Areas around Franklin (Brentwood, Spring Hill, Fairview: for sale, real estate, renting) - Nashville - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

Jen24 · 11-30-2010, 10:48 PM

My husband is in the process of trying to get a promotion that would have us relocating to TN. The job is in Franklin and we are just starting to research neighborhoods. We really like rural feeling neighborhoods and small towns(less than 10,000). Are there any small towns around that are about a 30 minute(give or take a few) commute to Franklin? We also have a 3 and a 5 year old so we would like a kid friendly neighborhood. We have been looking a little at Fairview. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Any input?

We may end up renting for a bit while we get to know the area, but eventually would like to find a house that is about $150,000 or less. We don't mind getting a fixer upper and can fix most problems. Is that a realistic goal in this area?

tryphena1 · 12-01-2010, 04:24 AM

You're in luck, because with the exception of Brentwood and Nashville to the north, there is nothing but small towns around Franklin. The surrounding area is very rural.

Another town you might want to investigate is Spring Hill. It is located south of Franklin down I65 in Maury County... I think the population is over 10,000, but believe me, it still has rural charm. In that price range, you'll find a huge selection of very nice houses in Spring Hill. The town has the former Saturn/GM plant, so it experienced a population boom. Since it is close to Franklin and a commutable drive to Nashville, it has become a very popular place for people wanting exactly what you're describing-- small town feel, family friendly, rural.

Fairview is nice. You should also be able to find a decent selection of houses for that price, although real estate is a bit more there with the town being closer to Nashville and in Williamson County. Fairview itself is very different from Franklin and the rest of Williamson County. It's growing... but it's much more of a "country" town than Franklin.

Good luck!

Hollyshomes · 12-01-2010, 07:51 AM

I can speak with first hand knowledge about Fairview, because we live here and our 3 boys attend the public schools.

While Fairview certainly has a rural small town feel, it is also growing commercially which makes it a smart place to invest in real estate. In Feb., Publix grocery store is scheduled to open at the new City Center. This will usher in a variety of shopping and restaurant options.

By the end of 2012, I-840 will be completely open which will connect us to the Spring Hill area.

Be sure to check out Bowie park which is the largest city park in TN. We just received grant money to add more walking and bike trails in the near future. Also, your kids would enjoy swimming at the community pool in the summer time.

There are not a lot of options 150K or less, but you'll notice if you bump your search up to 165K you'll have a bigger selection. Some people have pulled their homes off the market for the holidays so you'll see an increase in inventory in January.

You should compare the drive time from Fairview to Franklin vs SpringHill to Franklin. You'll notice that you won't be grid locked in traffic on I-65.

brentwoodgirl · 12-01-2010, 09:42 AM

Your best bet would be to search Real Tracs for your price range and then see what areas appeal to you.
www.realtracs.com The search Williamson County and enter your max price.

I love this 1926 cottage in Primm Springs:
RealTracs Mid-South Real Estate Property Finder Listing Details

It's on 5 acres, so maybe more than what you want, and it only has one bath. But I love it esp, for the price and Williamson County schools.

There are several rural communities in Williamson County that have houses for sale in your price range.
Fairview is more of a town, but still has a rural feel and you get nice ammenties as a bonus. I would work with your price range as the first concern and then once you see what you can buy it different areas of the county, figure out which one you like best.

Jen24 · 12-01-2010, 01:18 PM

Thank you everyone. This info is VERY helpful. I am definitely interested in Spring Hill and still Fairview. I will look into both.

Another question... Are there certain areas that were more affected by the flood than others? Are there areas I need to watch out for in that aspect?

Jen24 · 12-01-2010, 03:40 PM

I guess what I am wondering is if I need to watch out for flood damage in houses that we look at in these areas. Were there a lot of houses that had extensive flood damage in Fairview and Spring hill? I don't really know much about the flood except that it was huge! I have watched videos on youtube and am amazed that I didn't even hear about it until I started looking into moving to the Nashville area. Sorry if this seems like an ignorant question.

Chris Mannino · 12-01-2010, 03:54 PM

The reason you didn't hear about it Jen is because we in Nashville don't wave our arms around and blame the government for everything. We bond together and take care of our problems. That's why half the country didn't know about our devastation until about a week after the fact. One of the many reasons I love living here. I'm sure you will too.

As far as specific areas of flooding goes, it was very area specific. One subdivision could have been under 3 feet of water while the other remained untouched. You will just need to have your agent do his or her homework when you find a home you like. Some areas hit hard were Bellevue, Downtown Franklin, East Nashville and many homes that sit next to creeks or the Harpeth River or Cumberland Rivers.

Hope that helps.

Jen24 · 12-01-2010, 04:57 PM

Thanks a lot! It sounds like we would love it there. Thanks for the info.

GWoodle · 12-01-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jen24

I guess what I am wondering is if I need to watch out for flood damage in houses that we look at in these areas. Were there a lot of houses that had extensive flood damage in Fairview and Spring hill? I don't really know much about the flood except that it was huge! I have watched videos on youtube and am amazed that I didn't even hear about it until I started looking into moving to the Nashville area. Sorry if this seems like an ignorant question.

Something that is difficult to tell is areas of poor or no drainage. The first area to flood may be small creeks or streams that may not be noticed till there is 12" of rain in 2 days. The major flood damage that makes the TV is along the Harpeth river from Franklin north into Bellevue. The damage to Opryland & downtown Nashville was along the Cumberland river. Another area to avoid is downstream from the Percy Priest Dam (Hermitage/donelson).

In the Franklin/cool springs area there is a huge paved area near & around the mall that will have poor drainage. If you have a choice of property, you may look for something on higher ground from the hillside.

I'm not sure if the local government or FEMA can be used as a reliable source for flood maps & info. You may try to ask other residents nearby if you can't trust the seller. You may need your own sales agent.

Hollyshomes · 12-01-2010, 08:39 PM

Sellers are required to fill out a Tennessee property disclosure report noting if their home had any flood damage. Your Realtor will investigate this for you. In West Nashville, Bellevue was the hardest hit. I only know of a couple of Fairview homes that had any damage and those were homes that got some water in their basements or crawl spaces.