Birmingham, AL Rent To Own Homes

Renting to Own Homes in Birmingham, AL: Everything You Need to Know

In 1873 Birmingham earned the nickname of the ‘Magic City’ due to the rapid growth the city was seeing and experiencing. The name stuck and is still used today in this southern city that offers the bustle of a city with the slow, rich flavor indicative of the south. Located in the northern portion of the state, Birmingham is a robust city with much to offer its residents.

Know Your Neighborhoods

Birmingham is home to several beautiful neighborhoods, each with its own vibe. Among the communities from which homebuyers can choose are Crestwood North, Forest Park, and Oxmoor.

Considered ‘quaint and quirky,’ Crestwood North is a small neighborhood in southeast Birmingham. From novel coffee shops to old-time record shops, the neighborhood has a retro, light suburban feel that keeps people who live there wanting to stay for years to come. A mix of renters and owners make up the population of the neighborhood.

The neighborhood of Forest Park is a mix of residential streets dotted with restaurants, bars, and small businesses for neighborhood shopping, along with parks and walking paths. The urban/suburban mixed feel has been a draw for young families and young professionals alike. While the majority of the 4,000 plus residents own their homes, rentals are available throughout.

A big draw among professionals, Oxmoor is a neighborhood in Jefferson County with a population of nearly 5,000. Considered one of the best neighborhoods in Birmingham, Oxmoor provides its residents with a genuinely suburban feel. The community is rich with green spaces and parks, a plus to the residents who are primarily owners.

A Wealth of Job Opportunities 

Job opportunities in Birmingham are diverse in both industry and presence. The University of Alabama is a major employer in the area, as are Baptist Health Systems and AT&T. U.S. Steel Corp. and SunGuard are also major employers in the area. Small businesses provide many jobs within the city as well, reflective of the growth of small businesses in cities all throughout the country.

Getting Around in Birmingham

If you’re traveling in and around Birmingham, you have lots of options to get from place to place. While most people move about via car, there is a robust public transportation system of trains, buses, and trolley running through the city. 

Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority (BJCTA) is the operator of nearly 50 bus lines on the Metro Area Express (MAX) that stop in the downtown area, near tourist attractions, and all other major areas of the city. Old fashion trolleys are also available through BJCTA, and give riders some of that retro flair that only a trolley can. 

West Midland Railways operates eight major train lines, primarily for commuters. Cashless travel is available, making it convenient for travelers using the system either regularly or just for the day. Via is a new app offering ease of use for those seeking to travel with a car on demand. This hail service makes getting from place to place easy for those preferring a private car to get them to their destination.  

Birmingham’s Schools 

Birmingham City Schools is the fourth-largest public school system in the state of Alabama, serving nearly 24,000 students, ranging from pre-kindergarten through high school. 

Of the several colleges and universities in and near Birmingham, the largest and most well-known is the University of Alabama, a public research university offering more than140 courses of study at the Bachelors, Masters, and Doctoral levels.

Local Sports

Birmingham does not have major league teams to call their own, but that doesn’t make the area any less passionate about sports. In fact, Alabama, as a whole, is the second most populous state without a major league team of its own (Virginia is the first). Birmingham does, however, play host to several minor league, semi-professional teams. These include Alabama Blackhawks (football), Birmingham Vulcans (basketball), Birmingham Legion (soccer), Birmingham Hammers (soccer), Birmingham Barons (baseball), Magic City Surge (basketball), and Birmingham Black Widows (women’s football). College sports are another popular avenue of sports fandom within the city of Birmingham and the state as a whole.