Georgia has been found and reunited with her familyl!

 

You may remember that some friends of ours have been searching for their missing dogShe was found today and now she is finally home after 3 long weeks!  Georgia and her brother, Vincent, escaped from their fenced backyard on October 15th.  Vincent was found after just a couple of days and has been missing her terribly.  These two have never been separated before now.  Georgia has lost a lot of weight during her ordeal, but she is not hurt and will be fine.  Can you imagine how happy these dogs are to be together again?  Not to mention how happy their humans are to have them both home safe and sound!

 

It's a very happy ending!

 

Georgia and KC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a great time at REBarCamp RDU!   Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to put this event together and help make it a success.  I absorbed so much information in a short time my head is about to burst, but in a good way!  It was so much fun getting to meet so many people in person for the first time.  Here are just a few photos of some of the gang in attendance......

 

 

Patty Keller and Thom Abbott

Patty and Thom

 

C Tann Starr and Jeremy Blanton

Wordy C and Jeremy

 

Carol Smith

Carol

 

Debe Maxwell

Debe

 

Sarah, Daniel, Jeremy and Lori

Sarah, Daniel, Jeremy and Lori playing Lynchburg Squares

 

Connie Harvey, C Tann Starr, Ann Allen

Connie, Wordy C and Me

 

Nannette Saunders and Lori Bee

Nannette and Lori

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm on my way!  I'm sitting in the airport in Orlando where I'll be catching my connecting flight to Raleigh in a few minutes.  This is my first road trip in too long and I'm very excited about it!

 

It looks like I'm going to have time to relax and get settled in my room before heading to Beer for Bloggers this evening.  Tomorrow will be a full day, I forget how many sessions there will be......for that matter I really don't know what Bar Camp is.  I bet I know by the time I return home full of information.

 

Are you going?  Can't wait to see everybody!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't go anywhere without my camera anymore.  I never know when I will have an opportunity to capture a unique photo.......like this one.........

 

Last Sunday afternoon I was on my way home and came upon an unusual site in my neighborhood.  I was driving on Bearden Road, having just crested the hill by Pelham High School on the way to my house, and was surprised to see this colorful hot air balloon floating above a grassy lot by Shelby Baptist Church.

 

I pulled in to get a close up shot and watched as the balloon rose and lowered again.  From what I could tell the balloon wasn't flying any further than up and down.  I don't know what the event was, but they looked like they were having a lot of fun!  I'm glad I didn't miss the chance to get a photo!

 

 

Hot Air Balloon

 

 

Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP

205.902.4868

Keller Williams

One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150

Hoover, AL  35244

 

© 2009 Ann Allen, All rights reserved

 

Photo taken by Ann Allen, and may not be reproduced without express written permission of Ann Allen, Keller Williams Realty, Hoover AL.  Please check if Creative Commons License as been granted for this or other photography provided by Ann Allen.  Permission usually granted if credit is given with a link back.  Thank you for your understanding.

 

 

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Leonardo's Italian Restaurant


Leonardo's Italian Restaurant in Vestavia will always be one of my favorite places to dine in the Birmingham area.  Mike and I had our wedding reception there almost eight years ago.  We had a morning wedding and then everybody went to Leonardo's for lunch.  It was wonderful!

 

A cozy little place that serves lunch and dinner, offers a full bar with live music nightly, Leonardo's is a real treat!

 

 

 

Leonardo's Italian Restaurant

 

Our anniversary will be Tuesday, but we decided to celebrate with dinner at Leonardo's a few days early.  I am so glad we did because we got to join in the fun as the restaurant and staff celebrated Halloween.

 

Soft piano music played by Mario added to the romantic (and a little bit spooky) atmosphere of the evening.  We were amazed they he could play with those gloves on!

 

 

 

Leonardo's Italian Restaurant

 

 

There were some other characters running around too......we spotted Elvis, who was one of the servers.

 

There are so many choices on the menu and I had my usual hard time making a decision..  I finally settled on Lasagna and Mike chose Veal Saltenboca, which he always enjoys.  My portion was huge, but so good I could have eaten every bite.  We finished by sharing the Tiramisu.  Yummy!

 

When you visit Leonardo's, be sure to try the rolls.  They are to die for!  Don't fill up on them though (they will keep bringing them), you will want to save plenty of room for your meal.

 

 

 

 

Leonardo's Italian Restaurant

 

 

Leonardo's Italian Restaurant

2520 Rocky Ridge Road

Vestavia AL  35243

205-979-6996

 

 

 

 

 

Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP

205.902.4868

Keller Williams

One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150

Hoover, AL  35244

 

© 2009 Ann Allen, All rights reserved

 

 

 

         Subscribe To My Blog       Email Me       Search for Birmingham area homes

 

 

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Happy Halloween!

 

It's almost time to put on your costume and greet the trick or treaters, or go to a party, or whatever you like to do to celebrate Halloween. 

 

Have fun, be careful, and don't eat so much candy you give yourself a tummy ache.

 

Don't forget before you go to bed to turn all your clocks and watches back one hour.  We are coming off Daylight Savings Time and get an extra hour of sleep tonight.


 

Happy Halloween

 

 

Now is also a good time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.....and change them again in the Spring when we revert back to Daylight Savings Time.


 

 

Ann Allen Birmingham AL Realtor

 

Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP

BIRMINGHAM AREA REAL ESTATE

205.902.4868

Keller Williams

One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150

Hoover, AL  35244

Ann@AnnAllenTeam.com

 

© 2009 Ann Allen, All rights reserved

 

 

 

         Subscribe To My Blog       Email Me       Search for Birmingham area homes

 

 

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Halloween Fun at The Alabama Theatre

 

Childrens' Matinee Triple Feature

 

 

Ghost Trick or Treater

 

 

When?  Saturday October 31st  2:00-3:30 PM

 

Featuring:

Witches In Stitches

Spongebob Halloween

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

 

All Seats are $6.00 and will be available at the box office 1 hour prior to showtime

 

Why wait until dark to start the Halloween fun?  Get the party started early by bringing everyone downtown to The Alabama Theatre Saturday afternoon to enjoy these Halloween flicks on the giant screen.

 

 

The Alabama Theatre

1817 Third Avenue North

Birmingham AL  35203

205-252-2262

Find us on this Map

 

 

Ann Allen Birmingham AL Realtor

 

Courtesy of Ann Allen, e-Pro, SRES, ASP

BIRMINGHAM AREA REAL ESTATE

205.902.4868

Keller Williams

One Chase Corporation Drive, Suite 150

Hoover, AL  35244

Ann@AnnAllenTeam.com

 

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Ann Allen Birmingham AL Realtor Subscribe To Blog

 

 

© 2009 Ann Allen, All rights reserved

 

 

 

 

 

 

These smiling faces were spotted at Myer's Plants and Pottery - Pelham AL

 

Myers Plants and Pottery

 

Myers Plants and Pottery

 

Myers Plants and Pottery

 

Myers Plants and Pottery

 

Myers Plants and Pottery

 

Myers Plants and Pottery

 

 

 

© 2009 Ann Allen, All rights reserved

 

Photo taken by Ann Allen, and may not be reproduced without express written permission of Ann Allen, Keller Williams Realty, Hoover AL.  Permission usually granted if credit is given with a link back.  Thank you for your understanding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aldridge Gardens Fall Hydrangea Sale

Saturday, October 24th

9 AM - 5 PM

 

Aldridge Gardens

 

Aldridge Gardens in Hoover AL is having their annual Fall Hydrangea Sale Saturday, featuring over 40 different varieties of hydrangeas.  The sale will also include trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals.  For those that would like help making selections, members of the Alabama Hydrangea Society will be on hand to help with any questions you may have.  One of the featured plants that will be available is the Snowflake Hydrangea, patented by the gardens founder, Eddie Aldridge.

 

 

 

Aldridge Gardens

 

It looks like we are going to have nice weather, so come spend some time strolling around the gardens and the lake, and maybe do a little shopping for your own garden.

 

Click here for a link to some of the hydrangeas featured at the gardens.

 

 

 

Aldridge Gardens

located at

3530 Lorna Road

Hoover, AL 35226

205-682-8019

 

Aldridge Gardens

 

Welcome to Aldridge Gardens!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debe Maxwell is a short sale specialist in Charlotte, NC. and has written a wonderful article on the subject.  She does a great job of explaining the difference between foreclosures and short sales and I'd like to share it with Birmingham AL homeowners.  Thank you Debe for making this available for re-blogging!

 

Via Debe Maxwell, Realtor® Let's Talk CHARLOTTE! (Helen Adams Realty):

Foreclosure or Short Sale--What's the Difference?

Losing your home to foreclosure is a painful event that continues to haunt you long after your home has gone back to the bank.  Your credit score is severely affected and, regrettably, most people cannot be sure that they will remain safe from foreclosure because they haven't foreseen the "unexpected."  Such events as serious illness, a major accident, divorce or job loss can happen to anyone at anytime.  It’s a good idea to understand the available alternatives should such devistating events occur in your life.  
short sales charlotte nc


So, what IS the difference between a foreclosure and a short sale?  Simply put, the homeowner still owns the property with a short sale; when a property has been foreclosed upon, the BANK/LENDER owns it.  The foreclosure process is quite expensive for the banks/lenders so, they generally PREFER you short sell the property than for them to proceed with a foreclosure.  With a short sale, the owner still lives in the property and maintains it as normal--with a foreclosure, the distressed property is left vacant and is generally in ill-repair.  

Let us help YOUA short sale MUST be listed in your local MLS with a Realtor®.  Your short sale specialist works to negotiate the short sale FOR you and follow the process all the way to Closing on your property with you.  The bank/lender MUST reach an agreement with you and  your buyer as to price and other contractural agreements as well as a Closing date. Again, your short sale specialist handles the communication of this entire process for YOU.

As well, with a short sale, the damage to your credit is far less extensive as with a foreclosure.  A short sale can be erased from your credit in as short a period as 6 months and can take up to 2 years as opposed to at least 7 years with a foreclosure.  The ability to get a handle on your finances early in the game is imperative--contacting your Charlotte NC short sale specialist can save you more than you know.  You are able to reside in the property until the deal is Closed--a far more 'respectable' alternative to being evicted when the bank forecloses on the property.  

Foreclosure is, by far, the worst available option for you.   The result of a foreclosure is the lender taking ownership of your home/property. You will not only lose your property but, the bank/lender can obtain a judgment against you for the amount that you owe plus the costs for the foreclosure process that the bank/lender incurs. Your credit will be ruined for many years to come, further worsening your financial situation.  This makes obtaining any credit, incredibly difficult.  There is absolutely nothing positive about foreclosure. Avoid foreclosure at all costs.

 

charlotte NC Short SalesConsider a short sale rather than allowing a foreclosure on your property.  A short sale is an option for property owners with serious financial issues. In the case of a short sale, one sells their home for less than what they owe the bank/lender. Some lenders will not agree to a short sale however, most prefer it to going through the lending institution's expense of a foreclosure.  This is a time that you MUST have someone working for you that KNOWS short sales.  Experts advise pursuing a short the minute you realize that you are in trouble.  The longer you wait and the farther behind in your mortgage that you get, the less likely your bank/lender is willing to allow a short sale.

Any option is better than foreclosure!  Do everything that you can before foreclosure occurs and do it as quickly as you possibly can. DO NOT WAIT!  Consider a short sale and check with a short sale specialist before foreclosure is the only option remaining for you.  

Don’t do this alone!  Having someone to work on your behalf is priceless.  Facing foreclosure is horrifying and going it alone is one of the most overwhelming experiences you can face in life.  A short sale specialist is imperative in getting through this process with both dignity and composure.  Don't let pride stand in your way of contacting a short sale specialist--this is our JOB and we do understand.  Let us do our job and help you through this proess so that you can avoid foreclosure.  

You NEED an experienced Charlotte NC short sale specialist!  Contact us today so that we can help YOU.

Debe in Charlotte   

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Ann Allen ~ SRES ASP e-PRO REALTOR® ~ Birmingham Alabama Luxury Homes

Hoover, AL

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Keller Williams Realty

Address: Keller Williams Realty, One Chase Corporate Drive, Suite 150, Hoover, AL, 35244

Office Phone: (205) 259-2796

Cell Phone: (205) 902-4868

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I write about people, places, things to do and anything else that inspires me, including articles related to finance and the Birmingham area real estate market.

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