Relocating to Huntsville, AL from NC (Birmingham, Madison: real estate, power lines, HOA)

[JenBrian]

I am looking for feedback from people living in Huntsville. We are relocating and Huntsville is one of the places in our top 3. Do you have an opinion on good areas and bad areas of Huntsville?

I am a Certified Paralegal and my husband is an IT Manager. We are interested in feedbakc about salaries, job outlook, real estate, culture and activities, etc.

We do not have any children, but will be bringing our 1 year old puppy.

Thank you.

[ionlife]

We moved here from NoVA about a year ago and here are my personal pros/cons of living here.
I'll start with the cons so I can finish on a high note with the pros.

CONS/
-no real downtown or nightlife
-lack of variety in cuisines/cultures in restaurants
-a lot of power lines and billboards make the area aesthetically unpleasant
-swampland and allergies are high here
-sales tax (including on groceries) is 8%
-housing here is higher priced than the rest of the state, Knoxville, and Nashville
-there is a feeling to me, once I've done it once, I've done it but I don't have small children so things like the space center aren't places I revisit unless I have company and I did come from a very diverse area.
-buyer beware/this is non-disclosure real estate state--be careful and read all HOA docs/bylaws before you buy. For some developers you have to ask the attorney who filed the papers for them or go to the courthouse to get them (my biggest con of the area is this one)
-lousy produce selection IMHO / I miss Wegmans (I keep hoping they will come here if I say it enough)

PROS
-laid back lifestyle
-super family friendly
-wonderful schools in Madison, SE Hville and Hampton Cove
-close to fun, larger cities like Birmingham, Nashville, Chattanooga and if you want to get away for a weekend Knoxville and Atlanta are accessible
-blue skies that are so pure they make your heart ache
-friendly people and service in most places is great
-decent Broadway shows come here and there is an active theater community that brings lots of interesting shows to the area. Local talent base is quite good. Check out the Von Braun Center (tho' the seating is not comfy and it's not the Kennedy Center, it is a lot cheaper and therefore accessible)
-overall good climate
-only 6 hours from a gorgeous beach area down south--sands like sugar and pristine, aqua water.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by JenBrian

Huntsville is one of the places in our top 3.

Where are the other two places?

[JenBrian]

Our other two places are Austin and San Antonio.

Thank you drama for the feedback, it was very informative.

[zenjenn]

I'd add to dramamamma's list (which I think is very accurate):

Pro:
---
Lots of beautiful areas to hike and enjoy the outdoors, VERY close

Con
----
Bugs (though, I'm not sure the bug issue is any less in Texas. It's more than where I came from (California) so I consider it a "con".

Sorta Pro/Sorta Con:
--------------------
Airport is VERY stress-free accessible to pop in and out of WHEN you can fly out of there, but getting a good rate out of HSV isn't always easy (in which case you fly out of Birmingham or Chattanooga.)

Thunderstorms (I love 'em. Some people don't)

[Charles]

As far as bugs, mostly mosquitoes and mostly in the evening.

Funny thing I've noticed, or not noticed lately...where did all the fire ants go? I haven't seen a pile in months.

Another Pro: Low property taxes.

[Mawoods]

About bugs - yes they can be bad BUT not as bad as south Florida or Wisconsin - believe it or not. Wisconsin had the worst mosquitoes in the summer than anywhere we have ever lived. Also it had HUGE horseflies everywhere. Sometimes the sides of my house would be plastered with them. Someone told us it was because of all the cow/dairy farms in the state.

Just remember, there is no perfect place to live. It has to be balanced and appreciated for what it is. Hopefully the positives will outweigh the negatives. For us, they certainly do.

[JenBrian]

Wow, great feedback. I am glad to hear the positives and negatives in one, opposed to someone so one-sided. I have a feeling Huntsville is very similar to Raleigh. We are outdoors a lot with the dog and green is a must.

How has the summer been this year? It has been VERY warm in NC.

Also, do you have any feedback on the IT field and/or Paralegal field? I do not see one advertisement for paralegals, but find it hard to believe there are not any jobs. My husband is an T Administrator.

Thanks.

[Mawoods]

If you are huge outdoor people I would suggest that you look over near the "mountain" side of Huntsville. Much easier to just get to a hike fast. I know they are not the NC mountains but we love them. And being on this side it is nothing to just drive up a little further to the river/mountains/lakes. We are just a few minutes from Walls of Jericho which are fantastic and Monte Sano, Chapman, Green Mtn. The Land Trust here does a very good job .Forgot! add Hayes Preserve which is a nice little park.

[ionlife]

Originally Posted by JenBrian

Our other two places are Austin and San Antonio.

Thank you drama for the feedback, it was very informative.

If I were a couple/no kids, I'd choose Austin over Huntsville, but I don't know what the job situation is like there. Austin is a great place -- tons to do for young people, amazing scenery, and close to other cool places in Texas.