Ack! Where do I start? May be moving from L.A.,plan to visit in May (Franklin: appointed, real estate)

[designmama]

Hi there,
My husband and I are talking about picking up and moving our family out of L.A. in the next year and finally have some dates picked to come visit. I'm kind of overwhelmed as to how to go about this - we've got 2 weeks to visit 4 cities and not sure how to break up the time & if I need a real estate agent in each place?
The cities we've decided on are Nashville, Greenville & Charleston, SC & Raleigh/Durham, NC. It's a lot of ground to cover & I guess I'm just looking for a little advice on how to get started.
My husband and I are in our 30's/40's, have a 2.5yo & another one on the way and are seeking a lifestyle change for our family. Our ideal location would be a really cool little neighborhood, close to or downtown, extremely walkable & close to shops, parks, restaurants, family oriented, close knit community. We're both in the creative (entertainment) field although I currently stay at home.

I'm sure I'm forgetting lots of pertinent info but hoping for any and all insight. Thanks so much!

[nbourbaki]

In Nashville, easily the neighborhood closest to your description would be Hillsboro Village / 12 th south area. I have no idea what size house and cost you are looking for. It is a very nice area with older homes that tend to be smaller and pricier than the newer built homes farther out, but you are paying for all the amenities you listed above.

If you give an estimate of the house price range you are looking for, others can narrow your search.
Sorry, I do not know anything about the other towns you are considering.

[designmama]

Ahhhhh...I knew I was leaving out critical info.
Our price range is up to $800k. (please no flames)
Would love 3000+ sq.ft. although that may be asking a lot for older
homes.

I'll have to research Hillsboro Vlg - it sounds like it may fit the bill.
We're definitely very interested in Franklin as well.

Westhaven sounds very cool (except for the no yard/sitting on top of each other, lol!)

Thanks for the info!

[alleycat]

I agree. Franklin or Hillsboro Village would probably be your best bet.

You might at least look at Brentwood and Green Hills, even though they're not quite what you're looking for in some ways. You might even look at Edgehill, which is south of downtown Nashville.

[designmama]

Thank you alleycat - I've read many of your posts since I've been coming here & have learned a lot of info from you.

[groovamos]

I've been to all of the 4 locales you mention, and in all fairness will mention that I've lived in Nashville 3 times and never in the others. I think you might be disappointed in the downtowns of Greenville, and Raleigh-Durham, plus the historical cachet of Nashville or Charleston is pretty much not there for the other 2 locales. I really love Nashville and Charleston, and if you hunger for history, Savannah, a true jewel, is a hundred miles or maybe less from Charleston. Charleston central city has a truly visual and fascinating appeal, no contest. But it is no metropolis and Nashville is becoming such, metro 1.6 million versus 600K for Charleston. The main topographical attraction in Charleston is the coastline and various bodies of water. Really attractive in some places but I prefer the topography of Middle TN, there are many more opportunities for hiking, and other outdoor activities. In my view, Nashville wins, especially considering the economic engine behind its growth. I don't think Charleston has experienced significant growth for a long time, like decades.

I left Nashville 34 years ago with 11 years in Austin, 3 in L. A. and 20 in Houston since leaving, but I've visited many times since.

[yank283]

Well if your still idealistic maybe the eastside of Nashville would the appeal to you...waaaay under 800 grand but aparently it's comparable to Austin in the late 70's, a little shade of San Fran in the late 50's, and Portland in the late 80's...Anyway, wherever you end up, good luck.

[akm4]

Good luck on your search.

You may find just the place in Franklin, off the square. There are some beautiful historic homes there, and newer ones designed in harmony with the existing homes. There are a lot of larger homes, so you may be in luck. Sellers are motivated. There's an association of people who live there, and a real community feel.

I think your research is spot-on, though, because Hillsboro Village would be my 2nd choice.

We moved here from Northern CA and love it. I hope you find the perfect spot for your family!

[designmama]

Now I know why I love this board - you are all so helpful, thank you!

groovamos - such food for thought...i guess i won't know until we actually visit and get a good feel for each place.

yank283 - we will be checking out the eastside as well... your description sounds almost too good to be true

kpellatiro - Thanks for the great advice! We love houses w/character & charm...sometimes a little too much character, (we have an old spanish house built in 1927) - I don't think we're going to want to go the renovation route this time around w/2 little ones. The more I think about it we'll probably do this trip in May on our own & narrow down the locations to 1 or 2 places & then come back for a last visit this summer & get an agent. I appreciate your help!

akm4 - another poster whom i've gained much knowledge from in my research....thank you! I think a wonderfully renovated old historic home in downtown Franklin sounds pretty amazing! Thanks for the advice.

[yank283]

Originally Posted by kpellatiro

Westhaven is definitely one to keep on the list, as its a 'one of a kind' offering right now in the Nashville area right now (more to come, or on their way: Indian Lake Village in Hendersonville Indian Lake Village). For clients that recently moved from a walkable community in ATL (Virginia Highlands), they chose Hillsboro Village as well.

Here are two examples of character and charm, plus walkable location, that you might find in Hillsboro Village - one a renovation, another looking to be renovated: Email Public Reports

If the walking community becomes hard to find for you here in Nashville, the Richland and Whitland neighborhoods are two fantastic spots to consider just outside of the West End restaurant/shopping areas; also close to downtown, music venues (but not walkable).

Hopefully these are two (very different) choices that will be fun for you to see while in town. Having relocated as well, I’d recommend an agent in each city to make the best use of your time. Keep good notes, and take pictures to help keep it all from going blurry (grin). Would be happy to help with your trip.

Something that might help the contributors here to be specific --what do you want to be closest to in Nashville?

Nothing personal to the poster here, but Hendersonville is not what your looking for. I think the name "Westhaven" should be a dead giveaway there. It's a least a 30 to 40 minute drive to Nashville, and is very suburban. There might be some walkable area's within certain neighborhoods but overall it's very car centric, suburban area, like Williamson County. There are some nice lakes up there though. Hillsboro Village sounds what your looking for. Like I said before East Nashville would be an option (probably the highest concentration of artists/musicians in area, Ben Folds, Todd Snider, some of the Racontuers, Elizabeth Cook, and members of the Old Crow Medicine Show call this area home to name a few), but with the budget you have, you might want to explore Hillsboro Village near Vandy. If you do like East Nashville, Lockeland Springs, or East End may be options, there's lots of old renovated victorians and bungalows in the area. Other places you might want to look at are the 12 South/Belmont Area, Germantown (in North Nashville) and possibly Sylvan Park.