stadium isn’t simply somewhere people drive on Saturdays.

It sits right on the Auburn University campus and becomes the center of a much larger game-day experience.

Tiger Walk begins before the game as thousands of Auburn fans line Donahue Drive.

Tailgates appear.

Downtown fills with people.

Traffic patterns change.

And more than 88,000 people can fill Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Whether you’re sitting on the first row or looking down from the upper deck, there is no mistaking where you are.

Auburn.

𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗖𝗞 𝗤&𝗔

𝗜𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘁 𝗝𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗻-𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗸?

That depends entirely on the experience you prefer. Being close to the field gives you a much different perspective from sitting higher and seeing the entire stadium and field.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗝𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗻-𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘂𝗺?

Jordan-Hare Stadium’s official capacity is 88,043.

𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝘂𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲?

It can be one lifestyle consideration. Buyers who live close to Auburn University may experience home-game traffic and activity differently from buyers living farther from campus.

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲?

Not necessarily. Commute preferences, budget, property type and lifestyle differ from buyer to buyer. Comparing several areas can help you decide what works for you.

𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗜 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗮 𝗶𝗳 𝗜’𝗺 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝘂𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻?

It can be worthwhile to compare both cities if Opelika fits your commute, budget and lifestyle needs.

𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗨𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡–𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗔 𝗧𝗢𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗦

Moving to Auburn, Alabama

Moving to Opelika, Alabama

Auburn University–area relocation

Buying a home near Auburn University

Auburn vs. Opelika living

Auburn vs. Opelika traffic

Auburn condominiums and townhomes

Auburn subdivisions

Auburn football game-day living

Choosing where to live in Auburn

𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗨𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡–𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗔 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗘

Laura Sellers is an Auburn University alumna who has lived in the Auburn–Opelika area since 1988 and has been a REALTOR® for over 20 years.

She is an Associate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Preferred Real Estate — the Official Real Estate Partner of the Auburn Tigers.

That local experience is particularly helpful for relocation buyers because choosing a home here involves more than bedrooms, bathrooms and square footage.

It’s also about understanding how Auburn and Opelika actually function in everyday life.

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 𝗧𝗢 𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗔𝗨𝗕𝗨𝗥𝗡 𝗢𝗥 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗔?

Whether you want to be close to Auburn University or would rather step back and consider a wider range of neighborhoods and communities, I can help you look at the entire picture.

Sometimes the first row is exactly where you want to be.

Sometimes the view from the upper deck shows you something you couldn’t see from down below.

The same can be true when you’re choosing a home.

Call or text Laura Sellers at 334-332-7263.

Visit AuburnOpelikaALRealEstate.com.

Homes, y’all!