Relocating, need info (Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol: for rent, houses, neighborhoods)

[aldra3]

Hello everyone. My husband, 10 year old son and I are relocating to the Tri Cities area.We have visited and found we like Johnson City. We come from a very small town and would like to try something more populated.Some questions I have:

1. Are there any areas we should avoid?
2. How is the Science Hill school area?
3. We would be looking to rent a house from a private owner, are there many houses for rent?
4. How is the construction trade jobs?
5. Any suggestions on other areas we should consider?

Any info at this point would be appreciated. I will be coming to the area in 3 weeks to try a find a home. Thanks!

[Serious Conversation]

1) I wouldn't want to live near downtown or directly near ETSU with a family. Downtown JC is mostly a bar/club district now. Many people are moving to newer developments out near Gray or Boones Creek.

2) Science Hill is a well-regarded school. Houses in the immediate vicinity along Roan Street and the close sidestreets are pretty nice.

3) Renting in this area is not as common as in many other areas. You should be able to find something with due diligence.

4) As with most other areas, construction has slowed over the past few years, and the economy of the Tri-Cities is very weak. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Johnson City was the only metro in TN to have a net loss of jobs between 2/12-2/13. Nearby cities Kingsport and Bristol also experienced some of the worst job growth in the state. There is a new thread on the first page of the main TN page detailing this information. Please do not move here without jobs already lined up.

5) Why would you want to move to an area like the Tri-Cities when almost every other reasonably sized metro in TN is experiencing better job growth and has better prospects for the future?

[Ted Bear]

Originally Posted by aldra3

Hello everyone. My husband, 10 year old son and I are relocating to the Tri Cities area.We have visited and found we like Johnson City. We come from a very small town and would like to try something more populated.Some questions I have:

1. Are there any areas we should avoid?

The only way to find a place to live in the Tri Cities is to come and look. It is very varied, and what i like might be completely offensive to you. It is a VERY diverse area. You will quickly see what you like, and don't like. Crime, in general, is minor.


2. How is the Science Hill school area?

Science Hill is perceived as a good school. The housing around it is sort of 50's/60's. NIce. Well kept. Older, but NOT old.

3. We would be looking to rent a house from a private owner, are there many houses for rent?

Rental housing is not easy, but with work

Construction is on the downhill side of a huge boom which accomodated the huge growth in the medical community in the 90's/2000's. It has slowed to a crawl. Get in line for the few jobs.

5. Any suggestions on other areas we should consider?

Get here. Rent a car if you fly in. Get with a good realtor, and tour the area. Budget, likes/dislikes, job location, school choice, activity interests will dictate where you might choose to live. Three days should be enough to find a place, or at least get a good start on what/where.


Any info at this point would be appreciated. I will be coming to the area in 3 weeks to try a find a home. Thanks!

If you are into the religous thing, hook up with some church folks. Everyone here is very amicable--especially the churchy folks.

[jabogitlu]

1) I wouldn't want to live near downtown or directly near ETSU with a family. Downtown JC is mostly a bar/club district now. Many people are moving to newer developments out near Gray or Boones Creek.

Umm, downtown Johnson City isn't a bar or club district. By any stretch of your imagination. I agree I wouldn't live there with a family - because there are very few amenities currently, like parks, playgrounds, etc. The Tree Streets is a great neighborhood adjacent to downtown with lots of families, parks, and a school in the center. There are also lots of families living behind ETSU on Cherokee Road and Greenwood Drive.

There are also lots of families living north of downtown in the nice neighborhoods around Roan/Unaka, Roan/Myrtle, Roan/Holston, etc.

[aldra3]

Thanks for the info. I plan on driving to the area and spending a week to house hunt.

[olingerfam]

good luck. we're searching too but having no luck, the area is depressing really. but i hope you can find something and that it makes yall happy. check out craigslist, tc lewis properties, and blue ridge properties, also wolfe development good luck

[Ted Bear]

Originally Posted by olingerfam

good luck. we're searching too but having no luck, the area is depressing really. but i hope you can find something and that it makes yall happy. check out craigslist, tc lewis properties, and blue ridge properties, also wolfe development good luck

Why despressing? Where are you coming from? What have you seen that you didn't like?

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by Ted Bear

Why despressing? Where are you coming from? What have you seen that you didn't like?

Good question, from their first post here it looks like they never really lived here but just considered it briefly.young married couple, moving- thinking coastal carolinas?

But their own reasons are really off topic and we need to keep the thread on topic for the OP. ;-)