Looking for a good area for vacation property?? (Knoxville, Maryville: to rent, condo)

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by H10

If you don't mind me asking, why?

I thought that area had been known as TN's vacationing tourist hotspot for many years now. I know that even when I was a kid living on Long Island in NY my family would periodically vacation there.


True, I have no clue about their real estate prices, but I do imagine that it's cheaper than Nashville, Memphis or Knoxville.

What we are saying is that the chances of finding something half-way decent for $50,000 isn't happening now.

I just don't think it's doable, but I have been wrong before.

[Barking Spider]

I thought that area had been known as TN's vacationing tourist hotspot for many years now. I know that even when I was a kid living on Long Island in NY my family would periodically vacation there.

It IS that for sure. By how many miniature golf places and tee shirt shops can you visit before it gets old? For some, there are never enough, for others, once is enough.

Obviously there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions that think that Gatlinburg is THE destination vacation spot. WE go when out of town guests are here and they want to go, but for the most part, I prefer to avoid the traffic and crowds. But that's just me.

[Beretta]

Don't mind at all. A lot of reasons Barking Spider mentioned. The area is becoming/has become over run with t-shirt shops, people, traffic and all that goes with that. There are some trailer parks and what not that are now selling for under $100K and nicer cabins have dropped significantly in price. While they aren't as low as $50K, they are cheaper than I have ever seen them. The bumper to bumper traffic through the GSMNP is so sad to me. Of course, there will always be those folks that like the neon light, t-shirt shop vacation getaways.

And, a random comment: DH and I recently went to a B & B in Sevier County, not far from Dollywood. How sad we were to look up at the mountains and see the devasation caused by all of the construction of roads and cabins.

The true TN beauty and vacation get-away-from-it-all spots are so precious to me and where I want to spend my downtime; not inhaling out of state plate car fumes.

It is difficult to put my thoughts into words. Being a native east Tennessean there is much in my soul that isn't easily expressed on here.

[J&Em]

As soon as a place becomes known as a vacation "hot spot" it often goes up in price for real estate. Try finding "cheap" real estate in any area known for tourism, beach or mountain areas. I'm not sure why someone would consider it cheaper than areas outside of other metro centers?. Even now there are plenty of people looking for the second home in the country, and a great many looking at retirement in the next 10 years or less, so the prices in a place people have loved to visit aren't that low.

The focus on crime statistics is also misleading, although with tourism and the t-shirts usually come transients and more small crimes. House vandalism and theft are not necessarily linked to murder or rape type crimes, or even car theft.

Many insurance companies charge an extra premium these days for any vacant home and this includes vacation homes for a good reason. I know of several people who are working on either a house flip (not the get rich kind, the restore a house kind) or on a second home that they hope to eventually retire to. They are in "safe" low crime, non tourist areas but have been broken into by thieves looking for copper and other metals to sell. They have been known to cart off appliances and tools, too. That is the reason for the extra insurance required. No matter how nice the neighbors and neighborhood this can happen anytime someone is not there overnight. These same thieves have been known to steal from churches, too.

Kimhankhess, your best bet would be buy property and an RV if you want to claim your land now, visit sometimes and build later. Anything left alone for months at a time will become interesting to someone sooner or later who is desperate. The only other alternative is some form of gated community and your price tag probably won't fit. Your plans are understandable (I know about 7 months of cold) but might need some fine tuning.

SMG I certainly understand your feelings. It is a shame to see the development I have here in our little town when heading out to the mountains. We tried hard not to be contributors when we did our search for a home. I haven't even wanted to see the tourist areas yet. One of my neighbors turns out to be part of a very old family in this area and I could hear her sadness when we talked of how it used to be here. She was still so warm and welcoming to us "newbies" but you could hear that wistfullness...

Emma

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by J&Em

As soon as a place becomes known as a vacation "hot spot" it often goes up in price for real estate. Try finding "cheap" real estate in any area known for tourism, beach or mountain areas. I'm not sure why someone would consider it cheaper than areas outside of other metro centers?. Even now there are plenty of people looking for the second home in the country, and a great many looking at retirement in the next 10 years or less, so the prices in a place people have loved to visit aren't that low.

The focus on crime statistics is also misleading, although with tourism and the t-shirts usually come transients and more small crimes. House vandalism and theft are not necessarily linked to murder or rape type crimes, or even car theft.

Many insurance companies charge an extra premium these days for any vacant home and this includes vacation homes for a good reason. I know of several people who are working on either a house flip (not the get rich kind, the restore a house kind) or on a second home that they hope to eventually retire to. They are in "safe" low crime, non tourist areas but have been broken into by thieves looking for copper and other metals to sell. They have been known to cart off appliances and tools, too. That is the reason for the extra insurance required. No matter how nice the neighbors and neighborhood this can happen anytime someone is not there overnight. These same thieves have been known to steal from churches, too.

Kimhankhess, your best bet would be buy property and an RV if you want to claim your land now, visit sometimes and build later. Anything left alone for months at a time will become interesting to someone sooner or later who is desperate. The only other alternative is some form of gated community and your price tag probably won't fit. Your plans are understandable (I know about 7 months of cold) but might need some fine tuning.

SMG I certainly understand your feelings. It is a shame to see the development I have here in our little town when heading out to the mountains. We tried hard not to be contributors when we did our search for a home. I haven't even wanted to see the tourist areas yet. One of my neighbors turns out to be part of a very old family in this area and I could hear her sadness when we talked of how it used to be here. She was still so warm and welcoming to us "newbies" but you could hear that wistfullness...

Emma

Wow! What a post! I think you have offered a superb resolution.

Buy the land and the RV. I bet you won't regret it.

[gailli]

I must be an odd ball, I guess the fact that I'm not from here is why, but, I love going to Gatlinburg. I love people watching and its a great place to do that, yes, the TShirt stores I stay out of but they have a wonderful New Orleans sandwich shop right downtown, the people came here when they lost everything to Katrina, and they make an authentic NO Beef Sandwich thats cooked for 12 hrs in Brown Gravy, it is to die for. I go to Gatlinburg just to go there and also there is a new store there that specializes in every type of kitchen sauce, barbecue, hot, mixes, you name it and they have it, I think its called All Sauced Up. It is a great new addition to downtown.

I also love riding the Trolley, I park in Pigeon Forge and take the Trolley to Gatlinburg, not I putting up with traffic its the poor driver

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by gailli

I must be an odd ball, I guess the fact that I'm not from here is why, but, I love going to Gatlinburg. I love people watching and its a great place to do that, yes, the TShirt stores I stay out of but they have a wonderful New Orleans sandwich shop right downtown, the people came here when they lost everything to Katrina, and they make an authentic NO Beef Sandwich thats cooked for 12 hrs in Brown Gravy, it is to die for. I go to Gatlinburg just to go there and also there is a new store there that specializes in every type of kitchen sauce, barbecue, hot, mixes, you name it and they have it, I think its called All Sauced Up. It is a great new addition to downtown.

I also love riding the Trolley, I park in Pigeon Forge and take the Trolley to Gatlinburg, not I putting up with traffic its the poor driver

I was born and raised next to Old Sturbridge Village. Then I moved to Orlando, after that to Fort Myers, Florida.

I think tourist areas can be fun at first. But after you've seen the same things a gazillion times and you realize that you have to LIVE there with all those crowds and higher prices, well, it can, at some point, become very frustrating.

Sometimes it takes a couple of years for the magic to wear off, but it usually does.

But gailli, you are in a town where you are close enough to get to the tourist area but not have to deal with REALLY living there.

[mbmouse]

I have a suggestion for the OP. Get a mobile home/travel trailer to put, long term, in a seasonal mobile home park of sorts. Then when you are here on vacation through the years, you may find a piece of land you may want to build on down the road. You will gain more and more knowledge of each area the more you are here so by the time you build you will know you like that area.
This way, there is someone year round to keep an eye on your travel trailer and if you do buy property, it is raw land, not much to damage there.
There are several seasonal camps/travel trailer year round parking/hook up places in the Cosby area just outside of Gatlinburg to the east.
Just a thought.

[gailli]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I was born and raised next to Old Sturbridge Village. Then I moved to Orlando, after that to Fort Myers, Florida.

I think tourist areas can be fun at first. But after you've seen the same things a gazillion times and you realize that you have to LIVE there with all those crowds and higher prices, well, it can, at some point, become very frustrating.

Sometimes it takes a couple of years for the magic to wear off, but it usually does.

But gailli, you are in a town where you are close enough to get to the tourist area but not have to deal with REALLY living there.

Hik, that's very true, probably wouldnt feel the same if I lived there and had to put up with it every day. I guess thats why I love it in Seymour, if I need to go to the city its right up the road and if I want to go "touristy" thats right up the road, best of both worlds

[Kitties of Domination]

Originally Posted by J&Em

The focus on crime statistics is also misleading, although with tourism and the t-shirts usually come transients and more small crimes. House vandalism and theft are not necessarily linked to murder or rape type crimes, or even car theft.

Many insurance companies charge an extra premium these days for any vacant home and this includes vacation homes for a good reason. I know of several people who are working on either a house flip (not the get rich kind, the restore a house kind) or on a second home that they hope to eventually retire to. They are in "safe" low crime, non tourist areas but have been broken into by thieves looking for copper and other metals to sell. They have been known to cart off appliances and tools, too. That is the reason for the extra insurance required. No matter how nice the neighbors and neighborhood this can happen anytime someone is not there overnight. These same thieves have been known to steal from churches, too.

Emma

Am I the only person who has speculated on the affects of oxycontin and meth to what seems to be a sharp rise in crime in rural areas and small towns in the area?