We've Arrived! (Huntsville, Decatur, Madison: for sale, real estate, to rent)

[MsMuir]

Hi Everyone.....Hubby and I finally arrived in Huntsville! Not an easy trip, sine I tore tendons in my foot the day before the move from FL.
Had to drive our SUV and follow hubby in the Penske truck.....we brought some things with us in case our house in FL doesnt sell within the month, ( and guess you all know that will happen...NOT!), so if we have to rent while we wait for the sale we'll at least have a bed! LOL!

We're staying in temp housing, provided by hubby's company, on the border of H'ville and Madison. We want to live in the Dectur area and did some driving around there Sat and Sun. Really like the area, but seems like there's mostly sub-divisions and no land around the homes. We were hoping for an acre or two. We loved the Chapel Hill area, but nothing seems to be for sale.

Were planning on checking out the Moulton area this coming weekend, but I just read the posts about Moulton on this board.....KKK? Buying a gun?! Am wondering if this really might be the place for us after all!

We do love living rural.....or maybe I should say SEMI-rural. We lived on 5 acres in CA for 20 years and in FL, (2 yrs), we had 2 acres. It's just hard to think of living in a sub-divison with no land whatsoever.

If any of you have any suggestions on WHERE to look in the Decatur
area, I'd more than appreciate it.

Anyway, I'm happpy to be in AL and out of FL! Even on crutches!

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

[harry chickpea]

Look at the bright side. If you tore tendons, you have an excuse to get others to unpack and move things.

Take a trip up to Athens, wander around the east side, go up Clinton Street and into the courthouse square, one of the few viable town centers I've seen. You might like it, and it is close to Decatur for shopping and Huntsville for whatever. Then head out 99 northwest and you'll get into some hill country that is unlike the flat land around a lot of the Tennessee valley. Check out Anderson, Rogersville, Cairo in that area, then cross the dam and check out sleepy Courtland. Be sure to use the city-data database on each of these towns, and ask around to find out how the locals rate them. Take your time and get as many real estate publications and newspapers as you can. If you are willing to live outside of city limits, there can be some good deals.

[Southlander]

WELCOME, MSMUIR!
Glad you are here! You will need to get "out" from Decatur a little bit to find your land...Trinity, Priceville, Somerville, Hartselle, Danville, Caddo (not a town, a little community)...look in Morgan County, also neighboring Limestone and Lawrence counties. It's here...it will just take a little patient looking. You might even find a country store/convenience store where you can chat up the locals. Sometimes they know stuff that's for sale although there's no sign. Also the local diners, such as McCollum's, Oh!Bryan's in Hartselle (although that's a small local chain), etc., folks might know of places. Much good luck to you!

[Keeper]

Welcome.. fellow floridian.. Hope your house sells soon.
Keep checking valleymls.com..

We will have to plan a get together for City-data members, so we can meet everyone especially the newcomers.

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

Look at the bright side. If you tore tendons, you have an excuse to get others to unpack and move things.

Take a trip up to Athens, wander around the east side, go up Clinton Street and into the courthouse square, one of the few viable town centers I've seen. You might like it, and it is close to Decatur for shopping and Huntsville for whatever. Then head out 99 northwest and you'll get into some hill country that is unlike the flat land around a lot of the Tennessee valley. Check out Anderson, Rogersville, Cairo in that area, then cross the dam and check out sleepy Courtland. Be sure to use the city-data database on each of these towns, and ask around to find out how the locals rate them. Take your time and get as many real estate publications and newspapers as you can. If you are willing to live outside of city limits, there can be some good deals.

Harry Chickpea....you are SO right about about other people packing/unpacking for me! Only problem is, poor DH has to do it all! It's really hard for me to just sit by and watch...at least now I've graduated from crutches and just use a cane...it's a killer any way ya look at it tho'.

Thanks so much for all the info you wrote about...will be checking out all those areas this coming weekend. Just want to make sure we don't live too far out because of all the chicken farms that have been mentioned so many times on this forum!

About Athens....is there a Nuclear Power Plant there?

Again, thanks Harry Chickpea....you always have great info and I sure do appreciate it all!

[zenjenn]

Congrats on the big move! I completely hear you about the housing situation. Egads. It's been SOOO SLOW trying to sell our house. We're outta luck though on the furniature, because I am NOT driving a Penske from California and with 2 kids under 5. There's always those inflatable air matresses!

Good luck getting settled and we're looking forward to following in your footsteps soon!

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by Southlander

WELCOME, MSMUIR!
Glad you are here! You will need to get "out" from Decatur a little bit to find your land...Trinity, Priceville, Somerville, Hartselle, Danville, Caddo (not a town, a little community)...look in Morgan County, also neighboring Limestone and Lawrence counties. It's here...it will just take a little patient looking. You might even find a country store/convenience store where you can chat up the locals. Sometimes they know stuff that's for sale although there's no sign. Also the local diners, such as McCollum's, Oh!Bryan's in Hartselle (although that's a small local chain), etc., folks might know of places. Much good luck to you!

Thank you so much, Southlander, for the warm welcome! Being able to come back to this board, (haven't had internet access for over a week), is a real blessing to me. Being "disabled" since we started this move was getting rather depressing! It's good to talk to "old friends" again!

Between all the info you and Harry Chickpea gave me I'm sure we'll find something! Only wish we didn't have to wait until the weekend.
Hubby started his new job tho' and I'm not about to go driving around alone until this foot heals. Too hard getting in and out of the car!

Exactly where is the community of Caddo? Is it out by Danville?
We were also told about an area just over the Kirby bridge in Trinity...
think it's really in Lawerence County....do you know anything about that area?

At this point we're just trying to find areas we'd like as opposed to actual houses.....have to wait until the FL home sells! We do have an intrested buyer for our house in FL, but so far hasn't signed a contract....am keeping my fingers crossed!

Again, thanks for taking the time for giving me all info! Will let you know what we find.

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by Keeper

Welcome.. fellow floridian.. Hope your house sells soon.
Keep checking valleymls.com..

We will have to plan a get together for City-data members, so we can meet everyone especially the newcomers.

Hi Keeper! Thanks for the welcome and the house selling thoughts....yeah, sure hope it sells SOON! Did you sell a home in FL?
If so, how long did it take?

I LOVE the idea of a get together for all the City-data members....count me in! It would be wonderful to be able to put a face on all the great people that have taken the time to answer the many questions we all have had.

[Sarges Dad]

KKK is not a problem. About like Nazis up north all show. Hatred is everywhere, we just ignore them and they seem to go away.

[MsMuir]

Originally Posted by zenjenn

Congrats on the big move! I completely hear you about the housing situation. Egads. It's been SOOO SLOW trying to sell our house. We're outta luck though on the furniature, because I am NOT driving a Penske from California and with 2 kids under 5. There's always those inflatable air matresses!

Good luck getting settled and we're looking forward to following in your footsteps soon!

Hi zenjenn....I agree...no way would I follow a Penske from CA! We
moved from CA to FL, but only drove our SUV.....no kids, but one dog.....a real member of the family.

However, this time it was different...our house in CA sold in 3 days and we had temp housing, (furnished) while we looked for a house in FL. We didn't bring any furniture that trip, so it was lots easier. Now,
not knowing WHEN our FL house will sell and only having one month
in Temp housing, there's a possibilty of having to rent somewhere
until the house does sell, so that means we'll need the furniture. We
only brought one bedroom set, one TV, kitchen table and some dishes, etc. Not the whole house!

Hubby drove the Penske truck and I followed in the SUV with Mandy,
( our dog). It was a kind of nightmare....I have torn tendons, (luckily
in my left foot), and it would rain at different times...HARD. then it would get dark, and all the time my foot throbbed and trying to stay
just behind the truck wasn't always easy! Have to say, I'm thrilled
that trip is OVER!

For now our stuff is in storage until we need to move from the temp housing....sure hope we can move into a house we buy! Am keeping my fingers crossed that the people from NY, ( interested in
the house), signs a contract.....SOON!

Good luck with the sale of your house....know how stressful it is waiting to get it sold! You WILL sell it...just a matter of time.
Let us know when you arrive in Sweet Home Alabama...hopefully we can get together