(Madison, Alabama, July 8, 2019)— Matt Curtis Real Estate, Inc. was named one of America’s top real estate teams by REAL Trends, as advertised in The Wall Street Journal. The Matt Curtis Real Estate team is now a 3-time member of the “The Thousand Top Real Estate Professionals,” a prestigious, national award ranking sponsored annually by REAL Trends and advertised in The Wall Street Journal. Matt Curtis Real Estate, Inc. is now ranked in the top one-half of 1 percent of the more than 1.3 million Realtors® nationwide.

The Thousand real estate professionals were announced on June 28, 2019, with four separate categories honoring the top 250 residential agents and agent teams for excellence in:

  • Individual Sales Professionals—Sales volume

    • …

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Relocating to the Rocket City

Huntsville, Alabama - affectionately known as the Rocket City - is a technological town with a large presence of both engineers and creatives. The area has started rapidly growing over recent years and a large percentage of the population has relocated to the area from different states. This has given an eclectic and diverse feel to the expanding region.

The Rocket City is made up of two main cities, Huntsville (population of 193,079) and Madison (population of 47,959), with a number of surrounding smaller cities that make up the greater Rocket City region. Harvest, Athens, Meridianville, Hampton Cove, and Athens are small cities surrounding the metro area.

What’s there to do?

One of the best parts of the…

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Swimming has often been touted as one of the best forms of exercise. It’s really not surprising when you think about it. Swimming requires the use of the whole body so you are getting at least some exercise to each part of your body that would otherwise require a specific exercise. livestrong.com has an excellent article on the benefits of swimming. Plus… it’s just really fun.

The Huntsville Aquatic Center, formerly known as the Brahan Spring Park Natatorium, has had some big changes. The facility offers two new pools; a 50 meter Olympic-sized competition pool and a smaller therapy pool. Theses pools and facilities were built around the existing 50 meter pool that is now known as the “legacy pool”. Each pool offers something different for the…

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As Spring Break season approaches, it’s time to think about activities to keep the kids occupied during a full week without school.  The Rocket City alone has many places to go, and Huntsville is close enough to Nashville and Birmingham for a quick day trip!

We at Rocket City Local have drummed up some ideas that are fun for all ages.  So bring on Spring Break, and let’s go!

Huntsville

 

I regularly write about Huntsville’s Lowe Mill because there is so much to do in one place!  Is your kid always making pot-holders on a loom?  Try Amy Shelton and Roo Kline’s Sparkle Studio.  Amy and Roo offer mixed media classes ranging from $5-$25, and your kids will have fun making crafts from plant and animal-based fiber. Check their site for free events…

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The Mint Julep Difference

I visited Mint Julep Market on a rainy Saturday afternoon—the perfect day for browsing their bounty of upscale gifts from local artisans. The collaborative team at Mint Julep Market works very hard to offer a unique shopping experience to their customers, and that’s just what I got. Although the market has 15 curators, each one has intimate knowledge of all the gift collections.

Mint Julep owner and mother of three, Hillary Dunham, told me, “The people we work with are experts in their field.  They bring exceptional things from all over the world back to Huntsville.  They’re a wonderful and fun group of people to work with.”

It’s fair to say that Mint Julep operates far outside the box.  In one large, open area, you…

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We here at Rocket City Local have referenced Huntsville’s growth many times. Much of the movement into Huntsville is related to our growing tech and aerospace industries. However, one thing that families must consider when assessing a move for work is the quality and availability of high quality schools for their children. Considering this, the growth of the city is a testament to the quality of schools in the area, and Madison Academy is one such school.

The School

Madison Academy is a “Christian-based private school” with AdvancEd and National Christian School Association accreditation. The academy combines an academic curriculum with a spiritual foundation to provide a balanced education. Madison Academy is a member of the Student Exchange…

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Matt Curtis from Matt Curtis Real Estate, Inc. has spent the last week in Nicaragua, Central America, working with the country’s capital city of Managua’s local Habitat for Humanity chapter to build a house for a family in a nearby village. Matt Curtis Real Estate builds a home for a family in need for every 100 houses sold, and this is the first of 60 homes planned to be built in Nicaragua this year, with much of the summer slated for construction.

Between the build, meeting the mayor of Managua and the national Habitat for Humanity director, and buying ice cream for the entire village, Matt’s been a busy guy this past week.

Frank, the director of Habitat for Humanity in Nicaragua, joined in a Facebook live session with Matt to thank home…

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Dallas based Global sports entertainment company TopGolf now has a location in Huntsville, at the site of the old Madison Square Mall. Hit balls at a climate-controlled driving range, catch the big game, and enjoy food and drink at the new Rocket City outpost of the London-born chain, which operates 44 venues in the United States and United Kingdom (including another in Birmingham).

There are 72 hitting bays, event and meeting spaces available, full service restaurant and bars, free WiFi, hundreds of HDTVs, and a firepit (always a magnet for me). TopGolf offers competitive league and training programs for kids and adults.

TopGolf U Classes are available for groups of up to six. They’re taught by certified instructors and available as single classes…

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The Search for Quality Pet Care

My friend Michelle was in a quandary.  Her family was driving to west Texas to visit family during the holiday, and she needed someone local to care for her high-maintenance fur baby, Rip.

Rip is not an easy pet.  Old age is his main issue.  He’s prone to getting sick and must be given pet meds and shots.  Michelle has boarded him before, but they only took him outside twice for bathroom breaks.  So, Rip was not happy at the kennel—and honestly…who can blame poor Rip? Michelle was at her wit’s end.  It’s not easy to find quality pet care.  Especially at Christmas!

The Solution: Pet Au Pair Extraordinaire & Petz Pack

I wish I’d known about Pet Au Pair Extraordinaire and Petz Pack when Michelle was asking for…

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In my experience there is no event more frustrating, energy-sapping, and just plain unpleasant than moving from one living space to another. When I first moved out of my parents house I took EVERYTHING that I have ever owned. The next time I took mostly what I needed, but plenty of superfluous items.

The last time I moved I got rid of everything that I couldn’t take in one trip… In (nearly immediate) hindsight that was not a great plan. It took almost a year to fill the space out in the new apartment. Huntsville being one of the fastest growing cities in the country has people steadily migrating into this unique little slice of the South. For anyone thinking of moving to the Rocket City but dreading the move, College Hunks Hauling Junk are a highly…

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