Cross Creek Subdivision - Madison, AlabamaFeatured Huntsville & Madison Homes for Sale - Subdivision of the Week  Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Cell: 256-479-9664Email: KimberlyGrant@exitrealtyhsv.com Huntsville / Madison Alabama Real Estate Blog   This Week's Subdivision of the Week is... CROSS CREEKMADISON, ALABAMA REAL ESTATE I came across a great subdivision in our area that I wanted to share with you.  This is a new construction development in Huntsville Alabama.  For those looking to purchase new construction real estate I invite you to contact us about more information regarding these  homes. Cross Creek is another great new community in our area.   The community features 3/4 brick homes on a slab.  Lawns are full sod and completed homes have gorgeous... 07/19/2008

Huntsville Alabama Jobs and Employment Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville / Madison Real Estate Blog   We have some great news here in the Rocket City!  Madison County remains in the lowest county unemployment rates in the state of Alabama.  For the month of June, Madison County had a 3.9% unemployment rate which is lower than the national rate of 5.5%.  It is also below the state rate of 4.7% for the month of June.  Alabama is now tied with Vermont for the nation's 20th lowest unemployment rate.  This is a move up from May when Alabama was number 21. If you are considering a city to relocate, I encourage you to consider Huntsville Alabama.  In addition to being located in a county with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the state of Alabama, this... 07/19/2008

Huntsville Shoppers- This one is for you!!  2008 Sales Tax Holiday is BACK!! Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentCell: 256-479-9664Email: KimberlyGrant@exitrealtyhsv.com Huntsville/Madison AL Real Estate Blog As both a shopper and a student, the weekend that I have been waiting on is here!!  Tax free shopping weekend is back!!  It was great the past couple of years and I expect it to be even better this year.  Many stores are even reported as having longer hours and hiring more staff to handle the expected shoppers for this year.  The shoping holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday August 1st and ends at midnight on Sunday August 3rd.  The state sales tax (4%) will be waived as well as the sales tax for participating cities and counties.  This is the third year of t... 07/19/2008

Upcoming Events for Huntsville Alabama Music Lovers Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentCell: 256-479-9664Email: KimberlyGrant@exitrealtyhsv.com Huntsville/Madison AL Real Estate Blog I have always been a music lover and I know there are many of you out there just like me.  I was nosing around trying to find some good upcoming summer concerts and I found some great ones that I wanted to share with you.  The great part about it is that all of these concerts are FREE TO THE PUBLIC with no admission charged.  Grab your family and friends and check out some of these Upcoming Huntsville Music Events:    FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL Bring a lawn chair or blanket & a picnic lunch & enjoy an afternoon of music on the mountain with folk, traditional, and old time songs.Date: July 20... 07/19/2008

Huntsville Alabama Real Estate Blog: June 2008 Huntsville Homes Sales Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentCell: 256-479-9664Email: KimberlyGrant@exitrealtyhsv.com Huntsville/Madison Alabama Real Estate Blog Its been another great month in the Huntsville area in the real estate market.  There were 246 homes sold this month.  Total Huntsville Alabama residential real estate sales totalled $50,438,496 which up from total sales of $40,659,358 for May.   Average selling price of homes in the overall Huntsville area was $205,035.  Last month, the average days on the market for the Huntsville Alabama real estate market was 95 days!!  This is slightly lower than the average days for Madison County as a whole of 105 days.  That is just FANTASTIC!!! Currently there are 1436 ... 07/19/2008

Huntsville's first NAHB certified community begins road construction in the first quarter of 2008. In early February, Love Development of Alabama received the final approval for construction of the much anticipated project, Inspiration on Green Mountain. This is the first Green Huntsville Alabama Real Estate Development certified by the NAHB (National Association of Home Builder's) Standards. "We understand there are limited natural resources available", stated Bob Spence, managing partner of Love Development. Their company recognizes the need to minimize the environmental impact by creating communities engineered as part of the natural environment. Deliberate care is being taken by the developer to create balance and harmony with nature. The project has multiple options for green home ... 07/15/2008

Huntsville Alabama Upcoming Events Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentCell: 256-479-9664Email: KimberlyGrant@exitrealtyhsv.com Huntsville/Madison AL Real Estate Blog The year is half way over but the summer is just heating up with some great activities going on in our area over the next few days.   Check out some of Huntsville's Upcoming Events:      Huntsville Stars Game   Date: July 16 through July 20Admission: Admission ChargedTimes: Wed-Sat 7:05pm; Sun 5:05pm Location: Joe Davis StadiumContact: (256) 882-2562 Huntsville Stars VS Tennessee Concert in the Park   Date: July 14Hours: 6:30pm to 8:00pmAdmission: Admission chargedLocation: Big Spring ParkContact: (256) 519-2787    Huntsville Dragway   Date: July 18-July 20Time: 4:00pmAdmission: Admission chargedLocat... 07/13/2008

This post brought to you by car loan lenders Monday “Lease to Own,” seminar, Realty World South, 1874 Slaughter Road, Madison, 6 p.m., learn how to improve your credit score and become a homeowner; every Monday, free reservations at 325-8500. Tuesday “Ethics Scenarios - How Does Your Company Handle a Caller’s Concerns?” North Alabama Business Ethics Roundtable, Davidson Technologies, 530 Discovery Drive, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., $10 including lunch, reservations, Sherryl Marsh, 503-3755. Toastmasters High Noon Club, First Baptist Church, 600 Governors Drive, Room 342, noon, every Tuesday, 655-8571. Redstone Toastmasters, Radisson Hotel, 8721 Madison Blvd., Madison, dinner meeting, 6 to 7:30 p.m., every Tuesday, bijvoet@aol.com or 774-2982. Real estate career seminar, Weichert Realtors - Th... 07/12/2008

Huntsville Alabama: Dorm Life to Dream LifeFrom College to Career in One Place!! Like many others, I am a Huntsville transplant from another area.  I am originally from a little place about 100 miles south of here known as The Magic City.  I came to Huntsville to attend college and found myself calling this my new home.  Huntsville Alabama is most definitely a college town!  There are great college sports, college activities, and of course outstanding academic programs at our city's colleges and universities.  Huntsville is definitely a city to consider for settling down once those college days are over.  I am not just saying that as a local Huntsville real estate agent, but I am saying that as an alumni of two of Huntsville's local universities.  What many may not realize is that in a... 06/28/2008

Huntsville Alabama Real Estate Blog: May 2008 Huntsville Homes Sales Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentCell: 256-479-9664Email: KimberlyGrant@exitrealtyhsv.com Huntsville/Madison Alabama Real Estate Blog Its been another great month in the Huntsville area in the real estate market.  There were 214 homes sold this month.  Total Huntsville Alabama residential real estate sales totalled $40,659,358.   Average selling price of homes in the overall Huntsville area was $189,997.  Last month, the average days on the market for the Huntsville Alabama real estate market was 77 days!!  That is just FANTASTIC!!! Below is a breakdown of the home sales in Huntsville for May 2008 by area:  Currently there are 1379 homes on the market in the Huntsville area.  These include exis... 06/24/2008

  Your REALTOR: Elaine Erves Simelton June 2008 "When You Think of Real Estate, Think of Me" Copyright © 2008 Realty Times All Rights Reserved. Alabama Housing Statistics Reporting FormNorth Alabama Multiple Listing System, Inc. (NALMLS)Board: HUNTSVILLE AREA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS Month: May, 2008     MONTHLY TOTALS (This represents our previous form.) # Sold This Month--498 Avg. Selling Price-- $199,534 Median Selling Price--$179,000 Avg. Days On Market--108 # Of Units On The Market--2871   BY PROPERTY TYPE (Please mark "NR" if MLS canot retrieve these figures)                 Existing SF (Single Family, Garden & Townhomes): # Sold This Month--337                            Avg. Days On Market--86 Avg. Selling Price--$171,509                       # Of Units On The Market--1,907 Medi... 06/22/2008

  Huntsville Alabama Upcoming Events Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentCell: 256-479-9664Email: KimberlyGrant@exitrealtyhsv.com Huntsville/Madison AL Real Estate Blog Can you believe that 2008 is almost half way over!!  Here's the weekly rundown on events going on in our area.  Pick out some that you can enjoy with friends and family and go for it!!        Huntsville Stars Game   Date: June 21 and June 22Admission: Admission ChargedTimes: Sat 7:05pm and Sun 5:05pmLocation: Joe Davis StadiumContact: (256) 882-2562 Huntsville Stars VS West Tennessee Art in 3-D Exhibit   Date: June 21-June 30Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 AM-5 PM, Thurs. 10 AM-8 PM & Sun. 1-5 PMAdmission: Admission chargedLocation: Huntsville Museum of ArtContact: (256) 535-4350    Huntsville Speedway   Date: ... 06/21/2008

  Your REALTOR: Elaine Erves Simelton June 2008 "When You Think of Real Estate, Think of Me" Copyright © 2008 Realty Times All Rights Reserved. Huntsville Madison County Market Conditions       Why Buying a home in most markets is always a Wise Decision     • According to famed money manager Peter Lynch, one’s first investment, even above purchasing stocks, should be to buy a home. In his view, an owner-occupied home is nearly always profitable, even in a declining market.      • Interest rates are low, making it the ideal time for buyers to make a move. As the economy and real estate market recover, home prices and mortgage rates will rise making homes less affordable.       Some of the points the author Dan Kadlec makes are worthy of sharing: • Trying to time real estate might not pay... 06/20/2008

Yesterday the local Chamber of Commerce held an Economic Summit Meeting where the current status of local BRAC employment was discussed. One of the highlights of the discussion was that only 15% of the 1,050 jobs that have transferred to Redstone Arsenal thus far have been filled by personnel moving with their jobs. Joe Ritch, a Huntsville lawyer who chairs the Tennessee Valley BRAC Committee stated, "BRAC will be successful, but companies in Huntsville will be hit hard"; indicating that many of the incoming jobs will likely be filled by aerospace workers already employed in the area. According to the Huntsville Times: Army Maj. Gen. Jim Myles, head of the Aviation and Missile Command on Redstone, and the MDA's Maj. Gen. Chris Anzalone of the Air Force, have estimated that 20 to 25 perc... 06/13/2008

  Area and National Comparisons Huntsville Utilities is a publicly-owned not-for-profit organization and that is one of the reasons why electric rates inside Madison County remain approximately 24% below the national average said a recent area-wide mailing from the company. In addition to comparatively low electric rates primarily due to our TVA source, the rates for natural gas and water are all also below the national average and in many cases, near the lowest in the region as the following charts illustrate:    BRAC Relocation News · If you are thinking of buying or selling Real Estate here in the Huntsville Alabama area, feel free to visit my web site, www.Huntsville-Realestate.com. 06/11/2008

Huntsville Alabama Activites & Events: Walking For The Cure!! Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentCell: 256-479-9664Email: Kimberly@KimberlyGrant.info Its that time again!  What you ask??  Time for the North Alabama Sickle Cell Foundation's annual Walk-a-thon!  This year it will be held in Big Spring Park.  There will also be games, activities, entertainment, and refreshments.  The theme is "Walking For the Cure."  The group with the largest number of participants will receive a trophy so they are inviting businesses, churches, and other organizations to participate.  Huntsville/Madison AL Real Estate Blog   It is a very worthwhile cause so I invite you to come out.  Dust off those walking shoes and get a little exercise while "Walking for the Cure." Kimberly Grant... 06/06/2008

Looking for Huntsville area foreclosures?  Are you looking for property to renovate and flip?  While foreclosures can be found in Huntsville, be prepared.  There are not many such properties and the competition for them is keen.  Today (6/4/08) there are 3143 total active properties in the Madison County MLS yet only 76 of those are foreclosures.  (stats from the MLS this morning...) Prospective buyers of local foreclosures need to be prepared to, 1) inspect properties before making offers as most of these are offered as-is, where-is and Alabama is a Caveat Emptor (buyer beware) State, 2) be prepared to pull the trigger to make an offer immediately upon finding a good home and, 3) have an available letter of credit or lender pre-approval letter ready to accompany any offer.  In many cas... 06/04/2008

One of the most special things about Huntsville, Alabama is that its real estate market is vital and healthy.  Property values are increasing, the number of homes to select from is substantial due to the new construction and the loan rates are awesome.  This is one of the top markets in which to live and own a home right now.  As the home of the United States' missile development, whether for military or NASA use, this trend is set to continue.  Jobs are plentiful and unemployment is low (<3%).  About 1 in 10 people is an engineer and I see people wearing t-shirts that say "Why yes, I am a rocket scientist!"  Huntsville is the home of the original Space Camp and that facility houses on the Good Morning America's 7 Wonders of America, a real Saturn 5 rocket which is being restored.  We'd... 06/04/2008

The US Army held their annual Tactical Missile Defense Conference at the Van Braun Convention Center in downtown Huntsville on May, 20, 2008. Having some close friends and workmates that work on Redstone and were able to attend, we were able to take a look at their notes and pass on this brief summary: The BRAC process is heating up with lots of federally funded office building construction well underway on Redstone. Roads are a concern and Redstone Commanders want several additional projects, one being a four lane expansion of Martin Road, from the Arsenal to Huntsville International airport. This road is currently two lanes and provides access to several new neighborhoods one being Lake Forest, which is a 5 min commute to the Redstone/NASA employment centers. Some of the local politic... 05/31/2008

Huntsville, Alabama has been featured on Good Morning America!  GMA was taping in Huntsville last week, with the announcement of one the "Seven Wonders of America"!  Huntsville, Alabama is a great place to call home! Panelists Debated Which American Landmarks Should Be on 7 Wonders of America List April 22, 2008 Full story American Wonder No. 5: Saturn V Rocket Saturn V: The Moon Rocket NASA's Saturn V rocket is the embodiment of America's spirit of ingenuity. More American Wonder No. 5: Saturn V Rocket stories... 05/19/2008