Moving Here? Need Advice? Help Us Help You. (Birmingham, Homewood: luxury, college)

[Mrsdean4]

Hello everyone, I am very excited to have Birmingham on my family's possibility list for our next move. I grew up near Oxford, Ms and I miss the deep south something FIERCE! That said, I have never done more than drive through B'ham.

A little about us. Married, mid 40s, two girls 10 and 8. Hubby is in the nuclear industry and I am a SAHM who also happens to be an RN with psychiatric experience as well as a graduate student in a professional counseling program. The girls are both very active in all sorts of activities and sports. Oldest would feel as if she were in heaven if we could possibly live in an area that has access to horses.

We are currently in Northern Virginia, in LITERALLY the most expensive county to live in the US (according to some study, I am sure there are others with different results). Hubby has a 3 hour round trip commute daily. Those are the primary reasons that we are considering moving. As I said, I am a Mississippi girl, and Hubby is from Vermont. We have lived in MS (Jackson area, Vicksburg) and Vermont (oh my GOD it's too cold there!) and Virginia (which is lovely, but just not the best fit for us).

Things we are looking for:
1. SFH, budget under 600k.
2. Hubby will be working on Inverness Center Pl and would like an easy commute, no more than 30 minutes
3. Excellent schools are extremely important, but I see that this shouldn't be an issue
4. Prefer an area that has a small town feel, lots of kids activities
5. Maybe a pipe dream, but a place with a bit of land in our price range and in the commute area would be amazing
6. Definitely want to get to know the neighbors.

Any suggestions? Advice? Warnings? Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and considering a reply.

=)

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by Mrsdean4

Hello everyone, I am very excited to have Birmingham on my family's possibility list for our next move. I grew up near Oxford, Ms and I miss the deep south something FIERCE! That said, I have never done more than drive through B'ham.

A little about us. Married, mid 40s, two girls 10 and 8. Hubby is in the nuclear industry and I am a SAHM who also happens to be an RN with psychiatric experience as well as a graduate student in a professional counseling program. The girls are both very active in all sorts of activities and sports. Oldest would feel as if she were in heaven if we could possibly live in an area that has access to horses.

We are currently in Northern Virginia, in LITERALLY the most expensive county to live in the US (according to some study, I am sure there are others with different results). Hubby has a 3 hour round trip commute daily. Those are the primary reasons that we are considering moving. As I said, I am a Mississippi girl, and Hubby is from Vermont. We have lived in MS (Jackson area, Vicksburg) and Vermont (oh my GOD it's too cold there!) and Virginia (which is lovely, but just not the best fit for us).

Things we are looking for:
1. SFH, budget under 600k.
2. Hubby will be working on Inverness Center Pl and would like an easy commute, no more than 30 minutes
3. Excellent schools are extremely important, but I see that this shouldn't be an issue
4. Prefer an area that has a small town feel, lots of kids activities
5. Maybe a pipe dream, but a place with a bit of land in our price range and in the commute area would be amazing
6. Definitely want to get to know the neighbors.

Any suggestions? Advice? Warnings? Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and considering a reply.

=)

$600K will get you a LOT of house in the Birmingham market. As far as schools are concerned, you will be fine with anything in the Over The Mountain Area, especially Mountain Brook, Vestavia, Homewood, and Hoover. North Shelby County schools are very good as well, I understand.

As far as the small-town feel is concerned, I think you'll have to really come here and cruise neighborhoods. That being said, given location, places such as Mt. Laurel, Ross Bridge, Liberty Park, and The Preserve are newer neighborhoods that seem to integrate that kind of feel to them. In terms of older cities, the cities of Homewood, Mountain Brook, and the Cahaba Heights portion of Vestavia fit.

In terms of land, you might have to go further out for that, which may fight with the 30-minute commute requirement. Where your husband will be working is on 280, which is a busy corridor during rush hour. I would definitely recommend making the drive at rush hour before making your decision.

[Mrsdean4]

Thanks for all the great info! What do you think about the Chelsea area?

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by Mrsdean4

Thanks for all the great info! What do you think about the Chelsea area?

You know, I don't know enough about it to give you an informed opinion. My only thoughts are based on one friend who moved out there and had to deal with a hellish commute to Homewood every day. I think you'll have to give it the eyeball test.

[Mrsdean4]

Definitely have to come for a visit soon. We are also considering Atlanta. Birmingham is my pick. =)

[Ffightermike]

Hi! My buddy and I will be moving to Birmingham in the next month or so from Maryland. He is getting a job there and I'm transferring. A friend of mine who already lives in the area will be moving with us when we find a place down there.

A little about us and what we're looking for:

-I am 21 and he is 23, the local is 20
-We are looking to rent a SFD with a budget of $1500 a month.
-Need a sizeable house with at least 3bed + 2bath
-I am transferring to my company's location in Irondale where my local friend works, and the other will be getting a job with the SSA dowtown on 6th ave
-I drive an hour and 15 minutes to work everyday now, so I'm looking to shorten that to no more than 30 minutes.
-All 3 of us are avid sportsmen. I.e. hunt, fish, hike, take the four wheelers out. We want a more country setting if possible and hopefully something near the Coosa River or one of the bigger lakes.
-We would like to be in or near a town where everyone knows your name and that has character i.e. dive bars, hole-in-the-walls, etc.
-We are pretty open, but definitely do not want to be in the city or on top of our neighbors.

We will be coming into town to check places out on 3/27 and 3/28. So I am hoping to narrow down my list.


I'm sure you're wondering why I'm posting on here if we are moving with someone local to the area, I would ask the same. But, I want another point of view. Once you sign that lease, there's no turning back.


I hope this helps you enough to in turn help me.

Much thanks,
Mike

[Tourian]

I think maybe Clay/Trussville area will give you the amount of house you want but still in a country/rural type setting. Inland Lake will give you some water to play with, but that's not my thing so check it out and see if it is enough water for what you are looking for.

Inland Lake | Outdoor Alabama

[Ffightermike]

Thank you. I'll check it out.

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by Tourian

I think maybe Clay/Trussville area will give you the amount of house you want but still in a country/rural type setting. Inland Lake will give you some water to play with, but that's not my thing so check it out and see if it is enough water for what you are looking for.

Inland Lake | Outdoor Alabama

I think this is a good suggest, although I would be concerned about limited access to Inland Lake. Trying to balance ffightermike's needs for a reasonable commute and access to a lake, I wonder if around Moody would also be a good choice. It's close enough in town to make a quick commute to both Irondale and downtown, but it's just a hop and a skip from Logan Martin as well. Plus you have the added bonus of being down the road from the Barber Speedway.

[Tourian]

Ahh yes. Moody would be better. Logan-Martin is a much bigger lake too.