So Many Moving to Tennessee WHATS THE EFFECT? (Knoxville, Monterey: real estate, mcmansions)

[MB2]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Wow, is that wrong. I lived through Florida. When you build it, they will come, and then house valuations go up and so does taxes and rent.

That is a bunch of baloney.

I totally second that motion....because exactly THAT happened to us down in FL!!!
In the beginning, everything was more reasonable, until more people moved in, taxes went up, more building was going on, and then of course the hurricanes finished it off. Now houses are dirt cheap (they can't give them away....I know, because we just SOLD our home on May 4th!!! down there), and expenses to actually KEEP a house are at absolut nonsense figures nobody can afford!
I am still in the process of looking for my piece of heaven......

[sliverbox]

the main change I see coming is the rise of property taxes because of the astronomical prices being paid for real estate by outsiders. Areas are becoming too expensive for the families that have lived on them for generations.

I think TN needs to have this kind of progressive taxation structure. TX has a similar system in place: higher property taxes. This in many ways keeps the prices somewhat in check because homeowners will suddenly have a reason to actually see values stay lower or have the consequence of having to pay higher property taxes.

In regards to outsiders moving in and jacking the prices, this is a major concern for me, a native with almost 200 years of family ties to the state. I've lived in the Northeast and West Coast. To have TN suddenly turn into anything marginally close to these areas would be tragic because living in those places makes life difficult.

My thoughts are that this latest phenomena is that the boom is over and people will not be able to sell in order to move here. I also think the urge to move to cheaper places is a knee-jerk reaction to the aftermath of the housing boom. Those prices will come down there and eventually those people will get back to business as usual instead of trying to escape.

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by sliverbox

[i]
Those prices will come down there and eventually those people will get back to business as usual instead of trying to escape.

Most of the people on the threads want to escape to a slower pace of life and that's not going to change whether things get back to normal or not. You can sell your home here if you want to break out even or take a loss. It's the over priced homes that people are trying to sell with a profit that are just sitting ducks and these people are probably not in a hurry to move and have the time to sit and wait for a profit sale. For those who want to get out fast, there's a way to do it and they will.

[sliverbox]

Most of the people on the threads want to escape to a slower pace of life and that's not going to change whether things get back to normal or not.

I'm sorry, but this is perhaps the biggest problem I see with people's attitudes when it comes to the choice to move here. Why? Because about 99% of them are going to find that other than more affordable real estate, the pace of life is NOT slower, easier, or otherwise as pastoral and countryfied as I'm sure most who entertain that idea 'think' they are moving to.

I've lived all over the country, and despite living in some areas with extremely high costs of living, the day to day remains the same as it was in TN. People are universally similar, and by changing your state, this certainly not make whatever problems people think they have suddenly go away.

Note to people who've never lived in TN: Things are NOT slower here. So get that out of your heads now.

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by sliverbox

Most of the people on the threads want to escape to a slower pace of life and that's not going to change whether things get back to normal or not.

I'm sorry, but this is perhaps the biggest problem I see with people's attitudes when it comes to the choice to move here. Why? Because about 99% of them are going to find that other than more affordable real estate, the pace of life is NOT slower, easier, or otherwise as pastoral and countryfied as I'm sure most who entertain that idea 'think' they are moving to.

I've lived all over the country, and despite living in some areas with extremely high costs of living, the day to day remains the same as it was in TN. People are universally similar, and by changing your state, this certainly not make whatever problems people think they have suddenly go away.

Note to people who've never lived in TN: Things are NOT slower here. So get that out of your heads now.

I was just simply stating what i've been reading mostly on the posts for reasons of people moving, NOT my reason of moving. Geesh, don't get all fired up. Why then is that all we read about in the TN forum is how beautiful the area is with so many things to do like hiking and fishing and how friendly the people are because they're not in a rush to get from point A to B, neighborhood gatherings and cookouts. Sounds pretty countryside slow paced to me.

[sliverbox]

Why then is that all we read about in the TN forum is how beautiful the area is with so many things to do like hiking and fishing and how friendly the people are because they're not in a rush to get from point A to B, neighborhood gatherings and cookouts. Sounds pretty countryside slow paced to me.

There's something people that read this forum need to realize: About 90% of the people here are from another state. Many don't even live here, and most seem to be reading comments from yet more out of staters, or people that have just gotten here. I'm one of the few actual natives on this site, and yet I hear an awful lot of generalities that honestly don't hold much water.

I would not base opinions from comments on this site. So when I see comments like: " I've heard that people are nicer there than here", well does that automatically mean that everyone in your current state behave like morons and have a personal vendetta to be mean? I seriously doubt it.

Seems like there are also MANY people here who move to TN on a whim, buy the house and everything instead of renting and trying things out, then suddenly realize that it isn't for them. Why? because they 'heard' that things were slow, everyone was friendly, and so on.

All I am suggesting to people from outside the state is that people are just as likely friendly where you live now.We Tennesseans are nice, but sometimes we have crappy days. Sometimes we even drive fast because we're in a rush. We'll stop and help you change your tire, or maybe we think you're creepy and will keep on driving. Now take that statement and insert a state. The same is true everywhere. People here are making life-altering decisions based off of stereotypes- a positive one, but a stereotype just the same.

make your choices wisely.

[daniellefort]

SILVERBOX... I understand exactly what your saying and your right, don't base a move on what you hear or read. I don't remember what thread it was on but i made a post in the TN forum asking "why is that TN's brag and literally swim in the glory of life living in TN, how great it is, how inexpensive it is and blah blah blah especially if they don't want people to move there" which is exactly opposite of what your saying. Boy, did i get some flack for asking that like what do you want us to do lie and so on. I mean all you read is about how life is great up there. It's just you don't read the bad things about living in TN other than the job situation and drugs but that's in every state and to be expected. It's things like this that we read which make people think "huh, that sounds like a nice place to live. Maybe we'll move there without checking the place out first since so many people are so happy there". It all comes back to what you read on these forums which helps encourage and sometimes discourage those looking to escape to take the leap and go for it. I on the other hand have bought land in TN for a move in 5 years or so but i did my research and had many visits to my new location. I also on the other hand moved to FL 14 years ago from N.H. never even being out of the state of N.H. and I guess i just got lucky. Been here ever since.

[sliverbox]

Well,
there's something that people need to understand: Most Southerners are very proud people. I'd put them in the same camp as Texans and Californians, meaning you hear much the same language in those places. I've lived in CA for years now and trust me: I hear the same things said, about oh- how progressive, liberal and diverse it is there. In TX, you hear about how everything- virtually everything in TX is better and that in reality, TX should be it's own country. Tennesseans are more akin to what you find in the South in general: "We're different, have accents, eat fried food and listen to our country music. You may not like it, but tough luck- we're damned proud of it."

I call it regional propaganda. Honestly, my opinions about TN- especially East TN is that it is becoming increasingly sprawly, which makes me sad because it didn't look anything like that when I was a kid.Around the cities, the "charm" seems to be becoming replaced with generic national chains and retail complexes. Call it progress. What's certain is that if you're coming from a place like the Northeast or West Coast, you'll get more house for the money.The house might be in a nice cookie-cutter subdivision though.If you want TN charm, you might need to head out into the sticks quiet a ways.

[daniellefort]

Don't get me wrong, i entirely understand what your saying but what your saying below

" the pace of life is NOT slower, easier, or otherwise as pastoral and countryfied as I'm sure most who entertain that idea 'think' they are moving to.

is exactly opposite of what outsiders are reading on the posts. Like i said, the only bad things i've read is the jobs are scarce and lower paying but other than that, not too much else to turn people away. When i've visited TN, i didn't run into any fast paces, highway racing cars in a hurry to get anywhere. Maybe because i wasn't in the big city but there is a lot of Rural areas which i think is what these people are talking about as far as slow paced country living. For me anyways. I've never lived in a city and have no desire to so i know what i'm heading into. Grew up in a small northern country woods town where hunting, fishing, boating and camping was a part of life. I can't wait to get back to that.

[happyappy]

Well, I’m genuinely confused about what people in this forum are supposed to write about based on the last few posts (and some others in another thread).

I started a thread in late April after having been here in Tennessee about 3 weeks. It was intended to be light-hearted and to let others know about my positive experiences in the short term. But “someone” posted comments about how I could be adding to the potential massive influx of people into Tennessee if I continued writing such positive commentaries. Of course, the chastisement was meant for all posters who made positive comments, but it was my thread, after all.

Should the forum be shut down? I mean, what do you suggest the answers be to questions asked about cities on the City-Data Forum? For example, my first post (and thread) asked questions about Monterey back in mid-February. When people responded with positive comments, were they wrong in doing so? If people were required to submit replies to a board for approval before they were posted, what parameters should the board use so as not to attract more than (insert number here) people to Tennessee?

I’m trying to watch my words carefully here, but I am truly amazed that people are concerned about the reactions of outsiders reading in this forum. What do you suppose the effect will be in a year’s time—30 people who read in this forum might move to Tennessee? And maybe attract another 60 in the coming years?

How much damage would be done, then, if a couple of good-sized developers get hold of some significant land parcels by making deals with elected and appointed officials in Tennessee without your knowledge? Where are their online forums in which they discuss their plans for Tennessee? You think about 30,000 moving in next year and another 60,000 in coming years. Tennessee’s population increased 60,779 from 2004 to 2005.

Who controls the land that is not deeded to buyers? How do developers get their hands on land and decide how they want Tennessee to look and feel in the future? To whom do they go with their money and promises? Who gives them their deals? Whose campaign funds grow from contributions by real estate special interests? What TV shows are being watched by the most people while Tennessee is bought up and controlled by special interests?

When people put a stop to the idea that economic growth must come by creating a bigger consumer base within their respective States, then populations will do less geographical shifting. When people decide that the pie sliced in fewer pieces means bigger pieces for each, then ingenuity will bring in more dollars by the exporting of goods and services, which is monumentally better for the State than bringing in more consumers to buy what developers have shoved down our throats.

THOSE are problems that should weigh heavy on the minds of those who are concerned about attracting too many people by saying nice things about Tennessee and her citizens.