Need Williamson County Neighborhood Help (Franklin, Brentwood: transplants, for sale, custom home)

[BRENTinTN]

My wife and I have come to the conclusion after 7 years of living in Destin, FL... we are ready to come home to Middle Tennessee! We've gone back and forth about it for years and I have posted on the forum several times prior, but I believe we are about ready.

We are fortunate enough to have a waterfront home, it's great being close to the beaches, and the winters are much better here, but after 7 years... it still doesn't feel like home! There is not a strong sense of community here. I'm proud to be from the South, but it just doesn't feel like the south here. There are quite a few transplants and it's really a transient area.

We've looked on and off at Williamson County listings for the past few years. We are torn on which neighborhood(s) would be best for us. We are not pretentious or flashy, so we don't have to be in Laurelbrooke, Annandale, or the Governors Club, but we do gravitate to the larger custom homes.

We have 3 children ages 1, 5, and 8. We would prefer a neighborhood with lots of kids. I know the higher priced neighborhoods will tend to not have as many kids so this is where we are struggling to find the right fit. As much as we'd like to have a big beautiful custom home, we are more concerned about the kids so we are willing to go wherever. I do want a good size yard, I'd prefer at least 3/4 acre with a flat backyard for them to have plenty of room to play.

As for location... Brentwood or Franklin is our target. We will be going to Gallatin a good bit for business and family so convenience to the interstate is nice, but not a necessity. Convenient access to shopping would be great. We looked at a home recently in Kinnard Springs. We really liked the house and I loved the 5 acre lot, but my wife thought it was too far out of town and there definitely wouldn't be many kids.

As for schools... We know Brentwood schools tend to be a little better overall than Franklin schools. We may do private, but we are leaning toward public schools. Our 8 year old is extremely shy and we are worried about her fitting in and making new friends.

Our favorite neighborhoods have been Laurelbrooke, Annandale, McGavock Farms, Princeton Hills, Legends Ridge, and the Governors Club. Laurelbrooke being the top of our list.

With all that said... What Franklin/Brentwood neighborhoods would you suggest for a budget up to $1.5m with a good number of younger kids, decent sized lots, newer custom homes, close to shopping, and good schools?

Thanks in advance and I'm sorry for the lengthy post!

Brent

[moving123]

Welcome back home to Tennessee. No place like it. Lots of new developments that meet your criteria. I will PM you some info.

You cannot go wrong with any of the neighborhoods you mention, Laurelbrooke, Annandale, McGavock Farms, Princeton Hills, Legends Ridge, and the Governors Club. And yes, Laurelbrooke is outstanding!!

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by BRENTinTN

With all that said... What Franklin/Brentwood neighborhoods would you suggest for a budget up to $1.5m with a good number of younger kids, decent sized lots, newer custom homes, close to shopping, and good schools?

Brent

Laurelbrooke and Governors Club are the least convenient to shopping and kid activities.

I know families with kids in all of them, but I really don't know the percentages or anything like that.

Your kids are very young, and schools likely will change over the years. All the elementary schools for these neighborhoods are fine.

Age-wise, the neighborhoods rank as follows:

McGavock Farms 1990 (with the phase 2 mega MEGA mansions built in '04-'05)
Legends Ridge 1996
Princeton Hills 1997
Governors Club 1998
Laurelbrooke 1999
Annandale 2005

Legends Ridge and Laurelbrooke are actually in an unincorporated area of the county and not within any city limits. The only reason this really matters is that if you have a fire, the Williamson County Rescue Squad will be the first responders, not Franklin or Brentwood fire departments.
The rest are in the city of Brentwood.

Legends Ridge is the only one with full acre + lots.

Most of the lots in Laurelbrooke are about a half-acre. McGavock ranges from a half-acre to about .8 of an acre, with the gigantic homes (6,000+ sq ft) having about an acre or more.

Many Governors Club lots are 1/3 to 1/4 acre, with some hitting .6. Many are very hilly.

To get an acre in Princeton Hills will cost at least $1.5M. Most are half-acre to .7 of an acre.

Personally I like Legends Ridge because it is in a quiet area of town, just a couple of miles from downtown Franklin. You are not immediately convenient to shopping or I-65, but it has well-built homes and lovely yards.

At this point, it really just depends on what feels right to you.

[CountryGirl2b=]

I am at Fieldstone Farms, just down the street from Legends Ridge and I find the location PERFECT for shopping and I-65! It's just over Berry's Chapel/Lynwood to Cool Springs. Takes 10 minutes at most. 15 minutes up Hillsboro to Green Hills, Trader Joes, Nordstrom. 65 is at Cool Springs but sometimes taking Franklin Road north and getting on (and off) at Concord Road is less hassle/congested.

They are still building at Legends Ridge and parts of it can be hilly. The thing that always strikes me when I have been over there is the 'baldness' of it - I think they need more mature trees . . . I actually prefer the houses to the East of Legends Ridge off of Farmington Drive. Some of them have big lots but not sure of the size. Nothing for sale there now but you'd have $900,000 left over if you bought there!

[BRENTinTN]

Originally Posted by CountryGirl2b=

The thing that always strikes me when I have been over there is the 'baldness' of it

I agree 100%! That's why we're not huge fans of Annandale and why we do really like Laurelbrooke. I do really like the convenience of Legends Ridge... there just isn't much inventory in there right now.

[BRENTinTN]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

Personally I like Legends Ridge because it is in a quiet area of town, just a couple of miles from downtown Franklin. You are not immediately convenient to shopping or I-65, but it has well-built homes and lovely yards.

At this point, it really just depends on what feels right to you.

As I said above, I really do like the location of Legends Ridge, there's just not much available right now. As for convenience, the style home we'd like to have, schools, and kids in the hood... Annandale is moving up the list.

It definitely wasn't originally one of my favorites, but it seems to be a good fit.

[BirdieBelle]

Legends Ridge is so bald because it was supposed to have a golf course.

Also, I should have said in my earlier post that those dates are when building STARTED in those communities. Most still have homes being built today.

As far as location, Legends Ridge is "not convenient" compared to Princeton Hills or McGavock Farms, which are both a block away from the main shopping area of Brentwood. I personally hate going over that huge Lynnwood Way hill, but thank goodness it's there or you'd have to go all the way to Mack Hatcher or up to Murray Lane (or use deadly back roads).

Annandale is the newest and is building like crazy, has a very nice pool and lots of families with kids. Yours can join mine in the new portables at Lipscomb Elementary.

[CountryGirl2b=]

Well, I, personally find the (Legends Ridge/Fieldstone Fams) area convenient to shopping and I LOVE the drive over the hill! The views are stunning, the cows grazing are peaceful, a really nice little 5 minute country drive before you the madness that is Cool Springs. Golf course or not, one has to wonder WHY it looks like they 'clear cut' even the land up the steep slope at Legends Ridge? Certainly you couldn't have a golf course on that hill?

To the OP, there ARE lots for sale there if you want to build your dream home!

I made the mistake of driving up to Brentwood on the 3rd of July. What a mess! The big shopping area with the Kroger was bottlenecked because of the drive up window at the ill place Chick Fil A. I hate that whole parking lot, very poorly designed. And at lunch time? What a mess. Cool Springs is similarly 'messy' but there are restaurants a bit off the beaten path. The Brentwood shopping area is very compact. And I think my least favorite intersection in all of Nashville metro is Franklin Road & Old Hickory.

Anyway, I love the drive over Berry's Chapel/Lynwood. Too each his own of course . . .

[BirdieBelle]

Of course.

[BRENTinTN]

Would I be correct in saying the following:

As far as numbers of kids in the neighborhood ranked from most to least...

1) Annandale

2) Governors Club

3) Legends Ridge (probably a higher percentage of households w/kids but less overall homes due to larger lot sizes)

4) Laurelbrooke

5) Princeton Hills

6) McGavock Farms (less children because of older homes with older owners?)

Would this be about right or am I off base?