Opinions about Hendersonville (Murfreesboro, Franklin, Brentwood: appointed, apartment, renting)

[CheatCommandos]

Two questions:

1) What do you like/love about Hendersonville? From natural setting to schools, churches to community to ambience...anything.

2) If you have/had preschoolers there, what opportunities are available for them, as little ones and as they grow, that you personally appreciate.

I've searched and read lots about the city--great information here--just would appreciate some personal perspectives from anyone who has the time and inclination to share.

Thanks.

[number1coltsfan]

When we first moved to Hendersonville, I did not care for it. I longed for franklin or Brentwood amenities (and still wish we had more of those!). But over time, I have come to love my town. The people are so friendly, there's no Brentwood traffic, the lake is gorgeous, we have come to love our church (long hollow), the streets of Indian Lake is a great addition, and if you live off the bypass, you are only 15-20 minute drive to Nashville. Sure, sometimes I find myself drooling over all the options of Brentwood, but would probably not move from Hendersonville. It's not too small, not too big, it's just right
No kids, so I can't speak about that.

[Decepticon]

Well I have decided to answer this because of a thread I started 5 years ago when I first moved here.
https://www.city-data.com/forum/nashv...questions.html
At the time of writing this, I was pretty upset because everything my realtor had told me about upcoming development in the area fell through (no fault of hers as that is what happens everywhere when the economy takes a hit) and I was left feeling disappointed in our decision to move here. My husband and I both work remote and could have lived anywhere in the country. I won't get into how many different states and cities we spent nights in to explore and find an area we loved. So after living here for 5 years, this is my opinion of Hendersonville now and I hope it will help others make the right decision for their family/lifestyle.

Hendersonville is exactly what I had hoped for. We LOVE living here. Beautiful trees and lakes, many parks and trails and a growing economy. We had always lived in the wealthiest counties and got the change we were looking for. No more heavy traffic, people are more friendly and considerate, home lots are much more generous/affordable and there is a more laid back less stressful feeling to life here. We do shop in Brentwood/Franklin sometimes and EVERYTIME we go there, we are so thankful in the decision we made not to move there. They do have more shopping, which I love but I don't mind driving to do it every once in awhile if it means I get to live in Hendersonville. There are so many places you discover after you have time to settle in that you had no idea were even there. Such as all the cute and trendy boutiques I have found! :-) We settled in just before my children started Kindergarten. It will be their last year at a wonderful elementary school next year, but looking forward to another great school. We found a wonderful church, extracurricular activities and some good friends. We even love our dentist! Our life feels pretty fulfilled here and we couldn't be happier with the decision we made.

[CheatCommandos]

What helpful responses...thank you. We actually just bought a house there, and a little bit of, "Oh my word, this is the biggest purchase of our lives, did we pick the right place?" was setting in. We had lots of reasons for liking and choosing Hendersonville to live, but wanted to know what others appreciate about the city. Again, thanks.

[DonCorleone]

Agreed on the accolades others have lavished on Hville. It's just a great balance of amenities, comfort, and ease (especially getting around).

I've got 2 kids and it really is a great place to raise a family. Plenty of things to do, lots of outdoor activities (parks, sports leagues, the lake, etc) and indoor too (indoor swim at SeaStar, bounce houses, family fun centers, etc). There's really no need to ever leave the area if you don't want to. And it's not so big that you feel you have to navigate traffic...you can pretty much be anywhere in Hendersonville within 10-15 minutes even on bad traffic days.

I'm sure you could say the same thing for other areas of town, but personally Hville works for my family.

[vivelafrance]

When I first moved to Nashville I chose Hendersonville due to the safe community feel, lake access, and good schools. I also considered Franklin but the traffic in Williamson County compared to Hendersonville is what really tipped the scales for me in Hendersonville's favor. Hendersonville is really easy to get around and daily errands are quick and painless. I could still go to Green Hills or Cool Springs 1-2 times a month but without dealing with the daily congestion. I also feel the northside has one of the better commutes due to the amount of traffic lanes and alternate routes (Briley, Ellington, Dickerson, Gallatin, etc.)

I eventually moved closet to downtown because I had a job that kept me moving all over the metro area and I also wanted a taste of Nashville's urban living. However, if I was still looking for a suburban lifestyle, I would choose Hendersonville without question.

[CheatCommandos]

That is all so great. A lot of those things mirror the impressions we had from driving around/researching. It's just hard to know without the experience of living. We've been renting an apartment in Bellevue for the last few months, but the kids are getting bigger, and it just felt like the right time to make the transition from renting. Our 70 lb. dog will certainly be happy!

We've house hunted really the whole area, and like a lot of what we've seen all around Nashville (where my husband works), which doesn't make the process easier...LOL. Our poor realtor. Hendersonville inched to the forefront though, for a lot of the reasons that have been mentioned, as well as overall affordability. We wanted a bigger yard (see above reference to dog!) in particular.

I'm especially excited about the natural beauty, which impressed me there, and being by the lake. Home pre-Nashville was close to the Gulf Coast, so it's nice to be by water. It gets in the blood a little bit.

[DonCorleone]

Originally Posted by vivelafrance

I also feel the northside has one of the better commutes due to the amount of traffic lanes and alternate routes (Briley, Ellington, Dickerson, Gallatin, etc.)

This point cannot be emphasized enough. Lots of alternates from the north side.

[12buttons]

Originally Posted by Decepticon

Well I have decided to answer this because of a thread I started 5 years ago when I first moved here.
https://www.city-data.com/forum/nashv...questions.html
At the time of writing this, I was pretty upset because everything my realtor had told me about upcoming development in the area fell through (no fault of hers as that is what happens everywhere when the economy takes a hit) and I was left feeling disappointed in our decision to move here. My husband and I both work remote and could have lived anywhere in the country. I won't get into how many different states and cities we spent nights in to explore and find an area we loved. So after living here for 5 years, this is my opinion of Hendersonville now and I hope it will help others make the right decision for their family/lifestyle.

Hendersonville is exactly what I had hoped for. We LOVE living here. Beautiful trees and lakes, many parks and trails and a growing economy. We had always lived in the wealthiest counties and got the change we were looking for. No more heavy traffic, people are more friendly and considerate, home lots are much more generous/affordable and there is a more laid back less stressful feeling to life here. We do shop in Brentwood/Franklin sometimes and EVERYTIME we go there, we are so thankful in the decision we made not to move there. They do have more shopping, which I love but I don't mind driving to do it every once in awhile if it means I get to live in Hendersonville. There are so many places you discover after you have time to settle in that you had no idea were even there. Such as all the cute and trendy boutiques I have found! :-) We settled in just before my children started Kindergarten. It will be their last year at a wonderful elementary school next year, but looking forward to another great school. We found a wonderful church, extracurricular activities and some good friends. We even love our dentist! Our life feels pretty fulfilled here and we couldn't be happier with the decision we made.

no heavy traffic? you're kidding....the last time I was in Hendersonville house shopping I told the realtor I would never come back..the worst traffic I experienced in the entire Nashville metro area! And that's saying a lot if you know Brentwood in rush hour.

[vivelafrance]

Originally Posted by 12buttons

no heavy traffic? you're kidding....the last time I was in Hendersonville house shopping I told the realtor I would never come back..the worst traffic I experienced in the entire Nashville metro area! And that's saying a lot if you know Brentwood in rush hour.

Maybe there was an accident but Hendersonville hands down does not have worse in-city traffic than Cool Springs, Murfreesboro, etc. The ease of running errands and getting across town one of my deciding factors in choosing it over Brentwood/Franklin.