How to move to Knoxville (Niota: sale, home, neighborhood)

[beccasbank]

TY darkholme. I appreciate the packet info. How long were you in Knoxville for doing house hunting, job hunting etc? I would like to know as much as you can tell me. Good luck to you and yours!!

[hiknapster]

I'll answer, since I happen to be passing by.

University of Tennessee-Knoxville

[beccasbank]

Oh, thanks, I found it though. Delete feature not fast enough for you hiknaster!! But thanks anyway.

[Beretta]

Just a note about Tennessee's state Medicaid program, TennCare. I cannot emphasize to you strongly enough to not count on acceptance into this program. They have especially cracked down on out of state folks that move into this area, and/or obtain Tennessee addresses to gain TennCare. This is in no way a reflection on your family members, but due to the plan itself and the abuse of it in the past. Also, just because you may become enrolled in TennCare doesn't mean it is a free ride forever. They routinely will and do examine enrollees and cancel their enrollment. I cannot tell you the number of stories I know of first hand that have TennCare one month and not the next and then have to prove their eligibility again to be enrolled again for a period of time and then the saga starts over again. If your in laws do not plan on finding jobs with benefits here in TN I urge you to consider them staying there where they have approved enrollment in Medicaid. I am not trying to dissuade you, but I don't want to sugarcoat the truth as I have seen it. Best of luck to you.

[beccasbank]

Thank you SmokyMtnGal. I know how the system gets abused, and then the people who really do need it seem to be bounced. Even though my in-laws are in need of the system for medical reasons, I understand it might be different there than here. I have told them both to talk to whomever they need to to make sure they will be covered before they make the leap to move with us.

[darkholme]

Originally Posted by beccasbank

TY darkholme. I appreciate the packet info. How long were you in Knoxville for doing house hunting, job hunting etc? I would like to know as much as you can tell me. Good luck to you and yours!!

I actually did not focus my job search in Knoxville...I recently graduated and was looking for my first "real" job and one of the offers happened to be in the area. I wouldn't have minded staying in Michigan but nothing was biting (as I'm sure you know).

I would suggest using local resources like the Knoxville Sentinel, or even looking up companies you'd want to work for in the Yellow Pages and doing cold calls, because I don't know anybody who's gotten a job carpet-bombing their resume at the megasites like Monster and Career Builder.

After a lot of researching, and since it's just me doing the move, I decided to live in an apartment for the first year or two, and then look into a nice starter home. I looked up properties on every site imaginable, and then made a four day whirlwind trip.

Maybe it's my imagination, but I think the cost of living is a bit cheaper (I was able to find rather spacious apt for not that much). And there is no state tax on income! Which is marvelous because you know ours just took a hike in the great state of MI.

If you're looking for a house, I can give you the name of the realtor suggested in my relocation packet for work: Valerie Nolan of Athens Realty, (423) 745-6161.

In my search I've seen a lot of decent looking houses on Craigslist, believe it or not. Maybe you'll find something there as well. Good luck.

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by SmokyMtnGal

Just a note about Tennessee's state Medicaid program, TennCare. I cannot emphasize to you strongly enough to not count on acceptance into this program. They have especially cracked down on out of state folks that move into this area, and/or obtain Tennessee addresses to gain TennCare. This is in no way a reflection on your family members, but due to the plan itself and the abuse of it in the past. Also, just because you may become enrolled in TennCare doesn't mean it is a free ride forever. They routinely will and do examine enrollees and cancel their enrollment. I cannot tell you the number of stories I know of first hand that have TennCare one month and not the next and then have to prove their eligibility again to be enrolled again for a period of time and then the saga starts over again. If your in laws do not plan on finding jobs with benefits here in TN I urge you to consider them staying there where they have approved enrollment in Medicaid. I am not trying to dissuade you, but I don't want to sugarcoat the truth as I have seen it. Best of luck to you.

It's the same here in FL with medicaid. it used to be once you were covered it lasted 1 year before you had to reapply but now it's like you said, covered one month and not covered the next. If you make too much money one week working say because you picked up some overtime, your terminated the next month because they base it on your income from the previous month. I used to work in a community health center where we did slide fee scales and i was the one to help these people who no longer had coverage get treatment for $10 a visit. That too was abused but that didn't cover their prescriptions so i had to direct them back to the Medicaid office to reapply. Alot of people don't understand how the system works. I have a daughter with major medical problems (growth hormone deficient) and blindness and i can't even get her covered or even get SSI for her. So far her medical bills for the year exceed $24,000. Thank goodness for BCBS picking her up.

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by beccasbank

I have told them both to talk to whomever they need to to make sure they will be covered before they make the leap to move with us.

The problem they will run into is they need to be a resident of TN with an address before they will even talk to you. Sure, if you call on the phone and ask them if you'll be covered they'll say "oh sure" but it's a whole different ball park when you get in there to apply. These people working behind the desk could care less if your covered or not though there's a handful of them that might really try to help you out by going above and beyond.

[gemkeeper]

Beccasbank, you can access the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce through the link below. They have a number included if you wish to call and request info or you can request that the information be mailed to you. It is very helpful with getting to know the area a bit.

Visitor / Relocation / Main / Knoxville Chamber - Knoxville Chamber (broken link)

Also, would you and your family consider renting a house or condo in the area instead of trying to juggle the two mortgages. We have had two mortgages in separate states before (one from Michigan!!), but we were buying and selling in a good housing era. It could leave you high and dry as a couple of posters have already suggested - especially if you loose your renters in Michigan.

If you rent for a year or two it gives you plenty of time to establish local credit, for both you and hubby to have good job histories here, and you will settle in a bit and see where you really want to spend the next so many years. Just a suggestion IMHO that seems like a safer way to go.

Best of everything to you. It sounds like you have a good plan in scoping out all possibilities and situations, so you should do just fine.

[Mrsmac46]

This is new to me. However, I am just now listing my home for sale in Niota, TN a quiet "blink-your-eyes" town just outside of the greater Knoxville, TN area. It is located in a great neighborhood. It is a remodeled 1920's bungalow with complete upgrades (plumbing, electric, etc.) It has 4 br/3 baths with a separate garage with carport. Great price too. Interested?? Let me know --- Mrsmac46