Starting Over in TN..Opinions welcomed and needed (Clarksville, Hendersonville: house, buying)

[hew2a]

Here I go pushing Murfreesboro again. Okay. I think this it's a good central location. All of the areas (Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Mt. Juliet. Lebanon. etc.) are all about 30min away. There are TONS of musicians here, especially with MTSU having one of the largest, if not the largest, Recording Industry Programs in the Nation. The college give Murfreesboro a lot of diversity, especially since it's the largest University in the state. But it still has a family-oriented feel to it. There are parks and the Greenway which has amazing bike trails. If you want a rural feel, there are plenty of areas on the outskirts of town that will provide you with that while still having quick access to a lot of the benefits of living in a city.

You might look into it. A lot of people are moving here. Just another option.

[TNNative]

Originally Posted by sliverbox

If you aren't from Nashville, you need to be aware that Franklin and Brentwood are the most expensive areas in Nashville. I'm not sure why these 2 places are continuously pushed on people asking questions. Just be aware that a house in those 2 places can easily be 3-400k, which in TN dollars is ridiculous. I'd say that your initial gut feeling to look in areas outside Nashville and perhaps a bit further out would be a good bet. You get more rural settings and pay as much as 50% less.

sliverbox...I fight the temptation to ask "is Franklin full yet?" But I guess I can understand...realtors push the high dollar houses. It's just that some people don't want to put all their money in a house and I don't understand why they should when they can get a more house for less money somewhere just as close to Nashville but maybe in another direction. 10 years ago I put 10,000 on an acre lot, and got a contractor to build a 2 story we designed, 2400 sqft, 4BR/2.5 bath (jacuzzi included) with a bonus room + three floored walkin attic areas & a 2 car garage. The total? $99,600 including the lot. In Franklin, that would buy me a piece of land...and maybe a driveway.

I know, I know...that was 10 years ago...the tax appraisal came the other day for $154,900. The good part is I'm still happy with it, and I'll be here for quite a while.

[Optimum]

Well that helps a little more that maybe Springfield/Whitehouse may still be a possibility. I have looked into Murfreesboro too, just seems like it is its own entitiy, which isn't bad, and I have thought of going back to school too with the University there, may be a possibility. I know the best is to come down and look all around. As far as the money...I can spend my money here or there.....I feel like I have been waiting for this new start for so long now that I got to leave here. Time just doesn't stop. And I desire a place to call home, there is nothing here for me. When all the doors close it's time to go where a new one can open. At this age I am really looking for people who have a heart like mine, with dreams and desires like mine and a great church family doing great things for others....hence the major reason I am coming to TN.

So, I am inclined to get more for my dollar by not going into the expensive areas, is what I am taking so far from here. I wish this didn't have to be so hard to pick one's entire life up and go somewhere totally new..ya know

I am going to schedule a trip down in a couple weeks...if anyone is available to ride with me and tell me about the areas, etc...that would be okay with me I'll buy lunch...doesn't hurt to ask...lol

oh, and what is a greenway? I am assuming it is a park with trails.

Thanks for all the responses, nice to know that you all are there with great input, knowledge and caring thoughts, I truly appreciate your time. You have all helped me already.

Blessings and peace,
Optimum

[JMT]

Originally Posted by hew2a

Here I go pushing Murfreesboro again. Okay. I think this it's a good central location. All of the areas (Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Mt. Juliet. Lebanon. etc.) are all about 30min away. There are TONS of musicians here, especially with MTSU having one of the largest, if not the largest, Recording Industry Programs in the Nation. The college give Murfreesboro a lot of diversity, especially since it's the largest University in the state. But it still has a family-oriented feel to it. There are parks and the Greenway which has amazing bike trails. If you want a rural feel, there are plenty of areas on the outskirts of town that will provide you with that while still having quick access to a lot of the benefits of living in a city.

You might look into it. A lot of people are moving here. Just another option.

Just to clarify: MTSU is not the largest university in the state. MTSU has the largest undergraduate enrollment in the state, but UT's graduate school is still several times larger than MTSU's so that UT's over-all enrollment is still considerably higher than MTSU's.

[NashBill]

I agree with sliverbox. My wife and I just bought a brand new house in a new subdivision in Madison (15-20 minutes north of Nashville) for $138k. 1300 sf, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, etc. Rent is cheap in that area too. We've been renting near Nipper's corner (between Brentwood and Antioch) for $700 a month in a nice complex. Franklin and Brentwood are nice - but very expensive.

[Pimpy]

I too am amazed at the number of newcomers who initially assume that there is nowhere worth living in the Nashville area outside of Franklin and Brentwood.

Those areas have some beautiful homes and neighborhoods, but I just don't see what makes it so much more appealing than other parts of Nashville. The traffic in both towns and everywhere in between is bumper-to-bumper most of the day, most of the new developments are very monolithic, the road design is pure sprawl with no organization whatsoever, there is no water (lakes or rivers), and what's left of the beautiful countryside is being ravaged by developers every day.

I would strongly encourage anyone to take a look at Sumner and Robertson counties if you want to be near the big city WITHOUT the big city stresses. You can get a beautiful home on a beautiful piece of land for a fraction of what a cookie cutter McMansion in Williamson County costs. Then take a few dollars out of what is left over, buy a nice boat or Sea Doo, and head over to Old Hickory Lake and ride with me this summer (especially if you're an attractive female).

There really is a lot to offer north of town.

[akm4]

Originally Posted by Pimpy

I too am amazed at the number of newcomers who initially assume that there is nowhere worth living in the Nashville area outside of Franklin and Brentwood.

The traffic in both towns and everywhere in between is bumper-to-bumper most of the day,

Are you kidding me? Pimpy, I usually enjoy your posts, but this is just plain wrong. You live in Hendersonville. I live in Franklin, so I think I'm justified in saying so. Bumper-to-bumper most of the day? What in the world are you talking about? Just not true. Franklin may not be your favorite place, and that's fine, but why lie about it when someone's simply looking for information?

[Pimpy]

I used to live between Bellevue and Brentwood, and I have several friends in the Cool Springs area, so it's not like I never spend any time there.

I'm not talking about the commute into Nashville, which sucks ass from every side of town, though notably less from the west (Bellevue area). I'm talking about driving around town. Franklin and Brentwood both have HORRIBLE in-town traffic, which gets exponentially worse the closer you get to the Cool Springs area.

The area around Hwy. 96 and Royal Oaks Blvd. is gridlocked most of the afternoon, just like Moores Lane, Mallory Lane, and Cool Springs Blvd. Around Christmastime, the exit ramps off I-65 to Moores Lane and Cool Springs Blvd back up onto the interstate itself on a daily basis.

Let's not even get started on Maryland Farms and the area around Old Hickory Blvd. and I-65.

I want to emphasize that Franklin and Brentwood are both very upscale towns in which many people are proud to live. I know people who live there who would never move. But it isn't for everyone.

Face it, I don't care how much you love Williamson County, you can't deny that it fits the urban sprawl model to a tee. Look at a road map of either town and you'll see that it makes no sense, there is no organization whatsoever. That is important to a lot of people, and I felt it worth pointing out.

[Optimum]

I have wondered why Franklin/Brentwood area had extremely high rents and house prices. Although I have heard these are great places to live, central Christain music community, and that hometown feel, I just can't afford it. Is there some prestige attached to those areas that are not in other areas around Nashville? That's kinda what I note.

And as far as Nashville traffic problems/patterns, this just don't send fun at all. I have understood too that many from the area think a 30-45 minute ride into the city is way too much. I have lived 1 1/2 hours from NYC and Philadelphia most my life and I live in the country. So what some are saying as far as time travel doesn't sound too bad to me when you have some place to go. Granted day in and day out could be frustrating (don't know that one)

BTW,Hendersonville rents are a little high too, unless I've missed something. And nice areas in the city are 2-3 times more in rent than what I am looking at by Goodletsville/Springfield/Whitehouse areas. Still....A big concern with going up North is if I get a job southwest Nashville(Vanderbilt area), with what every says I just don't know about that...kinda deters me.

I appreciate your upfront answers.
A boat on the lake sounds nice too

blessings,
Optimum

[Pimpy]

If a 30-45 minute commute "doesn't sound too bad" to you, you'll be fine living in Hendersonville, no matter where your job is.

If you're commuting to Vanderbilt, you're looking at 35 minutes from Hendersonville, assuming no wrecks. To get to Maryland Farms (business park in Brentwood where a lot of jobs are located) from Hendersonville will take the full 45.

White House or Springfield would be a beast of a commute. You're looking at a solid hour to downtown Nashville.

Another area to consider is Bellevue. That side of the city is the easiest of all in terms of commuting. If you're driving into downtown during rush hour, there will be one minor slow-down on I-40 between Old Hickory Blvd. and Charlotte Pike, and once you live there a while, you'll learn creative ways to circumvent the trouble spots.

Bellevue, while technically a part of Nashville, has the suburban feel of a town like Brentwood or Mt. Juliet, and the prices are very reasonable. Even if you go a little futher out to Kingston Springs, your commute will still be under 45 minutes and you can get some great deals out there.