Need advice on Nashville Suburbs (Murfreesboro, Franklin: appointed, real estate, apartment)

[aplusk]

Hola Nashvillians,

Trying to make this move to Nashville burbs from Chicago burbs(Naperville). The requirements on deciding where to live are pretty thin for now, no kids yet, the Wife and I work remotely and will be staying at home for at least the next 6 months, we occasionally step out on weekends and not really people who belong in the buzzing downtown life, so living in Nashville downtown is not really on the list. Also we do have plans to buy a home in Franklin/Brentwood area after 6-9 months. I see Franklin compares on some level to the lifestyle we are accustomed to in Naperville. I would love to hear from expert Nashvillians on what suburb/Apartment (Franklin, Brentwood, Smyrna or Murfreesboro?) community would be an ideal place to stay for the first 6-9 months and then eventually to buy a home and settle down? Thank you!

[GnosticCyn]

Since I know nothing about Naperville, nor what you are looking for in a place to live, not sure how much help I can be, but here goes.

There are three Interstate Highways in Nashville: I40 running east - west, and I65 and I24 running approximately north - south. Technically the 24 is east-west, so the signs to go south say east and the signs to go north say west. That, all by itself tells you a lot about Nashville, don't believe everything you read. All the the burbs to Nashville are located on the Interstates. To the east is Mt Juliet and Lebanon, both blue collar areas. To the south on the 24 is Smyrna and Murfreesboro. They too are blue collar, but the commute on the 24, regardless of the time of day, is horrible. Brentwood is in two counties, Davidson, (like Nashville) and Williamson (officially it's only Williamson). Franklin is just south of Brentwood on the 65, which is always easy traffic. The problem is getting on the 65, that can take as long as the drive on the freeway itself. Both I65 communities are white collar.

All of the burbs have good shopping, but you find the Target Superstore in Smyrna, and the H&M at the Cool Springs Mall in Franklin. The I65 corridor, from Franklin into Nashville is geared towards higher incomes and the shopping and services there reflect that. Now, having said that, we lived in Smyrna while saving for a house. The difference in rents made it worth the long commute.

May I ask, why Nashville? What draws you here? There are lots of other areas, many of which have unique neighborhoods, depending upon what you want from this city. I'd be happy to tell you about some of them.

[aplusk]

Thanks GnosticCyn!

The wife's office is in downtown area and she would have to go in a couple of days a week. Also we are looking for great schools and buying a home that will not put a big hole in the pocket. I have lived and rented in Northern Virginia area, Chicago area for quite some time and due to various reasons did not end up buying or tried to settle down. However as you might know, homes >2800SqFt in >0.5 acre lots cost at least double in these areas and all new communities for past 5 years have predominantly focused on townhome culture (easy to build-easy to profit for the builders and easy to resell for home owners in a highly crowded suburban area). Nashville definitely has the edge over NoVa and Chicago area in terms of rising city vibe, comparatively cheaper real estate rates, thinner traffic and weather that is mostly bearable year round (compared to the horribly cold winters). Having said that, median prices in Brentwood area are shockingly high and making me think outward into Franklin or even Nolensville.

[lakegirlfromwilson]

I'm new to the area, but I certainly wouldn't call Mt. Juliet "blue collar". Its more of business or service sector community with a plethora of higher end stores centralized around Providence.

Antioch, LaVergne, Smyrna, Murfreesboro, Lebanon and Spring Hill (auto factory) would be more blue collar I would think.

[numberfive]

I think if you're looking for a Naperville in a different state, you're going to be disappointed. No matter where you go, you should really judge it by its own merits, not those of where you're coming from. You won't have the huge selection of restaurants on 59, the Riverwalk, etc. What you will have is a much cheaper location with warmer winters, more hilly terrain/wooded areas, no mosquitoes, more ticks, etc.

[aplusk]

Granted every place is different and comes with its own mixed bag of goodies. I used the comparison in a broader sense because you would want to gauge things from a reference point that you can relate to. I agree with you on reasons you've listed, all of them trump the array of restaurants any day in my books! However, I am gonna miss the river walk and Naperville downtown, it's beautiful.

[lakegirlfromwilson]

Originally Posted by aplusk

Thanks GnosticCyn!

The wife's office is in downtown area and she would have to go in a couple of days a week. Also we are looking for great schools and buying a home that will not put a big hole in the pocket. I have lived and rented in Northern Virginia area, Chicago area for quite some time and due to various reasons did not end up buying or tried to settle down. However as you might know, homes >2800SqFt in >0.5 acre lots cost at least double in these areas and all new communities for past 5 years have predominantly focused on townhome culture (easy to build-easy to profit for the builders and easy to resell for home owners in a highly crowded suburban area). Nashville definitely has the edge over NoVa and Chicago area in terms of rising city vibe, comparatively cheaper real estate rates, thinner traffic and weather that is mostly bearable year round (compared to the horribly cold winters). Having said that, median prices in Brentwood area are shockingly high and making me think outward into Franklin or even Nolensville.

I would personally go with something as close as you can get to I-65 in Williamson County. Nolensville to the interstate can be a bit of a hike.

I know you are concentrating your search in Williamson County but you may want to also consider Hendersonville, which has lots of lake homes or Mt. Juliet, an up and coming city the has quietly made a name for itself. If considering Mt. Juliet, I would think the Music City Star would certainly be an asset for anybody that has to commute downtown. I know many people who take this in the morning so they don't have to worry about traffic.

Music City Star
Middle Tennessee RTA Schedules - RTA train schedules, holiday schedule, holiday operations, to and from Nashville

[nashdesignguy]

If your wife has to commute downtown at all, avoid La Vergne, Smyrna, or Murfreesboro - anything off of I-24. She'll sit in traffic. I used to make the commute daily, and if there was a wreck, it would take over 1.5 hours to go 30 miles sometimes. Plus those places aren't convenient to anything else in Nashville.

If you can find a nice apartment in Brentwood/Cool Springs, that'd be your best bet. For one, you can test out the area you may want to buy a home in. Secondly, I-65 still moves pretty good. Brentwood is really the ideal location - not so far out that it's hard to get downtown, but has the peacefulness of the suburbs. Franklin is great as well, unless it's west Franklin - then your commute times would increase drastically (though it's beautiful out there).

The median price in Brentwood is steep. The low end starts around $400k, and if it's cheaper than this, it either flooded or backs up to the interstate (or worse, both, as I found out when looking at a house there recently). It's also likely that most of the lower end ones are in east Brentwood closer to Nolensville than Franklin. Still get the same schools, but just a bit further of a drive to them. Still beautiful, as well.

Best of luck to you!

[aplusk]

Traffic is an evil I really really want to get away from. However if choosing closer suburbs, I guess it is something we cannot do away with. OK then I-65 it is, a lesser evil than I-24.

Great tips lakegirlfromwilson, thank you. I need to do some research on Hendersonville and I have a friend who used to live in Mt.Juliet, this isn't a bad time to hit him up.

nashdesignguy, thanks for the advice, this is absolutely priceless information on what part of Brentwood works and what doesn't.

[Taco1234]

Originally Posted by aplusk

Traffic is an evil I really really want to get away from. However if choosing closer suburbs, I guess it is something we cannot do away with. OK then I-65 it is, a lesser evil than I-24.

Great tips lakegirlfromwilson, thank you. I need to do some research on Hendersonville and I have a friend who used to live in Mt.Juliet, this isn't a bad time to hit him up.

nashdesignguy, thanks for the advice, this is absolutely priceless information on what part of Brentwood works and what doesn't.

Hey aplusk... Making the same move early next year from Chicago (la grange)... Also plan to search Franklin/Brentwood. May be opening a business, so depending on where it's located is where we'll buy or rent. Very excited to #leaveillinois!