Questions about Abingdon, VA (Damascus: houses, neighborhoods, buying)

[Patty J]

12buttons -
Thanks very much for the info! I need to get on down there and check things out. Getting more excited about the idea every day! I know a few fed retirees who relocated to northeast TN and love it, but don't know anyone in southwest VA, so I'll be listening intently and watching this thread closely. One other question to you right now -- Are you living in Abingdon proper? How's the real estate market? Reasonable property prices? [Actually, that's 3 questions, isn't it ...

[Fritay]

Originally Posted by 12buttons

where is Southern NEw England are you from? I lived in Fairfield ....loved it ..how does abington differ from the ct yankee?

I lived in Northern VA and liked the cosmopolitan vibe...and prox to DC and the smithsonian...worried that after awhile Abington does not have enough culture and with no large cities nearby, you'd have to travel to get a serious dose of culture...trade-off - real estate I am assuming is a plus ...re new construction and property taxes - roughly how much per square foot? Looking for a lovely piece of treed land for a new one level colonial...willing to give up the DC lure for sq ft! thanks and congrats on the move..12b

We are originally from Rhode Island, when we had our first child I really had to ask myself if I wanted her to grow up in RI. I always thought I'd stay there, within a 3 hr. drive you can be in the White Mountains ( N.H. ), Boston ( lots of fun ), New York City ( too much city for my taste ), or at a beach or out on the sea. All well and good, but pretty much like all of New England the pols are taxing people right out of the area. Enough about that, to answer some of your questions Abingdon does have The Barter Theatre, plenty of dining options,Bristol Motor Speedway is 20 minutes away, and about 10 minutes further and you'll be in Johnson City TN which is home to East TN State and consequently lots of lectures, art exhibits, and shows. In about an hours drive you can be going down The Blue Ridge Parkway in N.C. which has lots of pretty towns and attractions leading into Asheville, a beautiful locale in itself. As far as square footage/ price the options run the full range. You can buy 300,000 + homes right on a golf course, or pick up 100 + acres, sometimes at auction prices, all depends on your taste & bank balance. We found TriCities a really useful site for getting a taste of the area. As far as taxes, in my case I have literally 10 times the land and my tax bill is less than 25% of my previous bill. Life is slower, most places close by 9 PM, but my wife and daughter both wanted a horse, we've been here a little over a year and have our 1st horse, with room for more, an excellent trade off in our case. Come down and check the area out, that's the best bet, enjoy!

[Fritay]

Originally Posted by Patty J

12buttons -
Thanks very much for the info! I need to get on down there and check things out. Getting more excited about the idea every day! I know a few fed retirees who relocated to northeast TN and love it, but don't know anyone in southwest VA, so I'll be listening intently and watching this thread closely. One other question to you right now -- Are you living in Abingdon proper? How's the real estate market? Reasonable property prices? [Actually, that's 3 questions, isn't it ...

I live in Washington County, Abingdon proper is 6 miles north, and Bristol, VA is 4 miles south. Real estate is moving, slowly, but not as bad as other areas in the country. Prices are very reasonable, especially if moving from the north or the coastal regions. I work in TN, very similar geographically ( obviously), but a little rougher around the edges, for lack of a better term. They have The Virginia Highlands Festival going on until Aug 10th, really nothing fancy but a lot of fun, a good excuse to come for a visit !

[Fritay]

Originally Posted by Patty J

Hello to Abingdon and/or Bristol VA folks! Another "I'm planning to retire soon and can you guys help me?" question or two. Little history--I've lived in Balto MD all my life--born and raised here--and I can tell you I have NO intention of attempting to retire here First of all, I can barely afford to live here anymore on full salary much less retire here and live on an annuity. The state of my birth and life to date has shifted waaaay too liberal for me, and the city of Balto has risen to the ranks of one of the most dangerous to live in. Serious felonious crime town now, complete with gangs and illegal aliens and a designation of sanctuary city, too. What a mess. So much for my hometown history. Anyway, I've read a lot of threads re SW Virginia vs NE Tennessee, and besides the beauty of the area, it certainly seems slower paced and safer than my current locale. You know, the funny thing is, I figured I'd always be a "city girl" with the concrete under her feet at all times. Wow, what a change in perspective I've undergone!

Anyway folks, here are some questions, if you all don't mind giving me your opinions.

1. Is it cheaper living in SW Va. vs NE Tn., e.g. housing prices, property taxes, income tax?

2. I like the change of seasons, but are the winters bad in SW Va?

3. Is there land available for sale surrounding the small towns, if not inside them?

4. Would I be accepted by the local folks do you think? [Keeping in mind I AM coming from south of the Mason-Dixon line to begin with ]

5. If I needed to supplement my retirement income, would there be any places I could pick up a little part time job locally?

I've got lots more questions, but I don't want to overdo it my first time in here ... but any local wisdom folks are willling to share, I'd really, really appreciate hearing.

P.S. I [and a friend] are planning a "road trip" to the area late this summer or very early fall.

Patty J.

TN is cheaper , not by much, but cheaper,they don't have an income tax. We get all 4 seasons, and coming from New England the winters are very mild. The lowest overnight temp last winter was about 20, and it still got to 45 later in the day. It snowed about 4 times, then melted by afternoon. There is plenty of land available in all price ranges, all depends on what your looking for. The local folks are friendly enough, we have a lot of transplants, my neighbor is from Philly. And lastly there are part time jobs available, most don't pay all that well, I think the trick is to find one you enjoy. The tax savings should offset any discrepancies in pay, that's what I've found. Come on down and visit !

[Patty J]

Fritay and 12buttons!
YAY! I'm comin', I'm comin', I'm comin', I'm comin'!
Won't be getting there, though, probably until sometime in mid-Sept.
That's the next time I have annual leave scheduled. But it's only about a 400mi. trip from Balto to Abingdon--pretty much a straight shot down I-81. I need a break, and this should be a great one ... I really want to look around a lot when I get down there. Gotta get into the "what-do-I-want-to-do-and-where-do-I-want-to-go" post-federal service mode, and this should help get me there. No reason if I find a nice lot with or w/o a little house on it that I couldn't "wade in" to the real estate market now as opposed to later, I'm thinkin' ...

[DRvortec]

Fritay,

Your a kind person for doing so. Is there good and bad areas? What about schools, good? Movie theater? Any pictures (BIG SMILE)?

[SCBeaches]

Here are some pictures I took of downtown Abingdon last weekend. I hope this works.....first time I've attempted to insert photos! Oops, I'll need to rotate the last one.

[SCBeaches]

Yay....it worked!! Click on them to see them larger. I have more if anyone wants to see them.

[DRvortec]

Originally Posted by SCBeaches

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Here are some pictures I took of downtown Abingdon last weekend. I hope this works.....first time I've attempted to insert photos! Oops, I'll need to rotate the last one.

I was doing doing "turn head" as the kids call it like the dog on the last one
Awsome photos! Is all the town like that or just one area?

Thanks for photos!!!

[Patty J]

SCBeaches & DRvortec!

Great pics! I want to move right THERE on that cobblestone street!