Love Bama! (Huntsville, Madison, Athens: credit, tornadoes, maintenance)

[MsMuir]

Hubby and I just returned from our trip to Al...just a "look/see" kinda trip. We LOVE it!
The people are so very friendly and helpful, it was unbelievable...real southern hospitality.

We're from CA, but have spent the last 2 years in Central FL....not to our liking at all. We wanted to check out Huntsvile before making any moves...hubby is an engineer.
At the moment he's in management.

I do have a couple of questions...but first I want to thank
brandoni57 for all the info he sent on this forum, in the past.

He suggested looking at SE Huntsville, among other areas,
and I must say it was great...my favorite. Here's the questions:

In the said area, is it possible to find a home with some land? I'm talking about 2-3 acres. Seems all we saw were
subdivisions....really don't want to go there. If not, what about Owens crossing? Don't want to llive near any chicken farms either!

Also, just before we had to leave, (time constraints), we
talked with a couple at the new PetsMart in that area and mentioned that we were trying to take the time to see Harvest. They suggested NOT...said it was Tornado Alley
in north of Huntsville. Any thoughts on that? Since time was short we opted not to go there.....wonder if we made the wrong decision.....also, what about Grant?

Thanks for any and all input.
Have a great day.

[nalabama]

2-3 acres is readily available in outlying areas, but since zoning is virtually non-existent outside of Huntsville and Madison city limits, a chicken farm as a surprise neighbor is not impossible. It's available inside the city limits also, if you've got the financing! Owens Crossroads is okay as far as I know, although there are some low-lying areas to be aware of. Harvest is okay as well, but it may be some time before the road system catches up with the subdivision development there. And yes, recently the Harvest area has experienced somewhat more severe weather than the southern part of Madison County, but I believe the two most significant tornadoes (1974, 1989) in the last 35 years caused damage primarily in the south end of Huntsville.

Everybody I know who lives in Grant loves it, but then I don't know that many folks from Grant. The commute to Redstone Arsenal shouldn't be too bad since the four-laning of US 431. And Research Park is just off the Arsenal, so I guess it's doable if your husband doesn't mind the drive.

If schools aren't a deciding issue, you may want to consider the eastern half of Limestone County (east of Athens), especially if you can get relatively close to I-565. Quick access to Redstone Arsenal/Research Park and Madison city, slightly lower land values--but more likely to see the dreaded chicken farm. That becomes less likely every passing day though, as property values continue to increase.

Good luck.

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by nalabama

2-3 acres is readily available in outlying areas, but since zoning is virtually non-existent outside of Huntsville and Madison city limits, a chicken farm as a surprise neighbor is not impossible. It's available inside the city limits also, if you've got the financing! Owens Crossroads is okay as far as I know, although there are some low-lying areas to be aware of. Harvest is okay as well, but it may be some time before the road system catches up with the subdivision development there. And yes, recently the Harvest area has experienced somewhat more severe weather than the southern part of Madison County, but I believe the two most significant tornadoes (1974, 1989) in the last 35 years caused damage primarily in the south end of Huntsville.

Everybody I know who lives in Grant loves it, but then I don't know that many folks from Grant. The commute to Redstone Arsenal shouldn't be too bad since the four-laning of US 431. And Research Park is just off the Arsenal, so I guess it's doable if your husband doesn't mind the drive.

If schools aren't a deciding issue, you may want to consider the eastern half of Limestone County (east of Athens), especially if you can get relatively close to I-565. Quick access to Redstone Arsenal/Research Park and Madison city, slightly lower land values--but more likely to see the dreaded chicken farm. That becomes less likely every passing day though, as property values continue to increase.

Good luck.

Thanks, Nalabama. appreciate your input. Just wondering if you know just how long the drive is from Grant? Hubby doesn't mind driving as long as the traffic isn't insane.

We were surprised at how crowded Madison became. We were told in the past that it was possible to find a couple of acres there, but, again, it looked like Sub Division City!
Seemed like a good bit of traffic, as well. Of course we were there over the holidays so maybe that accounted for it.

We're not concerned about schools, both the children are grown and on their own...a semi-rural area, with easy access to main roads would be perfect! Of course we all know there's no such thing as perfect!

Thanks again for you time..

[nalabama]

On Google Maps, from the center of Grant to downtown Huntsville is 31.2 miles, 41 minutes. You could easily add 15 minutes to that for the morning rush hour, and you've still got a few more miles to get to the Arsenal or Research Park. However, the closer you get to US 431 or US 72, the less time required, especially if you live either near US 431 and work on the Arsenal or near US 72 and work in Research Park.

Another area to consider is south of the Tennessee River off US 231. From Morgan City to the intersection of Weatherly Road (SE hsv) and US 231 (Memorial Parkway at that point) would have only added about 12 minutes to my commute as compared to my commute from deep in SE Huntsville to the same intersection. A couple acres is easy to come by there as well. Pick your location carefully, as you must in rural New Hope also, to ensure neighbors share your pride of ownership and your concern for your personal property. A working Community Watch is an asset. Good luck.

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by nalabama

On Google Maps, from the center of Grant to downtown Huntsville is 31.2 miles, 41 minutes. You could easily add 15 minutes to that for the morning rush hour, and you've still got a few more miles to get to the Arsenal or Research Park. However, the closer you get to US 431 or US 72, the less time required, especially if you live either near US 431 and work on the Arsenal or near US 72 and work in Research Park.

Another area to consider is south of the Tennessee River off US 231. From Morgan City to the intersection of Weatherly Road (SE hsv) and US 231 (Memorial Parkway at that point) would have only added about 12 minutes to my commute as compared to my commute from deep in SE Huntsville to the same intersection. A couple acres is easy to come by there as well. Pick your location carefully, as you must in rural New Hope also, to ensure neighbors share your pride of ownership and your concern for your personal property. A working Community Watch is an asset. Good luck.

Thnaks again for all info....can you tell me anything about Hampton Cove? Or is that just a Subdivision? It was suggested to us. What is the area around Jones Valley called? I know that's where The Ledges are....not that we want to live at The Ledges, but the area around there was
very beautiful.

Thanks for your time!

[nalabama]

Hampton Cove is a planned community, anchored by a Robert Trent Jones designed golf course and Club House, one of the series of such courses that make up the Alabama Golf Trail. It has some lakes and was built on gently rolling farmland off US 431 and east of Huntsville's highest ground, Monte Sano Mountain. Homes there start around $250K and go up. I think it is a credit to its developers. Pride of ownership is apparent in the various neighborhoods comprising the development and the Neighborhood Association stays active. Property values continue to appreciate as well as anywhere else in Huntsville. Someone else would need to comment on the commute, the last leg of which would parallel the last leg of the commute from New Hope, which is farther out. It is unlikely you will find 2-3 acres in the Hampton Cove development itself, but the surrounding area does contain such properties ($$$). Hampton Cove is part of Huntsville and subject to all the same zoning controls.

The area around Jones Valley is called...Jones Valley. Formerly known as Drake Cove, the property was purchased by the Jones family patriarch in 1939 from the Drake family, after whom Drake Avenue is named. The original farm is still there, shrinking from its original 2800 acres to approximately 2000 acres today. There are lovely neighborhoods on all sides of it (if you consider the Ledges as sealing off the eastern side). Values range (guessing) from the low $200s on the south to perhaps over $2 million in some of the areas to the North and in The Ledges. Only a very few older properties have 2-3 acres available, and they will be expensive. Shopping at all levels is convenient and it is an easy commute (it's about 7 miles closer in than Hampton Cove) to the Arsenal and Research Park. Schools are excellent, including the private ones.

The Ledges is simply beautiful. The golf course and club are gorgeous, Huntsville's builders have created masterpieces on top of the mountain ridge where The Ledges sits, and the views can be spectacular. I don't think 2-3 acres is available anywhere in the The Ledges though. John & Carolyn Jones Blue should be proud of what they have created--I'm proud for them. If you've got the assets, you couldn't go wrong.

[MsMuir]

[quote=nalabama;285770]The area around Jones Valley is called...Jones Valley.

Hi...I can't thank you enough for all the info! You sure do know the area WELL! The funny thing is....while we were in Bama we stayed in Cullman. I asked at the desk of the hotel if they could tell me where Jones Valley was and how to get to it.....they told me there was NO SUCH PLACE ...hence my question! We, of course did find the area, however, I thought maybe it was called by another name.

On another note...I've seen, on this forum, mention of Fayette, TN....suggestions of living there and working at
the Industrial Park...just wondering about your thoughts on this. The people that told me Harvest was in Tornado
Alley, said it was thrue of that area sa well. Any thoughts?

Really appreciate all your help....feel like I'm getting to know the area pretty well...thanks to you!

[Figment 07]

The people that told me Harvest was in Tornado Alley, said it was thrue of that area sa well. Any thoughts?

Just make sure you aren't tempted into buying a house without a basement.

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by Figment 07

Just make sure you aren't tempted into buying a house without a basement.

Hi Figment...yes, I thought of that too! Guess no matter what area in AL you are, you should have a basement...right? Also, I thought a brick house would be best...is that correct thinking?

[Figment 07]

I'm in Atlanta, but just two weeks ago, Newnan, Georgia, south of the airport had 20 homes damaged and 6 destroyed. In January, right after New Year. Dunwoody, just to the northeast of Atlanta (within the metro area) was torn apart by tornadoes a few years ago.

Tornadoes are a fact of life in the south, not just in Alabama, and they can happen at any time of year.

Brick veneer can be destroyed as well, but you will find that brick homes in the south generally appreciate faster, require less maintenance and have higher resale value than comparable homes of other siding materials. If you can afford brick, go for it! But whatever you buy, get a house with a basement and finish at least one room down there in the most protected corner. I've spent many a night sleeping comfortably in my basement guest room during tornado watches and warnings.