Alabama Here We Come...HURRAY! (Huntsville, Decatur: real estate, crime rate, house)

[MsMuir]

Hubby has accepted a job in Decatur with ULA....we will be leaving FL
the end of August! I'm thrilled to death...LOVE AL! Only problem is
getting our house sold here in FL...no easy feat, I'm afraid.

Just wondering if anyone out there can give me some info about living in Decatur, as opposed to living in the surrounding areas..Huntsville, Madison, etc. Not sure what the commute would be like for Hubby if we lived outside Decatur.

We were hoping for a house on a acre or two, but since chicken farms were mentioned, am curious just how far out of town you have to be to encounter one of them.

Also living in TN was mentioned several times and wondered what the
good points for that might be. I do think I'd prefer AL, however, but
am open minded to all suggestions.

Is there a shopping mall in Decatur? Any farmers markets, or
Organic food markets?

We were in the Huntsville area last year and only drove thru Decatur....unfortunately we were in an area that I'm assuming now
was the "old" part of the town. It looked rather industrial, and that it also had seen better days.

Thanks for any and all suggestions, considerations, and remarks in general!

[KMK]

There are some shopping malls in Decatur but much better shopping in Huntsville by far. Unfortunately I think the area you saw is probably as good as it gets. Most downtown areas of all towns in Alabama look like they have seen better days. And more then likely have. The economy in the entire state is rock bottom. It would be a tad far to live in Tenn if your husband works in Decatur. Madison is a nicer more progressive area. I suspect there may be some nice areas of Decatur tucked somewhere outside the main part of town. Although the crime rate in Decatur and Huntsville seems to be on the rise so do try to check out the area you choose to live carefully. I can understand a move from the Florida area but you might fair better moving to the SE, unless you are already familiar with the Alabama area or have relatives here. This state has some unique challenges esp for newcomers. You might fair much better along the coast where newcomers are more frequent and folks are used to them. I wish you the best in your move .

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by KMK

There are some shopping malls in Decatur but much better shopping in Huntsville by far. Unfortunately I think the area you saw is probably as good as it gets. Most downtown areas of all towns in Alabama look like they have seen better days. And more then likely have. The economy in the entire state is rock bottom. It would be a tad far to live in Tenn if your husband works in Decatur. Madison is a nicer more progressive area. I suspect there may be some nice areas of Decatur tucked somewhere outside the main part of town. Although the crime rate in Decatur and Huntsville seems to be on the rise so do try to check out the area you choose to live carefully. I can understand a move from the Florida area but you might fair better moving to the SE, unless you are already familiar with the Alabama area or have relatives here. This state has some unique challenges esp for newcomers. You might fair much better along the coast where newcomers are more frequent and folks are used to them. I wish you the best in your move .

Thanks so much for your imput. Actually, we're orginally from CA
and have only spent the last two years here in FL. We did check out
the Carolinas and the Knoxville areas, but Huntsville was more to our liking.

As far as living in TN goes, a couple of guys that hubby will be working with do live across the border in TN and commute to
work in Decatur. They suggest we do the same. Not sure we want to do that, however. Was just hoping someome could give us some insight on the living conditions in Decatur before we made the move.
The area we did see looked like everything was closed down and had been for years.......maybe it was just the time of day we were there.

It does appear there are some developments in Decatur, not that we have to live in one, but the homes I've seen on the net are nothing like what we saw when we were in Decatur. Fact is, we didn't even see any homes....only streets that had some old closed up looking businesses.

[Southlander]

Hello Ms Muir and welcome to Decatur!!
There are all kinds of housing here...unfortunately we don't have as many big new developments going up as Madison. The area you saw is probably our downtown, which like many Southern downtowns, succumbed to sprawl years ago. However, there are a couple of new restaurants and some interesting small shops and other restaurants, so things are slowly improving.

We have 2 areas with historic homes. Homes are pretty much split into Southeast and Southwest. SE Decatur mostly has older homes, meaning 40 to 50 years old, with the exception of Pointe Mallard Estates, which ranges from 5 to 30 years old, and the Burningtree areas (near I-65), which range from buy-a-lot-and-build-your-own to 35 years old. SW Decatur ranges from older to brand new, and plenty of lots available. You can even find a couple centered around small lakes.

You want a couple of acres? Plenty of open land. Yes, there are some chicken farms...just keep your eyes peeled when looking. Of course, there's no guarantee that your neighbor might decide to go into the chicken business - no zoning in the county. Boeing - excuse me, ULA - is almost next door to Lawrence County, so be aware of that fact. Nothing wrong with Lawrence County, it's quite rural and agrarian, and you might well find your acreage there. But if schools are important, you'll want to stay in Decatur or at least Morgan County. Most Decatur schools are quite good. Our 2 high schools have a combined International Baccalaureate program, and I believe the middle school IB program begins this fall.

Decatur has a small mall. We have a Target opening in October, with several accompanying stores such as Old Navy. Unfotunately, the big chain businesses view Huntsville and Decatur as 1 metro area, and tend to open stores there rather than here. We are probably the biggest city in the U.S. that has no Starbucks. We have a thriving farmers market April through October with wonderful local produce, but the severe drought our area is experiencing has curtailed the market this year. No organic grocery - a Whole Foods just opened in Huntsville a few months ago.

Of course, you'll find out more when you come to visit and see for yourself. In the meantime, you might want to check out the websites posted by the Decatur/Morgan County Chamber of Commerce and Decatur/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Real estate listings are at valleymls dot com. Again, welcome, we're so glad you're on your way!

[Keeper]

In Arab, we had signed petitions to get it on the ballot so it could be voted on. We lost by 16 votes and they refused to do a recount even though there were some questions about some of the ballots. We can not vote again on it for 2 years. I could be wrong, but in other areas I heard the legislature had to approve the request before it was voted on.
If you don't have a lot of people wanting this you will face stiff oposition. The people who didn't want outspent the group who asked for the vote by thousands, not to mention they sent out letters and called residents asking them to be sure and vote 'no'.
You might be able to find some info on the AL gov website if no one else answers you.

[marysally]

Moderator cut: personal-off topic Contrary to your statement about the AL economy being rock bottom, AL's unemployment rate is lower than the national average and Huntsville's is the lowest in the state. In fact it has been noted that anyone who wants a job in the N AL region should have no problem getting one. These are also good paying jobs - engineering related etc. Just look at the data and you will see that the median income in the area is the highest in the SE -- much higher than Atlanta's. You also erroneously said that the coastal area is more receptive to newcomers. I can only counter than the Huntsville area population is made up in large part by newcomers from all over the US as well as other countries. My best friends are from MO, CA, Nev., TN, Indiana, Germany, and the Netherlands. Many Huntsville residents move here as military retirees after being stationed at the arsenal and falling in love with the area.

[nalabama]

A Tennessee commute shouldn't be too bad, given I-65's proximity to Decatur. Still, you're talking at least 35 miles I think.The primary advantage of living in Tennessee is usually the fact that Tennessee has no income tax on earned income, but I think you'll be required to pay Alabama income tax anyway if you work in Decatur. A commute from the near side of any local city should be a snap, given Decatur's location on I-65 and its other excellent feeder routes. But you should be able to find something you'll like right there in Decatur--its historic areas represent real bargains in my opinion, taxes are lower than in Hsv & Madison, traffic isn't as big a hassle, and there is plentiful acreage available close in. Another big plus for Decatur in my opinion is the easy access to the Tennessee River and Wheeler Lake. Shopping at one of the largest malls in North Alabama is only about thirty minutes away at Madison Square in Huntsville. Decatur is such a nice town in so many ways, it is a shame that its depressed areas are so visible and therefore detract from its curb appeal.

[harry chickpea]

We drove around Decatur on the 4th. The generic new america area is along the southwest. Look on a map and you'll see a road that looks like part of a perimeter highway. All your standard newer stores and businesses are there. Don't be afraid of the area because you happened to drive through an older area.

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by Southlander

Hello Ms Muir and welcome to Decatur!!
There are all kinds of housing here...unfortunately we don't have as many big new developments going up as Madison. The area you saw is probably our downtown, which like many Southern downtowns, succumbed to sprawl years ago. However, there are a couple of new restaurants and some interesting small shops and other restaurants, so things are slowly improving.

We have 2 areas with historic homes. Homes are pretty much split into Southeast and Southwest. SE Decatur mostly has older homes, meaning 40 to 50 years old, with the exception of Pointe Mallard Estates, which ranges from 5 to 30 years old, and the Burningtree areas (near I-65), which range from buy-a-lot-and-build-your-own to 35 years old. SW Decatur ranges from older to brand new, and plenty of lots available. You can even find a couple centered around small lakes.

You want a couple of acres? Plenty of open land. Yes, there are some chicken farms...just keep your eyes peeled when looking. Of course, there's no guarantee that your neighbor might decide to go into the chicken business - no zoning in the county. Boeing - excuse me, ULA - is almost next door to Lawrence County, so be aware of that fact. Nothing wrong with Lawrence County, it's quite rural and agrarian, and you might well find your acreage there. But if schools are important, you'll want to stay in Decatur or at least Morgan County. Most Decatur schools are quite good. Our 2 high schools have a combined International Baccalaureate program, and I believe the middle school IB program begins this fall.

Decatur has a small mall. We have a Target opening in October, with several accompanying stores such as Old Navy. Unfotunately, the big chain businesses view Huntsville and Decatur as 1 metro area, and tend to open stores there rather than here. We are probably the biggest city in the U.S. that has no Starbucks. We have a thriving farmers market April through October with wonderful local produce, but the severe drought our area is experiencing has curtailed the market this year. No organic grocery - a Whole Foods just opened in Huntsville a few months ago.

Of course, you'll find out more when you come to visit and see for yourself. In the meantime, you might want to check out the websites posted by the Decatur/Morgan County Chamber of Commerce and Decatur/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Real estate listings are at valleymls dot com. Again, welcome, we're so glad you're on your way!

Thank you so much for this very informative post! We did notice all the new big developments in Madsion, and while we liked Madison, we're really not into developments with all the cookie cutter homes
with zero lot dimensions. Our children are grown and gone, so a great school system is not one of our concerns.

Love the fact that a Whole Foods opened in Huntsville...it's our favorite! And speaking of Huntsville, I've read on other posts that
if you're going to live there, you should be looking at the SE section.
Can you tell me why. Also, would the commute be just too hard
from there to Decatur?

Thanks again for all the info, and such a nice welcoming post!

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by Keeper

In Arab, we had signed petitions to get it on the ballot so it could be voted on. We lost by 16 votes and they refused to do a recount even though there were some questions about some of the ballots. We can not vote again on it for 2 years. I could be wrong, but in other areas I heard the legislature had to approve the request before it was voted on.
If you don't have a lot of people wanting this you will face stiff oposition. The people who didn't want outspent the group who asked for the vote by thousands, not to mention they sent out letters and called residents asking them to be sure and vote 'no'.
You might be able to find some info on the AL gov website if no one else answers you.

Hi.....Not sure what this is referring to....??????