Pros and Cons of moving to Ruston, LA or similar small town (Baton Rouge: sales, real estate market)

[hdwell]

Originally Posted by redbean

Honestly... I suggest Knoxville. Ruston, as much as I love it, will be too boring, and maybe too much culture shock. Check out Knoxville or similar areas.

Knoxville? What is so great about Knoxville? I have been there and can't see what everyone else sees in it. It's located in a pretty area, but just looks like another city to me. I'm not saying Ruston is that wonderful but most of these Southeastern cities that are so desirable just don't seem like anything special once you get to them. Not to mention that fundementalist churches are twice as common there as here. I always think of those snakehandlers (how stupid!) when I think of Knoxville and the Appalachians.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

Originally Posted by hdwell

Knoxville? What is so great about Knoxville? I have been there and can't see what everyone else sees in it. It's located in a pretty area, but just looks like another city to me. I'm not saying Ruston is that wonderful but most of these Southeastern cities that are so desirable just don't seem like anything special once you get to them. Not to mention that fundementalist churches are twice as common there as here. I always think of those snakehandlers (how stupid!) when I think of Knoxville and the Appalachians.

I agree. U of Tenn. is nice, but its really not the best city in the world around it. There are MUCH better college towns in the South.

I really like Athens, Georgia.

[mezzogirl]

I think Athens would work too, except for the crime part. When you read threads on Athens in the GA boards, you get a little "concerned" about the crime pockets that are described there. But other than that, the rest of the requests are met. Not to mention, you are fairly close to Atlanta if you want serious entertainment or shopping. Check out Athens!
I'm not really a big Knoxville fan either. And because of all the retirees who have moved there in the recent years looking for their 5 acres on a brow lot- the real estate prices have soared. I mean, there is still cheaper stuff, but maybe not so desirable.

[LSU Tiger Z71]

Originally Posted by mezzogirl

I think Athens would work too, except for the crime part. When you read threads on Athens in the GA boards, you get a little "concerned" about the crime pockets that are described there. But other than that, the rest of the requests are met. Not to mention, you are fairly close to Atlanta if you want serious entertainment or shopping. Check out Athens!
I'm not really a big Knoxville fan either. And because of all the retirees who have moved there in the recent years looking for their 5 acres on a brow lot- the real estate prices have soared. I mean, there is still cheaper stuff, but maybe not so desirable.

I'm glad you agreed with my advice and added on it more.

[imaterry78259]

What about Natch or Baton Rouge

[UnemployedFinanceGuy]

Originally Posted by redbean

Honestly... I suggest Knoxville. Ruston, as much as I love it, will be too boring, and maybe too much culture shock. Check out Knoxville or similar areas.

Thank you All for your excellent suggestions and great insight into Ruston. I plan on visiting Ruston this fall to see for myself. I will also visit Knoxville and Athens. I also "discovered" Columbia, South Carolina which sounds almost too good to be true...fantastically low real estate prices and great year round activity...still crime may be a problem in any of these cities larger than Ruston.

[Rosinante]

I'm from Washington, D.C., but have lived in Louisiana for the past 30 years. In fact, I've lived here for nearly half of my life. My wife is from Baltimore, so we have some sense of what it's like to move from the northeast to Louisiana. She likes the winters here and tolerates the summers far better than I do. I'm far more of a solitary person than my wife, so, living in a place like Ruston would appeal to me more than to her. But for me, the prospect of moving to Ruston would not be any improvement over living in Baton Rouge since there are STILL too many people living there. Beyond that, the brutal summers here would have me looking for some place with a gentler climate. Also, my career in college publishing would have me agreeing with the poster above who wrote that he would not consider a job offer there, given the lack of cultural attractions in the immediate Ruston area.

[LOUISIANA'SLEGEND]

Ruston: home of wealthy people who work in bigger cities, its a clean college town, has a very popular yearly event called the Peach festival, and the people are friendly. but, my friend your kidding yourself coming from NYC thinking you wont get bored, then you chose Ruston....HA!! If you like to travel miles a day for all of the things you prolly took for granted there in NY, then your ok. But Ruston will quicky make you think your back in old times, they get by with as little as possible and thats just the way they like.

[LOUISIANA'SLEGEND]

........on second thought, Louisiana will make you think your back in old times, but the outdoors is nice!!!!!!

[redbean]

I lived in Ruston for over ten years. It's a great town, and I still miss my friends there. But the people that were happy living there were either working for the university, or had families. You'd better enjoy hunting, fishing, or golf (or at least 2 of those) because there isn't that much else to do. It's good that you will be getting out and visiting some places before you move, at least you'll have some idea what the area is like. And I would suggest renting first, just to make sure you've made a good choice. There's pros and cons for any city, it all depends what you like to do. Good luck.