Bristol VA?Opinions needed please (Johnson City, Kingsport: for sale, amusement parks, crime)

[leaving colorado]

I currently work at a bank,not sure if I still would there.I have 2 kids.They would go to public school.My 7 yr old has autism,so a good special ed program would help.I want land around 3 acres.I am thinking of buying a double wide.I want the simple life again.Colorado and it's prices have drained us.Hows the diversity there?Anything fun for kids?Hows the crime rate?I wanna hear it all.I have been looking at East TN for a while now....just thought I would check on VA while I'm at it.

[rccrain]

Live in Bristol TN, avoid the state income taxes and still take advantage of VA's low sales tax. Plus TN High is significantly better than VA High. If I were in your shoes I'd look at the 11-W/Exit 74 area, HWY126 toward Blountville, and the HWY 421/394/Jonesborough RD area of Northeast Bristol, TN.

I wouldn't exactly say the is much diversity. I don't think folks are anti-diversity; it's just that predominately white people live in a mostly rural area like the Tri-Cities.

[Beretta]

You might also want to talk to Tennesseestorm. He lives in the Bristol area and might be able to help. Good luck!

[Tennesseestorm]

Thanks Beretta - I dont get to this forum much and just read this.

Well, Leaving Colorado, I ditto what Mccrain said. Bristol shares two states and its much cheaper to shop in Virginia because of the lower taxes. I live in Tennessee, but work in Virginia, which is NOT a good thing, because I have to pay Virginia state taxes... costs me about $900 a year to work in Virginia and I only get back $40 of it.

There are nice places in both Bristol Virginia-Tennessee and its never far from an array of restaurants, malls, rivers, lakes, mountains, historic downtowns, Walmarts, parks, etc. Kingsport and Johnson City are also just about 20 miles away with more shopping and dining options.

You should be able to find work at a bank easily... I have never seen so many banks in a city of this size. I think we have as many banks as ff restaurants... why, I dont know. lol.

As far as crime, this is not a goody goody city as alot of people think, but its no raging crime area either. I didnt realize all of the mischief until I started reading a section in the local paper where the Bristol police give reports of some calls they get. There is some interesting reading in there. Old downtown can sometimes be tricky, especially late at night with some vagabonds and tramps looming around (I occasionally see this on my drive home when I work late at night).... there are also a few "projects" areas just on the north side of downtown around the Oakview Avenue area (Rice Terrace) that I would not walk through at night myself, but you can easily avoid those areas. There used to be alot of prostitution in the downtown area I was told, but I think the police have that under control. During the day, a city police officer normally stays downtown to keep things in check.

Diversity as Mccrain mentioned is not that much. Its mostly a white area... Bristol is only about 4% African-American. I just see alot more African-Americans because I work in a part of town where most of them live (which is north Bristol TN and south Bristol VA).... most of them live near the downtown area. I live in a rural area on the southeast side of Bristol and I occasionally see some driving on the road I travel more often, so I imagine that the population may be increasing, or more are moving to rural areas of town. I know many and they are all nice people... its not like the blacks or hispanics are causing problems, because they are not. Some of my best friends are black and I have a few that are Hispanics and some really nice people.

Weather is nice too... warm summers, mild winters, occasional but not excessive snow and its rarely on the ground for more than a day or so, but head into the mountains if you really like the snow... it lingers a bit longer, but even there not all that long... this is the south so snow dont stay on the ground all year.

There are many things for kids to do... there are also museums, amusement parks, etc.... then there is the Dollywood theme park which is 95 miles from Bristol. I know some people with kids that are autistic and they seem pleased. One of the kids work where I am employeed in a department that hires younger kids.

Hope this helps some... anymore questions - just ask!

[leaving colorado]

Originally Posted by Tennesseestorm

Thanks Beretta - I dont get to this forum much and just read this.

Well, Leaving Colorado, I ditto what Mccrain said. Bristol shares two states and its much cheaper to shop in Virginia because of the lower taxes. I live in Tennessee, but work in Virginia, which is NOT a good thing, because I have to pay Virginia state taxes... costs me about $900 a year to work in Virginia and I only get back $40 of it.

There are nice places in both Bristol Virginia-Tennessee and its never far from an array of restaurants, malls, rivers, lakes, mountains, historic downtowns, Walmarts, parks, etc. Kingsport and Johnson City are also just about 20 miles away with more shopping and dining options.

You should be able to find work at a bank easily... I have never seen so many banks in a city of this size. I think we have as many banks as ff restaurants... why, I dont know. lol.

As far as crime, this is not a goody goody city as alot of people think, but its no raging crime area either. I didnt realize all of the mischief until I started reading a section in the local paper where the Bristol police give reports of some calls they get. There is some interesting reading in there. Old downtown can sometimes be tricky, especially late at night with some vagabonds and tramps looming around (I occasionally see this on my drive home when I work late at night).... there are also a few "projects" areas just on the north side of downtown around the Oakview Avenue area (Rice Terrace) that I would not walk through at night myself, but you can easily avoid those areas. There used to be alot of prostitution in the downtown area I was told, but I think the police have that under control. During the day, a city police officer normally stays downtown to keep things in check.

Diversity as Mccrain mentioned is not that much. Its mostly a white area... Bristol is only about 4% African-American. I just see alot more African-Americans because I work in a part of town where most of them live (which is north Bristol TN and south Bristol VA).... most of them live near the downtown area. I live in a rural area on the southeast side of Bristol and I occasionally see some driving on the road I travel more often, so I imagine that the population may be increasing, or more are moving to rural areas of town. I know many and they are all nice people... its not like the blacks or hispanics are causing problems, because they are not. Some of my best friends are black and I have a few that are Hispanics and some really nice people.

Weather is nice too... warm summers, mild winters, occasional but not excessive snow and its rarely on the ground for more than a day or so, but head into the mountains if you really like the snow... it lingers a bit longer, but even there not all that long... this is the south so snow dont stay on the ground all year.

There are many things for kids to do... there are also museums, amusement parks, etc.... then there is the Dollywood theme park which is 95 miles from Bristol. I know some people with kids that are autistic and they seem pleased. One of the kids work where I am employeed in a department that hires younger kids.

Hope this helps some... anymore questions - just ask!

Thanks alot.Johnson City sounds really nice,more what we are looking for.I guess I would have to see the cities to choose.If you know of any land for sale around the areas plz let me know.