Specific Questions on Tri-Cities area (Johnson City, Kingsport: how much, houses, heat pump)

[CAtoGA]

Hi everyone. I'm another Northern CA girl who is just plain tired of things here is the golden state. I would love to move my family (husband and 2 children, 9 & 13) out of the hustle and bustle, even though we're in a fairly small town. I've been spending a lot of time checking out all the posts for Tennessee and I'm really taken with the Tri-Cities area - mainly due to mbmouse's great descriptions and pictures! I have some questions though to determine if this is really the kind of area that we want to be in. Hopefully someone can answer these questions for me.

1) We currently live in a "small" town with only 7500 residents, but near a "big city" with over 150,000. Even my small town, though, is crowded, and we are at least 5 miles from any amenities. I'm looking for an area that would allow me to make a quick 5-10 minute trip to the store, or maybe send the kids on their bikes to pick something up. Also would like an area near lots of other kids close in age to mine, so they could get together with their friends without me having to drive them all the time. The kicker is that we want at least 1 acre if not more. Does this fit the Tri-Cities area?

2) How often does it get below freezing? I generally like warm weather but realize that along with that comes the not-so warm weather. The question is how often?

3) Do you get more than a few inches of snow each month during the winter? We can tolerate a little snow, but more than a few inches might be pushing it.

4) Shopping - I want more than just Wal-Mart. I'd like some larger department stores. What about Lowe's? I don't go to the malls around here because they're too crowded, but as I said, the population is over 150,000 where the mall is. What kinds of stores are in the Tri-Cities area?

5) My husband likes to hunt. Are there many areas open to deer hunting?

6) How mountainous is the area? Do you have to travel on twisty roads whenever you want to go somewhere? My daughter gets car sick so that wouldn't be a good thing.

7) Schools are very important. We take our children's education very seriously and want to make sure they are in the best schools we can find. I was very impressed with Daniel Boone High School, but what about other area high schools and middle schools?

8) Monthly expenses - I know the cost of living is less there than here, but how much less? What does it cost for utilities, water, garbage service (if it's available)? What about cable, internet and phone service? What power sources are available - natural gas, propane, electricity? What about sewer service - we currently have a septic system so that wouldn't be new to us, but it would sure be nice not to have to worry about that.

9) Restaurants - we don't eat out a lot, mainly because we can't really afford it. Short of fast food, what restaurants are available? We aren't really into the fancy cuisine, basics are good - a good steak house, seafood?

Well, that's about all I can think of right now. Boy, didn't realize it was quite that long. Sorry, I just want to make sure we are making the right choice. Of course, we wouldn't move somewhere without visiting first, but I want to narrow the choices down. Thanks for any and all help!

[mbmouse]

I am going to try to answer as many of these as I can, hopefully some other locals can input what I miss. I hope it helps.

[quote=CAtoGA;161560]Hi everyone. I'm another Northern CA girl who is just plain tired of things here is the golden state. I would love to move my family (husband and 2 children, 9 & 13) out of the hustle and bustle, even though we're in a fairly small town. I've been spending a lot of time checking out all the posts for Tennessee and I'm really taken with the Tri-Cities area - mainly due to mbmouse's great descriptions and pictures! I have some questions though to determine if this is really the kind of area that we want to be in. Hopefully someone can answer these questions for me.

1) We currently live in a "small" town with only 7500 residents, but near a "big city" with over 150,000. Even my small town, though, is crowded, and we are at least 5 miles from any amenities. I'm looking for an area that would allow me to make a quick 5-10 minute trip to the store, or maybe send the kids on their bikes to pick something up. Also would like an area near lots of other kids close in age to mine, so they could get together with their friends without me having to drive them all the time. The kicker is that we want at least 1 acre if not more. Does this fit the Tri-Cities area?
Johnson City has just over 55,000 people and Kingsport has just over 44,000 people. That is within city limits. There are several little areas just outside of city limits that have less people and you can buy land and home, and feel like you are in the Country. For example, I live in Gray. We are 2 miles outside the city limits. We have 2 grocery stores, 2 auto parts stores, 2 pizza places, 2 or 3 Chinese food places, a Dollar General, a pharmacy, 2 farm and garden places and several other business. There are a few development type areas that are within biking distance to these but I would not suggest your children bike on the main Rd as is is 4 lanes even though it is a small town (pop about 1300) Gray school, which is the elementary and middle school is GREAT! and they go to Daniel Boone for High which also is in Gray. There is another similar community just to the east of J.C. that is called Boone's Creek area. Jonesbrough is another one, but they have a different school, which is Jonesborough elementary and Middle and Davy Crockett High. In Sullivan County (Kingsport) there is Pinney Flats, Colonial Heights, Midway and Bluntville. From all these "little" areas/towns, you can get to the "down town" within 15 minutes. Most of these areas also have at least one area of houses that would be considered a "development" as there are several roads of houses and some have and acre or more of land, but would be close enough if there are lots of kids for your children to ride bikes or walk to other neighbors.


2) How often does it get below freezing? I generally like warm weather but realize that along with that comes the not-so warm weather. The question is how often? Hard to say, in the 10 years I have been here, we never get more than 3 inches of snow at a time and it is usually gone by the next day if not that day. I would prefer more myself hahahha My husband grew up here and said in 93' or 94' they had over 2 feet in one day! So it can happen here, just not every year. As far as below freezing weather, yes but usually only in the over night temps. In mid January some days we might have highs of only low 30's but it doesn't last for weeks and weeks. In the fall and spring having the 30 degree temp spread in 12 hours can be more to get used to than the low temps I found.

4) Shopping - I want more than just Wal-Mart. I'd like some larger department stores. What about Lowe's? I don't go to the malls around here because they're too crowded, but as I said, the population is over 150,000 where the mall is. What kinds of stores are in the Tri-Cities area?
I will give you a list of some of the stores in Johnson City, there are about the same in Kingsport.
Lowe's Home Depot, Super Wal-Mart, Super K-Mart, Ross, Michaels, Dress Barn, Old Navy, Pet's Smart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Barns and Nobles, Ashley furniture, Koals,Office Max, Hollywood Video ....that is just on State of Franklin which I get to from Gray in less than 10 minutes. On Roan St. where the mall is has Target, Books-A-Million, Pier One, Hobby Shop, Toy's-R-Us, CVS, Walgreen's, Block Buster, Office Depot, Dollar Store, Big Lots, Rex, Fred's, Grands furniture,..... and some others I can't recall right now, but there are a bunch!
5) My husband likes to hunt. Are there many areas open to deer hunting?
Yes, but I have no idea where, maybe one of the guys can answer that one better?


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[mbmouse]

6) How mountainous is the area? Do you have to travel on twisty roads whenever you want to go somewhere? My daughter gets car sick so that wouldn't be a good thing.
They are not mountainous in the Tri Cities, some a bit curvy but nothing bad. My son can get car sick too, he doesn't unless we go into the Smokies, then we just stop more often for him.
7) Schools are very important. We take our children's education very seriously and want to make sure they are in the best schools we can find. I was very impressed with Daniel Boone High School, but what about other area high schools and middle schools?I agree, I like Daniel Boone and Gray, there is Davy Crockett and Science Hill in Washington County. In Sullivan there is Dobbins Bennett which is a great school!There is also Sullivan North and South I have never heard much about them. Maybe someone else can offer more info on these?

8) Monthly expenses - I know the cost of living is less there than here, but how much less? What does it cost for utilities, water, garbage service (if it's available)? What about cable, internet and phone service? What power sources are available - natural gas, propane, electricity? What about sewer service - we currently have a septic system so that wouldn't be new to us, but it would sure be nice not to have to worry about that.Lets see, I pay about $20 for basic phone (more really because of DSL) Water/Sewer/Garbage, if you have city water sewer garbage, will run you about $100. If you don't have these, (septic tank) water will run you about $20 a month and there are companies that you can hire to pick up trash once a week I think they charge about $20 a month. Or you can haul it for free. Electric runs us about $160 a month but that is because we have a heat pump, hate that thing hahahhaha. We have Dish Network with HBO, Cinimax and such and runs about $100 too. You can get propane or heating fuel heaters but those are not public, you get a tank and have have a company fill it up several times a year. In the City limits you can get natural gas, but not in the outlying towns you are looking at.

9) Restaurants - we don't eat out a lot, mainly because we can't really afford it. Short of fast food, what restaurants are available? We aren't really into the fancy cuisine, basics are good - a good steak house, seafood?
Again, going to give a sample list of J.C. about the same in Kingsport. The Olive Garden, Johnny Corinos, Texas Road House, Red Lobster, Smokie Joes, O'Charlies, Hooters, The Red Pig ( GREAT sandwich BBQ place) El Chico's, Applebee's, Atlanta Bread Co. Penera Bread, Chucky Cheese, Cheddars, Chilies, about 5 Chinese buffets, Perkins, and the list goes, on, those are just mainly off Roan St.

Well, that's about all I can think of right now. Boy, didn't realize it was quite that long. Sorry, I just want to make sure we are making the right choice. Of course, we wouldn't move somewhere without visiting first, but I want to narrow the choices down. Thanks for any and all help![/quote]

[CAtoGA]

Wow! That was pretty comprehensive! I REALLY appreciate the time you took, mbmouse, to be so thorough. It sounds like the area could very well be what we are looking for. Small town, with lots amenities. I've loved looking at all the pictures that you've posted and sharing them with my family. The kids really want to move now. Unfortunately, we have to wait until 2008. I'm thinking we'll be out next summer to check things out. Thanks again!