SUMMER BLAST!!!  VBS at Church of the Highlands, July 12-14, 2010. This has to be one of the highlights of my year, each year.  I love that I have the freedom with Real Estate to be able to do God's work and minister to these children.  We have about 700-900 kids every year attend our Summer Blast. This year's theme was "High Seas", Exploring God's Mighty Love. You can find out more about our church and our events at www.ChurchoftheHighlands.com. THIS PHOTO SAYS IT ALL.... For Him... Hope you're week was as blessed as mine. 07/16/2010

  2nd Quarter 2010 Market Statistics for Homes Sold in Highland Lakes, Shelby County AL (Single Family Residences)   Units Sold:  21 Average List Price:  $533,897 Average Sold Price: $488,118 Average Days on Market:   90   Year To Date: Units Sold:  32 Average List Price:  $497,788 Average Sold Price: $457,227 Average Days on Market: 130   There are currently 80 homes for sale in Highland Lakes (per Birmingham MLS)     If you would like updated information or details for this or any community in or around Birmingham, Jefferson or Shelby Counties, please feel free to call or send me an email.  I would love to hear from you!     Public comments are disabled on this blog to prevent spam.  I would love to hear from you.....please call or email me! Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP 205... 07/11/2010

  2nd Quarter 2010 Market Statistics for Homes Sold in Brook Highland, Shelby County AL (Single Family Residences)   Units Sold:   9 Average List Price:  $375,667 Average Sold Price: $350,708 Average Days on Market: 165   Year To Date: Units Sold:  15 Average List Price:  $367,572 Average Sold Price: $346,096 Average Days on Market: 124   There are currently 28 homes for sale in Brook Highland (per Birmingham MLS)     If you would like updated information or details for this or any community in or around Birmingham, Jefferson or Shelby Counties, please feel free to call or send me an email.  I would love to hear from you!     Public comments are disabled on this blog to prevent spam.  I would love to hear from you.....please call or email me! Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP 205.... 07/09/2010

Birmingham Is A Major Player in Real Estate Rebound This is very exciting.  According to report by Clear Capital, Birmingham ranks at #4 of the Nation's 15 highest rebounding real estate markets. According to the report, Birmingham's home prices jumped a whopping 18.2% during this recent Quarter ending June 30 trailing #1Memphis, #2 Cleveland, #3 Milwaukee.  At the bottom of the list were #15 Denver, #14 Washington and #13 Charlotte with 6.8, 7 and 7.8% quarterly gains (respectively). Birmingham's late entry into the pits of declining real estate markets seemed to have saved the day.  For the past 2 years, like evey other market, we've been flooded with foreclosures, panic, short sales, and declining sales.  But we've managed to hold our own in what seems like a swift recovery. Despite ... 07/08/2010

Southside/UAB: A City Within a City: Live, Work & Play in Birmingham's Downtown/Southside/UAB The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a sprawling urban college campus and world class medical center and home to the UAB Blazers athletic teams. UAB and University Hospital covers 82 square blocks on the city's Southside and is home to some 18,000 students and 19,000 (+) employees, making it the state's largest employer. The brightest minds in medical research and education are attracted and recruited to the University from all over the world.  Known for it's Comprehensive Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Nanotechnology & Biomedical research, the University has continually received the highest recognitions by the Princeton Review and the Carnegie Foundation among others. The Campus is among the mo... 06/27/2010

Jazz it up in July and get ready for a series of free jazz concerts. You can't beat FREE. Go to one or go to all of them. Just take your pick: Caldwell Park on the 4th of July, Ensley Park on July 11th, W.C. Patton Park on July 18th, East Lake Park on July 25, and wrap it up with a tribute at Railroad Park on August 1st.   06/09/2010

As the largest city in Alabama, the list of what classically Southern Birmingham has to offer, is endless. Situated among the rolling foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Birmingham is a progressive, thriving city that folks of all walks of life love to call home. World famous attractions and entertainment, world class dining and an expanding business base are just a few things residents have the opportunity to participate in and enjoy.Birmingham was founded in 1871 just after the Civil War as an industrial business enterprise with its major industries being Steel and iron production. From its start, the city was planned as a great center of industry and this proved to be a very fruitful endeavor, as Birmingham expanded at an astounding rate and earned itself the nicknames"The Pittsb... 06/03/2010

Anyone Know of A Good Real Estate Agent in Birmingham? I do. I do!   05/27/2010

  Foreclosures sales are down in Birmingham yet the selling price of the average foreclosure is up .  What's up with that?  The "I want to buy a foreclosure" craze has obviously downshifted.  Owner occupants may have decided that considering the amount of work needed on a great many foreclosed properties, they might best leave this crop of properties to those who  are better equipped to get the work done: investors. On the other hand, the message that this data also sends is that buyers may have wasted precious time chasing a rainbow and missed opportunities to nab non-foreclosure properties at record low prices.  Key indicator:  If the average sales price of foreclosures are up then non-foreclosure property prices are rising as well.  This sends a strong message that sellers are no lon... 05/26/2010

Realtor Mag Reports that Owners Optimistic About Home Values.  While an astonsihing 89% of homeowners still feel that this is a bad market for selling a home, it demonstrates a glimmer of hope as compared to 100% doom and gloom outlook reported in May 2009. There are signs that sellers are hopeful that property values will increase and that sellers are elevating from panic mode to level headed thinking not clouded by panic. Home sellers (75%), undoubtedly more so than home buyers, believe that the current market is optimal for purchasing a home. I can agree that this clearly is reflected in the Metropolitan Birmingham, Alabama market as stated in my post from yesterday:  The Nationwide ActiveRain Survey about Alabama (Metropolitan Birmingham). One thing is clear, as an investment, real ... 05/24/2010

The Nationwide ActiveRain Survey about Alabama (Metropolitan Birmingham) The Metropolitan Birmingham area is holding relatively steady with regard to days on market and the pace at which homes are being bought and sold. Ovepriced homes that have been on the market for 6 months or more are still stagnant while more recent appropriately priced homes are seeing far more interest.  While the shock of the economic downturn begins to wean, buyers and sellers are becoming more realistic in their expectations. Sellers are far more willing now to price the home RIGHT as opposed to over pricing out of need.  Buyers are realizing that they waiting long enough to buy and missed opportunities to get the very best value (more home, less money) by being indecisive while home prices were at record lows... 05/23/2010

In the Midst of Your Storm I had the pleasure of attending a book signing for one of my tenants, (Deidre Murray) on Saturday, May 15th.  Deidre and her very good friend Ataska Winsett were inspired to write this book as a direct result of their faith in God and how that faith reigns supreme in their daily lives.  In the Midst of Your Storm, as you can imagine, is a story of triumph despite the challenges faced by us all.  Deidre and Ataska bring us into their world which is a world that reflects so many of our very own stories. ITMOYS is a short, but well worth reading paperbook.  For a jolt of inspiration, get your copy today. Congratulations to Deidre and Ataska!       05/17/2010

    What About Selling My Home Now That The Opportunity To Qualify For The Homebuyer Tax Credit Has Passed? Home Selling Tips - Birmingham AL     There's no doubt that the tax credit and low interest rates got many buyers off the fence and rushing to get a home under contract by the April 30th deadline.  The date has come and gone.  I get a lot of questions from sellers concerned that they may have missed a golden opportunity to sell.  From my own experience there are still plenty of serious, qualified buyers out there right now!    Here is a short video that discusses the effect of the tax credit and the health of the housing market......along with 3 tips to keep in mind that will help you succeed in selling your home.       Need Help Buying or Selling? Give Me a Call and Let's Get Sta... 05/16/2010

HOT BUY on 2+ ACRES of rarely available land in the Oxmoor area of Wenonah Oxmoor Rd. New construction neighborhoods have been popping up all around this property! Beautiful view from the front porch of the home. This home has 4 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. Master Bedroom has a walk-in closet and private bathroom. The home also has a living room and dining room as well as a nice sized kitchen and laundry room. The 2+ acres of property extends well beyond the tree line behind the house and could be prime for development. Aluminum siding on the house. HVAC updated in '07 as well as new roof and some electrical. Also a new hot water heater in '07. Additional info about the property including homeowner contacts could be found here: http://www.fizber.com/alabama-buy-single-family-home-1637... 05/13/2010

The Metropolitan Birmingham, Al is a hotbed for investment properties.  When I say hotbed, I don't mean that the metro area is filled with dilapidated houses for little or nothing.  One of the best areas to buy is in the Belview Heights/Oak Hills neighborhoods of the Ensley community.  In the Belview Heights/Oak Hills neighborhoods, investors will find an area where people still desire to live.  They'll find that the community is still representative of pride of ownership and people still want to rent and own here. I often get inquiries about Bham WIiRE Realty's property management services from investors who feel that they've been duped.  This is particularly true with out of state investors.  They've purchased a property for five, six, seven thousand dollars in run down communities an... 05/10/2010

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com 05/09/2010

Alabamians Step Up to 2010 US Census Challenge This is not a challenge that is specific to Alabama,but rather it is challenge specific to our nation.  To date, Alabama citiizens have consciously and agressively put their best foot forward in promptly returning their census forms.  The US Census Bureau reports that , yes, Alabamians are standing up and being counted.  Thus far, we have outpaced our return rate of Census 2000.  That's something to be proud of.  I'm not sure what has motivated the high rate of return, but hopefully the trend will continue until the 2010 Census ends.  Afterall, our headcount is directly related to Federal funds allocated to our state. More Alabama Census facts Jefferson County Census facts Birmingham Alabama Census facts 2000 Census Birmingham Housing Stats... 05/03/2010

  DINING OUT FOR LIFE Hosted by AIDS ALABAMA   On Thursday, April 29th you can enjoy a delicious meal and help fight HIV/AIDS by Dining Out For Life!  Participating restaurants will donate at least 25% of meal proceeds to AIDS Alabama to help provide services to benefit the many needs faced by our Alabama friends that are HIV-positive and their families.     MAKE ONE MEAL MATTER!     Take a look at the Birmingham area restaurants that are supporting this event!  YUMMY!   Avo (Dinner) Becky's South (All Day) Bellini's Ristorante and Bar (Lunch and Dinner) Bottega (Lunch and Dinner) Bottletree Cafe (Lunch) Cafe Dupont (Lunch and Dinner) Cantina (Lunch) Cosmo's Pizza (Lunch and Dinner) DeVinci's Pizza (Lunch and Dinner) DiGiorgio's Outtakes (Lunch) Dram (Dinner) Forest Perk Coffee (All Day... 04/27/2010

  SCHAEFFER EYE CENTER CRAWFISH BOIL April 30th and May 1st, 2010       It's that time again! The 2010 Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil is back with a bunch of great acts and of course......CRAWFISH!   Tickets may be purchased in advance...$20 per day and $35 for a weekend pass.  VIP tickets are available for $75 per day.  Click this link for more information about tickets and VIP privileges.   Location:  Outside at the BJCC (Richard Arrington Jr. Drive between 22nd and 24th Streets).  Click the link for a map.     SCHEDULE OF ACTS......   FRIDAY - Gates open at 4:00 PM     Fuel - 5:00 PM - 5:40 PM     Theory Of A Deadman - 6:00 PM - 6:50 PM     Seether - 7:15 PM - 8:15 PM     Akon - 8:45 PM - 9:45 PM     Alice In Chains - 10:00 PM - 11:15 PM     SATURDAY - Gates open at 2:00 PM    Ro... 04/23/2010

Mortgage Products that Get Buyers Moving (pun intended)...Birmingham, Alabama   There are many different mortgage products out there to choose from but, only a few that get buyers excited and moving. Those buyers that are not quite ready to pull the trigger for one reason or another or, are anxious about the financing process or, are trying to save up for the down payment, might take action sooner if they were made aware of the different mortgage products that require very little out-of-pocket to move in.     There is, for the time being, still a Zero Down Mortgage product available through the USDA Rural Development Program. This program is designed to help low to moderate income buyers purchase homes without having to come up with large down payments. The income limitations can be as ... 04/22/2010