Relocating from Ft. Myers Florida to Birmingham area (Hoover, Alabaster: sale, apartments)

[GoodGrief]

I currently live in Fort Myers Florida and after 15 years I've had enough. I miss Spring and Fall... flowers, fall foliage, flea markets and a vegetable garden...well you get the picture. I drove to Alabama for a week's vacation in Aug and LOVE it...the state is beautiful!

I will be moving to the Birmingham area in Aug. or Sept. of this year and need suggestions for areas for rentals as I don't want to buy until I live there for a year and can figure out where I want to settle.

I am a divorced, "older" female whose adult children live in PA so school districts aren't a concern. I am a Medical Coder and work remotely from home so am not concerned about a commute to work.
I don't want to live in the city, would prefer a flatter area south of Birmingham as opposed to very hilly, less than 60 miles from B-ham International since I may have to travel for my job. Want to be able to drive to good shopping but I don’t have to have a WalMart down the street. I have been to Birmingham 8 or 10 times in the past 2 years but not since I decided to move… I know I don’t want to live north or east of Bham, too hilly. I grew up in the Appalachians, would like to drive to them but not live in them.

For rental wants, I need 2 BR, 1 bath would do and prefer 2 car attached garage, a townhouse would be perfect but would consider single family or apartment if I could get the garage. I have spent a good bit of time on the internet looking but it is difficult to find listings with pictures.
Would prefer not to pay more than $850.

I will be in Bham for 5 days in May specifically to look over the area, does it sound like I am setting my sites too high?
Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Thank you thank you!

[Back Again]

For a house or townhome rental, I would like to suggest Craigslist, if you haven't done so already.

For an apt, try Find Apartments for Rent on ApartmentGuide.com-Official Website

Good Luck!

[Guntersville Boomer]

GG-- I am also a Floridian with a grown daughter who went to college in Birmingham and stayed, I am following her up there as soon as I can but bought in Guntersville, about 1.5 hrs from Birmingham. I love the outdoors so this was better fit for me, love the lake there! I spend a lot of time in Birmingham and if I were to move there I'd seriously consider the Inverness area, it is fairly flat and really a newer community but easy to go into Birmingham when you want to. This past weekend was the Spring plant sale at the Botanical Gardens, there is always something fun to do there, I know you will love it.....Good Luck!

[eefrog]

If commute is not a concern and you would like to live south of Bham then I would suggest living in Calera.

I am moving to GA cos my wife is starting her fellowship in July. I am renting my house in Timberline Subdivision of Calera. This is the best Calera has to offer. Shopping in Alabaster with some great restaurants in 10 mins down I-65. There is a closer walmart one exit down on I-65 for your immediate needs.
If you want a more varitey of shops then you just drive further down 10 mins and you've got Target, Belk, JC Penny etc.

Moderator cut: link

[gmatthew]

Hi GoodGrief,

We're also from Ft Myers and looking to move to the Birmingham area! (Well, Lehigh Acres -you probably understand-.) Just submitted first thread on this site yesterday and saw yours as well. If I find anything particularly outstanding, I'll let you in on it.

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by gmatthew

Hi GoodGrief,

We're also from Ft Myers and looking to move to the Birmingham area! (Well, Lehigh Acres -you probably understand-.) Just submitted first thread on this site yesterday and saw yours as well. If I find anything particularly outstanding, I'll let you in on it.

We vacation every other year in Fort Myers at my in-laws condo. I'm sorry for what that town's going through. Hopefully there will be happier days ahead.

[harry chickpea]

Knowing both the Lehigh area and West Ft. Myers, and the radical changes over the past 15 years, I think you could move to h-ll and see it as an improvement.

A lot of growth is happening in the Hoover area and the 280 south of town area. If you want property appreciation, those might be places to consider. I personally would NOT buy in Jefferson County itself, due to the water board mess and extra taxes. We liked parts of the Pell City area, especially going towards B'ham on the back roads, but everyone is different.

[kygal502]

Have you rent your house yet? I would like to see pics of it and more info as we will be moving to alabama this summer.

[cpg35223]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

Knowing both the Lehigh area and West Ft. Myers, and the radical changes over the past 15 years, I think you could move to h-ll and see it as an improvement.

A lot of growth is happening in the Hoover area and the 280 south of town area. If you want property appreciation, those might be places to consider. I personally would NOT buy in Jefferson County itself, due to the water board mess and extra taxes. We liked parts of the Pell City area, especially going towards B'ham on the back roads, but everyone is different.

Property taxes just aren't that high in Jefferson County. Particularly when you compare it to Fort Myers. Having moved here from Illinois, I find them laughably low. I tell my friends what my taxes are here, and they can't believe it.

[harry chickpea]

The water issue has the potential of bringing that laughably low figure into the realm of 'you've got to be kidding." It might not be a property tax per se, but a cost of water and sewer that is a few times the national average.