I woke up this morning at 6:20, peered out the window and there it was SNOW.  They had promised us snow several times this year and didn't deliver so when my husband told me yesterday that it was going to snow today, I just dismissed the thought.  But this morning, with eternal optimism, I took a peak and here it was ‘THE WHITE STUFF".  I was born in Massachusetts and have many happy childhood memories of playing in the snow.  So I look forward to those infrequent occasions when we receive snow here in Hoover and today I was not disappointed.  I went back to bed until 7:30 and then arose to drink our morning coffee in the living room while we watched the snowflakes pour from the sky. It was so quiet and peaceful!  It snowed until about 10:30 AM - not enough to stick on the roads, but ... 03/01/2009

The New Stimulus Bill that President Obma just signed into law gives First Time Home Buyers a TAX CREDIT of 10% of the purchase price for a home purchased between January 1, 2009 and December 1, 2009.  This means if you buy a home that costs $80,000 or more, you will receive an $8000 tax credit.   The maximum you can receive is $8000, but even if you pay a lot more than 80K for a house, that $8,000 is still a nice little sum. This 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath home for sale in Hoover Alabama is priced at $153,900.  If you purchased this home, you could get an $8000 tax credit next winter! If you were waiting for something great to happen THIS IS IT.  There was a tax credit in the housing bill that former President Bush signed, however, that one had to be paid back over time.  This Tax Credit for ... 02/19/2009

Home sales in the Hoover, Alabama were down in January 2009 to 44 - but that number is still higher than they were in November 2008 (33). In the Hoover Alabama area, the average salesprice was $288,806 with prices ranging from $79,900 for a 3 Bedroom 1 Bath in Chapel Hill, to $599,000 for a 5 bedroom 4.5 Bath in the Ross Bridge.  Currently, there are 927 homes on the market.  Just think of the possibilities!  Of course not every house is for everyone so a realtor can help you sort out what suits your needs.  Activity of people looking for a home has picked up after the 1st of February and sales in February and March should increase. If you would like any specific information about YOUR neighborhood, or to sign up for Hot Breaking News on New Listings, contact me at www.ToniBird.com. 02/17/2009

Wondered what happened to Toni's Blog posts??  Well, real estate just plain got in the way.  Back in November, I found a great deal on a foreclosed property here in Hoover Alabama, that I just HAD TO HAVE.  Along with the excitement of moving, tweaking the new house to be "move in ready", Christmas, getting the old house ready to go on the market, AND a brisk real estate business - yes brisk- something had to go and the blogging was it.  Now, I'm basically settled in and am ready to share.  Wow! Is there a lot going on or what?  Lots of news in the housing market, but it is NOT all bad.  I keep hearing people compare this time to the Great Depression. Houses ARE selling and there are great deals out there.  I read something a few months ago and I can't remember who said it -but some rea... 02/11/2009

  This Market Report for Caldwell Crossings in Hoover AL looks at Market Absorption Trends for 12 months, 6 months and 3 months ending January 2009.               Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP BIRMINGHAM AREA REAL ESTATE 205.902.4868 Keller Williams One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150 Hoover, AL  35244 Ann@AnnAllenTeam.com             © 2009 Ann Allen, All rights reserved   Photo taken by Ann Allen, and may not be reproduced without express written permission of Ann Allen, Keller Williams Realty, Hoover AL.  Please check if Creative Commons License as been granted for this or other photography provided by Ann Allen.  Permission usually granted if credit is given with a link back.  Thank you for your understanding.     02/11/2009

  This Market Report for Riverchase in Hoover AL looks at Market Absorption Trends for 12 months, 6 months and 3 months ending January 2009.               Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP BIRMINGHAM AREA REAL ESTATE 205.902.4868 Keller Williams One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150 Hoover, AL  35244 Ann@AnnAllenTeam.com             © 2009 Ann Allen, All rights reserved   Photo taken by Ann Allen, and may not be reproduced without express written permission of Ann Allen, Keller Williams Realty, Hoover AL.  Please check if Creative Commons License as been granted for this or other photography provided by Ann Allen.  Permission usually granted if credit is given with a link back.  Thank you for your understanding. 02/10/2009

  Hoover is Alabama's sixth largest city with over 73,000 residents.  Convenience plays a large role in Hoover being the choice of many families to reside in this fast growing city with it's high ranking school system which is the third largest in the state.  There are 5 Major roadways in Hoover - I-65, I-459, Highway 31, Highway 280 and Highway 150 to help when traveling in and around the city. An abundance of restaurants, theaters, golf courses and shopping malls provides homeowners this convenience just minutes from home. Please use the following links to learn more about this fine city! City of Hoover Hoover City Schools Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce In 2008 there were 1085 homes sold in Hoover with a median price of $279,900 and it took an average of 77 days to sell these homes. ... 01/16/2009

    Christmas Decorations at The Riverchase Galleria in Hoover AL   The Galleria is always one of the most crowded malls in the Birmingham area during the holiday shopping season.   Where are all the shoppers?   These photos were taken during the week,   It will look a lot different on the weekend!                   Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP BIRMINGHAM AREA REAL ESTATE 205.902.4868 Keller Williams One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150 Hoover, AL  35244 Ann@AnnAllenTeam.com     © 2008 Ann Allen, All rights reserved          Photos taken by Ann Allen, and may not be reproduced without express written permission of Ann Allen, Keller Williams Realty, Hoover AL.  Please check if Creative Commons License as been granted for this or other photography provided by Ann Allen.  Perm... 12/12/2008

Hoover, Alabama is a fabulous place to live.  Many home sites have fabulous views.  The fall leaves are beautiful this year and every trip to the grocery store is filled with color! Home sales in the Hoover, Alabama area were down in October 2008 with 58 homes sold. This was the lowest number since January '08 (with 52 sales). Part of this is a seasonal slow down and part is a reflection of the poor economic news that hit at the end of September. In the Hoover Alabama area, the average salesprice was $283,763 with prices ranging from $104,900 for a 4 Bedroom 2.5 Bath at the Vestavia Knoll, to $769,900 for a 4 bedroom 2.5 Bath in the Lake Trace section of Trace Crossings.  Currently, there are 1029 homes on the market which means there are a lot of fabulous homes to choose from. Activity... 11/18/2008

WELCOME TO SHELBY COUNTIES NEWEST ESTATE LOT COMMUNITY THAT IS LOCATED IN THE HOOVER CITY LIMITS! A "STONE'S" THROW FROM ALL THE ACTIVITY OF A BUSY CITY LIFE WITH THE PEACEFUL QUIET SERENITY OF PRIVATE WOODED BEAUTY. YOUR OWN NATURE WONDERLAND WITH 3 - 5 ACRE HOME SITES PRICED FROM THE $170'S TO THE $190'S PURCHASE YOUR'S AND BEGIN YOUR DREAM HOME!                                                                                                          FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO                                  WWW.DEBBIEHUTCHINS.COM/403195                           11/09/2008

When the Real Estate Market takes a SHIFT it can offer a great opportunity to the HOME BUYER that would like to BUILD  their DREAM HOME!  It use to be that "LOCK and KEY", where the home buyer selects a lot and floor plan and the home is constructed according to their specifications and decorator selections, was the only way to build a home.  But in times of a slow down in New Home starts and speculative building there are now LOTS for SALE to INDIVIDUALS.  With NO time constraints you can BUY your LOT now and BUILD later!  This works well for the Home Buyer that has a home to sell first.  You can buy your lot and work with the architect on your floor plans and specifications while your home is on the market.  You can also use yur own builder or choose one from our group of experienced ... 11/07/2008

I know where I will be this weekend - the third annual Moss Rock Festival at The Preserve in Hoover, Alabama.  I have been every year so far and I'm really looking forward to it.  The weather should be beautiful and it will be great to walk around the large park outside the Town Hall and take in all the sites. The events start at 10:00 A.M and run through 5:00 both Saturday and Sunday and the event is FREE.  Parking is easy - just go to the Hoover Met (now called Regions Park) and a shuttle bus will take you directly to the artist's displays.  There will be bands playing, food to eat and lots of booths with artist's works on display.  There will even be cake on display in the town hall - last year there was one shaped like a raccoon! The theme is eco friendly so there will also be oppor... 10/30/2008

What a morning!  Temperatures in the 30's here in Hoover Alabama are absolutely exhilarating.  These are the kind of temperatures we need to have the fall colors at their best.  Maggie and I went for our morning walk around 7:30.  There was FROST everywhere. The sun was starting to shine, but hadn't hit many of the roofs yet so the frost was covering them as well.  I saw a few houses though that didn't have frost on their roof, or had frost on only parts of the roof.  This house in the picture only had frost in one square above the front door. Those houses look more warm and inviting BUT, that is not necessarily a good thing. Often that is an indication that you are loosing heat through the attic. If your roof is toasty warm so the frost doesn't stick, then you are heating the underside... 10/29/2008

Next Tuesday, November 4th is the Big Day.  Election Day. No matter which of the 6 (yes 6) presidential candidates you want to see leading this great country, it is imperative that YOU go to cast your vote. Every vote counts.  I find it really irritating that the news channels will predict a winner with only 60, 50 sometimes 30% of the vote in.  It makes you wonder if your vote even matters. But remember there were 5 big decisions made in this country by only one vote: -made English the language of America instead of German (1776) -approved American independence from England (1776) -gave Thomas Jefferson the presidency (1800) -admitted Texas (1845) and California (1850) into the Union So yes, your vote IS important. If you will not be in town on November 4th, you can vote absentee. Ther... 10/28/2008

Birmingham Couple Buys Their Dream Home Using Strategies and Tools Taught at a FREE, ALL NEW HOME BUYER CLASSBirmingham, AL– Buying a home is a complex process. Title Insurance – inspections – negotiations – mortgages.  To help ensure that your home purchase is profitable and problem free, six area companies have teamed up to sponsor a home buyer’s class to teach you the secrets of successful home buying.    The class is presented in an information packed 2-hour format and held at the Vestavia Hills Library at 1112 Montgomery Highway in Birmingham. Whether you personally own a home or this is your first time, you will learn new tips and strategies for getting the best buy and the best mortgage. At the class, you’ll learn: How much home can I afford? What government programs do I qualif... 10/27/2008

Most roofs come with a life expectancy - people say "this is a 30 year roof or a 20 year roof".  That means you can expect the roof to start leaking by the time it hits that timeframe.  There are things that can cut the life of your roof, like having branches from trees lying on the roof (I don't think you should cut down the tree because the branches are touching it, just keep them trimmed back).  Fungus can attack the roof (this is what makes the roof look stained).  This staining can be cleaned off (it's not that expensive) and it extends the life of your roof. Storms can also cause the roof to fail before it comes to the end of its useful life.  I see lots of roofs with missing shingles that have blown off in a storm and hail is hard on a roof. When it is time to replace the roof, t... 10/23/2008

Every year on the 3rd Saturday of October, the Hoover High School Band hosts the Hoover Invitational Marching Band Festival.  I have been to many of these festivals in the past and the atmosphere is warm and inviting as the spectators cheer on the various students. I am really looking forward to some great entertainment. The first Hoover Invitational Marching Band Festival was held in 1978 at Berry High School and was called The Over the Mountain Invitational Marching Band Festival. There has been only one year since 1978 that there has not been a Festival. In 1994, with the opening of Hoover High School, The Festival was moved to The Hoover Metropolitan Stadium and renamed to The Hoover Invitational Marching Band Festival. The Hoover Invitational Marching Band Festival is held at Regio... 10/17/2008

The numbers are in for September 2008. Russet Woods and Southwood are neighborhoods conveniently located near I-459 and South Shades Crest Rd. in Hoover Alabama.  Students attend Hoover High, Bumpus Middle School and either South Shades Crest or Deer Valley Elementary. There were 4 homes that sold in these Hoover Alabama neighborhoods in the month of Septmeber.  Prices ranged from $230,000 to $265,000. Click here for details on the homes sold. The home at 1701 Russet Crest Circle had a beautiful outdoor pool with an outdoor kitchen and entertainment area. If you would like information about homes sold in YOUR neighborhood, let me know at www.ToniBird.com.   10/11/2008

  For a lot of people this may be old news, but nonetheless it is news worth noting and sharing. Spain Park High School, part of the Hoover City School System in Hoover Alabama was named a Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education. This is one of highest awards a school can earn and I know that the parents, teachers, and students are very proud of their school. The US Department of Education gave out 320 of these awards this year, and five of them went to the State of Alabama. According to an article in the Birmingham News, Spain Park High School named National Blue Ribbon School, “The designation is awarded annually to public and private K-12 schools for demonstrating academic superiority or significant improvement in student achievement. To qualify, schools must either scor... 10/11/2008

I was out in the backyard watering my garden today and was noticing how many of the plants are starting to look weary now that fall is here.  I guess some of the mornings have been a little cool and the sun is going down sooner so it is more difficult for them to flourish. My roses love the cool weather and have a new resurgence of blooms.  I love the spring and fall for this reason.  One plant that still looks beautiful in the hydrangea.  The leaves are a dark green and are a healthy looking backdrop to some of the other plants whose leaves are turning. Some hydrandeas are shade loving and other prefer the sun.  I have three different hydrangea plants and they are all a tad different - but beautiful.  I have them planted in my backyard and they get moring sun and very heavy afternoon s... 10/11/2008