Movin' to the B'ham Burbs- Advice Needed!!

[steveklein]

more neighborhoods to look into that may fit your criteria are along the following roads:

Caldwell Mill Road (Altadena Woods, Heatherwood, Caldwell Crossings). You will get your lot size desired in Altadena Woods and Heatherwood. Houses here were built in the 1980s and 1990s primarily. Caldwell Crossings have tiny lots, but most are 4br/2.5 , 3, or 3.5 baths and are in the 300s. They have been built from 2002-present.

You can make it to UAB in 20 minutes at 9am from these areas.

Also check out the neighborhoods along Cahaba River Road. These are a little closer to UAB but probably a little more expensive since most are within Vestavia Hills City Limits (as opposed to the others that are mainly Hoover City limits, with some of Heatherwood being unincoporated Shelby County).

[phattspatt]

So much great info, thanks. I've only spent an afternoon in Birmingham so I can have a really targeted visit when I come back to find a neighborhood.

So, what I am really looking at is:
3bed/2.5 bath, 1980's or newer, ~1/3 acre of rolling property for 300-400K, 20 min commute in slightly off-hour commute times, from the following areas:

Hoover- Ross bridge area, Chalybe, Freestone Ridge and Abbyglen
Homewood- Coventry and Countrywood
Caldwell Mill Road areas, Altadena woods, heatherwood and Caldwell x-ing
Cahaba River road areas


Greystone is probably too much of a commute for me, but sounds nice.

Anyone from Trussville area that commutes to UAB area?

[fkey]

Originally Posted by phattspatt

I've read over the threads on this forum the last 2 hours, and I couldn't find one that discussed something like my situation, which I want to describe a bit more quantitatively:

Want: 4 bed/2-3bath house, 300-400K, newer but NOT McMansion. I want a flat yard, .5 acre at least, which seems to rule out Mountain brook area.
a ~20 min or under commute to UAB hospital, i usually leave for work around 9 to 9:30AM and try to leave around 5:30 to 6PM. I need quick access to a highway that can move for the 20 min thing to work.
Don't care about schools, no kids anytime soon, but safe area wanted.

So I have come up with this list of burbs from this forum that I might look at with a Realtor:

Hoover: great shopping for the wife, easy access to I-65, dunno about traffic on I-65. I grew up with the 405 in LA and 495 in DC, but I don't want to deal with jams that don't move.

Is Pelham/Alabaster too far away from UAB? Dunno how I-65 moves.

Trussville: sounds like a nice area, smaller town feel?

Gardedale/Fultondale: Hadn't heard of these areas till i read the posts here, but I am interested.


Please post your thoughts, thanks for your help

HI,
WILL BE GLAD TO HELP. PELHAM/ALABASTER VERY GOOD. I-65 MOVES RIGHT INTO DOWNTOWN AND IS A GREAT FAST GROWING AREA- I WOULD MOVE A LITTLE BELOW THERE TO HELENA, IT IS THE BEST AREA SINCE PELHAM/ALABASTER HAVE BECOME SO BUSY.

TRUSSVILLE IS NICE BUT MORE INDUSTRIAL AND FAST GROWING WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC ALSO.

GARDENDALE IS VERY GOOD AND BETTER THAN FULTONDALE. CORNER IS SMALLER BUT VERY NICE.

[Twostep]

I disagree with you. Pelham is too far out and has a lot of highway access issuses due to some new construction.