what dissappointed me about moving to East TN (Knoxville, Clarksville: spring break, for sale)

[amyevansmom]

Originally Posted by Nomad123

After reading these 5 pages of posts and also hoping to be a future Tennessean I have to let you know that what you're experiencing in your relocation to TN is common no matter where you're moving from or to. I've relocated every few years for the past 20 years because of my job and it's always the same. It's always difficult for the first few months getting to know the area, a new job, friends, etc.
Unfortunately my spouse has always had a harder time with the moves because she has to get a new job every time (My job is always the same just a different location). And she is the social butterfly in the family; which makes it more difficult for her to make the moves.
I also agree that no matter how much research one does before moving, there will always be some things you'll only discover after actually living there for awhile. I say GOOD-LUCK and try to see the positives of the location and maybe before you know it you'll be the local who has to listen to us "Yankees" complain about the culture shock.

And I think that's just it. You summed it up quite well. It's all just different and sometimes overwhelming!

[abingdon]

You have to realize the area you are looking at would be higher priced houses it is a major tourist town. But we don't have income tax and in CA I was paying $4000 a year on house tax and here I pay $300 a year for twice the size of house and 3 times the land...so there are trade offs for everything. I don't have the gangs I know everyone on my block and we watch out for each other. Of course I live up in the Tri-city area. Most of my neighbors grown the vegies and so much better...cheers good luck. niki

Originally Posted by amyevansmom

Relocated here from MI in July. I've always wanted to live here for the weather and the scenery. My husband got a great paying job in Gatlinburg. Here's where the problems started.

Could not find housing. We have a home back in MI we have to sell before we can buy one here. There are no Apartments close to Gatlinburg. We ended up renting in Seymour. Nice apartments, but 40 minutes one way to work.

Prices of housing. B/C we work in Gatlinburg, we need to be fairly close to it and home prices are way to much $. Rip-off as far as I'm concerned. Maybe b/c home prices in MI are so good? My home in MI is 1500 sq ft, 3 bed 2 1/2 bath, 1/3 acre. $120,000 in a great safe neighborhood with great schools. Here in Gatlinburg/Sevierville/Pigeon Forge, I can't touch that home for less than $175,000.

Milk prices. Anywhere from $3.25-$4.99 a gallon. Store brand, not name brand. Michigan prices: $2.79.

No Meijer. Those of you living in MI, IL, OH, IN, and KY....can you imagine not having a Meijer????

Price of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables. Ooooohhh...that one really irks me. Why is it that a nice warm area has no Fruit Stands? Grocery store pricing for veges is a crime! $3.99/lb for tomatoes in August is highway robbery! MI tomatoes are $.99/lb at the same time! And $4 for a cauliflower???? Come on!!

After all of my complaining, I have to say, I do like TN. Maybe I'm just in the wrong part of it. Knoxville would seem better for me and my family, but the drive to work would be over an hour and that's not happening. It is a bit of a culture shock as everything moves slower down here and the people are nonchalant about EVERYTHING. I guess, you just take the bad with the good.

If anybody has any insight on what I've expressed concerns on, I would love you to death!

[abingdon]

In 15 years I have bought and sold 13 houses all over the USA. My best friend is realtor.com !!!! Then after after looking a hundreds of areas and houses then take note of realtors that are common on realtor.com. call them if they seem friendly and don't brush you off. Have a must list and a wish list already made up and stick to it don't be talked into something you can't afford or missing something you have on your must list...good luck niki

Originally Posted by TNBound

My Dad was stationed at K.I. Sawyer A.F.B., in the U.P.
When the base closed down, the city was given back to the county, which had leased it out.
They renamed the area, the town of Sawyer.

There is a lot of housing there, but, they can only sell off a little at a time, because they didn't want to flood the market.
We took a trip up there a few years ago, to check it out.

It's pretty much the same... beautiful area.
But, I wouldn't want to live there... they have brutally cold winters, and a lot of mosquitoes in the summer.

WELCOME to TENNESSEE !!!

Take a deep breath, get out and talk to people.
MbMouse is right.... sometimes, word of mouth is the best way to find housing.
I know it can be very stressful and frustrating moving to a new area that you aren't too familiar with.

Like I said, in my earlier post... go on an "Adventure."

Have fun.....

[insanesmooch]

I was just doing a property search for the area online. Have you tried this Keenland Farms new subdivision in the Boyd's Creek area of Sevierville? The listings I see are around $100,000 for 3br/2ba. Looks like there is not much yard to them from the pictures.
There really just aren't that many places to live up in that area. So much of it is taken up by the Park and rental cabins. I've been off the beaten path in the Gatlinburg area to search cemeteries. There are lots of them and they have been left alone- which takes up land. And there were several farms out through one area in particular we were searching.
I see there are lots of listings for condos now though.

[LauraC]

The Department of Agriculture has a page of Farmers Market locations in Tennessee. You'll have to look at the list to see if any are near you. I wouldn't know. It includes the hours of operation and street address

http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarke.../Tennessee.htm

[hiknapster]

I think that list is old. They have a farmer's market listed for Knoxville that closed before I moved here and the Maryville one isn't even listed.

This list is very accurate!

http://www2.state.tn.us/agriculture/onlineinfo/Marketing.asp?QSTRING=MKT&SCREEN=Farmers%20Markets &DISPLAY=Farmers%20Markets (broken link)

[MB2]

Originally Posted by SPLIT

Well A; you really found a lot of people inside on a cold day. Dont think I ever saw 45 posts in a 4 hour period. Do have two funny comments to pass on to "A" or the next northern. Doing my RESEARCH today with library book, your town was called White Oak Flats, and Radford GATLIN was eventually "Run out of town" by the locals after feuds and disputes over land.! So your town never liked change.
Twelve years ago with the influx to Florida every newcomers said" WELL I'M from up North and this is how we do things".! Shortly all the locals got bumper stickers stating "WE DONT CARE HOW THEY DO THINGS UP NORTH" .
Also after the Presidential election re-count the locals got bumper stickers saying "IF YOU DONT LIKE THE WAY WE COUNT DOWN HERE GO BACK NORTH TO ANYONE OF THE OTHER 68 ( sixty-eight) States.!
Again we re-located 6 months ago and page 1, find anykind of CHURCH. They will have a welcome comittee and help to grow their community.

I agree with you so much, and the research you did.
My husband is from PA, I am from Germany (have lived in PA for years as well), and we now live in FL. Yes, we are moving as soon and as quickly our house down here will sell.
I have close friends living in Knoxville, and visit them now since 1991. I always loved TN, and it really reminded me so much of germany with it's rolling hills, mountains, forests etc.
And, I LOVE the people! Friendly, humble..... I have 2 great stories to share, which happened to me on the trips to Knoxville.
Back in 1991 I drove from PA to TN, to visit my friends. (Can't really read maps, and that was before GPS...lol)
I got lost, passed exits I should have taken to get to Knoxville (apparently, I can't read signs either...lol)
Finally stopped at a gas station, asked a couple, if they could help me guiding me into the right direction to find Knoxville. Well, boy was I surprised to see, that they jumped into their truck, and yelled to follow them. 20 minutes down the road, they set the blinker for the right exit, waved, and made a u-turn, heading back up the road, where we came from. It doesn't sound like much....but, boy, I was so touched by that!!! I am just not used to that kind help.
The next experience I had was , my friends just had moved into a house in some part of Knoxville. I visited, again, and they were busy. So, I sat outside the house, relaxing, the next door neighbors came out, started talking to me. I was a bit reluctant to answer back, thinking "what do they want from me? Are they dangerous or something?"
Well, after talking to them for several minutes, turns out, they just wanted to welcome their new neighbors to the neighborhood, and invited all of us (including me) to the house for some mashed potatoes, roast and gravy!!!!!
Not even knowing us from adam!!!!!!!!!
I couldn't believe it, and I still can't!
I am sure, there are bad apples all over the place...., but, seems like tn has far "better apples" than bad ones!
I also welcome the slower pace there, have to re-adjust every time I am there. (Because I am the "nut" running around like an idiot!) My friends have to remind me "to take it easy". Well, my husband and I are considering moving to TN (with the help of my friends living in knoxville)....and we are starting to do our "homework". lol
But, it could happen, that I have to ask some questions to this forum about certain things, if they come up.
BTW, I have to give everyone a big compliment in here...great forum! Everyone voices their concerns, qestions. etc. But, the tone itself stays pretty calm and friendly. (I checked into PA and FL....wow, it's aggressive,and attack-mode there for the most part. I'm surprised I still got my "face" on, and didn't have that ripped off. lol)

[shadowwalker]

Welcome to TENNESSEE! I live where it suckes too. I can't wait until I can get out of the state. I have had more stuff stolen from me in the two years I have lived here than my entire 49 years of life! The people here are so wrapped up in what can they get out of it mentality. I can hardly stand to talk to someone. They are rude also. But that's Lebanon, TN. If the state and county can't ********* with permits, they get you with taxes.

[Tek_Freek]

Originally Posted by amyevansmom

TN Bound:

I was from Lower Michigan. Upper is lower priced the the lower part of MI, yes. I lived there my whole life so I guess I'm sheltered in what "world experience" I have. I know MI is a "cheap" housing market, but the taxes are not. So, you trade things for other things and you find other things to crab about. (like I did...haha)

I will use the advice you gave...THANKS!

If you will all note (or y'all will note?) what I have highlighted in red I think you might begin to see part of the problem she ran into. Obviously this is their first move, at least the first one outside their immediate area. It's easy to miss what some of us might consider to be important when you have no previous experience.

Then you get people like my wife and I. We're a bit picky about some things. We went as far as going to the library in Crossville to see how big it was then looked for book stores when we were disappointed in it's size. BTW they are working on a new one there: 30k sq ft. Area just went up a notch in our eyes.

AEM, don't give up!

[Tek_Freek]

My great-great-great-great-great grandfather was post master general at the time (and at some point sheriff, not sure if it was at the same time) and allegedly he arranged to name the town after Radford Gatlin if he would leave town.

ROTFL!!!!

One from my grandfathers journal:

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k315/Tek_Freek/rogerbnotebook.jpg (broken link)

Mr. Peters shot at Mrs. Penn. Hit constable Allen.

No other entries to follow up. Things were different then.