Considering Relocation to Nashville Metro (Smyrna, Spring Hill: rental car, transplants, rental)

[nicoles11611]

Hello! We are a family of 6 living in the city of Chicago considering relocation to the Nashville Metro area. We plan on taking a trip out there this summer to get a feel for the various neighborhoods and suburbs, but thought I'd tap into the local community to get some feedback on the places that would make the most sense for our family to consider. We are a family of 6 with 4 little boys (two of which are african american), so neighborhoods with a good sense of diversity are absolutely necessary. In addition, and this is probably funny considering the area, we tend to lean more liberal politically, so we'd like to avoid any staunchly conservative areas. With this being said, do these things even exist outside of the city of Nashville? (We will not need to commute into the city regularly for work, but would like to be close enough to take advantage of all the city has to offer). Thank you for any and all feedback!

Nicole

[Kluch]

What's your housing price range? That could largely determine where you can live as the cost of living is rising here in Nashville. I don't think you'll have an issue with diversity here. Nashville is a pretty open and diverse place for the most part. Lots of transplants (from different parts of the country) have moved and are moving here. Also, how far out do you want to be (drive wise)? Off the top of my head thompsons station/spring hill, hendersonville and goodletsville seem like good (farther out) communities (especially for families). There are quite a few areas to consider depending on your budget and what type of area you want to live in (urban, open country, etc.).

[nicoles11611]

Good questions! We'd like to spend under $300k and have a little bit of land (an acre or less, nothing crazy or rural). We'd like good schools (again, diversity and special education programs would be a priority). Suburbs or areas with easy access to amenities and strong community feel would be nice (parks, outdoor/active amenities, festivals, etc.). Based on demographics alone, Spring Hill seems more diverse than the other communities, but obviously that doesn't necessarily mean everything. In terms of commute, I am a stay-at-home-mom who LOVES the city and all that cities have to offer (museums, restaurant, culture, etc.) and my husband is a self-employed general contractor, so he can work anywhere and pick and choose his areas of service. My kids are aged 5 months, 2 years, 8 and 9. They are rambunctious and curious, hence the desire to have a little bit of property for them to run around on. We live on a postage stamp currently and it just doesn't cut it for their entertainment. Hope this helps!

[BirdieBelle]

Your price range will make it tough. Land prices alone in the more desirable areas of Middle TN can be astronomical.

Nashville proper is more liberal, with the outer suburbs being MUCH more conservative and the more rural areas more conservative than that. Spring Hill is a more of a mix since it has a lot of transplants who came in with the GM plant over the past 30 years, so that could make that area seem more like home.

But if you do settle there, when you DO want to go into Nashville, you will find yourself driving and driving and driving ....

When you visit, I would choose a local realty company that specialized in relocation.

[brentwoodgirl]

You might want to look at Smyrna. It might give you the best mix of everything you want and it's closer to the city.

[Kluch]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

Your price range will make it tough. Land prices alone in the more desirable areas of Middle TN can be astronomical.

Nashville proper is more liberal, with the outer suburbs being MUCH more conservative and the more rural areas more conservative than that. Spring Hill is a more of a mix since it has a lot of transplants who came in with the GM plant over the past 30 years, so that could make that area seem more like home.

But if you do settle there, when you DO want to go into Nashville, you will find yourself driving and driving and driving ....

When you visit, I would choose a local realty company that specialized.

I agree. Your price range will make it somewhat difficult, but spring hill sounds like a good fit. You might consider murfreesboro too (or Smyrna). It's a bit farther out but has a lot of amenities like a small city and you're not too far from Nashville. Either way, be prepared to drive a bit to get to downtown.

[nicoles11611]

We are definitely looking for quality of life over quantity (nice house, lots of land, etc). Seeking a slower pace than what we experience in Chicago.

[nicoles11611]

When you all say "drive a bit," what does that mean? I'm in the city, but it take me 30 minutes plus (depending on traffic) to get downtown in Chicago.

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by nicoles11611

When you all say "drive a bit," what does that mean? I'm in the city, but it take me 30 minutes plus (depending on traffic) to get downtown in Chicago.

Well, the interstate trip is around 35 miles, but depending on how far you are off I-65, it could take you 25-30 minutes just to get to the interstate. Then depending on traffic ....

Most likely you would be heading into town during off-peak times, unless you are trying to get to a 9 am storytime at the downtown library or something like that.

Basically, the answer for "how long is the drive" here lately is, "It depends."

I would just make a few attempts at different times of day in your rental car while you are here this summer, knowing that traffic while school is in session is MUCH worse.

[nicoles11611]

We are NOT looking to live in the city of nashville. We are looking for good areas within decent driving distance for leisure, not business.