East TN small town, Like yours??? Tell me (Johnson City, Kingsport: condos, homes)

[jvancamp]

All I can say is WOW! There is a lot of posts here on Tennessee.

I am actively looking to move to East Tennessee from Michigan. I would like to describe the type of town I am looking for and if you don’t mind, let me know if it sounds like a town you know.

I like to live on back roads, don’t care for city living, wife likes a garden
A small town with the necessities: grocery store, hardware, gas, drug store
A small town that has some type of celebration once or twice a year that really brings the community together
An hour drive to the larger stores and restaurants is fine. (Helps reduce spontaneous buying)
Water not to far away to put a small boat in once and a while, like to fish
An hour drive or so to good ATV riding or ride right out of the driveway

I may not find everything on my list but I figured this is a good place to start asking.

Jeff

[AlisonL]

Sounds exactly like what my husband and I are looking for in a town also. I love small town life....grew up in a town of 500 and didn't appreciate it as a youngster, but sure love that slow pace now. We live in a town now with a population of 3300 and its too big for my liking!
Alison

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by jvancamp

All I can say is WOW! There is a lot of posts here on Tennessee.

I am actively looking to move to East Tennessee from Michigan. I would like to describe the type of town I am looking for and if you don’t mind, let me know if it sounds like a town you know.

I like to live on back roads, don’t care for city living, wife likes a garden
A small town with the necessities: grocery store, hardware, gas, drug store
A small town that has some type of celebration once or twice a year that really brings the community together
An hour drive to the larger stores and restaurants is fine. (Helps reduce spontaneous buying)
Water not to far away to put a small boat in once and a while, like to fish
An hour drive or so to good ATV riding or ride right out of the driveway

I may not find everything on my list but I figured this is a good place to start asking.

Jeff

I don't know anything about ATV riding but when I was in Oak Ridge, Tennessee about 2 weeks ago, I saw mentions of this apparent annual October ATV event in a lot of places around Anderson County. Your post made me recall it.

http://www.windrockatv.com/

Oak Ridge (where I was staying) is not the size town you are looking for but perhaps Oliver Springs (much smaller), is. Coal Creek may be what you had in mind.

http://www.coalcreekohv.com/

[GrannyLois]

Originally Posted by jvancamp

All I can say is WOW! There is a lot of posts here on Tennessee.

I like to live on back roads, don’t care for city living, wife likes a garden
A small town with the necessities: grocery store, hardware, gas, drug store
A small town that has some type of celebration once or twice a year that really brings the community together
An hour drive to the larger stores and restaurants is fine. (Helps reduce spontaneous buying)
Water not to far away to put a small boat in once and a while, like to fish
An hour drive or so to good ATV riding or ride right out of the driveway

Jeff

I'm thinking Blountville, Tennessee (When you look at a map - it's in the center of the Tri-Cities of Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol).

Unincorporated town, yet the county seat. The main street (very few stores) has at least a dozen original, restored, homes and buildings. The old courthouse (burned during the Civil War) is rebuilt, restored and beautiful in December with electric candles shining from each street-side window. There are 3 old fashioned churches on main street, lots of colorful maples, but no sidewalks. Two good lakes within 30 minutes - South Holston Lake and Boone Lake. Lots of boating on both, and good fishing on Holston.

For food: two fairly large grocery stores (one is called Food Country and one is called Food City ). Restaurants: Three Sisters (family owned place), Rose Petal Cafe' (unique to Blountville), Shoku's (excellent Japanese food), Giovanni's (pretty good Italian), TCBY, Burger King, McDonald's, Subway, Arby's, and Pal's (a Tri-Cities sudden service - drive-through only - chain that is awesome). I saw a sign for a new little place called Boby's Bar-b-que, which is supposed to open on Oct. 31.

Included in the town is a drug store, hardware store, really nice little library, three gas stations, an automotive repair place, and several other small places. I noticed a new tiny store yesterday that sells Motorcycle Trikes! There are some new one-level condos (two condos per building) going up near the post office - they sell for about $125,000. Four doubles are finished, and they are starting four more. It'll be a cozy neighborhood of 16 condos, called Afton Square. There is high speed cable in town.

The 3 bigger cities are about 30-40 minutes away. Each has tons of restaurants, the super Wal-Marts, malls, and everything else. The mountains are within an hour, but you can see them from Blountville.

By the way, I'm from Wisconsin originally, and I love it here!

[jvancamp]

Originally from Wentworth Wisconsin. (Pop. 500) So I can really relate to the other post above. Not appreciating it when your young but long for it as you get older.

I ride Windrock/Coal Creek from time to time with the ATV.

I will certainly checkout Blountville. I have been through Maryville and many others but they are all just to large.

I have a friend living in Loudon and that seems nice.


Keep them coming!

[KewGee]

Originally Posted by jvancamp

All I can say is WOW! There is a lot of posts here on Tennessee.

I am actively looking to move to East Tennessee from Michigan. I would like to describe the type of town I am looking for and if you don’t mind, let me know if it sounds like a town you know.

I like to live on back roads, don’t care for city living, wife likes a garden
A small town with the necessities: grocery store, hardware, gas, drug store
A small town that has some type of celebration once or twice a year that really brings the community together
An hour drive to the larger stores and restaurants is fine. (Helps reduce spontaneous buying)
Water not to far away to put a small boat in once and a while, like to fish
An hour drive or so to good ATV riding or ride right out of the driveway

I may not find everything on my list but I figured this is a good place to start asking.

Jeff

Now this sounds like my kind of place too. I've been searching in VA, TN, WV, and NC. I'm beginning to think that eastern TN is more populated than the other state's mountainous areas. Even if I find a small town in TN that seems good, it's too close to a metro area and therefore, I'm worried that it's going to spread into what is now a small town. That's kind of what is happening to the small town I live in now and never thought I'd see that day. The town itself isn't growing that much but I live five miles from town and the countryside is just getting too populated.

Does anyone know what is really the prettiest side of the mountains, east or west? I've heard both sides. I still haven't visited but definitely hope to next summer.

Also, it seems like the TN side's comfort level is not quite as good as the NC or even VA side. I'm trying hard to get away from humidity and comfort level is very important to me if I'm going to take the big plunge and move hundreds of miles away from where I am now.

Good luck in your search.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by amjb

Now this sounds like my kind of place too. I've been searching in VA, TN, WV, and NC. I'm beginning to think that eastern TN is more populated than the other state's mountainous areas. Even if I find a small town in TN that seems good, it's too close to a metro area and therefore, I'm worried that it's going to spread into what is now a small town. That's kind of what is happening to the small town I live in now and never thought I'd see that day. The town itself isn't growing that much but I live five miles from town and the countryside is just getting too populated.

Does anyone know what is really the prettiest side of the mountains, east or west? I've heard both sides. I still haven't visited but definitely hope to next summer.

Also, it seems like the TN side's comfort level is not quite as good as the NC or even VA side. I'm trying hard to get away from humidity and comfort level is very important to me if I'm going to take the big plunge and move hundreds of miles away from where I am now.

Good luck in your search.

How about West Virginia? I don't know how old you are but West Virginia is one of only a few states whose government is proactively trying to court retirees to the state. They send you a very nice package in the mail, too, of the entire state:

http://www.retirewv.org/

It's a pretty good website for talking about their regions even if you aren't retiring.

There is one specific thing I was looking for in retirement or I would have definitely given it a look-see if I was mainly basing my decision on cost and beauty.

Oops, sorry. Didn't notice you already mentioned WV.

[KewGee]

Originally Posted by LauraC

How about West Virginia? I don't know how old you are but West Virginia is one of only a few states whose government is proactively trying to court retirees to the state. They send you a very nice package in the mail, too, of the entire state:

http://www.retirewv.org/

It's a pretty good website for talking about their regions even if you aren't retiring.

There is one specific thing I was looking for in retirement or I would have definitely given it a look-see if I was mainly basing my decision on cost and beauty.

It's funny you should mention the retirement package via WV. Only ten minutes ago, I viewed that site and sent for the package.

I'll be 58 in less than two weeks so I'm getting close to retirement age. Should I live another 20 or 30 years, I surely would like it to be where there aren't beastly hot summers like where I live in Texas.

Thanks so much for your post!

[Summerlashea]

I live in Sneedville, TN and it sounds like it is perfect for you. It is very rural, we only have a few things in town, a grocery store, Rite Aid, Pizza Plus, Hardees, dollar stores, and a few gas stations that also sell food- pizzas, etc. The land is beautiful and reasonable. The Clinch River runs through Sneedville, it is a very small river, but is good for fishing. We have great mountains for four-wheeler riding. You can go about an hour in any direction and find good shopping and nice places to eat. We got a new hospital last year and new schools a few years ago. Sneedville is a very small town, but the people are friendly. If you have any questions feel free to post them or e-mail me directly.

[mbmouse]

HI again Summerlashea!
AJMP and Alison, I was thinking of Sneedville, area as well as I was reading this, or maybe Tazwel, Blaine and most parts of Grainger and Hancock Counties. Check them out on the map and Realtor.com and see if those might fit your needs.
Good luck on your search and keep us informed on what you find!