Alabama- Here we come!! (Huntsville, Madison: relocation, housing, rent)

[Charles]

Originally Posted by AnotherBravesFan

question for Charles: how are you finding the prior sales price info on emaps? I can sometimes pull up the deed, but only once have I found a purchase price. Will you please share your expertise? You've been much more successful than I at digging up important data. Thanks.

Find the home, then click "Assessment" sort of on the top left of the screen.

You should get something like this:

Other Information
Total Acres: 0
Use Value: $0
Land Value: $112,000
Improvement Value: $629,200
Total Taxable Value: $741,200
Assessment Value: $74,120
Tax District: 02

This is what I meant. If this is not the sales price, then I am wrong. If it isn't the sales price, what is it?

[Southlander]

It's the tax assessor's appraisal value, which is NOT the same thing as the last sales price. And the tax assessor's appraisal value tends to be a little higher than market value...for obvious reasons!

[Keeper]

Too bad they don't list the sale price on their website. In FL. they do, or at least in the county I lived in you could see all the sale prices.

OK, after much searching and looking, you might be able to find it.. but it isn't easy. It takes several searches, from address to owner's name, etc. The sales document shows the original price. I was looking on the madison county website..

[AnotherBravesFan]

Thanks for the responses, all. Here in CA, assessors are required to keep lists of recently sold properties and the sales prices for the public to access. Is there something similar in AL? My RE agent did a search for me when we were making an offer on a home, but only 3 homes came up in the area in the prior 6 months, which didn't seem right, since she set the parameters wide enough, I thought. So, I'm not sure relying on her to find the info. is enough.

[Keeper]

You can check Zillow.com. You might find what you are looking for there.

If you go down to the office they should have it, it just isn't listed online, if you do a search by address. The problem is trying to find one that has been sold recently.

I found one by doing a street search and then going and doing a records search on the owner name, found a copy of the note with the sales price. It is not a user-friendly search IMHO.. either. I was just trying to see what I could find so trying to find one that has been sold nearby will be a PIA.

You can check Zillow.com. You might find what you are looking for there.

[E Limestone Dude]

There are several new neighborhoods on Mooresville Road that I think you will like. For example, Plantation East is a very nice one with solid built brick homes that are not priced sky high.

I moved to E Limestone because I thought that Madison was getting overcrowded and I wanted the low taxes. (You don't get the same city ammenities in the county, but there is alot of headaches when it comes to city governments /off rant.

Athens is also a charming little town. If you like golf, there are some affordable homes in the Canebrake community. (These are built by DR Horton) Then there are million dollar homes as you move towards the back of the neighborhood.

You don't seem to get as much home for your money in Madison, but you do the the "prestige" of living in Madison.

Good luck!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by E Limestone Dude

You don't seem to get as much home for your money in Madison, but you do the the "prestige" of living in Madison.

Why is Madison considered prestigious? Is it deserving?

[NicoleC]

Originally Posted by AnotherBravesFan

Thanks for the responses, all. Here in CA, assessors are required to keep lists of recently sold properties and the sales prices for the public to access. Is there something similar in AL? My RE agent did a search for me when we were making an offer on a home, but only 3 homes came up in the area in the prior 6 months, which didn't seem right, since she set the parameters wide enough, I thought. So, I'm not sure relying on her to find the info. is enough.

No, Alabama doesn't have a Prop 13. In AL you can be reassessed at any time for any reason at any amount. So far, I haven't heard of this being a bused or causing any significant problems here, unlike the climate in CA which led to the passage of Prop 13.

For everyone else: in CA the house is assessed at the sales price and when sold, it is reassessed. (Certain types of transfers are exempt from reassessment.) Annually, the assessment value increased is capped at 1%. So grandma, who has been in her house for 40 years, doesn't have her property reassessed at several million dollars and then loses her house because she can't afford the taxes out of her social security check. Prop 13 has it's downside, but it beats the heck out of what was happening before. This is separate from any local bond issues that may pass which add $$$ to your property tax bill to fund libraries, etc.

ABF - What your realtor is looking at is recent comparable sales of anything that went through the MLS. This is the most comprehensive and accurate data available here; it is what an appraiser will look at, too. Depending on where you are looking, the density of frequency of homes can be low. Especially if you are out in the country a ways -- the houses immediately surrounding you may be of dramatically different values and aren't comparable to your home (or prospective home) at all. The MLS data won't include FSBOs or new home sales.

When I was looking I wasn't happy that I couldn't pull a DataQuick report here, either.

What exactly are you looking for again?

[VMH2507]

Originally Posted by Charles

Why is Madison considered prestigious? Is it deserving?

I think it is considered prestigious because the schools are considered good just as SE Huntsville is. I also think Madison has a lot of appeal to young people because of the new houses being built as opposed to SE Hsv which is mostly older homes. Madison is also considered to be a good place for families with young children because there are so many other young families. I personally enjoy living in Madison although I don't fit the usual demographic.

[Southeastern]

Originally Posted by VMH2507

I think it is considered prestigious because the schools are considered good

I agree with VMH2507 -- I think Madison City is considered prestigious because of the school system.

But in my opinion -- (and I know many will disagree) -- beyond schools, there is nothing unique about Madison. Yes there is a nice "Main Street" by the railroad with some small shops and Dublin\ Palmer Parks.... but just the usual businesses, gas stations, grocery stores, post office, medical offices, etc.. And all are surrounded by more and more housing on roads that are way too small for today's traffic.

I consider Madison city just another part of Huntsville. I do not patronize restaurants or businesses in any particular area of Huntsville just because it's in "Jones Valley" or "Madison City limits" or .....

I go where I go because of my destination. And I cannot think of many restaurants or businesses that are unique to Madison.

Just my opinion.