Huntsville named ‘real estate market to watch’ in 2023 by National Association of Realtors
https://whnt.com/news/huntsville/huntsville-named-real-estate-market-to-watch-in-2023-by-national-association-of-realtors/ HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Rocket City is listed among the top 10 real estate markets to watch in 2023, according to a new forecast from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The report identified Huntsville as one of the 10 real estate markets expected to “outperform other metro areas in 2023.” NAR considered criteria like job growth, affordability, population growth, and the number of renters who can afford a median-priced home. The other nine cities or metropolitan areas included in NAR’s top 10 real estate markets for 2023 include: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga. Raleigh, N.C. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Ark., Mo. Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, S.C. Charleston-North Charleston, S.C. Jacksonville, Fla. San Antonio-New Braunfels, Texas Knoxville, Tenn. Lawrence Yun, the organization’s chief economist and senior vice president of research, added the forecast expects 4.78 million homes to be sold in 2023. He also said prices will remain stable. News 19 reached out to the Huntsville Area Association of Realtors (HAAR) for a reaction to the big news. HAAR President Isaac Winkles said, “This is a well-deserved and hard-earned recognition, and our top priority is to ensure the ‘American Dream’ of owning a home is attainable for everyone in Madison County.” “The Huntsville metro area landed n the list because of responsible work from our local leaders, but we all have more work to do to ensure all income earners can buy the home of their dreams and build wealth,” Winkles concluded.
Why you should visit Huntsville, Alabama
By Jessica Fender https://www.ace.aaa.com/publications/travel/us-destinations/alabama/reasons-to-visit-huntsville.htmlDecember 20, 2022 Few Alabamians would call Huntsville a hidden gem. After all, it recently became the most populous city in the state. The outside world has taken notice of Rocket City, too. Last year, U.S. News & World Report named Huntsville the best place to live in the U.S. in 2022-23, thanks to a booming job market and its housing value, among other factors. But what exactly does Huntsville—home to more than 216,000 people—have to offer visitors? It’s surrounded by mountain ridges and dotted with sprawling green spaces. World-class arts and entertainment venues lure creatives of all types, and its scientific achievements changed the world. Just as notable are the type of laid-back vibes that inspire visitors to check local real estate listings. In other words, there’s a little something for everyone in northern Alabama’s hottest city. Here's why you should visit. Take a hike, and so much more As the forest trail gently ascends, traffic noise fades to nothing, replaced by the rustle of wind in the foliage overhead. Farther ahead, trees give way to rocky promontories with sweeping views of the valley below. Nearby, other routes lead through old-growth forests and past wet-weather waterfalls. Pausing on his return trek, Kansas native Douglas Doonan says easy access to nature has been one of the best parts about his move to Huntsville nearly a decade ago. “I’ve always found the mountains to be enchanting, and you have all of that right here around Huntsville,” he adds. This particular oasis—the 1,086-acre Blevins Gap Nature Preserve less than 10 miles southeast of downtown—is just the beginning. Nestled into the Tennessee Valley and the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the rivers and ridges surrounding Rocket City are an outdoor lover’s dream. For the quickest getaway, locals head to the Monte Sano Nature Preserve, among the largest urban preserves in the nation and a 2-mile drive from downtown. There, 25 miles of hiking and biking trails link up with 2 other trail systems on the mountain. Like Blevins Gap, the preserve is part of the 9,000 acres under the stewardship of the Land Trust of North Alabama. Those who prefer a boat to a boot also have a wealth of options among Huntsville’s many navigable waterways. Kayak or float fish the lower reaches of the Flint River to the east. Stand-up paddleboard in the calm waters surrounding Hobbs Island just downstream of the bustling Ditto Landing marina. Or head west and boat through the tupelo swamps and glassy backwaters of Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, keeping a lookout for sandhill cranes and their endangered whooping brethren. In the back room of Trailhead Incorporated bike shop, owner Tommy Reagh tunes up a skinny-tired road bike. Out front, bikes of all kinds—and their accoutrements—are for sale. And rentals, temporarily stymied by COVID-related supply issues, are set to resume soon. Among the most popular destinations for the city’s 2-wheeling tribe are the Chapman, Wade, and Monte Sano mountains, Reagh says. “There’s a pretty strong cycling community here, too.”
Huntsville added more than 450 new residents per month in 2022
https://hvilleblast.com/huntsville-added-450-new-residents-per-month-2022/ If you didn’t realize that Huntsville is growing at an astounding rate, you have not been paying very close attention to the Rocket City lately. But do you realize that in 2022, the city gained more than 450 new residents per month? To put that into perspective, the city’s Inspections Department issued more Certificates of Occupancy than any year since the department began keeping records in 1983. Wow! Construction projects in the Huntsville area have received more permits than the rest of the state combined when it comes to multi-million-dollar building projects. “Our population growth is fueling unprecedented construction in commercial, residential and industrial sectors to the tune of $1.5 billion over last year and more than $7 billion over the last five years. From MidCity to downtown and up North Memorial Parkway, orange construction barrels are a regular sight.” Mayor Tommy Battle Areas of the city seeing exponential growth include MidCity, Downtown and North Huntsville, among other spots. And if your city is attracting more than 450 new residents per month, you’re going to need multiple city hotspots. The opening of the Orion Amphitheater in May was a milestone project for the City, bringing in more than 150,000 people in its first season, and helped fuel additional commercial and residential growth within the MidCity Entertainment District. As the district continues to rival downtown as the city’s after-hours hotspot, growth is expected to continue in the 110-acre master planned development. Some of the highlights at MidCity in 2022: In September, the Anthem House project broke ground, a $110 million mixed-use building consisting of 30,000 square feet of retail space, 20,000 square feet of office space, and 330 residential units. In December, work began on Wellory Living, a $108 million multifamily development that aims to be the Southeast’s first net zero multifamily development. Construction also kicked off on the five-story, 120-room Hotel Indigo. More residents, more services No other part of Huntsville is experiencing a growth boom as significant as its historic downtown. This year saw upgrades to the Von Braun Center, and a new hotel – the Autograph by Marriott – is under construction adjacent to Big Spring Park. This is good news for those 450 new residents per month the city added last year. Here are some of the projects Downtown that are underway: Along Lowe Avenue, a $100 million federal courthouse is taking shape. Several blocks away, construction is progressing on a new City Hall and parking garage that will help make municipal government more efficient by putting more departments under one roof. Construction on the new Front Row Huntsville development, an 11-acre mixed-use development at the former Big Springs Bottling plant, is expected to begin in spring 2023. Following the recent completion of the Eclipse, CityCentre at Big Spring is expanding its downtown footprint and will add two additional phases. Phase 2 includes a food hall, a Moxy Hotel and parking deck. Phase 3 will include mixed-use retail, office and residential space. Both Phase 2 and Phase 3 will be under construction in 2023. Vista at Councill Square, a five-story, 336-unit residential development that will also include retail opportunities, also broke ground in 2022. Additional developments in the downtown core include mixed-use projects along Oakwood Avenue, Meridian Street, Pratt Avenue, Lowe Mill and Governors Drive. Growth in North Huntsville North Huntsville is experiencing a renaissance. In 2022, residential growth continued to thrive in developments like Jaguar Hills, which offered new single-family homes at previously unheard-of price points. Additional residential developments are under construction in the Blue Springs, Pulaski Pike and Bob Wade Lane corridors.In addition to residential growth, the City announced it was donating 14 acres to Huntsville City Schools at the intersection of North Memorial Parkway and Max Luther Drive. The property will be the new home for Huntsville City Schools central office and a new technical education academy. “The interest we’re seeing in the North Memorial Parkway corridor is pretty incredible. The decisions by Madison County and Huntsville City Schools to put down new roots was an early signal to commercial and residential developers that something special is happening. Expect to hear about even bigger and better things in the near future.” Shane Davis, Huntsville’s Director of Urban and Economic Development
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