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NewswireToday - /newswire/ -
Elizabethtown, KY, United States, 04/25/2006 - The 2005 Cameron Crowe film staring Orlando Bloom and Kristen Durst may have made the town’s name a little more recognizable, but the coming real estate boom is what will really change the face of the historic town of Elizabethtown.
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Elizabethtown, as the county seat for Hardin County dates back to 1795 and is famous historically for being the home of Thomas Lincoln, Father of Abraham Lincoln. His home, known today as Lincoln Heritage Home, is located in Freeman Lake Park and is open to the public. The house, which was originally built around 1789, was restored in 1973 by the Hardin County Historical Society and today sits stoically on the banks of Freeman Lake Park.
Although the area has a rich history, it has experienced its up and downs economically over the years. Originally a farming community, it blossomed into an industrial center and later into a hub of activity centered around the sprawling US Army base, Fort Knox, in the northern part of the county and large factories mostly related to the auto manufacturing industry in the southern end.
With the natural evolution of the economy and the US Defense Department financial cutbacks of years past the area more or less stabilized into a routine pattern of growth for a number of years starting around 1990. Although the economy remained relatively strong, due mostly to the auto related factories located there and the close proximity to Louisville Kentucky, the growth and progress was quiet and orderly in most people’s view for the ensuing years.
Things seem about ready to change, though, with the announcement by the US Defense Department that a base closure and realignment decision has been made and approved. The decision to reassign a few thousand new people to the area will have an unbelievably positive impact on the area for years to come. Phased in gradually initially, the decision will have a huge impact on the housing market locally. “We are already feeling the impact of this decisions” says Kim Shortt, a real estate property manager with TW Shortt Realty, FlatFeeDirect.com in Elizabethtown. “When a rental unit becomes available we usually have several qualified applicants almost immediately and we are encouraging people to add themselves to our waiting list at FlatFeeDirect.com” in advance of arrival.
“People moving here shouldn’t experience a shortage of quality housing once most of the ongoing projects are complete and the place is ablaze with them" according to local Realtors and builders. Single-family homes ranging in price from under one hundred thousand dollars to the mid three hundred thousand are available for purchase. Practically all bases are being covered as new apartment buildings by the dozens are going up in the north end of the county near Fort Knox. New town houses and condominium units are springing up as never before.
According to Elizabethtown and Radcliff officials, "building permits are up over last year and for the first quarter of 2006 an increase has also been experienced.” Similar numbers are being experienced in other local communities. The entire county has experienced phenomenal growth in terms of businesses choosing to locate here. “Any type restaurant or other service business that you can think of is now available here” according to Andra Shortt, a local real estate agent in a flat fee real estate company.
“With 600 Realtors ready to work with prospective buyers, sellers and renters and an active market of re-sales homes available, this may be the perfect time to invest in Hardin County “ according to industry leaders in Elizabethtown. Currently there are almost a thousand homes on the market according to the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) but the intense part of the housing demand for this area is yet to come and “we plan to be ready to resettle all the new residents into the area” according to Shortt. Some real estate companies are even offering cash rebates to buyers purchasing brand new homes in the area.
Advice to people resettling into the Hardin County Kentucky area is to visit with an open mind and see what the area has to offer. Beautiful homes, safe parks and recreation areas, good schools, fine restaurants, entertainment and so much more awaits new residents no matter what brings them to the area.
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