HSV Apartments (Huntsville, Decatur, Madison: relocate, real estate, motel)

[zenjenn]

So looks like we'll be definitely moving to Hunstville in the fall! The only question now is deciding WHICH job offer to accept - and that's a problem we're happy to have. My husband will wiggle through that with some last-minute questions and negotations next week. In the meantime we're purging and packing.

But whichever offer we accept, they demand a speedy move. So our tentative plan as of now is to rent a place while we househunt. Can anyone recommend nice apartments in Huntsville that have month-to-month rent? South Huntsville preferably, since that is where I have a deposit down on a preschool enrollment. Also for any of those who have relocated, I'm wondering if there's some national mover that can just load your junk into a container, drive it to its destination and then store it until you get your house. I think we can parse down most of our stuff to just the items we are really attached to. No sense paying all that money to move the furniature I bought for a couple of Benjamins at a garage sale 8 years ago! I have questions into my real estate agent but as usual, the more info the better.

[Keeper]

If you don't mind packing it yourself you might check out PODS. Someone from this forum who is moving to Arab from NY used them. Their furniture is here but they are still in NY waiting on their house to close.
You put everything in the container, they move the container and hold it until you are ready to unpack. They drop the container off at your residence and you unpack.
If you use a LD mover, check the BBB for complaints. I was glad I did when I chose a mover since some had some really bad complaints against them. jacking up the price once they moved you etc.

[Reactionary]

Congratulations and welcome!

This site has a good list of apartments:

Huntsville Apartments for Rent - Find Huntsville, AL Apartment Rentals

Brittany Point or Lily Flagg Station meet your criteria (SE, assume 2-3BR, safe); their descriptions both say short-term available - don't know if that includes month-to-month. Brittany Point is close (< half mile) to the Etz Chayim Conservative Synangogue.

Stay away from apts off Golf Rd. in South HSV; if you don't want the apts. named above I'd go to Providence, Edgewater, or Madison.

[AnotherBravesFan]

ABF is a trucking company. (They were our ground transport when I worked for Macy's - reputable company as I recall.) They have PODS-like storage containers, or you can rent a half truck or whole truck, I think. We found the prices lower than PODS, and ABF has a warehouse in Decatur where you can store your containers if you send them ahead of time or don't want to unpack them all at once. We were told that it would take about 7 working days for the trip from San Diego to Decatur. That's about how long it will take my husband to make the drive himself, so it will work out perfectly. Plus, he won't have to worry about having the containers sitting in the driveway or in an apt. parking lot if we can't find a house right away.

Congratulations, Zenjenn on the job offers. Maybe we will run into you at some point in HSV and compare notes. Hubby starts at UAH in January, but I won't be moving there until 2009 probably.

Oh, also go to the city-data "House" forum for packing tips, if you haven't already. I found some really good posts there from people who've done the PODS thing.

[sunshine girl]

Congratulations to you and yours ZenJenn, what a wonderful thing to have two job offers...way to go!!!! And what a great time of year to be moving, the weather will be just right, with that beginning of fall crisp and clean smell to the air and the spectacular fall colors. How exciting!! Very glad for you !!!

[SammieS]

Hi ZenJenn,
We're the couple Keeper mentioned that is moving to Alabama from Long Island. We did use PODS and are very happy with them. And yes, our furniture and stuff is enjoying Alabama while we are still waiting for a postponed closing date here on Long Island. Well, we will be there soon, I hope. The PODS warehouse is in Huntsville and you can get access to your "container". We went the pod route as it seemed easier than packing, moving, unpacking and then repacking and moving again once we find a house. Also, the various pod-like companies do have companies that pack the container, etc., if you do not want to. PM me if you want any additional info.

Also, does anyone have any suggestions for a furnished apartment/house in the Arab, Guntersville or Huntsville area that will accept two dogs, one being a friendly German Shepherd, neither dog is small, and also will offer short-term lease or no lease.

Thanks.

[VMH2507]

When I moved here 9 years ago, I called a RE company that specialized in rental homes. When I told them I had a sheltie (i.e. little sweetheart), they said I should look at apartments because noone would rent a house to someone with a dog. Things may have changed but I don't know.

[acrossthepond]

I moved to Huntsville approx 3 years ago with a English Cocker Spaniel.

Finding a motel that would accept the dog was difficult. Stayed in a Residence Inn for a while before moving to an apartment. Moved to a Colonial Village Apartments (Rime Village). They have one and two bedroom furnished apartments that you can lease by the month. We leased for a set period and then had to extend approx a month. You have to pay a little more if you exceed your initial period. (I think we leased for three or four months while our house was being built and it took approx 15 extra days).

Good place to start. Extra for a pet and I think they limit the size but check first.

If leasing the furnished apartments, (three years ago) they paid a set fee for electricity, paid the water and were responsive to any need we had. No hassles.

The furnished apartments fill up fast so plan ahead as soon as possible. They have three properties but all are West Huntsville.

[rnc76]

We lived at Colonial Village as well for 2 months in a furnished apartment. I thought it was a nice, basic apartment. It was actually pretty big for a 1 bedroom. Several pools, nice tennis courts, a basic gym... It was like $50 extra to have our dog. It is really convienent to all the basic shopping you need, which was nice when we didn't know our way around. It is essentially in the research park though, not in South Huntsville.

Congrats to you and your family, quite impressive IMO to have made it all happen so quickly.

[zenjenn]

I hadn't responded to this thread but I wanted to thank everyone for all the responses, and share that I have been researching many of the services and apartments recommended here. Thanks and if anyone has anything to add, keep it coming!