Posters with agendas?

[chester's]

I was most concerned that the violent crime ,specifically rapes and assaults, were high in Murfreesboro.They might be "drunk" crime esp if date rape is counted. It's not petty stuff,but definitely not the same.

[want2relocate]

I really seriously doubt if anyone is actually going to move anywhere based only on someone's opinion. We are looking to relocate and we are doing our homework as are most people on this forum. I do value other's opinion's on my posts or I would refrain from asking. I am interested in hearing from people who do live there and or have lived in the area. Other people's life experiences can be invaluable.

For example, I currently live in Memphis and honestly buying a home in a good area that isn't going to pot and that can be resold with relative ease can be very tricky. Some areas appear to be ok on the surface. We are a biracial family and I am not talking about race here. Many newcomers have made some very costly mistakes that could have been avoided by asking some people who are familiar with real estate here, and not just the agents who are selling the houses.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I found this forum. I have found it to be EXTREMELY informative and helpful.

[CarolynB]

Originally Posted by want2relocate

I really seriously doubt if anyone is actually going to move anywhere based only on someone's opinion. We are looking to relocate and we are doing our homework as are most people on this forum. I do value other's opinion's on my posts or I would refrain from asking. I am interested in hearing from people who do live there and or have lived in the area. Other people's life experiences can be invaluable.

For example, I currently live in Memphis and honestly buying a home in a good area that isn't going to pot and that can be resold with relative ease can be very tricky. Some areas appear to be ok on the surface. We are a biracial family and I am not talking about race here. Many newcomers have made some very costly mistakes that could have been avoided by asking some people who are familiar with real estate here, and not just the agents who are selling the houses.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I found this forum. I have found it to be EXTREMELY informative and helpful.

I agree with you, I have also found it very informative and helpful, but I am also doing my own homework,, as I have found in the past, some places are beutiful to visit.. but to actually live there is a different story... and that is what Florida is like, if you want a tropical atmosphere I like hearing what the people have to say who actually live in these areas I am interested in...and like you said an agent only will tell you what you want to hear to make a sale,,, but speaking with the people in the neighborhood , where you might purchase a home will tell you the truth, good or bad

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Again, very good points LauraC!
I agree, what we read or write on posts like this are mainly personal opinions, which are good to have and hear. But you are right, someone needs to really do there research on an area and make sure it is there idea of the ideal place according to their needs and wants.

I just want them to narrow it down. If they've done the research and found that 3 places meet their criteria, then asking for more information about those 3 places makes sense. I'm thinking they are going to visit before they move and wouldn't they rather spend their 2 weeks just going to those three places they know meets their criteria than roaming around the state visiting a lot of places that don't meet their criteria?

But, it would also be nice if people asked pointed questions so we know where they're coming from. A person who asks, "Can I find a 3 bedroom, one level brick house for $125,000 in Joker, TN?" is a lot better than the guy who says, "Can I find a cheap place to live in Tennessee?" If you answer the first guy, you are either going to tell him exactly what he needs to know or send him to look it up in a place that will give that information. The second guy is going to get a lot of people wasting their time either asking him specific questions so they can help him or giving him advice he doesn't really care about if their definition of "cheap" doesn't match his.

I still think people should make a list of criteria that's important to them for a new location. Look up the numbers for where they live now and then look up the potential new place to see if it's bigger, smaller, better or worse than what they are used to. They know what the place they live in feels like to them. They just need to get the numbers so they can compare it to the new place.

For example, if you don't want a lot of snow, how many inches of snow do you get where you live now? How many days per year does it snow where you live now? Now how many inches and how many days per year does it snow in the potential new place? If it's more than what you are used to, and snowfall is important to you, you probably don't want to live there. But, it might make a difference if it is only slighly different than what you are used to compared to greatly different than what you are used to. But, the point is, it's a lot different than going on a forum and asking, "Do you get a lot of snow?" and having everyone chime in with their opinion since no one knows what the original poster considers to be "a lot" of snow.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by insanesmooch

. Like that one that rates crime with numbers like 6 or 3. I'm not sure what they base that on. Like my former zip code in Knoxville says crime is a 6 while the whole country rates a 3.

Local newspapers are the best source of crime information because in addition to describing the crime, they usually tell you the address of the suspect or the address of where the crime was committed. The addresses will mean nothing to you if you don't live there but if you keep track of those addresses, you'll be able to go to someplace like Google Maps or Mapquest and enter those addresses to see where in town, the criminals do their thing. For example, if over 5 months, there are 10 drug arrests and you enter them on a map website, you'll probably see them clustered in a particular area of town. Also, if you know the address of where you are going to live, or where your kids will go to school, Mapquest driving directions will tell you how far away you are from any of those addresses.