Why is everyone that posts here moving to Johnson City? (Knoxville: transplants, real estate)

[Tennesseestorm]

Just out of curiosity does any of the other locals here know why most people that post here from out of town are so attracted to Johnson City? I am a Tri-Cities native and have been all over Bristol, Kingsport and Johnson City and the rest of the metro. I have relatives in all three cities as well.

I just personally do not know why JC is the area of choice among newcomers... is it because its slightly larger in population than Bristol or Kingsport? The slightly larger diversity? The larger mall? Any other suggestions? Its a nice area, I am not saying that, but I am wondering if there is a part of JC that I have never seen before despite my thousand trips there over the past 31 years?

[jabogitlu]

I guess it just comes down to personal preference. Some people are moving into Kingsport as well (re: dlk's recent reference), but IMO both cities have a broader appeal than Bristol insofar as the gut feeling you get when you come here. Lots of people dream of moving to the ETN mountains, but what they really want is to live in the city and see the mountains. Johnson City, especially, and Kingsport, to an extent, offer not only city amenities (many of which Bristol have), but also a city feeling, which is welcoming to transplants, many of whom are moving in from larger metro areas (Chicagoland, Miami, LA). Bristol is still a little too authentic for these guys.

Also, remember that larger and more diversified populations means more jobs. Kingsport's Eastman/medicine and Johnson City's med-tech corridor and ETSU bring in lots of jobs for transplants.

[studedude]

Won't know for sure until after our trip down there but right now I'm leaning toward Kingsport. But then I an old retired man who doesn't need to worry about employment.

[dlk33]

As mentioned, our interests towards the Tri-Cities areas are more in favor of Kingsport rather then Johnson City. It hasn't been decided yet as Knoxville is high on our list as well. I'm not sure if we'd view things differently if we still had children to raise. The lower median home cost & cost of living, as well as the greenway in Kingsport were the main reasons we would choose KP over JC. This all being said due to the research done online as well as all the great information we've read here on the forums. A visit is still in order for that all important decision

[Tennesseestorm]

I see and agree. I think its mostly got to be because of the higher paying jobs in KPT or JC. Wish I could get a job there, but those places would look at me and laugh. We need more better paying jobs in Bristol. Bristol gives a false sense of busy big city in downtown. All of the ritzy people go down there and into the art/antique shops and the shows in the theaters. The tall buildings in downtown Bristol look like big businesses and give it a "city feel", even moreso that KPT or JC in my opinion, but they are only apartment highrises. There supposed to be more restaurants going into downtown Bristol (one supposedly well-known) and a Cheddars somewhere on the Vol. Pkwy, which would be about the last restaurant that JC and KPT has that Bristol lacks. I remember when exit 7 area of Bristol started out as a Wal-Mart supercenter... that was all that was up there in 1993-94, then it started filling in with shops, stores, restaurants, etc, now growth has exploded up there, now with the Commons shopping center, with Target, Best Buy, etc, etc and the new Home Depot, but it was only until the last 5-6 years that the restaurants that people normally had to go to JC or KPT to eat at came to Bristol. Now we seem to have restaurants not in JC or KPT, which is a shocker and the ones in Bristol are confined into a small area. Bristol TN is still like a ghost town thanks to our wonderful city leaders and VAs LOW taxes. The only real full-service "nice" restaurants in Bristol, TN (not VA) is Fatz, Fish Tales, and several Mexican restaurants. Even Shoneys on W. State St. went out of business and all that is left there are tons of FF and a Pizza Hut. Mr Gattis on Vol. Pkwy was a booming little place and it suddenly went out of business in the 90s/early 2000s and now everything that goes in that building is 2-3 months tops. Its that aweful Chinese/buffet crap going in there. Now Bristol TN has torn down the old Fireside restaurant... this was the othe day. I had my hopes up that a Cheddars was going in there, but no another bank! Thats all thats on the parkway now, ff restaurants, BANKS, Food City, Super Wal-Mart, Lowes, car washes, auto part stores, and little mini-malls, Big Lots, Mexican restaurants, gas stations, auto dealerships, CVS, etc. Talk was a new Walgreens going in near the new Lowes/Food City, but nothing has happened yet. They have demolished the old Winn-Dixie shopping center complex... I wonder what will go in there now. In conclusion, the Vol. Pkwy in Bristol is a very busy area, with alot to offer... offers EVERYTHING really, save for nice, full-service restaurants, just those few I mentioned. Exit 7 Bristol VA is getting it all. I thought the new Wal-Mart (opened 2004) would bring in alot of retail down there near the race track, but it has not... just the new Lowes, which is next to the new Food City. You would think that BMS area would be built up like crazy.... strange why its not. OH, there is a new Food Country Super store going in very near there.... will be neat to see how well that competes with Food City in Blountville and the new one going up in Piney Flats.

Originally Posted by jabogitlu

I guess it just comes down to personal preference. Some people are moving into Kingsport as well (re: dlk's recent reference), but IMO both cities have a broader appeal than Bristol insofar as the gut feeling you get when you come here. Lots of people dream of moving to the ETN mountains, but what they really want is to live in the city and see the mountains. Johnson City, especially, and Kingsport, to an extent, offer not only city amenities (many of which Bristol have), but also a city feeling, which is welcoming to transplants, many of whom are moving in from larger metro areas (Chicagoland, Miami, LA). Bristol is still a little too authentic for these guys.

Also, remember that larger and more diversified populations means more jobs. Kingsport's Eastman/medicine and Johnson City's med-tech corridor and ETSU bring in lots of jobs for transplants.

[kn3crj]

With six drive-by shootings just this Monday, several hit-and-runs on Tuesday and one or two high speed chases the remainder of the week, that's why some folks from the left coast, CA, are moving back to a slower and sane environment. I'll not consider East TN is one of the most beautiful areas in the US. And I like the friendly folks.

Next week we'll see more illegal aliens walking the streets, while gangs numbering in LA county are 700 with approximately 40,000 members grow; it gives one to consider, are we living in a society or a war zone?

I'll not mention before we hit the real estate wall, median homes in Orange County were $600K, and that's for a run of the mill development home; nothing fancy, with your neighbors six feet from your property line.

Move to Johnson City, It's a walk in the park, without all of the drug dealers, gang members, pimps, killings and the obscene cost of residing, note I left out living.

I did reside in Greeneville for a while. Johnson City has more business opportunities.

[williboy]

Johnson City is just nicer than Bristol or Kingsport because of its proximity to Telford.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by williboy

Johnson City is just nicer than Bristol or Kingsport because of its proximity to Telford.

Cute answer. So nice to see you have pride in your new community.

And, I don't think that everyone is moving to Johnson City. I think "everyone" is moving to East Tennessee.

[suecen]

Hi! What is the "average" cost of a home in the Johnson City area? Thanks.

[Commander Al]

Home prices are very decent, depending on what you are looking for. I would say 60-80K for a decent older (20-30 yrs) ranch. Lots of outlying areas...like Elizabethton, Jonesboro etc.
I believe J. C. is preferable to me because it's not right along I-81 (busy),
not industrial like Kingsport (Eastman), and old with split city personality,
Bristol VA.
J. C. has a major university, ETSU, a fabulous medical corridor, Med School,
new Pharmacy School, and the VA for those of us disabled veterans. It's
easy to get around and not a lot of marginal looking strip malls everywhere.
The views of the wooded mountains are visible from many, many places and
it's just a zip up the hill to Roan Mountain and the Appy Trail.
Just my opinion. Commander Al