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Old 09-02-2012, 08:20 PM
 
944 posts, read 1,175,709 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pamnbam View Post
Hi, fellow Northern Virginian!

You'll find most of the same shops and restaurants here as in NOVA. Someone mentioned the temperature here may be hotter; I haven't seen it this summer; in fact, on a trip to Virginia in the middle of July, it was way worse there (103) than it was in Huntsville! I've only been here through the spring and summer, so maybe I'll get surprised next year. I will miss the one or two good snows in VA, though. I hear snow is pretty rare...

Well, welcome; and maybe we'll see you at the dog park sometime!
I'm sure you will not there yet, but plan on gathering as much info as I can beforehand - guess you can say I am anal when it comes to research

Yes, the 3-4 weeks this summer of above 100 on a daily basis was a killer...luckily I work from home, so didn't 'have' to leave the house... do you get the torrential downpours that we have experienced here for the last few years? (reminding me very much of FL)
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Old 09-02-2012, 09:28 PM
 
Location: The Mountains of AlaBAMA!
300 posts, read 602,948 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Becky2517 View Post
Yes, the 3-4 weeks this summer of above 100 on a daily basis was a killer...luckily I work from home, so didn't 'have' to leave the house... do you get the torrential downpours that we have experienced here for the last few years? (reminding me very much of FL)
We've had a few downpours here; I haven't been here long enough to know if that's the norm or not. But I'll take rain over 100+ degrees anywhere!
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Old 09-03-2012, 02:47 AM
 
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Just checked temps in both places & we're beating H'ville by 2 degrees & 3% more humidity...I'll have no issues getting climatized :-) what can you tell me about utilities? I'm understanding cheaper, but by how much - already read the thread about high deposits, so will get letters - how are the houses heated, gas, electric? Are stoves normally gas or electric? Taxes, are they lower? We pay silly money here, VA taxes for absolutely everything - from cars to property...sales taxes? Differ from county to county?
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Old 09-03-2012, 07:27 AM
 
13,768 posts, read 38,052,981 times
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Just to clear up one point. There is a max of 3 dogs or cats if you live in Huntsville. I am not sure if there is an exception like if you moved without knowing there is a limit, you might be able to keep them but not replace them.

There is Wentzels in Huntsville. They are from Mobile and have good gulf seafood. I was there a couple of weeks ago and had the grouper.. YUMMY.. They also have West Indies Salad and Fried crab claws, although more expensive up here than down in LA (lower AL)

I am sure you will love Huntsville area. The people are so nice and you can get just about anything you want or need there. There is an Aldi's and several other smaller grocery stores.
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Old 09-03-2012, 08:19 AM
 
Location: The Mountains of AlaBAMA!
300 posts, read 602,948 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Becky2517 View Post
what can you tell me about utilities? I'm understanding cheaper, but by how much - already read the thread about high deposits, so will get letters - how are the houses heated, gas, electric? Are stoves normally gas or electric? Taxes, are they lower? We pay silly money here, VA taxes for absolutely everything - from cars to property...sales taxes? Differ from county to county?
To me, it seems like utilities are more/less the same. The difference is that it all comes in one bill, as opposed to the 3 I got in VA. I think the highest we paid in AL this past summer was around $300, but it included water, electric, sewer, and gas. I think it would have been similar to VA with all things being equal.

Our house here is heated on natural gas, and so is our stove; we had the same in VA.

My biggest money shocker moving here is that it costs an arm and a leg to get your cars registered/tagged. Maybe that's the "AL Property Tax," but we paid $90 each (pro-rated) to register two cars for 90 days. They go by alphabetical last names here to renew, so we had to renew after that 90-ish day period for the full year, where it was about $500. The DMV lines are horrible; I remember when it used to be that way in VA until they cleaned up their act a bit about 10 years ago. Expect to wait at least half the day for licenses and tags.
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Old 09-03-2012, 09:30 AM
 
3,455 posts, read 4,785,983 times
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Alabama has a low sales tax on cars when you purchase them but they break it off in you when you renew your license plate each year. We have school tax, property tax and all that on the license plate each year. That is always a big shock to people the first time they get their Alabama license plates. I have several vehicles and my license plate renewals are usually over $800 each year. I never wait in line long for them though but of course I know when and where to go. Never, ever go to get a license plate the last week of the month and especially on the last Friday......you will be in line with all the procrastinators that waited until the last minute.

As for the mention of Wentzell's as a good seafood restaurant, we have been to the one here in Huntsville a couple of times as well as the one in Guntersville and have never been impressed at all. We have written them off the list.
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Old 09-03-2012, 10:14 AM
 
Location: Madison, AL
3,297 posts, read 6,225,556 times
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Taxes are going to vary from county to county, city to city...

HSV city is 5.8 mils, Madison City is 5.75 mils, Madison County is 3.65 mils. We have some of the lowest property taxes in the nation. But, they get you on registering vehicles. When we lived in FL, we paid almost $5k a year in property taxes and about $90 a year for car tags....here we pay about $1500 property taxes (on a home with a higher market value) and about $500/year car tags....I'll take that any day of the week Insurance costs also are lower.

Utilities costs are also pretty low when compared to other parts of the country. You will see (much like in FL and other southern states) lots of electric heat pumps over gas heat...but some people still do prefer gas heat. A few of the builders are starting to install "hybrid" units that switch to gas at temps you specify, which gives you the best of both worlds. Gas heat is definitely warmer than electric, but our winters stay pretty mild compared to the northern states where electric heat just won't cut it.

You are going to see a difference in COL from NOVA to here, that is for sure. I have had several clients move from NOVA and all are pleased with the lower taxes, as well as lower property values. Make sure you understand that you will get MUCH more for your money here, and don't box yourself into a price range, look for comparable properties. You WILL see that you don't have to spend near as much for comparable housing here Most of my NOVA buyers have chosen to spend LESS on a comparable house than spend the equivalent of what they had to in NOVA. Last year I had a client who moved from Belvoir and sold their house for 1.2 mil, but found they could purchase a comparable property here (in Madison city) for under $500k.

And count me in with the group that is not a Wentzell's fan. Of course, even on the Gulf we don't go to the "touristy" type restaurants, we have our favorite small "mom and pop" type places that tend to cater more to the locals I LOVE to cook as well, but again have had a hard time finding that "fresh from the Gulf" seafood I was so accustomed to
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Old 09-03-2012, 10:17 AM
 
Location: The Rocket City
111 posts, read 223,450 times
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Just FYI you can avoid the long lines and just renew your tags online, there is a small convenience fee, but I'd pay that any day over standing in ridiculous long lines!
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Old 09-03-2012, 01:02 PM
 
944 posts, read 1,175,709 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LCTMadison View Post
Taxes are going to vary from county to county, city to city...


You are going to see a difference in COL from NOVA to here, that is for sure. I have had several clients move from NOVA and all are pleased with the lower taxes, as well as lower property values. Make sure you understand that you will get MUCH more for your money here, and don't box yourself into a price range, look for comparable properties. You WILL see that you don't have to spend near as much for comparable housing here Most of my NOVA buyers have chosen to spend LESS on a comparable house than spend the equivalent of what they had to in NOVA. Last year I had a client who moved from Belvoir and sold their house for 1.2 mil, but found they could purchase a comparable property here (in Madison city) for under $500k.
All of this is great information - I 'think' my taxes are already included in my lease (car) payment actually, but I'm sure the tags etc will cost. I do all my renewing online - need to switch to AL license in 30 days?
I've done some COL comparisons and also on houses - so we're definitely going with bigger and better with a house...wanna be my realtor???
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Old 09-03-2012, 01:29 PM
 
Location: Madison, AL
3,297 posts, read 6,225,556 times
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Always love to be of service to anyone who needs it

Here, we have to pay ad valorem taxes based on vehicle market value every year, which is what increases renewal costs every year. Like someone else mentioned, in some other states (FL for example) you have a HIGHER sales tax at purchase but no yearly ad valorem taxes like you do on real estate.....although if you move to FL and you have purchased a car outside of FL within six months of your move, FL will charge you a "use" tax of 6%. You have to show that you used the car outside of FL for at least six months prior to have this waived.

Like I tell everyone...the states are going to get their money, they just vary in how they take it from you Overall tho, we have come out better in AL than FL for sure. $9000 a year for taxes and insurance on our property there was ridiculous, and our auto dropped a good bit here as well!

I think you'll like it here...we are starting to get some "creature comforts" from that area...including a Chipolte! Now if we could just get Trader Joes!
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