I have always wondered what it would be like to raise my children near their grandparents, or to plant trees with my children and watch them grow year after year. I have started more yards, planted more trees, built more workbenches and hung more pictures than I care to admit, however, relocation is one of the realities of life for many of us who have been loyal to a career path. Like many people, I have also followed a career path. Just after we were married, Susan and I made our first move from Lakeland, Fl, to New Orleans. Then we relocated to Orlando, Tampa, Atlanta, Memphis, back to Lakeland, and as far North as Farmington Hills, Michigan. Each move brought with it an opportunity to grow professionally and make new friends, while exploring new locations and living among diverse cul... 11/19/2007

   This time of the year is a great way to give to many families that are less fortunate, and will appreciate it. Last night I went to 12th Annual Margarita Society Ball at the VBCC in Huntsville, AL. The Directors of this event are North Alabama business owners, and the professional community where they organize and sponsor this social event.The admission to the Margarita Ball is by a Director's invitation and one unwrapped child's gift;ages 5-17. The toys then will be distrubeted to underprivileged children in the community. This was my first time attending and it was a awesome event. Everyone was dressed so nice(formal)-black tie. I am planning on going every year now. Does your community do anything like this?   11/18/2007

Huntsville Foreclosure Homes: Consumer Tips for Buyer and InvestorsSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate BlogA foreclosure is legal proceeding in which the financer or lender of a mortgage seeks to regain property because the borrower has defaulted on payments.  Unfortunately, this happens more often than it should.  After it does happen, the homes are placed back on the market to try to recoup the amount owed on the loan.  In the Huntsville area, there are a number of foreclosure, bank owned, distressed, and HUD homes for sale.  If you are looking to purchase a home for your primary residence or as an investment, these properties can represent a good deal to you as a purchaser.                                    To find deals on for... 11/11/2007

Huntsville Alabama Upcoming EventsSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate BlogHere'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 Havoc Game Date: November 10Hours: 7:30 p.m.Admission: Admission ChargedLocation: Von Braun Center ArenaContact: (256) 518-6160Breakfast with Santa and Mall Visit Date: November 10Hours: Breakfast 9 AM and Mall Visit 10 AM to 9 PMAdmission: No admission chargedLocation: Parkway Place MallContact: (256) 533-9094Car, Truck & Motorcycle Show Date: November 10Hours: 10 AM to 5PMAdmission: No admission chargedLocation: John Hunt Park FairgroundsContact: (256) 990-7788Huntsville Veterans Day Parade Date: November 10Hours... 11/10/2007

Huntsville Alabama Real Estate: October Market SummarySubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate BlogIt has been another great month in the Huntsville Real Estate market.  Here we are ready to recap our Huntsville statistics for the month of October as of today November 9, 2007.  I am very excited to report that there were 228 homes sold and closed in Huntsville during October!!!  This number is right in line with this month last year where there were 227 homes sold and closed in Huntsville.  This is awesome news for buyers and sellers because the Huntsville real estate market is continuing to move at a steady pace.  Huntsville home sales represent the majority of the homes sold in Madison County last month.  There are some parts of the c... 11/10/2007

My First Visit to Huntsville's BridgestreetSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate BlogI'm sure by now that EVERYBODY has heard about the big grand opening for Huntsville's Bridge Street Town Centre.  Well, I have been busy so I had not had a chance to go down and check it out.  I decided that I would make time to check it out.  I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to find a parking spot.  They also have valet parking as well.  It was in the evening when I got out there and it was just lit up really pretty.  It is like a little city right in the middle of Huntsville.There are several stores open and many more to open in the near future as construction is completed.  There will be a nice mixture of retail, dining, hotels, and e... 11/09/2007

Do people really think about why they should use a REALTOR®? I am sure that  deciding whether or not to use a REALTOR® has a great deal to do with what you feel your capabilities are. Do most people feel confident that they can assist the buyer in obtaining financing,and having  the knowledge of legal contracts? Do the majority of sellers today use a REALTOR®? Wouldn't they feel more entrusting to allow a REALTOR® handle the sale of their largest investment? Also many sellers would rather use a REALTOR® because of the confusing and complex issues and legal aspects they would have to deal with, not to mention the costs of advertising.REALTORS® have many connections to home inspectors, closing attorneys, and mortgage lenders that they can help you with. In addition a REALTOR® is able to h... 11/08/2007

http://realtytimes.com/c/jenniferharris  11/04/2007

Huntsville Alabama & Madison County Upcoming EventsSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate BlogHere'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 Havoc Game Date: November 3Hours: 7:30 p.m.Admission: Admission ChargedLocation: Von Braun Center ArenaContact: (256) 518-6160The Maize   Date: November 3 and 4Hours: Wed.-Thurs. 5-9 PM, Fri.-Sat. 10 AM-11 PM & Sun. 1-5 PM. Closed Mon. & Tues. except Halloween weekAdmission: Admission chargedLocation: BrownsboroContact: (866) 687-6293Murder Mystery Dinner Theater Date: November 5Hours: 6-9 p.m.Admission: Admission chargedLocation: House of Brews (123 Northside Square)Contact: (256) 533-9949 Hearth ... 11/03/2007

 It has been about two years since O&S Holding, out of California, started the enormous undertaking that is Bridge Street Town Centre and here we are, in 2007, only days away from it's Grand Opening. Grand is probably an understatement for what is sure to be an experience few people in the South have been around. Bridge Street is bound to be a huge draw for people that in years past have opted to travel to Birmingham or Nashville in search of a "shopping experience" and could possibly draw more young professionals to Huntsville.  A link of all the stores opening over the course of the weekend and scheduled activities are posted on their website.Bridge Street Town Centre  10/30/2007

New Construction Project in Huntsville Submitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate BlogThere is a new construction project expected to start in the area in the next two to three months.  This project has already been approved by the Federal Highway Administration, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Army Corp of Engineers. The project will provide Huntsville with the first greenway trail to be located along Bradford Creek.  The project is estimated to cost around $1.5 million and is planned in two phases.  There is a possibility of three phases depending on the budget and approval of federal funds.There would be an path, as well as, bridges over Bradford Creek.  The greenway is expected to be a great place for activities such as walkin... 10/27/2007

Huntsville City Schools Upgrades ComingSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate BlogTonight there will be a town hall type meeting at Huntsville High School in the auditorium to discuss plan for new schools and renovations on existing schools scheduled during 2008.  Ann Roy Moore, Huntsville City School Superintendent, will be present to discuss the school building upgrade plan.  The 2008 fiscal year began on October 1st and approximately $100 million is expected to be spent on new buildings and renovations.There will be an overview of the plan, a short video, and Dr Moore will field questions.  The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7pm and will last approximately one hour.  I hope that many will come out to support this activity.  If yo... 10/23/2007

UAH Hosts 8th Annual Diabetes WalkSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, RealtorHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate Blog University of Alabama in Huntsville will be holding the 8th Annual "Step Out to Fight Diabetes" on Sunday October 21, 2007.  The event will be held at 2:30 pm.  Huntsville Alabama will be among more than 200 cities to host a walk.  The walk will be a three-mile stroll and participants can walk at their own pace.  There were over 300 participants last year and this year a great turnout is expected as well.  Participants will receive a t-shirt and tools for fundraising upon registration.  It is a great cause and the American Diabetes Association is requesting participation so they can top the amount raised last year.  Break out those running shoes and come on out to participate or... 10/17/2007

Featured Huntsville/Madison Homes for Sale - Subdivision of the WeekSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville / Madison Alabama Real Estate Blog This Week's Subdivision of the Week is... Wilson Cove   Wilson Cove is another great community in the Madison County area.  It is a new subdivision located convenient to Hwy 431S.  Wilson Cove has a country atmosphere with the convenience of the city.   Wilson cove is approximately 189 acres, wooded on all sides.  The community features will include pool, clubhouse, lakes, and walking trails.  Wilson Cove will have patio homes, estate lots, and custom family homes.Here is additional information about our Neighborhood of the week:Directions: Take Hwy 431S, Turn Right on Old Hwy 431, Turn Left on Cherry Tree Road, Turn ... 10/16/2007

I recently read an article on realestatejournal.com that discussed the lengths sellers are going to in order to get their home sold in today's "slowing" real estate market. Sellers are offering agents with buyers incentives ranging from gift cards to one seller who offered a paid lease on a new BMW! Here in Huntsville, AL the market is still relatively healthy so we have not experienced anything like this. Does anyone have any stories or experiences of sellers offering unusual or clever incentives to get their house sold? Also, could these incentives lead some agents to favor one home over another that better fit their buyer's needs? Here is the article    10/16/2007

There is alot of cities in Alabama that have passed the No Smoking Ban in Restauraunts and Bars. Today on the news I heard that they are trying to pass this law as a Statewide Law for Alabama in February 2008. Alot of people in Alabama are dying due to smoking more than having in other type of cancers. People are not happy with this law, and think that their rights have been taking away from them.  Does any other states have this law and how has it affected the businesses? 10/15/2007

Huntsville Alabama Real Estate: September Market Summary and Current ConditionsSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate BlogIt has been another great month in the Huntsville Real Estate market.  Here we are ready to recap our Huntsville statistics for the month of September as of today October 6, 2007.  I am very excited to report that there were 244 homes sold and closed in Huntsville during September!!!  This is a very slight decrease from this month last year where there were 251 homes sold and closed.  Huntsville home sales represent the majority of the homes sold in Madison County last month.  There are some parts of the country that are really experiencing sluggish market conditions right now but Huntsville has kept a steady pace.... 10/06/2007

Hello All! This sounds like some good news for Huntsville, AL.Hopefully this will be a good sign for our market, and we want have to drop our home prices. I have had some offers here lately be lowball offers because buyers think that the sellers will sell their home for alot less especially if it has been on the market for a couple of months. I am glad to hear this about Huntsville, AL. See the link below... the title is a bit gloomy, but there's good news about Huntsville (so read the whole article!) http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/19/real_estate/steep_home_price_drops_coming/index.htm?postversion=2007091915 09/22/2007

Huntsville Will Soon Add More Traffic Web CamsSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate Blog I'm sure many of you have noticed the traffic cameras that have been installed around town.  I was even riding with an out of town client last week and he noticed them as we were driving around.  City officials are so pleased with the feedback they are receiving on the cameras and the high use that statistics are showing that they will be installing additional cameras.There is even a live feed on the City of Huntsville website.  It shows the traffic feeds from the traffic camera on Governors Drive at the intersection of Monroe Street.  In the past month, IT Specialists report that the live feeds on the city website showed 61,000 unique visits and... 09/15/2007

Huntsville Drivers Face New ChangesSubmitted by: Kimberly Grant, Huntsville Real Estate AgentHuntsville/Madison AL Real Estate BlogLately, our state has had an increase in the number of traffic fatalities.  In fact, at the beginning of August, Alabama's traffic fatality rate has reached its highest since 1973.  So there has been a concentrated effort in Madison County to make our roads safer.In conjunction with this effort, in August Athens and Madison Alabama's City Council unanimously decided to pass an ordinance which will allow Madison Alabama police to impound vehicles of drivers with no license.  It was only a matter of time but this past week the Huntsville City Council unanimously approved a similar ordinace for Huntsville Alabama.The law should be active within the next month. ... 09/15/2007