Anyone going or has gone back to FL? (Knoxville, Kingsport: crime, schools)

[nicolatte']

My husband and I are native Floridians. Ft Lauderdale area born. We moved to Sebring Fl about four years ago with our three children. We have enjoyed the reduced pace this small town offers but unfourtunately there hasn't been very much in the way of employment lately.We've heard of the employment opportunities in Ft. Lauderdale but we're sick to death of the way people just crawl over each other down there. My husband is exploring a worship leader position in the Knoxville area and I must say,I like what I'm reading on this post board. Snow is a mystery to us and a fireplace is a nice area to display flower arrangements. Any advice for a family of tanned people?

[DubbleT]

Originally Posted by nicolatte'

My husband and I are native Floridians. Ft Lauderdale area born. We moved to Sebring Fl about four years ago with our three children. We have enjoyed the reduced pace this small town offers but unfourtunately there hasn't been very much in the way of employment lately.We've heard of the employment opportunities in Ft. Lauderdale but we're sick to death of the way people just crawl over each other down there. My husband is exploring a worship leader position in the Knoxville area and I must say,I like what I'm reading on this post board. Snow is a mystery to us and a fireplace is a nice area to display flower arrangements. Any advice for a family of tanned people?

No advice, but I love your sense of humor.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by nicolatte'

My husband and I are native Floridians. Ft Lauderdale area born. We moved to Sebring Fl about four years ago with our three children. We have enjoyed the reduced pace this small town offers but unfourtunately there hasn't been very much in the way of employment lately.We've heard of the employment opportunities in Ft. Lauderdale but we're sick to death of the way people just crawl over each other down there. My husband is exploring a worship leader position in the Knoxville area and I must say,I like what I'm reading on this post board. Snow is a mystery to us and a fireplace is a nice area to display flower arrangements. Any advice for a family of tanned people?

For the most part, you'll keep your tan. I don't look like that fluorescent white that I had when I first moved to Florida from the northeast.

[Minervah]

Since joining this great forum I have learned a lot. I will be looking for a city in which to relocate in a couple of years, and was totally oblivious of Tennessee. Now I have found you and I am looking forward to visiting Knoxville next year. An until then......

's

To everyone.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Minervah

Since joining this great forum I have learned a lot. I will be looking for a city in which to relocate in a couple of years, and was totally oblivious of Tennessee. Now I have found you and I am looking forward to visiting Knoxville next year. An until then......

's

To everyone.

We'll be here!

[ceeglass]

Originally Posted by nicolatte'

My husband and I are native Floridians. Ft Lauderdale area born. We moved to Sebring Fl about four years ago with our three children. We have enjoyed the reduced pace this small town offers but unfourtunately there hasn't been very much in the way of employment lately.We've heard of the employment opportunities in Ft. Lauderdale but we're sick to death of the way people just crawl over each other down there. My husband is exploring a worship leader position in the Knoxville area and I must say,I like what I'm reading on this post board. Snow is a mystery to us and a fireplace is a nice area to display flower arrangements. Any advice for a family of tanned people?

It may snow in Knoxville, but only a few inches at a time and it's gone quickly. It's not like you're going to have a White Christmas or anything. It doesn't get cold enough to snow until usually January or February. It sure is pretty while it's there, though. At least you get all excited about it because it's so infrequent compared to the midwest. We lived in the midwest for 3 years and you didn't see the ground Dec., Jan., or Feb. and sometimes into March. It snowed on Easter the last year we lived there.
You can always go up in the Mountains to higher elevations to see more snow if there's not enough in K-Town.

[tnlover]

Even though this post that I am about to write has nothng to do with FL, I wanted to share our TN experiences.

Having been born and raised in Minnesota, I have to admit that we Minnesotans think we have special something up here that we refer to as "Minnesota Nice" and most Minnesotans think there is no better place to live than in MN. Well, having travelled to East TN numerous times in the past 4 years, I have a hard time believing that us Minnesotans know what "nice" really means. The only time I see Minnesotans come together and help each other is when there is a natural disaster like a tornado or flood. Outside of that, us Minnesotans tend to be rather independent people. In Tennessee, we have met many wonderful people and developed many new friendships over the years. These newfound friends are always asking us to join them for a meal at their home, offering to helping us in anyway that they can, or just listen to our life experiences and what brought us to TN. We met an older couple a few years back that we have become close friends with and they have extended an open offer for us to stay at their place whenever we are in town. We haven't taken them up on their offer yet, but probably will someday. You would never experience that kind of hospitality in MN. What I find interesting is that when we tell our MN friends and family members that we are moving to East TN, the first thing they ask is "why TN"??? After we share with them our experiences about all the wonderful people we have met, the slower paced, simpler lifestyle, the beauty of nature and the four seasons (with a short and mild winter) and the lower cost of living, they suddenly perk up. Another interesting tidbit is that most of those people over time have travelled with us to East TN so see if their experiences were similar to ours and low and behold they were!! When they get back to MN, all they talk about is how wonderful the people are and the beauty of the area. It looks like my two daughters and one stepson are seriously considering moving to East TN in the next 3 - 5 years. They have already started scoping out employment opportunities so they may become transplants from MN as well. Yes, I can see them following mom & dad to TN.

In June we are bringing yet another couple with us who will be experiencing East TN for their first time. Gee, who knows?? Maybe they will fall in love with TN too!!! At the end of every trip to TN we find it increasingly difficult to head north again, so we feel we are definately being called to live in TN!! Once we get settled in TN, I can't ever imagine wanting to leave TN and moving back to MN!!!

Isn't life wonderful!!

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by tnlover

Isn't life wonderful!!

Yes, it can be.

I truly believe that friendly, nice people that were raised elsewhere gravitate towards this area. It's like a magnet that calls them home. I really feel bad for people that don't ever get to experience "nice."

[Scott LF]

Originally Posted by lochmoigh

My wife is down in SF this week and I am encouraging her to really look at the situation down there. From what I have heard here (and she is hearing down there) there is little job opportunities at the current time. I have lived here my entire life and would like a change of pace but like you hiknapster I want to research the poo out of the subject before I make decision that could be catastophic financially.

There are advantages to moving to SF, houses are cheap. I do think the area and the state will turn around, it really comes down to timing. I will post waht she tells me as I hear about it, if times are already tough for the poster, Florida may not be the best option.

I am formerly of West Palm Beach, but,I do NOT mention that in mixed company around here. This is my home. It's a step back in time when I felt comfortable. As far as homes being priced "cheap" in Florida right now, yes that's partly true. But, don't forget the rapists known as insurance providers and tax collectors. I have plenty of friends who still live in south Fl. Their lives are there, no one else besides me was in a postion where a change is venue would have been beneficial. I tell them what I pay for home owners and property taxes, and there is silence on the phone. My job pays about 90% of what I was making down there. The biggest kicker of all, is, of course, I love living here. I guess I love the people here. A true slice of Americana, my friend tells me. Last time I looked around in south Fl. I saw nothing that resembled America. I brought the flag with me.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Scott LF

I am formerly of West Palm Beach, but,I do NOT mention that in mixed company around here. This is my home. It's a step back in time when I felt comfortable. As far as homes being priced "cheap" in Florida right now, yes that's partly true. But, don't forget the rapists known as insurance providers and tax collectors. I have plenty of friends who still live in south Fl. Their lives are there, no one else besides me was in a postion where a change is venue would have been beneficial. I tell them what I pay for home owners and property taxes, and there is silence on the phone. My job pays about 90% of what I was making down there. The biggest kicker of all, is, of course, I love living here. I guess I love the people here. A true slice of Americana, my friend tells me. Last time I looked around in south Fl. I saw nothing that resembled America. I brought the flag with me.

And two words about those "cheap" houses in Florida. Chinese Drywall.

Houses built down there - and other places - in the past five years or so have a high potential of having it, something that will wreak havoc on your pipes, electrical system, HVAC, appliances, mirrors, jewelry, silver and your health. Good luck chasing the builder down.

They are just finding out about this, yet they are still being sold as others look the other way, and you will be stuck with a worthless building.

If the crime, the schools, the people won't turn you around, this better.