Need help selecting a lake to retire near.

[karenlw]

Originally Posted by Deborah53

Yep, the more I read the more I think TN is truly just a warmer version of PA. The small NW PA county I live in is full of cancer patients, use to be just the older poulation, now lots of 20-30 somethings. Acid rain, sulphur and iron in the water from old coal mines and run off from farms have ruined the ground water in many areas. Actually, I think the whole country is a mess. Someone mentioned the Pacific NW as unpolluted, perhaps.

This summer when we were exploring the area around Watts Bar we started calling the evacuation signs, "run like hell signs"

There are no Utopias on this earth, we humans have destroyed them. We can select a place to spend our time and enjoy life. While we are enjoying our life perhaps we will come to our senses and clean up this mess of a planet before it is too late for the next generations. Seems industry etc. only sees the fast buck.

I'm still opting to retire to TN in 3 years if all goes well.

We are moving to Watts Bar lake in about 3 years. Already bought our property and probably paid too much for it, but we wanted a southeast lake "view". My husband worked in the nuclear power business for many years so plants do not scare me, Three Mile Island not withstanding. The rest of the developed world has used them for years with little problem. Just don't want to look at it or any other construction outside my windows. I am from the south so want to retire there and Texas is too far away from kids. Most of Penn is lovely and we lived there for a couple of years. Don't know that Tenn is warmer, though. Just not the snowfall. And coal crackers can be just as insular as hillbillies.

It is very true that you make your own happiness and you have to grow where you're planted. Learn to like bluegrass music instead of polka or whatever. I figure there is something I get involved in besides the Baptist church. Been there, done that. In spite of being from hillbilly stock, I do have some concerns about distance to a decent restaurant and medical care. But barring some trauma, Knoxville is less than an hour away. If I think I am going to die without a glass of wine with my meal then I'll have to go to Knoxville. I'll have more time to do that right? I just have to keep reminding myself that it now takes me 45 minutes to get to work and it is only 17 miles!

I have seen a frightening jump in land prices in East Tenn and Ark. and western North Carolina is out of sight. Northwest Ark. is just as pretty and probably still cheaper, but you just about can't get anywhere from there. In any event you might spend a vacation floating the Buffalo River and visiting Mountain Home to check it out. I would definitely move there if my kids were not in Atlanta.

Don't you think it is great that we have the OPTION to move where we like to retire?

[housejunkie]

Deborah, alot of it depends on whether or not you actually want your property to be lakefront or just near the lake. Depending on which lake you move near will have a large variance in price. If you have a budget you are thinking of I can recommend the appropriate lakes.

[ginsing]

What specifically do you want in your lake home? I am an avid boater and can give you some good information.