Should we buy or rent in Cookeville? (for sale by owner, rentals)

[PickedTN]

I've been surfing this forum for a couple of months and can guess what you'll say! But let me explain my particulars. My husband and I don't need jobs, we just want a really great place to live in TN (to be closer to his folks, among other reasons). We've been renting in Signal Mtn, TN for a couple of months while looking for a home to buy. We can't find a house that we like up here, so we expanded our search to Cookeville. The only house we like there isn't perfect, but it's in a good central location, on a good lot, is very livable, and can be renovated. We could buy it and see how we like the area (I'm confident that we will), or we could rent a home and see what else comes on the market. We don't like renting...we feel as though we are putting our lives on hold and "camping out" because we don't know how long we'll be there. We're anxious to settle into a nice home!

Another option is to build a house, but we haven't seen any lots for sale that we like. We need to make a decision soon, as we're getting kicked out of this rental home.

If any of you know of unlisted homes (2600+ sq ft with most rooms on main level) or lots for sale, please send me a PM. We're particularly interested in the Lowelands/Village Green general area.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by picky444

I've been surfing this forum for a couple of months and can guess what you'll say! But let me explain my particulars. My husband and I don't need jobs, we just want a really great place to live in TN (to be closer to his folks, among other reasons). We've been renting in Signal Mtn, TN for a couple of months while looking for a home to buy. We can't find a house that we like up here, so we expanded our search to Cookeville. The only house we like there isn't perfect, but it's in a good central location, on a good lot, is very livable, and can be renovated. We could buy it and see how we like the area (I'm confident that we will), or we could rent a home and see what else comes on the market. We don't like renting...we feel as though we are putting our lives on hold and "camping out" because we don't know how long we'll be there. We're anxious to settle into a nice home!

Another option is to build a house, but we haven't seen any lots for sale that we like. We need to make a decision soon, as we're getting kicked out of this rental home.

If any of you know of unlisted homes (2600+ sq ft with most rooms on main level) or lots for sale, please send me a PM. We're particularly interested in the Lowelands/Village Green general area.

That's a very good question! I can see why you'd rather rent and wait to see what will become available.

However, I don't think many homes regularly become available in the Lowelands/Village Green areas. Those are two of my favorite neighborhoods in Cookeville. When I go to Cookeville I usually drive through there just to enjoy the scenery, and I don't recall ever seeing very many homes for sale there. So if you decide to rent first, you might be renting for a while since the "perfect" house is rarely ready when we are.

Since you have a home already picked out that you can live with and that you can renovate into what you really like, my vote is to go ahead and buy.

Keep us posted on your decision.

For kicks, I'm going to post a picture of Loweland Ave. I was in Cookeville the other day taking pictures for someone else who's thinking seriously of moving to Cookeville.

[pdq]

Rent. Take your time and find exactly what you're looking for. There's a flood of properties coming on the market and many sellers are getting desperate. If you see something you like but out of your price range, make a low offer and keep moving if they don't like it. You'll find what you want.

No need to get stuck in a house that's not perfect for you then have to struggle to sell it, patience wins in the long run.

Best of luck to you.

[firepower]

Well,after reading your post I jumped in my truck & drove through these neighborhoods as I live only blocks away from both.

I'll just say this...Don't close on that fixer-upper just yet!
Cause if you want to live in Loweland or Village Green there are 13! Count'em 13 homes for sale in those two neighborhoods combined.

Five in Loweland(4 listed,1 for sale by owner)
Eight in Village Green (5 listed,2 FSBO & one that is gonna be auctioned off this Saturday morning!)
I must say I was a little shocked cause like JMT said there are normally NONE,or at least very few...

This is not to mention the many,many others for sale in the general area north from the courthouse to 10th st.& west from Dixie Ave. to Old Kentucky Rd. which is overall a very,very nice area.

Come up & take a look! I didn't get any phone #'s or addresses for the FSBO's or the one to be auctioned but I can just p.m. me...It's literally one block to Loweland & 3 blocks to Village Green for me.


firepower

[JMT]

Originally Posted by firepower

Well,after reading your post I jumped in my truck & drove through these neighborhoods as I live only blocks away from both.

I'll just say this...Don't close on that fixer-upper just yet!
Cause if you want to live in Loweland or Village Green there are 13! Count'em 13 homes for sale in those two neighborhoods combined.

Five in Loweland(4 listed,1 for sale by owner)
Eight in Village Green (5 listed,2 FSBO & one that is gonna be auctioned off this Saturday morning!)
I must say I was a little shocked cause like JMT said there are normally NONE,or at least very few...

This is not to mention the many,many others for sale in the general area north from the courthouse to 10th st.& west from Dixie Ave. to Old Kentucky Rd. which is overall a very,very nice area.

Come up & take a look! I didn't get any phone #'s or addresses for the FSBO's or the one to be auctioned but I can just p.m. me...It's literally one block to Loweland & 3 blocks to Village Green for me.


firepower

Wow, I had no idea there were that many homes for sale in those neighborhoods. I was up there on Saturday and didn't notice any. In fact, I took several pictures of newer neighborhoods in Cookeville and hardly noticed any for sale signs at all. And I saw a bunch of homes under construction. But I didn't actually go through Village Green or Loweland although I took a picture of the entrance to Loweland.

[PickedTN]

I agree that there are quite a few houses for sale in the Loweland area, not to mention Cookeville in general. I'm exhausted from looking at houses! I admit that my wish list is very long, but I'm not yet inclined to shorten it (a glutton for punishment?). I had no idea that househunting would be this difficult. It's very frustrating.

The more we think about buying the house that needs renovation, the more unsure we are. We've just about reached the conclusion that we should rent. We can then decide whether to build or wait for a suitable house to be listed. We'll head to Cookeville tommorrow to look at rentals...I hope we can find a good one!

[JMT]

Originally Posted by picky444

I agree that there are quite a few houses for sale in the Loweland area, not to mention Cookeville in general. I'm exhausted from looking at houses! I admit that my wish list is very long, but I'm not yet inclined to shorten it (a glutton for punishment?). I had no idea that househunting would be this difficult. It's very frustrating.

The more we think about buying the house that needs renovation, the more unsure we are. We've just about reached the conclusion that we should rent. We can then decide whether to build or wait for a suitable house to be listed. We'll head to Cookeville tommorrow to look at rentals...I hope we can find a good one!

It sounds like you might want to build a house, although like you said earlier it might be tough finding a suitable lot in the part of town that you like.

Good luck! Let us know what you find out tomorrow.

[firepower]

Originally Posted by JMT

Wow, I had no idea there were that many homes for sale in those neighborhoods. I was up there on Saturday and didn't notice any. In fact, I took several pictures of newer neighborhoods in Cookeville and hardly noticed any for sale signs at all. And I saw a bunch of homes under construction. But I didn't actually go through Village Green or Loweland although I took a picture of the entrance to Loweland.

I hadn't actually driven through these neighborhoods in some time either and I must say I was very suprised as well.

There was one in Capshaw Woods that sold the other day that my wife & I are kinda kicking ourselves over...



firepower

[JMT]

Originally Posted by firepower

I hadn't actually driven through these neighborhoods in some time either and I must say I was very suprised as well.

There was one in Capshaw Woods that sold the other day that my wife & I are kinda kicking ourselves over...


firepower

Capshaw Woods is BEAUTIFUL. And, of course, Capshaw School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It's certainly in a beautiful neighborhood, thickly wooded and just a few blocks from the heart of downtown. It was sad when they had to tear down the original school building which was beloved by all who passed through its front door. But they kept that front door when they built the new school. I took a picture of it, too!

[firepower]

Originally Posted by JMT

Capshaw Woods is BEAUTIFUL. And, of course, Capshaw School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It's certainly in a beautiful neighborhood, thickly wooded and just a few blocks from the heart of downtown. It was sad when they had to tear down the original school building which was beloved by all who passed through its front door. But they kept that front door when they built the new school. I took a picture of it, too!

Very neat how they kept the old entryway up in the playground!

You took a LOT of pictures this past weekend JMT!


firepower