A costly new house for sale in Birmingham’s East Lake area has at least one neighbor who believes it makes a strong statement to the locals.
“It implies that we intend to eject you and enter with our money.” East Lake resident and homeowner Tamara Curtis stated. “What does that mean for those who maintain their property?”
The subject property is a brand-new, 2,100-square-foot house that costs $569,000. It features three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
With designer furniture, Tempur-Pedic beds, two baths and a stand-up shower, internet, a side lanai porch, a chef’s gas stove, and other features like subterranean electricity and a tankless gas water unit, it is fully furnished.
It is situated in a residential neighborhood close to abandoned homes that have been neglected for decades and among residences in varying states of repair that would sell for a small portion of the asking price.
According to Curtis, a more reasonable amount—roughly $180,000—would have been in line with the area and the adjacent houses. She claimed that even it was “still pushing it” in light of the income of the nearby homeowners.
She declared, “I’m not trying to stop anybody from investing in real estate.” However, here, in this weather? Not even the residents of that neighborhood can afford it.
The owner of FlipBama, the company that constructed the new house, is Andre Halston.
Halston pointed to a statement posted on the business website following an AL.com article about the house, but he declined to comment for this story. It says the landowner fixed the price and had the house built for them.
“I sincerely say that those notes are much appreciated to the thousands who have sent in positive messages and thank you notes over the past months, weeks, and days for choosing this area (…) and trying to make a positive impact on this community,” the statement says. We hope that our interactions with the neighbors we have directly impacted have been constructive, courteous, and cooperative.
“I know that many of our contractors freely provided several neighbors with their skills, assistance, tools, and building materials. All they asked in return was that you ‘Pay it Forward’ to other neighbors in the same way that they did.”
The South East Lake community association’s president, Willie Wooten, stated that he has not heard any feedback from neighbors regarding the house.
Although he was aware of the house, Hunter Williams, a city councilman, claimed not to be “bothered” by the price.
According to Williams, several builders are making investments in East Lake developments, and the neighborhood’s average property value is increasing. According to him, the majority of the projects entail rehabbing homes that are deemed unlivable when prospective occupants apply for bank loans.
He claimed that “the neighborhood benefits from synergy when they’re building up to code.” “You may put anything on the listing for the house, but will you get $569,000 for it? I’m not sure.
Curtis, who claimed to have spent her entire childhood in East Lake, stated that gentrification is the clear problem with the property.
Curtis claimed that a new, pricey home would increase the property taxes on nearby houses, driving out long-time homeowners who would not be able to pay the higher taxes or purchase new or existing housing.
According to her, some locals might not even be aware that they have the right to contest a reassessment of the worth of their homes.
She remarked, “Let’s say you have an elderly family who has lived in the area, worked until retirement, and paid off their properties with everything they owned.”
“How much does it cost to assess the significance of the area to them? Their homes will never be worth what that specific home is worth. They might never be able to increase the value of their house by even half.
