For more than 50 years, Curtis Rooney and Mittie Rooney have enjoyed life in the nation’s capital. “We’re a Washington couple — rooted in the rhythms of the capital, comfortable in our routines,” said Mrs. Rooney, a public relations executive. “We live about 14 blocks directly north of the White House.”
A couple years ago, the couple’s daughter and son-in-law left town and moved down to Huntsville, Ala.,“drawn by job opportunity, affordability and a different pace of life,” Mrs. Rooney said. Her son-in-law was raised in Huntsville and was ready to return to join his family’s commercial real estate business.
Huntsville, now Alabama’s biggest city, has been growing fast, drawing newcomers with an economy that might feel familiar to a Washingtonian — home to numerous government agencies, military technology firms and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.
“We’re flying down there with literal rocket scientists all the time,” said Mr. Rooney, a lobbyist for the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.
At first, occasional visits were all they needed. The big shift came when their grandson was born.
“He was born March 6, 2025, and on March 7 we decided to consider moving to Huntsville part-time,” Mrs. Rooney said. “The distance that had felt manageable suddenly felt impossible. We didn’t want to be the grandparents who only showed up for the holidays.”
The couple, both 63, started by renting a home in Huntsville and exploring the city. They were enamored with the historic neighborhoods of Old Town and Five Points, which have tree-lined streets, Craftsman-style homes with front porches and walkability to downtown.
After nine months, they decided that buying would be the better investment, especially with Alabama’s low property tax rates. “At first we thought a condo might be a good fit for a second home, but they’re almost the same price as single-family homes,” Mr. Rooney said.
With a budget of up to around $800,000, they wanted something close to their daughter’s home in downtown Huntsville, with room inside and out for their grandson to run as he grows. When they started visiting open houses in late 2025, they met Libby Smith, an agent with Van Valkenburgh & Wilkinson Properties, who specializes in historic homes downtown.
“In Five Points, the homes were mostly built in the 1920s and 1930s with lovely front porches,” Mrs. Smith said. “Old Town is a little closer to downtown, with larger antebellum homes built between the 1890s and before 1930. The market is strong in those neighborhoods, with multiple people looking at houses as soon as they come on the market.”
Among their options:
No. 1
19th-Century House Near Downtown
This three-bedroom, two-bathroom bungalow in Old Town was right in the heart of downtown Huntsville. Built in the 1880s, the 1,647-square-foot house had some vintage charm, with hardwood floors and exposed brick in the kitchen, crown molding, a fireplace and stained glass. It also had central air-conditioning, renovated bathrooms and a small front porch. There was a covered brick patio, a shed and a garden in the fenced backyard. The location was walkable to restaurants and shops, but the house was going to need some renovation. The asking price was $729,900, with annual taxes of around $1,923.
No. 2
Turnkey House Near Nature Preserve
This three-bedroom, 2.5-bath house from 2019 was being sold for the first time. It was steps from the 1,100-acre Monte Sano Nature Preserve and about a mile and a half from downtown Huntsville. The 2,312-square-foot house had a fireplace, built-in shelving and a nice kitchen with ample counter space and a big island. The ground-floor primary suite had a walk-in closet, and a carpeted family room took up much of the second floor. The covered back porch stepped out to a grassy yard. The Rooneys liked that it was built recently and wouldn’t need renovations, and that it was more affordable at $485,000, with annual taxes of around $2,060.
No. 3
Four-Bedroom With Wraparound Porch
This four-bedroom home from 1925 was on a 0.25-acre corner lot about a mile from downtown Huntsville. The two-story Craftsman-style house had 2,432 square feet, with original heart of pine floors, high ceilings, transom windows above the doors, a renovated kitchen that was open to a family room with a fireplace, and a primary suite with a walk-in closet. Only one of the three bathrooms was full. There was a wraparound front porch, a screened-in back porch and a detached garage with a workshop in the backyard. The asking price was $794,900, with annual taxes of around $1,964.
Find out what happened next by answering these two questions:
