Category: Uncategorized

  • This Old House, Our New Office: Chapter 1.

    This Old House, Our New Office: Chapter 1.

    It was just meant to be. For years, the sweet, neglected little bungalow style house beckoned to Greg Arcara every time he drove through Old Town Helena. Not on Main Street, but right down there on 2nd Street, sitting quietly under the shade of an overgrown tree; the For Sale sign perched in the yard…

  • Sweet Home Strange Alabama

    Sweet Home Strange Alabama

    Location, location, location; the classic real estate mantra. Well, chances are if you are reading this, the answer you would give for one of the location blanks on a form is “Alabama”. Maybe you have lived here your entire life. Maybe you are new to the Yellowhammer State. Either way, there is a good chance…

  • For Kids: Street Name Bugs!

    For Kids: Street Name Bugs!

    For kids, one of the fun things about moving to a new home is getting an entirely new address; although it can be a little stressful, too. Here is an easy, creative way to help your child learn and celebrate your new street name: create Street Name Bugs! Or Street Name Aliens, or Street Name…

  • Pipes, Pets, and Plants.  Surviving Deep Cold in the Deep South.

    Pipes, Pets, and Plants. Surviving Deep Cold in the Deep South.

    Traveling back from Pasadena by way of Chicago during Polar Vortex 2014, I often found myself smirking with the knowledge that once we made it home to Hoover, we would enjoy superior weather and would be tooling around in flip flops in no time. We were still hovering self-righteously over the Illinois tundra in a…

  • Surviving the Auburn/Alabama Madness

    Surviving the Auburn/Alabama Madness

    Well, it happened. After fifty years of living on the front lines of the Auburn/Alabama rivalry, I saw something today that surprised even me. There she was. Miss America wannabe, our beautiful Miss Alabama, previewing an official ensemble of Roll Tide meets Hancock Fabrics with a dramatic flair of Scarlett O’Hara thrown in. First I…

  • A Pretty Red Dress

    A Pretty Red Dress

    The world came crashing down on many residents of Oklahoma yesterday, and it brought back so many heartbreaking memories for Alabama residents; memories of April 27, 2011. Our prayers are with everyone affected by yesterday’s tragedy. As these storms tear apart lives, homes, and communities, they also yield another powerful outcome: these tragedies seem to…

  • Zombies!

    Zombies!

    What is the deal with zombies lately? I admit, I have always had a thing for zombies, but I have kept that a secret for decades. In my teens, I didn’t admit to my girlfriends when I’d see movies like Return of the Living Dead (tag line: “The dead are back from the grave and…

  • Make Sure Your Deck is Ready to be Enjoyed!

    Make Sure Your Deck is Ready to be Enjoyed!

    Tips from The Handyman Connection Thank you to Handyman Connection for sharing the following tips. Collapsing decks is a serious problem. Decks collapse for a variety of reasons but mostly because they were not built correctly, they have not been properly maintained and because they’re too old. To make sure your deck is safe, look…

  • New Home Construction Picks Up in Birmingham

    New Home Construction Picks Up in Birmingham

    According to today’s Birmingham Business Journal, new home construction is starting to pick up in Birmingham. New home construction in the Birmingham area began to thaw in February, according to recent data from the Alabama Center for Real Estate. The University of Alabama center said 120 single-family home building permits were issued in February, a…

  • Latest Census Information About Alabama…

    Latest Census Information About Alabama…

    The 2010 Census Information has been published for our state, with several interesting trends over the past ten years. Arcara Residential is pleased to have many choices of homes in the areas of growth! Do a property search by area to find the latest listings. Here are a few specific areas that line up with…