franklin county, virginia (Roanoke, Bedford, Rocky Mount: real estate, renting, hotels)

[mommyof3]

Hi, i posted an earlier thread, but have gotten no response yet, so I will simplify...does anyone have any advice about living in franklin county, Virginia, specifically ferrum, rocky mount area? My husband is a contractor, specifically a framer/carpenter, and we are looking for rural, with good schools. we are coming down this weekend, so i am looking for advice. thanks! Also, where good motels are to stay in...we are going to be checking out rocky mount, but the holiday inn is full, so anywhere between roanoke and rocky mount would be great. thanks!!!

[seanpecor]

Hello, I live in Boones Mill, just north of Rocky Mount. Give Holiday Inn Roanoke/Tanglewood a shot: www.ichotelsgroup.com. That's on the southern side of Roanoke and will put you closer to Rocky Mount and the Ferrum area.

I really think you'll like Rocky Mount. It's a nice HQ for a contractor because you're 30 minutes to Roanoke and 15 minutes to Smith Mountain Lake. It's got a sustainable small town feel w/ nice conveniences, like a brand new library, and behind it an $8M technology center being built that will offer I.T. training to adults interested in getting certified in the I.T. industry. Definite things to keep in mind:

Rocky Mount YMCA. Check out both the main building and the new building dedicated to kids 12 and under.

Smith Mountain Lake for obvious reasons. Check out Westlake Center, take notice of the billions in real estate development taking place.

Drive Grassy Hill Road 10 minutes to Boones Mill (intersection where you'll see a KFC), you'll get to see some beautiful country.

The public middle school is across from the KFC so keep that in mind when house hunting. High School is on the other side of town, make sure you drive by it and get a sense of it's location with regard to your house hunting (it's the only high school in the county).

Lots of building material suppliers in Rocky Mount. Ferguson Land & Lumber, Rocky Top Building Products, 84 Lumber off 40 towards Ferrum. Lowes is in Rocky Mount just past the Super Walmart before the Rt 122 junction (it's my second home ).

Ferrum is a nice area but it puts you further from the Lake and northern Franklin County, where your husband will be doing most of his work. On the other hand, real estate is cheaper in Ferrum but mind the curvy roads and mountain passes that can get tricky in the winter during a storm.

If you google "roanoke hotel" you should get a helpful map. The Holiday Inn in Roanoke on Starkey Rd should be fine though, and you're only 30 minutes from Rocky Mount at that point.

If you have more questions let me know.

Sean

[mommyof3]

Hi Sean, thanks so much for the info...i have read some of your threads on other posts, and you have a lot of valuable information. Two quick questions, if you don't mind: Do you know anything about the towns of altavista or hurt, va? We were thinking of checking out that area as well, but heard that it is hard to find work and a depressed area economically. Also, are you familiar with Heritage Christian Academy in Rocky Mount? We were thinking of checking it out as well as the public schools in the area. Thanks again for your help, nothing beats talking to the local people!

[seanpecor]

I haven't heard much about Heritage; maybe ask some of the folks at YMCA? They're building a brand new facility for Faith Christiian, (http://www.faithchristian-school.com/) which is right near the corner of Route 220 and Buck Mountain Rd in Roanoke (just south of the parkway entrance).

I know almost nothing about Altavista or Hurt, other than what I've heard here, which is not terribly positive, but that's from folks who grew up in the area and it may have made improvements since then. All I can tell you is that the lion's share of development is taking place on the Franklin County side of the lake, due to it's closer proximity to Roanoke and the fact that I-73 will be built parallel to Route 116 and cut across Rt 40 in Rocky Mount, meaning sweeping changes and increased access to additional rural sections of Franklin County. Moreover, Bedford County property taxes are much higher ($0.80 vs $0.53). But definitely give it a look, it might be a nice little area and you might not mind the longer commutes etc.

Sean

[jhlcomp]

I've read your posts as well and your website. From your personal experience living in Boonesville, what attracted you to the area? From a cursory look it appears real esate is reasonable as compared to where I live in Florida.

I lived in northern VA and have missed VA. Do you plan to stay in the area for the long run? You take on Franklin County? Thanks.

[mommyof3]

thanks for everything...we're loading up the van as I type and headed South!!

[seanpecor]

Originally Posted by jhlcomp

I've read your posts as well and your website. From your personal experience living in Boonesville, what attracted you to the area? From a cursory look it appears real esate is reasonable as compared to where I live in Florida.

I lived in northern VA and have missed VA. Do you plan to stay in the area for the long run? You take on Franklin County? Thanks.

Hello jhlcomp! We moved here in May of '05 while horse farm hunting. We were looking at properties throughout the country but with a preference for property in the eastern mountains (TN, VA, NC, PA, etc) and far enough South to have a shorter Winter without sacrificing four seasons and without what I like to call a knee buckling summer (a'la Florida, Louisiana, etc). Where we live in Franklin County, we're 25 minutes from the heart of urban Roanoke but while at home we enjoy a more day to day rural lifestyle. Roanoke is a beautiful area and it is growing sensibly thanks to a diversified local economy. I prefer "sensible" growth because infrastructure can keep up and things can develop after more thoughtful deliberation which results in a more balanced approach that recognizes the beauty of our natural environment while also being pro-business.

I'm sure that there are other places in our areas of consideration that would have fit the bill, but I certainly feel very fortunate that we picked Franklin County. It feels like home to us. And we're definitely in it for the long haul. I'm 34, and the only scenario I could imagine where we'd move would be if both our girls - once they become parents themselves - opted to move in far flung parts of the country/world. But even in that case, I suspect we'd just buy townhouses close to them where we'd live part-time while our farm would continue to be "home base".

Our newest soon-to-be neighbors are from Sebring, FL. They're renting a home 2 minutes down the road until their post and beam home is finished on a hilltop parcel adjoining ours. He is a retired surgeon and said that flat out one of the reasons they're moving out of Florida is that the "healthcare system in Florida is a total quagmire" That says something coming from a surgeon.

Sean

[jhlcomp]

Hello Sean:

Many thanks for your informative response. I think we will take a closer look at the county.

Quality of life is important to us. My husband and I run a tech company and we want a more rural setting as we begin the next phase of our lives which will be more development and writing.

The Florida forum sees a great deal of negativity. Some of that is justified, but the remainder is not. Good weather, quality of life, healthcare, nearby airport are important.

BTW: I remember when Meredth Manor opened - now that's dating me. :-) Dressage used to be my life and sadly, career took over.

[seanpecor]

Originally Posted by jhlcomp

BTW: I remember when Meredth Manor opened - now that's dating me. :-) Dressage used to be my life and sadly, career took over.

You're never too old to get back into Dressage! Of course, the Florida season winds down right about now and alot of riders are heading north. Nancy taught at Meredith Manor for a while before moving back to Vermont, there are a few other graduates in Region 1, that's for sure. If you find yourself near Franklin County you could certainly ease yourself back into it at our farm.

There are a number of interesting tech people in the Roanoke and New River Valleys. I'm one of them of course but there are lots of others and you'd be in good company. Companies like www.webmail.us, www.netventurescorporation.com (founded by a fellow north cross school parent), www.cartermedia.tv, www.smithmountainlaker.com and many others. If you decide to visit the area you're invited to stop by and say hello!

Sean

[jhlcomp]

Sean:

Many thanks for all - I will have to check out the area.