When it launched 10 years ago, dealnews.com provided a place for computer geeks to find deals on hardware. Now the company, based in suburban Madison, has launched a site for bargain-conscious fashionistas.

Last month, dealnews launched stylenotes.com, a site dedicated to finding the best deals on women's clothes, shoes and accessories. Dealnews co-founder Dan deGrandpre established a team of six writers and editors in the New York City area to get the site off the ground.

Huntsville custom home builder Jim Neighbors says that five years ago in Huntsville a builder wouldn't dream of building a half-million dollar spec home, but today there are plenty of them around.

While much of the country has been battered by falling home prices, rising foreclosures, and suddenly lean times for home builders, Madison County had 2,588 single-family home starts in the first nine months of 2006 and 2,329 more through the first nine months of 2007, according to the Huntsville Madison County Builders Association.

One of Huntsville's former mill villages is getting a facelift. Local eye doctor James Byrne recently purchased the old Lincoln Mill building along Meridian Street with plans to renovate it into shops, offices and as many as 60 condominiums.

With over 1500 realtors in the Huntsville and surrounding areas, combine with the fact that Home For Sale By Owners type offshoots are plugging in quickly into the fray, competition for selling and buying homes has increased steadily and the traditional ways of buying and selling properties, such as newspaper advertising, are playing a dwindling part.

Despite increasing foreclosures, and a real estate market that is characterized by more burst than boom, Huntsville Alabama real estate market seems to be immune from the turbulences experienced by other areas in the County. With BRAC expecting to generate over 10,000 jobs in the not to distant future and Huntsville being home of the second largest research park in the country, homes and subdivisions in the North Alabama area are developing at a dizzying speed.

For three consecutive years the Caribbean Association of North Alabama has hosted a business networking event like no other: a five (5) hour session of dynamic networking, exquisite Caribbean cuisine and uplifting conversations.
Networking for Progress in Huntsville Alabama

For three consecutive years the Caribbean Association of North Alabama has hosted a business networking event like no other: a five (5) hour session of dynamic networking, exquisite Caribbean cuisine and uplifting conversations.

Tis the season… to shop! According to Advertising.com, nearly one third of those questioned said they started their holiday shopping before Thanksgiving. While many people purchase some of their gifts online, there are still quite a few folks that want to see the item before buying it. Shopping in a mall, however, can quickly turn to drudgery. So, how do you change that shopping experience into something exciting and enjoyable? If you live in Huntsville, Alabama, the answer is Bridge Street.

The largest building permit issued the week of Nov. 12-16 in the city of Huntsville went to Robins & Morton Group, in the amount of $3.4 million, for a 30,000-square-foot building for Crown Leasing Inc. at 420 Jan Davis Drive in Cummins Research Park West. The tenant will be Rockwell Collins. The building is expected to be completed in early spring.

Other permits valued at more than $20,000 were:

Capstone Building Corp., $2,214,506, a multifamily residence for Rob Crumpton Red Mountain Development, 1485 Old Monrovia Road, Building 13.

Lately, when I tell people I meet that I work in real estate, they respond with a sympathetic look and mutter some kind of apology for the current state of the market.

People of Huntsville, this has got to stop.

Everyone has been brainwashed by fear-provoking media headlines about real estate: "Home Prices Crash!", "Overall Sales Take Devastating Downturn!", "Real Estate Recession!". Even if the real estate market was truly in as tragic a condition as people think, we're all forgetting one thing - Huntsville is unique.

Anearly $1 billion retail and entertainment development slated to stretch for more than 500 acres along Interstate 85 in Opelika is expected to be a new tourist draw for East Alabama, as well as hook for industrial prospects.

Silver Companies, a real estate developer based in Washington, D.C., and Boca Raton, Fla., is proceeding with plans for Celebrate Alabama, which will feature numerous hotels, including one with an indoor water park.

The Ledges is a private community in the Huntsville Mountain with many fascinating homes and just a short drive away from shopping, schools and other amenities that Huntsville has to offer. The Ledges has it own private golf course, sports clubs and a 36,300-sq.-ft club house with membership above 500.