Judy Sells The Shoals

  Buy now or wait! This is the question on all potential homebuyers’ minds this fall. Over the past few weeks, the mortgage interest rates have soared to a 14-year high. Excessive government spending combined with surging energy costs and rising inflation has caused many would-be homebuyers to lean toward the wait side of that argument. But is this really a bad time to purchase a new home? Maybe not. First, there is no way to predict the bottom of home prices for any recession. If the economy continues to struggle, it’s likely that home prices will continue to drop, offering better sales prices. But at the same time, inflation is still rising, and the Federal Reserve has clearly indicated they will raise interest rates as needed to cool this trend. This means that while home prices may come down some, the cost to borrow money will also rise; for homebuyers on the fence, they are hoping that the lower sales price will outpace the rising interest rates. The truth is there is no way t...

If you’ve been in downtown Florence, Alabama at night in the past two weeks you might have noticed a group of people standing in the glow of a dimly lit street lamp in front of various homes and businesses listening intently to a woman telling a story. While The Shoals always has something going on, one event that you shouldn’t miss out on is the Haunted History of the Shoals Ghost Walk. This unique tour gives you a look into the history and local ghosts that haunt the homes, restaurants, and buildings around Court Street. There are only two nights left for this tour and with Halloween just one night away how else would you spend your evening, but by listening to spooky ghost tales on a dark, chilly October night? The tour begins in Wilson Park at 7:30pm in front of the W.C. Handy statue where you are introduced to your tour guide, Debra Glass, who started the ghost walk in 2002, after the release of her first of many ghost story books, True Ghost Stories of the Shoals, Vol. 1....

October is here, which means the leaves are changing colors, the temperature is cooling, and fall has officially arrived. It’s a magical season of the senses—a warm cup of coffee in the crisp morning air, laughter and storytelling around a wood-burning fire, sipping spiced apple cider on a hayride, and picking out the perfect pumpkin for fall décor and carving. If you’re looking for the ultimate fun, fall afternoon for the family and a picturesque pumpkin-picking experience head out to McGee Farm.  Open Weekdays 3-6pm, Saturday 10-6pm, and Sunday 1-5pm thru Halloween, it’s on an inviting family farm 12 miles north of Cox Creek Pkwy. Driving up a gravel road towards the entrance you’re met with hay bales and stretches of farmland and forest—you are truly in the country. Rows of red, yellow, and white mums line the edge of the cornfield, stacked on trucks, and set on straw bales, an ideal backdrop for a family photo. Next to the parking lot the main barn is filled with pumpkins...

Each year in the August heat a flood of students pour into the streets of downtown Florence, Alabama, bringing a whole new energy and excitement to The Shoals area. The University of North Alabama is the beating heart of our already vibrant Southern town and all roads seem to lead to the beautiful campus that sits in the epicenter of the Historical Downtown Districts. Established in 1830, UNA is Alabama’s oldest four-year public university, solidifying it as a place of great educational and cultural influence, and making it a rich part of Alabama’s history. It’s a unique campus that has shaped our community by providing creativity, growth, and an excellent education.  There’s really nothing like the feeling of a new school year. Fresh planners and notebooks are purchased, classes are scheduled, and there is the air of possibility—a sudden and distinct change on campus and throughout our small town. Having just emerged from the slow summer, Florence is now bustling with stude...