Need help deciding where to buy and build near Birmingham! (Hoover: real estate, lawyer)

[Sagsma]

We recently moved to Alabama from NY. My husband works at UAB. We have a toddler. We want to buy land and build on it. But we are not sure which neighborhood would be best for us! We are of Asian decent. Looking for a family friendly neighborhood with good schools and no more than a 30min max commute from UAB. Oh and with a good re-sale value too.

Just to add details. We wanna build because we haven't found a previously built house that fulfills our needs and a budget of $200-300max.

Any advice on good reputable real estate lawyer and builders etc would be appreciated too!

Thanks!

[steveklein]

There are a ton of 3/4 bedroom homes under $300k in good school districts within 30 minutes of UAB. Hoover, Oak Mountain (basically the 35242 area code not within Hoover city limits) and Trussville will get you a little more square footage and be a little further away where as you can get in a 3 bedroom home in Vestavia Hills or Homewood at under 300k but it will be smaller but closer to UAB.

Are you are dead set on buying land and building custom? You will definitely get more bang for your buck buying homes already on the market, brand new construction or not. It is very surprising to me that you haven't been able to find something that would fulfill your needs on a sub 300k budget. Depending on what those special needs are, I'd be fairly surprised if you could build custom and fulfill your needs on a sub 300k budget if that doesn't already exist on the market.

[bosshawk]

Crestwood, Highland Park, Forest Park. All areas absolutely booming.

[steveklein]

Did you read the OP at all?

None of those areas have good public schools and lots that close to the city center to build a new home on are very scarce.

[Sagsma]

We wanted a basement and a private fenced in yard for the kids to play in safely. My husband prefers the lot size to be 0.75 acres plus. Some of the homes we saw were too close to the neighbors and not enough privacy.

[steveklein]

Originally Posted by Sagsma

We wanted a basement and a private fenced in yard for the kids to play in safely. My husband prefers the lot size to be 0.75 acres plus. Some of the homes we saw were too close to the neighbors and not enough privacy.

You will probably need to look in Trussville, Helena, Pelham,

0.75 acres in Hoover and then a custom built home

With that being said, I am a bit surprised you cannot find something in the area that is workable. Take a look at this search: https://www.greateralabamamls.com/se...=&page=0&map=1

I filtered from 200k-325k homes with basements. Some obviously couldn't work because they aren't in good school districts or on too small plots of land... but there are quite a few on pretty sizeable lots in good neighborhoods (on the fringe of a 30 minute commute to UAB though).

I am not trying to talk you out of building custom, but when your needs are as simple as a basement and a fair sized lot, it seems like a lot of trouble and expense to do that.

[preguntas]

CAHABA HEIGHTS; (VESTAVIA HILLS SCHOOLS)


Specifically, look on the hill at the top of Greendale Road. Some new constructions and affordable 'tear downs'. (large lots) Reach this area from White Oak Drive also.

[Sagsma]

Thanks! Will look into it