Two New Subdivisions Approved for Huntsville (Mobile, Decatur: apartments, house prices, theatre)

[friday13]

Originally Posted by Diffy Q

friday13 - There is a builder in Madison that uses ICF, Southern Construction & Design Inc. They are a certified green builder. Their houses are beautiful!

Thanks, that's good to know in case I go that route.
I kinda meant an Adams, Benton, Woodland that have monopoly over a subdivision, as the land in Madison is becoming scarce, and only a developer-builder combo can drop $3M on a 70-yr-owned-by-the-same-family-chunk of land and divvy it up in a million 60x120 lots to recoup the costs.

[DvlsAdvc8]

Originally Posted by ionlife

HOw is age relevant? We have a single income family behind us where the children are very young as are the parents.

We also know of a single income family where the parents are older due to fertility problems...

We have friends in DC who are significantly younger: single income. Mind you they don't live high on the hog...

We certainly never did. We have been single income since we became parents. It was a choice we were happy to make but not without a lot of sacrifice; particularly living in NoVA.

Age was relevant because its what I stated in my first post. I said we didn't know anyone "our age" and married that was single income in DC.

So if your reply wasn't age filtered, it did not address my comment. IMO, the age range for most transplants is going to be late 20's to mid-late 30's - maybe a few 40s sprinkled in. Folks in DC who are just now getting tired of the night life and traffic and who want to start families but can't afford the home they want.

I am just speaking of MY experience there. Virtually every couple we knew that was our age liked VA, but wanted to move for various reasons and were dual income college graduates.

Looking around my new neighborhood, which is about 60% Virginians thus far, bears it out. Most of them are DINKS (dual income no kids), and those with kids all have dual income households. All of the stay at home moms I have met (which I think is all of them in my neighborhood) are from Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia.

Doesn't seem like coincidence... but again, that's my experience.

[DvlsAdvc8]

Originally Posted by ionlife

There are a lot of foreclosures here--auctions--etc.

In comparison to what? This is probably one of the best places to be at the present time. Back in NoVA, you could find a foreclosure or two on virtually every street... especially out in the exurbs of Ashburn, Chantilly, Leesburg, South Riding, Gainesville etc.

Things are better closer to DC, but then, the prices close in have held up pretty well too.

[ionlife]

It seems some posters believe their personal experiences are the only ones to abide by and that affects their responses to other posters in regard to who/whom will come here with the BRAC. In addition, based on purely anecdotal evidence of one or two neighborhoods, some posters might believe they have the, based on their experience, the ability to downplay other posters and their anecdotal evidence.

Based on other threads, we know that many of the new BRAC Engineers will probably be coming from a pool of younger workers. Possibly single or newly married with, perhaps, dual incomes and no children.

Is this born out by all the data?

If true, what will these people do for fun at night other than make "wholesomes" out of "twosomes?"

Second, based on some posters anecdotal evidence either on this forum or in private, many people moving here are close to retirement with no children at home and only one income. They are buying their "dream" homes or wanting to downsize.

Is there any data about that?

And because the issue has been raised by certain posters who believe they can downplay other posters; particularly new transplants; based on their own experience, what percentage of posters here are falling in the following demographics?

1) dual income, no kids.
2) dual income, one or more children
3) single income, unmarried
4) single income, married with no children
5) single income, married, children grown, within 10 years of retirement
6) dual income, married, children in HS, within 10 years of retirement
7) single income, married, children in HS, within 10 years of retirement

If you are here, why did you come?
If you came, are you satisfied with your choice? Why or Why not?
If you are planning to come here, what are your actual hopes for this move?
If you are on the fence about coming here, why?

Thanks and any real data or additional anecdotal information from the other participants in this forum would be greatly appreciated.

To get the ball rolling, here are our family's statistics:

1-single income, married, 10 years away from retirement, HS aged child/ren
2-here for over a year, generally happy, wish there was more variety of ethnic restaurants
4-greatest disappointment: the non-disclosure laws affecting the CC&R being transferred smoothly
5-greatest benefits: debt free, college paid for, wonderful laid back lifestyle and centrally located to many larger communities such as Nashville and Birmingham

Hopes? We don't plan to retire/die here. It's a fabulous place to raise a young family and the schools are excellent. Once we have college aged children, we will begin the process of looking toward moving to our dream retirement destination.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by ionlife

It seems some posters believe their personal experiences are the only ones to abide by and that affects their responses to other posters in regard to who/whom will come here with the BRAC. In addition, based on purely anecdotal evidence of one or two neighborhoods, some posters might believe they have the, based on their experience, the ability to downplay other posters and their anecdotal evidence.

Based on other threads, we know that many of the new BRAC Engineers will probably be coming from a pool of younger workers. Possibly single or newly married with, perhaps, dual incomes and no children.

Is this born out by all the data?

If true, what will these people do for fun at night other than make "wholesomes" out of "twosomes?"

Second, based on some posters anecdotal evidence either on this forum or in private, many people moving here are close to retirement with no children at home and only one income. They are buying their "dream" homes or wanting to downsize.

Is there any data about that?

And because the issue has been raised by certain posters who believe they can downplay other posters; particularly new transplants; based on their own experience, what percentage of posters here are falling in the following demographics?

1) dual income, no kids.
2) dual income, one or more children
3) single income, unmarried
4) single income, married with no children
5) single income, married, children grown, within 10 years of retirement
6) dual income, married, children in HS, within 10 years of retirement
7) single income, married, children in HS, within 10 years of retirement

If you are here, why did you come?
If you came, are you satisfied with your choice? Why or Why not?
If you are planning to come here, what are your actual hopes for this move?
If you are on the fence about coming here, why?

Thanks and any real data or additional anecdotal information from the other participants in this forum would be greatly appreciated.

To get the ball rolling, here are our family's statistics:

1-single income, married, 10 years away from retirement, HS aged child/ren
2-here for over a year, generally happy, wish there was more variety of ethnic restaurants
4-greatest disappointment: the non-disclosure laws affecting the CC&R being transferred smoothly
5-greatest benefits: debt free, college paid for, wonderful laid back lifestyle and centrally located to many larger communities such as Nashville and Birmingham

Hopes? We don't plan to retire/die here. It's a fabulous place to raise a young family and the schools are excellent. Once we have college aged children, we will begin the process of looking toward moving to our dream retirement destination.

It wasn't in the list but here is our information:

One income, four girls under 11, 476 years from retirement based on a 3% average annual salary increase.

[cornutt]

Originally Posted by Mawoods

Cornutt, we looked at lots of houses last year in the resale market that were 10-20 years old - some maybe older. These were for the most part original owners or ones who had been there many years. I don't believe most of them were upside down. I just think they thought their old house with popcorn ceilings and no bathrooms or antiquated kitchens were worth as much as a new house and thought those BRAC people will pay it!

Interesting. I would not have guessed. Although that is the average for houses in Jones Valley -- that part of town was "built out" some years ago.

[tammie2]

I wasn't on the list either, married, one income, 2 children in elementary.

Chris has been here 1 year, I have been here since July.

I didn't want to come here, I wanted to be in a northern state again.

Now that I, am here, I like it well enough. It is a great place for the kids, the backdrop is gorgeous, taxes and housing costs are low, I have found many local, fresher, better, cheaper sources of food than the grocery store, which is all but impossible up north. No matter where I am I try to make the best of it.

I guess foodwise I would like more choices, but we don't eat out all that often and I have learned to live with disappointment...and my disappointment has bred invention, anything I want I can make at this point. To the point that often leave restaurants unfulfilled.

The biggest disappointment for me would be the lack of basements in the average price range, but again, I couldn't have one in LA or Houston either, so I have adapted, not that I don't still pine for a basement.

[tammie2]

Oh yeah, I also believe that building codes for houses is lacking. But this is my northern perspective, maybe I will find that it is sufficient for AL.

Many of the houses look nice, but on the inside are lacking. It is all over with all builders, including my own home...I am not putting anyone down here.

[rnc76]

Originally Posted by ionlife

1) dual income, no kids.
2) dual income, one or more children
3) single income, unmarried
4) single income, married with no children
5) single income, married, children grown, within 10 years of retirement
6) dual income, married, children in HS, within 10 years of retirement
7) single income, married, children in HS, within 10 years of retirement

If you are here, why did you come?
If you came, are you satisfied with your choice? Why or Why not?
If you are planning to come here, what are your actual hopes for this move?
If you are on the fence about coming here, why?

Dual income (well, 1.5 really, wife works part time), 1 kid, 1 on the way. We were DINKS when we moved here 4.5 years ago.

Came for job opportunity, to be closer to our family, and to be in a lower COL.

Yes, we are very satisfied by our choice. Is it perfect? No, but Huntsville has been a very good move for us.

[Madpatriot]

Just for the record, not all jobs on Redstone are Engineers. The majority of positions that are transfering are Logistic positions with AMC. Most of the Engineer slots are with Nasa and AED. Take a look at the HGTV Series, Real Estate Intervention. It is based on homes in the DC Area. The market is very depressed and for what those poor suckers have to pay for a Row House that is 14 ft wide three stories you can have a 4000 SQ Ft plus house here for much less, with lower taxes, better schools, less trafic and all around better quality of life.