Highland Ridge is a Lowder development in Prattville, AL located off of McQueen Smith Road – right in the heart of Prattville’s newest residential and retail areas.

The map below shows how close Highland Ridge is to I-65 - making it a 10 minute drive to Montgomery.

There are 2 entrances to Highland Ridge from McQueen Smith Road. The first entrance leads you to smaller homes; the second entrance to somewhat larger homes.  Like a lot of new developments in the area, Highland Ridge has a community pool, cabana, and picnic areas.

Many relocators choose Prattville for its public schools.  According to the Lowder website, Highland Ridge homes are zoned for Daniel Pratt Elementary, Prattville Junior High, and Prattville High School.  (For more info on Prattville City Schools, click here.)

So what is the asking price for a home in Highland Ridge?  Today, March 26, 2009, in the Montgomery Area MLS (which includes Prattville) there are 18 homes for sale in Highland Ridge.  They range from $154,900 for a 1,542 sq. ft home to $259,900 for a 2,258 sq. ft. home.

Here are some pictures I took as I drove through the neighborhood:

A street in Highland Ridge

It really is built on a ridge!

Another home in Highland Ridge.

First entrance off of McQueen Smith Road.

Highland Ridge community pool.

Highland Ridge home

Another Highland Ridge home.

Looking down over the neighborhood.

If you are interested is seeing some of the homes for sale in Highland Ridge, or want to know more about the Prattville area, contact us or give us a call at the number at the top of this page. We know the area and would love to help!

Related post:

What’s the Deal with Prattville? 4 Reasons Some Choose the “Preferred Community.”

Wynlakes is a golf and country club neighborhood in Montgomery, AL.  Developed in 1986, and located off of Vaughn Road, it is in the heart of what is now called “East Montgomery.”

Wynlakes has several “neighborhoods” within the development, so homes here range from smaller garden-style homes to larger homes, to much, MUCH larger homes.  The gated community has 24 hour security surveillance and an HOA.

Wynlakes Golf and Country Club is in the center of the neighborhood, and memberships gives access to the 200 acre, 18 hole golf course, large pool area, tennis courts, fitness center, dining areas and newly-built ballroom facility. Membership is not limited to residents of Wynlakes neighborhood.

According to the Montgomery Area MLS, as of today, March 26, 2009, there are 23 homes for sale in Wynlakes, ranging from $225,000 for a 1,666 sq. ft. home, to $995,000 for a 5,935 sq. ft. home.

If you are interested in homes for sale in Wynlakes, you can search the MLS for free using the “Home Search” tab at the top of this page, or let us help you by contacting us at the  number above or the  “Contact Us” tab.

The Montgomery Public Schools (MPS) website has posted proposed zoning for the newest east Montgomery schools:  Wilson Elementary and Carr Jr.  This new zoning will take effect Fall 2009.

Below is the zoning map for Carr.  For closer detail, click here for the PDF from the MPS website

Here is the proposed map for Jim Wilson Elementary School.  Again, for more details click here for a link to the map on the MPS website.

This is a really important and exciting time for the Montgomery Public Schools and the city of Montgomery.  Two public forums have been scheduled to discuss the  new school zoning:  Monday, March 23rd  (today) at 6:00 pm at Blount Elementary School, and Thursday, March 26 at 6:00 pm at Brewbaker Junior High.  Parents are encouraged to attend these forums.  Voting on the new zoning will take place in April.

As always, if you’re looking for a home in one of these new Montgomery school zones, we’d love to help.  It costs you nothing to let an experienced Realtor help you with your home search.  Give us a call or email from the info at the top of the page, or contact us via the contact tab.

For pictures and video of these schools under construction check out these posts:

Neighborhood Spotlight:  New Park (video shows Wilson school)

Right Before Your Eyes:  Carr Middle School

It’s time to begin planning kids’ summer activities, and swimming lessons always rank high on that list in Montgomery, AL.  The Montgomery YMCA always offers lessons – some at neighborhood pools and some on their property – so here’s a link to their pool/lesson schedule.

For those of you who prefer a smaller, more private setting, I want to share two additional sources with you.   Carole Anne Redding and Karen Lee offer swimming lessons in private pools for very reasonable fees.  They are both teachers during the school year, and have been teaching swimming in the summers for years.  We’ve used both of these ladies in the past and they are excellent with kids.

Here’s how to contact them:

Karen Lee has a new website this year:  See Me Swim.  All registration information is there on her website, plus she has a picture gallery, her credentials, and information about adult swim lessons.

Carole Anne Redding teaches 4, two-week sessions, with 8 classes per session beginning May 4.  All of Carole Anne’s classes are taught at a private pool near The Waters.  She has has been teaching lessons for over 20 years.

Carole Anne  can be reached at (334) 213-7341 or email her at [email protected]

If you’ve had a positive swimming lesson experience with these ladies, or someone I haven’t mentioned, please add to the conversation and comment below. Let’s get these kids swimming safely!

Lots of relocators to the River Region choose Prattville, AL.  One big reason is the City of Prattville’s  public school system.   So what do you need to know about these schools before you make a move to Prattville?

I talked to a friend in Prattville who has kids in the city’s public schools, and she says that most residents refer to Prattville’s school zones as the “New” schools and the “Old” schools. Don’t worry about the “Old” and “New” descriptions – all Prattville schools have a good reputation. It simply seems to be a description of the buildings – newer, or older.

So, when choosing a neighborhood it’s important to ask, “New?” or “Old?”  Here’s the breakdown:

Why might you choose one zone over another?  Since the only time the distinction matters is in the elementary grades, some might like how the “Old” zone groups students of close ages together on separate campuses.  Others might like the “New” zone because they only have one carpool line to sit in when their kids are elementary age.  The good news for relocators is that you have choice.

A Realtor will be able to tell you which homes are in which zone, but it’s important to consult the Autauga County Schools for the final say.

I took pictures of some of the schools.  I planned on getting pics of all the city schools, but was foiled by a flat tire on Powell Road.  Silver lining:  my experience with the Prattville Police Department was great!  Kudos to PPD!

Prattville Kindergarten

Prattville Kindergarten

Prattville Primary School

Prattville Primary School

Prattville Primary School

Daniel Pratt Elementary School

Daniel Pratt Elementary School

Daniel Pratt Elementary School

PPD to the rescue!

If you’d like to look at homes in the Prattville area, or any area in the River Region, give us a call at the number above, or contact us using the contacts tab.  We’d love to help!

Related article:  What’s the Deal with Prattville?   4 Reasons Some Choose the “Preferred Community.”

Here’s my latest swing through Woodland Creek - the neighborhood in east Montgomery that has a Pike Road address, but at this writing is technically part of the City of Montgomery.  I’ve written about it before, so check out my other articles if you’d like to know more.

Today (March 10, 2009) there are 10 homes for sale on the Montgomery MLS in Woodland Creek.  This surprises me – I thought the number would be higher.  These homes range in price from about $210,000 for a 1,600 square foot home, to about $400,000 for a 2,600 square foot home.  These prices represent a range of $121 – $153 per square foot.

Feel free to search the MLS from our site (no strings attached, no nosy questions), or contact us at the number at the top of this page if you’d like to see any of these homes in Woodland Creek.  As a buyer it costs you nothing to work with an experienced Realtor – the sellers pay our commission. We can show you any property in the MLS.

Now, a disclaimer . . .

It’s hard to drive a car through a neighborhood and film decent video.  I tend to drive fast.

So, please have mercy on the quality of my “Quick Tours” videos, and know that I’m doing it so you can SEE what a potential neighborhood looks like, rather than simply read about it’s stats and MLS listings.  If you have any suggestions for the videographer (me), feel free to share them by commenting below.

Please enable Javascript and Flash to view this Viddler video.I’ve written about Bridle Brook before, but here’s a chance to get the scoop on this Pike Road neighborhood from a current resident.  Elizabeth and her husband have two school-age children, and have lived in Bridle Brook for several years. This is what they have to say about living in Bridle Brook . . .

Question: How did you choose your neighborhood?  What were the main factors that led you to buy in Bridle Brook Farms?

Answer: We chose this neighborhood based on the large amount of families and amenities offered.  There is a clubhouse with pool, tennis court, softball field, playground and fishing lake.  Our neighborhood isn’t too big and everyone is very friendly.  We also love the location.  With so many businesses moving out this way (Pike Road), we feel close to everything.  The weeping willow trees in our backyard are what sold me on our house.

Question: What perks have you found living in this neighborhood (that you may not have considered when you bought)?

Answer: Homeowners’ dues are low for the amenities we get compared to other neighborhoods.  We currently pay $250 a year and the recent raise in dues is going to cover some new things like a possible fishing peninsula in the lake.  We have great holiday events such as Santa at the Clubhouse, a Halloween festival, a Summer Bash, and neighborhood yard sales.  We also have a neighborhood cookbook.

Question: What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone relocating to Montgomery?

Answer: Do your homework before you decide on a neighborhood.  Make sure it is in an area that you feel comfortable in.  Don’t hesitate to ask around about churches, schools, etc.

Thanks for your insight, Elizabeth!  If you are interested in looking at a home for sale in Bridle Brook, or would like to know more about the Pike Road area, give us a call at the number at the top of the page, or use the contact tab. We’d love to help.

My kids are getting spoiled by all this winter weather – two mornings of snow in two years is cause for celebration in Montgomery!  Last year it snowed one morning in February, and this Sunday (March 1, 2009) it snowed all morning long.  This might be the third time we’ve seen snow in ten years.

Since it is such a rarity around here, I thought I’d share a few of our pics.

Walking out the front door.

This is a LOT of snow for Montgomery!

Looking across the back yard.

The entrance to Lochshire was pretty.

Homes covered with snow in the Lochshire neighborhood.