Posts Tagged ‘Huntsville AL’

Bridge Street Town Centre of Huntsville, Alabama is one of the latest attractions to our area. This attraction is thought of as something very special for our residents as well as visitors to the Huntsville, AL area. Within this wonderful shopping, dining and movie going extravaganza you’ll find an outdoor shopping experience like no other in the North Alabama area. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from, to name a few:

Outdoor shopping has never been more interesting. There is an abundance of shopping attractions within the centre. A few are listed below:

Bridge Street Town Centre also has a wonderful movie theatre called Monaco Pictures which is a 14 Screen Cinema right there within the complex. There is VIP seating available located in the upper section of the theatre for a small extra charge. Within the VIP seating section alcoholic beverages are served to movie goers of legal drinking age. Go catch a movie then kick back at the bar or outdoor patio and enjoy your favorite cocktail.

Bridge Street Town Centre offers Venetian gondola rides through the scenic waterways there. The gondola rides are certainly out of the norm for the Huntsville, AL area. You’ll feel like you’re right in the Heart of Venice as your personal gondola guide takes you on a scenic and possibly romantic tour of Bridge Street on the 10 acre lake. Many have celebrated anniversaries, birthdays, proposals, weddings and more on these fantastic rides. Also for the young and old alike there are paddle boats available. Take the tour on your own and get some exercise while you’re at it. For children, or the very young at heart, there is a gorgeous carousel ride located by the Piazza del Lago food court by the lake. Also for children is the Pop jet fountain located in the South district near Customer Service. The Westin Huntsville Hotel blends sophistication, elegance and classic southern hospitality, offering everything

a business traveler demands and everything a vacation visitor desires including: spacious rooms and suites, exceptional dining and complete conference and catering facilities.

Visit Bridge Street Town Centre of Huntsville, AL while you're in town and see for yourself all of the great attractions offered there.

"Art is a BLAST!" This is the theme of the 28th Annual Panoply Festival in Huntsville, AL. A tradition for the Huntsville area this festival is held every year in the last full weekend of April. Starting at 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 24th, the festival kicks off with an array of exciting activities.

Big Spring International Park in downtown Huntsville is the setting for the weekend extravaganza that includes competitions in photography, visual art, playwright competitions and fiddling as well as Alabama's own local talent. This festival is a favorite of the young and young at heart alike. The wide assemblance of talent and activities is what makes the draw of the crowd well over 100,000 every year.

Artists abound whether it is of the typical type or weaving, pottery sculpture or airbrushing. The artist create masterpieces on site while you watch. "Arts in Action" is a huge draw every year for the crowd that enjoys watching the artists at work. They will be happy to explain their chosen field and answer any questions for the aspiring artists in the crowd. Who knows? You may find your next masterpiece here.

The Arts Central Tent is open for viewing the array of art available all year through the Huntsville Arts Council. They will have brochures listing the year's upcoming shows and special events. Don't forget to enter the drawings for artwork, tickets and other great items.

This is a family fun weekend with kid friendly shows and their own "make-n-take" activities. The wide array of food available will tickle the palate. There are even fun competitions for the food vendors with a "Taste of Panoply". Of course, you know the real winners are the festival goers who get to eat the food. 

Mountain Valley Songwriters Competition will be joining the festival for the 9th year in a row. The competition will be on Saturday and is judged only on the music and lyrics; not the singer's voice. So you may win even if you cannot carry a tune. However, if you want you can have someone else to sing your song for the competition.  Another great feature of the festival is the 10 minute playwright competition. This allows anyone to submit their script for consideration of being produced by a panel of judges. You may be a novice or an established playwright. The theme is determined every year and the winners enjoy their play being produced plus a $50 stipend. 

The Panoply Arts Festival is just what the name implies - a magnificent array of the best in the Huntsville, AL real estate area when it comes to art of all kinds. From face painting for the kids to the different cultures represented, this is one of the most diverse events in the area. The top off every night of the festival are the fireworks which light up the sky with a bevy of colors. Nightly at 9:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and closing night at 8:00 p.m. this is one of the much anticipated parts of the evening.

It is hard to choose a favorite part of the festival as the whole experience is so much fun. The one thing you will like about the Panoply Festival is it is good wholesome fun for the entire family. So whether you are a new visitor, yearly returning arts fanatic, or a Huntsville, AL home owner, come and enjoy the art, enjoy the food and best of all enjoy yourself!

Below is an updated summary of the Huntsville, AL Real Estate activity for the month of November, versus the month of October.  This new layout shows the trend that each area of the Huntsville/Madison cities and suburbs are taking, which, in the majority of areas, are moving in a positive direction.

The month saw another slip in the number of sales, however, this is indicative for the time of year and I expect to see the number of sales to increase again in a few months time.  The sales price versus list price is still very healthy, with 96.17% of the list price being paid on average for each home.  Both the sales price and list price of the average home sold last month also jumped up from $161,700 in October to $169,146 in November.

Taking a look at the area with the most activity (Southwest Huntsville), many buyers are taking advantage of the newer subdivisions, including Lake Forest.  Five of the 34 Huntsville homes sold in this area were within this brand new subdivision, ranging in sales price from $246,000 for a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath 3,126 square foot home, to $400,000 for a 4 bedroom, 3 bath, 3,370 pool home.  This subdivision also includes a clubhouse, community pool and tennis courts for the residents to take advantage of during the warmer months.  Lake Forest is a gated community with a 30-acre lake, several parks and walking trails and is just moments away from downtown Huntsville and all that it has to offer you and your family.

For more information on this, or any other community with the Huntsville/Madison area, please feel free to call or email me. 

Here is my newest listing available for sale in the much sought after Rosebud Gardens community in NE Madison County. 

This full brick Huntsville, AL home listed at $144,900, is positioned on a 1.10 acre corner lot with nice trees and includes the large lot to the right of the home too.  The spacious wooden deck overlooks the chain-link fenced yard and includes your own hot tub to enjoy on those brisk nights! (Sold "AS IS").

Convenient to I-565, this home features three good sized bedrooms, two full bathrooms and a side entry one-car garage.  Below you will find the dimensions of each of the rooms:

Great Room - 25 x 17

Kitchen - 10 x 8

Breakfast / Dining Room - 12 x 10

Master Bedroom - 16 x 14

Second Bedroom - 13 x 12

Third Bedroom - 11 x 10

Laundry Room - 13 x 6

For more information on this Huntsville, AL real estate property, please contact me any time.  I would be happy to personally show you this home at a time convenient to you too.

Steve A. Thomas
Realtor, Associate Broker, ABR, e-Pro
RE/MAX Huntsville/Madison
Cellular: (256) 694-HOME (4663)
Toll Free: (800) 239-4749 Ext. 4945
Fax: (256) 533-1555
E-mail: mail@SteveAThomas.com
Web sites: http://HuntsvilleAreaHomes.com
http://HuntsvilleHomeSales.com
http://HuntsvilleHomeInfo.com

As promised, I have put together a chart to show the Huntsville homes real estate market movements and statistics for the year from January to September 2008.

These numbers are shown below in an easy to read format that provides both sellers and buyers a great perspective of how the market in Huntsville, AL is still strong, thanks to our solid foundation of businesses, both private and public.  The BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) happenings in the Huntsville, AL area is one of the big factors to the economy in this city being impacted less than other similiarly sized cities in America.  One relocated family described their move as follows:

Please review the above chart and contact me should you have any questions pertaining your relocation to Huntsville AL or if you are considering selling your Huntsville real estate property.

Steve A. Thomas
Realtor, Associate Broker, ABR, e-PRO
RE/MAX Huntsville/Madison
Cellular: (256) 694-HOME (4663)
Toll Free: (800) 239-4749 Ext. 4945
Fax: (256) 533-1555
E-mail: mail@SteveAThomas.com    
Web sites: http://HuntsvilleHomeSales.com
http://HuntsvilleHomeInfo.com

Our city ranked 4th on the "Fastest Growing Metros" list according to research forecasts created by Moody's Economy.com website. 

It's not shocking news that the Southeast and Western portions of the United States are booming.  Both of the cost of living and doing business in these areas are often cheaper than in big coastal States and cities.   Take Alabama.  Our State has some of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, including Huntsville, Alabama, which is projected to have a fourth largest change in "gross metropolitan product (GMP)" of a staggering 26.36% between the years 2007 to 2012.

Huntsville, Alabama's projected GMP growth (population) has been forecast at just over 15% by 2012, due to the defense, aerospace and technology industries that drive the Huntsville, AL economy.  The area's Redstone Arsenal (home to the Army's missile and space commands), is expanding greatly due to the US military base realignments (BRAC) which is creating as many as 12,000 new jobs in the area.

Another Alabama boon is ThyssenKrupp's announcement in 2007 to construct a $3.7 billion steel plants in Mobile, located in the southern portion of the State.  Such growth is not new to Alabama; since the mid-1990s, Alabama has also become a manufacturing center for automakers like Chrysler, Toyota and Hyundai.

To be certain of the accuracy of these forecasts, the GMP is not the only method used to measure a metro area's economic stance.  Personal income growth, job growth, housing starts and population growth are all other factors that were considered, but ultimately a close look at the output of goods and services was possibly the best method of determining how strong an economy will be several years to come.

This is just another great review that Huntsville homes has received lately.  And yet another great reason for people to relocate to such a thriving city.  If you would like more information on Huntsville homes and what this city can offer you, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime.

With a population growing from about 4,000 in 1980 to over 36,000 in 2006, Madison, AL has become a fast growing suburb of Huntsville, AL in recent years.  Located within both Limestone and Madison Counties, one of the aspects that draws families with school-age children to purchase a home in Madison are the excellent schools offered here.  Through my website, one of the most documented requests is to learn more about homes available within Huntsville, Alabama, including Madison.

"...One of the aspects that draws families

with school-age children to purchase a home in

Madison are the excellent schools..."

The Madison city school system was formed in 1997 and as of 2006, it serves a thousand students.  The school system encompasses six elementary schools (Columbia Elementary, Heritage Elementary, Horizon Elementary, Madison Elementary, Rainbow Elementary, and West Madison Elementary), two middle schools (Discovery Middle and Liberty Middle), and one high school (Bob Jones High).  If you are looking for private schools for your children, Madison also has several of these available to you including Madison Academy, St. John the Baptist, and Westminster Academy schools.

Madison is in close proximity to both the Cummings Research Park and Redstone Arsenal, in neighboring Huntsville, Alabama.  Many military personnel are choosing Madison as their new home where they are involved with the BRAC transfers to Redstone.  Madison's largest employer is be computer software company, Intergraph.  Most of Madison's other businesses are retail.

Madison, Alabama
Location in Madison County and the state of Alabama
Coordinates: 34°42′54″N 86°44′23″W / 34.715, -86.73972
Country	United States
State	Alabama
Counties	Madison, Limestone
Area
- Total	23.3 sq mi (60.2 km²)
- Land	23.2 sq mi (60 km²)
- Water	0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
Elevation	705 ft (215 m)
Population (2006)
- Total	36,824
- Density	1,258.8/sq mi (611.69/km²)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)

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As of the 2000 US Census Bureau, there were 11,143 households, with 42.5% of them including children under the age of 18 living within them, 60% were married couples and 24% were made up of individuals.  The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.13.  The median age of a Madison, Alabama resident was 34, with the median income for a household of $63,489. 

"...Madison, AL saw 241 single-family homes sold,

with an average selling price of $220,103."

Last month alone, Madison, AL saw 241 single-family homes sold, with an average selling price of $220,103.  The average days on market was 100, and the sale price was 98.17% of the original listing price.  If you would like to learn more about Madison, Alabama or any Huntsville, Alabama real estate, please feel free to contact me at any time. 

Before putting your Huntsville, AL home on the market for sale, a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) should be obtained from your Realtor of choice.  Standard CMA’s should include the following information:

1.         Active Listings

The purpose of including active listings in the CMA, is because they are your competition for buyers.  Since sellers can ask whatever they want for their Huntsville, Alabama home, active listings are not used for any other purpose since some of these active listings are not priced realistically (and will subsequently remain on the market for a long time). 

2.         Pending Listings

Huntsville, Alabama homes that are pending, are those that are under contract but have not closed as of yet.  These listings help indicate in which direction the market is moving, and will, therefore, help you determine what price may get your home sold more quickly.

3.         Sold Listings

Homes that have sold within the last six months are the best comparables to be used when pricing your home.  These are also the Huntsville, AL homes an appraiser would use when appraising your home for the lucky buyer. 

If your home is very unique and there are very few of the other type of listings available to compare with, withdrawn, canceled or expired listings may be used to help determine the right price to sell your home. 

To create the most accurate CMA, the following information is gathered from other Huntsville, Alabama real estate that closely resemble your own home:

Square footage - this is the size of your home that is air-conditioned and/or heated.  Homes will be used that are between 200 to 400 square foot smaller or larger than your home.

Year built - only homes that were built within the same time period as yours should be used when possible.

Location - a home located within the suburbs would be a poor choice for a home that is located in the heart of town.  Similarly, a home with a view of the lake or mountains, would be priced differently than a home without such a view. 

Condition - your Huntsville, Alabama home will be priced according to the type of amenities, upgrades and condition it possesses.  This includes how many bedrooms, bathrooms, various updates, basements, swimming pool, etc.

Please let me know if you are interested in having an accurate Comparative Market Analysis created for your Huntsville, AL real estate.  I would be happy to set up an appointment at your convenience.

The Huntsville Times reported on Wednesday of this week that four people in Huntsville, Alabama were sent to hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning.  It has been suggested that the carbon monoxide was leaking from an improperly ventilated hot water heater, which apparently nearly killed these individuals.  So I thought it was the perfect time to discuss exactly what carbon monoxide is and how you can protect your family against something like this happening to you and them.

The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, indicates that carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause sudden illness and/or death.  CO can be found not only within combustion fumes, such as those produced by cars and trucks, but also appliances within your Huntsville, Alabama home including gas ranges, stoves, water heaters, and washers/dryers.  The CO from these sources can build up within the home and can affect the people and animals when they unconsciously breathe it in.

The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are headache, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion.  Extreme levels of CO inhalation can cause loss of consciousness and death.  Because CO poisoning can often mimic other illnesses, such as the flu, CO poisoning can be difficult to diagnose.  Each year more than 500 Americans die from  CO poisoning.  Here's how you can prevent having your family adversely affected by CO poisoning:

~ hire a qualified serviceman to check heating systems, water heater and any other gas, oil and/or coal burning appliances within your home each year;

~ do not use portable flameless chemical heaters within your Huntsville, AL home;

~ when purchasing gas equipment, buy only equipment carrying the seal of a national testing agency, such as the American Gas Association;

~ install a battery operated CO detector in your home, and each time you change the time on your clocks (each spring and fall) check or replace the battery.

For more information on Carbon Monoxide safety, please visit http://www.cdc.gov/co/faqs.htm.  I hope this information was helpful and maybe make a difference in somebody's future well-being.

With eight communities throughout Huntsville, AL, Jeff Benton Homes has made its mark on this North Alabama city. It's newest community, Cross Creek, located in north Madison is situated along Knox Creek and conveniently located to area schools, shopping and restaurants. All of the homes are certified TVA Energy Right homes, meaning they are energy efficient with lower utility and maintenance costs.

The community features a pool and clubhouse, plus a homeowners association.

Amenities of these new homes include:

• Traditional three-sided Brick Construction
  
• 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty
  
• Complete landscaping package including a full sod yard, average of 25 bushes and 1 large tree (Some larger home sites will require additional cost for full sod)
  
• Personal consultation appointment with Design Professional
  
• Cabinetry with raised paneled doors, hidden hinges and door hardware included, available in Honey and Pecan stains
  
• 9’+ ceilings throughout all first floors
  
• Crown molding in dining room
  
• American Standard™ HVAC system with digital thermostat
  
• Hardwoods in Welcome Room, Dining Room and Powder Bath—available in 5 finishes
  
• GE smooth-top range, dishwasher and built-in microwave
  
• 42” wood burning fireplace custom paneled mantle and tile surround
  
• Marble soaking tub in Retreat bath
  
• Separate shower with glass enclosure in Retreat bath
  
• Pre-wired for home security system
  
• Pre-wired for surround sound in Gathering room
  
• Phone and cable provided in all rooms
  
• Insulated Tilt Sash Vinyl windows
  
• R-38 Attic Insulation, blown cellulose insulation in exterior walls
  
• Maintenance free exterior: aluminum gutters, vinyl eaves, soffits and fascia
  
• Stately wrought iron mailbox and post provided
  
• Generous lighting allowance at Richard’s Lighting Showroom, personally selected by the homeowner
  

For more information on other Jeff Benton Homes in Huntsville, AL or other Huntsville, AL Real Estate check out my website.