**HELP**HELP**Am I in for a major culture shock?...From Phoenix, AZ to Wise, VA**HELP**thanks!..I need Tennessee input. (Johnson City: for sale, rentals)

[1awesomemum]

My husband is close to accepting an offer with a company located in Wise, VA. We’re looking to rent a home & can’t find any housing information online. We are both Arizona natives. The economy has got us in a pinch so we decided to move anywhere that my husband could find work with a decent salary. I the offer he's been presented with would make his salary quite a bit above the median income for Wise. They're offering us a relocation package & it seems like this is going to happen. Is Wise a good place for kids? What are the nice areas to live in? I would also like to know where the bad is. I see that this is a small town; is there even a good or bad? We’re willing to commute for an hour if there are any other better cities/towns in between Wise & the allotted hour. I appreciate any suggestions. Any help would be great. Are there any sites that have homes listed for rent? I need your help…I don’t want to make a HUGE mistake…Thank you!

NOTE - I was told to repost this on the Kingsport - Johnson City - Bristol forum. Is the drive from Tennessee to Wise, VA something that people do?

[jabogitlu]

No. Kingsport and Bristol are both around an hour and a half drive from Wise. I know very little about SWVA (except that Big Stone Gap is a very cute town, lol)... so I'll let someone else try to help you out... but a commute from Tennessee to Wise isn't something you're gonna wanna do.

Good luck!

ETA- yep, you'll be in major culture shock. The closest Target, mall etc is going to be a good hour and a half away (if you live in Wise). Walmarts are closer though, so you've got that. Just depends on how you go into the situation. Are you ready for country living? It can be quite relaxing, and a great place to raise kids. I've never been to Wise but I really doubt there's a "bad" part, except maybe some old time local yokels who want you to stay out of their business.

One other option is to live halfway. Big Stone Gap is 30 minutes to Wise, an hour to Kingsport. Dungannon is 35 minutes to Wise, 45-50 to Kingsport. Might go without saying, but I strongly advise you to visit Southwest Virginia before you commit to anything.

[FLORIDA TO NIOTA 2010]

You can check online - realtor.com
Just put in the area and you can search rentals and for sale properties. I would have thought that you would post on the Virginia Forum.
Just remember that when it snows or the road freeze it's very hard driving if at all. So that could be a very long hour to work and back.
Maybe your husband can talk to some people that already work at his new place of employment. It's possible that they could give a better idea of the area or areas around there. Maybe even housing.
Hope everything works out for you.

[jabogitlu]

There isn't really a good place in the Virginia forum to put inquires about Southwest Virginia. Overall the Tri-Cities is the metro area/hub for SWVA (although some parts are closer to Roanoke), it's just that the lack of good infrastructure and sheer distance pushes commute times to northern SWVA into the extremes.

[rccrain]

Wise is really "out there". In my opinion it is very nice, but too small and remote for my liking. You'll have a Lowe's, a Walmart, a few chain fast food eateries, and a smattering of small, local shops and restaurants.

Given perfect conditions you could make it (Kingsport to Wise) in an hour on a good but windy four-lane HWY.

If you could live right off HWY 23 near Big Stone Gap, that would give you a 15-20 minute commute to Wise and a 45 minute trip to Kingsport. But coming from Phoenox, WOW, if you can't handle 180 degrees from what you're used to it's going to be a challenge - major culture change.

[kamoshika]

FWIW, from downtown Kingsport it takes me about 35 minutes to get to Duffield, then another 15 min. to Big Stone Gap (BSG) and 15-20 min. more from BSG to Wise.

BSG & Wise are both pretty nice, way better than most little SW VA coal-mining towns. Wise has a university (UVA-Wise) w/ about 2,000 students and I think that's a big plus. In part due to the university, incomes are substantially higher in Wise than in BSG. FWIW, I think finding a good rental home online will be very difficult.

Wise is one of the highest towns in VA (over 2400') and it gets a good bit of snow...I think I remember reading that it's the snowiest town in VA? Could be wrong about that but it definitely averages more white stuff annually than any other populated place in this area.

Gorgeous area for the most part and if you love the outdoors, you'll be in hog heaven!

Thread on Wise from last year:
Wise, VA area... What can you tell me?

Local newspaper:
Coalfield.com - COALFIELD PROGRESS - DICKENSON STAR - The POST

A few more links:
http://www.safestplaceonearth.net/wise.htm
Our Town
Heart of Appalachia
Sherpa Guides | Virginia | Mountains | Appalachian Plateau | North End of Stone Mountain

[jdjohnson]

I commute past Wise and home to Johnson City weekly. It's about 1 hour and 15 minutes once I drive by the Ford dealership in Wise to my front door. Parts parts of Kingsport would be easily within an hour of most of Wise.

Will it be a culture shock? I've lived (and currently work in the SW VA and Eastern KY coalfields (like Wise) I've also lived in Tampa, St. Pete, New York, and Johnson City. I make the drive to Johnson City for a reason. That said, the tri-cities is my favorite of the places I have lived.

[mbmouse]

Is Wise in Washington County VA?

[jabogitlu]

No, it's Wise County. Up north of Washington County.

[mbmouse]

Oh, Ok, never mind then. I personally am not familiar with that area of VA, but always notice on the news that Washington Co. VA seems to have a lot of crime issues.