Helena, AL

Boy, has it gotten busy lately or is it my imagination! I listed a home for sale in Helena, Alabama 3 weeks ago and we already received an offer. The seller had fixed it up and it looked GREAT. The person who is buying the home as never owned a home before and can take advantage of the First Time Home Buyer's Tax Credit.

If you are a first time home buyer (and a 1^st time home buyer is defined as someone who hasn't owned a home in the last 3 years), then you can qualify for an $8,000 TAX CREDIT on your 2009 taxes. A tax credit which is good for homes purchased through December 1^st 2009, is better than a deduction because it is subtracted directly from the amount of tax you owe. If you don't owe $8000, you get cash back!! Just buy a house and you can get a credit for 10% of the home's purchase price (up to $8000).

There is nothing that you have to apply for ahead of time. The credit will be claimed when you file your income tax return. Click Here to see a copy of the form that you file with your taxes. If you owe less than 8,000 in taxes, you will get CASH BACK to use on whatever you want. Check out the form for instructions and information about income limits and what to do if you sell the house before 3 years is up.

You keep hearing Now is the Time to Buy, well Now is the Time to Buy.

I told you about the house with the offer on it - well there is another one right down the street waiting for YOU. This home has 2 Bedrooms, 2.5 Baths and a nice updated Kitchen. The owners have loved this house and NOW it is your turn. Take A Look at the Visual Tour.

If you haven't already done so, now is the time to contact a lender and get pre-approved for a loan. Click here to shop for houses on line at my website www.ToniBird.com, When you are ready, contact me and I'll set up appointments for you to see your top picks.

PROGRESS IN HELENA!

Yes, you know the feeling! That first reaction when we see those dreaded orange and white barrel markers lined up on the road that marks the beginning of a slow down in traffic flow and in some cases long waits to get past the work in progress!

But when you paint a picture of the end result and realize that sometimes you have to be inconvenienced a little bit for nicer things to come it is easier to plan your drive to include a little more time to reach your destination. And that is what we will have in Helena, Alabama when the new Helena pedestrian tunnel opens under County Road 52!

This $9.9 million project under construction by Shelby County and U.S. Steel includes a parkway and pedestrian tunnel that will connect the walking trails from Hillsboro Subdivision to the new Helena Middle School.

This 100 foot long tunnel will allow pedestrians to safely cross under the busy road when using the 12 foot wide trails that will offer a natural treelined setting.

Helena is very proud of the progress of this project as the new tunnel has been placed and the vision is starting to take shape!

This is just one of the many exciting projects on the drawing board for this great city! Helena, Alabama is a wonderful place to live! This kind of growth improves the environment of our daily lives in the areas where we live and play.

About the Author

Debbie Hutchins a Certified Residential Specialist has been a licensed Realtor since 1987. Serving the Greater Birmingham Area and specializing in Shelby County Debbie is available to assist you with your real estate needs. We hope you have enjoyed reading and hope you will come back! You may also subscribe to "debs doodles" and have it delivered to your email! And as always, you are welcome to search the MLS through Debbies Re/Max website.

All data contained within is deemed correct however, RE/MAX First Choice and/or its Sales Associates are not responsible for errors and/or omissions. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Helena, Alabama

is a great place to raise a family!

The Real Estate Listing and Sales Activity for the month of January in 2009 at a glance in the chart below shows that we are getting the year off to a great start!

There are 271 Active Listings with a Median Price of $205,000.The data shows that 220 of these homes are Existing or "Pre Loved" homes, 25 are New Completed Construction, 24 are Under Construction and 2 are proposed to be built in the future.

The New Homes Available are in Cahaba Falls, Creekwater, Hillsboro, Laurel Lakes, Long Leaf Lakes, Old Cahaba, Riverwoods, Silver Lakes, Sterling Lakes and Timberlake.

There are 4 homes showing Contingency Contracts with 17 in Pending Sale waiting to close!

Closings reflected that 15 homes transferred title with a median price of $189,900 and an average of 108 days on the market.

WELCOME to the 15 new families taking residence in Helena!

The data also shows that 26 homes were withdrawn or expired from the market and of the 271 Active Listings 67 were new on the market.

If you have considered moving to Helena, or if you live in Helena now and are ready for a change, give me a call!

NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY A HOME!

FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS.....ASK ME ABOUT THE NEW $8000 TAX CREDIT!

Debbie Hutchins a Certified Residential Specialist has been a licensed Realtor since 1987. Serving the Greater Birmingham Area and specializing in Shelby County Debbie is available to assist you with your real estate needs. We hope you have enjoyed reading and hope you will come back! You may also subscribe to "debs doodles" and have it delivered to your email! And as always, you are welcome to search the MLS through Debbie's Re/Max website.

All data contained within is deemed correct however, RE/MAX First Choice and/or its Sales Associates are not responsible for errors and/or omissions. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Oh the joy of hearing the phone ring, SOLD signs and moving trucks! The activity in Riverwoods has really picked up...homes are showing, contracts are being written and new families are moving in. Inventory reduction has reached an end and it is time again to begin anew.

For the month of January there are 9 Listings showing Active with only 4 of those being "New Construction" and one of those just got a contract firmed up. The remaining 5 Actives are Resale homes and one of those just went under contract also.

One resale home has a contingency contract and there are 5 more homes in Pending Sale! One home closed in the month of January.

It appears that 2009 is getting off to a great start in RIVERWOODS!

In a neighborhood of approximatley 275 finished homes to only have 7 Available for sale is pretty slim pickings. The absorption rate has been met and it is time for some new Inventory. Homebuyers will no longer be able to select a finished New Home and move right in. It is now time to select a lot and floorplan and build the home of your choice. Click on the following link to read about the NEW Developer prices on the lots in RIVERWOODS Sector 7.

Dream Home Lots Available at Affordable Prices! "Come Home to Riverwoods!"

The Developer currently has 32 Lots available for sale. There are 16 Builder owned Lots and 2 Estate lots for sale by Individuals.

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE ...COMING HOME TO RIVERWOODS!

Debbie Hutchins a Certified Residential Specialist has been a licensed Realtor since 1987. Serving the Greater Birmingham Area and specializing in Shelby County Debbie is available to assist you with your real estate needs. We hope you have enjoyed reading and hope you will come back! You may also subscribe to "debs doodles" and have it delivered to your email! And as always, you are welcome to search the MLS through Debbies Re/Max website.

All data contained within is deemed correct however, RE/MAX First Choice and/or its Sales Associates are not responsible for errors and/or omissions. Prices are subject to change without notice.

If you have been thinking about moving to RIVERWOODS, there could be no better time than NOW!

HOT OFF THE PRESSES! The Developer has just revised the LOT Prices for Sector 7 to offer you a wonderful opportunity to build the home of your dreams! These are beautiful wooded Estate Lots that range in size from .5 to 2.4 Acres +/-. They offer beautiful views and there are only 2 left on the Cahaba River. This is the perfect time of year to start building a home. By the time you make your lot selection, finalize the floorplans, fine tune the details with your builder and get your financing in place SPRING WILL BE IN THE AIR! The perfect time to smell the fresh dirt moving and newly cut timber forming the new place for you to call HOME!

The Real Estate Market has been given a breath of fresh air and there is a flurry of activity with home showings and home sales! Interest Rates are incredibly low and there are loan programs that will allow for you to lock in the rate and have sufficient time to get your home built. We have dedicated professional career builders that are excited to work with you in the construction of your DREAM!

If you need to sell your present home before you can build let's get started today! You can decide on a lot and we can get busy selling your present home while we work on the details of your NEW HOME!

RIVERWOODS is a wonderful community

with sidewalks, walking trails, parks, lakes, playgrounds and a community pool and clubhouse!

And don't forget.....HELENA is a great family community that has so much to offer!

It is growing at a fast pace to provide you with all of your needs conveniently located just minutes away. Great Schools, Beautiful Parks, Numerous Dining Choices, Convenient Service Industries (Banks, Cleaners etc.), Local Shopping and nearby Shopping Malls and being Close to Interstate are just some of the amenities this beautiful clean city offers!

THERE IS NOTHING LIKE......COMING HOME TO RIVERWOODS!

GIVE ME A CALL TODAY! LET'S PUT ON OUR BOOTS AND GO WALK SOME LOTS!

DIRECT 205-368-2474

Debbie Hutchins a Certified Residential Specialist has been a licensed Realtor since 1987. Serving the Greater Birmingham Area and specializing in Shelby County Debbie is available to assist you with your real estate needs. We hope you have enjoyed reading and hope you will come back! You may also subscribe to "debs doodles" and have it delivered to your email! And as always, you are welcome to search the MLS through Debbies Re/Max website.

All data contained within is deemed correct however, RE/MAX First Choice and/or its Sales Associates are not responsible for errors and/or omissions. Prices are subject to change without notice.