Toni Bird

Get Something Special - YOUR DREAM HOME WITH A VIEW in Birmingham Alabama

We keep hearing positive news about the economy. A few minutes ago I picked up an article that said housing sales rose in the 4^th quarter in all states except one. AND Alabama was not the one. We all know people are starting to buy things (because the trade deficit is increasing with China) - probably all those big screen TV's. I have also seen 8 people in MY neighborhood alone replace their roof in the last 6 months and at least 2 have replaced their kitchen countertops. The signs are there if you are willing to look for them.

Before Real Estate Sales in Birmingham, Alabama really start to take off, it's a great time to look for property that is a good deal. This is when people make money - by buying real estate when the cost is low. I am always looking for pieces of property that have something SPECIAL about them. For instance there are two homes for sale in my neighborhood that sit on a lake. THOSE are unique properties - and ones that would have been snapped up by now in a better economy.

This picture is the view from a property for sale in Jefferson County (no city taxes). It is tucked away between Homewood and Hoover - so you could incorporate if you wanted to. It is less than 10 miles to Birmingham City Center which makes it easy on the commute and easy on the pocketbook as gas prices continue to rise. It is raw land so the building possibilities are endless.

What would your Dream Home with a View look like? Imagine building a home with a HUGE porch to take advantage of nature and the fabulous view. Or perhaps a home with a wall of windows that lets the view in from all sides. You wouldn't just pull any home plan off the shelf, you would want an Architect for this project. I know just the architect who could design a plan for you AND site it perfectly on the property so your home would take advantage of the view. Tim has his own firm, Tim Barron Architect, Inc, which he founded in 1998. He takes great care to listen to what you want, preserve the trees on the lot, and to make sure you get a home that you are delighted with.

Now is the time to do something special. Homebuilders who would have snatched this property up 5 years ago are very cautious now. That is why this Land For Sale is such a great find.

If you'd like more information about this property for sale, call today. I can help you with THIS or any other property in the Birmingham area. Make 2011 the year YOU get YOUR Dream Home with a View!

One of the great things about Hoover Alabama is its convenient location. Depending on where you are in town, it is 10-15 miles to downtown Birmingham City Center Business District and UAB. We also have the Galleria Shopping Center and the newer Patton Creek Shopping Center located at the intersection of I-65 and I-459. The Summit Shopping Center is located at the corner of US HWY 280 and I-459. One of the things that aids the convenience is the number of highways. Highways are great, however, they can create a lot of noise. If you live near a highway there are some things you can do.

To improve the noise INSIDE your house (especially in older homes), you can upgrade your windows. Windows have a STC rating. The higher the STC rating, the more noise resistant. Now would be a good time to upgrade your windows since you can get a tax credit for putting in energy efficient windows. Energy efficiency will also help with the noise.

If you live right ON TOP of the freeway (which most of us do not) you may want to check out sound proof windows. I don't know anyone who has needed them, however, if noise is a HUGE problem, you might want to check on these.

If you live in a new home, you may not be able to hear traffic noise INSIDE your home, but you can when you go outside. What should you do there? Sometimes a wall can help. The wall must be solid - no decorative holes. The noise you hear comes from the tires on the cars and trucks. So, your wall MUST be higher than the tire location to help. We have so many hills around Hoover, Alabama, you'd have to see where the road level actually IS to know if the wall will help. Trees help some, but not as much as a solid wall.

You can also use water features to block the traffic noise.

The water feature has to be fairly large and make a good amount of water noise itself (just one little trickle isn't going to work). I was in a house one time where the people had built an 8 foot wall across the back patio and had a water fall coming down the wall into a pool. The waterfall was beautiful and it totally blocked the traffic noise. The waterfall above was VERY soothing. You could leave the bedroom window open and hear the waterfall all night. If you have a big backyard, it might take more than one fountain in the backyard to work for you. You could just make a noise free zone where you sit or enjoy eating outside.

A well landscaped backyard that includes evergreen trees and one or two water features will go a long way toward making your backyard a pleasant place (and will help with resale value). Calling a landscape architect would help. They can really help your yard have a unified look

If you'd like to learn more about removing traffic noise from your home, check out my February newsletter.

Beautiful Day for the Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham Alabama

Today was a beautiful day for the 9^th running of the Mercedes Marathon. Running the streets of Birmingham, Alabama for either the full or ½ marathon. Runners had to complete the course within 6 hours (4 for the ½). Fans were on hand in 5 points, Highlands , and Boutwell to cheer the runners on. READ what runners had to say about their experience.

The finish line, which was in front of Boutwell Auditorium, was a welcome site for the runners. The announcers called out each person as they crossed the finish line. A big after race party was held in Boutwell.

Local runner, Daniel Ellis was the winner of the Mercedes Marathon.

Last year the Mercedes Marathon raised $534,000 for local charities. Read more about the Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham, Alabama.

Homebuilder Rusty Fowler Finishes Another Home in The Preserve

Another ecstatic Hoover, Alabama, homeowner has just moved into their new home in The Preserve. At the corner of Restoration Drive and Fameflower Street is the newest home in this fabulous community which features turn of the century architecture, wide front porches and upscale amenities.

Rusty Fowler began building homes in Lake Crest in 2004, and continued a successful homebuilding career here in Hoover before being invited to join the select group of builders in The Preserve in 2007. Throughout 2009, when many stopped construction, homebuilder Rusty Fowler could be found on the job site in The Preserve overseeing the construction of several custom homes.

Rusty's wife Vicki is responsible for the interior design and finishes found in the Fowler's Custom Homes. She chooses the colors and finishes in the SPEC homes and accompanies the future homeowner when choosing fixtures, granite, cabinets, flooring and all the other finishes throughout the home. This personal touch is invaluable when there are so many decisions to make.

The Fowler Custom Homes are designed by local architect Tim Barron, AIA who has designed many other homes in this Hoover, Alabama neighborhood. The Preserve attempts to recreate the feeling of small towns from the late 1800's and early 1900's, therefore, the home designs are governed by a strict set of guidelines. Tim's experience with designing period homes, coupled with his eye for beauty and attention to detail produces a home of which the owner can be really proud. Each home is unique (not a plan pulled off the shelf or ordered from a catalog) and reflects the lifestyle and desires of the owner.

One of MY clients chose the Fowlers and Tim Barron, AIA to create the new dream home in The Preserve that they moved into last June. What an exceptional experience! I would highly recommend these professionals to anyone interested in a beautiful custom home in the Preserve.

It's finally here, SNOW! The flakes started falling abut 10:30 A.M. and were coming down good until 3:00. The last snow day we had was a NON-EVENT - very disappointing. But today it is just a tad below freezing and the flakes are falling and sticking to the trees and grass. Here are some pictures to enjoy.

I love the way the snow accentuates the shapes of the branches.

So this Hoover Alabama snow is NOTHING compared to what the folks in Washington and Pennsylvania have had, but it sure is beautiful!