Seymour (Knoxville, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge: rental, house, neighborhoods)

[gailli]

The fall colors seem to be starting to peak, up on Bluff Mountain they are gorgeous. We took a drive thru the Smokies two weeks ago and they were beginning so we need to go next week as they seem to be at their peak also now. I too hope I continue to love it here.

[tn_dreamin']

I read a few posts about it and it all sounds positive, it's close to the mountains, close to knox,maryville,etc... Sounds too good to be true, is their any negatives about living there? I'm putting it on my list of towns/communities to check out when we visit next month before the big move. Thanks

[JMT]

Originally Posted by tn_dreamin'

I read a few posts about it and it all sounds positive, it's close to the mountains, close to knox,maryville,etc... Sounds too good to be true, is their any negatives about living there? I'm putting it on my list of towns/communities to check out when we visit next month before the big move. Thanks

Well, Seymour straddles three counties (Knox, Blount, Sevier) and is not an actual town, so it doesn't have city services such as police, garbage pick-up, etc. On the other hand, because it's not a city, there are no city property taxes.

As Seymour has grown, more shopping and restaurants have located there so it's not really that isolated anymore. And as Knoxville's growth keeps creeping south on Chapman Highway, Seymour is now just a few minutes from a brand new Home Depot, Wal-Mart SuperCenter, Lowe's, and others.

I honestly can't think of any negatives about Seymour except maybe the fact that housing there isn't cheap anymore considering its rural location. It's a beautiful area that's very convenient to downtown Knoxville/U.T. and Sevierville. It's not quite as convenient to Maryville because the road to Maryville is a twisting 2-lane road as opposed to the 4-lane highway going to Knoxville and Sevierville.

[tn_dreamin']

Great, thanks for the info. I looked on the city data page about it and it said the "average" house/condo was $104 k, has it changed since 2005? Also, do you have any idea what the average amount for a rental house would be? I'd like to rent for 6-12 months first. Thanks again for your help.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by tn_dreamin'

Great, thanks for the info. I looked on the city data page about it and it said the "average" house/condo was $104 k, has it changed since 2005? Also, do you have any idea what the average amount for a rental house would be? I'd like to rent for 6-12 months first. Thanks again for your help.

No I'm sorry, I don't have an exact figure for you. I just know that when I was looking for a house out in the country, homes in the Seymour area were more expensive than in other rural areas around Knoxville. I suppose compared to prices in Maryland Seymour is a bargain, but compared to other areas in East Tennessee, it's above average.

[ShellsNJam]

Yeah - we looked in Seymour as well & it seemed a little pricier to us than other areas that only paid county taxes.

[tn_dreamin']

So, another question, does seymour get any high traffic like the other towns( pigeon forge, sevierville)?

[luvmyanimals]

Go to The Realty Store-it's located in Sevierville, TN...look under long-term rentals they have alot of them for Seymour. The Realty Store - Long Term Rentals.

[tn_dreamin']

Thanks so much, that link will be very helpful!

[On the Line]

We lived in Seymour for 14 years (lived in three different developments) but moved to North Carolina 20 years ago. However, we still have many close and dear friends in Seymour and have visited there on a regular basis for years. We loved Seymour and still do, however, there are definite pros and cons to the area. It is a beautiful place that is convenient to Knoxville as well as to Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Yes, traffic can be heavy on Chapman Highway during the busy tourist months and Chapman can be dangerous due to the traffic, multi-lanes, speed and the unlimited access from all the side streets and businesses. There has been so much growth in Seymour with a lot more shopping, fast-food (even Starbucks recently!), etc. That said, however, be aware that to do any serious shopping at a mall or nicer stores, go to a movie or a really nice restaurant then you're still going to be driving for close to a half an hour to West Knoxville or other areas that offer those amenities. You aren't going to find them in Seymour or South Knoxville. On the plus side, property taxes are still very, very low but sales tax is high. Also, there certainly are many new developments with upscale homes to choose from as well as more modestly priced ones. Keep in mind though that zoning is pretty much non-existant--you can see beautiful, expensive neighborhoods right next door to a shack or a double-wide. Also, the big problem that they have never remedied is that there is no public sewage system so all the homes are on septic tanks and the soil in that area is not good for perking--lots of shale. We've been away so many years that I don't know the ratings of the schools now--the primary school and middle school used to be good but the high school was not so great--hopefully that has improved. Also, because Seymour is unincorporated they tend to be the "red-headed stepchild" for Sevier County with Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg getting more attention, tax dollars, etc. It is ironic because Seymour has a bigger population and should have some political clout but didn't seem to be able to use it effectively. Honestly, if we were to move back to the Knoxville area now, I doubt I would buy in Seymour again because I'm just too used to being closer to more amenities now. Seymour can meet the basic needs but that's about it. However, the people are wonderful--friendly and welcoming and you can't beat the beauty of East Tennessee!