I'm Heeeeeere - Newbie In Oak Ridge (Knoxville, Cookeville: apartment complex, leasing agent)

[LauraC]

I'm checking in from the library. Don't have my PC hooked up yet because my desk is going to take another 3 weeks to arrive but I wanted to report on the move and some observations to help others about to take the plunge.

Registering a Leased Car

I only hit one snag so I'm going to talk about that first. If you are moving to Tennessee with a leased car you won't be able to register it until you have a Power of Attorney (POA) from the leasing agent (people you make payments to, not the car dealer) that will allow you to register the car in Tennessee (a different state than the one it was leased in). I'm telling you this because you have 30 days to register your vehicle. I attempted to register mine on Day 6 so I still have plenty of time to obtain it (leasing agent said I will have POA next week) but if you are a "wait until the last minute" type, DON'T! In fact, you might think about obtaining the POA before you move.

Licenses and Voter Registration

Got my driver's license ($20) and resident fishing/hunting license ($28) right away. In fact, an extension of the County Clerk's office (driver's license and registration) is down the road from where I live. It was painless and there was no wait. You need to bring proof of residency as well as proof of who you are (birth certificate/passport). I brought my Comcast installation bill and my "Welcome to Bell South" mail. I applied to register to vote at the same County Clerk's office. I say "applied" because I didn't get to declare my party affiliation. I'm told something will come in the mail for that. Keep that in mind if you are aiming to vote in the primaries and you are moving close to primary voting day.

The fishing license expires 2/28/08 and I had an opportunity to get a cheaper one that would only allow me to fish in the County I live in (but I didn't want that one). I got it in Wal-Mart - painless.

Deliveries

The movers came Monday. I drove down on Tuesday. I purchased a livingroom set, bedroom set, dining room set on Wednesday in West Knoxville and it was delivered the next morning. I purchased a washer/dryer in Oak Ridge on Friday and it was delivered on Saturday. The movers came with my stuff on Thursday and Comcast came the next day to hook up my TV. The local guy told me to call him when my TV arrived and he'd be there. Sweeeeet. The only delay is a desk that is going to take 3 - 4 weeks...which is why I'm posting from the library...don't want to set up the computer until I have the desk. I'm telling you all of this because if anyone is considering moving to this area (Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Clinton, Farragut) without furniture or appliances and is sweating how long it will take, send me a PM and I'll tell you where I got my stuff (with directions). I was very pleased with the service I got and the quality of the furniture. Even the electric company, which I had to visit in person, was a snap. (If you rent, you have to physically go to the electric company to have the power switched over to you from the apartment complex and prove you are who you are.) The phone was switched on the day I arrived.

Supermarkets

I have been to Food City, Kroger's and Wal-Mart to food shop (There is also a Food Lion but didn't go there). By the way, I got Italian Sausage in Wal-Mart, of all places. Not only that, but they had 2 different kinds of Italian sausage (same brand - Johnsonsomething or other) in addition to other types of sausage. I haven't looked for a hunk of Romano cheese, yet. I got matzohs (not Jewish but I love matzohs) in Food City. I bought bagels today at the Hot Bagel Company. Not sure if that is a Tennessee chain. Will tell you next time if they are good bagels. There is a Starbucks but I don't drink coffee.

You need a Food City card to get a discount at that store. I found this store to be much like the Giant supermarket in MD where you also need a card. All stores had Mexican. But, something I found peculiar, none of the 3 supermarkets had a salad bar yet I sense that at least 2 of them had one at one time since there were big unused spaces in the produce section. Other Tennessee people, do you have salad bars in your supermarkets?

At another time, I'll post the prices of some common food items/brands but I will not be able to compare them to where I used to live so you will have to do that.

I also visited an Odd Lot, Books A Million, Buddy's Barbecue (love them), K-Mart, Sears, JC Penney.

You couldn't pay me enough money to live anywhere near Kingston Pike in Knoxville. Too much traffic. I don't see myself going to Knoxville unless my arm is twisted.

People

People talked to me on line at the supermarkets. One lady offered to push my cart (called it a buggy) through while I unloaded the front of the cart (I had bulky items in front). Another lady wanted to share gossip about the Queen in the local tabloid she picked up. There are 4 apartments on the floor of my apartment building and I met 2 of the other 3 residents (and one's 2 kids), already. I can tell you I lived for 12 years in Maryland and never knew the names of anyone in my complex. Stopped in the Visitor's Center this morning and got info on the Secret City Festival and an outdoor concert here on Memorial Day night (where to park, what to bring).

Etc.

Today, I got my library card and here I am. I got 4 (one was cancelled) of the 5 summer session classes I registered for (starts June 7) and one of 2 trips. The Women's Rowing Nationals are at the lake this weekend so I won't start fishing until next week. All of the TV channels I had in MD, I have here (and more) but I had Comcast there, too, so maybe that's why. Right before I left MD, we got high def/digital cable (don't know correct term but image was decidedly sharper). Was told they are laying that cable throughout Oak Ridge now and my neighborhood will have it by July. Don't know the impact of the move on my car insurance, yet. I kept the same company and they'll issue my new cards, next week. Will let you know the amount of the decrease when I know. I'm not changing any coverage.

I learn Tennessee-speak by watching the local evening news from Knoxville and paying attention to the local commercials. I don't speak with a southern accent but I think with one.

So, that's it. If it's not too hot when I leave the library, I'll check out the Civic Center (2 pools) and drive over to Home Depot. I have to tell you, the weather really cooperated the week I moved here. Temps were in the 60's and 70's.

I'll check back in sometime next week.

[hiknapster]

Thanks, Laura, for checking in!

After dealing with the nightmare of rudeness, meanness and long waiting times in my previous state, I was ready to have a nervous breakdown when we first moved here. I was shocked at how easily everything went. I'm constantly amazed at how smoothly everything goes around here.

Even when I was in pre-op, it was a pleasant experience, and that was BEFORE they gave me the good drugs!

I'm glad to see you were treated well by Comcast. It made me proud.

I think I'm going to the Secret City Festival, too, this year.

The Ingle's near me, in Powell, has a salad bar.

[MB2]

Originally Posted by LauraC

I'm checking in from the library. Don't have my PC hooked up yet because my desk is going to take another 3 weeks to arrive but I wanted to report on the move and some observations to help others about to take the plunge.

Registering a Leased Car

I only hit one snag so I'm going to talk about that first. If you are moving to Tennessee with a leased car you won't be able to register it until you have a Power of Attorney (POA) from the leasing agent (people you make payments to, not the car dealer) that will allow you to register the car in Tennessee (a different state than the one it was leased in). I'm telling you this because you have 30 days to register your vehicle. I attempted to register mine on Day 6 so I still have plenty of time to obtain it (leasing agent said I will have POA next week) but if you are a "wait until the last minute" type, DON'T! In fact, you might think about obtaining the POA before you move.

Licenses and Voter Registration

Got my driver's license ($20) and resident fishing/hunting license ($28) right away. In fact, an extension of the County Clerk's office (driver's license and registration) is down the road from where I live. It was painless and there was no wait. You need to bring proof of residency as well as proof of who you are (birth certificate/passport). I brought my Comcast installation bill and my "Welcome to Bell South" mail. I applied to register to vote at the same County Clerk's office. I say "applied" because I didn't get to declare my party affiliation. I'm told something will come in the mail for that. Keep that in mind if you are aiming to vote in the primaries and you are moving close to primary voting day.

The fishing license expires 2/28/08 and I had an opportunity to get a cheaper one that would only allow me to fish in the County I live in (but I didn't want that one). I got it in Wal-Mart - painless.

Deliveries

The movers came Monday. I drove down on Tuesday. I purchased a livingroom set, bedroom set, dining room set on Wednesday in West Knoxville and it was delivered the next morning. I purchased a washer/dryer in Oak Ridge on Friday and it was delivered on Saturday. The movers came with my stuff on Thursday and Comcast came the next day to hook up my TV. The local guy told me to call him when my TV arrived and he'd be there. Sweeeeet. The only delay is a desk that is going to take 3 - 4 weeks...which is why I'm posting from the library...don't want to set up the computer until I have the desk. I'm telling you all of this because if anyone is considering moving to this area (Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Clinton, Farragut) without furniture or appliances and is sweating how long it will take, send me a PM and I'll tell you where I got my stuff (with directions). I was very pleased with the service I got and the quality of the furniture. Even the electric company, which I had to visit in person, was a snap. (If you rent, you have to physically go to the electric company to have the power switched over to you from the apartment complex and prove you are who you are.) The phone was switched on the day I arrived.

Supermarkets

I have been to Food City, Kroger's and Wal-Mart to food shop (There is also a Food Lion but didn't go there). By the way, I got Italian Sausage in Wal-Mart, of all places. Not only that, but they had 2 different kinds of Italian sausage (same brand - Johnsonsomething or other) in addition to other types of sausage. I haven't looked for a hunk of Romano cheese, yet. I got matzohs (not Jewish but I love matzohs) in Food City. I bought bagels today at the Hot Bagel Company. Not sure if that is a Tennessee chain. Will tell you next time if they are good bagels. There is a Starbucks but I don't drink coffee.

You need a Food City card to get a discount at that store. I found this store to be much like the Giant supermarket in MD where you also need a card. All stores had Mexican. But, something I found peculiar, none of the 3 supermarkets had a salad bar yet I sense that at least 2 of them had one at one time since there were big unused spaces in the produce section. Other Tennessee people, do you have salad bars in your supermarkets?

At another time, I'll post the prices of some common food items/brands but I will not be able to compare them to where I used to live so you will have to do that.

I also visited an Odd Lot, Books A Million, Buddy's Barbecue (love them), K-Mart, Sears, JC Penney.

You couldn't pay me enough money to live anywhere near Kingston Pike in Knoxville. Too much traffic. I don't see myself going to Knoxville unless my arm is twisted.

People

People talked to me on line at the supermarkets. One lady offered to push my cart (called it a buggy) through while I unloaded the front of the cart (I had bulky items in front). Another lady wanted to share gossip about the Queen in the local tabloid she picked up. There are 4 apartments on the floor of my apartment building and I met 2 of the other 3 residents (and one's 2 kids), already. I can tell you I lived for 12 years in Maryland and never knew the names of anyone in my complex. Stopped in the Visitor's Center this morning and got info on the Secret City Festival and an outdoor concert here on Memorial Day night (where to park, what to bring).

Etc.

Today, I got my library card and here I am. I got 4 (one was cancelled) of the 5 summer session classes I registered for (starts June 7) and one of 2 trips. The Women's Rowing Nationals are at the lake this weekend so I won't start fishing until next week. All of the TV channels I had in MD, I have here (and more) but I had Comcast there, too, so maybe that's why. Right before I left MD, we got high def/digital cable (don't know correct term but image was decidedly sharper). Was told they are laying that cable throughout Oak Ridge now and my neighborhood will have it by July. Don't know the impact of the move on my car insurance, yet. I kept the same company and they'll issue my new cards, next week. Will let you know the amount of the decrease when I know. I'm not changing any coverage.

I learn Tennessee-speak by watching the local evening news from Knoxville and paying attention to the local commercials. I don't speak with a southern accent but I think with one.

So, that's it. If it's not too hot when I leave the library, I'll check out the Civic Center (2 pools) and drive over to Home Depot. I have to tell you, the weather really cooperated the week I moved here. Temps were in the 60's and 70's.

I'll check back in sometime next week.

Welcome LauraC
Wow, you are really covering all the bases, and I might have to end up taking you on the offer about possible furniture stores and such.....
Thank's for your help and info.....I'm just jeleous, you are already HERE....lol.
Keep me/ us posted, will ya???

[Bones]

Laura, welcome neighbor........

[jguillot]

Hi LauraC,

What a great post! You covered everything. The information you provide is definitely very helpful to people such as myself who are contemplating a move to Tennessee in the future. I'm glad to hear that you were finally able to move to Tennessee and that all went well. I look forward to reading your posts again in the near future.

[Pimpy]

LauraC,

I hope you enjoy Oak Ridge. That's my hometown, born-n-raised there from birth until college.

If you have any questions about the city, feel free to PM me, though it sounds like you've done plenty of homework on the area!

Definitely make it over to Big Ed's Pizza, if you haven't already, and stay out of the valley.

If you're into water sports or lake activities, there's a really neat ropeswing into the lake right off Melton Lake Drive. Anyone at the marina over there could tell you where it is.

[CAtoGA]

Congratulations, LauraC! Glad to know you made it safely. We are hoping to move to the Cookeville area, not Oak Ridge, but your posts over the last 6 months or so have really given us food for thought. Best of luck in your new home. Maybe I'll look you up next year when we get there!

[mbmouse]

Welcome TN neighbor!
So glad you made it safe and everything seems to be falling in to place. I sure hope you don't think about not stopping into the forums once in a while to continue to offer your great research and moving advice? Heck I have missed you in just these few short weeks! hahahhahahha

[kar]

Welcome to TN! Glad everything has worked out for you so far.

[Shenandoah]

Great having you back on the forums! We're looking forward to reading more of your very informative posts.

blessings, Shen