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Old 04-04-2009, 07:05 PM
 
12 posts, read 53,946 times
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I've been enjoying searching through all of these very informative threads. Thank you so much for the wealth of knowledge here!

My husband is in the final running for an academic job at Belmont U. We currently live in upstate NY and are DONE with the winters, the high taxes (property and state income) and eager for a change. Our area is rural and lovely but offers very little cultural activity and no diversity. Nashville is exciting to us and my husband loved the area on his recent visit.

We have 2 small children; the older is about to enter kindergarten. While I've been a stay-at-home-mom, I am educated with a Master's degree and will likely work as well. We anticipate our combined income to be in the $100k range.

We'd like to be a relatively short commute (30 minutes or less) to Belmont and are thinking we'll be able to spend approximately $300k on a house. We are fairly liberal people, Christian but not conservative Christian, and like a culturally active area. However, safety and schools are our top priority.

Is there an area of the city that offers good schools and a safe neighborhood on our budget? Or should we be looking to Frankin, Brentwood (which looks out of our price range) or Mt. Juliet? Any other suggestions for suburbs that are close to the city but affordable with good schools?

We'll be visiting next month if he gets the job and we're really excited to see the area!
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Old 04-04-2009, 07:52 PM
 
Location: Tennessee
6,295 posts, read 23,129,415 times
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I think if I were you I would first look at the areas to the south and southwest of downtown (the area bounded by I-440, I-65, Old Hickory Blvd., and I-40), then look at Franklin. This would include the neighborhoods of Hillsboro Village, Green Hills, West Nashville, Belmont, Sylvan Park, Hillwood, West Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, and others. My top choice for you would probably be the areas right around Belmont and Vanderbilt. Some of these areas are pricey, but I think you could find something in most of them for $300k.

With your set of parameters there's really no reason to look at Mt. Juliet unless you just don't like what you find closer to Belmont. Brentwood would be slightly out of your price range, and also maybe not as good a fit personally as some other areas, as Brentwood is fairly conservative in attitude.
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Old 04-04-2009, 09:15 PM
 
12 posts, read 53,946 times
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Thank you, alleycat, for the prompt reply! I guess I'm wondering about the schools in Davidson County, having heard that high schools in the metro area aren't great. What are the chances of getting into a magnet school? Or, since our kids are still so young, are there signs that the metro schools are improving? We'd love to live in the Belmont area, for example, but will we be facing a disappointing education for our kids?
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Old 04-04-2009, 10:25 PM
 
Location: Tennessee
6,295 posts, read 23,129,415 times
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Some of the high schools and maybe even some of the middle schools do have problems, but one of the best high schools in the state (Hume Fogg) is just down the street from the Belmont area. I hear different things about some of the other high schools; some parents say they're not as bad as the news makes them out to be, and others say their kids ran into some problems while in school. Two of the better high schools, Hillwood and Hillsboro, are in the area I mentioned. There are three or four high schools in Metro with very bad reputations, these are primarily in other areas from the one I mentioned. This would be something you would have to do more research on.

I think a lot of effort is going into improving the schools; the state and the mayor are taking a hands-on approach. It's still too early to tell how well it will turn out.

There are a number of good private schools in the area, if that would be something you would even consider.
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Old 04-05-2009, 07:40 PM
 
Location: green hills
187 posts, read 621,008 times
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I have to agree with Alley cat on area around Belmont and Green Hills. With the inventory of houses right now in this area...it is the best time to buy and you should be able to find something with no problem. I personally live in Green Hills in the Burton Hills neighborhood and it is very safe, excellent community and the schools are the top in the city. You might consider this area and it is 10 minutes at the most to Belmont. Good Luck!!
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Old 04-08-2009, 05:25 PM
 
137 posts, read 627,538 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gabbyknashville View Post
I have to agree with Alley cat on area around Belmont and Green Hills. With the inventory of houses right now in this area...it is the best time to buy and you should be able to find something with no problem. I personally live in Green Hills in the Burton Hills neighborhood and it is very safe, excellent community and the schools are the top in the city. You might consider this area and it is 10 minutes at the most to Belmont. Good Luck!!
So with the inventory of houses increasing and sales slowing down (or so I heard) do you think that the housing downturn will affect prices in this area ?
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Old 04-08-2009, 09:19 PM
 
Location: Franklin, TN
20 posts, read 71,398 times
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Regarding your question about the magnet schools in Davidson County. If you look at greatschools.net and research the schools in Davidson County, the best ones are the magnet schools. More people apply to them than can go to them, so they use a lottery system starting in elementary school for the magnet program. It is hit or miss. Nashville, Davidson County, would probably be a good fit for how you describe yourself, but you need to research the schools for yourself.

Brentwood is pricey. Franklin might be a nice option if you found a house near the interstate or on the Hillsboro Rd. side that would help with your commute. You might look at Hendersonville too. I don't know as much about the personality of Hendersonville, but the lake is there and most people I know who live there like it. How's that for an endorsement? Greatschools.net is a great place to help you get started getting school information.
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Old 04-11-2009, 03:20 PM
 
12 posts, read 53,946 times
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Update: My husband got the job, so we'll definitely be moving to Nashville this summer! We're planning our first house-hunting visit in 3 weeks. Very exciting. I have been scouring the real estate websites and feel like we might get the most bang for our buck in Bellevue, but we'll just have to see the area for ourselves and figure it out!

On another note, does anyone know of any nice senior communities? My parents are considering moving there as well and would probably like a one-story patio home type place close to where we are living (ideally in the same community).

Thanks!
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Old 04-11-2009, 03:34 PM
 
Location: Tennessee
6,295 posts, read 23,129,415 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrsnotes View Post
Update: My husband got the job, so we'll definitely be moving to Nashville this summer! We're planning our first house-hunting visit in 3 weeks. Very exciting. I have been scouring the real estate websites and feel like we might get the most bang for our buck in Bellevue, but we'll just have to see the area for ourselves and figure it out!

On another note, does anyone know of any nice senior communities? My parents are considering moving there as well and would probably like a one-story patio home type place close to where we are living (ideally in the same community).

Thanks!
Welcome to Bellevue (if that's where you actually end up). I've lived in Bellevue for almost 25 years.

There are at least a couple of senior communities in the Bellevue area: Ashley Green and Deer Park. There is also an Alzheimer Center, but hopefully you don't need that just yet. There are other senior places in the Green Hills area, which is a ten or fifteen minutes drive from Bellevue.

If your parent would consider a condo, there's River Plantation; a lot of older/retired folks live there.

If your parents happen to be Catholic, there are a couple of Catholic senior places not far away.
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Old 04-11-2009, 03:39 PM
 
16,174 posts, read 32,332,373 times
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Good luck with the job! Welcome to the forum.
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