Want as much info as possible about Tennessee (Knoxville, Murfreesboro: for sale, real estate)

[movingoutwestsomewhere]

Ok folks, first I want to say that I've changed my mind since I first registered with these forums (looking at my username )& I've been repeatly drawn back to Tenn. I'm originally from Illinois, so it's kinda close to home too.

I now live in Orlando, Florida and HATE it, it's been getting worse each year. We are a family of 4 with a dog. I want to relocate to a place where I can let my kids outside to play without having to stand there and watch them. I want GOOD schools, decent weather.....not alot of snow, but ALOT of rain is ok. I want country life, small town mentality. I also need a county which allows pitbull dogs. (She's 11yrs old and like a child-NO WAY am I willing to get rid of her now!) I am a lil biased when it comes to culture....I do NOT want a very diverse population (if you understand what I'm saying) Sorry but that is the truth. I also would like water (whether lakes, streams, or rivers) somewhere close to me.

I want to rent or rent to own a 3+ bedroom, 2+ bath, must allow animals (dogs ,rabbits, chickens, anything else I want, etc....) I also need to have DSL internet or high speed internet connection avail-my job depends on it. I'm willing to spend about 600-650 month for rent. I also would like access to hunting, fishing.

Basically I want to go back to a VERY simple life....I want to grow, produce as much of my own needs as possible.

Thanks in advance for all the input and I look forward to checking into all ideas ya'll may have.

[shadowwalker]

Just start reading posts on here. You will get a well rounded idea of how it is here. The good, bad, ugly, so to speak. Ha, ha. There really are good things about this state. I do have some good times here. It just in not what I lived in alittle over ten years ago when here.But nothing is the same forever. I will say that.

[alicenevada]

Small town mentality but lots of growth? Mt Juliet and Lebanon are great options. We live in Pleasant Shade (a tiny community in between Cookeville and Lebanon) and the closest 'town' to us is the tiny town of Carthage. But we're about 45 minutes from Lebanon, Cookeville, and Gallatin so very centrally located. The scenery is gorgeous and acreage is rediculously low (we got 20 acres for 30,000 last year). Building a house is easy in these areas and your kids have lots of room to play. If you don't want anything so rural though, but still relatively safe-Lebanon, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Mt Juliet, and Murfreesboro all qualify.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by movingoutwestsomewhere

I want to rent or rent to own a 3+ bedroom, 2+ bath, must allow animals (dogs ,rabbits, chickens, anything else I want, etc....) I also need to have DSL internet or high speed internet connection avail-my job depends on it. I'm willing to spend about 600-650 month for rent. I also would like access to hunting, fishing.

Wow. You find that kind of place for that kind of rent, well, you let me know, okay? I know that sounds sarcastic, but Tennessee is affordable, compared to a lot of other areas, but not THAT cheap.

Now, maybe if you are way out somewhere, but not within commuting range to any of the major cities, which brings up the next question? What are going to do for work?

Final point, it is VERY tough to rent with a pit bull due to insurance reasons.

[lakeprop]

Sounds like Smithville, TN is JUST what you're looking for. Small town feel (we have only 4000 residents) and yes, hiknapster, you CAN rent for $500-600 a month here! I've seen rent as low as $250 a month, granted the apt was very small. I work in a real estate office in Smithville, actually moved here 6 months ago from South Florida and am SOOOO glad I did.
As far as being close to water, Center Hill Lake is in Smithville and is one of the cleanest lakes in Middle TN. Many of the Nashville recording artists (Alan Jackson, John Anderson, Aaron Tippin) have places on Center Hill Lake as well as Darrell Waltrip. Here's a website that tells more about Smithville and the area. www.smithvilletn.com. Enjoy!

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by lakeprop

Sounds like Smithville, TN is JUST what you're looking for. Small town feel (we have only 4000 residents) and yes, hiknapster, you CAN rent for $500-600 a month here! I've seen rent as low as $250 a month, granted the apt was very small. I work in a real estate office in Smithville, actually moved here 6 months ago from South Florida and am SOOOO glad I did.
As far as being close to water, Center Hill Lake is in Smithville and is one of the cleanest lakes in Middle TN. Many of the Nashville recording artists (Alan Jackson, John Anderson, Aaron Tippin) have places on Center Hill Lake as well as Darrell Waltrip. Here's a website that tells more about Smithville and the area. www.smithvilletn.com. Enjoy!

It looks like, according to city-data, the average household income is low and the crime is high for a town that size. Is that true?

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

It looks like, according to city-data, the average household income is low and the crime is high for a town that size. Is that true?

So what is the average rent near Knoxville. I would think $500 - $600 would be found easily in TN. Am i wrong? Heck, we may even need to rent for a short time when we move. 3 bedroom/ 1 bath with a fenced in yard across the street from me was rented for $750 a month and that's a FL price.

[hiknapster]

First of all, I'm not being wise. I really want to know about Smithville.

All I know about rentals is the street I rent on, the mobile homes here are $650. I think $650 for a mobile home park is high. And the point is that they went up $150 in one year. I'm not saying it is sky-high here. I'm saying that it was cheap when we got here and it isn't anymore. That's all I have ever said.

Also, a 3-bedroom house in a good area with a fenced in yard is going to cost you, at minimum $900 a month in Knoxville.

Of course, when you actually rent here things may change.

[daniellefort]

Wow that is a lot for a mobile home rent. I guess it must be location. That always seems to have an effect on pricing. Then again the further you live from a city, you just spend it in gas to get there. $3.19 a gallon today here. We're hoping to be able to live in our camper while we build but you just never know, we may end up having to rent at some point if the winters get too cold.

[hiknapster]

It's 2.97 here! I went to the store and almost dropped dead. I thought of you and everyone else, like Hoosier07, and thought, "If it's that much here I hate to think what it is elsewhere."

I'm in a very country setting, but near I-75 and it's 15 minutes to the city, if that. I'm just bummed because when we first moved here there were TONS of houses under $100,000. Now, that is very rare, or it is in a questionable part of town.

This park is up for sale, but he is asking a ton of money, so I hope it doesn't sell too fast. He has not raised our rent and said he will not, because we are good tenants and always pay on time. In the meantime, I am just going to stay put and save as much money as possible. In the end, though, I bet we end up moving away from Knoxville. To some place that is not the new "hot" spot.

I'm not saying it's outrageously expensive here, and I hate to say this, but I think this is going to be the new Florida. I really do.