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FEBRUARY 2026
ME LV I N ’ S MON T H LY MOMENT S
205-223-6192 MelvinUpchurchSells.com
Local Markets Outperformed the Nation in 2025 Homes Sold for More in the Right School Districts
In 2025, real estate outcomes across our area were shaped far more by local school districts than by national headlines. While much of the country saw a flat — or even declining — market, Birmingham-area neighborhoods continued to tell a more nuanced, block-by-block story.
for well-priced homes. Nationally, homes lingered longer, with average days on market stretching from 34 to 54 days . Several school districts stood out in 2025. Mountain Brook Elementary, Crestline, Spain Park, Vestavia - Cahaba Heights, and Edgewood posted solid price growth, while most districts also experienced increased sales activity. A handful of areas — including Shades Cahaba, Hall Kent, Brookwood Forest, Vestavia East, and Vestavia Dolly Ridge — saw modest
REAL ESTATE MARKET 2025 PERFORMANCE
2025
Change Median %
2024
School District
Median $ DOM Units
Median $ DOM Units
HW - Edgewood
$617,000 26 91 $657,500 14 106
6.56% -8.27% -2.44% 9.50% 14.42% -7.83% 2.48% 4.70%
HW - Shades Cahaba $665,000 28 62 $610,000 21 73
HW - Hall Kent MB - Crestline MB - Mt. Brook
$469,950 24 70 $458,503 30 96 $1,105,000 14 79 $1,210,000 18 103 $1,200,000 39 67 $1,373,000 22 73
MB - Brookwood For $830,000 14 76 $765,000 20 56
pullbacks, underscoring just how localized today’s market truly is.
MB - Cherokee
$905,000 47 62 $927,450 16 64 $477,555 25 114 $500,000 23 101
Vest - West Vest - East
Bottom Line: 2025 was a healthy but selective market. Success wasn’t about timing, the market — it was about understanding the micro-market . As we move into 2026, homes that are well-priced and well-positioned in walkable, established neighborhoods with strong school zoning will continue to outperform. If you’re thinking about buying or selling, national headlines won’t help nearly as much as a neighborhood- level strategy . Let’s talk about your specific market and pricing opportunities.
$637,500 16 92 $625,000 21 111 -1.96% $715,000 36 95 $616,250 31 100 -13.81%
Vest - Dolly Ridge
Vest - Cahaba Hights $478,750 19 88 $525,000 18 107
9.66% 3.73%
Vest - Liberty Park
$725,225 13 141 $752,278 12 151
Hoover High
$530,000 19 929 $540,000 26 1,021 1.89%
Spain Park
$435,000 30 437 $475,100 38 434
9.22%
Avg ( Total Units) National Average 30 Year Mortgage
$699,356 25 2,403 $716,792 22 2,596 2.49% $418,975 34 4.85M $418,390 54 5.04M -0.14%
6.91% 42,544
6.18% -10.64% 48,063 12.97%
Stock Market
Locally, the average median home price across the districts tracked in this report increased by 2.49%, rising from $699,356 in 2024 to $716,792 in 2025 . By contrast, the national median declined, reinforcing what local buyers and sellers already know: Our market doesn’t move in lockstep with the national narrative. Buyer activity here remained steady and engaged. Total home sales increased year over year, and average days on market improved from 25 days to 22 days , signaling continued demand
–Melvin Upchurch
• 1 MelvinUpchurchSells.com
From Blank to Bold
Hallway closets can be the odd cousin in home decor, evolving into a catch-all for everything from coats and shoes to linens, craft supplies, pantry items, or necessities for your bath or office. The clutter these storage areas often attract can cause major stress for homeowners who are embarrassed every time they open the door. With a bit of forethought, these black holes for stuff can become orderly receptacles for life’s essentials. Here are three strategies for accomplishing a hall closet makeover. A Multipurpose Solution Creating a simple organizing system can turn a single closet into a multipurpose space. To counter a shortage of bathroom storage space, consider dividing a hall closet into separate, functional storage areas for bedding, towels, bath supplies, and cosmetics. This will work best if you create zones and label the shelves in a pleasing color and script. The key to making a storage plan work is to train all users to return everything to its place after they are done. Consider making your closet space more appealing by giving the inside a coat of high-gloss paint in bright white or another color for a clean, minimalist look that sparkles. Expand Capacity From Chaos to Calm The Surprising Power of a Hall Closet Makeover
CREATE A WOOD SLAT WALL THAT WOWS
Vertical wood slat walls are a popular decorative accent for living rooms and other areas of the home, but the cost of hiring a contractor to create a wood slat feature can be steep. Despite this, a wood slat wall is among the easiest beginner projects for a wannabe home remodeler. Check out the easy steps to create your own DIY accent wall! What You Need At a lumber store, buy 1-by-2-inch slats of pine or poplar wood cut to a length that fits the height of your wall. Select slats that are straight, not warped, and save scraps for later use. If you are using pine, sand the slats with fine-grit sandpaper and stain them to the wood tone that best suits your decor. Although poplar slats cost more than pine, they offer a more high-end look. Additionally, they don’t require staining or sanding, as they’re beautiful in their natural state. For either type of wood, add a layer of polyurethane as a sealant. Assemble your supplies, including the slats, a nail gun, and wood conditioner, plus wood stain if desired. Remove any baseboards from your accent wall. We recommend painting the wall behind the slats a dark color to accent the natural beauty of the slats. For this, you need the usual painting supplies, including paint, painter’s tape, a drop cloth, and paint rollers or brushes. Attach the Slats To help you envision the final look, use painter’s tape to position the slats at different distances. If your slats are 1 inch wide, experiment with spacing them 1/4–7/8 inch apart. (Any farther apart, and you risk creating a zebra-stripe effect.) Use a scrap piece as a spacer between slats. Then, attach the slats to the wall using the nail gun, inserting one nail each in the top, middle, and bottom. When nailing slats to an area without a stud behind the wall, use two nails, driving one downward and a second upward, creating an X behind the slat to hold it firmly in place. Use the spacer as you drive a nail into each piece, ensuring your slats are vertically straight. Once your slat wall is finished, relax and enjoy the warmth of the wood tones and the visual interest you’ve created! You’ve transformed an ordinary wall into a highlight of your home.
Placing large wicker or cloth baskets or plastic bins side by side on closet shelves will increase the closet’s capacity. Alternating lacquered pastel pink or green baskets with white ones can lend a fresh, clean look, and labeling the baskets across the front can save you time hunting and searching. Sort items by category and keep the most often-used items on lower shelves. For smaller items, such as mittens and scarves, consider installing back- of-the-door hooks or over-the-door organizers to maximize every cubic
inch of open space. Hang hard-to-store items, such as brooms and irons, on the walls. To convert a hall closet near the kitchen into a pantry, consider installing sturdy lazy Susans on lower shelves for easy access to oils and other ingredients. A Space for Fun Some hallway spaces offer special challenges, such as narrow, deep closets beneath stairs. If you don’t need the space for coats, consider converting it into a reading nook or quiet cave for kids. Invite the children to help choose colorful pillows, chairs, or bean bags, or include stuffed animals, textile hangings, and a soft area rug for added comfort. With a little time spent decluttering and organizing, you can ensure every storage space in your home works for you, rather than against you.
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Design Hacks That Make Any Room Feel Larger SMALL SPACE, BIG STYLE
Use Folding Furniture A clever way to increase potential uses for your living space is to invest in multipurpose furniture. A futon sofa bed can double as a comfy couch. A stylish ottoman can open up into a storage receptacle for magazines or linens. If you enjoy entertaining, consider an extendable drop-leaf dining table with storage shelves tucked inside, or nesting sets of two coffee tables that swivel into one. Additionally, while you may be tempted to push your furniture up against the wall to save space, this actually creates a cramped feeling. Choose pieces that rest on exposed legs rather than flat on the floor, and position furniture at a slight distance from walls. Reduce Clutter Any room feels smaller when strewn with clutter. Take advantage of the many stylish storage options available today to make that mess disappear. Under-bed storage containers serve as sturdy hideaways, and a hanging shoe organizer can store other items, such as cleaning supplies.
Amid rising housing costs and a trend toward smaller families, many Americans are choosing smaller homes and apartments. When bulky sofas and expansive chandeliers are out of the question, homeowners seek stylish ways to make small rooms feel spacious. Here are four design hacks to transform your small living space into an alluring sanctuary. Invite Light An abundance of light helps create a living space that feels airy and open. Choosing a white, cream, or light gray decor reflects available light, but any pale pastel hue can achieve a similar effect. Glass, Lucite, or acrylic tabletops lend depth and reflect natural light. And don’t hesitate to play with mirrors. Placing them opposite windows, in an entryway, or on interior doors can amplify natural light coming in. Expand Upward Architects through the ages have reduced crowding by
expanding living and working spaces upward. You can do the same by creating multipurpose floor-to- ceiling bookshelves for your small abode. Tiered display shelves draw the eye upward and offer multiple options for storing or displaying books and decorative items. Also, floor-length, wall-to-wall curtains in light colors can create the illusion of high ceilings and make a room feel more spacious.
TAKE A BREAK
Mouthwatering Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients
• 12 oz package vanilla wafers • 16 oz cream cheese, softened • 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 large eggs • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 21-oz can cherry pie filling
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. In two 24-cup miniature muffin pans, line each space with a paper liner. 3. Using a food processor or resealable plastic bag, crush vanilla wafers into a fine crumb. 4. Press 1/2 teaspoon of crumbs into each paper liner. 5. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy. 6. Fill each miniature muffin liner with this mixture, almost to the top. 7. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the cheesecakes are set. 8. Cool completely in the pan. 9. Top each mini cheesecake with about a teaspoon of cherry pie filling before serving. Enjoy!
Inspired by AllRecipes.com
• 3 MelvinUpchurchSells.com
205-223-6192 MelvinUpchurchSells.com 300 UNION HILL DR., STE. 200 BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
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INSIDE
1
Could Your Home Be in a Hyper-Local Hot Spot?
2
Bring Bold Beauty With Brilliant Boards!
Less Clutter, More Clarity: The Rewards of Spruced-Up Storage
3
Clever Design Tricks to Expand Your Small Space
Mouthwatering Mini Cheesecakes
4
Eye-Catching Curtain Designs to Love
Draped in Elegance: Hot Design Trends for 2026
Choosing curtains for your home or apartment can be an adventure in self- expression. If adding drapes is on your to-do list, this is the guide for you! The top 2026 curtain design trends include eco-friendly fabrics, such as recycled or organic cotton, and intense, moody colors, like deep earth tones. Styles range from minimalist cotton or linen panels in neutral tones to farmhouse-inspired cafe curtains. For a cozy farmhouse feel, hang tie-top or cafe-style panels to rustic wooden rods.
Formal draperies are popular, too, featuring box or goblet pleats in velvet or brocade. For a lighter, breezier feel, consider floor-to-ceiling Scandinavian sheers in white or pale blue. And if your curtains need to double as room darkeners, consider boho-chic styles in global or floral prints layered over blackout panels. Whatever your needs or style preferences, today’s flexible curtain designs offer just the right look for your home!
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