Hawks Bluff Tennessee (Chattanooga, Spencer: 2013, foreclosure, home)

[Bud & Heidi]

Could somebody help a couple of Michiganders and tell us about the
community at Hawks Bluff, we are thinking about buying property
there.

[brcomm0]

My wife and I own property in Hawks Bluff and now contracting to build a log home in Phase 1. My wife and I are from the Florida area and work in Law Enforcement and find this community to be very nice.

[yellowhummer]

Originally Posted by Bud & Heidi

Could somebody help a couple of Michiganders and tell us about the
community at Hawks Bluff, we are thinking about buying property
there.

We are from South Florida (West Palm Beach County), we purchased property this past spring from Paul Mount (he is so knowledgeable and a pleasure to deal with)......if you decide to purchase I recommend you deal with Paul. He also lives in Hawks Bluff!
Our time frame to relocate is approx. 5 years and can't wait to leave behind the heat and humidity, crowds, traffic, rude people. We are happy nesters but still working full time.
Chattanooga is a 40 minute drive where you have anything that you could ask for from great restaurants, theater, shopping and then you have the luxury of returning to little town Spencer. All of this was part of our decision process.
We are going to Tennessee next week for a week and cannot wait to visit our property in phase four.
Good luck to you. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

[maryn]

yes, go see Paul. he has been a tremendous help to us with preparing to build our log home. he is from FLA like us, and also like us curious about TN living. buy in Hawks Bluff, you will find a piece of heaven like we did. Bud and Heidi have you visited yet?

[brobates]

Originally Posted by Bud & Heidi

Could somebody help a couple of Michiganders and tell us about the
community at Hawks Bluff, we are thinking about buying property
there.

We bought a piece of proprty there about 2 years ago, it's just been sitting there, but we love the area. With all of the roads paved, all of the utulities are underground, it's a great and beautiful spot. I grew up in Chattanooga about about an hour south east of Hawks bluff. My husband and I live in Orlando and waiting for my kids to finish college before making our home up there.

Good luck in your search, it's a beautfiul place.

[hiknapster]

I thought the developer abandoned the property? Rocco Toscano from Hialeah, Florida. Did he?

[yarddawg]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I thought the developer abandoned the property? Rocco Toscano from Hialeah, Florida. Did he?

He left for Florida about a year ago. I've heard some complaints about the roads deteriorating and there never were any water lines. Foreclosure lots advertised in the paper just about every week and the going rate for lots not in foreclosure seems to be about 3-6K. I saw a 1.5 acre lot listed for $3,900 a couple of days ago so no, the place isn't doing too great.

This is for the Van Buren Hawk's Bluff, I'm less up to date on the property in Sequatchie.

[GrandM]

I purchased porperty in phase IV about 5.5 years ago for $33K (1.2 acers) have only been back once to see the property and the roads were in. I know there are several upset people who have formed groups to seek legal actions against Rocco. Property was buile on a old Military bombing field. Property is now worth about $6k

[2mares]

Honestly, is 1.2 acres in Van Buren Co. ever worth 33K. $3,900.00 sounds more like it.

[yarddawg]

Originally Posted by 2mares

Honestly, is 1.2 acres in Van Buren Co. ever worth 33K. $3,900.00 sounds more like it.

It's worse than that, some of them originally sold for over 50K. For lots with no utility water available. Most weren't evaluated for septic systems before being sold, no planning commission at the time, some will be unbuildable because there isn't enough dirt over the sandstone to get a septic permit. On top of that it's in Welchland, not considered a high dollar part of the county even by local standards, too much abuse over the years by strip mines, timber companies and the military. Mostly trailers and shacks. I don't really mean that in a bad way, I have family in Welchland, but it does seem like a danged odd spot to try to put an expensive subdivision. Some of the lots do have nice views but there are so many negatives to go with it, not the least of which is that much of the 'view' is owned by a timber company that could turn it into a moonscape at any given moment.

Foreclosure lots are still listed in the paper almost every week, even the Christmas moratorium didn't stop it. Raw land must have been exempt from relief. I've recently seen non-foreclosure lots listed for as little as $3500.

So no, it's doubtful that 1.2 acres in Van Buren has ever been worth 33K and if there ever has been 1.2 acres worth that it wasn't a piece of cut-over timberland at the edge of an old military bombing range within a couple of miles of abandoned coal strip pits in Welchland. The whole thing always seemed crazy to me, just took awhile for reality to catch up with the hype.

And a little trivia: the average price per acre that the developers paid for the land when they picked it up at auction from Huber timber company was well under 1K.