Come visit me on-site at Windemere on Lewis Smith Lake. Windemere is a beautiful 32 home planned community located half way between Birmingham and Huntsville. Each home is meticulously built with attention to every detail. Granite countertops, stainless appliances, upgraded light fixtures, tile floors, coiffured and trey ceilings, luxury baths, large living spaces and wrap around porches compliment each home. Windemere is the ideal place for your second home. You can party in the community pool, take your boat out for a ride on one of the cleanest lakes in the country, or sit and watch the sunset with breathtaking views in every direction. Windemere offers maintenance-free living, covered boat slips, a community pool, and park. If you want to try it before you buy it, call for information on Windemere week-ends! Prices start in the mid-$400’s. Now is a great time to buy your dream home on the lake!
Posted by NHB at 03:45 |
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I came across this interesting information which relates to my earlier blog about the “New” Old Neighborhoods.
Recently, Realty Times, a real estate resource for agents and brokers, painted a picture of what to expect in real estate in the next 20 years. Here is what it says:
“The traditional household, (married couples with children), which comprised 90 percent of the households in 1950 will comprise only 65 percent of the households in 2030.
29 percent of the US households will be living alone in 2030.
Western and Eastern European descendents will decrease in numbers and the Spanish speaking population will increase from 31.4 million in 2000 to nearly 65.6 million in 2030.
From 2000 to 2030, the US population will grow by 82 million.
Population growth will return back to the city by 60 percent. The non-traditional family will become the norm.”
We are realizing and experiencing an increase in our U.S. population from Spanish and Asian nationalities adding to the great melting pot that has characterized the United States since its inception. Our cities, suburbs, and neighborhoods continue to grow and become more diverse introducing more traditions and cultures to the landscape.
Posted by Christina Rickey at 07:26 |
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The average American household is changing. Along with these changes come changes in how and where we live. Talk to your parents or look at old pictures from grade school and the neighborhood where you grew up. As for myself, I grew up in an ethnic neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. I am giving away my age, but I can remember the old neighborhood vividly. We were all of western or eastern European descent. Our grandparents came from Europe, and they settled amongst family and friends. I can visualize in my mind the old grocery store, bakery, the hardware store on the corner, and front porches with swings as a gathering place. Everyone knew each other by name, and more often than not, childhood sweethearts married each other. Looking back to the 50’s and 60’s in the old neighborhood, we were all from the same nationality, attended the same church denomination which usually had a school, and we shared the same traditions, customs, and foods. The family unit was composed of mom, dad, 2 plus children, a family pet, and one car. Birth control was a no-no, so more often than not, there were more than the 2 plus children. It was customary for young girls to not move away from home before marriage, young couples did not live together before or after becoming engaged, and divorce was extremely rare. Older parents lived in the duplex below to a ripe old age, and the children took care of mom or dad when they suddenly found themselves alone because of death. For these reasons, someone living alone was a rarity. Living in the old neighborhood was uncomplicated and it rarely changed.
From the 1970’s and moving toward the end of the 20th century, old neighborhoods were slowly replaced. Families moved to the burbs with planned communities, grand entrances and elaborate amenities. The burbs became an ideal place to live and fulfill the American dream. Moving twenty-five years forward there became crowding in the burbs, longer commutes to work, strip mall after strip mall lining the streetscapes, increased multi car dependency, high fuel costs, and time becoming a premium. So what happened–the trend is turning back toward the city!
Welcome into the 21st century. The closer in neighborhood is becoming a trendy place to live for singles, newlyweds, young families and retirees. There’s a coffee shop, specialty food market, art gallery, and book store on the corner. Neighborhood restaurants, walking and bike paths, and parks encompass the neighborhood. Home values are sky-rocketing the closer you get to the town center. Instead of neighborhoods defined by ethnic and cultural backgrounds, they are a potpourri of different nationalities and lifestyles.
We are all experiencing and adjusting to the changes in our demographics. Real estate is also being affected by these changes. Complimenting the resurgence in the city, “New Urbanism” is occurring in the suburban landscape with small parks, walking trails, and village like amenities being incorporated within planned communities. I believe people want to return to a more relaxed environment enjoying more quality time with family, friends, and getting to know their neighbors. I for one am happy to see this transition. Many of my clients express these intangibles among their priorities when looking for a home. Having grown up in this type of environment, I understand and fully appreciate what is important to them. A home is more than dirt, concrete, lumber, bricks, walls, roof, etc. It’s where we find comfort and solace with those we love, and being among good neighbors and friends. Anyone want a good cup of coffee and friendly conversation? Here’s to “good times!”
Posted by Christina Rickey at 12:13 |
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Christina Rickey 
