Moving to Clarksville and looking for some information. (rentals, low crime) - Nashville - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

Milqueman · 02-26-2009, 03:21 AM

Hello all, as stated in the title, I'm moving to Clarksville and just looking for some information. I'm in the Army and will be stationed there for at least 3 years. I have a wife and 2 kids, ages 4 and 1 years. I would like to live off base. I've been around the world and used to changes and my family and I consider ourselves able to adapt to changes well.

#1 How is the morning P.T. Commute? I don't want a long Commute, and as most bases are, 10 minutes from the gate translates into 45 minutes during P.T. Hours. Is that true in Clarksville?

#2 Where are the best places to look for a house? Considering Commute times, nice clean and quite neighborhoods, low crime and good schools.

#3 Where are the places to avoid? High crime areas, dirty and or run down parts of the area? You know, standard "Dark ally" areas in all cities and towns in America.

#4 Where are things to do for kids ages 4 and 1 years old? I will probably deploy soon after my arrival, and would like my wife and kids to have some fun stuff to do. For example, kids play zones, parks, lakes, nature walks, etc...

#5 What is the average monthly utilities cost? Water, Electricity, Phone, Internet, etc... I think I will have about $1,000.00 a month BAH for rent. If I find a place around $800.00 a month rent, that will leave me about $200.00 for monthly costs.

#6 Where is a good place for me to start looking now for rentals? I've done some research already and found a few online sites that list rentals, but it seems there are not a lot of rentals to choose from in the Clarksville area. Does anybody have any suggestions as to where I could find good information about rentals in the area?

well, that's it for now. Thank you everybody in advance for reading and responding to this post. I look foward to Clarksville as I have great things about the city, it's people and Ft. Campbell.

cashmannsdq · 02-26-2009, 08:10 PM

Milqueman, let me be the first to welcome you to Fort Campbell and Clarksville. Being a retired First Sergeant and living off post for 18 years (on and off) in Clarksville, I think I can answer some of your questions.

#1 How is the morning P.T. Commute? I don't want a long Commute, and as most bases are, 10 minutes from the gate translates into 45 minutes during P.T. Hours. Is that true in Clarksville? Fort Campbell is not near as bad in the mornings as lets say Fort Bragg or Fort Hood. Many gates are open and depending on where you are going to be on Fort Campbell you shouldnt have an issue. We live out in Sango off Exit 11 which is about the furthest you can get and it took me 35 minutes on a PT morning (Not counting division runs) to get in to PT.

#2 Where are the best places to look for a house? Considering Commute times, nice clean and quite neighborhoods, low crime and good schools. Depends on what you want really. If you want to be close to post then around the Exit 1 area. Close to the mall and shopping - Exit 4. Closer to Nashville - Exit 11. I can certainly assist if you need.

#3 Where are the places to avoid? High crime areas, dirty and or run down parts of the area? You know, standard "Dark ally" areas in all cities and towns in America. Hmmm, as a Realtor I really can't say, but what I would do would be to drive you around and show you the various areas. That said, Clarksville, like other growing communities has its rough spots but nothing near what I have seen close to other installations.

#4 Where are things to do for kids ages 4 and 1 years old? I will probably deploy soon after my arrival, and would like my wife and kids to have some fun stuff to do. For example, kids play zones, parks, lakes, nature walks, etc... Alot in town. Jump Zone off Exit 4, many parks for the kids, and soon a water park (still in the works)

#5 What is the average monthly utilities cost? Water, Electricity, Phone, Internet, etc... I think I will have about $1,000.00 a month BAH for rent. If I find a place around $800.00 a month rent, that will leave me about $200.00 for monthly costs. Depends on the age of the home, insulation, etc. I would think if you keep the heat and air at moderate levels you should be in the ballpark of what you are looking for. You can get utility history from the Clarksville Department of Electricity on a home.

#6 Where is a good place for me to start looking now for rentals? I've done some research already and found a few online sites that list rentals, but it seems there are not a lot of rentals to choose from in the Clarksville area. Does anybody have any suggestions as to where I could find good information about rentals in the area? For rentals, I would suggest starting on craigslist - but there are other sites - google rental clarksville tn

well, that's it for now. Thank you everybody in advance for reading and responding to this post. I look foward to Clarksville as I have great things about the city, it's people and Ft. Campbell. I am sure you and your family will enjoy your time in Clarksville. Best to you.

Milqueman · 02-28-2009, 01:26 AM

Cash... Thank you very much for the information.

cashmannsdq · 02-28-2009, 04:40 PM

My pleasure - again, welcome to Clarksville (early)

sendmorecops · 03-21-2009, 09:59 PM

Honestly, if I were you i'd take a decent neighborhood location over closeness to post. We chose closeness without thinking how the neighborhood would affect me, staying home all day. There's nothing within casual walking distance and no sidewalks (Clarksville wasn't made for pedestrians). I don't know if you have two cars but even so, i'd rather be able to walk to get a drink or take my dogs to the park than give my husband an extra ten minutes to get ready in the morning. Also, the bus system isn't very good, even though i'm only a few miles from two major roads, I can't even use the bus to get around.

There aren't a lot of really bad neighborhoods, you'll be able to tell when you see them.

Traffic around PT time isn't bad, but obviously getting into certain gates in the morning is slow.

As for kids, there are parks, and the museum is free on Sundays with model trains and a kids area. Oh, and Nashville is only 45-60 drive away and there's a ton of stuff to do there on a day trip.

shaynaciao · 04-25-2009, 10:25 AM

Since cashmann wasn't able to tell you the bad areas, I will... haha. We almost bought a house when we first moved here that turned out to be in a not-so-nice area and since then I am glad we ended up with the house in a better area. It takes some time to get to really know neighborhoods.

I would avoid anything between Providence and 101st along Peacher's Mill. Downtown Clarksville is also a bit scary in places.

Off Exit 1, 4, 8 and 11 all seem to be really nice places. We live off Tiny Town and Peachers Mill and it takes my husband about 15 minutes to get on post for PT, when the soldiers are deployed... but now that everyone is home (yay!) it can take a solid 30 minutes or more! and we are only about 5 miles from Gate 3.

We had friends who lived in Woodlawn, I believe it's by Gate 10. It's a little farther out, but they enjoyed the country feel and the traffic was less.

Good luck and welcome to Clarksville!

Milqueman · 04-29-2009, 05:22 AM

Shaynaciao :
Thanks for your response. I checked out the area between 101st and Proidence on Google Maps. I wasn't sure where you were talking about, but now I know. Yeah, I wasn't looking in that area anyway, but thanks for the heads up. I was actaully looking in the Tiny Town area too. That seems to be about what I was looking for geographically speaking. Since you said it's pretty nice, I think that's where I'll focus. Have to wait until I get there to actually see it though.

Sendmorecops:
Thanks for your info too. and yes, Good neighborhoods are my first priority, then closeness. I was just looking for the closest good neighborhood, lol. :-) Thanks a lot for the sidewalk / getting around / public transportation info. yes, we have two cars, but we do like to walk around too. Good info to know that walking from place to place isn't going to be an option. Here in Geramany they really make it easy for people to walk to the store etc.. They try to promote that. I guess we'll have to get used to driving everywhere. when in Rome....

thanks again all.

shaynaciao · 04-29-2009, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sendmorecops

There's nothing within casual walking distance and no sidewalks (Clarksville wasn't made for pedestrians).

This is one of the first things I noticed when I moved here. No sidewalks anywhere!! My husband and I joked that this may be one of the reasons Tennessee is ranked so high on the "fattest states in the USA". It's been such a bummer because I walk my dog everyday and there's nowhere to go long distances that are safe. (Drivers are crazy here too, by the way, don't walk on the shoulders!)

I do hear a rumor though that with the widening of Peacher's Mill, they will be adding sidewalks to it. We'll be gone before the construction is done though.

cashmannsdq · 04-29-2009, 06:45 PM

Good evening. Most of the older nieghborhoods in Clarksville do not offer sidewalks. That said, most of the newer nieghborhoods do. There are many off Tiny Town that offer sidewalks and street lights. It is a growing area mainly due to our Soldiers and their families but also due to industrial development between Exit 4 and Exit 8.

I am sure that you will be able to find a great home for your family.

zino11 · 04-30-2009, 06:54 PM

1 commute not bad but if you go further intown towards boot hill then might be a problem.
2 anywhere past new providence closer to post is decent area{not new providence its bad}.
3 new providence side streets, down town only on Mainstreet residential area,and all projects Lincoln Homes Summit Heights etc.
4 many parks and if have boat river is fun with supervision.
5 for our home alone 150$ is our electric bill thats with central air and no brand new energy efficent stuff(also an old house so its leaky)phone and internet 130$ gas and water varies but no more than 100 unless winter for gas heat.
6 honestly go out and look if can make a trip here cause most of the good deals are not through agents but through the owner itself check local paper too, only problem there is it might be a bad land lord.