Yet Another "Relocating to Nashville" Thread... (Gallatin: for sale, crime)

[Steve_TN]

Originally Posted by artemis

I've been in quite a few of those homes in East Nashville, and they are just gorgeous!

I would LOVE to own one of those really old homes in E. Nashville. They are so much better built than newer homes. Too bad I can't afford it.

[Carol McCullough]

Originally Posted by Steve_TN

I would LOVE to own one of those really old homes in E. Nashville. They are so much better built than newer homes. Too bad I can't afford it.

I don't know what you can afford, but if you head West of Gallatin, you can get a gorgeous old home in East Nashville for less than $200,000. A smaller 1300sf home from the early 1900's on my street is getting fixed up right now that is going to be offered at around $130,000. It is getting fixed up right (new plumbing, electricity and hvac; new deck) but they are skipping the amenities like granite countertops, stainless appliances, etc so that it can still be affordable. The owner expects to be finishing up with it around the end of the month.

[jbmill3]

Originally Posted by Steve_TN

I would LOVE to own one of those really old homes in E. Nashville. They are so much better built than newer homes. Too bad I can't afford it.

I hear this all the time and have no idea what it means. Could you elaborate? In what way exactly are older homes "so much better built"?

[jbmill3]

Thanks again for all your helpful responses. Let me add one more dimension to this question, if I may. We have one small child and another on the way, and will likely have more in the future. So we would like an area that is relatively "kid friendly". In fact, that's at least one of the reasons (among many others) we're heading back down south--the overall attitude in Boston is not very kid-friendly at all.

I understand there are a lot of different dimensions to the idea of "kid friendly" and that the phrase means different things to different people. I guess to some extent it could mean relatively safe neighborhoods, lots of other families with kids around to play with, parks nearby, etc. One thing I pay attention to is the general "vibe" you get when you walk into nearby restaurants with a young toddler. Do people generally smile and wave, or do people "freeze up" with a look of "oh crap--this kid is probably going to make noise and ruin my nice relaxing meal". (The latter reaction is pretty typical in Boston.)

Our realtor pushed us away from Germantown because he described it as not especially kid-friendly. (More geared towards young urban professionals.) Do people agree with this? If we're looking for a kid-friendly area in Nashville, are there any neioghborhoods we should pay special attention to, or other areas we should shy away from?

Thanks.

[Steve_TN]

Originally Posted by jbmill3

I hear this all the time and have no idea what it means. Could you elaborate? In what way exactly are older homes "so much better built"?

The quality of materials used is better, they are built sturdier and with better craftmanship. New homes nowadays, generally are slapped up pretty quickly without much care for the "artistry" or care that is evident in older homes.

[jbmill3]

Originally Posted by Steve_TN

The quality of materials used is better, they are built sturdier and with better craftmanship. New homes nowadays, generally are slapped up pretty quickly without much care for the "artistry" or care that is evident in older homes.

Right, that's what I hear but I guess I'm not sure what any of that means. Well, I get the "artistry" point--older homes do tend to be more "distinctive", on average, though there are certainly exceptions--but I don't understand the rest of it. Not trying to be difficult, I just don't quite appreciate what the differences are. When you say "sturdier" do you mean that older houses are more likely to survive a tornado or other severe storm?

Part of my confusion is that it seems that for things like insulation/absence of drafts/efficiency, etc. newer homes tend to be much better.

[Steve_TN]

Originally Posted by jbmill3

Right, that's what I hear but I guess I'm not sure what any of that means. Well, I get the "artistry" point--older homes do tend to be more "distinctive", on average, though there are certainly exceptions--but I don't understand the rest of it. Not trying to be difficult, I just don't quite appreciate what the differences are. When you say "sturdier" do you mean that older houses are more likely to survive a tornado or other severe storm?

Part of my confusion is that it seems that for things like insulation/absence of drafts/efficiency, etc. newer homes tend to be much better.

Yes, new homes are more energy efficient on the average. They are better in that respect. I guess older houses may fare better in storms, but it depends on the severity of the storms. There are a lot of facors to consider when it comes to severe weather. With older homes, just the quality of all the materials used is better, in most cases.

What it comes down to, is that (pardon my french) the acutual people who physically built an older house gave a crap and took pride in their work. Nowadays, the people building most new homes lack that pride and work ethic. I'm sure this is not the case with all builders, but with most.

You are not being difficult but rather making a meaningful attempt to understand what I am saying. Nothing wrong with that!

[Carol McCullough]

Originally Posted by jbmill3

One thing I pay attention to is the general "vibe" you get when you walk into nearby restaurants with a young toddler. Do people generally smile and wave, or do people "freeze up" with a look of "oh crap--this kid is probably going to make noise and ruin my nice relaxing meal". (The latter reaction is pretty typical in Boston.)

Our realtor pushed us away from Germantown because he described it as not especially kid-friendly. (More geared towards young urban professionals.) Do people agree with this? If we're looking for a kid-friendly area in Nashville, are there any neioghborhoods we should pay special attention to, or other areas we should shy away from?

Thanks.

We've taken our young son to Germantown Cafe without incident and I'm pretty sure that the Mad Platter would be equally tolerant of kids.

That said, I would say there is a definite effort to gear the Germantown area toward young singles and childless couples. That doesn't mean it would be unfriendly to those with kids, but I don't see developers or businesses going to great lengths to cater to that demographic either. I would probably share your realtor's opinion, but wouldn't let that stop you if you want to look there.

And, of course, I'll take this opportunity to plug East Nashville as kid-friendly (again).

[jamd777]

We moved to Hillsboro in 1996 from Atlanta, then lived in Franklin from 1998 - 2003, then moved to NYC, then to Atlanta. Now we're moving back to Nashville! Sticker shock is relative to where you're coming from. However, you have a bad agent, as you have already learned. We have family all over Nashville, and to be honest, it's hard to pin point which is the best area to live in. This relocation we chose Bellevue, barely on the edge by West Meade. For the $$ and value you can't beat it. My husband has a 10 minute commute by jumping on I-40 straight into downtown, leaving the house at 7am. That beats an hour commute in Atlanta or most other cities we've lived in. I would highly recommend that you stay away from the burbs south of Brentwood. Franklin has become the new standard for urban sprawl. We moved there in 1998 because there was nothing down there. Now it's a traffic jam 24/7. It's not worth it. You'll spend so much $$ in gas alone! And, the housing is so badly built. Any 'newer' subdivision is sub-par compared with the older homes north of Franklin. We looked at over 28 homes all over that area within the last 45 days (before we experienced the traffic and ant-like mindset down there) and were so darned tired of seeing bad construction that we threw in the towel and started to consider other areas. In your price range (which was the same as ours) you won't be able to find a home in a walk-able neighborhood that doesn't need major work, or rennovation. Please consider southern Brentwood, or maybe Bellevue (but again, the schools won't be as good)...just my own HO.

[jbmill3]

Originally Posted by bluesky42day

I posted on another thread about 604 South 12th Street (east nashville) it's within walking distance of 5 points has a large backyard with a privacy fence and looks beautiful on the inside, they are asking $239,900.

Holy crap... that place does look very nice. Way too nice for that price, in fact--what's the catch? Does anyone know? There must be something VERY wrong that doesn't come through in the MLS pictures...