March 2024 | Volume 12 | Issue 5
Sun HOOVER’S COMMUNITY NEWS SOURCE HOOVERSUN.COM | STARNESMEDIA.COM
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Market upswing Hoover real estate market shows signs of recovery from slower 2023
By JON ANDERSON
R
esidential real estate sales in Hoover continued their slowdown in 2023, but prices remained strong and slightly outpaced inflation, and Realtors and home builders are predicting an uptick in business this year. After total home closings in Hoover declined 18% in 2022, they fell by another 23% in 2023, according to statistics from the Greater Alabama Multiple Listing Service. The total number of home closings in Hoover fell from 2,243 in 2021 to 1,844 in 2022 and 1,421 in 2023, data shows.
See REAL ESTATE | page 30
New homes under construction in the Everlee subdivision in Hoover on Feb. 5. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
Reported crime in Hoover drops 8% in 2023 By JON ANDERSON For the first time in 12 years, Hoover in 2023 went a full calendar year without a homicide unrelated to traffic, Hoover police said. 2023 turned out to be good on several fronts related to crime levels. There were only nine robberies the entire year, the lowest number in 23 years and a 40% drop from 15 robberies in 2022, police statistics show.
One of the new Hoover Police Department patrol vehicles at the Frank and Pam Barefield Training Center. The department’s new vehicles include new branding. Photo by Erin Nelson Sweeney.
“That’s pretty outstanding,” police Chief Nick Derzis said. Sex offenses and burglaries were down 15%, thefts were down 14% and auto burglaries were down 12% from 2022, records show. The number of burglaries (99) was the lowest in 17 years, and the number of auto burglaries (317) was the lowest in nine years, which is “pretty strong,” Derzis said.
See CRIME | page 28
INSIDE
Sponsors................................................4 City..........................................................6
Business............................................... 10 Events....................................................12
Sports................................................... 14 Summer Camp Guide........................26 facebook.com/hooversunnews
On the Ballot
Batter Up
Gary Palmer and Terri Sewell face competition for Congressional district seats.
High school baseball and softball seasons are underway at Hoover and Spain Park.
See page 6
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See pages 16-19