Mary Reed Durkin

Stories & Market Notes

The Blog

Notes from the Birmingham market, stories from the field, and the occasional neighborhood deep-dive, written by Mary Reed Durkin.

Front exterior of a two-story new construction home with antique brick facade, dark charcoal siding accents, white-trimmed windows, covered front porch with arched entry, dormer windows, and fresh landscaping with boxwood shrubs and pine straw
Sellers

What to Fix Before Selling Your Birmingham Home

Life got full and the house waited. Here's an honest look at deferred maintenance before selling in Birmingham: where to spend and where to skip.

May 27, 2026

Evening street scene in downtown Birmingham at 20th Street North, with a curved modern-renovated building glowing with warm light, pedestrians on the sidewalk, and cars in motion
Market Updates

Birmingham Is the #1 City for New College Graduates in 2026

ADP ranked Birmingham the #1 U.S. city for new college graduates in 2026. Here's what the wages, hiring rates, and real estate data actually tell us.

May 23, 2026

Mary Reed Durkin, founder of Mary Reed Durkin Real Estate, in a warmly lit portrait inside a Birmingham home.
My Life

I Kept Saying No.

I said no to real estate for years. Here is the story of how I got here, what Birmingham gave our family, and how I show up for every client today.

May 5, 2026

A spacious family room with rich hardwood floors, a brick fireplace flanked by Southwestern textile art, generous sectional seating, and warm lamp light — the kind of well-loved gathering room found in many established Birmingham homes.
Multi-Gen

One in Three Large Birmingham Homes Is an Empty Nest. Here’s What I’ve Been Thinking About.

The new Redfin empty nester report through a Birmingham lens — what 31% of our large homes being empty nests means, and whether to renovate, downsize, or sell.

Apr 28, 2026

Black-framed family photos arranged on a gallery wall above the staircase landing of a Birmingham home, capturing generations of memories in a single hallway.
Lifestyle

Multi-Generational Living in Birmingham, AL: When Your Home Needs to Work for Everyone

Aging parents, adult children moving home, empty nesters — what Birmingham families are navigating and what your home really needs to fit this season of life.

Apr 27, 2026

Aerial view of downtown Homewood, Alabama, with leafy residential neighborhoods in the foreground and Red Mountain in the distance — one of the most active suburban markets in the Birmingham metro area.
Market Updates

Birmingham Real Estate Market 2026: What Buyers and Sellers Need to Know Right Now

A local breakdown of the current 2026 Birmingham real estate market — pricing, days on market, and what it means if you're buying or selling now.

Apr 23, 2026