Another Post Asking for Location Info! (Morristown, Jefferson City: for sale, home, buying)

[wannabemountainmama]

Hi CDers, my husband is due to retire from the military in the next few years, and we are looking to move back to his roots in TN.

We would like to buy 100ish acres and live self-sustainably in a passive solar earth sheltered home. We'd like to live 20-40 minutes away from a town with a decent grocery store, public library and building supply. School districts don't matter since we home school.

He grew up in Sevier County, but it's gotten pretty expensive around there. What counties do you knowledgeable folk recommend?

[rossn2]

Moderator cut: link removed, competitor site

[Jim37680]

I'll recommend a rural area with which I am most familiar- this would be Laurel Bloomery community in Johnson County which is the most eastern and northern county in Tennessee. Search on Google at "realtor 37680". There are several 100+ tracts listed which I believe have mostly been logged out and gone back to nature. We have family property nearby which is not currently on the market but we spend significant time in the area to keep current. I live in Sullivan County but other than the eastern most part of Sullivan, the same goes as in Sevier County on high land cost issue (land sold by the square foot, not by the acre).

Laurel Bloomery (a community, not a town) is nine miles from Mountain City, Tennessee, 6 miles from Damascus, Virginia, and 15 miles from Abingdon, Virginia all of which have the amenities you listed (except Damascus does not have a builders supply). This is in the heart of the mountains and offers lots of outdoor recreational opportunities. PM me if you have specific questions.

[wannabemountainmama]

Rossn2, thanks- we have looked at land online and plan to visit some areas later this year.

Jim37680, that's a great tip. I've read some good things about Johnson County overall. I especially like that there is no building code there. We plan to do a lot of the construction ourselves. My husband gutted and renovated our last house, and we like the freedom of no permits. modcut

[Montezia]

I am from TN and to be honest I know little about buying land, but in my home county of Montgomery they ALWAYS had signs for land for sale. Montgomery co. is also pretty cheap and there's a military base, huge one, so shopping is not hard to come by. You also have the rural area of Woodlawn that has plenty of space. In general it isn't very far from rural areas with land in this toen. It's also an hour from Nashville. I'd check here for possible suggestions.

[Watchman57]

Johnson or Carter Co.'s

[wannabemountainmama]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions! We are beginning our search next week by looking at land in Rutledge/Grainger County. My husband plans to open a handyman business. I know not many in Rutledge would hire a handyman, but would nearby towns be large enough to give him some business? I was thinking Morristown and Jefferson City may have a more suburban population (with a number of people who don't want to cut their own grass, paint pressure wash, etc.) Any advice or opinions?