Moving to Nashville from Raleigh (Franklin, Brentwood: for sale, real estate, houses)

[Sfmarina]

Hi there,

First thank you for reading/responding, I know this has been posted about a lot! So we have one early elementary age child, I'll be working at the hospital. Our price point would be 200-350k max. We love the outdoors and good independent restaurants. We primarily shop at trader joes and whole foods. Any guidance about where to start a search would be greatly appreciated!!

[CountryGirl2b=]

Well, we do have a Trader Joes and at least two Whole Foods. One in Franklin and one in Green Hills, where the Trader Joes is. WHICH hospital will you be working at???? Not sure you'd be able to afford Green Hills but certainly you could find a nice home in Franklin in your price range. Not many walkable neighborhoods though . . . East Nashville has a lot of quirky independent restaurants but you need to be a bit of a pioneer to move there . . . .

Here is the best website to use to look at what your housing dollar will buy here:

RealTracs Search for Real Estate in Mid-South

I would look in Williamson County first . . . . oh, and how long of a commute (to whichever hospital you'll be working at) would you consider?

[N.Cal]

Originally Posted by CountryGirl2b=

East Nashville has a lot of quirky independent restaurants but you need to be a bit of a pioneer to move there . . . .

Seriously?????? Have you actually been to East Nashville? There are 108 houses for sale in 37206, only 40 of them are under $198,000. A big chunk of them are over $250,000, most way over that mark. There are 86 houses for sale in 37216 and a little over half are under $200,000. Having looked at many many many houses (probably 30-40) in EN, no, you don't need to be a pioneer to move to most areas of EN. The pioneers who did this a number of years ago have already made a killing. Yes, there are areas that one wouldn't want to move, but as a single female, there were lots of neighborhoods that I would have been fine moving to if I could have found something I liked (I'm pretty picky and couldn't see going up an additional $100K).

For the OP, where is the job? Living far from the job and commuting every day can get very old.

[Sfmarina]

Sorry, I'm an idiot. Vanderbilt children's!!

[Vandy-bound]

I live in Brentwood and work at VUMC (not Childrens though). It's a reasonable commute, not too long. You would be hard-pressed to find something in Brentwood in your price range, but I think that you would be successful in Franklin (just one more town down 65). Nashville proper is contained within all of Davidson County. If your child is early-elementary age, you will find at least a few Nashville elementary schools that are well-regarded and with good test scores and parental involvement. Things change substantially at the middle school and high school level, and many parents leave metro if their child doesn't get into the magnet programs or they choose private schools. If you are several years away, I would definitely keep Metro an option, given your price range and where you'll be working.

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by Vandy-bound

I live in Brentwood and work at VUMC (not Childrens though). It's a reasonable commute, not too long. You would be hard-pressed to find something in Brentwood in your price range, but I think that you would be successful in Franklin (just one more town down 65). Nashville proper is contained within all of Davidson County. If your child is early-elementary age, you will find at least a few Nashville elementary schools that are well-regarded and with good test scores and parental involvement. Things change substantially at the middle school and high school level, and many parents leave metro if their child doesn't get into the magnet programs or they choose private schools. If you are several years away, I would definitely keep Metro an option, given your price range and where you'll be working.

In the OP's price range, I think the only good elementary school zones they would be able to afford would be Harpeth Valley and maybe Granbery.

[skyblueNashville]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

In the OP's price range, I think the only good elementary school zones they would be able to afford would be Harpeth Valley and maybe Granbery.

I would add Shayne Elementary to that list. They can easily find a house in their price range in either the Granbery or Shayne zones. Again, I don't put a lot of stock in standardized test scores. I know personally Shayne and Oliver Middle are good schools with good kids and involved parents.

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by skyblueNashville

I would add Shayne Elementary to that list. They can easily find a house in their price range in either the Granbery or Shayne zones. Again, I don't put a lot of stock in standardized test scores. I know personally Shayne and Oliver Middle are good schools with good kids and involved parents.

Good call! I forgot about Shayne. Guess it's still "new" to me.

[Sfmarina]

Thank you! Wow, good info on the schools systems, it gives me a good starting point so thank you! And all of those are in Nashville proper? I would be happy to live more south, closer to Brenwood or Franklin, from what I can tell. I am kinda past the point of needing to be "in" the city.

[Sfmarina]

Originally Posted by Vandy-bound

I live in Brentwood and work at VUMC (not Childrens though). It's a reasonable commute, not too long. You would be hard-pressed to find something in Brentwood in your price range, but I think that you would be successful in Franklin (just one more town down 65). Nashville proper is contained within all of Davidson County. If your child is early-elementary age, you will find at least a few Nashville elementary schools that are well-regarded and with good test scores and parental involvement. Things change substantially at the middle school and high school level, and many parents leave metro if their child doesn't get into the magnet programs or they choose private schools. If you are several years away, I would definitely keep Metro an option, given your price range and where you'll be working.

When you say leave Metro, that means Nashville proper? That doesn't include Franklin or Brentwood, right?