Historic Birmingham, Michigan has a lot to offer, say local Realtors, including rising housing inventories which means more opportunities for buyers.

"Birmingham was originally settled in 1819 with the Post Office opening in 1821," says Realtor Furhad Waquad. "In 1836, Roswell Merrill renamed it to Birmingham after Birmingham, England. In 1864 this settlement became a village and 68 years later became a city. Birmingham's unique downtown, which many have tried to copy, but none have duplicated, retains its charm. It has an excellent school system and is home to many millionaires. Currently there are 434 homes on the market in Birmingham."

Explains Steven Safran, "Birmingham is a walkable community. The City of Birmingham is located in Oakland County, approximately six miles north of Detroit. Birmingham is a vibrant, prosperous community covering only 4.73 square-miles. It is able to maintain the feel of a small town, while experiencing the benefits of an affluent urban area."

Safran continues, "The city of Birmingham has a lively, pedestrian-friendly downtown offering one of the Midwest's premier shopping districts. A diverse assortment of fine shops, restaurants, art galleries, antique dealers, and clothiers await visitors. In a city with so many cultural and recreational amenities, this indeed is a place in to live, shop, and play. There are always special events going on, with things to do. From July 3rd through September, the Farmers Market will be open from 9:00 a.m.to 2:00 p.m. It offers fresh produce, music and activities, floral and much more. You definitely do not want to miss out on the fun! There are plenty of parks, and one of the top school districts in the area. Birmingham's growth is tremendous, homes sell for a lot more than other surrounding cities per sq. ft. Birmingham is definitely a city to call home!"

Agree Realtors Maureen Francis and Dmitry Koublitsky. "Birmingham is a vibrant city, attractive for its outstanding public schools, wonderful downtown shopping district, convenient location and excellent community resources like the Baldwin Public Library, the Community House and the Ice Rink. The season for our Farmer's Market has been extended, the park at Quarton Lake is undergoing a beautiful transformation and Shain Park hosts concerts, art fairs and the Dream Cruise throughout the warmer months. The "Rail District" is home to many new galleries and businesses."

About the market, Francis and Koublitsky say, "We've noticed a lot more activity in the market in the last few weeks. It seems that the traditional spring buying season has been pushed back in to summer! Buyers are selective and are looking for homes in "move-in condition" and priced competitively. The number of homes on the market in Birmingham has increased by more than 10 percent in the last 30 days, as it did in the previous 30-day period as well. A Realtor's strong marketing plan will increase the seller's net and help to decrease time on the market. We've seen increased activity in the rental market as well over the last few weeks. Many of the new tenants we have seen enter the market are remodeling their Birmingham homes. They like our community and want to stay here, but need more space." Most homes tend to be on the market longer than three months, though this is not reflected in our statistics because Realtors re-list properties after price changes or other changes in the listing."

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Published: July 15, 2005

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