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Well said, and I should know, I have lived in Franklin most of my life, 30 + so, I guest I could be call a "local" but, not! It's very "clickly" here. Also, I have a pretty good paying job (45,000 & husband 50,000) and still can't afford to build here, and if you have children, with this kind of income, better have family to help with baby sitting. The avg. child care here is $500-675 (depends on star rating) but there is a waiting list of 3-4 years.
We have 3 child, that was approx. $1200 montly for child care...ya, that's why we can't build but even if we could, all that red tap...like she said. The school here are good but I don't think the kids here are challeged. There is not much for young parents w/kids. You can only hike and camp until your face turns blue but anything for after school will coat you "cing-cing" (dance/gymnastics/karate).
Please, don't take me wrong, Franklin is a nice small town and again, I stress "small town" and growing due to near by Cherokee, NC (30 mintues) from Casino and the Floridians....lol-they are nice folks...lol!!!
I am hoping to move but we too, have roots here (husband/me) and with small children the grand parents aren't happy. I am staying until my youngest is a bit older and then we are out of here-
Last edited by kaikeo; 09-24-2011 at 10:20 AM..
Reason: spelling
Franklin is making the transition from summer vacation spot in the mountains to year round community. It's not that far from Asheville where a lot is going on. Highlands is a place nearby (30 miles) that is at a higher altitude and increasingly popular. Here is another [URL="http://www.topretirements.com/reviews/North_Carolina/Franklin.html"]review of Franklin[/URL] that might help.
I ran across this thread and, although I realize this is a very old post, someone unfamiliar with the area might read it while searching for information, so I thought I'd write a comment.
When I read "it's not far from Asheville" I wanted to point out that it's at least 70 miles each way, so if you live in Franklin, chances are you'll rarely drive to Asheville to shop or dine. Sure, people do occasionally make day trips to Asheville when the weather is nice, especially now that gas has dropped to $1.79, and sometimes they'll spend the night in a hotel or B&B, but it's still a very long haul.
"Highlands is a place nearby" is also subjective. Yes, it is only about 20 miles away, but the road to Highlands (although beautiful) is very narrow with lots of switchbacks. After all, you are climbing 2,000 ft. During heavy rains and periods of snow and sleet, the roads are closed and you might need to take a detour through Georgia to get back here. It's a very upscale resort area and, although a drive to Highlands for a visit is definitely on the list of things to do while visiting, most Franklin residents don't drive to Highlands for entertainment or dining.
Franklin is a small town with limited amenities, and it seems as if over half the population leaves in Nov to return to Florida. However, it's also relatively safe (depending on location) and the people here are extremely friendly and polite. One thing I absolutely love is the lack of traffic. Some nights I drive to the market on 64 and I'm the only car on the road and there are very short lines (if any) in the supermarkets.
The real estate isn't cheap, but that's all relative. It's considerably less than cities like Asheville, for obvious reasons, but any home selling in the $100,000 range will be a fixer-upper, although there are some nice mobile homes on the market in that price range. There are a couple of 2 bedroom attached villas down the road listed for $142,000 and $156,000. So how you view the COL really depends on where you're from and what you consider to be expensive.
Frankly, I prefer a cabin in the woods. The only reason I would choose a gated community is because most of the land in the county is unrestricted as another poster mentioned. I've visited people when their neighbor's rooster was crowing or someone in his backyard was enjoying a little target practice. Being sensitive to noise, I prefer living in a community with some rules, i.e., no hunting allowed, as long as they're not too intrusive. However, I love animals and, if I had the money and the energy, would like to have a no-kill farm or ranch of my own, but that's just a fantasy. There's still a lot of land on the market for a reasonable price if someone wants to build. For me, that's just not an option for personal reasons (age, health)
Anyway, I just thought I'd bring this thread up-to-date. After reading the other comments, I guess not much has changed. It's still a rural area with few employment opportunities, but it's an affordable, quiet place to live if someone is working from home, has his own business, or can retire comfortably without working. Also, it's not just for senior citizens. There are many young families living here, but it's important to have a job before deciding to relocate. It's not an exciting place to live, but my next door neighbors are 30 and they love it here. YMMV
Thanks for pulling this up. We still have our eyes on the Franklin area but as you say employment is a big problem if you need a job.
Our house in Bonita Springs Fl is worth more than we anticipated so we are researching how we could make it work for us. I think the Florida market will stay strong due to all the baby boomers and new business moving in so we might just take a gamble on buying something in Franklin and renting it out seasonally for a few years.
I've really learned a lot on this forum and appreciate all the great input.
Our house in Bonita Springs Fl is worth more than we anticipated so we are researching how we could make it work for us.
Randy
I lived off of Bonita Beach Road for over 13 years! Sometimes I miss the beach.
I want to clarify something. When I wrote "limited amenities" in my earlier post I was only comparing the stores and services in Franklin with the choices offered in larger cities. However, there are supermarkets, restaurants and several places to shop, from national chains to locally owned businesses. There's a very nice library and a community college. Of course I can't list everything, but I added this comment because some people I've met think of "limited" as being 20 miles from the nearest supermarket or gas station.
Franklin is a beautiful small town, in a rich broad valley surrounded by incredibly high mountains ( high from base to summit), a very dramatic setting. Two rivers run through Franklin, and greenspace has been set aside along each of them, with a good walking trail alongside one. Scottish and Scots-Irish heritage are big here - an annual "Taste of Scotland" festival is held each June, and Main Street boasts a tartan museum and shop (YouTube has several good "Taste of Scotland" videos). Other museums include gems and minerals, and local history. There are antique and craft shops along and just behind Main Street as well, and nearby Cowee Valley has lots of dig-your-own/sluice-your-own ruby and sapphire mines - some with all native dirt, others "enriched". Cowee Valley also includes some excellent farm land, and the nearby river is great for canoeing and kayaking. There are additional gem shops in town, and you can have your finds-from-the-mines cut and set into jewelry at a reasonable cost.
So it's a slightly quirky, interesting place for a short vacation, and I've always encountered very friendly people there. Of course, one branch of my ancestral Scots-Irish family were rather prominent early settlers in this area, and I've met very distant cousins (local descendents of this g-g-g-uncle's line; my line went farther west) in Franklin. Since my ancestral relatives' name (which was also my grandmother's maiden name) is still well-known and associated with various local places (a rural road, a creek, etc.), perhaps I am pre-inclined to think kindly of Franklin, given my family connection.
I did notice that prices were high for gas and groceries. And when I made a day trip to Highlands from Franklin last fall, the upscale nature of that neighboring town was very obvious. But that trip along the edge of the mountain was stunning, with large waterfalls, stupendous views, and autumn color just beginning. I expect winter driving between Franklin and Highlands would be very different.
People in Highlands were also pleasant - at least, those in the stores, produce stand and restaurant I visited - but it clearly was a very, very wealthy community, as lots of luxury goods were offered: jewelry, fine antiques, designer clothing, small specialized boutiques, etc. I understand lots of well-to-do Atlantans have summer homes in Highlands, along with well-to-do retirees. The downtown area is very attractive, very walkable, and includes several historic buildings which are in good condition and in regular use.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in this beautiful area. But I cannot say how it would be for someone younger, who is of moderate income, to live there year-round, since tourism dwindles in winter, roads are mountainous and weather can be harsh, and the economy is largely tourism-based. Well-off tourists, certainly in many cases, although I've encountered lots of visiting families with young children enjoying the gem mines near Franklin during summer visits.
So I can see why this area is a summer resort for many. But as far as living there goes - if I had the means, summer and fall would be my seasons there, with a week in spring to see the mountain wildflowers and dogwoods. Winter? No way!
Last edited by CraigCreek; 02-07-2016 at 03:38 PM..
For better or worse, I'm moving to Franklin next month. I visited the area this past Summer when I went to Tennessee for the Total eclipse. Camped out in Harrison Bay State park near Chattanooga. Then I drove on, into the Smoky Mountains to visit friends who live in Cullowhee. They took me to see many of the natural sights in the area. I liked it so much, that I decided I was going to find a place up there.
I found a small cabin, in Franklin. It's up on one of those twisty roads, some folks here mentioned. I was up there from Florida last month ( I AM NOT A FLORIDIAN! ) I guess you would call me a northerner, but I moved from Seattle Washington. Most people think of the North as Michigan, or the Eastern States. I'm not looking for work. I'm 69, and single. Not looking to be other than that either. I've looked into other places as well, like upstate New York and Maine. Those places can be just as conservative, and the weather is a lot harsher. I think conservatism, can be said about almost any rural area. I've certainly found that to be the case, in my many travels.
I'm a little nervous after reading stuff here, though. I was up there just a few weeks ago, to check out the place I am buying. I did not meet any of my neighbors. I did get to experience the town, and it's people. I walked the greenway with my dog, and both of us made new friends. I didn't find the people unfriendly at all, and I certainly don't sound like a native! I did go grocery shopping, didn't see where it was much more expensive than where I live now, in rural Florida. Ingles, was no more expensive than Publix! The people seemed a lot friendlier in Franklin,than around here, but then I live in meth-land. Everyone here, is covered in tatoos or piercings. They are anything but friendly, with their pitbulls guarding their shabby homes. Even jobs here, pay crappy wages. You're not going to find a high paying job in any rural area.
My friends up that way have been trying to get me to move, for years. They have only sung it's praises. I hope they have not been lying to me. I'm of a liberal bent, and know I will have to mind my tongue. --- but so are my friends, and they are natives! Not everyone is a Bible banging conservative. As a matter of fact one of my friends there, insists it was the people from Florida who turned NC into a red state! I know it's just as conservative where I live now, and I have managed to survive and even make a few friends. I am hoping I can do the same in Franklin. I like the outdoors and really hate hot weather. I know that is something I won't miss. Florida has never had any appeal whatsoever for me. I was here only to take care of my elderly parents, and now they are both gone.
I'm sincerely hoping, most of these posts are from sour grapes, who had pre-concieved notions about the place, or who have never lived in a small town. I'm sure hoping that's the case. This will certainly be my last move, and I sure hope it's not a mistake!
It sounds like you will be a wonderful fit for Franklin! . Wishing you the very best on your move and in your new mountain home .
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Sometimes I miss the beach.
It can't be that bad.
