TN vs. Cary, NC (Murfreesboro, Franklin: sale, real estate, renters) - Nashville - Tennessee - City-Data Forum

Troyty · 10-14-2007, 08:10 AM

Hi, We sold our home in Florida in the Summer. We bought in Cary, NC soon after. The buyers backed out in Florida at the last hour. We lost our Cary home. Now we are still seeing the prices rise in Cary, but lowereing here in Florida. We are in South Florida... now we are plagued do we look into other areas. We've done alot of research in TN. It is pretty comparable to NC. We have friends that live in Cary now, but may not get there. I'm still in love with Cary, but think TN is more affordable. We want to get out of the financial strain. And I think if we go to Cary vs. TN, it might be the same as here. Any advice on TN (Nashville Area) Murfreesboro. We see the houses and the prices and are wondering what's the catch. These same houses in Cary, NC would be in the 400's and are in the 200's in M'boro. Is M'bor highly desirable? What school district is best? How are the locals? Any adivce would be helpful. Just need some direction with regards to comparision.

46Barb · 10-16-2007, 06:36 AM

There is no state income tax in TN. There is no car tax in TN like in NC and other states. When I looked into Cary, NC, I would still have to pay about $300 a year in taxes on my car like where I was living up north. The real estate taxes are much less than NC.

I love my decision to move to TN for the above reasons and also because the people here are so friendly and make me feel at home in a place where I have no family.

Kim918 · 10-16-2007, 03:19 PM

I agree with Barb. I moved here from South Florida as well. Sorry about your failed sale. It happened to us a few times too, but it never made it past the mortgage approval. No one seemed to be able to get one! It's sad, but it happened to us 3 times before a buyer came that actually had hard money and good credit. We finally sold it and moved to Murfreesboro. I have never looked back, except maybe to look at the Palm Beach Post and count my blessings that I am out of there, but I digress. You will love Murfreesboro. It is family oriented and everything you need is here so you won't suffer a culture shock or anything. The transition was very easy for us.
The prices for homes are very reasonable. The different areas of Murfreesboro are very nice and feel very safe and clean. There really is no catch. You do have tax on food here that you don't have in Florida, but I have found that to be nothing to worry about really, what you save on real estate taxes and insurance alone more than make up for some tax on food. If you smoke, the price of cigarettes will kill you if the cigarettes don't, but you can buy online if you want to. Jobs here are pretty comparable to Florida salaries. A little lower to start maybe, but again not to bad considering the cost of living here versus Florida. Car insurance was cut in half for me when I moved here. North Carolina is becoming pricey. I have friends that moved to Charlotte. They are happy there, but it does cost more to live there. We compared.

Hope this info helps you make a decision.
Where in Florida are you? Good Luck with the sale of your home. I know what it feels like to wait. The market is terrible.

Troyty · 10-16-2007, 07:28 PM

Hi, thanks for your reply... We currently live in Parkland. We have our house off the market for now. We couldn't take the looks while my oldest is in K. Do you have kids. Where do you live in M'boro. What made you decide to move there. We just started to learn about it, and was a little nervous about TN in general. We don't know too much about that State. We are originally from MA. And, So. Fl. is pretty much like North down South. How would you say M'boro compares to FL. Where did you live in So. Fl., Do you have family with you up there? What town here would compare to M'boro, or doesn't compare? Hope to hear from you.

compelled to reply · 10-16-2007, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troyty

Hi, thanks for your reply... We currently live in Parkland.

Are you in a situation where you can currently rent out the home? South FL is emerging as a renters market.

I have noticed the prices soar in NC as well over the past few months. I strongly considered Cary myself (I'm in Weston now). I have only been to TN a couple of times (around Nashville and in the mountains a little bit), and analyzing the facts it looks like a solid choice.

Kim918 · 10-16-2007, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troyty

Hi, thanks for your reply... We currently live in Parkland. We have our house off the market for now. We couldn't take the looks while my oldest is in K. Do you have kids. Where do you live in M'boro. What made you decide to move there. We just started to learn about it, and was a little nervous about TN in general. We don't know too much about that State. We are originally from MA. And, So. Fl. is pretty much like North down South. How would you say M'boro compares to FL. Where did you live in So. Fl., Do you have family with you up there? What town here would compare to M'boro, or doesn't compare? Hope to hear from you.

I have 25 year old daughter. She stayed in Florida, Kinda hard for me, but she has her own life now a good job and is in school so she wanted to stay. She lives in Palm Beach Gardens. If I had young children though I would rather raise them here than in Florida. I lived in West Palm Beach. No family here except one brother in-law. Everyone else is still in Florida. My mother wanted to move too, but couldn't sell her house in margate. I came here with Publix. They are growing here and paid for my move. I am originally from New York and the natural transition, as you said, was Florida. I lived there a long time. I was nervouse at first too, but once I did it, it was easy. West Murfreesboro is becoming another West Palm Beach, honestly. There are people from all over here. It isn't rural like everyone thinks. There is retail like crazy here. All the stores you are used to. Restaurants galore, but mostly the large chains. Traffic that compares as well. One difference though, the drivers here are way more curteous. They actually let you out when you are trying to exit a gas station or parking lot. It's pretty cool. I don't hear a lot of horn honking like I did in Florida. haha!

There are a lot of Floridians moving here. I got word tonight another girl I was working with in Florida, finally sold her house and is on her way here too. Almost everyone I work with came from some part of Florida. There is also someone from Buffalo New York and someone from PA. Trust me. It really would not be hard for you to move to Murfreesboro other than leaving friends and family, but you have to do what is right for YOUR family. That's why they make planes right? You can always visit Florida and your family will want to visit you and check things out. That's usually how it starts. One goes and others follow. That's how most of us ended up in Florida! I didn't find it hard to adjust here at all. I am only here about 2 months now and I love it so far.
I don't miss that mess in Florida at all. I was so over it.

Before you consider moving though, you should come here and look around. I did that before I decided to move. I felt comfortable here right away. I imagine if I went rural it would have been hard. I know someone who chose Dunlap and she is having a hard time. It was like a step back in time for her. Murfreesboro is not like that at all. Come and check it out!

Hope I answered everything you wanted to know. Anything else I can help you with let me know.

Adamesq · 10-21-2007, 09:53 PM

What a great thread! I was looking into Cary as well and also have friends there. We're in WPB - I grew up down here. Needless to say, it's changed drastically. In another forum, I was directed to Franklin and Brentwood when I asked for somewhere "Cary-like" in TN. Murfreesboro sounds like what I'm looking for though - southern charm without a culture shock. Although the traffic comment has me wondering!

Kim918 · 10-21-2007, 10:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adamesq

What a great thread! I was looking into Cary as well and also have friends there. We're in WPB - I grew up down here. Needless to say, it's changed drastically. In another forum, I was directed to Franklin and Brentwood when I asked for somewhere "Cary-like" in TN. Murfreesboro sounds like what I'm looking for though - southern charm without a culture shock. Although the traffic comment has me wondering!

If you went rural, I guess you would not have traffic, but it is suburban here and growing so there is plenty of cars. I don't find it a problem though. It flows pretty well. I think there are certain points at rush hour that are pretty crowded. No place is perfect. You have to come and visit to see if it is for you, that's the best way to tell.

Diane Giam · 10-21-2007, 10:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Troyty

Hi, We sold our home in Florida in the Summer. We bought in Cary, NC soon after. The buyers backed out in Florida at the last hour. We lost our Cary home. Now we are still seeing the prices rise in Cary, but lowereing here in Florida. We are in South Florida... now we are plagued do we look into other areas. We've done alot of research in TN. It is pretty comparable to NC. We have friends that live in Cary now, but may not get there. I'm still in love with Cary, but think TN is more affordable. We want to get out of the financial strain. And I think if we go to Cary vs. TN, it might be the same as here. Any advice on TN (Nashville Area) Murfreesboro. We see the houses and the prices and are wondering what's the catch. These same houses in Cary, NC would be in the 400's and are in the 200's in M'boro. Is M'bor highly desirable? What school district is best? How are the locals? Any adivce would be helpful. Just need some direction with regards to comparision.

Murfreesboro is a great town. It has lots of shopping. A new Shopping center just opened last week,
Murfreesboro opens 100-acre shopping 'Avenue' - Nashville, Tennessee - Wednesday, 10/03/07 - Tennessean.com
The Boro is also a college town with 25,000 students at MTSU, my daughter being one of them.
Tennessee has no state income tax and some of the lowest property taxes in the country. I moved her over a year ago from NJ, but to the Nashville/Brentwood because its an easy commute to my husband's job. Nashville, is also only 40 minutes from Murfreesboro so you can also enjoy the culture Nashville has to offer.
The locals there seem nice, Neighbors of mine moved there because they bought the same size house for half the price and they needed something more cost effective. I was sorry to see them go, because they were really nice neighbors.
Good Luck!
Diane G

Adamesq · 10-23-2007, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kim918

If you went rural, I guess you would not have traffic, but it is suburban here and growing so there is plenty of cars. I don't find it a problem though. It flows pretty well. I think there are certain points at rush hour that are pretty crowded. No place is perfect. You have to come and visit to see if it is for you, that's the best way to tell.

When you mention traffic - is it gridlock (like the Palmetto during rush hour in Miami) or slowdowns? Our friends in Cary say traffic is bad when it costs them 5 or 10 extra minutes