BLOOD DRIVE KELLER WILLIAMS METRO SOUTH     Please stop by the Keller Williams Metro South office in Alabaster to donate blood today (Monday, May 9th).  So many of you have already responded to requests for blood and may not be able to donate again this soon, but you can still help by bringing clothing, water bottles, diapers and other non-perishable items that are being collected for victims of the April 27th tornadoes.  The need is great and ongoing, but together we can make a difference and help our neighbors.   Thank you so much!     View Larger Map 05/09/2011

  SPRING BOOK SALE Albert L. Scott Library     The Albert L. Scott Library in Alabaster is having their Spring Book Sale this weekend, offering used hardback books for $1.00, paperbacks and children's books are $0.50 and DVDs for $1.00.  It a great opportunity to add to your own personal library without spending a bunch and it will help the library too!    Members Only Preview Night - Friday April 29th - 5 PM to 7 PM (Memberships may be purchased at the door) Saturday, April 30th - 9 AM to 3 PM Sunday, May 1st - 1 PM to 3 PM   There will also be a Bake Sale and a Raffle, with the drawing to be held on Sunday.  You don't even have to be present to win!    PLEASE PLAN ON COMING AND SUPPORTING THE LIBRARY!   The Albert L. Scott Library is located at 100 Ninth Street S.W. in Alabaster AL.  ... 04/28/2011

The Birmingham Alabama Multiple Listing Service recently introduced an option allowing agents to list the gross living area (GLA) of their listings. This is a great feature that will help both Realtors and real estate appraisers. Realtors can now let potential buyers know how much living area the home they are looking at has. This can be helpful to buyers who want to make sure that the home is large enough to hold the furniture they have. If they are moving out of a 1,500 S.F. home they want to make sure the home they are buying is at least that size. Gross living area can be obtained from several different sources. The most logical one would be an old appraisal on the home. If nothing has changed, then the living area can be taken directly from the appraisal. If no appraisal is availab... 03/31/2011

I just wanted to share with everyone the snow we had in the Birmingham, Alabama area on Christmas Day.  It may not sound very exciting to many people but this is the first snow we have had on Christmas day in around 45 years!  It was enjoyed by all.  Hope you enjoy. 12/28/2010

To some, the phrase 'Shadow Inventory' conjures up dark images and impending doom, kind of like the Darth Vader character from Star Wars. You may not have heard of shadow inventory as it is not mentioned too much in the mainstream media. I've seen several definitions of shadow inventory, however it typically includes all the homes which are currently in foreclosure or those homes that are delinquent and will probably go into foreclosure, and which have not yet been put on the market for sale.Shadow Inventory can be as scary as Darth Vader. In a recent article on their website the Wall Street Journal stated that it would take 103 months, or almost 9 years, to sell off shadow inventory. This is based on the rate at which banks are liquidating the inventory they currently have. Of course i... 11/05/2010

I recently did an inspection for an appraisal on an FHA refinance loan. It was an older home that had been undergoing some updates and renovations. One of the biggest problems I see on older homes, and one which this home had, is peeling and chipping paint. This is not an issue with conventional loans (unless it is a specific investor requirement), however it can be a deal breaker with FHA loans. If it doesn’t kill the deal it can at least delay the closing. Peeling and chipping paint is a health risk and falls under the “Safety, Security, and Soundness” realm, which is why it is an FHA requirement for this condition to be corrected. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Department (HUD) the general requirements are as follows: “For all properties built before January 1,... 10/07/2010

Welcome to Lake Forest, Shelby County’s premier community located off of Kent Dairy Road in Alabaster close to major shopping areas, I-65 and schools.  This beautiful subdivision features a 13 Acre Private lake and park with walking trails where the homeowners along with their family and friends enjoy hiking, fishing, playing on the playground and picnics in the pavilion nestled in the pines.  Living in a lake community offers a tranquil place for you to return to at the end of a busy day to relax and unwind.  Quality time with friends and family can be enjoyed more often with this beautiful part of nature conveniently located right outside your door. The wooded beauty of the gently rolling home sites graced with the harmonious flow of traditional homes and sidewalks throughout the nei... 09/10/2010

  2010 ALABASTER CITYFEST FREE FAMILY FESTIVAL! Saturday, June 5th     What better way to kick off your Summer than with a FREE day of fun for the whole family?  Alabaster's CityFest is the place to be!  There will be concerts, arts & crafts, activities for the kids, food and fun for all ages!          This year TRAVIS TRITT will be the entertainment headliner and will be appearing on the Main Stage at 9 PM.  Travis has enjoyed great success with over 30 singles on the U.S. Billboard charts, with 5 hits making it to #1!  Also playing on the main stage are Eve 6 and Vallejo, BHM and 2BLU.  Artists will be performing throughout the day....on the Day Stage will be Sanchez Tannehill, Kids First Choir, Kingwood Band, The M-80s, Pure Accident, Bearhead and Side Car.  Click this link for a sch... 06/01/2010

CNN Money magazine ranked Alabaster Alabama as #85 on the 100 best places to live in the US.  The city is also one of the fastest growing - in the last 10 years, Alabaster has increased its size by 60%.  What is the Real Estate market like in Alabaster, Alabama?  There were 28 closed sales in Alabaster in December 2009.  This was down from 29 in November and dead even with a year ago (Alabaster saw 28 homes close last December).  The average days on the market for sold homes was 112, with an average sales price of $157,267. The average home sold for 95.53% of the asking price.  Sales ranged from $73,000 for a 2 Bedroom, 1 Bath home on 13th St. to $290,400 for this 4 Bedroom, 2 Full plus 2 half Baths with a pool on 3 acres in Windy Oaks.  Now today it is raining and 50 degrees, but boy,... 01/17/2010

The first phone call makes me a little uneasy. But when my cell phone rings the second time a few minutes later, I start thinking:  This does not sound good. It’s a sunny but cold day in the low 30s. The calls come while my wife, Colleen, and I are having lunch.  The first caller is a woman who lives near a vacant town home we have listed for sale. It looks like water may be leaking down the side of the house, she says.  Not knowing how to reach the owner, but seeing our yard sign, she calls us. Odd, we think, because the owner had long since turned off the utilities, including water, and moved out. Imagining a trickle sort of leak, I thank her for calling and say we’ll check it out.  We continue eating when the second call comes moments later.   Another resident, same message.  “It loo... 01/07/2010

In July 2009, CNN Money magazine ranked Alabaster Alabama as #85 on the 100 best places to live in the US.  The city is also one of the fastest growing - increasing its size by 60% over the last ten years.    What is the Real Estate market like in Alabaster, Alabama?  There were only 29 closed sales in Alabaster in November 2009.  This was down from an average of 44 sales per month in the preceding 4 months and a high of 52 sales in May.  A big part of this could be considered the seasonal slowdown typically seen in November.  There were only 24 sales in November 2008.    The average days on the market for sold homes was 117, with an average sales price of $161,798. The average home sold for 96.69% of the asking price.  Sales ranged from $68,000 for a 3 Bedroom, 1.5 Bath home built in 1... 12/15/2009

Just minutes from the hustle-bustle of Metro Birmingham you will find a "Grande" lifestyle awaiting you in Grande View Estates, a "Grande" community offering all the comforts of home.   Your first impression is the gracious stone entrance graced with a well manicured colorful landscape that carries you down an impressive tree lined parkway.  The sidewalks and streetlights make you feel safe and secure as you walk about the neighborhood and the underground utilities add to it's beauty.  The gently rolling wooded homesites show the pride of ownership that abounds in this fine neighborhood.               The developer spared no expense when adding the amenities that these homeowners find such pleasure in!  There is a 10 Acre park, Private Swim and Tennis Club, Jogging and Bicycle trails an... 08/01/2009

As everyone knows, the national real estate market has been crazy over the past 12-18 months. Because of the collapse of various national financial institutions and its effect on the economy and the real estate market, property values have taken a nose dive. An increase in foreclosure and short sale activity has also taken its toll on the value of most people’s greatest asset: their home. The Alabama real estate market, like all other areas of the country, has also been affected, with some areas being harder hit than others. I’m happy to say that our neighborhood of Weatherly is holding up better than a lot of other areas. With the exception of some minor foreclosure activity, the median sales prices of homes have held relatively steady over the past 12 months. When many other areas are... 06/22/2009

Sometimes, the people you might least expect to have an influence in your life can be the ones who really surprise you.  I'll have to hand that honor to the check-out clerk at the Wal-Mart that my wife, Colleen, and I visited over the weekend. In the interest of full disclosure, you should be aware that we are not big fans of Wal-Mart and shop there only occasionally at most.  That's because, during most of my visits during the past few years, we encountered employees who seemed genuinely uninterested that we were even there.  If employee morale is high, I've sure missed out on noticing it.  We've stopped there sometimes out of convenience or because their prices really are low on many items, but it seems like almost every visit comes at a price:  We often find ourselves walking out dis... 04/06/2009

Okay, we all feel a bit blue from time to time, but how about ... yellow.  Huh? If you live in the Southeast, if it's yellow around you, it must be spring.  For example, take a look at my Ford Explorer, which has been been parked in a covered area (believe it or not): I actually do keep my Explorer clean (okay, I try to), but you'd never know it from this picture.  Yellow pine pollen is a tradition of Spring around our part of the country.  There's not a thing we can do about it, but I did learn something about this obnoxious stuff:  Most of the people who sneeze and wheeze this time of year really shouldn't be blaming their spring allergies on pine pollen.  Experts point out that this stuff is so heavy that it falls to the ground instead of flying through the air, which means that peop... 04/01/2009

Home sales numbers in Alabaster remained stable in February with 31 closed sales (up from 30 in January). The average sales price was $168,175 - up from 135,867 last month when we had a glut of foreclosures being purchased out of the market. Sales ranged from $65,000 for a 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath in Mountain View to $550,000 for a 5 Bedroom, 4.5 Bath new home at Sterling Gate.    Currently there are 366 properties on the market.  Building has all but stopped in the numerous new home subdivisions along HWY 119 near Veterans Park and there are some good deals that can be found there as builders try to shrink some of their standing inventory.  Many subdivisions have the streets and sewer in but only 5 or 6 homes. This doesn't look good right now, but it reminds me of Plano Texas in the late 80's... 03/20/2009

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... 03/19/2009

BusinessWeek ranked the best affordable suburbs in the U.S. state by state Alabama Best affordable suburb: AlabasterNearest major city: BirminghamPopulation: 28,576Median household income: $69,443Median home price: $154,950Unemployment rate: 2.3%Violent crime index: 17       Alabaster, Alabama has been a work in progress for strong growth in many areas and was named by BUSINESS WEEK as the most affordable suburb in Alabama to live!  The selection was made based on towns within 25 miles of the states most populated city and offering lower than average crime rates.  Other factors included livability, education, economy, low unemployment with affordability being the strongest consideration. The following Market Report for Alabaster, Alabama for the past 12 months shows there was 429 homes... 02/25/2009

Alabaster Alabama is a great place to live and is still within commuting distance to downtown Birmingham. Home sale numbers in Alabaster remained stable in January with 28 (24 closed in November and 28 closed in December). Fifteen of the 28 sales were foreclosed properties.  Many were sold at huge discounts causing the average sales price to drop to $137,539.  Sales ranged from $45,000 for a 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath off Kent Dairy Rd. to $219,900 for a 4 Bedroom, 3 Bath new home at Sterling Gate.  The average days on the market for sold properties was 93.  Inventory continues to decrease and currently there are 393 properties on the market (down from 419 in November) which represents a 13.85 month supply. Looking for a new home?  Search for a home in Alabaster, Alabama or the Greater Birmingha... 02/11/2009

    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 t... 02/05/2009