Living in Australia but thinking of moving to Sevierville (Knoxville: rental, home)

[JenMeyer]

Hi all, I am new here and hoped to chat with some local people from the Sevierville area in order to get a sense of what the community is like.

I currently live in Australia and have for the last five years. I originally came from the St. Louis area.

My Father has recently retired and my parents have just moved to Sevierville as it was always their dream to move to the mountains. They are still settling in and seem to be loving it there.

I am considering a move back to the States and am hoping to research the area a bit to assist with making such a big decision. I know that I would like to spend some time with my parents during this stage of their life and would like to be there for them and find myself really missing family. I do however dread starting my life over again.

I would be most appreciative if someone could provide me some information about the area or maybe any surrounding areas that they think might suit.
I am particularly concerned about employment, as I would like to secure a position straight away. I will need to stay with my folks for a bit whilst sorting this out, but hope to be starting my life as soon as possible.
Currently I manage a travel agency. I have searched some of the classifieds in local papers and have not really found much related to travel. I do have lots of previous experience in all office related fields, but do love the travel industry.

I am also concerned with wages. I know cost of living is less than what I have experienced here in Australia, however I am fairly certain that the wages are much less. I currently earn approx $45,000 -$50,000 per year.
Approximate Rental costs of a decent unit/house in Sevierville? I would probably only need something small - maybe 2 bedroom, a bedroom and a study and only something basic and clean/tidy.

Social aspects of Sevierville or surrounding? I am a bit worried with this as I will not know anyone except my parents. I am in my early 30s and single and would enjoy going out a bit and would hope to make new friends quickly.

I am most happy in smaller towns with access to larger cities for shopping and exploring.

Thank you so much for reading through and I would be most grateful for any information/opinions that you have to offer.

Jen

[Jessg]

Hello!
I live in Sevierville & can help you with anything you need to know. I love this little town so I love to talk about it. Employment is here is probably the worst part because since it is a tourist town you work a lot in the summer but in Jan and Feb a lot of people get laid off. I personally work from home now but there are jobs with full time & good pay if you have enough experience. Rent isnt too bad as long as you stay in the Sevierville area. Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg are horribly expensive. As for things to do, we locals always manage to keep ourselves busy but if your from a big city, WATCH OUT!!, its a huge culture shock. Everything is a little slower here but you can always go to Knoxville if you need to be around big city(thats what we do every once in a while) As for friends, Ive lived here my whole life so I could pretty much introduce you to any group you would want to hang out with (i can be your welcome wagon!) All in all I wouldnt personally want to live anywhere else but everyones experiences vary. If you need anymore help just ask. Hope this helps!

[amyraines26]

Hi, I have lived in Sevierville for over 3 years and the cheapest place to rent is on $300 a month. They are small trailers, 2 bedrooms and the landlord is very lenient.
Sevierville is a very descent place to live and I hope you enjoy it here.

Amy

P.S.

What is Australia like? Is it as pretty there as everyone says? I always wanted to take a vacation to Australia. I look forward to your reply.

[sliverbox]

Hey jen,
Well the big thing I would say about Sevierville is that the area around it is insanely sprawly. We're talking Go-cart tracks, mini put-putt, and don't forget Dollywood! Getting around can be slow especially in the summer when all the folks from Florida and Ohio come for vacation.

Wages... as mentioned, a lot of the work is seasonal. So don't expect more than say $9-10 bucks an hour. But if you want to work at a tourism place, you might look around the Gatlinburg area and see if there are tour offices for the Smokey Mountains. The Smokeys Mountians is the most popular national park in the US, so I would imagine there is a big demand for tours. Not 100% sure. Gatlinburg is equally sprawly, but at the base of the mountains so you can escape it.

I would also consider Knoxville as a place to live and commute from as it is within 45 minutes or less from Sevierville.