Expert Real Estate Louisville, Kentucky

Lake Forest – A Great Place to Call Home

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Joe Hayden, Realtor

The subdivision of Lake Forest is a great place to call home! Located near Louisville, Kentucky, Lake Forest is one of the premier neighborhoods in the entire region. Initially developed by NTS in eastern Jefferson County as a large, multi-phase upscale subdivision, Lake Forest has grown to include an Arnold Palmer-designed 18-hole championship golf course, swimming pools, tennis courts, volleyball courts, clubhouses, plus playground areas. Because of these and other amenities, the subdivision of Lake Forest draws residents from all walks of life who wish to enjoy Louisville’s finest neighborhood.

If you are giving consideration to moving, you must give serious consideration to Lake Forest. With an ideal location just outside of the Gene Snyder Freeway on Shelbyville Road, Lake Forest boasts of convenient access to Downtown Louisville. In addition, you can easily reach local shopping and amenities such as The Summit and Oxmoor Mall from Lake Forest with a very short drive. With both Interstate 64 and Interstate 71 close by, residents of Lake Forest are able to travel the region with relative ease.

Among the many reasons you should call Lake Forest home, the community lifestyle and the neighborhood activities should be near the top. With wide, tree-lined streets that feature sidewalks to protect pedestrians, plus numerous walking trails, Lake Forest caters to an active lifestyle that continuously attracts new residents. And that in itself is a reason to make your new home in Lake Forest. By having such an influx of new residents drawn by the neighborhood’s appeal, home owners in Lake Forest enjoy an active real estate market the supports an upscale subdivision. Simply put, people want to live in the area and call Lake Forest home.

You don’t have to take my word for it, just drive over to the neighborhood yourself. You will see the beautiful homes, the mature trees, the open green spaces, plus the smiling faces on the residents themselves. Lake Forest will remain the premier subdivision in Louisville for many years to come and it is certainly a great place to call home!

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Historic Middletown, Kentucky

Posted on July 1, 2011 by Joe Hayden, Realtor

The beautiful, historic town of Middletown, Kentucky only encompasses a five-mile radius, but is full of charm and that small town feel. Middletown has many old Victorian homes and the community is very involved with the churches and local events. Middletown is a part of Jefferson County and considered to be a part of the Louisville Metropolitan area. The town has three primary historic sites: the historic gas station, the war memorial, and the Wetherby House.

The historic gas station was Middletown’s first gas station that Councilman Sam Tucker desperately wanted to have renovated so it would be up and running again. After years of hard, but slow work, Tucker finally saw the station back on its feet in 2003. The War Memorial was erected by the city of Middletown after World War II as a representation of all those who gave their lives in the war. In 2003, the War Memorial was moved to the Wetherby House, to keep it away from the busy street with no parking, so people could actually see it.

The Wetherby House was built in 1796 and originally owned by Esquire William White. The house stands on 100 acres and was once a popular Tavern and Inn. Today it has been renovated and is Middletown’s City Hall.

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St. Matthews a Great Place to Call Home

Posted on April 22, 2011 by Joe Hayden, Realtor

Over 15,000 people call St. Matthews, a lovely Louisville suburb, their home due to its close proximity to downtown (only 8 miles) and its premier shopping! St. Matthews is the largest shopping district in Louisville – boasting two large malls and nearly every store imaginable on Shelbyville Road!

St. Matthews is located in the East End of Louisville, Kentucky. Those living in Louisville’s East End typically have the highest incomes recorded in the city. Most residents own their homes, as rental listings are infrequent outside of apartment homes. St. Matthews is a great neighborhood for any age – with a great family atmosphere and a steady stream of young professionals moving into the area!

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St. Matthews residents can ‘let their hair down’ at several nightlife spots – the Bluegrass Brewing Company, Dutch’s Tavern, and Saints! Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse is a premium dinner choice with amazing views, sitting atop of the Kaden Tower, and The Napa River Grill is a unique restaurant option serving Northern California / Pacific Rim fusion food.

You can’t talk St. Matthews without talking about shopping! And besides the malls in St. Matthews, the award winning Westport Village is a must-see! It is Louisville’s first, true outdoor specialty shopping village that features architecture modeled after the Kentucky equestrian traditions. For those who prefer to exercise without the use of their wallets, there are several beautiful parks for St. Matthews residents to enjoy.

All-in-all, St. Matthews is a great place to call home!

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Prospect, Kentucky – A Great Place to Call Home

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Joe Hayden, Realtor

Prospect, Kentucky is a great place to call home! Found in eastern Jefferson County, Prospect is a community that is home to both large modern mansions and zebras.

The mansions are courtesy of developers and homebuilders who cater to top executives of large corporations. The zebras are courtesy of the farm owned by the Wallace family.

If you’re looking for executive homes, you might start with Sutherland, a signature development that has iconic small lakes accented by fountains right by U.S. 42. Other subdivisions include Hunting Creek and the Estates of Hunting Creek, with their own country club and golf course; Fox Harbor, one of Prospect’s first subdivisions; and a few developments named after the local Harrods Creek.

At one time, the intersection of U.S. 42 with Rose Island Road and Covered Bridge Road was the heart of Prospect. It was home to the Prospect Store, a classic country retail outlet, and the circa 1903 City Hall.

But by 1989 progress prompted new developments. Local celebrity Henry Wallace bought the store building for $1 and moved it across the street, out of the way of an expanding modern convenience store. While the Prospect Store survives today as apartments, the former City Hall was torn down.

One long-time estate is the James Trigg mansion, built by a wealthy farmer and railroad executive. In the 1940s and 1950s, the estate was home to newspaper executive Mark Etheridge and his wife, author Willie Snow Etheridge. Their Derby parties and dinners attracted people such as author John Steinbeck and band leader Benny Goodman.

Perhaps even Henry Wallace attended a few Etheridge parties. He was a former correspondent for Life and Time magazines. After living abroad for many years, Wallace returned to his family’s 600-acre farm. He later established Henry’s Ark, a free-admission, non-profit petting zoo at the farm where the zebras are joined by all manner of other exotic animals and birds.

Today Prospect is a wealthy modern bedroom community with a prosperous city government. You can learn more by visiting Prospect Homes for Sale.

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Achievement Rewarded with a Home in Lake Forest

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Joe Hayden, Realtor

For many in Louisville, Kentucky a major sign that you have “arrived” is a home in Lake Forest.

Lake Forest’s wide boulevards wind past manicured yards, designer homes, a community clubhouse with tennis courts and swimming pool, and an 18-hole Arnold Palmer-designed golf course.

For several years in the late 1980s and early 90s, Lake Forest hosted Homearama, the local homebuilder’s association showcase of the latest building trends and designs. Often, the opulent homes were sold even before the show opened. Homerama cemented Lake Forest’s position in Louisville as the “it” community in which to buy a home.

Twenty years and 1,700 homes later, Lake Forest still retains that pull for executives, avid golfers, and even several locally prominent celebrities. Well-known retired jockey Pat Day, for example, is a Lake Forest resident.

Lake Forest residents experience an involved community association that actively communicates with its homeowners. The association is run by an active board of directors and executed by a committed staff focused on maintaining the appeal of a Lake Forest lifestyle.

And you shouldn’t get bored in Lake Forest. Not only can you play golf within its confines, your children can enjoy a summer swim and dive team; a community Easter Egg hunt, a community Halloween party, a visit from Santa, and learn from specific teen activities and of course, the American Red Cross babysitting class.

Adult residents have the option of renting the Lodge clubhouse in Lake Forest for private events, as well as heading there for bourbon and wine tasting events, comedy clubs, seminars on health, beauty and financial matters, and the annual New Year’s Eve gala.

The Lake Forest Country Club offers private play on a challenging 72-par course. The course provides 7,151 yards of rolling bent grass fairways, large greens, multiple tee boxes and 14 lakes and creeks in play.

You can learn more about Lake Forest by visiting Lake Forest Homes for Sale.

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