Thirty, Black, Professional (Birmingham, Homewood, Mountain Brook: relocating, housing, hotels)

[valentine1110]

I forgot to ask...what are your thoughts on McCalla? Is this place somewhere off in the woods why they have greatly priced homes? Is it near any shopping or civilization? What about it's diversity....thanks

[Threestep]

Originally Posted by valentine1110

I forgot to ask...what are your thoughts on McCalla? Is this place somewhere off in the woods why they have greatly priced homes? Is it near any shopping or civilization? What about it's diversity....thanks

What do you mean by civilization?

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by valentine1110

I forgot to ask...what are your thoughts on McCalla? Is this place somewhere off in the woods why they have greatly priced homes? Is it near any shopping or civilization? What about it's diversity....thanks

McCalla's a growing area of town, but if you're working downtown and enjoy the nightlife, I wouldn't recommend it. It's practically out in the country and you'll live life in your car. I really can't speak to its diversity.

Another area to consider, by the way, is Irondale. It is close into town, reasonably diverse, near a lot of shopping, and the houses are reasonably priced. Sorry that I didn't put it in an earlier post. It had completely slipped my mind.

By the way, I see that San, our resident loon, has weighed in on your post. Funny thing is, the guy loathes Birmingham and his parents, but keeps moving home because he can't hack it anywhere else. So he resents us all.

Feel free to e-mail if you have further questions.

[valentine1110]

Originally Posted by Threestep

What do you mean by civilization?

Is it way out or is it close to shopping, businesses etc...

[valentine1110]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

McCalla's a growing area of town, but if you're working downtown and enjoy the nightlife, I wouldn't recommend it. It's practically out in the country and you'll live life in your car. I really can't speak to its diversity.

Another area to consider, by the way, is Irondale. It is close into town, reasonably diverse, near a lot of shopping, and the houses are reasonably priced. Sorry that I didn't put it in an earlier post. It had completely slipped my mind.

By the way, I see that San, our resident loon, has weighed in on your post. Funny thing is, the guy loathes Birmingham and his parents, but keeps moving home because he can't hack it anywhere else. So he resents us all.

Feel free to e-mail if you have further questions.

Thanks that was helpful...yea I figured that about San

[moneyman]

I just recently moved back to Mobile, Alabama from Birmingham. Its nice and there is plenty to do. Nightlife is good and there is a variety of outings that will fit your liking. The best areas to move if you want overall quality, are Hoover and Iverness (Hwy 280)....very very nice

[Bravo35223]

Valentine:

I am by profession, an executive recruiter. We serve organizations across the country and of course, right here in Birmingham too.

The strongest recommendation I can make is to TRAVEL HERE AND SEE IT. The perceptions about what Birmingham is and the Realities are so incredibly different....

I will share a true story and please understand that for ethical reasons, I am unable to share anything that would identify the organization or person.

We were hired by a large local employer, to find a new executive. They told us 'wink wink' - "we would certainly be very very pleased to have an African American person in this role, very pleased indeed... and by the way, women seem to do so well in this type of job....Translation: "go out there and bring in a black woman".

In our firm, we do not accept resume's from people seeking jobs...we look exclusively for people who are actively employed and happy.

So we got out a database and started looking for black women with a lot of experience in this field. We got on the phone with one who lived in the Northeast US.

We told her we were from Birmingham, Alabama and wanted her to come here to consider taking a job with a big employer....kept on describing the job....

Suddenly, she interrupts! "Time out! Are you aware you are on the phone with a black woman? "Yes" we reply. Now let me verify, you are calling from the land of police dogs and firehouses and you want me - a black woman - to move from my great job here in the Northeast and come down there???

We reply: "Yes, your airfare, hotels and meals are all paid...just get on the plane and spend a few days to see what it actually looks like".

End of story: She works here now and is very very happy. Loves Birmingham...

These stories are legion....there is an informal saying about Birmingham....

"Can't get 'em in and can't get 'em out"....meaning, getting people to actually consider the city is difficult, but once they live here, they refuse to leave....

I started my career with IBM. My boss was from Philadelphia. When you worked with IBM and were told you were being transferred, you did not refuse. To do so would mean that you would never be offered a promotion again...it gave you a bad rep.

So he and his wife had grown up in Philly and the company tells him they are being transferred to Birmingham. He told me she cried, literally wept, when being told the news. Imagined a filthy, backward, uneducated city....

They got here and lived here for eight years....a pretty normal cycle for an exec moving up....then comes the next order to move to take another promotion.

Ironic: Same reaction from wife......"Oh Gawd, please don't make us leave Birmingham".....tears rolling down the face.

If you do make your travel plans, you can PM me and I will give you some tips....after all, this is my job. Know that I have no financial motive in helping you but do this as a hobby which is job related...

bravo

[Keeper]

We have a couple of realtors on this forum. They have a house by their name if they belong to the realtor group.

If anyone else has someone to recommend, they will send it to you via Direct message.

I will tell you the regular folks here are terrific.. of course, we get a few who aren't quite as helpful, if you know what I mean..

I love your story Bravo.. it is sad that ppl have this impression of B'ham.

Don't forget to rep posters who have helped you..

[Back Again]

McCalla is one of the fastest growing areas in the Greater Birmingham area. THis is where I live. Before I was a realtor, I used to work downtown and via I20/59 on any given day, this is only a 20 min trip (rush hour or not) as opposed to when I lived in Hoover, which is closer to downtown, but you need to get on I-65 and then, during rush hour, it would take me 45 to 60 mins or more to go downtown.

In McCalla, you can still buy a home with some land at a decent price. I love it here.

BTW, most of the McCalla area is outside any municipality.

[valentine1110]

Originally Posted by Bravo35223

Valentine:

I am by profession, an executive recruiter. We serve organizations across the country and of course, right here in Birmingham too.

The strongest recommendation I can make is to TRAVEL HERE AND SEE IT. The perceptions about what Birmingham is and the Realities are so incredibly different....

I will share a true story and please understand that for ethical reasons, I am unable to share anything that would identify the organization or person.

We were hired by a large local employer, to find a new executive. They told us 'wink wink' - "we would certainly be very very pleased to have an African American person in this role, very pleased indeed... and by the way, women seem to do so well in this type of job....Translation: "go out there and bring in a black woman".

In our firm, we do not accept resume's from people seeking jobs...we look exclusively for people who are actively employed and happy.

So we got out a database and started looking for black women with a lot of experience in this field. We got on the phone with one who lived in the Northeast US.

We told her we were from Birmingham, Alabama and wanted her to come here to consider taking a job with a big employer....kept on describing the job....

Suddenly, she interrupts! "Time out! Are you aware you are on the phone with a black woman? "Yes" we reply. Now let me verify, you are calling from the land of police dogs and firehouses and you want me - a black woman - to move from my great job here in the Northeast and come down there???

We reply: "Yes, your airfare, hotels and meals are all paid...just get on the plane and spend a few days to see what it actually looks like".

End of story: She works here now and is very very happy. Loves Birmingham...

These stories are legion....there is an informal saying about Birmingham....

"Can't get 'em in and can't get 'em out"....meaning, getting people to actually consider the city is difficult, but once they live here, they refuse to leave....

I started my career with IBM. My boss was from Philadelphia. When you worked with IBM and were told you were being transferred, you did not refuse. To do so would mean that you would never be offered a promotion again...it gave you a bad rep.

So he and his wife had grown up in Philly and the company tells him they are being transferred to Birmingham. He told me she cried, literally wept, when being told the news. Imagined a filthy, backward, uneducated city....

They got here and lived here for eight years....a pretty normal cycle for an exec moving up....then comes the next order to move to take another promotion.

Ironic: Same reaction from wife......"Oh Gawd, please don't make us leave Birmingham".....tears rolling down the face.

If you do make your travel plans, you can PM me and I will give you some tips....after all, this is my job. Know that I have no financial motive in helping you but do this as a hobby which is job related...

bravo

Thanks Bravo that is encouraging...trying to get a trip together for this month.