Madison/Huntsville (Athens, Scottsboro, Hartselle: transplants, rent, insurance)

[OCCASparky]

I've been offered a job with TVA down at Browns Ferry and am seriously considering moving there.

I love the area having gone around it for a few days during my inital interview. Problem is, the wife has never lived outside Orange County and is scared to death. I've tried to tell her that it's not a stereotypical southern town but to no avail.

Any ideas/suggestions to put her fears to rest? We'll be out within the next two weeks to look at housing, etc...

[brandoni57]

my dad works at Browns Ferry. He commutes from South Huntsville because when he was offered the job 19 years ago from Watts Bar in Tennessee my mom didn't want to be anywhere but the Grissom High district.
If you are talking Orange county Cali or even Orange Cali Florida... we kick your ass in Cost of living! For what you pay in rent for an efficiency you can get a 3,000 4 bedroom 3 bath house on the Mountain overlooking the citylights and sunset. Huntsville:
1 in 10 people have a PHD
wealthiest city in the State
2005 #2 most affordable metro in the US by pay and cost of living standards
2006 #1 most affordable metro in the US by pay and cost of living standards
2006 top 10 metro Green Friendly city due to our acres of parks and miles of nature / biking trails
FORBES Magazine 2005: Huntsville 6th best Metro in the US for Business
fastest growing metro in the state
City with the highest percentage of engineers in the USA
roughly 10,000 JOBS transfering in the next few years from Washinton DC
economically strongest and most diverse in the state.
one of the highest median incomes in the Southeast
etc etc etc.
tell the old lady how it is, take her downtown for Movies in the park, or if thats too hot take her up to Burritt Mueseum on the Mountain for their City lights concert series and bring a bottle of wine and picnic basket like most everyone else (best Sunset view of the city)

[OCCASparky]

Thanks for the information. I liked the Madison area (closer to BFN than Huntsville, but not too close) and really wouldn't even mind Athens but I think the wife would like something a little more suburban than that, hence the Madison choice.

[brandoni57]

you'll love it in Madison, and she will too.. the best shopping in all of Huntsville is out that way.

[OCCASparky]

Any idea what the property tax rate is in that area? How about home insurance?

[brandoni57]

property taxes might be higher in Madison but I'm not for sure, Imagine a budget mortgage with 100 to 300 dollars consisting of escrow towards taxes and insurance (ie 100,000 dollar home to 300,000 dollar home). That would be my guess gauging by the tax/insurance portion of the mortgage on my home. But my home may or may not be a comparable. Bottom line: you're going to afford it, it's not orange county.

[pripan]

Hi guys:

My fiance and I are also considering moving to Alabama (specifically Huntsville). I personally am a little nervous. I guess I dont know what to expect and what kind of job I would find.
Any information you can provide about Huntsville would be appreciated.
The websites are great but I would like to talk to some of the residents as to what I should be expecting.
Thanks!

[lookingfortheperfectplace]

Originally Posted by OCCASparky

I've been offered a job with TVA down at Browns Ferry and am seriously considering moving there.

I love the area having gone around it for a few days during my inital interview. Problem is, the wife has never lived outside Orange County and is scared to death. I've tried to tell her that it's not a stereotypical southern town but to no avail.

Any ideas/suggestions to put her fears to rest? We'll be out within the next two weeks to look at housing, etc...

I too am from CA and have lived here my whole life (30 yrs). Grew up going to OC beaches. Just got back from vacation to Athens/Huntsville/Scottsboro visiting husbands family. Never been to the south, loved it, moving there now!
I don't know if its because I was in a richer part of the state or what, but I did not see any sterotypes like inbreeders or hicks or whatever most people from CA call the south. I fell in love with it. It is like a different world there, nice people everywhere. even popped our heads in a walmart for kicks (which we would never do here) . The food is awesome. no smog, no traffic, no accidents, most beautiful place ever. Cool thunder & lightning storms. Coming back home to the smog and traffic sucked! I don't see any reason for me to raise my children in CA now. It is humid though but for only 2 months out of the year. get a house with a pool. I am happy to say that I have finally found the perfect place to live for us. Good Luck, I think she'll love it.

[astrogirl]

Originally Posted by lookingfortheperfectplace

I too am from CA and have lived here my whole life (30 yrs). Grew up going to OC beaches. Just got back from vacation to Athens/Huntsville/Scottsboro visiting husbands family. Never been to the south, loved it, moving there now!
I don't know if its because I was in a richer part of the state or what, but I did not see any sterotypes like inbreeders or hicks or whatever most people from CA call the south. I fell in love with it. It is like a different world there, nice people everywhere. even popped our heads in a walmart for kicks (which we would never do here) . The food is awesome. no smog, no traffic, no accidents, most beautiful place ever. Cool thunder & lightning storms. Coming back home to the smog and traffic sucked! I don't see any reason for me to raise my children in CA now. It is humid though but for only 2 months out of the year. get a house with a pool. I am happy to say that I have finally found the perfect place to live for us. Good Luck, I think she'll love it.

Thanks for this great post - this is what I have been looking for. I too am a CA girl (Ventura County) and my husband I have been considering retiring to Huntsville area. Such a change from CA to AL is a bit worrisome but for us the cost of living, taxes, housing,etc. make it too attractive to dismiss out of hand. We haven't had a chance to visit yet, but your comments were about the exact same things we were thinking about. Thanks.

[AnotherBravesFan]

Hi, all - San Diego checking in. The husband and I are ready to wave goodbye to CA in '08. I've spent countless (!) hours researching on internet, etc., and so far Huntsville looks very promising. The hubby, being from MI, was initially very skeptical of considering the South, but I've dragged him to NC, SC, TN, TX, and AL, so maybe he's getting acclimated and realizing it's not that different from anywhere else. And you can't beat the financials in N. Alabama... very reasonable housing, property taxes at .6% or less, and no income tax on gov't pensions. Plus we've found that the people are generally more friendly there than in So. Cal. With BRAC, there are a lot of "transplants" from DC and N. VA, plus lots of military retirees, so it's not like you'd be the only ones new to the area. We're going back in Oct. to do more legwork, look at properties, etc. Good luck, everyone. Maybe we'll see you in AL in '08. (P.S. We just learned that a high school chum of my hubby has lived in Hartselle area for over 20 years and LOVES it!)