If you’ve been eyeing Birmingham and wondering where you’d actually want to live, let me point you toward a popular spot just south of downtown: Southside. It’s close to everything, full of character, and about as convenient as it gets if you’re headed to school or working at UAB.
I filmed the view over it the other day from up on Red Mountain — the whole neighborhood tucked into the trees below downtown — and it stopped me for a second. I love that view. And the neighborhood underneath it has a lot going for it, so I wanted to give it the full write-up here, the way I’d walk a client through it.
A quick note on who’s giving you this tour: I’m a Realtor and an interior designer, so I look at every neighborhood two ways at once — the home you’ll love, and the smart investment underneath it. Head and heart. You’ll feel that lens all the way through.
The quick version
Southside is one of Birmingham’s oldest communities, sitting on the forested slopes of Red Mountain and running roughly from Railroad Park up to Vulcan Park. Its beating heart is Five Points South — named for the spot where five roads converge into a five-pointed star, marked by the beloved Storyteller Fountain. It’s also home to UAB’s campus and the city’s world-renowned medical district.
Founded back in 1887 as the Town of Highland, it was one of Birmingham’s very first streetcar suburbs, and today it’s on the National Register of Historic Places. Translation: real history, real character, and a walkable, in-town energy you can’t fake in a newer subdivision.
And “Southside” is bigger than just Five Points. It climbs the historic, tree-lined slopes of Red Mountain up toward Vulcan Park — our landmark on the ridge — and the leafy old pockets around the mountain, like Glen Iris, hold some of the city’s most beautiful old homes, many with skyline views. From the restaurants at the bottom to the historic homes up top, that whole stretch is what I mean when I talk about Southside.
Best for: buyers who want to walk to dinner, live close to the action, and own a home with genuine character (and often real renovation upside).
What makes Southside special
You can actually walk to everything. This is the rare Birmingham neighborhood where coffee, dinner, drinks, a park, and a night out are all on foot. For anyone coming from a bigger city who doesn’t want to give up walkability, this is the one.
It’s the city’s food capital. Southside is where Birmingham’s celebrated dining scene lives — including James Beard–recognized restaurants that put this city on the culinary map. Whether you want a special-occasion dinner or a casual weeknight bite, it’s steps from your door.
Minutes to UAB and downtown. If you work in the medical district, at UAB, or downtown, your commute basically disappears — a huge quality-of-life win. Downtown is about five minutes away.
Homes with real soul. This is where my designer heart and my Realtor brain both light up. Pockets like Glen Iris are full of historic homes built between roughly 1901 and 1940 — the kind with the details you can’t reproduce today. The range is wide: lofts and condos, student housing near campus, restored showpieces, and everything in between.
Nonstop energy. Live music, festivals, and a genuine urban buzz year-round — from the decades-old St. Patrick’s Day celebration to newer community events in the district. It doesn’t go quiet.
Let’s talk about the homes (my favorite part)
Here’s where the renovate-or-relocate lens matters most. Southside is a neighborhood where the same street can hold a beautifully updated historic home and one that’s been waiting decades for someone to love it back to life.
That’s opportunity — if you know what you’re looking at. Some of these homes are the right buy exactly as they are. Others are the right buy because of what they could become, and the character bones are already there. The trick is telling the difference before you write the offer, and knowing which updates protect your investment versus which ones just drain it. (That’s the whole reason I do both jobs.)
On price, here’s roughly where Southside sits as of late 2026. In the Five Points South area, the median list price runs around $315,000–$330,000 — about $205–$255 a square foot — which is genuinely affordable for a neighborhood this walkable and this close in. But the range is wide: condos and smaller historic homes can start in the high $200s, updated bungalows land in the $300s and $400s, and larger historic homes up on the mountain climb into the $600s, $700s, and beyond. (Prices move, so reach out for today’s numbers on a specific street.)
That view, from your own front steps
Here’s the fun part about the homes up the hill in Southside: some of them look out over that exact skyline — the one from the video — right from the front porch. These old houses have real personality, the kind of character and details you just can’t reproduce today.
That’s also where the head-and-heart question I love comes in: knowing which historic details are worth protecting, and which updates actually pay off at resale. Homes like this don’t tend to sit long — so if you’d like to know what’s available in Southside right now, just reach out, and I’ll show you what’s out there and what’s worth it.
Where I actually go in Southside
Here are a few of my personal favorites — the spots I genuinely find myself at:
Coffee & a treat — Adam & Eve. Their raspberry matcha is so good. And even though I keep telling myself I’m being healthy, I’ve got my eye on their Dubai chocolate croissant — that’s happening soon. (I’m also hearing great things about Bandita Bowls and their $5 Friday açaí bowls, so that’s next on my list.)
Lunch — Makarios. One of my absolute favorites. I’m a little obsessed with their chicken and hummus — genuinely some of the best hummus in the whole city.
Dinner — Chez FonFon. The clear winner. I love their burger, and the steak frites are just as good — the kind of place that feels special without trying too hard.
The view — Vulcan Park. My favorite green space, hands down, because it has some of the best views in the entire city. (It’s the very view I filmed for this one.)
A little fun — Dave’s. So much fun, and if you’re in the mood to sing, they do karaoke several nights a week.
Ready to find where you belong in Birmingham?
Picking the right neighborhood is a big decision — and it’s a lot easier with someone who knows every pocket of this city. That’s exactly what a Neighborhood Match Call is for: we’ll talk through your lifestyle, your budget, and your must-haves, and I’ll point you to the areas that actually fit — Southside or otherwise. And because I’m a Realtor and a designer, I’ll flag which homes have good bones and which ones will fight you.
Just starting your search? My full Moving to Birmingham neighborhood guide walks through all seven regions of the metro, Southside included.
Find a home you love. Make it feel like home.
Kristen McGee, Kristen McGee Homes
Real Estate and Interior Design, brokered by Arc Realty
(205) 907-3390 · kristen@kristenmcgeehomes.com · kristenmcgeehomes.com
