It's always nice to see your home turf get some positive recognition, and BusinessWeek magazine has helped drive home what we tell folks all the time: Alabama is a great place to live.
BusinessWeek has named the city of Alabaster in Shelby Co. has the state's most affordable suburb. This is the one of the key cities we service for people buying or selling homes, and with several good reasons.
Alabaster has enjoyed tremendous growth the past few years, but--unlike many communities--its tax base has been growing, as well, thanks to the Colonial Promenade Shopping Center, along with other businesses opening their doors here.
Some folks say the mall has really put what used to be a 'sleepy little town' on the map. For years, people would drive by Alabaster on Interstate-65 all the time on their way to do their shopping and dining out elsewhere. But that model has changed a lot. My wife and I are accustomed to walking in to many Alabaster area restaurants, especially on weekends, only to be told that there's a wait of at least half an hour or longer. No, we don't enjoy having to wait, but I think that, in many ways, the fact that we do have to wait says something positive about this area's economy.
And then there's quality of life ... well, let's just say the secret is getting out more and more these days. And that holds true for everyone from young families to people looking for a change or to downsize, to folks wanting to escape the frigid winters of the northern states. 
According to BusinessWeek, Alabaster's median household income stands at just over $69,000, while the area's unemployment rate stands at 2.3%.
Another amenity of living in this area that's very important to potential buyers is commute time to Birmingham. At barely 30 minutes, this is where more and more buyers find that they can get more home for their money, but without the costs and hassles of excessive travel time.
We're constantly telling folks about how much Shelby Co., Alabama, has to offer. I'm suspecting even more people will learn about the quality of life in our area, thanks to stories like the one appearing in BusinessWeek...
David Black
Okay, I admit it. Snow is a big deal around here. Snow in the deep South is a pretty rare event. You don't see scenes like this in Alabama very often:
Nonetheless, we can say that--through neither rain, nor sleet nor snow--Realtors keep doing their job. We'll be showing a home for sale to buyers in Shelby county's Alabaster area shortly, snow or no snow! It would seem that--instead of taking in the winter scene--Fisbo, our spoiled six pound poodle, prefers to climb up my leg while I'm shooting snow pictures:
When it comes to achieving successful sales, it helps not to lose sight of some tried and true tricks--especially during challenging times, I'm convinced.
Just completed an interview we did with a local lender about Buy-downs and posted a podcast on our website. A lot of folks still don't really understand buy-downs--perhaps this interview makes the Buy-down clearer.
I hope someone gets benefit out of hearing this.
http://calloncolleen.com/blog/?p=381
Thanks!
David Black
Working in Shelby county real estate reminds me of walking into the surf along Alabama's Gulf Coast. Stand only a few feet from shore, and the incoming waves gently surround your feet. You feel the almost tickling sensation of sand washing away as the water recedes. Take a few more steps out, and those incoming waves rise to around your knees. Walk out further, and you start to appreciate the power of nature. Just standing your ground becomes a lot more of a challenge. It's as if the waves are reminding you who's really in control.
As you look further out and see a really big wave forming, you get a new sense of what it means to be vulnerable. Something daunting is heading your way. You know you'll be facing it. The question is, will you still be standing after it passes? And then there's what smart beach veterans know to be wary of afterward: the undertow, a silent and deadly menace that claims many lives every year.
The real estate market seems to be sending a lot of waves and undertows toward us these days. Some sellers are scared of selling. Potential buyers sometimes seem surprised to hear that it's such a great time to buy, almost as if they had expected a very pessimistic answer after asking their agent if the Birmingham area market has any life left, at all. This isn't really surprising, given the 24-hour doom and gloom news cycles saturating us from more sources and directions than ever.
While the economy certainly faces major challenges, my sense is that people are not getting a very balanced perspective about many of the topics getting coverage. Talk with most experts and they'll tell you that the economy runs in cycles, making it a matter of time before certain industries (including real estate) begin a swing back to more normal conditions. Whether you're an agent, or whether you work in a field related to real estate, we have to be able to withstand the pounding waves of negative news and not get caught in the undertow. We need to map a strategy for how to be productive and successful in what we do, even when it's more difficult.
One thing that really helps is enjoying what you do for a living, even when times are tough. It's awfully easy, these days, to forget that we could all be in much worse situations. I make it a point to always try to remember that. Do you ever think of all the blessings around you?
These days, one of the more valuable weapons in my real estate arsenal is information. We're also lucky to have a great Team Leader/Broker, who goes to a lot of effort to be supportive of the agents in our office. Our local MLS has been a good source of data that agents will find helpful in reassuring clients and customers that the Birmingham and Shelby county real estate market is still in pretty healthy shape, all things considered.
We also feel encouraged by what we've seen the past few weeks. Activity has picked up. Prospective buyers have been calling. There's a long way to go, in terms of the activity levels we'd like to see, but the trends are definitely heading in the right direction.
Showing your clients that you are knowledgeable about matters such as trends, pricing and time on market may help to reassure them if they have a big decision of their own to make about buying or selling.
When the big storm passes--as it will--the waves will drop down to a more manageable size. Better times will return. And, hopefully, we'll still be standing.
This is my first post on ActiveRain ... here's hoping it flies!
My wife and I are agents specializing in the Shelby Co. and south Jefferson Co. portion of Birmingham, Alabama. These are among the most desired areas chosen by people living in Birmingham. We love
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