Lebanon (Murfreesboro: buying a home, buying, middle schools)

[hulalula]

I have been lurking around this board since February trying to help me decide where we should move--your posts have helped alot. I think we have decided on the Lebanon area and wanted input.

We have two girls--ages 6 and 11. The older one is in the gifted program at school and I want to make sure that she continues in a good school. She is also currently on a year round swim team and does very well. The younger one is into soccer and karate. Access to this stuff for them is important. Is Lebanon a mistake? Should we move closer to Murfreesboro??

My husband has found an old house--built in 1923--on 9 acres but the land has a lot of rock so we don't think it will pass a perk test. Does this make the land unusable? Is this a good investment anyway?? The house seems to be in good shape but it is scary buying a home that old. His parents house is over 100 years old so he likes that kind of thing--I am less convinced.

My husband is a project manager and flies to his job site each week--home on Friday back out on Monday--so we need to be a reasonably (30 - 45 minutes) close to the airport.

Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Rob_H]

Lebanon would be about 30 minutes from the airport, I think it's a nice town but don't really know a lot about it. Supposedly one of the antiqique shops on the square has a bigfoot head in a jar,LOL. I don't know about the schools but there are ample martial arts opportunities here, with several tournaments thoughout the southeast. Nashville has everything from Tae Kwon Do to Akido to Shaolin Kung Fu and Lebanon I'm sure has several Karate schools to choose from. There used to be a martial arts and sword store in Lebanon near teh burger king but i think it's gone out.

The gifted program in school sounds like our "magnet" program in Nashville you may want to check whether Lebanon has that or not. Another nice place not quite so far out but with a rural feel is Mt Juliet and it's near the airport on the east side of Nashville as well. Good luck I hope you find what you are looking for.

[hulalula]

Does anyone else have an opinion on Lebanon/Wilson County? Is this a good place to go our should I look at another county for school and kid activities?

Thanks

[alleycat]

I don't know a lot about it either (and nothing about the schools there), but, just from living in the same general area, I think it's a nice place to raise a family. You don't hear a lot of bad things happening in Lebanon on the TV news or in the newspaper. It's probably big enough to have the activities that you mentioned, but you'd have to look and see; there is soccer programs everywhere this days, and generally a karate studio or two around.

As for the old house, a house built in 1923 might be better built than what's being built these days. You want to look closely at the house, of course. Check out the foundation, plumbing, electrical, roof, etc. If you or your husband can't do it, then hire a good inspector to go over the house from top to bottom. See if it's been updated to be more energy efficient; in the old days they didn't use much insulation, but most houses have now been updated.

[emmyp]

Wilson County schools are pretty good! Lebanon is a pretty nice town! I'm doing my internship in Lebanon and am constantly finding new things about the town! The square is nice, there is an outlet mall, several restaurants etc.

It still has the small town feel, but it is close to Nashville!

Any other specific questions, let me know (I can ask the girls at my internship!).

[emmyp]

Oh, there is a wonderful park (play areas, pavilions, swimming pool etc) in Lebanon as well! Very family friendly!

[emmyp]

Have you looked into Mt. Juliet? It is still in Wilson county but closer to the Nashville airport!!

[Beretta]

My mother was a principal in Lebanon schools and now works for the state in the Dept of Education. There are some other issues there, but of course that can be said of any place. I do make sure that I always drive the exact speed limit and watch my driving p's and q's when I am there to avoid any interaction with "the law" there. While Lebanon has its qualities, I personally would choose M'boro.

[hulalula]

Originally Posted by SmokyMtnGal

My mother was a principal in Lebanon schools and now works for the state in the Dept of Education. There are some other issues there, but of course that can be said of any place. I do make sure that I always drive the exact speed limit and watch my driving p's and q's when I am there to avoid any interaction with "the law" there. While Lebanon has its qualities, I personally would choose M'boro.

Can you elaborate on the "issues"? Are the police terrible or do they just take the opportunity to add more money to their accounting departments?

Why do you like M'boro better? Does the traffic bother you?

[hulalula]

Originally Posted by emmyp

Oh, there is a wonderful park (play areas, pavilions, swimming pool etc) in Lebanon as well! Very family friendly!

We have looked at Mt. Juliet but did not find exactly what we were looking for. My husband wants a decent amount of land--nothing below an acre and we have two kids and my mom lives with us. It has been difficult to pick a town and a house. I hate to be so picky but I know that my husband will not move once we get up there--so once we get something I am probably stuck with it for awhile. We have been in our current house for 17 years--it was our first house. I want to make sure that the girls won't have to change schools--once they get to Tennessee. They have been with the same kids their whole lives and are very nervous about the the move.

Could you ask your friends what they know about the middle schools and high schools?

Thanks,

Tammy