Huntsville Vs. Nashville Area...How Do I Decide?? (Memphis, Murfreesboro: real estate, new home)

[wildchildboutique]

My husband and I have been considering the Huntsville, AL area for some time now. We have family up there and know that the housing is pretty affordable, home town feel, shopping, etc...growing area. We know where we would want to be, either South of the City/231 or Madison area as there are many new homes going in there.

We visited Nashville over the holidays and thought it was really great, a growing area with a lot of activities and things for families to do, so we would like to consider that area too. I have read a lot on this forum about Murfreesboro being a great place. Seems like everyone has their own opions, so I would like to give you some info about our situation and would love your comments.

Looks like my husband will be taking a contracting job w/a company that will allow him to work from our home. We moved here from ATLanta about 3 years ago and I have been staying at home and selling on ebay since then. I enjoy living near a big city, one that is within an hour drive for shopping and things to do, we are not much into hanging out at home doing nothing..lol. My son will be going to Kindergaten in another year and I plan to return to the work force at that time. I would like to go into real estate or flip a house, which I may do shortly after we move. Anyway, with 2 little kids in Elementary school, that is a big factor for us. My daughter is in cheerleading and I would like to pursue competitive cheer this year.

Our housing needs would be 2000 sq ft/4br minimum, would prefer 1/2 acre lot, prefer something $175-200,000 price range. Would like to live within an hour from a lake/river, hoping we get a boat.

So, these are all the things we would like in a city but keeping in mind that being about 30 minutes from a larger downtown would be ideal, but not too secluded. I know we have the best of it all because we can choose anywhere in the south to live, but there are just so many place to choose from it's overwhelming! Help!!

kim

[alleycat]

I'm not sure we can help you much since you're already familiar with both places.

My suggestion is to make a list of the ten or twenty things that are most important to you ranked in order of importance, then score the two towns on each of the items. Give a higher score to those items higher on your list in terms of importance. See if one town comes out on top. Or, perhaps even more telling, see if you're actually "pulling" for one town over the other.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by wildchildboutique

My husband and I have been considering the Huntsville, AL area for some time now. We have family up there and know that the housing is pretty affordable, home town feel, shopping, etc...growing area. We know where we would want to be, either South of the City/231 or Madison area as there are many new homes going in there.

We visited Nashville over the holidays and thought it was really great, a growing area with a lot of activities and things for families to do, so we would like to consider that area too. I have read a lot on this forum about Murfreesboro being a great place. Seems like everyone has their own opions, so I would like to give you some info about our situation and would love your comments.

Looks like my husband will be taking a contracting job w/a company that will allow him to work from our home. We moved here from ATLanta about 3 years ago and I have been staying at home and selling on ebay since then. I enjoy living near a big city, one that is within an hour drive for shopping and things to do, we are not much into hanging out at home doing nothing..lol. My son will be going to Kindergaten in another year and I plan to return to the work force at that time. I would like to go into real estate or flip a house, which I may do shortly after we move. Anyway, with 2 little kids in Elementary school, that is a big factor for us. My daughter is in cheerleading and I would like to pursue competitive cheer this year.

Our housing needs would be 2000 sq ft/4br minimum, would prefer 1/2 acre lot, prefer something $175-200,000 price range. Would like to live within an hour from a lake/river, hoping we get a boat.

So, these are all the things we would like in a city but keeping in mind that being about 30 minutes from a larger downtown would be ideal, but not too secluded. I know we have the best of it all because we can choose anywhere in the south to live, but there are just so many place to choose from it's overwhelming! Help!!

kim

Nashville has a couple of large lakes right on the borders of the city which is something Huntsville doesn't have.

Even though your husband will be working from home, will he have to occasionally take business trips? If so, he might enjoy flying out of Nashville rather than Huntsville since pretty much everything in Huntsville has to go through Atlanta or Memphis.

Of Nashville's suburbs, I personally prefer Mount Juliet and Lebanon over Murfreesboro. Murfreesboro is growing like wildfire and has the traffic problems and crowded schools to prove it. I think Lebanon is also a bit more affordable, particularly since you want a half-acre lot and 4BR home for no more than $200k.

Good luck with your choice.

[wildchildboutique]

How do the schools compare in Mt. Juliet and Lebanon to Murfreesboro?

[lovinTN]

Another vote for Pleasant View here. But, it's on the NW side of town.