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A plus for FFG and areas around it is that it's on the Cumberland Plateau. The summers are milder, and so are the winters. It has a different ecosystem than the lower elevations.
I'll drive the cart. I can't golf with this messed up rotator cuff.
Welcome to the messed up rotator cuff club. I can teach you how to play even with that problem. I have a huge tear in my rotator cuff and all it does is make my tee drives shorter. But controlling the ball is 99.9% of the game.
I will have to look at a geographical map of that area. I like the idea of a plateau given all the flooding TN exprienced last week.
Okay....for starters...you live around the Springfield area? Just trying to assess climate, and terrain.
I made the move to Johnson City just over a year ago.
Why?
Came from Central NY (but lived near Pittsfield for many years; also NYC, NJ, VT, NC, CO, and TX. So I have seen quite a bit). Snow up to you armpits from Nov to May. Wife felt she had had enough of that.
JC....no state income tax, but 9+% sales tax. On everything--even construction! Climate.....here in the mountains temps are 80's during the day, 60's at night. Winter is high 20's-low 50's. You can look all that up. If you stay in the foothills, like JC, humidity is lower. I'll bet if you check humidity in your area versus JC, you will find JC is lower, on average. No so much as you go to Middle and West TN. Further west you also have to start to deal with Tornados.
There is a large University in JC. ETSU. Brings a lot of diversity. Harvard it is not, but very respectable. It also has a medical school, which brings bright people into the area.
VA....Mountain Home is here...a large campus, which includes a VA Hospital. Part of the LARGE Medical Community in JC.
Near/In the mountains. Great outdoors activity. Johnson City is on Boone lake--part of the TVA system. Very accessible, everyone has a boat. People of all ages hike/bike/live out of doors. Think Vermont.
Also think Vermont in terms of the Independent/Libertarian attitude of the folks. Great people. Treat you like you treat them. There is no discrimination because you are a Yankee. Unless you behave like a New Yorker!
Religion....it is a cornucopia of beliefs. I leave them alone; they leave me alone. They don't shove it down your throat like they do in Carolina. Go to a church breakfast. Rub elbows with the locals, and eat GREAT biscuits (get the homemade jam or apple butter; skip they sausage gravy (omg.....).
Economy is anchored by the University, the Medical Community, local tourism, and Eastman Chemical up the road in Kingsport. Eastman is huge. And expanding. Brings culture, wealth, and a potpourri of people from around the world to the area.
I really like East Tennessee. I came here without knowing a soul. Could not be happier. Cost of living is slightly lower than where you are, because taxes overall are lower (less state government to support). Energy is lower. Food is high, and for some reason, not plentiful (you shop for select items when you go north!). Transportation is easy. Route 81 brings you right here. The airport is very new, but you have to fly to Charlotte, Atlanta or Cincy to go anywhere. Small inconvenience. For me, there is snow in the mountains, but very little at the JC elevation. This summer has been EXTRAORDINARILY rainy. We have had our yearly total already. Record days; record months.
But as they say in New England: It could be snow!
Any specific questions or concerns, ask away. Best bet is to come here, rub elbows, look around, talk, question, and learn. JC is an undiscovered gem. Some very cool and smart people live here.....sort of secretly. It will be years before the NY rif raff gets here...because...yuk...you wouldn't want to tell folks you lived with the hillbillies in TN, would you?
Sounds like I won't miss home too much weather wise.
I've come to the conclusion that in conjunction with a winter getaway or two...
most northern retirees are better off staying put where they and all they know already are.
(even if if it nets out to a couple thousand more in taxes/fees than some other choices)
I've come to the conclusion that in conjunction with a winter getaway or two...
most northern retirees are better off staying put where they and all they know already are.
(even if if it nets out to a couple thousand more in taxes/fees than some other choices)
MrR it may be that we do stay put. My boss and I were talking, and yes he now sees what I am looking at. The life we have here is good. It is a great area and we have made a great living here. What will be for certain is that we are going to downsize. Whether that is in MA or elsewhere it will be in a low maintenance home on a much smaller lot. I plan to spend time with friends and wife. I plan to travel and golf. I like to eat good food and enjoy life. We have worked hard and plan to play hard when we are done working.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Kingsport, TN stays on our list for a PT home. I prefer it to JC, but if JC works better for you; look to Jonesborough, and even Greeneville, both are great.
This area of TN is not so likely to experience
Quote:
I lived in Huntsville, AL just south of TN for two years. Everything is nice except weather: rain, gray, gloomy, humidity, tornadoes, clouds, snow, bugs.
Chattanooga... yes.
TN has very different climate, culture, socio-demographics, but generally has quite affordable housing.
I'm quite happy with my other PT locations.
San Antonio for Oct - April and PNW or Colorao for May - Oct,
This is about the 4th (10th?) area of the country you have explored.
What have you NOT been finding in the other locations?
What do you hope to find somewhere else?
LOL, we were the same way as the OP. We looked all over the country, and considered a wide range of places. It's sort of like trying on prom dresses--some people know exactly what they want before they hit the first store. Others have to look at a lot of different possibilities before they really get a feel for what they might want. Plus, the search is fun. We made so many great trips during those years we were narrowing down our search.
I am a life long New Englander who has spent a couple of weeks on vacation in Northeast Tennessee and my experience echoes Ted Bear's. If one spot year round is what we end up with in retirement, I could see myself in NE TN. The weather, despite what others have said, is pretty moderate on the average year round. Summers are a bit warmer than here on Cape Cod, but it cools down many nights. Winters are about 10 degrees milder, with about half the snow. Mostly away from hurricane and tornado alley.
The tax situation is a bit of a mixed bag. At my retirement income level, I wouldn't pay income tax. (The "Hall" tax is on dividends and capital gains.) The sales tax is steep and includes groceries. There don't seem to be too many other "gotcha" taxes and fees. The people are truly friendly, COL is low, and there are great cheap local restaurants everywhere. The scenery reminds me a lot of the Berkshires and Vermont. Rolling hills with farmland and forest mixed.
It's worth a visit, we drive, around 15 hours, all in one day.
Okay....for starters...you live around the Springfield area? Just trying to assess climate, and terrain.
I made the move to Johnson City just over a year ago.
Why?
Came from Central NY (but lived near Pittsfield for many years; also NYC, NJ, VT, NC, CO, and TX. So I have seen quite a bit). Snow up to you armpits from Nov to May. Wife felt she had had enough of that.
JC....no state income tax, but 9+% sales tax. On everything--even construction! Climate.....here in the mountains temps are 80's during the day, 60's at night. Winter is high 20's-low 50's. You can look all that up. If you stay in the foothills, like JC, humidity is lower. I'll bet if you check humidity in your area versus JC, you will find JC is lower, on average. No so much as you go to Middle and West TN. Further west you also have to start to deal with Tornados.
There is a large University in JC. ETSU. Brings a lot of diversity. Harvard it is not, but very respectable. It also has a medical school, which brings bright people into the area.
VA....Mountain Home is here...a large campus, which includes a VA Hospital. Part of the LARGE Medical Community in JC.
Near/In the mountains. Great outdoors activity. Johnson City is on Boone lake--part of the TVA system. Very accessible, everyone has a boat. People of all ages hike/bike/live out of doors. Think Vermont.
Also think Vermont in terms of the Independent/Libertarian attitude of the folks. Great people. Treat you like you treat them. There is no discrimination because you are a Yankee. Unless you behave like a New Yorker!
Religion....it is a cornucopia of beliefs. I leave them alone; they leave me alone. They don't shove it down your throat like they do in Carolina. Go to a church breakfast. Rub elbows with the locals, and eat GREAT biscuits (get the homemade jam or apple butter; skip they sausage gravy (omg.....).
Economy is anchored by the University, the Medical Community, local tourism, and Eastman Chemical up the road in Kingsport. Eastman is huge. And expanding. Brings culture, wealth, and a potpourri of people from around the world to the area.
I really like East Tennessee. I came here without knowing a soul. Could not be happier. Cost of living is slightly lower than where you are, because taxes overall are lower (less state government to support). Energy is lower. Food is high, and for some reason, not plentiful (you shop for select items when you go north!). Transportation is easy. Route 81 brings you right here. The airport is very new, but you have to fly to Charlotte, Atlanta or Cincy to go anywhere. Small inconvenience. For me, there is snow in the mountains, but very little at the JC elevation. This summer has been EXTRAORDINARILY rainy. We have had our yearly total already. Record days; record months.
But as they say in New England: It could be snow!
Any specific questions or concerns, ask away. Best bet is to come here, rub elbows, look around, talk, question, and learn. JC is an undiscovered gem. Some very cool and smart people live here.....sort of secretly. It will be years before the NY rif raff gets here...because...yuk...you wouldn't want to tell folks you lived with the hillbillies in TN, would you?
No I am in North Worcester County. Just south of the NH border. I know Pittsfield (East NY as I like to tell the folks out there). So you have the climate pegged right here.
All of what you have said will be good welcome news. Before I move there I promise everyone I plan on living there for a time. The inquiry here is as some people have told me too soon. So many things can change between now and 6 years from now. It is very true. It is also the best time to look around if moving out away from family and friends and social support is in mind. No one should even consider moving without a plan. I do not recommend that anyone just pick up a dart and toss it on the map. C-D is a perfect place to begin that search though. Look at all the replies from other threads on everything from investing advice to home improvements. What better way to get friends in new places too. Heck I got a personalized tour of Sun City Carolina Lakes from some one I met here on C-D.
All of that is why I signed in to C-D to interact with all of you. No better way I know.
So back to you Ted Bear. Those are great points and will be added to my general knowledge. It will become very valuable even 6 years from now. No matter how much things change they also stay the same.
Not a 55+, but we own a lot on a small (3 acre) lake in Fairfield Glade that may someday be where we move. Even though we keep looking at 55+ this place is beautiful. We'll either end up building on the lot or selling it.
Fairfield Glade! I've heard a few good things about that place, and am interested in reading more about it. Would love to read a detailed report if you feel like posting one. And if you have any photos, all the better!
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