Featured Huntsville Madison HomesSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville Real Estate BlogThere are so many great homes out there but I found one outstanding home that I wanted to feature on this real estate blog...2501 Bonnie Oaks Drive ~ $151,999This is the featured Huntsville Home for this week!!  It is a lovely family home located in the Autumn Ridge Subdivision which makes it VERY convenient to Redstone Arsenal. Here is some additional information about our Home of the week:Directions: South on Memorial Parkway, Right on Hobbs Road, Left on Bell Road, Right on Bonnie Oaks4 Bedroom / 2 1/2 BathroomsIsolated MasterCorner lot with fenced backyardNew roof October 2006New dishwasher, stove, and disposal remainOne yeah home warranty provided by ownerSchool di... 06/29/2007

Consumer Tip of the Week:  Savings on Your Utility BillSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville Real Estate BlogAs many of you know, in the midst of drought and all that is going on in our area, Huntsville Utilities has been encouraging local residents to try to be conservative in our water and utility usage.  I have been encouraging you to try to save energy and I decided to see what I could do to be more conservative in my daily routine.Lately, I have been doing a little experiment with my utilitity usage.  I would like to share the results with you!!!  I have been making little changes and in the course of one month I cut my utility usage and ultimately my utility bill IN HALF with just four easy steps.So here are the easy simple things that I did to save... 06/28/2007

Thinking of moving to Huntsville, Alabama? I am not suprised, according to many publications, Huntsville, Alabama is one of the BEST places to live and work in the United States. The area hosts 160,000 city residents, with more than 10 percent being natives of other countries. Huntsville's economy is primarily driven by aerospace and military technology. The weather in Huntsville Alabama is mild, with a  subtropical climate. It experiences hot, moist summers and gentle winters, with average high temperatures ranging from the high 80's in the summer to the high 40's in the winter. One of the most well known attractions the U.S. Space and Rocket Center where one can be an "astronaut for a day".  This is just one of the activities at the sprawling U.S. Space and Rocket Center. The hands-on... 06/28/2007

Northwest Huntsville Home Rezoning RejectedSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville Real Estate BlogI have been keeping you informed about a proposal to rezone a 189-acre portion of land in Northwest Huntsville, Alabama.  The purpose of the rezoning is to allow developers looking to purchase the land the opportunity to build more homes in the area.  The homeowners of Mount Charron and Callington Estates subdivisions have been very vocal in their concerns about the affects this rezoning issue could have on traffic and property values of homes in their area.  The proposal came before the Huntsville City Planning Commission for review yesterday and was rejected by unanimous vote.  The residents showed up to make sure their voice was heard regarding the issue.  ... 06/27/2007

Brac Move to Huntsville Spurs Concerns About RoadsSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville Real Estate Blog Many have heard about the concerns over the anticipated BRAC move into our area.  (BRAC stands for Base Realignment and Closure)  One major concern that has been at the forefront is the effects the move will have on local traffic and the condition of our roads.A  study was conducted by the University of Alabama's Center for Business and Economic Research and the findings have estimated that our areas needs approximately $2,000,000 dollars to make the changes needed to accomodate the increased traffic demands.  It is uncertain where that money will come from but there are hopes that this study will show there is a valid need for concern and plans are ne... 06/26/2007

Huntsville and Madison Real Estate Market Update Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville Real Estate BlogJune is FLYING BY!!!  Its the 21st already.  We are entering the last few days of the month.  Our closings usually pick up on homes sold in the Huntsville area near the end of the month but I wanted to bring you where we currently stand for Madison County real estate.  So now I bring you another snapshot of how our market is doing as of today.  First here are the number of houses that are under contract and working towards closing.  I also have the numbers of houses sold and closed already for the month of June. Number of Houses Under ContractThis month: 329Last month: 410This month last year: 439 Number of Houses Sold & ClosedThis month: 394Last month: ... 06/21/2007

Possible Huntsville Home Development Gets Resident Reaction Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville Real Estate BlogI told you the other day about the discussion to possibly bring another subdivision to North Huntsville, Alabama.  There was an opportunity Monday for residents to voice their opinions.  Residents from Mount Charron and Callington Estates showed up to get answers to their concerns about the issue.  Unfortunately, many were not able to get the peace of mind they were seeking because the developer was not present and there were many questions and concerns that the property owner could not answer.  In recap, the issue is involving 189 acres of land north of Mount Charron which is set to go under review by the Huntsville Planning Commission for re... 06/20/2007

More Drought Concerns for Huntsville and Madison Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville Real Estate BlogYesterday, we got a little bit of rain.  It was the longest I have seen it rain in quite some time.  However, we are still far below where we should be at this point in the year.  There are concerns about water restrictions in our area.  Huntsville and Madison have not placed a restriction on water usage but they have asked residents to be conservative in their water usage.  They are asking for a voluntary conservation of residents.  I encourage everyone to be mindful of their water usage so we can all get through this dry season we are experiencing.Madison County is one of 19 North Alabama counties that have been declared in an exceptional drought area.... 06/20/2007

Verizon Call Center in Huntsville Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville Real Estate BlogAs many of you know, Verizon Wireless is building a new call center in Huntsville, Alabama.  Recently, it has been reported that the new call center will be open to receive phone calls on September 4, 2007.  The call center will be located in Huntsville 's Thornton Research Park and is expected to have about 1,300 employees when fully staffed.   Job screening, interviewing, and selection has been going on for a while in our area and the first group of employees are said to be starting on July 16th.  The starting group is said to be around 150 customer service representatives.  Verizon boasts excellent benefits such as day one medical and dental coverage as well as tuit... 06/19/2007

Future Housing Plans for Huntsville Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville Real EstateThe Huntsville City Planning commission is set to discuss a new rezoning request on June 26 that could bring new housing to our area. The area in consideration is 189 acres of land located west of Memorial parkway and south of Bob Wade Lane. This could possibly lead the building of the largest new subdivision in northwest Huntsville in a number of years. Some residents in that area have concerns this new subdivision will lead to overcrowding and high-density housing in the area. This building endeavor could lead to as many as 700 more homes in Northwest Huntsville. There will be a neighborhood meeting scheduled on Monday at 6pm at the Church of the Nazarene on Meridian St... 06/18/2007

Huntsville and Madison Real Estate Market Update Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent Huntsville Real EstateWell here we are again.  Do I really have to tell you that the month of June is half way over?  That means that 2007 is about half way over... WOW!!  That's all I will say about that but its about for another snapshot of our our local real estate market is doing.Here we are ready to recap our Huntsville statistics for the month as of today June 15, 2007.  I am very excited to report that there were 150 homes sold in Huntsville and 77 homes sold in Madison so far this month!!!  There are some parts of the country that are really experiencing sluggish market conditions right now but Huntsville has kept a steady pace.  Huntsville is right on pace this month comp... 06/15/2007

Upcoming Huntsville Events Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Realtor Huntsville Real EstateAre you looking for upcoming events for the family?  Here are some events that I came across that may be a good outing for family and/or friends:What: 'Age of Armor' Family Festival Day (Medieval times presentation)Where: Huntsville Museum of ArtWhen/$: Saturday, Jun 16, 2007, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm, FREEEnter the world of pageantry and magic of the medieval times in which knights vied for the hand of the beautiful maiden and lived by the chivalric code.What: Dierks Bentley (Country)Where: Redstone ArsenalWhen/$: Saturday, Jun 16, 2007, 7:30 pm $18What: Concerts in the Park Where: Big Spring International Park When/$: Monday, Jun 18, 2007, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm, FREE What: WEUP Black Arts Festival W... 06/14/2007

Huntsville Tax Increase Update  Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent  Huntsville Real EstateEarlier in the week, I let you know about the debate about whether to raise our sales tax .5% in order to fund improvements, repairs and additions in our school district.  The Madison County Commission met on Monday at the Madison County Courthouse.  This issue was voted on in October and did not pass by a vote of 4-2.  Again on Monday the tax increase failed with a vote of 4-2.  However, with vote of 5-1, the decision was made to allow the voters to decide.  The Commission has the power to increase the tax by a 1/2 percent without a vote but they have decided to place the matter in the hands of the voter of Madison County.  This issue will be placed on the ballot in Februar... 06/12/2007

Possible Huntsville Sales Tax Increase  Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent  Huntsville Real EstateThere is a possible Huntsville tax increase up for debate.  The goal of the tax increase is to fund the addition of three to four new schools to our area.  Our classes are becoming overcrowded and the rapid growth of Huntsville spurred the need for an action plan for the future.  It is believed that this problem will only get worst in the future due to the latest round of BRAC decisions.  Col. John Olshefski of Redstone Arsenal reports following a meeting with the secretary of the Army that the Huntsville area could expect as many as 9,000 new students by 2011 with the move of military and civilian jobs coming to the Arsenal.  The addition of the new schools will all... 06/10/2007

Huntsville May Summary and Current Market Conditions Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate Agent WOW is all I can say!!  It seems like just yesterday I was posting a farewell to April and giving a big hello to May.  Now May has come and gone and we are into June.  This year really seems to be rolling right by rather quickly.  Nonetheless, its that time again.Here we are ready to recap our Huntsville statistics for the month of May as of today June 7, 2007.  I am very excited to report that there were 291 homes sold in Huntsville during May!!!  There are some parts of the country that are really experiencing sluggish market conditions right now but Huntsville has kept a steady pace.   The sold homes of Huntsville can be broken down into the following areas:Northwest Huntsv... 06/07/2007

Huntsville Water Restriction Rumors Spreading Around Town Submitted by: Kimberly GrantThere had been a buzz around town that water usage will be restricted soon due to the recent weather we are having.  Representatives from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) have released a statement assuring that there are no watering bans in our area currently by Huntsville Utilities.  Being so close to the Tennessee River has definitely shown to be a benefit for us during this dry spell that we are experiencing.  Approximately 80% of our water comes from the Tennessee River.  Unless there is a major equipment breakdown that affects pumping, there is not a foreseen water ban coming to our area.  Whether there is a water restriction or not, it is pretty clear that we are definitely in a drought situation... 06/02/2007

There's a great source on the Internet for all sorts of valuable information about Huntsville, Alabama and surrounding areas, especially if you are concerned with real estate values, trends, or marketing. That source is Kimberly Grant,  a Realtor with Exit Leon Crawford Realty.Kimberly's blog is full of data and insights about the current Huntsville real estate market, and her Huntsville area website is a great tool for prospective buyers and sellers of properties in Madison County. Take a look at all the properties that Exit Leon Crawford Realty has to offer in the Huntsville area, or search the entire MLS using Kimberly's IDX Search.Need to figure out what the payments would be on a particular house? Or maybe calculate how much home you can afford? Or compare you finances based on re... 05/31/2007

Kimberly Grant is a true expert in Huntsville, Alabama homes!Even before contacting Kimberly Grant directly, you can find loads of information about the Huntsville area and real estate market just by visiting Kimberly's Huntsville Website. And Kimberly has more credentials than you can shake a stick at! In addition to being a highly qualified Realtor, Kimberly also possesses both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Science, and is currently working on an MBA! She is a certified Internet Professional, and specializes in online real estate services for buyers and sellers of properties throughout Madison County, including Decatur, Madison, Harvest, Toney, Hazel Green, and Meridianville, as well as Huntsville.If you are interested in buying property in the Huntsville area, Kimberly's web... 05/31/2007

Assistance for Laid-off Employees Submitted by:Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentEarly May, many heard about the 150 or so workers that were laid off from Triana Industries.  In an effort to help those affected, a 50 percent tuition waiver has been offered from Huntsville's Calhoun Community College and JF Drake State Technical College.  Eligible employees can take advantage of the tuition break from this summer's second session that starts on June 29th all the way through to the spring 2009 semester.For more information, questions on eligibility, programs and registration are being fielded by Calhoun's director of admissions and director of financial services or Drake's financial office.  I would hope that anyone that knows those affected by this lay off would pass on this in... 05/30/2007

Huntsville Alabama Road Construction Update Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Realtor Many people will be out on the roads during this week.  Please be mindful of the road construction going on around town so you can plan your route accordingly. Governors Drive will have planned closings in sections this week to try to prevent major traffic delays:Tuesday and Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day: The contractor will close Harvard between Longwood and Governors drives.Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: The contractor will close Princeton Boulevard at Governors.Wednesday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day: Huntsville Utilities Gas Department will close Sivley Road between Governors and Turner Street.Tuesday, one eastbound lane of Governors will be closed for three blocks, p... 05/28/2007