Think twice before moving to Chattanooga, TN (Knoxville, Niota: 2010, apartment)

[FLORIDA TO NIOTA 2010]

It sounds like xtranaut should have done a little more research, before moving. It seems odd, moving to a lower income state and expecting a New York salary. (New York only an example) Could it be the attitude or pesonality showing through that is stopping them?!?! Maybe, it's time to look within for the problem. Don't be rude and cut everyone, everything down, when you made the mistake.

[Debbie S]

gsn77 - As I said in one post, it has taken me most of 10 years before I have reached the conclusions I stated. Yes, I'm sure my frustrated attitude is coming through, but it IS far different than my original attitude here.

Good points about the South's aversion to Northerners. That is definitely true. (I'm Canadian, and called a "Yankee".) Do I want everyone to "change" to be like me?? No. Was everyone like me in other places that have lived, visited, enjoyed? No. Are there wonderful things about Southern culture? Of course! Do people where I am now express any interest in any other culture or place? Basically, no. Very, very, very few people. Not one thing that isn't "here" or "from here" is viewed positively by the average person. To most of these people, Europe is a den of iniquity. (I have never been, so it's not like I try to be superior about having been, in case you think that.) Curiosity is a bad thing here, I guess. Perhaps, with Chattanooga being larger than the town I am in, there is a larger pool of people there who don't have that attitude. That would be nice.

Anyway, that's just the way it is. I've basically been like a person who gives a guy/gal they love the benefit of the doubt despite repeated behaviors - you finally just have to say there's not enough good to overcome the bad. Silly me - I've never given a GUY ten years - hahaha. However, I guess I have coped with it due to having an incredible husband, but the frustration has kept building, obviously. And now I have concluded that all the hoping and pretending and patience are not going to cut it. I am not waiting 10-20 more years for this place to grow up and get a clue. I'm too young-thinking to stay here, and too old to give up the time required for it to change the basic chip-on-the-shoulder, close-minded attitude. The young people now will help change it if they all don't have to leave in order to keep their sanity.

Interestingly enough, I know of many people who moved here and have moved away almost immediately due to the attitudes. My most funny, no-nonsense, aware friends here (who are much more socially sweet than I am) are also looking at moving - one has been here 30 years, and has kept her views to herself! I know I have stated things bluntly in my posts rather than sugar-coat them. It's kind of like the story about the emporer's new clothes - if people don't want to hear the truth, they can reject it for various reasons. I wasn't trying to make it easier on the current residents/locals, I was trying to warn the potential immigrants.

East Tennessee is like one, huge self-delusional place. It's something like the movie "Pleasantville". The people who are more curious and open-minded say that you have to search to find others, and then they survive by repressing themselves the rest of the time. C'est la vie in Tennessee. Go somewhere large in Tn so you can at least have a larger pool of possibilities to choose from to buffer the repressiveness, the closed minds, the meanness of spirit. This little town grew on factories, and I swear people are jealous of everyone else that has anything! It's a good think I'm broke, since I'm too liberal for most people here - a rich liberal would be far too much for them to bear! University towns should be somewhat better, but people looking to move here should keep in mind that Tennessee scores very low on education. Whether or not you have children, that fact has a large impact on the state. I am not well-educated - no degree - but I like to read and learn and talk to people about other experiences, theories, whatever. Somewhere between the poor education and the restrictive religious upbringing, these people have shut down their minds, their curiosity - and their hearts, in many cases.

Xtranaut made some observations about what has happened to him. Being unhappy about them does not make him a complainer. But people here "shoot the messenger" as a state sport, obviously learned from childhood. While this can happen everywhere, it just happens a lot more here. I am not talking about any reaction to me, I am talking about the local repressive attitude. All the bad stuff basically happens somewhere else, not here. Even some locals here get exasperated about the attitude, but they have more ties, plus they learned to cope from childhood. My brutal honesty can't tolerate the hypocrisy and the self-delusion.

And you say that my first post and xtranaut's contained an attitude of animosity. God forbid someone's frustration shows through after one and ten years, respectively!

You sound very nice, and you made thoughtfully worded statements that were direct and valid to a large degree; very nicely-worded criticisms. You also admit that there is an attitude in the South. (Yeah, some of these people would kill over a nicely-worded criticism!) You also take my statement about sharing and exchanging information and then comment as though I must have been suggesting changes instead of having what is a normal type of conversation in most of the rest of North America. No. That is not what I am talking about. The southern chip-on-the-shoulder, resentful attitude starts when an outsider - especially a Northerner - opens their mouth and can be identified as "not from here". The attitude is pervasive, as you noted. It's hard to go anywhere from there; the resentment and animosity are quite entrenched. I didn't see it for what it was for a long time. I enjoy meeting new people; I didn't come here with animosity. My frustration arose and increased as I encountered more of the attitude here, and identified that there was not really a lot I could do except ignore it or leave. Kind of like being black in a racist area, I guess, except I had to open my mouth to get the racism. I am enthusiastic and bubbly about things, and that is 'WAY WEIRD for a lot of people here. To them, it's over the top. Especially for a WOMAN! I have to keep shaking my head and asking what year it is when I encounter some things.

Anyway, thanks for your viewpoint.

[gsn77]

Debbie, I am very sorry to hear about your experiences. It doesn't sound pleasant. On the other hand, I know that there are many other people who are always pleased to learn about other people, places, and regional cultures. Outgoing, "bubbly" personalities are not generally reviled amongst the friends, family, and acquaintances I have known.

Perhaps it is a generational difference (although, for all I know, you are my age--early 30s). Perhaps there is a difference between upper east and lower east Tennessee, or the size of the towns (although I also lived in Maryville for a couple years and did not notice a difference).

One last note--I was not saying that Southerners, in general, dislike Northerners. However, when someone comes here and acts as though they are God's gift to the rest of us and that they are the only ones who know how we down here should live and do things, they are not likely to be well received. Based on the thoughtfulness in some of your later posts, that probably was not you. I hate that you encountered attitudes that soured you on the South.

Good luck with finding a place--or people in it--where you can feel at home.

[Jersey Devil]

Originally Posted by xtranaut

Dee,

This isn't meant to belittle your position or how effortlessly it was to get a nursing job in Chattanooga but, as I am sure you know, NURSING is one of the professions in highest demand everywhere and if my wife had a nursing degree, she would have been working a year ago.

But my wife has held several high end administrative titles for a few very prestigious medical names that score at the top of any ranking. She has also served directly under some notable names in the medical field - one is currently the Surgeon General of the United States. She has had hundreds of people report to her under one job and has handled in access of 20 million dollars in grants and budgets.

In most cases, she can't get a return phone call after submitting a resume for a job.

My wife has, herself been on the hiring end and conducts herself in none other than the most professional and positive manner. There is no question that her interviews are thoughtful, honest and bright - so any hint of a dissatisfaction of the treatment by the small minded lot of them, is nil.

As I detailed in an earlier posting, we see that this is mostly about maintaining a nonthreatening status quo in this town. Promoting from within even though most who get promoted, do not qualify , much less come close to the experience that a person like my wife could bring, is very much the norm. Too bad we didn't know this until after I bought a home here.

My family doctor confirmed this for me and a great many other horror stories about gross mismanagement and unethical business practices.

My wife does make it to the final round of interviews only to be eliminated and lose the job to someone less threatening to the position of the PEOPLE CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW. (sorry, my perception). This is, inevitably, someone from the inside......a thirty year job holder whose continuing education is coming to work every day.

Let me say that if my wife knew I were writing this, i would be homeless but this is reality in this town, like it or not.

I can only deduce that most business people or their hiring managers do not have a vision for beyond what they physically see because if they did and were really listening to my wife respond in an interview, they would consider her a rare find in this wasteland ans scoop her up as someone who could inspire just by her presence and good energy.

You know. I hate to say it but Chattanooga reminds me of nice cars for nice people. A sweet thought but a major deception.

Sorry I can't be happier. We have both been out of work since we have been here. My story is almost identical to hers.

We bathe, dress properly for interviews (haven't seen much of that here) and are positive people ... so is it that we look too out of place for here or what???

It's an air of superiority that surrounds transplants. Locals can spot it ten miles away as their pretentiousness and entitlement permeate our every molecule. When I interview for positions I know in 20 seconds that the applicant is a transplant full of "good ol' boy network" stories and how stupid unqualified people run the south. The real deal breaker is that all of us have dealt with transplants before. We don't want to hear any more about how things were done in Florida, Ohio, Michigan or wherever it is your running from.

Loose the 'tude and everything'll be jake.

[mbmouse]

Take it easy folks. Think before typing please. We can disagree with the point and say why but there is no reason to attack the person.

[financelife]

Debbie,

Xtranaut was not just making observations. He is complaining, and even though I can see why, I don't think blaming Chattanooga is the answer. I guess I would be considered a transplant, although I embraced Chattanooga as my new home. A suggestion I gave to Xtra was that better preparation/research should have taken place before becoming "trapped" here. I do understand that there are circumstances that can't be helped though. So, I don't want to offend you Xtra. But you do need to take your life back and find a way to make yourself happy.

Again, maybe I'm just lucky in who I've come into contact with. My boss is originally from California, went to school in Mississippi State, then ended up here. Some friends at work are from SC and TX. Diversity is good, but I have greatly enjoyed making friends with Chattanoogans/N. Georgians who have lived here all their lives. I've embraced the culture here. Very down-to-earth.

It's like people who travel to other countries due to military/teaching english, and they complain about the citizens, culture, and society there. They get mad that nobody speaks english. Duh.

I'm under 30, and moved here 1.2 years ago, and I am loving it here in this River City.

Now I will say something that may support Xtra and Debbie a bit. I interviewed at one company before moving here, and I did get a feeling of staleness from my interviewers. However, I chose not to pursue them. The people I was going to be working with were in their 50s and had the attitudes you all refer to. Maybe they thought I was an arrogant transplant. Who knows. However, one manager was saying how young people just flip one place to the other these days, and the last 3 they hired resigned in the prior 2 years. I was thinking "no wonder!" Anyway, good luck to them finding new hirees before they retire or pass away.
So maybe Xtra should focus efforts more on better pastures. Xtra, if you and your wife are that qualified and the place you're interviewing don't like you, then their loss. If you've got the talent, then you will be a benefit to someone, somewhere. Don't give up, but don't complain either.

Change does take time and good people, and companies/places will change eventually through their own in/-voluntary will.

[Jon F Moss]

After recently visiting the Business Developement Center I can say that things are happening in Chattanooga! The Chamber of Commerce, along with the city, is working to stimulate growth and create jobs. I'm exciting about launching my business here, and look forward to putting people to work.

[xtranaut]

my reply embedded in caps

Originally Posted by gsn77

I am sorry that this may sound harsh, but as someone who routinely makes hiring decisions, I would question the judgment of anyone who up and moves to a new city without a job lined up, unless they are happy not having a job. There are valid reasons: spouse's job, family health or care needs, or maybe just having an insane love for the town, or they are independently wealthy and don't have to have a job. Even so, though, the recruit would be working uphill to show me that he or she is not prone to rash and foolish decisions.

I HAVE CONFESSED MY MISTAKE FOR POOR PLANNING AND INVESTIGATION, SEVERAL TIMES OVER. BEAT ME AGAIN. (HEY BUT THAT's CHATTANOOGA FOR YA)

Second, the fact that neither of you have ANY job for a whole year would be a second strike against you if I was interviewing you.

SORRY, NOT MY FAULT ADN BEYOND MY CONTROL. PEANLIZE ME. I KNOW TAT MY EXPERIENCE AND INTELLECT HAVE DIMINISHED DURING THAT TIME TO MAKE ME USELESS AND UNWORTHY OF GOOD EMPLOYMENT.


I'm glad your too good to "sell hotdogs to tourists," but I have no use for an employee, coworker, or superior who is too good to dirty their hands with certain jobs or tasks.

O.K., MUST I DRAW PICTURES FOR YOU? I DIDN'T COME HERE TO SELL HOTDOGS TO TOURISTS AND I COULDN'T EVEN PAY MY GAS TO COME TO WORK DOING THAT...SO IT ISN'T VERY SMART TO WASTE MY TIME DOING SUCH A 'HUMBLE' THING.

I HAVE APPLIED FOR JOBS AT GARDEN NURSERIES AND RADIO SHACK AND GOT NO CALLS BACK! MY WIFE SIGNED UP WITH TEMP STAFFING AND IN A YEAR GOT NO CALLS BACK. SHE EVEN CALLEDTHEM AND ASKED THEM IF THEY HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT HER AND GOT SOME LAME EXCUSE THAT YOU'D EXPECT FROM AN UNSKILLED EMPLOYEE WHO MAKES 7 BUCKS AN HOUR.

WHAT OTHER SELF-DEPRICATING TINGS WOULD YOU SUGGEST WE DO TO GAIN RESPECTABLE EMPLOYMENT HERE?

Nobody said that you have sell hotdogs for the rest of your life. But I would be much more likely overlook a person's unwise geographic move if I knew that they hardworking, at least. A recruit who is neither? Forget it.

HAPPY FOR YOU THAT YOU CAN PLUNGE FORWARD INTO THE LAND OF ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT WHO I AM. I HAVE WORKED EVER SINCE I WAS 13 AND HAVE NEVER CONSIDERED RETIRING AND PLAYING GOLF. I LOVE WHAT I DO AND SO DOES MY WIFE. I WILL NOT DIVULGE WHAT IT IS THAT BOTH OF US HAVE DONE MOST OF OUR LIVES AND WHAT BENEFIT IT COULD BRING TO THIS COMMUNITY. BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY, THAT WE BUILT IT A COMPROMISE IN WAGES FOR THE SAKE OF THE BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE SO WE AREN'T EXPECTING, AS SOMEONE SAID, NEW YORK WAGES...AND WE DO NOT INFLICT OURSELVES UPON PEOPLE WITH "OUR WAY OF DOING THINGS" OR RUIN OUR CHANCES OF GETTING JOBS WITH OUR 'YANKEE ATTITUDES" OR ANY OTHER OBSURD PERCEPTION. WE AREN'T YANKEES ANYWAY (AS IF THAT SHOULD MATTER...THEY WON THE WAR YOU KNOW?)

Third, everyone everywhere can tell you, where ever you go, it's not what you know, but who. SAD ISN'T IT?? That truth does not mean that hiring decisions are poor ones or that the recruit is unqualified. BUT WE KNOW TAT, MORE OFTEN TAN NOT HERE, THAT IS TRUE. But as even you will agree, personality, "fit," and relations with coworkers are just as necessary as education, sklls, and experience. There is less risk involved with hiring a "known quanitity" (someone from within the company) than someone who you have only talked with once for fifteen minutes in a contrived environment. NO TERE ISN'T. THAT IS WHAT THOSE 'WHO" REFERENCES ARE FOR....TO VALIDATE YOU AS THE ACCOMPLISHED AND HARDWORKING INDIVIDUAL YOU ARE. THE REAL REASON THAT THE EMPLOYERS OF THIS TOWN HIRE FROM WITHIN IS THAT THEY CAN MAINTAIN STATUS QUO AND NOT BE TREATENED BY NEW IDEAS THAT POLLUTE THEIR INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT.
IF PEOPLE FROM THE OUTSIDE NEVER BRING NEW AND INSPIRING IDEAS IN, THEN OTHER EMPLOYEES WILL NOT BE TEMPTED TO QUESTION THE STANDARD. IT IS A FEAR AND CONTROL FACTOR THAT IS PREVELANT TROUGOUT TIS COUNTRY BUT IS MOST OBVIOUSLY IN SMALLER, MORE PROVINCIAL TOWNS.

Fourth, the "who you know" principle does not mean that you have to be related to or best friends with the president of the company in order to get a job. In fact, in most businesses I have worked, the people making the hiring decision have little or no knowledge of the recruit's relationships with others in the company. Relationships may get you in the door--they will NOT get a job.

I KNOW OF NO ONE TO INFLUENCE ANYTHING FOR ME HERE..NOR DOES MY WIFE SO TAT FACTOR DOES NOT APPLY...and I WOULDN'T RELY ON ANY SOCIAL CONNECTIONS TRHOUGH CHURCH OR CHARITABLE WORK FOR ANYTHING. EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE FINE AND COZY IN THEIR OWN INSULTATED LITTLE WORLD... EVEN MY COUSIN, THE BIG COMPANY EXEC WHOSE WIFE'S DADDY GOT HIM HIS JOB FOR LIFE.

Fifth, the main benefit of "who you know" is not about getting you in the door--its in finding out there is an opening in the first place! Very few people I know ever got a job merely by perusing the classifieds. More often, a friend, a former coworker, someone from church, or other social networks says, "Hey, I heard you are looking for a job. You know, Acme Co. has opening..."

I AM AWARE OF THE DYNAMICS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING AND AVE BEEN ACTIVELY DOING THAT FOR OVER A YEAR.



More often, it's that you get connected with a company that hasn't yet even decided for sure whether it wants to hire someone. Anyway, maybe you have gotten involved with community groups, charitable organizations, joined a church, and tried to build a social network. However, I find it hard to believe you could be so bitter and down on Chattanooga if you had friends, acquaintances, and had invested in the community and local charities.

ANOTER NOBLE ASSUMPTION. HOW MUCH, THROUG LIFE, ARE WE EXPECTED TO REPEAT PROVING OUTSELVES. OUR COMPETENCIES SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE QUALIFIED BY OUR WILLINGNESS, OR LACK OF, TO SERVE.

Sixth, let's get down to reality here: Are you telling me that if you invested years of hard work, sacrifice, and loyalty to a company, you would not expect some loyalty in return?

WELL NATURALLY I WOULD BUT IF I WERE COMPETING WITH THOSE WHO WERE MORE QUALIFIED FROM TE OUTSIDE, I WOULDN'T DESERVE A JOB JUST SO MY COMPANY COULD EXPECT TO MAINTAIN STATUS QUO BY PROMOTING ME. YOU CAN'T TELL ME THIS DOESNT HAPPEN OFTEN.

I don't believe that for a minute. WHAT YOU BELIEVE MEANS LITTLE TO ME. ALL OF THESE ANTAGONISTIC CHALLENGES TO DEFEND THE LOCAL MINDSET, ONLY CERTIFY MY EXPERIENCES MORE.
If your company denied you a job for which you were qualified and it was given to someon else from outside company, you would be telling us how dumb your company is that it doesn't appreciate you and that even though you've worked there for x years, it still sees you as an outsider.

THE OPERATIVE WORD IS "QUALIFIED" ...THEN, YES, WHAT YOU SAY I AGREE WITH. ARE JOBS GIVEN TO INSIDE EMPLOYEES WO ARE NOT QUALIFIED, YES. ARE PEOPLE WO ARE MORE QUALIFIED FROM THE OUTSIDE, WHO AVE WORKED IN MAJOR CITIES FOR THE BEST IN THEIR FIELD, NOT CONSIDERED BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY MAY BRING FROM THE OUTSIDE, OR THAT THEY MAY KNOW MORE THAN EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HIRING THEM, OR THAT IT MAY JUST BE AS SIMPLEAS THE HIRING COMPANY BEING EMABRRASSED ABOUT HOW LITTLE MONEY THEY PAY FOR SUCH CRUCIAL POSITIONS??? BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAVE EXPERIECNED ALL OF THAT HERE.

Seventh, I just don't believe that all the dozens or hundreds of jobs you and your wife have not landed went to unqualified people. NOT ALL BUT VERIFIABLY, MANY. No company interested in making a profit is going to hire someone who they don't believe is capable of doing the job. WHY NOT..THE NEW BOTTOM LINE BUSINESS MODELS ARE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW CHEAPLY THEY CAN OPERATE. LOOK AT THE LAST PRESIDENT WE ELECTED. A THOROUGLY FAILED BUSINESMAN WITH A SILVER SPOON AND REGAL INFLUENCE, A FORMER ALCOHOLIC AND COCAINE ABUSER, A DRAFT DODGER AND, AS RONALD REAGAN CALLED HIM WHEN HIS DAD ASKED THE PRESIDENT TO FIND HIM A JOB, "SHIFTLESS". YOU THINK THAT DOESN'T FILTER DOWN AND SET THE EXAMPLE FOR THE OPERATING STYLES OF BUSINESS??? NOT IN EVERY BUSINESS, BUT IT HAS BECOME THE MOST POPULAR WAY. UH OH, DID I TELL MORE TRUTH THAT MAKES PEOPLE MAD ?

More factually--if none of these companies hired either you or your wife, how do you know who they did hire?

BECAUSE MUCH OF MY BACKGROUND IS INVESTIGATIVE AND I KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR. FOR INSTANCE, ONE HIRING MANAGER ACTUALLY SENT A BLANKET EMAIL TO ME WITH THE DISCLOSED NAMES (EMAILS) OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES.
NOW THAT IS PROFESSIONAL!

OTHER TIMES, WHEN THE NAME OF THE EMPLOYEE HIRED WAS ANNOUNCED, MOST OF THOSE CREDENTIALS CAN BE FOUND PUBLICLY AND THE PEOPLE YOU DO KNOW CAN CONFIRM WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE OR WHAT THEY KNOW.

YOU CAN KNOW MOST ANYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ANYONE ON TODAY'S MODERN INFORMATION HIGHWAY. SCARY BUT USEFUL.

Even if you do know who they hired, how can you claim to know whether they are qualified or not? I know I've never passed my resume around to other candidates when I've gone to interview!

MAYBE YOU AREN'T AS AGRESSIVELY SEEKING TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CONTINUE TO GET PASSED OVER. DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE PASSIONATELY WORKED ALL YOUR LIFE AND ACHIEVED, ONLY TO BE TREATED AS THOUGH YOU ARE WEARING SOME SORT OF SCARLET LETTER?? I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS KIND OF TREATMENT ANYWHERE SO I WENT TO WORK TO FIND ANSWERS SO THAT I COULD CONFIDENTLY POST WHAT I KNOW TO BE TRUE.

Neither I nor anyone I know has any aversion to hiring someone from out of town. In fact, most EVERY business owner I know WANTS more people to come to Chattanooga. (You don't really dispute that, do you?)

NO, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT CHATTANOOGA IS AS SELECTIVE AS CANADA AS TO WHO THEY LET IN. I DON'T BLAME CANADA BUT CHATTANOOGA AINT SHANGRILA AND COULD USE SOME PROGRESSIVE THINKING. I DO BELIEVE THAT CHATTANOOGA'S GENERAL GROWTH OBJECTIVE IS RETIREMENT AND TOURISM AND THE STATE'S MOST REPUTABLE BUSINESS PUBLICATION PUTS CHATTANOOGA IN FIRST PLACE FOR THE WORST PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.

We love Chattanooga and like people who come here because they do, too. I wish you the best and hope you find the job you want in a location you like. Good luck!

THANK YOU. WE LOVE CHATTANOOGA TOO. WE ARE, AFTER ALL, FROM HERE. WE WERE BORN HERE. I MUST DEFINE WHAT I LIKE MOST THOUGH. THE NATURAL BEAUTY AND ALL THAT THE OUTDOORS HAS TO OFFER. IF I DO NOT GET WORK SOON, I WILL BE LIVING THERE.

WHILE I APPRECIATE ALL THE RESPONSES TO MY POSTINGS, I WILL, ONCE AGAIN, REITERATE, I AM NOT BITTER. I AM DISAPPOINTED. MUCH OF THIS IS MY FAULT FOR NOT HAVING A SOLID PLAN AND JUST HAVING THE DESIRE TO COME HOME AND SHARE WHAT I HAVE ACHIEVED WITH MY HOMETOWN.

TOM WOLFE WAS RIGHT.

[valuer]

First, let me say that as a former construction loan officer for an Atlanta bank and presently a 21-year veteran real estate appraiser working for all the major banks in Chattanooga, if a house built in this area does not have a crawl space it is INFERIOR CONSTRUCTION. I'm not sure where Miss Veronica--"I hate crawl spaces is from," but concrete slab construction is considerably cheaper to build and functions as a thermal conductor; i.e., if the ground is cold, then the concrete slab foundation will conduct the cold into the living area where it is radiated and makes for very uncomfortable living. National construction cost data services show slab construction as approximately 60 percent cheaper than framed floor (crawl space) construction. Concrete vs. wood? You've got to be kidding me. I have lived in several different cities--most recently Atlanta--and can say that our slower lifestyle is just fine. We have mountains towering over a meandering river and a totally reborn downtown. Just last week, we were listed as one of the 10 best cities in the nation in which to retire. By the way, our housing prices are among the 3 lowest cities in the southeastern United States, per National Association of Realtors. Like my 22-year-old son, the things that appeal to much of our population may not appeal to the younger fresh out of college set. As Lewis Grizzard was so fond of saying about Yankees who did not care for the South, I would also say to you: Delta, and numerous airlines, are ready when you are. Sorry you did not care for our city, but you are in the minority. Hope you find what you are looking for wherever you land.

[RiverView]

Originally Posted by valuer

First, let me say that as a former construction loan officer for an Atlanta bank and presently a 21-year veteran real estate appraiser working for all the major banks in Chattanooga, if a house built in this area does not have a crawl space it is INFERIOR CONSTRUCTION. I'm not sure where Miss Veronica--"I hate crawl spaces is from," but concrete slab construction is considerably cheaper to build and functions as a thermal conductor; i.e., if the ground is cold, then the concrete slab foundation will conduct the cold into the living area where it is radiated and makes for very uncomfortable living. National construction cost data services show slab construction as approximately 60 percent cheaper than framed floor (crawl space) construction. Concrete vs. wood? You've got to be kidding me. I have lived in several different cities--most recently Atlanta--and can say that our slower lifestyle is just fine. We have mountains towering over a meandering river and a totally reborn downtown. Just last week, we were listed as one of the 10 best cities in the nation in which to retire. By the way, our housing prices are among the 3 lowest cities in the southeastern United States, per National Association of Realtors. Like my 22-year-old son, the things that appeal to much of our population may not appeal to the younger fresh out of college set. As Lewis Grizzard was so fond of saying about Yankees who did not care for the South, I would also say to you: Delta, and numerous airlines, are ready when you are. Sorry you did not care for our city, but you are in the minority. Hope you find what you are looking for wherever you land.

Welcome! Nice 1st post