Moving Here? Need Advice? Help Us Help You. (Birmingham, Vestavia Hills: construction, price)

[Tourian]

650 is going to be tough if you want to get right up under St Vincents.

More than likely you will be able to find an apartment in Homewood or Vestavia Hills. West End and Elmwood are not desirable areas especially for a woman living by herself in an apartment although Green springs has some well kept homes and mostly elderly people with little crime. Parts of Homewood particularly West Homewood and most of Valley Avenue aren't very nice either. When you get there and look around you will see what I mean. The closer you are to hwy 31 generally the better.

Forest park, most of Crestwood and some of Avondale are fine you just have to realize that all it takes is a couple blocks in the wrong direction in some cases and the climate can change pretty quickly. It really takes some exploring to sort out but generally the further north you go from the hospitals the higher the sketch factor.

[msmiller213]

Thank you for the reply! You've helped me narrow down the general area. And where I DON'T want to accidentally end up (Which is just as important when I'm off exploring on my own).

After I posted last night I found a two websites that feature apartments in historic buildings. One lists The Berkeley, Clairmont Apts, Highland Court, Chateau Avalon, Cordelle, Cox House, etc. The other includes Hermosa and The Phares.

Out of those Berkeley has really caught my eye, along with Clairmont Apts for its close proximity to the hospital. Though, I plugged Clairmont Apartments into Google Maps street view and was unable to see the building, so I'm not sure if it really is that close or the wrong address was listed.

Are you familiar with either of those?

I really do appreciate your response. There are so many housing options and it's hard to narrow down the search from another state. I'll check out the east side of Homewood and Vestavia Hills, too, but the historic properties along Highland Avenue and the Avondale/Forest Park areas have really caught my eye. I've lived in a cookie cutter apartment for 8 years so a little old charm would be lovely!

[Tourian]

I'm not familiar with either of those, however I know the area and those like very nice and they are in a good part of the southside.

[msmiller213]

Alright, thanks a bunch! You've made me feel much better about the move and what to look for

[Corne05]

I will be working at UAB which I assume means downtown somewhere.
I have two dogs that I like to walk in safe neighborhoods and on sport fields .
I want to rent a townhouse first in safe area.
I don't like a long commute to work no more than 30min in rush hour.
I like small or medium sized yard for dogs to play.

Which areas should I consider ?

[Tourian]

The nicest and closest townhomes/condos are in SoHo just over the mountain, I do not know if any are available to rent though. Using the RME you can get to UAB in 20 minutes from that area or most of Homewood. As you get into the city on the southside there are apartments to rent and some homes, but they vary in age and availability. Lots of properties on the southside. Forest Park, South Avondale, English Village, Redmont Park - all nice, safe and walkable and dog friendly.

[LauraHoward031]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

This thread is written to all of you who are looking into Birmingham. It's a great city. We love it here. While it is certainly neither Atlanta nor San Francisco nor New York nor Boston in terms of amenities, it has a great deal going for it.

However when people come here for advice on their move, we get the same questions over and over again. Yet we need a lot of crucial answers to give you the help you need. After all, Birmingham is less one large metropolis of 1,200,000 people and more a bunch of small communities, each with its unique character and assets. So here's what we'd love to know about you in order to give you the right answers.

1) In what area of town will you be working? Really important stuff, that. And what kind of commute time are you wanting?

2) Do you have a price range for your house or apartment?

3) Do you have children? Do they have unique educational needs?

4) What do you enjoy the most during your free time? The arts? Fine dining? Sports? Hiking? Or just getting away from it all?

5) Do you have special medical needs?

6) Do you want to be in a neighborhood where everyone knows one another or do you simply don't care?

And the list goes on and on. Now, let me tackle some other frequently asked questions.


Contrary to what's you remember from 40-year-old newscasts, Birmingham is not populated by a bunch of mouth-breathing, knuckle-dragging bigots. If you're African-American, Latino, Asian, Gay, or Unitarian, people really will respond to you as an individual, not as part of an identity group. While every town has its share of jerks, it's more important here to have the right social skills than the right genetic heritage.

Birmingham is a community where religious faith runs strong. But that doesn't mean that we're a bunch of zealots who will leave tracts in your mailbox or condemn you to hell for watching MSNBC. The most you can expect is someone inviting you to attend their church or some preacher offering thanks to God at the ribbon cutting for a Burger King. If you are uninterested in spiritual matters, just turn them down politely and say you already have a religious choice and they'll not bother you again about it. Of course, if you sacrifice a goat on your front lawn while holding a burning coal in your hand as you recite the Lord's Prayer backwards, then people are going to talk. Just sayin'.

If you are coming from outside the South, remember this: While we have the Gap and Best Buy and Old Navy and Saks and a host of other things that make us look like any other mid-sized American city, we do have a culture that's different than Cleveland or San Diego or Hartford. You wouldn't move to the Philippines or Germany or Kenya and expect people to behave just like home, would you? Then why expect it out of us? So immerse yourself in a different way of living. For example, small courtesies matter here. It will be shocking to you the first time a total stranger strikes up a conversation in the grocery store checkout line. Kids will often address you as either Ma'am or Sir. It is impolite for them to do otherwise. Please don't correct them by saying nonsense such as, "Don't call me Ma'am, for that makes me feel old." You will be undoing some parent's years of hard work. Just observe the culture. And for God's sake, don't start complaining about the place 15 minutes after the moving van is unpacked. We like it here. And while we might politely nod and even agree while you tick off how badly you hate the heat, the bugs, the lack of a Nordstroms, and a thousand other little petty things, we are really dying for you to shut the hell up, because this is a town we love.

There. Hope that helps. Because we have to answer the same cotton-picking questions over and over again, and we really think that most of them could be answered quickly if you supply enough information the first time. Thanks!

That's a great piece of information. thanks for sharing. One must always opt for professional services when it comes to real estate investment. A real estate agent can help in getting a profitable deal.

[marie42382]

Hello all...let me preface this post by saying I've never visited Birmingham. Or even Alabama. I definitely plan on visiting before moving, however I'd like to gather some preliminary data since I'm finishing up my application for the medical clinical pspsychology program at UAB. I'm 33 yrs old, single female. I would like to rent in an area where there will be a nice mix of people...I consider myself a 'young' 33 but don't want to party with unundergrads...however I also don't want to be surrounded by young families. To answer the questions posted:

1. I would like a close commute to UAB. Would love it to be within biking distance!
2. I would like rent to be $650 or less. Prefer to live alone but am fine with roommates if they are mature. Ultimately I would love to buy a 2BR house, but know my stipend and/or part-time work would not be a strong enough income to enable me to buy.
3. No kids or pets but would love to get a dog! (part of why I want to buy).
4. I enjoy restaurants, the arts, hiking, animals, movies, music, books. Don't care about sports.
5. No medical issues but I'll take recommendations on a good PCP, dentist, and therapist.
6. I don't really care about everyone knowing each other. I go about my own business but always smile and say hello to neighbors. I grew up in Baton Rouge until I was 8, and did my undergrad at UNC, so I understand the cultural differences in the south vs. Massachusetts (live north of Boston now). I've always wanted to go south again. Any info is much appreciated!

[Tourian]

A lot of the people that rent that are within biking distance of UAB are going to be undergrads, and you will most likely need a roommate or two if you want to be in a house around that area. Of course, there are graduate students and older people (mid 20s and up) who do live and rent and work at the hospital, you'll just have to find them out. The Parkside, Lakeview and Southside have and are quickly becoming tied together with projects designed to cater to the lifestyle you are describing so I don't doubt you will be able to find something there that is suitable.

[Katmancuri]

Hi, I'm moving to Birmingham on 1st of January, and I need to find an apartment by that time. The biggest problem I have met is that most of the apartments have at least 7 month leases and generous penalties for early lease termination. It would be OK if I knew which neighborhood is good to live in and I found some good option, as I am going to stay in this town for at least 2 years.

I'm 25 yo M. Not married, but I don't mind who will be living next to me as long as it is SAFE AND QUIET.

1) In what area of town will you be working? And what kind of commute time are you wanting?

Workplace: Wallace Tumor Institute, 1824 6th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233
Commute time: <25 min by bicycle. 30 min would be still ok if I found some good option.

2) Do you have a price range for your house or apartment?

<800$


3) Do you have children? Do they have unique educational needs?

No children.

4) What do you enjoy the most during your free time? The arts? Fine dining? Sports? Hiking? Or just getting away from it all?

Hiking and playing guitar that I don't have

5) Do you have special medical needs?

No

6) Do you want to be in a neighborhood where everyone knows one another or do you simply don't care?

It would be good to have nice neighbors, but for me more important is to live in a place from where I can go to my work by bicycle (Not just once ) and the neighbors don't make much noise at night.