The real estate market generally heats up with the temperature. This year after a mild winter, however, the springtime of real estate is starting now for first-time buyers in Louisville. Are you planning on being in the number this year who buys your first home?

If so, you have a lot of things to think about, starting with your finances. With interest rates low and housing prices reasonable, you have a good chance of being a homeowner if your credit score is good, you job is stable, and you have access to the down payment. What should you look for in your first house? Here area  few “A” words to keep in mind.

Affordability. If you’re buying your first home, you may be in your 20s and 30s, establishing your career, maybe planning to start your family. Unless you are independently wealthy, aim for a starter house that may be smaller and in a less costly neighborhood then you hope to original eventually own. As your parents are probably quick to tell you, you don’t need to start at the top. None of this means that you should buy a house you hate that is next to a landfill, but it translates into buying a place you can afford – regardless of what the bank says you can afford.

Appeal.  Even if your first home is not your dream home, you should be happy with the layout, most features of the home, and its potential. Can you see yourself living there for a few years? What would you have to do to the home to make it closer to what you want?

Acceptability. You may want to upgrade the home you buy, but if you’re like most young buyers, you find that your remodeling plans exceed your funds. Your best bet may be to find a home with a recently renovated kitchen and bathroom, that allows you to make a few improvements you’d like to make and save the more upscale improvements for your next home. You do not want to transform your shack into a castle if you hope to keep the value of your home comparable to the prices of other homes in your neighborhood.

Adaptability. You might be thinking that you will only stay in your first house for 3 to 5 years, but current stats indicate that first-time buyers tend to stay put for 7 to 10 years. Why? Stuff happens. Your income doesn’t grow. Homes in your neighborhood aren’t moving, so neither are you .Will the home that you pick accommodate your predicted needs for a few years and beyond? Few homes come equipped with a crystal ball, but if you’re planning on having a big family, have a hobby or business that requires home storage, really value a yard, etc., look for a home in line with those goals. An open floor plan tends to be more flexible if your needs change.

Amenities. Even if your home is smaller than you’d like, nearby amenities will offer you a larger living space. For example, if you live near a park or an urban garden, you may be able to satisfy your love for outdoor activities and feeling the soil between your fingers without having much property. If home is small, but the neighborhood features green space, a community pool, a rec center, and other facilities to accommodate your family, you will feel less confined in your home.

Access. That old real estate adage “location, location, location” translates into what is convenient for you. If the home is near work, church, school, highways, and perhaps other things you value such as shopping, nightlife, sports facilities, entertainment, you will be satisfied there for a longer time frame – and have an easier time selling it when the time was right.

Fortunately, in Louisville you will be able to find a first home, at an affordable price, with many of the features you’d like in a neighborhood. Just contact me, Mollie Younger . My team and I at Younger Group Real Estate can list your home and show you affordable homes in Butchertown, St. Matthews, The Highlands, and other great Louisville neighborhoods that are close to work and school. Give us a call. We know Louisville.

When irritated taxpayers say they want smaller government or speak out for less social spending, the question becomes, “Who  will take care of the less fortunate in society?” The local community? Churches? Families? Budget cuts on all levels of government, unemployment, and lower tax revenues make the problem of funding to feed the hungry and offer other needed services a major concern in cities like Louisville.

In our city, Eastern Area Community Ministries in Northeast Louisville has helped fill the gap for needy families who lack food, housing, and funds needed for emergencies. This year, less grant money is available, so the organization is reeling under a loss of 35% of its grant revenues plus a 10% budget cuts.

The lack of funds has not made the New Director of Mission Advancement, Kathy Robertson, redefine the organization’s mission in view of the budget. The ministry is a food bank for Louisville’s Dare to Care program, but also provides food, toiletries, diapers, and other necessities to about 300 families per month. Eastern Area Community Ministries wants to continue and even expand its work.

Robertson’s approach is to forge alliances with local businesses and organizations to supplement their budget. Louisville businesses have always provided about $11,000 in support each year, but Robertson’s goal is to nearly double this in 2012. Moreover, she is not just seeking one-time gifts, wants to form the type of relationship that will make the donors involved.

So far, the approach is working:

• State Farm insurance donated $500 for books for teen parents to read to their children.
• The Montessori School of Louisville held a food drive in January and will soon be painting a mural in the lobby of the ministries, which is housed in John Knox Presbyterian Church on Westport Road.
• A Plus Paper Shredding is committed to holding a fundraiser in April where it will exchange shredding services for donations.
• Local utilities will host March Madness Slam Dunk Saturday on Saturday, March 24 to support the cause.

Eastern Area Community Ministries has many programs operated with the help of volunteers. Aside from distributing food, the ministries has a Meals on Wheels program, offers rent and utility assistance, has a Latino Outreach center which acclimates residents to the neighborhood and offers English as a second language, and delivers other family and children services.

The Ministry is a joint effort of nearly 40 churches in Northeast Louisville.  While no one is turned away, the target audience for programs are those who live in zip codes 40018, 40027, 40059, , 40222, 40223, 40241, 40242, 40243 and 40245 – the area east of Watterson Expressway and north of I- 64.

If you want to join this effort, either as an individual or as a representative of your business, contact the office at 502-426-2824

If you want to live in a caring community, contact me, Mollie Younger . My team and I at Younger Group Real Estate can list your home and show you affordable homes in Butchertown, St. Matthews, The Highlands, and other great Louisville neighborhoods that are close to work and school. Give us a call. We know Louisville.

As Louisville enjoys a fairly mild winter, some 75 years ago, in January 1937, our city was not so lucky. In mid-January, intense rains fell in Louisville, which caused the Ohio River to rise to unprecedented  levels. Floods engulfed Louisville, causing disaster for people throughout the city. As Louisville cleaned up and re-built, the city was never quite the same. In a 2007 book, Great Flood of 1937: Rising Waters, Soaring Spirits, historian Rick Bell notes, “Everything changed.”

Provoked by 19 inches of rain, the flood covered 70% of the city. Over 175,000 people were evacuated after the River crested 30 feet above the flood stage on January 27. Ironically, on January 26, 2012, the city was once again under a flood watch. 90 Louisville residents died, but the flood killed at least 400 as far south as Arkansas. Among the victims in Louisville, a police officer and a Army private drowned when their car slid down the hill on Patterson Avenue in Crescent Heights. Over 3000 farm animals were killed in the flood. Power was disrupted, and businesses suffered as well as residents. The Ford plant near Shawnee Park had to scrap all cars on the assembly line and later moved outside the city. Damage exceeded $3.3 billion in today’s currency.

In Louisville, the hardest hit areas were downtown, the area called The Point near Butchertown, Portland, and Western Louisville were most affected, but the floods swept the region. The Dixie Highway was under 8 feet of water. Parts of Cherokee Park near Beargrass Creek were under water. There were fish in the lobby of the flooded Brown Hotel. Churchill Downs was flooded along with the rest of the city, but the Derby ran on schedule in May.

Many residents left the city to higher elevated areas such as St. Matthews, a former potato field, Shively, and other communities. At the time, only 20% of Jefferson County residents lived outside the Louisville city limits. For those who remained, shelters popped up in any dry areas in the city in churches, schools, and businesses.

The US Army Corps of Engineers built a 1800 foot floating pontoon bridge from empty whiskey barrels to move people from Jefferson Street to Baxter Avenue and dryer areas in Crescent Hill and the Highlands. Over 75,000 people crossed the makeshift bridge in four days. The Corp later built 29 miles of flood walls and developed other flood protection measures to prevent damage in the future. As historian Bell says, with the floodwalls, more than twice as much rain would have to fall in a short time for flood to ever do as much damage to Louisville.

These efforts were not the first time that waters in Louisville had to be put in check. The city, built on a wide flood plain, was originally part swampland. Areas were drained as the city developed, and area creeks and streams were rerouted or channeled through canals to prevent damage and disease. As evidenced by the flood threat this year, Louisville is better protected, but never really immune from potential flooding. There are currently 16 pumping stations managed by the Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD), which work around the clock to pump floodwaters in the city back into the Ohio River. In addition, MSD has completed nearly 700 neighborhood drainage projects and added 11 more storage basins, able to hold about 1,000,000,000 gallons of water.

The 1937 flood and our continual challenge of flooding are an important part of Louisville history that change the patterns of where people live in our city and put in motion a huge infrastructure of flood protection measures. In commemoration of the flood 75 years ago, the Photographic Archives at the University of Louisville has placed its more than 1000 flood photos in an exhibit that opened January 26. It includes interesting local photos, plus many taken by noted photographer Margaret Bourke White for Life Magazine. The book by Bell plus another new book written by David Welky, The Thousand Year flood: the Ohio – Mississippi Disaster of 1937, also offer many interesting anecdotes and insights about the flood.

Though occasionally soggy, Louisville is a great place to live. My team and I at Younger Group Real Estate can list your home and show you affordable homes in Butchertown, St. Matthews, The Highlands, and other great Louisville neighborhoods that are close to work and school. Give us a call. We know Louisville.

When you live in Louisville, there’s always something new going on, but you can plan your year around classic annual events. The Kentucky Derby, with a lineup of events throughout the year leading up to the big race on the first Saturday in May, such a structure for the entire year. According to a recent study by Dey Systems Inc., the Derby Festival prior to the race helps lay the foundation for the Louisville economy by contributing $127.9 million to Louisville and the surrounding area.

The dollar figure reflects the expenses to put on the Derby Festival, held the two weeks prior to the race, plus year round costs, Derby merchandise, sponsorship dollars, and the revenues that participants and visitors to the race pumped into the Louisville economy. Specific Festival events had a measurable impact. For example, Thunder over Louisville, the giant firework show held on the Saturday two weeks before the race, produced $56.6 million in revenue in 2011, even though rain on that day dampened the economic impact a bit. The Pegasus Parade added $22.4 million. The Derby Day Festival had an operating budget of $5.7 million in 2011. For every one dollar spent to organize, promote, and put on the festival events, $22 comes back to Louisville in hotel charges, food sales, and retail.

The Derby Festival also includes the Great Balloon Race, the Great Steamboat Race, the Derby Marathon and mini – Marathon –over 70 events in all.

As Kentucky Derby Festival chair Wendy Jacob noted “How many people we bring in, how many people travel in, how much is spent on gas, how much is spent in restaurants, whose by new outfits, how we impact the retailers, it’s really a big deal.”

Here’s an example of how this works. Thunder Over Louisville marks the opening of Derby Festival with the largest annual fireworks show in North America, put on by Zambelli Fireworks International, the “First Family of Fireworks.”. It brings in many tourists to Louisville, which fills up local hotels. The Galt House has its two  hotels booked 10 years out, while the Ramada across the river is sold out every year at this time making the Derby Festival their best-selling weekend, with a gross over $1 million. Aside from what goes in hotel coffers, the bell captain at the Galt House, Bernard Sanford, reports that guests are in a festive mood and offer tips of $10 rather than one or two dollars per load.

The Louisville is noted for its fine cuisine, pizza sales in the area soar. At the Papa John’s Witherspoon store, supervisor Keith Connor prepares three months in advance for sales at Thunder Over Louisville. Quote it’s the best day of the year by far. We will sell as much for Thunder as we normally sell in one week.” While he uses 12 workers on an average Friday night, he brings in 30 workers and a semi trailer truck to store the supplies still need.

The Derby Festival itself and its sponsors also benefit the Louisville economy with their spending. Planners spend over $400,000 for 750 portable restrooms ,100 golf carts, 150 radios, 3 miles of portable fencing and security devices T-shirts and ID badges for over 700 volunteers and workers. Cox concessions and food vendors purchase over $300,000 in supplies from distributors in Louisville and Southern Indiana. Over 1200 public safety officers are assigned to the festival as part of their jobs, but Thunder sponsors provide meals for them. Thunder and other events during Derby weekend provide part-time employment for over 100 people who help with show set up tear down and cleanup.

Many events on Derby weekend raise money for Louisville charities and cultural venues. The Louisville ballet, the Louisville Science Center, the Louisville Slugger Museum, and the Belle of Louisville base a major part of their budget on what is donated these two weeks. Other nonprofits such as the Kentucky Center for the arts and actors Theatre benefit from auctions of boat slips by the waterfront development department. About $300,000 is raised in all.

Many non–official events contribute to the economy as well, as concerts wine tastings, fashion shows, luncheons sporting events, and private parties ranging from black ties evens to backyard barbeques. Events such as the Great Bed Races, where employees of a local company pushpins around the racetrack, and Run for the Rosé, where restaurant employees carrying trays of glasses filled with white Zinfandel wine run an obstacle course, add to the fun and bring in the dollars from the spectators.

When the economy is tough, some will always wonder if money put into festivals as well spent. As noted above, the events get the money circulating in Louisville and provide fun activities that everyone can participate in. Mark your calendars – this year the festival runs from April 21 – May 5. Check our blog frequently for insights on upcoming Derby Festival activities and check out our calendar below for deadline to register for events.

My team and I at Younger Group Real Estate can list your home and show you affordable homes in Butchertown, St. Matthews, The Highlands, and other great Louisville neighborhoods that are close to work and school.  Give us a call. We know Louisville.

What’s Happening in Louisville in February, 2012

Thru 3/31/12            Registration for Derby Marathon & Mini-Marathon  

2/1-2/6/12                Blues for an Alabama Sky

2/2/2012                   Complexions Contemporary Ballet

2/4/2012                   Tres Chic for Kosair Hospital

2/3-5/6/12                Renoir to Chagall: The Allure of Color

2/9/2012                   Shriners Circus

2/10/2012                 Four Roses Flower Hour

2/11/2012                 Valentine Biergarten

2/13-2/14/12           Valentine’s Day Romantic Retreat – Jefferson Memorial Forest

2/14/2012                 For the Love of the Kids Virtual Run

2/17-2/19/12           The Derby City Film Festival

2/18/2012                 Van Halen 2012 North American Tour

2/25-2/6/12              Professional Bull Riders Louisville Invitational

2/24-2/26/12           Carl Casper Custom Auto Show & Louisville New Car Show

2/25/2012                 Polar Plunge

2/25/2012                 Making Memories 2012

2/27/2012                 Chocolate Dreams

2/29/2012                 Leap Year Dance Party – Douglass Community Center

3/1/2012                   Humana Festival Kick Off Party

3/2-3/3/12                University of Louisville Dance Marathon

3/2-3/4/12                63rd Louisville Home, Garden and Remodeling Show

3/2/12                        Brightside’s 6th Annual Green Tie Bash

3/3/2012                   Disney Live! Presents Three Classic Fairytales

3/5/2012                   Anthem 5K Fitness Classic

If you were listening to the State of the Union message from President Obama recently, your ears might have perked up at the mention of Louisville in his remarks. He referenced our city in connection with partnerships underway between local businesses and the University of Louisville and community colleges. Both U of L and community colleges offer the programs

UPS partners with Metropolitan College, itself a partnership between the UofL and Jefferson Community and Technical College, to offer free tuition and full time tuition for part time for UPS workers.  For the UPS program, students are not trained for particular jobs, but are prepared for the workplace with courses in financial literacy and job interviewing. The program has been a success for everyone. In figures from 2009, UPS saw their nearly 100% turnover of new hires drop to 20 from a year prior and realized a 600% rate of return on their investment. Fifty percent of the students who enrolled in Metropolitan College completed the program, which is good for Louisville, as a more educated workforce is prepared for the jobs of the future. There are similar program in place with Human Corp. and Signature Health Care.

An educated workforce is key to Louisville development, as many of today’s jobs require post-secondary education. In 2010, the Greater Louisville Education Commitment reported that in Louisville, only 30% of area residents hold a bachelor’s degree, which puts it 9^th among competitive peer cities. The rates for African American citizens is less than half that, which puts our city last in this group. The completion rates for all group are lower too.

The private-public organization formed after this study, 55,000 Degrees, aims to increase the number of college degrees held by Louisville citizens to 40,000 bachelor’s degree and 15,000 associate’s degrees – a total of 55,000 degrees by 2010. Doing this requires changes in thinking about the value of going to college, better affordability for post-secondary education, and involvement of the business community.

55,000 Degrees received over $1million  in support from local foundations to get started, plus $800,000 from the  Lumina Foundation to address how businesses can help working adults finish degrees. The partnership between UPS and area colleges was born out of this desire to make Louisville more educated.

If you want to live in a progressive city where we value education and see the connection between education and good jobs, come to Louisville. My team and I at Younger Group Real Estate can list your home and show you affordable homes in Butchertown, St. Matthews, The Highlands, and other great Louisville neighborhoods that are close to work and school.  Give us a call. We know Louisville.

A couple weeks into 2012, it’s not too late to make a resolution you can keep – and one that will make a difference in your life and that of your community right here in Louisville.

Buy a home:  Recent stats have reported that last year, local Realtors® sold fewer home for less money. Younger Group Real Estate has been very busy though, which proves that a good agent who knows the area can get the job done for you.  If you want a new place to hang your hat, don’t let the stats impact your dream.

Recycle old electronics:  Kentucky doesn’t have a law that requires this yet, but recycling old computers, cell phones, TVs, game systems, and other gadgets will spare hazardous materials from creeping into landfills.  You can drop off similar items at Louisville Nature Center, 3745 Illinois Ave. or call %02-458-1328 for information.

Adopt a pet: If you want to add one or more four legged additions to your family, consider adding a rescue pet.  They may not have papers, but they have lots of love to give.  Whether you want a puppy or kitten, or a more mature animal, Metro Animal Services’ Animal House Adoption Center, the Animal Cares Society, or other shelters around town can help complete your family.

Enjoy your city:  Right now, Southern Living Magazine, is holding a vote to see which Southern city has the tastiest cuisine.  You can cast your vote for Louisville in this contest, but Metromix is also looking for the best bar, best restaurant, best brunch, best farm to table restaurant. and more “bests” in Louisville. If you only go to a limited number of old favorites, make 2012 the year where you try out the great assortment of food and drink available right here.

Find new ways to live your passion:  Make 2012 the year you let your creative side reign.  Right now, the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in southeastern Bullitt County is looking for an artist in residence to live on-site and create nature-related art.  Even if that’s not for you, the Metro Arts Center and many private organizations offer classes in arts and crafts to enrich your life and become part of Louisville’s growing art community.

Buy Local: Throughout the city, local entrepreneurs offer great alternatives to the national chains.  For example, right in St. Matthew, you can “Shop the W’s,” the shops on the streets in St. Matthews that start with “W”: Willis, Wendover, Wiltshire, Wallace and Wilmington.  Shops there include Art Emporium, Fenwick Animal Clinic, Kayrouz Cafe , Namnam Cafe, Nanz & Kraft Florists, Nally’s Barber Shop, Simply Thai, Abeille, Natural Kneads, Loulee and Domain., and Mary Katherine’s & Me. The stores offer quality goods and services, easy parking, and a friendly atmosphere.

Here’s to a great 2012!  Mollie Younger of  Younger Group Real Estate  can help you keep  that first resolution if you are looking for home in Butchertown, St. Matthews, the Highlands, and more.  We know Louisville!

On this New Year’s Day, you might be taking down the tree and getting the family ready to function on a normal schedule of work and school in their first weeks of 2012.  As you think of what 2012 might hold for you, either moving or doing a bit of remodeling on your Louisville home may be high on your list. New year, new dreams, new plans – sounds exciting!

When you think of remodeling, the possibilities are endless, limited mainly by your budget.  If you want to remodel to better use your space or add some features you home does not currently have, you need to turn off the HGTV and do some hard thinking about some realities that will help you decide how much money to put into it. This reflection will also make you think about whether you want to move or stay.

Do you like your basic house?  Think of the bit of wisdom about how you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.  If you don’t like your home, think the yard is too small, or don’t like the neighborhood or the location, all the remodeling in the world will not make the place your dream home.  Moving is probably a good strategy for you, even if you cannot do it now.  When you remodel, do what you need to do to modernize the home, as you plan your exit strategy.

Is it big enough?  The trend is moving back to smaller houses, but if the footprint of your home is too small, adding more space is not always the answer.  If you have a tiny lot, you can only expand so much.  When you add space, you are increasing your investment in the house and may out price yourself in the neighborhood if you spend too much.  Also, when one homeowner makes their home much bigger than other homes on the block, neighbors and future buyers might not like the result.

How long do you plan to stay there? You may not have a crystal ball, but you have an idea of whether your company will transfer you in a couple years, you are planning to expand your family beyond the limits of your current home, or you bought the home as a starter home with the intention of moving in 3-5 years. These are signs that when you remodel, you should think in terms of what sells, not what you want in your dream home.  Things you might eventually hope to have – maybe a pool, a restaurant-quality kitchen, a state-of-the-art home theater room – might turn off buyers or at least not motivate them to pay more for them.

What do you need?  In your situation, there might be things you need now, regardless of the impact on a future sale.  Take, for example, a home office.  Remodeling surveys from Remodeling Magazine and other sources note that you will recoup less than half your outlay if you turn a bedroom into a home office.  If you work at home, you may need to have dedicated work space now.  The key is in leaving the room so it could be converted back to a bedroom, which may mean staying away from built-in shelving and dark paneling if know that you will be moving.  Make your home functional for you, just don’t overdo it with remodels that will affect resale value or the time required to sell.

If you are having trouble putting all this into perspective, give me a call. Mollie Younger of Younger Group Real Estate can help figure out whether to move or renovate and then help you buy or sell your Louisville home.  We know Louisville!

This is the season try to focus on peace, goodwill toward men, and loving your neighbor. Even if you don’t catch this spirit of love and joy from the religious meaning of the season, a hundred Hallmark movies will remind you of what is possible. As I and the other members of the Younger Group wish you a heartfelt Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah, we are aware of how many in Louisville need a helping hand.

We know of the Toys for Tots and coat drives; we have seen the red Salvation Army buckets and maybe participated in the Angel Tree effort to help needy families. Sometimes it really hits home that the  “needy”  are right among us, often unrecognized. In a society where many are a paycheck or two away from being in desperate shape.

All this hit home the other day when I read a story in the Louisville Courier Journal about some kids at Crosby Middle School who learned this lesson first hand. After seeing a 60 Minutes story “Hard Times Generation,” about homeless children in America in science teacher Jason Quinn’s class, Breya Jones and her other 8^th grade classmates learned that there were 28 students at Crosby considered homeless by the District.

She was stunned “I’ve seen people downtown and I know about shelters. I didn’t think about how kids could be in that situation. I didn’t think about how it could be kids I see in the hallway.”

As student Shemar Maxwell added “I really felt kind of bad that this goes on. I think all kids should be equal and have the same lifestyle. It shouldn’t be so easy for some and so hard for others.”

The class started collecting clothes, hygiene items, and food  and then served as the organizers when the drive went school-wide. Two teachers, Quinn, and Elizabeth Gleeson, and the school’s Youth Service Center coordinator, Paula Wolf, worked with the students.

Throughout the process, the homeless students were not identified. Donated items piled up in Ms. Gleason’s classrooms, and students sorted them during homerooms periods.  They made posters and talked about the problem . Mostly importantly, they became aware of a widespread problem that will continue long after their drive; with their budding social conscience nurtured , they may grow up to more sensitive to the needs of others. As Shemar said,  “It’s not enough to stop now.”

Within Jefferson County Public Schools, there are between 8,000 and 10,000 students who are considered homeless. Donations beyond what Crosby’s 28 need will be donated to others in the District, but all these kids have ongoing needs.

This experience at Crosby Middle Schools echoes the word of Dare to Care, Louisville’s hungry center. As  they note in their report Hunger in Kentucky: 

Hunger in Kentucky is meant to tell the story of the 684,000 people living in poverty in the Commonwealth. They are not all living on the streets – they are waiting on us in restaurants, driving our child’s bus to school, living on fixed incomes in retirement. They are our neighbors, family, and friends and they need our help. The mission of the Kentucky Association of Food Banks (KAFB) is to maximize the effectiveness of Feeding America food banks serving Kentucky by providing food to feed hungry people.

Those of us able to do something about this continuing problem should take a step to do it. As we make New Year’s resolution, perhaps one should be to incorporate regularly reaching out to others in our plans.  That is what we try to do at the Younger Group and what I am trying ingrain in mn daughter, Memphis, who celebrates her first Christmas this year.

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you. We appreciate your business in 2011 and hope to serve you again in 2012

Mollie Younger of Younger Group Real Estate  can help you buy or sell your Louisville home. We know Louisville.

With 12 days to Christmas, you might be for one of the pre-cut trees that sprout in parking lots all over town. It is not too late, though, to maximize your holiday experience by visiting a local Christmas tree farm to select and cut your tree yourself.  A short trip within Jefferson, Bullitt, or Oldjam Counities or behond  will yield a nice tree and a carload of memories for your family. Some farms allow you to choose your own tree that they will cut. Some farms even offer tree with root balls so you can plant them in your yard after the holidays.

Though it take at least seven years for a tree to grow from a pinecone to a six foot height popular for  ready for harvest, Christmas tree farms cultivate holiday trees expressly for decorative use.  This noble destiny does not spare many trees from deer, storms, drought, and bad weather, but the survivors grace homes throughout Louisville.  Trees that are damaged are often used for wreathes and greenery.

The Kentucky climate is conductive to many species of Christmas trees. Area farms might specialize in several varieties, so it is a good idea to plan ahead a for a trip to one that offers what you want. Popular varieties include:

Norway Spruce: This dark green tree has a dark green crown with a triangular shape, needles ½ – 1 inch long, drooping branchlets. It has poor needle retention unless you water the tree frequently.

Douglas Fir: drooping branchlets. This tree as has a dark green crown with a triangular shape and  branches that are spreading to drooping with sharply pointed pointed bud.

Eastern White Pine:  Popular also for furniture, the needles of an Eastern while pine are bluish-green to silver green in color and are regularly arranged in bundles of five. Needles are 2 1/2-=5 inches long and offer good retention. The tree has little aroma and is good for people who have allergies.

Scots Pine: Grown mostly for Christmas trees, the Scots pine is known for its dark green foliage but the color can range from bright green to bluish. Its stiff branches are appropriate for decorating with both light and heavy ornaments. It has excellent needle retention characteristics and holds up well throughout harvest, shipping and display.

Blue Spruce: With its narrow, pyramidal shape and cone-shaped crown, the blue spruce has needles) are 1-1 1/2 inches long on lower branches shorter on upper branches.  True to their name, they are generally dull bluish-gray to silvery blue with a very sharp point on the ends of the branches.

Here are a few nearby locations for trees, but make sure to call first to make sure they are sold out.

Jefferson County:

• Wethington Nursery –offer living rooted trees in White Pine, Norway Spruce and Douglas Fir varieties.
• Tower View Farm & Nursery – offer Kentucky grown tree, plus basket, Amish furniture and crafts, and gourmet coffee.

Oldham County:

• Alpine Ridge Christmas Tree Farm – U-Choose and Cut your own: Scotch Pine, White Pine, Douglas Fir and Blue Spruce
• Pine Ridge Farm – Scotch and white pines and hot chocolate too!
• Sleepy Hollow Tree Farm – Douglas Fir, Eastern White Pine, Norway Spruce, Scotch Pine

Bullitt County:

• Werkmeister’s U Cut – Douglas Fir, Scotch Pine, White Pine, White Spruce

Having a Kentucky –grown tree in your home can add be fun to acquire and to the beauty of your holiday festivities as well.  Enjoy and happy holidays.

Mollie Younger of Younger Group Real Estate can help you buy or sell your Louisville home. We know Louisville.

Last weekend, you may have enjoyed Light Up Louisville in downtown Louisville. This weekend, on Saturday, December 3^rd, it is time to capture the same magic in The Highlands.  Bardstown Road Aglow will take place between 5-10 pm, with the tree lighting to take place after Santa arrives in stretch limo for the lighting ceremony that starts at 5:45 pm. The beautiful tree, this year a 30 foot Norway spruce tree, will be set up in Wendy’s parking lot.

This event sets in motion several other things in Louisville.  The event marks the last day of the Four Roses’ second annual Holiday Bourbon Battle.  Restaurants and bars along Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue have been serving original holiday inspired drinks since November 19, in hope that guests will vote for their favorite.  At Bardstown Road Aglow, you can stop in one of the participating establishment, enjoy your, you can drink, and then text your vote to “22333,” email the name of the restaurant/bar to bourbonbattle@gmail.com, or visiting Facebook.com/FourRosesBourbon and clicking “Like” on the picture of their favorite Bourbon Battle cocktail. The winner, to be announced during the week of December 5, will receive $500 an engraved Four Roses decanter and a plaque for his/her restaurant.

If you are a beer lover, you may enjoy tasting some of the 150 beers from around the world. With only a $5 admission fee, you can try several at only $1 for a 2 oz. sample right at the Mid-City Mall. The admission fees for the third Annual Highlands Beer Festival go to local charities so you are helping others as you enjoy yourself.

During the evening, you can enjoy caroling and other musical selections from the Marching Louisville Pipe Band and other area musicians as you stroll around the area to look at the decorations or patronize merchants. Celebrity judges will also be walking around to select the best decorated businesses. Two trolleys will operated from Douglass Loop to Lexington Rd., plus the Aglow Shuttle starting at Winston’s Restaurant at Sullivan University to chauffeur you around the area.

Once Santa arrives, you can have pictures taken to remember the event at Bearno’s Restaurant at 1318 Bardstown Rd. for only $5.  Proceeds benefit  Gilda’ s club of Louisville.

The Bardstown Road Aglow celebration dates back to 1985, when merchants welcomed shoppers with candles in their windows. The tradition stuck, so every year the Bardstown Road  Aglow festivities have helped residents and visitors enjoy the holiday season. Come on down!  Happy holidays.

Mollie Younger of Younger Group Real Estate can help you buy or sell your Louisville home. We know Louisville.