possible home purchase in Rainsville (Birmingham, Mobile: sales, real estate, crime)

[johninvegas]

Hello guys!

I'm new to this board. My wife and I are looking at various states to move to from Las Vegas, NV., as we are being overrun by Californians, not to mention our taxes are rising and I'm just plain tired of the dry air and heat (yes, I know it's a dry heat, kind of like putting a fan at the back of your oven and turning on to low and putting your face in front of it). Now before y'all get your panties in a bundle, I lived in SW Missouri for 16 years and loved it, and my wife is from Chicago, so we know all about hot, humid summers.

Be that as it may, we've found a nice home in the Rainsville area that we would like to look at after the new year, assuming it's still available.

So right now, my question is where would I do most of my shopping and eating at restaurants? Huntsville, or Gadsden? Also, where would the closest, best hospital be? ( I am an old geezer and sometimes have need of a good cardiologist.)

And finally, where can one get good shrimp? Do you have to drive down to Mobile, or is it available locally?

Thanks in advance!

[nalabama]

I cannot get my head around you looking at houses in Rainsville, Alabama. You are going to be about an hour away from good medical in any direction you go. Dining out is going to take some effort. Please take a look at suburban or semi-rural Huntsville or Chattanooga before going down this road. Same tax benefits, lots more amenities. Rainsville is fine if you are accustomed to a more rural environment, but I just can’t see you there after the places you have lived in the past.

[johninvegas]

Well actually, what we are looking for is a home under $350k, situated on 2 acres or more and more than 1750 sq. ft. I did a search on realtor.com with a 50-mile radius from Huntsville and there weren't too many in the close in area, like about 3 homes. So I looked outside the area and found this place.

Oh, and by the way, I have lived in the country in Missouri, actually on a milk farm. So I am comfortable in a rural setting.

But I will admit you bring up a good point about the health care facilities. I looked at Fort Payne and see that there is a regional medical center, but no hospital, so that is concerning.

Thanks for your help!

[writerwife]

Real Estate sales may have slowed some right now because of Covid, it's difficult to believe you've been unable to find anything with your criteria in the Huntsville or outer area because that's highly unusual. Perhaps between the virus and the time of yr listings are down. I truly would suggest waiting a couple of months and looking again because there's new construction happening all over the place. Also a lot of people in the rural areas (but within a stone's throw to the city) list by owner so try to check all sources.

Lots of little towns all around here where you can find plenty of acreage with a large home for your price range usually. I know that last yr, a few people... including myself... had homes listed and took them off the market for winter and then relisted in April when people generally start looking again. Also, just over the TN line is a good place to look because it's not far into Huntsville and you generally get a lot more bang for the buck and there's no personal income tax.

[GreggT]

Personally I think you are making a good choice. We live in Rainsville, moved here 11 years ago and never regretting it one time.
Advantages:
6 cars at a stop light is a traffic jam.
ANY crime is big news, many still don't lock their doors at night.
Plenty of Primary Care doctors.
Your primary needs like groceries and personal supplies are covered by the local Foodland and of course Walmart. This will cover 90% of your needs and wants. Of course there is always Amazon. You will get to know your mail carrier on a first name basis.
The RE Taxes are embarrassing they are so low.
Your Primary Care physician will recommend a specialist when required. You could find them in Gadsden, Huntsville, or even Birmingham. Point is, 2-3 trips a year to a specialist is not worth giving up the advantages.
The local government has done a pretty decent job of keeping the area up, especially Fort Payne (adjoining) which has more money than they know what to do with thanks to the past mayor and council. If you like to play golf, they have a nice 9 hole course for $15.00 which includes a cart. Rainsville also has a course you can play about the same price.
By the way, there is a hospital in Fort Payne, not sure why you got that idea. We have quite a few doctors that specialize here including a pretty decent Cardiologist.
If you have specific questions about Rainsville, Fort Payne, or DeKalb County in general, just ask. DeKalb County has been our home since 1992.

[johninvegas]

Thanks for your help all, especially GreggT!

[HB2HSV]

Are you buying the property sight unseen?

I'd highly suggest that you make a trip to the town/ city where you're thinking about settling down. Spend a few days, get to know the area, drive around to see all necessities you'll be needing. Then decide for yourself.

[GreggT]

By the way, Fort Payne Hospital and the services they provide.

About Us | DeKalb Regional Medical Center

[johninvegas]

Originally Posted by HB2HSV

Are you buying the property sight unseen?

I'd highly suggest that you make a trip to the town/ city where you're thinking about settling down. Spend a few days, get to know the area, drive around to see all necessities you'll be needing. Then decide for yourself.

No, we will be traveling down to the area sometime after the first of the year. Hopefully the house we want to look at will still be avialable. Just looking for info at this time. I would never buy a home sight unseen!

[GreggT]

What is the MLS number?