Okay, who out there saw Spiderman 3 this weekend? If you did, I’m envious, and I want to hear your opinion (no spoilers, please).
We’ve been busy with birthday, family visits, and buying the dreaded first cell phone for 14YOD. Anyone want to place wagers on how soon she’ll lose it? Take a deep breath, dad. 
While I was out, another consultant came forward with a different proposal for Highway 280. Wheeler and I agree that this sounds much better than the elevated highway. I like the idea of a parkway with interchanges (instead of traffic lights), bus/carpool lanes, and the use of feeder/local access roads so people like me wouldn’t have to use 280 so much. That would free it up a bit for those who need to get from Shelby County to downtown and back. And — I think (not a traffic engineer) — it would minimize the new construction on 280 itself, which would probably prevent countless episodes of high blood pressure and uncontrollable road rage. The hazy proposal for the elevated road (AFAIK, no one has told us how one would enter or exit) and the predictable construction snafus/delays sound like a recipe for lots of frustrated drivers sitting in stop-and-go traffic and continuing to pollute our already polluted city while they await the completion of the “miracle” cure for congestion.
Meanwhile, property values continue to rise around Birmingham, at least according to the tax assessor. I almost fainted when I saw last year’s valuation, but I missed the deadline to protest it. The current one has sent me into paroxysms of hysterical laughter. We couldn’t begin to sell this house for what Jefferson County thinks it’s worth. If we could, we’d be living in a McMansion with a giant master suite and a garden tub. I guess a trip to the assessor’s office is in my future. Any tips on the best approach for protesting?
Anyway, back to real live politics soon. I promise.
See if the county will rebate the taxes back to you for improvements to the McMansion!!
My roommate saw it and said it was horrible. HORRIBLE, in fact.
It’s not when the 14YOD will lose the cell phone that is in question, it is how many text messages will she send and recieve in the first month before mom and dad realize how big a bill that can run up. Text messaging came of age after my 20YOD had a cell phone for years, so I wasn’t forwarned or prepared for that phenom. I’m sure you have a “plan” that covers that, though.
Joe, we did get a plan. We had the benefit of another friend’s experience with her new cell phone owning daughter. It’s unlimited texting and pictures within the network and 1500 a month outside the network. Surely she can’t send more than that. Surely…
Oh, and we bought the phone insurance too.
Dan, I’m sorry to hear that. I was really excited. Oh well, we’ll probably go see it anyway.
Jennifer, can I do that?
I went to the Alternative 280 presentation and was very impressed. One of the things the consultant showed was how many cities are getting rid of elevated highways. San Francisco had some help from an earthquake, but Trenton,NJ is doing it on their own. Interestingly, there is an elevated highway proposal in Mobile that’s generating a lot of controversy.
We have to stop thinking we can pave our way out of congestion. We also have to stop thinking that we have some kind of god-given right to get to our destination without having to apply the brakes. Amazingly, no matter how congested 280 is, everybody makes it home.
“We couldn’t begin to sell this house for what Jefferson County thinks it’s worth.”
we got ours yesterday. according to the tax man, my house is worth about 20k more than the amount for which i am currently trying to sell it. i guess that explains the rush of offers. oh wait, i haven’t yet had any offers.
That’s why ya’ll need to buy in Bessemer, where the big homes cost little and the appraisals stay low. That will begin to change in the not so distant future when South Highlands becomes Bessemer’s First National Historic Neighborhood and more gay people (many who don’t have kids and don’t worry about schools) move in to restore and decorate. It’s happenin’!
Joe, I’ve thought about it, to the point of looking at the real estate ads. My girls love their schools, though, and it would be hard to leave. Do y’all have a home tour? I’d love to see the old houses.
9YOD graduates from high school in nine years. It’s not too early to think about less expensive housing in time to start paying off the college bills.
Kathy, funny you should ask. The Besseme Historical Homeowners Association has a yearly tour, we were on it in 2005. But this year I don;t think we are, opting instead for a combination home and garden tour next year. However, there are always parties here and there. Like margaritas?
Margaritas? You are singing my song!
Just in case this comes as the same rude surprise to you – the deductible on that rather expensive cell phone insurance is 50 bucks. By which time of course they pretend that the phone they just gave you for “free” is now worth $250 to replace. Found this out when DS16 lost his phone, which turned up the next day in the band room (thankfully before we’d filed a claim). Finally I cancelled it and told both kids that they were on their own. So far so good, although every time DS gets a new pair of cargo pants he has to figure out which pocket won’t belch out the phone every time he sits down.
Which reminds me, I have to call Cingular today. The three of us have finally, in two years, managed to burn through the 2000 or so rollover minutes I’d managed to accumulate before adding them to a shared plan. Guess it’s time for an upgrade. But I’m not complaining. I love the freedom the cellphones give the kids, and the peace of mind it gives me.
Kathy, I went to the Elmore County Revenue Commissioner’s office website looking for information about the ad valorem tax. On the site there’s a thing called eMapsPlus @ http://www.emapsplus.com/ and on it I was able to find the assessment information for my property, as well as the assessment for any other parcel in this area (so I could compare assessments on properties similar to mine against mine). Unfortunately for you there’s no information for Jefferson and Shelby counties on that site yet, but folks living in 19 counties can do the same thing I did.
Your county revenue office may have something on its website where you could compare assessments, or perhaps you might obtain it by a visit to the office. Also, local real estate agents can tell you what homes similar to yours in your area have recently sold for, and if they have sold for less than your assessed value you can use that as an argument if you appeal. The office can also tell you the proper procedure for appealing.
Thanks, Don! I’m planning to call the agent who sold us our house — she lives in the high-rent part of our neighborhood. I’m afraid we’re paying for living one street away from the newer, (much) bigger houses.
A hundred years or so ago, a speculator built three identical frame houses, one on a corner next door to me facing our street and two right behind it facing the cross street. All three were renovated in the 1980s and have been maintained since. Two of these three houses happen to be on the market just now. The corner house is currently listed for $349,000. The one next to it facing the “wrong” street is listed at $239,000. I’m not sure the difference is worth over $100K, but obviously these things matter.
The asking price on properties means nothing except to the seller, potential buyers, and the real estate agent, if there is one. For the first two it is a starting point for negotiations through the agent. As far as the tax assessor is concerned, the selling prices of similar properties within the same area are what they are supposed to be guided by. NOTE that I said, SUPPOSED TO BE.
Alabama Bloggers Carnival, #6…
WOW! We had a great turn out for this week’s carnival. I am so proud of being an Alabama Blogger and how this carnival is starting to flourish.
There are more Alabama Bloggers out there who might be kind of shy in participating so let’s h…