Scouting Expedition in Chattanooga (Memphis, Soddy-Daisy: sale, custom home, safest neighborhood)

[babyboomers1954]

Greetings All

My wife and I are originally from Memphis (honeymooned in Gatlinburg in 1974). We moved to Austin, Texas more than 30 years ago. We have had a great quality of life in Austin. Even after all these years, this Tennessee boy & girl want to return to our home state for retirement. The lure of mountains, forests, and water (river/lake) are calling us. We hope to retire before year end. Chattanooga is at the top of our list. We plan on visiting next month.

Now, here are a few hopes and dreams and questions regarding the retirement location for the next “third” of our lives. Your insights and experiences in Chattanooga would be appreciated.

• Based on our research, downtown Chattanooga sounds like one of the FUN places to hang out. What are your top three reasons for heading downtown? What’s enjoyable for you?!
• We would like to live a 10-15 minute drive away from downtown. It could be a shorter/longer distance based on your responses to the next item.
• After living in Austin for three decades, we know the safe neighborhoods. Focusing on the positives in asking this question, what are the top three safest neighborhoods, communities, and/or small towns in the surrounding Chattanooga area?
• Ideal home in the $250k - $300k range. Lots of trees in the backyard, one story, and back porch/deck. Hopefully pine trees! In our 45 years together, we have never lived in a new home, that might be a consideration.
• I wonder if a realtor would be willing to spend a day or two with us based on at least nine months before our relocation?
• Ideal neighborhood ... within walking distance, considerations: restaurant(s), grocery/convenience store, hike-and-bike trails, possibly a coffee shop. A new church home will also be part of our search, it does not necessarily need to be in our new neighborhood.
• For our current home (similar price listed above), our property tax is $800+ a month, yes, a month. I believe Chattanooga will be much more reasonable. Austin continues to be a booming town, the significant cost-of-living is certainly impacting our retirement planning.
• Four seasons would be delightful. In Austin, there are four seasons, and you run your air-conditioning almost monthly during all four. Growing up in Memphis, we know what the “feel” of humidity is like.
• Both of us are interested in volunteering our time in the community. It could be indoors and/or outdoors. In your Chattanooga interactions with people and places, where do you experience folks volunteering? Developing new friendships is a priority for us.
• One more aspect, we are big on Friday date-night, a movie and a quality restaurant. Your favorite theater and restaurant?

Our appreciation to you in advance, we are grateful for your insights, wisdom, opinions on any of the above hopes, dreams, and questions. We are planning a 3-4 day scouting expedition to Chattanooga in mid-to-late February. My next step is compare the best airline ticket prices with the airport possibilities, and also determine lodging for our visit. Thank you folks ... we look forward to being a good neighbor in Chattanooga. [posted 1/15/2019]

[SPLIT]

HELLO B.B,,: WELCOME.. As you read down thru some of my prior forum comments. . Hamilton county is a great place for retirees... Have been here 12 years & built two houses.... In general the more north away from City downtown, the lesser home prices wil be , along with larger lot or backyard trees..


Your 15 min range with Lots of Trees will NOT happen..... Up in Hixson houses are just all about 1/4 acre. Recently i saw some $ 400 K new build in Soddy where one could reach a arm out side window & almost touch the next door house..

North FOUR lane pkwy Rt # 27 can put your downtown city in about 25 minutes , for Friday night outdoor concerts... From our Soddy neighborhood.... My wife use to VOLUNTEER at the AQUARIUM & it was a great deal, active & they treat helpers very well.... Some of our church couples Volunteer for the big sporting events along the river like the IRONMAN triathlons. .. Food bank is always looking for helpers...

Your best info is to read the web newspaper Times Free Press... www.TimesFreePress.com
. Can get home prices there... I doubt any realtor will work with a long lead time of 9 months.. No neighborhoods are really WALKABLE to restaurants... Maybe in the city on the NORTH SHORE.....

Our one level house we designed is on level land ,which is quite a search as rolling hills here in the south east.... Both times our homes have BUTTED up to BUFFER preserve land in the rear for more privacy & wildlife. Both lots are about 0.90 acre..... TVA has various places along the lake / river.. Any agent will know this designation or Forest Views.
$200 to $ 250 K can be found,, but $275 is getting to be the advertised average.... Our YEARLY total TAXES are $ 970...... School & land all due in Feb... We have NO home ASSN dues on our road.... I have few Bicycles & many trails here , Hiking here is almost finished with the CUMBERLAND TRAIL or Plateau on Walden ridge.... 310 mile Linear state park , was started 8 yrs ago, many bridges across bigger creek in the woods. Continues up to KY... TRGT or Gorge Trust is also a outdoor agency that we had VOLUNTEER before..... This should get your ideas started........ JASPER HIGHLANDS west of city is drawing retirees from all over the country.. Big custom homes up on the bluff.. I believe those location are about $ 400 K...
WEST side of river / lake is less congested ,, than the EAST side along I-75 which feed all the Business parks, like VW, AMAZON,, WACKER, etc..

[SPLIT]

[IMG][/IMG] B.B. : I should be able to add a photo below.? This would be as finished two yrs ago , but showing tall trees in rear... There is one more empty lot on the outer loop of our STAGHORN st overlooking 500 acre preserve of pine trees. This would be prior BOWATER ( lumber company) inventory... Assume the lot is about $ 22K, you could secure a deposit, have the builder erect the house for later in year... Assume total would be about $ 235 K.. This is one idea to match your wish list... Lot is about 5 places from ours.. We had a larger garage added for my bigger , taller truck , fuller head room in attic man cave.. All underground utilities, fast internet, GAS stove, & GAS FIREPLACE.. FLAT SLAB construction.. Almost wheelchair capable.. RV camper in rear trees... I have some DRONE aerial pics of our loop , but not able to add here... WE could Private Message mail at the upper right of this screen,.?? . You can always browse the local realtor site for 37379 zip to stay abreast.
https://www.realtor.com/realestatean...Soddy-Daisy_TN

[llsmith42]

Hi, after reading all of that, I feel like your search should be centered around the Northshore area. This area has most of the things on your list, including a walking/biking path across the river into downtown, and there should be some properties in your price range. Signal Mountain and Lookout Mountain may also be appealing to you, but may a stretch with that budget.


You could also focus your search east of downtown towards Ooltewah and Collegedale, but your 10-15 minute drive to downtown would be the issue there. As a rule, traffic on I-24 is not great and there is almost always a wreck going down the "Ridge-Cut".


It is a beautiful area. Welcome!

[babyboomers1954]

Greetings folks ... I am grateful you took the time to share your recommendations.

SPLIT - Thank you for your prompt responses and photos. I am still learning my way around Chatt and the outlying areas (Google maps). I am working thru locating your suggested areas. Much of what you shared certainly has increased our enthusiasm for the scouting expedition in mid-February. I have read thru KathrynAragon's post from her recent trip to Chatt. Her insights about Soddy Daisy and Harrison, caught my attention. Building a new home is not a project we would like to tackle in this upcoming chapter in our lives.

llsmith42 - You spoke to several of my key points. Thank also for sharing your suggestions. As I play hide-an-go-seek thru the Chatt postings, Northshore and Signal Mountain pop up a lot. There is some flexibility upward in our home pricing. Like other re-locating retirees, we hope to "sock-away" a good portion from the sale of our home in Austin. We are currently in a 4 bedroom, 3 bath home, 2,500 square feet ... it is way more than we need.

[RustedFox]

Originally Posted by babyboomers1954

Greetings folks ... I am grateful you took the time to share your recommendations.

SPLIT - Thank you for your prompt responses and photos. I am still learning my way around Chatt and the outlying areas (Google maps). I am working thru locating your suggested areas. Much of what you shared certainly has increased our enthusiasm for the scouting expedition in mid-February. I have read thru KathrynAragon's post from her recent trip to Chatt. Her insights about Soddy Daisy and Harrison, caught my attention. Building a new home is not a project we would like to tackle in this upcoming chapter in our lives.

llsmith42 - You spoke to several of my key points. Thank also for sharing your suggestions. As I play hide-an-go-seek thru the Chatt postings, Northshore and Signal Mountain pop up a lot. There is some flexibility upward in our home pricing. Like other re-locating retirees, we hope to "sock-away" a good portion from the sale of our home in Austin. We are currently in a 4 bedroom, 3 bath home, 2,500 square feet ... it is way more than we need.

My wife and I are doing precisely this same "scouting expedition" thing from January 24th thru 28th. I'll let you know how it goes.

[babyboomers1954]

RustedFox ... I look forward to hearing about your experience.

[babyboomers1954]

RustedFox ... How was your trip to Chatta in late January?

Thanks for the update! Our upcoming scouting expedition is February 19-23. Report thereafter ...

https://www.city-data.com/forum/membe...x-1006356.html

"My wife and I are doing precisely this same "scouting expedition" thing from January 24th thru 28th. I'll let you know how it goes." RustedFox

[cfdigregorio]

Rusted Fox and Baby Boomer -
I read both of your "scouting in Chattanooga" posts with great interest. Do either of you have updates?


Thank you!

[enjoythejourney66]

I'm not sure if you got to make your trip to Chattanooga, but, if you did, please post on here how it went. My family is possibly moving from Birmingham to Chattanooga and would like some similar things (except for living so close to downtown). You sound so very kind. I would love to meet you and your bride one day. Hope you enjoyed Chattanooga!