Questions about Bristol

[LookingToGetOuttaAZ]

Originally Posted by WantingoutofAz

Hi LookingtogetouttaAz:

I just wanted to drop you a "hello". It seems we had similar ideas when we picked out our screen names:-) We, too are looking to move to Tennessee and thought we had our hearts set on a suburb north of Nashville but are now considering the Tri-cities area as well. My husband and I are Phoenix natives and currently live in northwest peoria. We were hoping to move by next spring (I really wanted last summer to be my last Phoenix summer) but we can't sell our house here. It is so depressing. We know we want to move to Tennessee just are still trying to figure out what will fit our family perfectly. Good luck in your search and I hope you get out of Az soon.

WantingoutofAz

Hello WantingoutofAz,
That is too funny about our screen names. I am also a Phoenix native and want to experience the four seasons. Who knew there was such a thing...lol.
Maybe if you end up in the Tri-cities area we will be neighbors. Yes, the housing market is depressing right now. I wish your family all the best.

LookingtogetouttaAZ

[LookingToGetOuttaAZ]

Originally Posted by kamoshika

You already may've done this, but you can get a decent feel for the lay of the land by looking at aerial photos on Yahoo. Here's a look at Carolina Ave. between Bristol Caverns Hwy. and Old Jonesboro Road:
Yahoo! Maps, Driving Directions, and Traffic

FWIW, most of the homes in that area were built in the '50s and have appraisal values under $60K:
Tennessee Property Data - Enter Selection Criteria

Thank you so much for the links. They are helpful. I am sure at some point we will find our place there. Thanks again for your help.

[LookingToGetOuttaAZ]

Originally Posted by Rcm58

No problem, It was a little adventure for me. The first picture is when you first leave Virginia Ave and turn onto Carolina ave heading towards the Bristol Caverns Hwy, Sorry they are so dark. As you go down the hill Government Housing on the right not in picture, on the left you have a new home on about 8-10 acres then into the turn at the bottom of the hill stands a beautiful restored 1800's farm house, from here the homes continue to have larger lots. The 2nd and 3rd pictures are of Valley Pike Elementry School and the homes surrounding it. If you keep following the road there is also a new development with homes in the 130,000 and up range.

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day. I really appreciate it.

[Rcm58]

I'm more than happy to help, without pictures like those all you'd have to see is the carefully selected ones i'm sure you've seen. Many areas in this state have rather laxed zoning laws. There are some very nice areas in Bristol, Kingsport and Johnson City and if I can help any further feel free to ask.

[JPK1353]

LookingToGetOuttaAZ,
Hi. I saw your post on here, and I joined this site just so I could post on this one forum. I'm a resident of Bristol, but I am from Biloxi, MS, and have spent most of my life in San Diego. I moved here 10 years ago this year with my husbands job, and its been great. I saw one of yours posts about a house on Caroline Ave. I just want to say good choice. I live on Georgia Ave, a very well known road in Bristol, and its a great neighborhood. If you move to this area (Referred to as the Fairmount District due to the elementary school mentioned earlier) your child would attend Vance Middle School. Its a good school, but my child attended St. Annes private school for the 7th and 8th grade. He did complete elementary school at Fairmount, and is a Junior now at Tennessee High school (also where your child would attend) but I wanted him to experience something different. The athletics are superior, by the way, so thats not a concern. Anyways, Carolina Ave is a beautiful street, along with the rest of this area. There are state streets (Georgia, Carolina, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, and some others) that are intersected my tree named streets. The neighbors are pleasant, mostly older people. My husband and I are the youngest couple on our block actually. Anyways, if you are considering other areas, base them off your price range. Theres an upper level neighborhood called MiddleBrook, which is very nice, with homes above the $150,000 range on average. 2 very well known neighboorhoods are Country Club Estates, as well as Tara Hills, both very high end neighboorhoods, with modern homes, and high prices as well. We looked at a home in Tara Hills, but were infatuated with the idea of restoring an old Victorian, which is how we ended up on Georgia. Anways, if you have anymore questions, ask please. It seems you are getting plenty of advice on here.

[Tennesseestorm]

How funny... I attended that school in the 4th grade... 1985-1986! There used to be a couple of large trees out on the front lawn... one was right up next to the school. My classroom was on the 2nd floor, on the left hand side, in the center. We did not have A/C then though! Much of the school is not visible in this photo as the school goes "back" quite a bit. I currently only live about 4 miles from where this photo was taken. Also, on that first photo with the police car, on the next street down, on the left (Jackson St), I lived in that "rock" house when I was a kid from 1982-1985. The house used to belong to my aunt. Actually that is the house next door to the lady that I mentioned whose inlaws live in the house across from the school above.. confusing I know. That school is right outside of the city limits, but I was closer to that school in the photo when I lived off of Jackson St (I went to Holston View)., than when I actually went to that school when I lived in the county- very close to where I live now. I went to a different school in the 5th grade (1986-1987).

Also that house in the photo is the "mother/father in-laws" house of one of my mothers old friends that we lived next door to from 1982-1985.

Also on that road that RCM mentioned, if you keep going, you get into the "older" upper class area. Mostly homes built in the 1970s and 1980s "Tara Hills". Still, some houses there are selling for $200K+... maybe because its close to the country club? There is also a newer upper class subdivision there, where I saw one house for sale for $600K. When I went to Holston View, I actually went to school with a lot of kids from that area.

Originally Posted by Rcm58

No problem, It was a little adventure for me. The first picture is when you first leave Virginia Ave and turn onto Carolina ave heading towards the Bristol Caverns Hwy, Sorry they are so dark. As you go down the hill Government Housing on the right not in picture, on the left you have a new home on about 8-10 acres then into the turn at the bottom of the hill stands a beautiful restored 1800's farm house, from here the homes continue to have larger lots. The 2nd and 3rd pictures are of Valley Pike Elementry School and the homes surrounding it. If you keep following the road there is also a new development with homes in the 130,000 and up range.