Relocating from PA (Chattanooga, Kingsport, Bristol: sales, to rent, house)

[Bob & Linda]

Could Use Some Help! We are tired of Erie, PA winters and are thinking of relocating to TN. Liked the idea that some of you post about living in TN but shopping in another state because of the sales tax. Know of Bristol but how about any other good towns that will foot-the-bill? We are retired and like mountains and nature more then clubs and noise... Got spooked off of Kingsport because of air quality. But could use some suggestions, thanks for any help.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Bob & Linda

Could Use Some Help! We are tired of Erie, PA winters and are thinking of relocating to TN. Liked the idea that some of you post about living in TN but shopping in another state because of the sales tax. Know of Bristol but how about any other good towns that will foot-the-bill? We are retired and like mountains and nature more then clubs and noise... Got spooked off of Kingsport because of air quality. But could use some suggestions, thanks for any help.

Maybe SE TN near the Georgia border. The Chattanooga area is beautiful and inexpensive. You could live in Tennessee and do much of your big shopping in Georgia which does not have a sales tax on grocery items.

[Bob & Linda]

Originally Posted by JMT

Maybe SE TN near the Georgia border. The Chattanooga area is beautiful and inexpensive. You could live in Tennessee and do much of your big shopping in Georgia which does not have a sales tax on grocery items.

But aren't they prone to allot of tornado's?

[RiverView]

Originally Posted by Bob & Linda

But aren't they prone to allot of tornado's?

Not east TN

[knoxgarden]

Tornadoes like the flat lands of west Tennessee. We'd don't have much "flat" in East Tennessee, particularly around Chattanooga. You're either going uphill or downhill.

[Shenandoah]

Originally Posted by Bob & Linda

Could Use Some Help! We are tired of Erie, PA winters and are thinking of relocating to TN.

Hi! I'm just a bit south of you in Ellwood City PA, and am looking forward to our move to Tennessee. We've been planning on this for a year now, and keep getting put off. This winter, we'll be there! At least for a visit, check out north and east of Nashville that we're looking at. Hubby will be checking out jobs while we're there, and if he gets hired, we'll rent for awhile, until the house sells, then move permanent. We also want to rent first just to see if the 'fit' is good for a particular area.

I really like Cookeville, but the jobs for both of us will be more plentiful in Nashville.

This is a great site, with a bunch of great, friendly, helpful folk. It's the best site on City-Data IMHO.

blessings, Shen

[gemkeeper]

Bob and Linda, I am a Williamsport, PA native (soon to be a TN resident!) and the area around Chattanooga is so similar to north central PA and similar to what you are accustomed to in Erie. It is really lovely there.

You won't find much more tornado activity in SE TN than you would in your part of PA. It is just so much in the news right now that it has everyone nervous about it.

Also, because of the warm moist air that is moving up from the Gulf the storms are different in this part of the country. Intense thunder storms that "can" be conducive to tornadic activity. N. Pa has the cold air storm masses coming down out of Canada that also produce thunderstorms, but not as intense as in the south. It's just an exciting light show!

You must visit, check out lots of spots, spend a little time there in different seasons, check out the local stores and restaurants, talk to folks in gas stations, malls, etc. See how it feels. It is a nice environment.

The cost of grocery shopping in TN with the sales tax will be nicely offset by the lower property taxes and no state income tax, except on interest and dividends from investments. Seniors have to keep that little addendum in mind when they hear "no state income tax". Not entirely true.

I would not drive to GA to do my grocery shopping when we pay 7% in GA, and in some places 8%. It just doesn't seem to be worth the gas, the time or the trouble. The gas along will eat up your 1 -2 % tax savings, I would think.