moving to spring hill area, farm/horse country?? (Franklin, Brentwood: appointed, for sale)

[aphahorse]

We visited spring hill, and are totally confused now!

Hubby & I night be moving from NJ to TN for job relocation...we visited for a few days, but not sure of area.

Job would be in spring hill, so we were looking around that area, and surrounding 20 miles or so. We were alone, so nobody was with us to help guide us. We did meet up with a realtor, but she didnt have any farm information to tell us, so mainly hubby & I just drove around to try to find areas, thinking we would find something.

I was a bit disappointed because we didnt see many horse farms (I have a show horse , and we compete, so we want to be in horse country), and didnt see many nice manicured farms. The houses we drove past looked kind of run down/and had messy yards, rusty cars on property, etc.

To start we would be renting a house, so an HOA would be in place.....but when we go to buy we would want a nice house on farmette (5-20 acres) for our horses, etc. near pretty farm type community. (crop farming, horse farms, etc.) and an HOA probably would not be there (?)

Were we looking in the wrong areas? Are there towns we should also check out that are horse country, middle class, decent schools, farming community?

Right now we dont have kids but will be starting a family soon, so schools would be impt too.

[septimus]

My friends with show horses live in Arrington (Williamson County) and Leiper's Fork. There seem to be for sale signs regularly in front of horse properties on Old Hillsboro Rd.

[BirdieBelle]

Have you thought about Kentucky?

This area is not really known as horse country. Livestock is much more common. We have a lot of undeveloped land, but you most likely would have to create your own place on raw acreage.

The show horse and cutting horse communities are growing, but it's not the county's main trade.

Another problem with "horse farms" in this county is that land is very expensive, so you're either going to get multimillion-dollar "equestrian estates" or a subdivision like Saddle Springs created for horse owners.

I would suggest finding a Realtor who specializes in this unless you want to create your own from scratch. Otherwise you will just have to get lucky.

[aphahorse]

I think mainly, even if its not horse-country, we want to be in an area thats "pretty" without the rusty cars on the properties. We are fine with crop, or cattle farms, etc, and want our land to be in farm community, but we just dont want to drive down the street and see the rusty cars, unkempt houses, etc.

[aphahorse]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

Have you thought about Kentucky?

This area is not really known as horse country. Livestock is much more common. We have a lot of undeveloped land, but you most likely would have to create your own place on raw acreage.

The show horse and cutting horse communities are growing, but it's not the county's main trade.

Another problem with "horse farms" in this county is that land is very expensive, so you're either going to get multimillion-dollar "equestrian estates" or a subdivision like Saddle Springs created for horse owners.

I would suggest finding a Realtor who specializes in this unless you want to create your own from scratch. Otherwise you will just have to get lucky.

Is saddle springs near spring hill?

[BirdieBelle]

It's in the Arno/Peytonsville area, just northeast of Spring Hill. It is just an example I put out there of a specifically equestrian neighborhood. Not sure how development is progressing; the first builder may have gone bankrupt.

There are areas of the county like you're talking about, in the Old Hillsboro Road/Leipers Fork area, some parts of Arrington and parts of Franklin. Those are going to be high-dollar areas. But you have been looking in the country, and the stuff you describe is what some people see as an advantage to living in the country - leaving out whatever stuff they like without someone, especially an HOA, telling them what to do and how to do it.

I think that's why an agent will be your best bet. This is just one local company that specializes in farms:

Leipers Fork Real Estate - Homes, Farms, Ranches & Land

[vivelafrance]

Originally Posted by aphahorse

I think mainly, even if its not horse-country, we want to be in an area thats "pretty" without the rusty cars on the properties. We are fine with crop, or cattle farms, etc, and want our land to be in farm community, but we just dont want to drive down the street and see the rusty cars, unkempt houses, etc.

I'm honestly not sure you will find this. Most of the farms are out in the country and not in city-limits with ordinances against those types of things. It is common in southern Williamson county to see a $10 million mansion on a hill and a trailer with rusty cars in the lawn next door.

The only large area I can think of that meets your criteria would be on the outskirts of Lexington, KY where horses play a huge role in tourism.
Like Wmsn mentioned, there are some area in Williamson but they will be expensive and likely smaller in area.

[Raiderstudent]

Try looking in Nolensville. There are plenty of horse-friendly farms around there. My wife's uncle have a farm with a barn that holds 25 horses. Again, like everyone has said, there aren't many restrictions in the rural areas so you can find a really nice farm, but your next door neighbor might be a trailer. Unlikely, but it is possible.

Nolensville is also next to Brentwood and close to Franklin so you aren't too far away from nicer amenities.