Huntsville Homes For Sale | Huntsville Real Estate
If you're an engineer or computer specialist and you're looking for a place to live and work that's a little more exotic than CFB Kingston, why not check out Huntsville, Alabama? Huntsville, AL is a hub for the research and design of aerospace and military technology and has a lot of safe, beautiful, affordable real estate. Huntsville isn't just the ideal location for technologists to buy real estate, either. Its top schools, thriving economy and friendly atmosphere make it a great new home for anyone. Browse through this website, which is provided for you by Huntsville, AL real estate agents, for more information on why you should move to Huntsville.
Huntsville, Alabama: Rocket City
Huntsville occupies 174 square miles of Madison and Limestone Counties in northern Alabama. With a population of only 171,000, Huntsville, Alabama enjoys a low population density which means you won't feel crowded living there. John Hunt, in 1805, was the first European settler in what would later become Huntsville, but he lost his land claim and the settlement became Twickenham.
Throughout history Huntsville, Alabama has been shaped by war and the military. It was an anti-English sentiment during the War of 1812 that saw the townsfolk vote to change the name of their town to Huntsville. During the Civil War, when many Confederate cities were captured and destroyed by Union Troops, Huntsville became a garrison for Union soldiers, thus sparing it and allowing it to boom as a mill town in the postwar years. World War II further shaped Huntsville's growth by bringing in an arsenal, munitions plants, and later a rocketry research facility under former German scientist Werner Von Braun.
This rocketry industry influence later became the basis for the United States Space Program. This is what defines the city's economy today, giving it the nickname "Rocket City." Huntsville, AL is home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and the United States Army's Redstone Arsenal. Over the years Redstone and the Marshall Center have been instrumental in the development of ballistic missiles that have taken astronauts into orbit, the space shuttle, and the International Space Station. The Arsenal is also affiliated with the nearby Cummings Research Park, which houses many aerospace and defense contractors. All these elements combined to make Huntsville one of the ten best places for doing business in 2005 according to Forbes magazine, and the number one place for engineers.
The rocket city influence bleeds over into entertainment and education as well. Area schools focus more on science than arts, and almost half of the University of Alabama's graduates are in the science or engineering fields. The Marshall Center is home to the famous U.S. Space Camp and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Museum. Other things to do for fun include watching NASCAR races or college sports, shopping, and exploring the many trails, parks, and cave systems in the surrounding area.
Neighborhoods and Home Styles in Huntsville, AL
Huntsville, Alabama is a historic city that embraces the future. As such, you can find a great variety in age of neighborhoods from the Twickenham Historic District (circa 1818) to the multitude of new-style pre-planned modern subdivisions like Magnolia Springs. There are even some in the middle of the age range, like Lily Flagg, that are experiencing some home turnovers and present excellent opportunities for developers, house-flippers or anyone looking for a fixer-upper. Budget-wise, Huntsville's neighborhoods occupy the full spectrum from working class, with high concentrations of small homes and apartment buildings, right up to super rich, with sprawling mansions that have lake or golf course views.
On average, though, living in Huntsville, AL is an extremely responsible move financially. The cost of living in Huntsville is only 83.1, low compared to the national average of 100. Your money will go much farther here than it would in a bigger city without a corresponding drop in standard of living. On average a house or townhouse will only cost you about $188,000 while renting the average apartment is a reasonable option at only $625 per month.
Contact a Huntsville, AL Real Estate Agent
Well, are you convinced that Huntsville, Alabama is the right place for you? If you're not, that's okay! Just call up one of our friendly, helpful real estate agents for more information or to have any questions you still have answered. Their phone numbers and email addresses can be found on the contact page of this website. You'll also want to get in touch with them if you have decided to go ahead with the move so they can get you started looking at real estate listings. Have a happy move!
