Information on Murfreesboro (Memphis, Woodbury, Liberty: real estate, homeowners insurance, custom home)
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My husband works for Publix in Florida and we hear they are building 2 new stores in Murfreesboro. I was wondering if anyone can give me any information on TN (more specifically Murfreesboro and surrounding areas) as far as weather, (like are there tornadoes like I keep hearing???) and affordability, schools, etc. We are getting buried in FL with home owner's insurance, and rising costs in everything under the sun. It's just not the affordable place to live anymore, and TN keeps coming up as affordable and beautiful We also have a 5 year old daughter who is legally blind, so we are trying to find out about the school systems and services for her. If anyone can give me any information it would be greatly appreciated!!
I just did this post / thread, but here ya go! I'm about an hour from Murfreesboro - it's great. It's a big enough town that they have all you could possibly need but still have that little town feel. People are very friendly. The tornadoes are very rare and when they occur they aren't like OK tornadoes. The town we live in only has one house that even has a basement - it's just not a concern. If you are serious, depending on what type of place you are looking to move to (rural, gated community, in town, etc) check out Woodbury. It's the most adorable little town I've ever seen. There are small towns outside of there that really consist of about a road or two, but you can find gated communities, historic homes, rural land / farms, mountain or valley property. It's just gorgeous and they are really doing great things with the little historic downtown area they have!!
We did and have never imagined we could be so happy!!!! We are technically in a town called Bone Cave that is so small it doesn't even appear on city-data. The closest thing we can find on here is Rock Island, a little town on the other side of Hwy70S.
We are just down the mountain from Fall Creek Falls. We moved from Naples, where I grew up (5th generation no less!!) and were floored at how cheap everything here is. Our real estate taxes? $300/year. Homeowners insurance? $800 a year. Electric $170. Phone / cable / high speed internet combined $160. Water is high - $100, we were on a well in Florida. Auto insurance $600/year for 2 new vehicles.
So what's it like where we live? Well, we bought a 2550+ square foot 2 story brick home with 5 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 7.25 acres. There's no such thing as an impact fee. You build what you want, when you want, where you want on your land. We have the most amazing mountain view from our front door. I'll try to attach a picture of it.
The neighbors are amazing. Within the first week nearly every neighbor had stopped to say hi and welcome us to the area. They have been of immense help to us from calling a friend that had a chain saw that would clear our land to finding a plumber. You name it.
The schools are incredible. Class sizes are 10 - 12 kids per class. They don't have the gazillions of dollars like Florida did, but they way more than make up for it. The teachers teach because they want to teach. And it shows. They take turns volunteering their time after school to tudor the kids for free.
We've been here since May and have seen prices really going up quick. There are some new developments that are charging a fortune. If you are looking for a gated community style neighborhood you won't get the deal we did. But if you are looking for a nice country home in a rural area with good hard working down to earth God fearing people, pack your bags and get up here now!! Trust me - you wont' regret it!!
Mrs 1885 thanks for the information. Your post was actually very helpful. At least we have something to compare to as far as the $$ it costs to live in TN. I just can't take paying $2500 a year for homeowners, $150 per month for FPL, and $2800+ per year for taxes, and my house is 2 bed, 2 bath, 1100 square foot. Car insurance is a joke just like my cable bill. I'm more than done with Florida. It has been slowly but surely destroyed over the last few years. The only thing I will miss is Mickey Mouse being so close!!
Mrs 1885 thanks for the information. Your post was actually very helpful. At least we have something to compare to as far as the $$ it costs to live in TN. I just can't take paying $2500 a year for homeowners, $150 per month for FPL, and $2800+ per year for taxes, and my house is 2 bed, 2 bath, 1100 square foot. Car insurance is a joke just like my cable bill. I'm more than done with Florida. It has been slowly but surely destroyed over the last few years. The only thing I will miss is Mickey Mouse being so close!!
thanks for your help!!
Oh goody - you had FPL too? Yippee skippy. The only thing we miss is Key West and we plan on making 2 trips a year by ourselves and once with all the kids. I'd rather live in someplace that is natural and beautiful and uncrowded with friendly helpful neighbors and make the 3 trips a year to vacation so we can enjoy it!!
My husband works for Publix in Florida and we hear they are building 2 new stores in Murfreesboro. I was wondering if anyone can give me any information on TN (more specifically Murfreesboro and surrounding areas) as far as weather, (like are there tornadoes like I keep hearing???) and affordability, schools, etc. We are getting buried in FL with home owner's insurance, and rising costs in everything under the sun. It's just not the affordable place to live anymore, and TN keeps coming up as affordable and beautiful We also have a 5 year old daughter who is legally blind, so we are trying to find out about the school systems and services for her. If anyone can give me any information it would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks!
Hi Pnutzmom -
I was born and raised in Middle TN and have lived in Murfreesboro for over 8 years. I think you will find Murfreesboro very affordable, especially compared to Florida. The housing market varies widely depending on what you want, or need in a home. You can get a nice brick front, 1300 sq. ft. home, for $130,000 or you can buy a truly custom home with 3000+ sq ft with all the bells and whistles and pay $400,000. Whatever your price range, you should be able to find suitable housing here.
Schools are also very good to excellent. You will find that there are numerous programs here for children wtih special needs as well. Outside of the public school system, you should look into contacting Special Kids in Murfreesboro. They are a wonderful christian based non-profit organization that works with children with special needs of all types.
Insurance is going to vary also based on your personal situation. However, as a ballpark estimate, I just sold a home in the $400K range and homeowners for the year is slightly over $600. Taxes in the county are $2.80 and in the city run $4.52. So, on a home assessed at $200,000 your taxes would run $1,400 a year if you purchased in the county, and $2,260 if you purchased in the city. City residents do benefit from sewer service and curb side trash and debris pick-up.
I was born and raised in Middle TN and have lived in Murfreesboro for over 8 years. I think you will find Murfreesboro very affordable, especially compared to Florida. The housing market varies widely depending on what you want, or need in a home. You can get a nice brick front, 1300 sq. ft. home, for $130,000 or you can buy a truly custom home with 3000+ sq ft with all the bells and whistles and pay $400,000. Whatever your price range, you should be able to find suitable housing here.
Schools are also very good to excellent. You will find that there are numerous programs here for children wtih special needs as well. Outside of the public school system, you should look into contacting Special Kids in Murfreesboro. They are a wonderful christian based non-profit organization that works with children with special needs of all types.
Insurance is going to vary also based on your personal situation. However, as a ballpark estimate, I just sold a home in the $400K range and homeowners for the year is slightly over $600. Taxes in the county are $2.80 and in the city run $4.52. So, on a home assessed at $200,000 your taxes would run $1,400 a year if you purchased in the county, and $2,260 if you purchased in the city. City residents do benefit from sewer service and curb side trash and debris pick-up.
Hope that helps a little!
Hi Wellkids,
Thanks for your help. It's so difficult to just decide to move when we have to figure out not only if the schools in general are good, but also if there are enough Braille teachers, and cane instructors to help accomodate my daughter's needs. Her only disability is her vision, so she is mainstreamed in a regular kindergarten class, so braille instruction would be our major concern. But the schools and just everything in general here in Florida are going downhill so fast. Everyone in TN must be getting disgusted with us Floridians jumping ship and moving up there!! I was born and raised in NJ, came here because my parents moved here 10 years ago, and the services for the blind were better here, but of course the services are slowly being taken away, vision teachers are disappearing just like the affordability is disappearing. TN looks absolutely beautiful, and I for one miss seeing the change of seasons, and am tiring of the heat and humidity pretty quick!! We are going to try to plan a visit there after the holidays to check things out and talk to somebody in the school system about our daughter. Thanks so much for your help!!!
Oh goody - you had FPL too? Yippee skippy. The only thing we miss is Key West and we plan on making 2 trips a year by ourselves and once with all the kids. I'd rather live in someplace that is natural and beautiful and uncrowded with friendly helpful neighbors and make the 3 trips a year to vacation so we can enjoy it!!
Yes, we unfortunately have FPL. 3 weeks of no power after one hurricane in 04, and 2 weeks after the 2nd one in 04. but let's just go ahead and raise everyone's rates for that wonderful service we give them!! I wouldn't feel so bad paying them if they at least were good at what they do, and I understand that hurricanes are devastating, but they gave everyone such a run around on restoration dates......And I agree, I'd rather live in an uncrowded friendly place. I was born and raised in NJ, and quite frankly, FL is becoming like NJ with all of us that moved here. When I moved, I figured, "ok I'm here now, I'll go by the Florida way" Well the influx of NY'ers and NJ'ers that have come in the last few years are trying to make this the Southern NY and I can't stand it. We moved here to get away from NY & NJ. We even have a man that has a 12 foot replica of the Statue of Liberty on his front lawn with a big, I miss NY sign. We can always come back to visit Mickey!!!
just stay away from the Memphis area....Nashville is fine....east TN is filling up with many yahooos and n'ere-do-wells from the Fort Liquerdale area, in and around Orlando, Tampa, Pasco, and a few running out of Bradenton..........soon, Tennessee (particularly middle to East TN) will have the identical problems, if not prices as some places in FL.......have you noticed that every bumpkin from FL or even the snow belt has "Tennessee on their minds" ??? That should give you a clue not to participate in the 'gold rush'.....lol......TN is a very diverse state and a lovely state, but Mecca it ain't.....Every body and their DOG is 'looking at real estate' either in 'North Carolina' or "TANNN E SEA".......watch out.....where the same people go, the same problems will follow...no doubt....
At least in FL, an old adage applies...it either attracts the 'winner's or attracts the 'losers' ! There's a lot of truth to that.....I assure you most of my associates/friends/family/business are not 'cashing out' and leaving places like Boca, Naples, Bonita Springs, Sarasota, Greater Ft. Myers, or even Clearwater-St. Pete-TPA, to go hang out in TN or NC, unless it's a second (summer) home !
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Thanks mrs1885
Thanks wellkids!
FPL yuk
