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08-11-2008, 12:58 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
422 posts, read 393,256 times
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Really? Less than $100,000?
Hello everyone,
My husband and I are playing around with the idea of early retirement. We currently live in AZ and while it is beautiful, the heat is affecting us more than we could have imagined. I am 39 and he is 42. He has his military pension of $2100/month and we would pay cash for an inexpensivie house. Is this possible? I am a nurse and would like to work occasionally at a hospital. Is that possible in this area? I was looking at real estate and was floored by the inexpensive prices and low taxes. Are they safe areas? Many were in Bristol. If we saw the neighborhoods in person, would be be disappointed in how dramatically different they looked in comparison to the pics on the internet? Thanks for your opinions!!!!!!!!!!
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08-11-2008, 01:20 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
422 posts, read 393,256 times
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I thought I would add a few other things............
1. The house could be over $100,000, but the lower the better.
2. Must have a garage
3. Hubby is an avid motorcyclist and misses the beautiful scenery and quiet roads in Pennsylvania.
Would we find that our needs would be met in this area? It looks so beautiful. I THINK I may have passed through the general area once while traveling from FL to PA on the 81, but I can't remember where I stopped. We still have a house in PA (and one in AZ), but we just really need a lower COL to do something like this.
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08-11-2008, 03:05 PM
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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2007
31 posts, read 43,067 times
Reputation: 24
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It depends of course...
Hi,
I have just been through the housing market of the tri-cities, looking for a house for me and my wife.
Whether it is a good buy in Bristol depends a lot on the neighborhood. Generally:
In Bristol VA, the best neighborhoods are west and north of Euclid Ave. and in the suburbs just outside of the city.
In Bristol, TN, the better neighborhoods are around King College, around Steele Park, and again inthe suburbs just outside of the city.
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08-11-2008, 08:11 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Beautiful East TN!!
6,715 posts, read 5,166,614 times
Reputation: 1887
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Not sure about Bristol, but in general......
Hello, Welcome to the forum, glad to have you and hope we can help answer your questions.
I am not really all that familiar with the Bristol area of the Tri-Cities but in general, yes, sometimes you can find pretty decent homes in the Tri-Cities in safe, nice neighborhoods at or under 100k. I just did a quick search of Realtor.com for only the areas I feel I know enough to judge if they are good or bad neighborhoods. Here are a few I found so you may be able to use as examples of what you can get in this region for that price in decent areas. I hope this gives you an idea.
Single Family Home - Kingsport, TN, 37664 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Chuckey, TN, 37641 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Mount Carmel, TN, 37645 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Kingsport, TN, 37664 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Kingsport, TN, 37664 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Limestone, TN, 37681 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Kingsport, TN, 37664 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Jonesborough, TN, 37659 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Jonesborough, TN, 37659 - Realtor.com
( I love the area this one is in)
Single Family Home - Jonesborough, TN, 37659 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Mount Carmel, TN, 37645 - Realtor.com
(This is in a BEAUTIFUL area, I believe nice views of bays mountain.)
Single Family Home - Kingsport, TN, 37660 - Realtor.com
If you don't need schools, this is a very beautiful area!
Single Family Home - Elizabethton, TN, 37643 - Realtor.com
Hope that kind of gives you an idea. 
Last edited by mbmouse; 08-12-2008 at 07:57 AM..
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08-12-2008, 03:43 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2006
800 posts, read 810,545 times
Reputation: 285
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Howdy,
Retiring military AZ, Air force or Army? I'm retired Coast Guard, 42, just moved here recently, I'm supposed to start LPN soon, working in a hospital now and looking for a new motorcycle myself, came here looking for cheaper real estate to pay cash for and retire....you guys sound like I did last year 
Welcome to TN (or at least hello from TN)
There are quite a few homes in your price range, you can find brand new homes in the low 100's, older homes $60-120, quality varies widely. Some homes are in disrepair, some have been kept up, just need to look carefully. I'm in the process of buying a place now for less than $90k with 2 car garage, 2 barns and 8 acres just outside Johnson City limits.
Real estate taxes are fairly low here, not as low as they would appear, but better than PA, CA, etc. No income tax, but a hefty sales tax.
Motorcycle's are very popular here due to riding in the smokey mountains, lots of Harley's here, my sister has a Fatboy, brother in law has a Road King.
Tricare is accepted here, but there is no MTF, nor commissary, nor exchange. There is a huge VA hospital, need to be service connected or low income to get care though.
If ya'll have any specific questions feel free to send me a message.
Good luck
Tony
p.s. As a nurse, there are tons of hospitals and clinics in Johnson City, that's also where the VA hospital is. Johnson City is where I'm buying my place, Bristol and Kingsport are a little bit cheaper, but not as popular in general. I'd recommend the JC area, but heck this whole area is geographically close together, I'm used to living out west where towns could be hundreds of miles apart. I currently live in JC but work on the TN/VA line in Bristol Regional Medical center. As far as the hubby working in the hospital, he can work at the VA and retire with another pension.
Lastly what are you looking for in a house? How old, how much land, etc Tons of good houses, but also tons of pure crap, hard to tell them apart online.
Last edited by Tony1790; 08-12-2008 at 03:54 AM..
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08-12-2008, 12:03 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
422 posts, read 393,256 times
Reputation: 57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mbmouse
Hello, Welcome to the forum, glad to have you and hope we can help answer your questions.
I am not really all that familiar with the Bristol area of the Tri-Cities but in general, yes, sometimes you can find pretty decent homes in the Tri-Cities in safe, nice neighborhoods at or under 100k. I just did a quick search of Realtor.com for only the areas I feel I know enough to judge if they are good or bad neighborhoods. Here are a few I found so you may be able to use as examples of what you can get in this region for that price in decent areas. I hope this gives you an idea.
Single Family Home - Kingsport, TN, 37664 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Chuckey, TN, 37641 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Mount Carmel, TN, 37645 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Kingsport, TN, 37664 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Kingsport, TN, 37664 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Limestone, TN, 37681 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Kingsport, TN, 37664 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Jonesborough, TN, 37659 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Jonesborough, TN, 37659 - Realtor.com
( I love the area this one is in)
Single Family Home - Jonesborough, TN, 37659 - Realtor.com
Single Family Home - Mount Carmel, TN, 37645 - Realtor.com
(This is in a BEAUTIFUL area, I believe nice views of bays mountain.)
Single Family Home - Kingsport, TN, 37660 - Realtor.com
If you don't need schools, this is a very beautiful area!
Single Family Home - Elizabethton, TN, 37643 - Realtor.com
Hope that kind of gives you an idea. |
Thank you so much for finding those listings. I really appreciate the time you spent on that Those look quite nice for the price. I just need to convince my DH that my expectations for a $100,000 house are quite different than my expectations for a $300,000 house. I know I stopped at a Subway somewhere in that general area and it was a few miles from the HWY and I was amazed at how beautiful everything was.
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08-12-2008, 12:10 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
422 posts, read 393,256 times
Reputation: 57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony1790
Howdy,
Retiring military AZ, Air force or Army? I'm retired Coast Guard, 42, just moved here recently, I'm supposed to start LPN soon, working in a hospital now and looking for a new motorcycle myself, came here looking for cheaper real estate to pay cash for and retire....you guys sound like I did last year
Welcome to TN (or at least hello from TN)
There are quite a few homes in your price range, you can find brand new homes in the low 100's, older homes $60-120, quality varies widely. Some homes are in disrepair, some have been kept up, just need to look carefully. I'm in the process of buying a place now for less than $90k with 2 car garage, 2 barns and 8 acres just outside Johnson City limits.
Real estate taxes are fairly low here, not as low as they would appear, but better than PA, CA, etc. No income tax, but a hefty sales tax.
Motorcycle's are very popular here due to riding in the smokey mountains, lots of Harley's here, my sister has a Fatboy, brother in law has a Road King.
Tricare is accepted here, but there is no MTF, nor commissary, nor exchange. There is a huge VA hospital, need to be service connected or low income to get care though.
If ya'll have any specific questions feel free to send me a message.
Good luck
Tony
p.s. As a nurse, there are tons of hospitals and clinics in Johnson City, that's also where the VA hospital is. Johnson City is where I'm buying my place, Bristol and Kingsport are a little bit cheaper, but not as popular in general. I'd recommend the JC area, but heck this whole area is geographically close together, I'm used to living out west where towns could be hundreds of miles apart. I currently live in JC but work on the TN/VA line in Bristol Regional Medical center. As far as the hubby working in the hospital, he can work at the VA and retire with another pension.
Lastly what are you looking for in a house? How old, how much land, etc Tons of good houses, but also tons of pure crap, hard to tell them apart online. |
Hi,
DH retired 2 years ago from the Army. We then moved to PA where he worked as a military contractor, but spent too much time overseas. So,...........we moved to Goodyear, AZ where he has a great job with a great income, but it is such a rat race. I'm actually the nurse and I'm trying to help him understand that there is another way. When we were stationed at Ft. Bragg, there was this military retiree that we referred to as the "flip flop guy." Everyday, at the same time, he would ride his bicycle around the neighborhood wearing flip flops. His wife was a nurse that worked at the local hospital and I'm sure they did fine on the retiree's pension and her income. DH just has a hard time imagining that there are substantially less expensive places to live that still offer a great quality of life.
It sounds like you've found a great place in TN. Are you satasfied with the job offerings there? I actually have a good AZ state job here, but boy it is HOT!! Life altering heat. I get teary-eyed when I think about a beautiful fall with pumpkins and mums. Won't have that here.
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08-12-2008, 12:57 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2006
800 posts, read 810,545 times
Reputation: 285
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Quote:
Originally Posted by military spouse
DH just has a hard time imagining that there are substantially less expensive places to live that still offer a great quality of life.
It sounds like you've found a great place in TN. Are you satasfied with the job offerings there?
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As a Nurse, you'll have no problem with getting a job, you might not be happy with the wages here. I work at Wellmont in Bristol the nurses there make $20.35 base, + night diff + acuity pay + 20% if you skip any benefits.
For the Hubby I'd recommend a job at the VA or school district.
As far as job offerings in the area, well they are a bit lacking. Not a great deal of jobs, but plenty of nursing jobs. But as far as a bit lower wages, that can be compensated if you stick to a house under $150k.
Good luck with the move, I started out in the Army (4yrs) and 16 with the CG.
Tony |
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08-18-2008, 08:42 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
422 posts, read 393,256 times
Reputation: 57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony1790
As a Nurse, you'll have no problem with getting a job, you might not be happy with the wages here. I work at Wellmont in Bristol the nurses there make $20.35 base, + night diff + acuity pay + 20% if you skip any benefits.
For the Hubby I'd recommend a job at the VA or school district.
As far as job offerings in the area, well they are a bit lacking. Not a great deal of jobs, but plenty of nursing jobs. But as far as a bit lower wages, that can be compensated if you stick to a house under $150k.
Good luck with the move, I started out in the Army (4yrs) and 16 with the CG.
Tony
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Do the nurses work 3 12s there? I'm guessing an experienced nurse would only make a bit above what a new grad makes. While looking at real estate listings, the property taxes appear to be in the $500-600 range. Is that per year? Any hidden extras? How are utilities and auto registration?
Thanks! |
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08-19-2008, 04:30 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Sep 2006
800 posts, read 810,545 times
Reputation: 285
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Quote:
Originally Posted by military spouse
Do the nurses work 3 12s there? I'm guessing an experienced nurse would only make a bit above what a new grad makes. While looking at real estate listings, the property taxes appear to be in the $500-600 range. Is that per year? Any hidden extras? How are utilities and auto registration?
Thanks!
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Some of the nurses are working 3 12's, most work, 3 one week and 4 the next, which gives 8 hours overtime the 2nd week. The $20.35 is for experienced nurses, RN's are starting around $19 at my facility. I know an LPN who works in Johnson City at an outpatient skin cancer place that makes $20, day shift, m-f. I think that our hospital just pays too little 
Real estate taxes should be in the $500-600 per year range, but double that if you buy within the city limits. My last house in WA, the taxes were running $2700 per year.
I paid $56 to register my car, my electric bill has been a little under $100 with the AC running 24/7 (smaller place).
Tony |
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