The Best Value Properties in Huntsville, AL
• • ☕️ 4 min read • By Noah Blumberg •
It's rare to see a city considered to be one of the best places to live also considered to be one of the best places to invest. This is the case with Huntsville, Alabama. One reason for both distinctions is yet another distinction, the #1 cheapest place to live in the country. Huntsville's low housing costs were close to 40% below the national average in 2020 and the low prices make for a great value if you're living in Huntsville or buying as an investment. However, prices are on the rise.
Rising Prices in Huntsville
Huntsville may be known for low prices but its prices appear to be increasing. The median price in our ranking list is almost $400,000 compared with $235,000 for the median home value according to PoligyGenius. Are prices going up in step with higher values or are asking prices out of step with values? Since value is determined by what someone is willing to pay, price and value almost always align. It's much more likely that actual demand is pushing prices higher because prices are carefully set by listing agents based on recent sales of comparables and knowledge about competition for certain properties.
Looking at the Federal Housing Finance Agency's Housing Price Index, prices in Huntsville are up 47.9% over 5 years and up 20.2% over just the last year which indicates that the rise prices has increased significantly. All-time low inventory has compounded demand and contributed to the steep rise in prices. This is not unusual to see as it's the trend nationally, but inflated prices are always a good thing to keep an eye on as you look to make an investment in a particular city.
A Hot Rental Market
PolicyGenius says that vacancy for rentals is 6% and RENTCafé puts the number specifically for apartments at 2.5%. Both numbers are quite low which points to strong competition for rentals and lower risks for investors. RENTCafé also refers to Huntsville as one of the hottest rental markets in the country. This fits nicely with the country's overall interest in the Southeast and more generally the sunbelt looking forward in 2022.
The Properties
It's not hard to find a large home on a large property in and around Huntsville in the million dollar range, but on the more modest side of things, property #3 has a lot to offer. It's a single family home on half an acre listed for well below the median price for the area. The description says there's some cosmetic work to be done which could be an opportunity for the right buyer.
Also below the median list price, is property #11, a large home in great shape in a 1.5X zip code. The zipX multiplier basically boosts the value score of a real estate property on our list based on one of the most important factors —a desirable location. Check our FAQs page for a description of zipX and how it's calculated.
Reading Resources
U.S. News and World Report Looks at Huntsville
PolicyGenius's Best cities to invest in real estate in 2022
Federal Housing Finance Agency's Housing Price Index
Roofstock Looks at Huntsville
RENTCafé's 2021 Year-End Report
Zillow: Why Tampa will be 2022's Hottest Market
| Median List Price | Median Sqft | Median Lot Size(SqFt) | Median HOA Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| $399,905 | 2,507 | 11,761 | $42 |
| Score** | Property | ZipX** | Type | Beds | SqFt | Lot Size(sqft) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53.70 | 333 Ripple Ln | 1.84 | single family | 5 | 7447 | 598,950 | $1,695,000 |
| 50.45 | 564 Cap Adkins Rd SE | 1.50 | single family | 3 | 2400 | 344,124 | $474,000 |
| 48.32 | 1100 Mastin Lake Rd NW | 1.43 | single family | 3 | 1318 | 20,038 | $89,900 |
| 41.08 | 4013 Patton Rd SW | 1.00 | single family | 4 | 1653 | 13,939 | $90,000 |
| 39.45 | 5003 Greta Dr NW | 1.25 | single family | 4 | 3800 | 87,120 | $354,900 |
| 39.30 | 3127 Haddonstone Dr SE | 1.84 | single family | 6 | 10115 | 25,700 | $1,500,888 |
| 38.66 | 2521 Piney Branch Rd NW | 1.25 | single family | 4 | 1515 | 12,632 | $117,500 |
| 36.23 | 215 Clark Mountain Rd | 1.25 | single family | 4 | 4500 | 479,160 | $999,000 |
| 34.84 | 3506 Adair St NW | 1.25 | single family | 3 | 1419 | 15,884 | $105,000 |
| 34.00 | 193 Day Dr | 1.43 | single family | 3 | 2020 | 217,800 | $444,900 |
| 34.00 | 10137 SE Skylark Dr | 1.50 | single family | 5 | 2888 | 22,216 | $343,400 |
| 33.75 | 11001 Vivian Dr NW | 1.25 | single family | 4 | 5643 | 28,750 | $474,999 |
| 33.45 | 2111 E Arbor Dr NW | 1.43 | single family | 3 | 1452 | 11,761 | $124,000 |
| 32.64 | 2307 Oakwood Rd NW | 1.25 | single family | 4 | 2263 | 15,000 | $200,000 |
| 32.61 | 7033 Regency Lane | 1.63 | single family | 4 | 2934 | 0 | $314,490 |
| 31.62 | 3813 Crane Dr NE | 1.43 | single family | 3 | 860 | 8,125 | $75,000 |
| 31.30 | 115 Cole Dr SE | 1.60 | single family | 4 | 5222 | 56,192 | $700,000 |
| 31.23 | 711 Weatherly Rd SE | 1.50 | single family | 3 | 2200 | 43,560 | $265,000 |
| 30.62 | 16 Watson Grand Way SE | 1.84 | single family | 4 | 4900 | 479,160 | $1,850,000 |
| 30.59 | 192 Bremerton Dr SW | 1.67 | single family | 4 | 3000 | 21,780 | $365,000 |
| 30.28 | 7530 Parktrace Ln SE | 1.84 | single family | 4 | 3065 | 14,375 | $409,900 |
| 30.01 | 819 Loukell Ave SE | 1.60 | single family | 4 | 2759 | 20,473 | $330,000 |
| 29.60 | 6022 Normal Heights Cir NW | 1.25 | single family | 5 | 2487 | 21,344 | $265,000 |
| 29.58 | 3207 NW Yale Cir | 1.25 | single family | 3 | 925 | 9,583 | $85,000 |
| 29.19 | 107 SW Misty River Ln | 1.67 | single family | 5 | 4331 | 10,890 | $585,000 |