Location: Madison, AL

Price range: Starting around $340,000

Builder: New Castle Homes

Beds: 4 – 5

Baths: 3 – 4

Garages: 2

Community description: Tree-lined community with sidewalks, has a homeowners association for consistency in the neighborhood.

Nearby amenities: Research Park, Redstone Arsenal

Address: Bridgefield Road, Madison, AL 35758

Phone #: (256) 337-4422

See also:

Bell Grove Manor
Huntsville Home Builders

There are 8 different floor plans for the Willow Trace an Alabama new home community, ranging in size from just under 1500 square feet to over 2600 square feet. Each model has 3-4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a two-car garage in beautiful, affordable single story homes. The homes start at just under $150,000 and go up to the mid $180,000 range, offering affordable luxury living for anyone. Each home has its own design, extra features, and bonuses that can be added to make the home a truly custom fit for any needs. There are schools, hospitals, businesses, and many other important services within a few minutes of this community, and yet it seems like it is a million miles away from everything.

Southbend is an up and coming property that offers convenient access to downtown Mobile and all of the amenities, entertainment, shopping, and recreation that you’d expect from city life with a much more small-town feel. There is something for just about every family at this planned home community, including beautiful scenery, nature trails, outdoor activities, and recreation, as well as cultural events, shopping, and city life at its finest. This community is located in an up-and-coming part of the Mobile area that is being transformed into a family-oriented living environment.

D.R. Horton's Deerfoot Point – Pinson, AL

Deerfoot Pointe is a wooded community located in Pinson, Alabama. This planned community offers all the peace and tranquility of small town charm, with the convenience of the city amenities within close reach. There are many lakes and streams to enjoy, as well as recreational activities, entertainment, dining, and shopping galore. The newly built Pinnacle Mall is just minutes from Deerfoot Pointe, making it an easily accessible choice for shopping, dining, and more. This community is only minutes from the Birmingham International Airport, fitness facilities, fishing, golfing, and more.

With close access to Hwy 280, I-459, I-20, I-59, Hwy 75 and Hwy 79, this community in north Jefferson County gives residents all the convenience that they need with the serenity that they deserve. Home plans in Deerfoot Pointe start in the $120,000 price range, and offer between 1100 and 230 square feet of living space depending on the model chosen. There are seven floor plans in total, with both one- and two-story models to choose from. This community is located in the Jefferson County School District, which has received high marks for the education given to students in the state. Convenient, serene, and affordable living is what sets Deerfoot Pointe apart from the rest.

See more:
Wikipedia – Pinson, AL
Alabama Home Builders
50states.com – Alabama

Photo credit: www.southernsuncontrol.com

There’s currently big appeal with replacing the older windows in your home with more energy efficient windows. Energy efficient windows coupled with the federal tax credit of up to $1,500 could mean bid saving on energy bills in the long run and an almost immediate return on some of the upgrade costs.
You should also be aware that there are other ways to reduce your energy bills. Such as sealing the doors, window sills, and any other areas where air might enter or exit your home, making sure your house is well insulated.

There are a great many details involved in windows, but here are some replacement basics:

Before you replace your windows, you should get a home-energy audit to determine how you can make your home more energy efficient. You might be able to just replace the glass, which has improved greatly in recent years. You might only need to weather strip or caulk to block cracks and holes. You might also have the option of adding exterior or interior storm windows or plastic window films to help keep the hot and cold air where it belongs.

Replacing your windows often makes the most sense when you have older single-pane windows with metal frames or your windows are rotting or broken.

Energy Star says that you can save about $500 a year in a 2,000 square foot home with 300 square feet of windows by replacing single-pane windows with Energy Star certified windows.

There a large variety of number-letter combinations involved in measuring a window’s efficiency.

Each component of a window has an R-value. The R-value indicates how resistant the material is to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the material resists heat flow.

The U-factor of a window measures how well the window keeps the hot air on the side of the window where you want it. The lower the U-factor, the better.

If a window says it’s Low-E (Low Emissivity), it has a coating that helps keep the heat from sunlight and ultraviolet rays from coming through the window. Low-E also will contribute to a lower U-factor.

The SHGC (Solar Heat-Gain Coefficient) measures how effectively a window blocks the heat coming from the sun. The SHGC measurement is from 0 to 1 and the lower the number, the better. If you want to qualify for the tax credit, look for a SHGC measurement of 0.30 or lower.

Because windows are a part of your home that usually stays put for decades, it’s important that you make sure that you get a good warranty with your windows from a company that’s going to be around to back that warranty up.

See more:
Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Replacing Windows
Should I Replace My Windows
Home Depot – Windows

Glen Cross is a quiet community that is surrounded by wooded areas, located in Trussville, Alabama. This town is rated as one of the top 100 places to live according to Money Magazine, and Trussville Schools, the local school district, is one of the best school systems in the state of Alabama. The community is accessible to I-459 and I59, and is only minutes from I-20, giving city access in no time. Located in Northeast Jefferson County, Glen Cross is only five minutes from the Pinnacle Mall, 10 minutes from Highway 280, the Summit and Colonnade Shopping Centers, and near the Trussville sports complex and Trussville country club.

DR Horton’s Glen Cross homes start in the $150,000 price range and feature seven floor plans that range from 1400 to 2300 square feet, with two car garages with every model. The homes have three to four bedrooms, 2-2 ½ baths, and buyers can choose from one story or two story models, depending on their exact needs. With the top of the price range topping out around the upper $180,000’s, there is affordability in the luxury of this planned home community in a quaint southern town that is known for its charm and its friendly nature. Two of the seven incredible Glen Cross Community floor plans have model home virtual tours:

Chateau Model Home Virtual Tour

Oxmoor Model Home Virtual Tour

Photo Gallery of 6 different new home models

Crestwood Priced from: the upper $130's 1,429 sqft / 3 bdr / 2 bath / 2 car garage

Kelly Creek Gardens is a planned home community that is modeled after the 1920’s cottage-style homes of Birmingham’s Historic District. This community is tucked away in the mountains, but only three miles from shopping, dining, and just a short drive from downtown Birmingham. This community is less than a mile from I-20, 2 miles from the Moody Municipal Park, a short drive to Birmingham International Airport and Logan Martin Lake. Kelly Creek Gardens offers all the amenities while still giving its residents the feeling of being a million miles away from it all in the secluded mountainside.

The homes in Kelly Creek Gardens feature four floor plans ranging in 1,400 to 1,800 square foot homes that start as low as the $140,000 range. The floor plans you can choose from, include 3 bedrooms, 2-3 baths, 1 and 2 story models, and 2 car garages with every model. There are 5 move-in ready homes available for purchase right now. This community is located in the St. Clair County School District, and features Moody Elementary, Middle, and High School for students to attend. Moody, Alabama is home to the Kelly Creek Gardens that features the peace and serenity of secluded mountainside living with the convenience of the city just a few minutes away.

Useful Links:

Moody, Alabama

Logan Martin Lake

Birmingham International Airport

Belvedere Cove offers a pool, a neighborhood park, and a fully stocked fishing lake within the community. It also offers convenient access to highway 280, I-459 and the I-65, allowing you to live just minutes away from The Summit and Colonnade shopping centers, two of the most popular shopping centers in the area. Belvedere Cove also allows for a short drive to the many golf courses and fitness facilities in the area. Belvedere Cove is located in the Mt. Laurel school district, and features beautiful mountain views and a quiet living with convenient city access.

For more information about Belvedere Cove in Birmingham, visit the community online Shelby Country – Belvedere Cove

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Windsor A – DR Horton

The Brookhaven Community is a new community located in Margaret, Alabama. The homes are all basement-ready, and come with main floor garages in the many floor plan options. There are three floor plans in total, priced from the $170,000 range on up to the mid $190,000 range, depending on the features and amenities. The homes range in size from nearly 2,000 square feet to just over 2,300 square feet, and feature between 3 and 4 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, and a 2 car garage with every model.

Callahan B DR Horton

Brookhaven is conveniently located between I-20 and I-59, giving you easy access to downtown Birmingham, Chattanooga, and Atlanta. It’s just a five mile drive to Moody Municipal Park for nature lovers, and a very short drive to Logan Martin Lake, as well. The community is located in the St. Clair County School District. With a population of just over 1,200 this community is newly developed and growing quickly, becoming a popular home location for many in the Birmingham-Hoover metro area. The tranquility of small town suburban life is combined with the convenience of the city in the Brookhaven Community, giving residents the best of both worlds for their new home location.