Moving to Huntsville for a Redstone Arsenal Job: A Local's Checklist

by The Nicolaou Group

Congratulations on the new job. I'm Ianni Nicolaou, and my team at The Nicolaou Group, Capstone Realty, helps people moving to Huntsville for work on Redstone Arsenal. Here's the checklist I'd hand a friend who just accepted an offer.

Know what you're joining

Redstone is big. The Redstone Rocket, the installation's newspaper, puts the workforce at about 45,500 people: about 740 military, 27,300 government civilians and 17,000 contractors. The Arsenal covers 38,162 acres. Two more federal moves are adding to it now: the FBI is building on Redstone, and U.S. Space Command is moving its headquarters here.

Sort out gate access first

Gate 9 on Rideout Road is the main gate and is open 24/7. The other gates keep shorter hours, and most weekday gates are closed on federal holidays. If you don't have a DoD ID yet, you'll start at the Visitor Control Center on the way to Gate 9, which is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays. Getting a badge includes a background check, and contractors who need access for more than 30 days need a government sponsor. Gate hours change, so check the official Redstone access control page before your first day. Our Redstone Arsenal gate hours post has the full table.

Make the newcomer stops

The Housing Services Office is at the One Stop, Building 3494 on Honest John Road, (256) 876-6666. It helps military and DoD civilian personnel with off-post rentals and sales. Military OneSource asks incoming military personnel to check in there before arranging off-post housing. If you're civilian or a contractor, you don't need to do this, but the newcomer page on the Redstone website is still worth reading.

Pick an area by your commute

There isn't one "Redstone neighborhood." People live in south Huntsville, Madison, north Madison County, Athens and more. The best way to choose is to drive the route at the hour you'll really commute and to check which gates are open at that time. A short drive with lots of stoplights can take longer than a longer drive on open road. Our Redstone commute calculator is a good first look.

Check schools by address

Your school district depends on your address, not your mailing city. The three public districts around the Arsenal are Huntsville City Schools (256-428-6800), Madison City Schools (256-464-8370) and Madison County Schools (256-852-2557). Alabama is a member of the Military Interstate Children's Compact, which helps military-connected students who change schools. Confirm zoning for any home with the district before you make an offer. Our school enrollment post walks through the steps.

Put Alabama deadlines on your calendar

Driver's license: new residents have 30 days after establishing residence to get an Alabama license, according to the Madison County Tax Assessor.
Homestead exemption: in Madison County, the home must be your primary residence on October 1, and the application deadline is December 31.
Property taxes: Alabama property taxes are due October 1 and become delinquent after December 31.

Get pre-approved before your house-hunting trip

Many people moving for a job get just one trip to look at homes. A pre-approval tells you your budget and makes your offer stronger. Logan Hoffman with Novus Home Mortgage works with many of our relocating buyers, and Foundation Title and Escrow handles many of our closings. You're welcome to use any lender or title company you choose.

Rent first or buy?

Both work. Some people rent for a few months while they learn the area. Others buy right away so they move only once. We help with both, and we'll give you an honest opinion about which makes more sense for your timing. More on that in rent or buy when you're moving to Huntsville.

Get the free Huntsville relocation guide

Our Huntsville relocation guide puts the essentials in one place. Tell us your start date and what you're looking for, and we'll send it to you.

Ask for the free Huntsville relocation guide

Rather talk? Call or text 256.993.5800. For more detail, see our Moving to Huntsville for Redstone Arsenal page. If you're active duty, read PCS to Redstone Arsenal.

The Nicolaou Group at Capstone Realty

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Ianni Nicolaou

Broker Associate License ID: 111647-1

+1(256) 993-5800