Maybe a move to Knoxville (Chattanooga, Oak Ridge: real estate, rent, homes)

[jeffb415]

Hi everyone. I just found this wonderful site and have been reading lots of threads here; it's been a BIG help. I hope to stay plugged in here over the next few months to learn everything I can about Knoxville and the surrounding areas.

My wife and I are considering a move to Knoxville, possibly this year or next year. Why Knoxville? Primarily, because it seems to be one of the few affordable cities in the U.S. with a somewhat tolerable climate and attractive natural features. We love nature, and maybe it will match well with an active lifestyle too. But also because, well, I love the VOLs and I'd love to see some ball in person and get crazy with y'all.

Right now we rent a small 1BR apt in Redwood City, CA (between SF and San Jose) for $875 (ouch). I do have a decent job for a major U.S. corporation that has a location in Knoxville. I make around 55k, but a transfer to TN would knock me down to about 40k or less, so we're not coming with big money to drive your prices way up. We're just trying to find a nice place to live a peaceful, simple, healthy life. Across the street are what seem to be average single family homes (maybe around 1500 sq ft) selling for over $1 million. I wouldn't spend that much on a home even if I DID have the money, based on principle alone.

Anyway, I've been looking into some homes in Knox County and there's at least one that has me very excited... i just wanna pack up and go today! The only problem, I can't even make much of a visit to check it out until vacation in May (doh!). I do have a long weekend in August but probably wont have enough time to check out much in 3 days. The most likely scenario is that my wife and I will spend the next 12 months working our butts off and saving every penny for a good down payment, take a vacation to Knoxville and Nashville in the spring, and then maybe break into the market sometime later in 2008. It sounds like a lot of people on this site feel that waiting for prices to drop more isn't a bad idea. Plus, waiting would give us time to save for a down payment, and much better terms that will compensate for the reduced income we will both face from the transfer.


I do have a few quick questions maybe someone would know about. I spoke to one realtor in the area who said that the average home in Knoxville has recently appreciated 6%, but I'm finding other data which indicates it's much lower (right around 3%). Although I don't recall if she was speaking just about Knoxville, or if that includes the surrounding areas too. Does anybody know what's happening in this area? (it IS a factor in deciding how long to wait and save vs. taking the plunge )

How are attitudes in the region toward latinos and mixed couples? I am white and a U.S. citizen. My wife is latina from Peru, and a legal resident. Here in CA there are no problems at all; she speaks English and Spanish and has no problem finding work. I wonder if race issues and discrimination is a problem in TN?

How's the air and water quality in Knoxville? I've heard that there are a lot of chemical industries there and I just wonder if they have affected the quality of life adversely to any appreciable degree?

Thanks for reading, and sorry for rambling on. I just wanted to introduce myself and maybe make some friendly acquaintances. Any comments or help would be appreciated. cheers.

jeff

[TedTAce]

Originally Posted by jeffb415

How are attitudes in the region toward latinos and mixed couples? I am white and a U.S. citizen. My wife is latina from Peru, and a legal resident. Here in CA there are no problems at all; she speaks English and Spanish and has no problem finding work. I wonder if race issues and discrimination is a problem in TN?

jeff

It all depends. The more educated areas like Oak Ridge seem to tolerate a lot of things, where as some other areas are less tolerant. I did an interview where this HR person (industrial knox) who went on and on about how the latins are ruining the area. It took everything I had not to blurt out Moderator cut: lets just say "some thing along the lines of ignorant" I'm glad I didn't get that job.

In another incident; My wife was called a 'Mexican' though clearly she's Cuban.

There are some ignorant people here, but honestly they seem to be the exception. Make sure your wife understands that anyone who has an ill opinion of her without knowing her likely has a below average IQ and to keep that in perspective.

[hiknapster]

Compared to where you live now, Knoxville is going to probably be a major culture shock!

You might want to check out the area first, just to see.

I tend to believe the real estate agent. Knoxville usually had a 3 percent appreciation. In the past two years, I think 6 percent is about right, but it could be a little more. We were getting a lot of people moving in. Since then, things have slowed down, like the rest of the country. So waiting, and saving is a great plan, I just would visit first, to see if you really want to be saving for here.

Water quality is not great, but air quality in Knoxville is horrible. It is the one thing that took me by surprise. It is due to the geography. Knoxville sits in a valley, and the pollution, in the summer, gets trapped between the smokies and the cumberlands. Everyday, on my way home from work, I have a hard time breathing. That will go away come the fall.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by TedTAce

In another incident; My wife was called a 'Mexican' though clearly she's Cuban.

Oh poppycock. So all Cubans look alike, and all Mexicans look alike? There are Cubans of all shades and colors, and there are Mexicans of all shades and colors. My best friend growing up in Cookeville was Cuban, and he was blond. His aunt, however, was Cuban but was almost black.

My little brother is an adopted Filipino, and out in California many people assume he's also Mexican. He doesn't storm off in protest that he's "clearly Filipino." I mean come on, when I'm traveling around China I don't get offended when someone thinks I'm Canadian even though I'm "clearly American."

Since there are probably 100 Mexicans for every Cuban in Tennessee, it is not unreasonable for people to assume that someone who looks Latino and speaks fluent Spanish is Mexican and not Cuban, and there is nothing racist or narrow-minded by such an assumption, either.

[Jza]

Originally Posted by jeffb415

How are attitudes in the region toward latinos and mixed couples? I am white and a U.S. citizen. My wife is latina from Peru, and a legal resident. Here in CA there are no problems at all; she speaks English and Spanish and has no problem finding work. I wonder if race issues and discrimination is a problem in TN?

I know 5 days in Knox area isn't much to go on, but I'll give it a try. I'm a white guy and my girlfriend of 10 years is Dominican with dark skin and the Arnold Hoffenhaggle accent thing going. Meaning she speaks the language as well as he does but has retained the heavy accent like him as well.

We got a few looks but that doesn't bug me, no one was disrespectful really except in one incident. I wonder if some of the looks were because we seemed like out of towners. I had Jersey plates and on occasion wore my NY Jankeez hat. Even walked passed some bronco sporting a big confederate tattoo on his arm and he payed me no mind. Just the one incident was a pickup load of ugly inbred southern garbage rubbernecking and openly gawking at my girlfriend. Overall tho, the people were friendly.

I did see a guy at the mall who looked like he was dressed for an 80's rap video at one of the malls. Some of the folks look 10 years behind the times hehe, but hey you gotta look beneath the surface sometimes.

I'm not gonna get bent out of shape if she's not perceived to be Dominican either. Big deal. I've been mistaken for a hispanic male at a clinic and people at my own job thought I was something other than white. I'm as one guy in this thread puts it, CLEARLY white. Luckily I found many of the people in Knoxville could care less, especially after talking to them some.

[jeffb415]

Thanks to everyone who responded; you are all very helpful.

jeff

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by TedTAce

It all depends. The more educated areas like Oak Ridge seem to tolerate a lot of things, where as some other areas are less tolerant. I did an interview where this HR person (industrial knox) who went on and on about how the latins are ruining the area. It took everything I had not to blurt out Moderator cut: lets just say "some thing along the lines of ignorant" I'm glad I didn't get that job.

In another incident; My wife was called a 'Mexican' though clearly she's Cuban.

My sister lives just outside of Knoxville and I'll pass on her comments after I respond to the above.

Perhaps in a city such as Miami, the "average person" would "easily" be able to tell the difference between someone from Mexico, Cuba, Spain, etc. Knoxville is not Miami, nor has it had the experience of seeing a lot of people from multiple cultures in the area that long, either. In that area, "Spanish is Spanish", and it's going to take many more years of exposure to other varied cultures before people start to separate them. 98% of the time it is not meant as an insult - and it is not "ignorance" either - it's a simple lack of experience. I'm in a much larger metro area (Atlanta obviously from the name) and even HERE, most people can't tell the difference between a South American and a Cuban. There are very few areas in this U.S. where the local experience is such that the average person can do this, so don't assume it's racism or ignorance - it's just lack of exposure.

Also, perhaps the man in the interview referred to the number of illegal immigrants in the area as those who are "ruining it", and did not say that "all Latins" are the cause, perhaps? I wasn't there - but just a guess. It's very easy to be extemely defensive (and politcally correct) when your spouse is of another nationality - just don't allow paranoia to creep in.

Ok, regarding Knoxville - my sister overall likes the area. Granted, she upsized rather than downsized, coming from the Charleston, WV area there. So to her, Knoxville is "large" (I live in Atlanta so to me it would be like moving to a small town). But she has said it's easy to maneuver around in, has plenty to do, and with the exception of a few "dicey" areas that she wouldn't want her car to break down in, overall she says it's not at all a bad choice. She's certainly the type that would have moved by now if it was.

Plus you're not that far from stuff like Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and if it's your thing, Dollywood. If you like day trips, then you're only a couple hours drive or so from Chattanooga or Nashville, too.