Neighborhood Info (Knoxville, Maryville, Farragut: houses, rent, hotel)

[AprilFamily]

We've pretty much got a good idea of the areas we want to look at when we visit in a couple of weeks, but there are two areas that I'm not familiar with that keep popping up. One is Holston Hills and the other is Halls. Can someone give me some info on these areas? What are the neighborhoods like? Older or newer? Character or cookie-cutter? Rural or suburban? that type of stuff.

Thanks for any help.

[mjb62676]

I spent a ton of time looking for houses in Halls. I'd call it "newer", but not "all new".

Some of the homes in the area were pretty cool...but we had absolutely no luck. I really wanted to stay close to the crossroads area, but it didn't work out.

I can tell you from experience that the house on Homestead that's for sale...the guy isn't budging on price.

All the necessities as far as groceries, etc... are there, or very close.

[hiknapster]

I consider Halls to be mostly new houses and some older, but not turn of the century or anything like that. Lot of subdivisions with more being built. It's not really even a town, just an area that could be considered a suburb. Lots of traffic. Lots of strip malls.

I've mentioned Fountain City before, and some people have went to visit that and said, "I don't see the attraction." Well, there really isn't one, except for the fact that there are SOME older neighborhoods, and a duck pond. It is mostly overrun with traffic and strip malls, too. It is just better than a lot of areas in Knoxville, especially if you are looking for older homes in a safe area.

Holston Hills is different. It has some very charming older homes. It is not overrun. I have a feeling that is because it borders a bad area. A lot of government officials live there, but the school system is not great to bad. I imagine they send their kids to private schools.

Then you have west Knoxville, which is almost all cookie cutter and overrun with traffic, stores and transplants. My coworker lives there and hates it. He's a native, but his wife refuses to move since she is a foreigner and more comfortable there.

I'm having a hard time trying to figure out where to permanently move, too.

[AprilFamily]

Hmm, well based on that feedback, I think we'll probably rule those areas out. The areas we have been looking at are Farragut, Concord, Bluegrass and Maryville. All the photos I've seen of Holston Hills look lovely, but if it's not really in a good area, I don't know that that is where we'd want to be.

Thanks for the input.

[hiknapster]

I agree. Holston Hills is lovely. I think the school situation is the biggest consideration, unless you go private. And shopping at the drug store and grocery store isn't the greatest. That area is going into the bad part of the city and it shows. I don't know if I'd want to run out for milk in the middle of the night.

But remember, that is just my opinion. There's someone on here that thinks it's wonderful. I don't think he has kids, though.

There are parts of the city that I had hoped would get better, but it seems that they are only getting worse.

[AprilFamily]

Well, we homeschool, so the schools are the issue (though a consideration in resale value). I just wouldn't want to be someplace where it's not safe to go for a walk at night or to let my kids out and play on their own.

[hiknapster]

I don't think it's that bad. The neighborhood is pretty big. It's just that it borders Asheville Highway, which runs into Magnolia. Magnolia is very bad. There's a Chinese restaurant on Asheville and the owner lives in Holston Hills, but said the edges, like where her restaurant is, are not very good.

It's so frustrating trying to explain to people. I guess you have to see for yourself. I hope I haven't confused you.

[2lizards]

Holston Hills is a really nice neighborhood. If schools are not an issue, you should definitely consider it. There are parts of the Magnolia area that are bad, but you will be far away from them, as far as I can tell. There are parts north of Magnolia that are starting to be renovated (Park Ridge, for example).

The Broadway corridor through Fountain City is pretty bad for traffic, but the neighborhood is generally really good, and there are some beautiful, leafy green streets. Gibbs Drive is popular for its historic homes. There is also a general renovation campaign going on, and even the strip malls are trying to prettify. Many UT profs and staff live in that area, and the area around the duck pond and hotel avenue are lovely.

[2lizards]

Also, Fountain City has a great new branch library - which I really appreciate. The traffic has gotten very bad because of Halls, which is growing very rapidly. I am not a fan of Halls. It looks like it could be anywhere, but I'm probably just judging it on the commercial area. Maybe the neighborhoods are nicer.