More questions about Eden (Johnson City, Kingsport: rental, work, house)

[KristaG]

You have been SOOOO helpful and you're right about Kingsport - what a beautiful place! We are looking into it quite seriously, all because of you guys and I just wanted to thank you for the input.

Any words of advice on which schools - Elementary, Middle, and High?

Also, where in the heck can I find a house to rent? No luck finding online property management companies. Here is what we're looking for...

Our friend needs: 3/2
My rother's family needs: 4/2 (or 3/2 with den)
and my family could eek by with a 3/2 if we had to, but a 4/2 would better fit our needs
If any of these had finished basements or bonus rooms, that would be awesome! Then a 3 bedroom would be fine because the older kids would want the basement anyway.

Thanks again

[mbmouse]

Hi KristaG,
You can give Brents Rentals a call, I will DM you the phone #, they are about the largest management Co in Kingsport. You should also keep an eye on the newspaper for private rentals Tri-Cities, Tennessee Personal News and Media Center
Good luck and Welcome to the Tri-Cities.
Also gonna move this to the Tri-Cities sub forum where you might get better answers.

[KristaG]

mbmouse,

Thanks for organizing my stuff to where it belongs - I'm still quite new at this and appreciate your help. Do you live in the Tri-Cities area? Whereabouts? Does Seacoast Supply have a place around there? (they are a building supply place, specializing in drywall supplies)

Oh, and one other thing I forgot to ask...is there any legal gambling, like Texas Hold Em? In our area, you can go to the dog track to play. I have been a few times and it was kinda fun. My brother is a better player, actually played in the WSOP this year - WAY too scary for me!

Thanks again

[mbmouse]

Hello again,
Yes I live in Gray and work in Kingsport, shop in both Kingsport and Johnson City. Happy to help if I can. No, sorry so Seacoast here but there are several specialty lumber/supply type places along with Lowe's and Home Depot.
As for gambling, there is Cherokee about an hour and a halves drive from JC and there is a Harris Casino there. I have seen several of those machines where you play cards in a few of the bar type places in JC. I know they have one in Bailey's sports bar/restaurant. No dog or horse tracks around though.

[KristaG]

I am putting a call into Brent's Rents this morning - thanks for the lead and wish me luck. Also, I added to your reputation last night (just so you know).

The weird thing about doing so much of this online is that you could very well end up with the nicest looking place in crack-town if you're not careful. That's what scares me so much! If I were to rent a nice 3 or 4 br in a nice, clean (crackless) area, what would I expect to pay?

Lemme explain... where I am, the teens completely SUCK - they steal, they are on drugs & alcohol, & make a hobby of voilence, so I am dying to get my kids out of here before they end up just another statistic. Many of the kids here are on probabtion by the age of 9 or 10.

We sold our house earlier this year and have been renting because we knew we wanted to move away but to rent a 3/2 1300sf newer home (built in late '98) on 80 x 100 lot with well water (yuck) runs $1,200./month and electric runs $300 - $360 month. The neighborhood is mostly older homes, from the 60's/70's. Is it ANY more affordable up there? I have a feeling it is. And are the kids any better?

[kamoshika]

Originally Posted by KristaG

...is there any legal gambling, like Texas Hold Em? In our area, you can go to the dog track to play.

I'm not into gambling but Colonial Downs in Weber City, VA offers off-track betting (satellite wagering) and is a pretty popular place. They also have Texas Hold 'em tournaments every Friday. It's a quick drive from Kingsport, about 10-12 min. from downtown. More info here:
Colonial Downs

RE: Kingsport high schools, there's only one city school (Dobyns-Bennett) and it's one of the best in the state. There are two county high schools here, and Sullivan South is a better choice than Sullivan North IMO. Washington Elementary is still the grade school of choice but I don't think there are any truly "bad" elementary schools in Kingsport. Robinson & Sevier are the two middle schools and both are very good, though Robinson might have a (very) slight edge.

Best of luck w/ your move!

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by KristaG

I am putting a call into Brent's Rents this morning - thanks for the lead and wish me luck. Also, I added to your reputation last night (just so you know).

The weird thing about doing so much of this online is that you could very well end up with the nicest looking place in crack-town if you're not careful. That's what scares me so much! If I were to rent a nice 3 or 4 br in a nice, clean (crackless) area, what would I expect to pay?

Lemme explain... where I am, the teens completely SUCK - they steal, they are on drugs & alcohol, & make a hobby of voilence, so I am dying to get my kids out of here before they end up just another statistic. Many of the kids here are on probabtion by the age of 9 or 10.

We sold our house earlier this year and have been renting because we knew we wanted to move away but to rent a 3/2 1300sf newer home (built in late '98) on 80 x 100 lot with well water (yuck) runs $1,200./month and electric runs $300 - $360 month. The neighborhood is mostly older homes, from the 60's/70's. Is it ANY more affordable up there? I have a feeling it is. And are the kids any better?

You will find crime anywhere but from the way you are describing where you are coming from, nowhere that I know of is like that around here! I nor my children know of anyone there age or younger, or older that is on probation.
As for the rents, I took a quick gander through the local classifieds and there is one 3/2.5 on an acre 2 car garage in nice area for $1,195 per month. But that is JC.
There is one in colonial heights which is a nice area of Kingsport, close to Warriors Path State park, a 3/2 for $800.
A Gray lake front 4/2 with boat dock for $850 a month
Another in Gray a 3/2 with garage and pool for $800 a month
So it looks like you would be looking at about $800 to $1000 a month range for what you are looking for.
Hope that helps.

[KristaG]

You guys rock, you know that! I just love that you are always so helpful. I actually called on the one on Grays lake for $850 and Colonial Heights and something flats (that sound right)? Anyway, they sounded great, but I don't know what good neighborhoods are around there. You know what I mean?

I did get an email today from a property mgmt co about a house on Hull Drive. The pics looked great and it's a 6br with a partially finished basement for $1350. Personally, if I could live on a lake where my kids could toss out a line every afternoon, I would prefer that. But again, I don't know what areas are nice. My brother has a 19' fishing boat he would love to bring but we don't know which lakes would be big enough. (The things they call "waterfront" here are really nothing more than retention ponds).

Also, thanks for the school info - I almost wish I could jump into my car right now and just send for my things! LOL

[mbmouse]

Originally Posted by KristaG

You guys rock, you know that! I just love that you are always so helpful. I actually called on the one on Grays lake for $850 and Colonial Heights and something flats (that sound right)? Anyway, they sounded great, but I don't know what good neighborhoods are around there. You know what I mean?

I did get an email today from a property mgmt co about a house on Hull Drive. The pics looked great and it's a 6br with a partially finished basement for $1350. Personally, if I could live on a lake where my kids could toss out a line every afternoon, I would prefer that. But again, I don't know what areas are nice. My brother has a 19' fishing boat he would love to bring but we don't know which lakes would be big enough. (The things they call "waterfront" here are really nothing more than retention ponds).

Also, thanks for the school info - I almost wish I could jump into my car right now and just send for my things! LOL

Hull drive is nice. Just about anywhere in Gray is good, Pinney Flats is nice too. I would say the only "Iffy" places would be Lynn Garden drive area of Kingsport and some parts of Bloomingdale. As for JC, I would say right downtown and some parts of Fairview Dr. I can't think of any other "iffy" areas, anyone else?

[kamoshika]

All of the TVA lakes in this area -- Fort Patrick Henry, Boone, Watauga & South Holston -- are plenty big enough to accommodate your brother's fishing boat. Boone is the most popular of the four, while FPH is by far the smallest.
Sherpa Guides | Tennessee | The Tennessee Mountains | The Tennessee Valley Authority | TVA Lakes

Colonial Heights really doesn't have any "bad" areas; it's an affluent, highly educated, low-crime community. I've driven around Piney Flats quite a bit and haven't seen any really rough-looking areas.

The parts of Kingsport I would not want to live in (they're not especially dangerous, just kinda run-down & more prone to having sketchy types around): Rameytown Road (off Big Elm Rd.); Beartown (around Granby Rd.); West View Park & Cherry Hill (between Fairview Ave. & I-26); some parts of Lynn Garden; the area around Virgil Road; some parts of Bloomingdale; Highland Park (neighborhood directly behind Dobyns-Bennett HS, across E. Center St.); Borden Village & Riverview (downtown near Eastman Chemical); Dale Street; and Gibsontown (off Gibson Mill Rd.). Of course, most of the folks who live in those areas are fine, hard-working types who'd give you the shirts off their backs.