Archive for the ‘Birmingham News’ Category

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Monday, May 13th, 2013

Get out this month and explore the surrounding Hoover and Birmingham area community. There are many benefits to your new home at Ross Bridge and one of them is convenience to all that our city has to offer. Just to give you a list of some of the fantastic happenings in your local community, as well as give you some Memorial Day weekend ideas, we’ve gathered together a list of our favorites for your Jefferson County neighborhood.

 

May 14: 80’s Concert with the Cast of The Wedding Singer

Still living in the 80’s? Don’t worry, we are too, especially with this fantastic musical event that will turn any boring ‘ol Tuesday evening into a magical flashback. Join the Red Mountain Theatre Company as they perform a cabaret concert featuring your favorite 80’s classics.

Tuesday, May 14 at 7:30 pm

RMTC Cabaret Theatre

301 19th Street North

Birmingham, AL

For additional information and to purchase tickets, click here.

 

May 18: Spring Scramble 2013

Lace up those sneakers and run for not only your health, but to help the Children’s Center for Weight Management. The UAB Pediatrics Residency Program, through their Community, Outreach and Advocacy Program (Coat of Arms), hosts the 7th Annual Spring Scramble 5K.

May 18 at 8 am

The Trak Shak

2839 18th Street South

Homewood, AL 35209

For additional information and to register, click here.

 

May 18: Do Dah Day

This Saturday spend time with your family and friends at one of Birmingham’s oldest events! The Do Dah Day was first started in 1979 by a small group of friends. Today it’s one of the city’s most cherished springtime events raising money for a variety of animal organizations such as the Greater Birmingham Humane Society and the Friends of Cats and Dogs Foundation. This event is the perfect excuse to bring your favorite pooch and enjoy an afternoon of live music, food and drinks, kids activities and even a parade full of puppies!

Saturday, May 18 at 11:00 am

Caldwell Park

26th Street South & Highland Avenue

Birmingham, AL

For additional information, click here.

 

May 19: Wonderful Wetlands Hike

Celebrate American Wetlands Month by exploring Ruffner’s wetlands! Venture over to the Ruffner Mountain Nature Center and spend the day observing life both in and out of the wetlands. Enjoy the local wildlife of green tree frogs, spotted newts and a variety of beautiful birds.

Sunday, May 19 from 2-4 pm

Ruffner Mountain Nature Center

1214 81st Street South

Birmingham, AL

For additional information and to make a reservation, click here.

 

May 19: 22nd Annual Arty Party

Enjoy a variety of delicious hors d’oeuvres, wine and live art auction at the annual Arty Party, benefiting the Birmingham AIDS Outreach. This annual event will feature artist Carol Misner. There will also be cash bar and plenty of local, regional and national art to bid on during both silent and live auctions.

May 19 at 3 pm

B&A Warehouse

1531 1st Avenue South

Birmingham, AL

For additional information and to purchase tickets, click here.

 

May 24-27: Memorial Day Weekend at The Zoo

Here’s a fantastic excuse to spend the day playing with some furry creatures. The Birmingham Zoo will celebrate Memorial Day weekend by offering all active, disabled and retired military personnel and their dependents the chance to enjoy free admission with proof of military I.D.

Friday, May 24 from 9-7 pm

Saturday, May 25 from 9-7 pm

Sunday, May 26 from 9-7 pm

Monday, May 27 from 9-7 pm

Birmingham Zoo

2630 Cahaba Road

Birmingham, AL

For additional information and to purchase tickets, click here.

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Friday, April 19th, 2013

Several reports came out last month with great news for Birmingham—home sales are looking up!  Sales around the Birmingham area continued to rise in March revealing a 6% increase from this time last year and a 7% increase compared to the first quarter of 2012.

Since February 2012, new home sales have grown 24.8% and 18% year-to-date—outperforming the nation which saw an increase of 12.3% in February 2013 from 2012. Across the state, 60% of all Alabama metro areas saw an increase in new home sales this past February, as compared to a year prior in 2012. New home sales in five of the major metro markets represented almost 70% of all statewide new home sales transactions.

Prices also showed signs of positive changes for the Birmingham real estate market. The average sold price in March was up 10% from last year with a 6.4% increase in the median sold price.

Birmingham’s city offerings have lead to an overall growing population. The tight-knit urban neighborhoods offer lots of shopping and entertainment options within walking distance of themselves. Statewide, new construction inventory is up 6% since last February 2012 and home builders in the state are continually increasing production to match demand. New housing starts were up 7.7% in February 2013, compared to the month prior, and 12.4% since 2012.

The number of residents in downtown Birmingham has increased by 23% over the last decade. Since 2012 even office space has increased and various city improvements have been initiated such as the new stadium for minor league baseball team, Birmingham Barons, as well as the green space by the rail corridor.

Sources: Birmingham Association of Realtors, Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE), US Census Bureau

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Tuesday, April 9th, 2013

For the seventh month in a row, the National Association of Home Builders Index has reported positive improvement for metropolitan areas as identified in its monthly Home Builders/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) listing.

This past month, Birmingham made the list as one of the 274 metros newly listed in March. The addition of the 200+ metropolitan areas creates a net gain of 15 markets across all 50 states and DC, from the month prior. In February, Birmingham metro area reported a rise 2.8% increase in residential sales and in January it experienced a 10.5% gain in new home sales. This is a 14.3% increase from new home sales in 2012.

“The Birmingham housing market has experienced a steady increase in the number of new homes under construction with decreasing inventory of finished unoccupied homes. These numbers prove that we have reached a stead recover,” said Matt Morrow, Executive Vice President of the Greater Birmingham Association of Home Builders (GBAHB).

NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe reports that “with just over 75% of the 361 metro covered by the IMI now seen as improving, the housing market is on considerably more solid footing than it was at this time last year.”

This listing is published monthly by the NAHB and features metropolitan areas that have shown improvements in economic health. The IMI tracks housing markets in the country, showing improvements in economic health. The index measure three sets of monthly data, gathered independently, to get a mark on the top improving Metropolitan Statistical Areas.

For more information, visit: nahb.org/imi

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Monday, March 18th, 2013

This week, Hoover, Alabama was named one of the 2013 Best Communities for Music Education. For the past 14 years, the NAMM Foundation has hosted the annual award as part of their Best Communities for Music Education Program.

Hoover City Schools is one of three Alabama schools to receive this national distinction. There were 307 total districts selected this year, including two schools from the neighboring communities of Homewood and Vestavia Hills, which was also one of the 66 recipients selected for the 2013 SupportMusic Merit Award.

Schools and districts are selected based on an extensive review conducted by researchers at The Institute for Educational Research and Public Service at The University of Kansas, using details on music program funding, staffing, commitment to standards and access to music instruction in the school.

“This designation recognizes communities for their commitment to music education and strengthens support for these programs. Having widely embraced the evidence indicating that music education yields great things in schools and communities, people are increasingly affirmative, advocating for school music curricula, and championing programs like Best Communities that recognize this commitment to music education,” said Mary Luehrsen, NAAM Foundation Executive Director.

Music plays a key role in student achievement, which has social benefits and a lasting impact on the local community. This distinction reveals Hoover’s continued support for the arts and providing its community with a focus on music learning that starts at an early age.

“The designation reveals the elements of music programs so educators, administrators, teachers and students can see what they have, what they need, what they have accomplished, and what work needs to be done to strengthen their music education now and for the future,” Luehrsen said.

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit organization with the mission of advancing active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs from the international music products industry. For more information about the NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org.

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Friday, December 28th, 2012

With 2013 right around the corner, many housing industry experts have looked back over 2012, and for the most part have been encouraged by what they have seen.  Although the housing market as a whole has not been completely free from challenges, the year of 2012 has presented industry professionals and new home buyers with some very positive numbers and a housing recovery that is actually underway.

Market conditions in 2012 became more favorable, builder confidence rose higher, and the demand for new homes for sale increased.  With mortgage rates staying near record lows, homeownership became more affordable for a greater number of potential home buyers, who had been looking for new homes.  Many buyers chose to take advantage of market conditions and purchase into new home communities that offered affordable new homes for sale.  As home sales started to climb, so did the number of improving housing markets, which increased substantially across the country over the course of the year.  Birmingham, Alabama is no exception.

According to a recent report by the Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE), November posted positive gains in the Birmingham housing market, as year-to-date home sales through November went up 10.7% from last year.  ACRE also reported that Birmingham home sales showed a 6.5% increase from November 2011.

More good news involves the decreasing inventory levels in the Birmingham housing market, which have declined 41.4% from the month of November in 2007, when inventory levels last peaked.  The Birmingham area housing inventory has decreased 9.8% from last November.  The inventory-to-sales ratio in November 2012 showed a favorable 15.3% decline, standing at 9.3 months, which is an improvement from November of last year, when inventory levels stood at 11.0 months.

Home sale prices also increased in November of this year, as the Birmingham metro area median selling price rose 13.6% from November 2011.  This also represents a 6.0% increase in home sale prices from October 2012.

As the housing market continues through year-end, it is clear that there are still some challenges that loom ahead in 2013.  However, 2012 has served as a very encouraging and positive transitional year for many housing markets across the country, including Birmingham.  Through the month of October, 19 of the 25 local housing markets, or 76%, have experienced year-to-date sales growth from 2011.  This poses as very welcome news for the Alabama real estate community and home buyers looking for new homes for sale in Birmingham.  Based off of the positive trends seen throughout the course of 2012, all indications point toward a housing market that will continue down the path of recovery and the real estate community can look toward 2013 with optimism.

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Friday, December 14th, 2012

As with many other metro housing markets across the country, a higher demand for new homes for sale and rising home prices have continued to push home sales higher in the Birmingham metro area.  Inventory levels have been lowered as an increasing number of new home buyers have chosen to purchase into a new home community, like Ross Bridge, which offers beautiful new golf homes for sale which are priced for a range of affordability, starting from the upper 230s.

A recent  publication from the Birmingham Business Journal reports on the latest Birmingham housing market stats for the month of November 2012:

According to the Birmingham Business Journal, Tuesday’s report by the Birmingham Association of Realtors showed that the number of home sales in Birmingham had increased by 6% from 775 in November 2011 to 825 in November 2012.  This puts homes sales at 9,994 so far this year, which is up 11% from the same period of time in 2011.  The report also said that the median home price had increased by a whopping 14% during that same time frame.

This comes as encouraging news to the local Birmingham housing market industry, as well as prospective home buyers searching for new homes for sale in the Birmingham area.  New Birmingham home communities, such as Ross Bridge, have become increasingly appealing as a great investment opportunity while long-term mortgage rates remain near record lows and home values continue to rise.

With the end of the year approaching, positive housing market trends, such as these, have been seen on a national level and show strong indications that the long-awaited housing recovery is, in fact, underway.

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Thursday, November 15th, 2012

October homes sales were up a healthy 19% from October 2011, and according to real estate expert, Tom Brander, the total 12-month moving average line for dollar sales continues to be pointed upward.  October also showed a 15% decrease in housing inventory levels compared to last year, putting total inventories in October below the 10,000 mark, which is an encouraging sign, says Brander.

Another good sign for the Birmingham area housing market, Brander reports, is that for the first time in awhile, home sales are exceeding housing permits.  Housing permits in Jefferson County fell to 67 in September from 90 in August.

The absorption rate for both new and existing homes for sale remained fairly steady for the month of October.  Birmingham new homes for sale are at 6 months supply, which is down from October of last year which came in at 8 months supply.  Average Days on Market for new Birmingham area houses registered 181 compared to September’s 173 DOM.

Brander relayed that the 12 month moving average line for new home prices has been heading up quite nicely since January of 2012, and both new and existing average home prices are improving.  With mortgage rates again at record lows, there is great incentive for potential home buyers to purchase a new home in new golf resort communities, like Ross Bridge, while housing market conditions in Birmingham remain favorable.

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Monday, November 12th, 2012

According to the Alabama Center for Real Estate (ACRE),  year-to-date (YTD) through the month of September, new home sales in Alabama showed a 4.5% increase from 2011.  New home sales in Alabama’s five metro markets represented nearly 70% of all statewide transactions, and among those metro markets, 60% of them experienced YTD gains in new home sales compared to 2011.

Birmingham, for example, witnessed a 12% rise in new home sales when compared to September of last year.

Alabama’s metro markets also saw an increase in new home prices, with the median new home sales price at $212,831, up 1.4% from August 2012 and up 8% from September 2011.  Housing starts rose statewide in September, showing a 1.2% gain from August and a 6.6% gain from September of last year.

September also showed that 18 of 25, or 72% of local housing markets experienced YTD growth in sales from 2011.

These numbers come as welcome news to the Alabama real estate community, as well as new home buyers who have been looking for new golf homes for sale in Birmingham golf resort communities, such as Ross Bridge.  According to Global Insight’s most recent  short-term economic outlook, current housing market trends are “setting the stage for a broad-based improvemtent in growth” to be seen over the next couple of years.

 

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Monday, October 22nd, 2012

According to Tom Brander, a Birmingham area real estate analyst, the Birmingham area is still showing signs of a housing recovery:  a bottoming out of prices and improving values, as well as declining inventories, he said.

Inventory levels were down 16% in September,  totaling at 9,753 compared to 11,624 from September 2011.  It is an encouraging sign to see total inventory levels drop below 10,000, wrote Brander in his blog, tbrander.wordpress.com.

The absorption rate for new homes remained fairly steady with new homes at 6 months supply in September, down from the same time last year at 8 months.

The Average Days on Market for Birmingham new homes for sale decreased to 173 days from 204 days in August.  The Average sales price for sold new homes increased to $268,219 from $257,337 in August, another encouraging sign.

A housing recovery is underway nationwide and homeownership is becoming a more appealing prospect for many potential home buyers who have been searching for new Birmingham, AL homes for sale in new golf communities, such as Ross Bridge. With mortgage rates still near historic lows, many buyers who have wanted to reside in a beautiful golf resort community are choosing to take advantage of current market conditions and are purchasing new homes for sale in Birmingham, AL, before prices and/or mortgage rates continue to rise.

 

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Tuesday, October 16th, 2012

With fall festivities now in full swing and the comfortable autumn weather, this is a great time of year for prospective home buyers who are looking at new homes for sale in Alabama golf communities, to check out some of the seasonal events that the great state of Alabama has to offer.  The following shows 5 top events to attend this fall, according to Sweet Home Alabama Travel Site:

Scarecrows in the Park

October 1- November 12, 2012:  Enjoy the beauty of Lake Frank Jackson State Park while taking a leasurely stroll along three miles of walking trails dotted with more than 300 creatively made and festive scarecrow characters.  The event was started in 2008 and is hosted by the Lake Frank Jackson Trailmasters.  Visit www.cityofopp.com for more information.

41st Annual Kentuck Festival of Art

October 20-21, 2012:  A nationally recognized festival for its quality and diversity, the Kentuck Festival of Art celebrates a variety of artistic styles ranging from folk to contemporary arts as well as traditional crafts.  All of the 300+ artists participating in the festival are either juried based on the originality and quality of their work or they are invited as a guest artist.  there will also be storytelling, blacksmith demonstrations, children’s events and more.  The festival will take place in downtown Northport, Al and admission will be charged.  Visit www.kentuck.org for more information.

71st Annual Magic City Classic

October 27, 2012:  The Alabama State University Hornets of Montgomery face off with the Alabama A&M University Bulldogs of Huntsville in Birmingham for this traditional football rivalry game played at Legion Field.   There will be pre-game activities, and admission will be charged.  Visit www.themagiccityclassic.com for more information.

Spinners 31st Annual “Pumpkin Patch” Arts & Crafts Show

October 27-28, 2012:  A great event featuring artists and craftsmen from throughout the Southeast with original work for sale along with homemade baked goods by Spinners members, entertainment, food alley, children/youth-geared activities, antique car and motorcycle show, door prizes, jack-o-lantern contest, 5K/8K run, drawing for queen-sized quilt handmade by Spinner members, and more.  Event will take place at Spinners Park 390 W. Sixth St. Prattville, Al.  Visit www.spinnersprattville.com for more information.

69th Annual National Peanut Festival

November 2-10, 2012:  This annual event happens to be the nation’s largest peanut festival, held each fall to celebrate the harvest season and honor peanut growers.  There is an array of activities including arts and crafts displays, music concerts, amusement rides,   beauty pageants, animal acts,  agricultural displays, a two hour parade, food, contests, and of course, tons of peanuts.  Visit www.nationalpeanutfestival.com for more information.

 

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