Pros and Cons of Franklin, Sylva, Brevard/Hendersonville areas for retirees on a budget... (Asheville: buying, school)
Western North CarolinaThe Mountain Region including Asheville
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Transylvania Regional is part of the Mission Health Group along with Angel Medical Center in Franklin. The advantage to Brevard in my opinion is that you have the close proximity of not one but two community hospitals and the regional "mother ship" in Asheville about 45 minutes away. Pardee Hospital in Hendersonville is part of the UNC Health Care system which is pretty well respected.
In an emergency situation, I would not want to be too far from ParDee in Hendersonville. If someone has a pre-existing condition that "could" require emergency transportation to a large hospital, living somewhere within a maximum 15 min. trip to ParDee or Mission would be advisable.
This might not be of much help to you in your decision...but I recently purchased a mobile home in a 55+ park in Franklin, and I can't say enough about how much I like it there. First of all, my dad used to live in Asheville, but it was about 20 years ago..so I first wanted to check out that area...but...the traffic and congestion from Hendersonville to Asheville was bumper to bumper so I turned around and never went back...just not what I want to deal with. I just want a slower pace with enough going on to keep me busy and active. I like the downtown in Franklin. And where I'm living the majority of folks who live here, my neighbors, are from Florida and they head back to Florida in the winter months. No traffic jams and people are just downright friendly, and have the time of day to chat with you about this and that. I also like hiking, biking and kakaying and there's plenty of opportunities for me to do that as well. Plus there's a wonderful fitness center close by so I can swim and exercise all winter. I used to live in Maine for 20 years, then Ashland, OR for 6 years, and recently have lived in an expat community in Mexico for the past 6 years. Anyway, good luck with your search...I'm sure you can find a really nice home with your budget...my 2br 2ba home was only $30K which was just perfect for me.
Last edited by Different Drummer; 09-01-2016 at 04:09 PM..
Drummer, thanks for your comment. Your budget encourages us. I would guess that the Franklin area is at least 10 to 20 percent cheaper than the Brevard area.
In an emergency situation, I would not want to be too far from ParDee in Hendersonville. If someone has a pre-existing condition that "could" require emergency transportation to a large hospital, living somewhere within a maximum 15 min. trip to ParDee or Mission would be advisable.
Do you know the specialties and strong points of Pardee compared to Mission and vice versa?
Last edited by it simplified; 09-01-2016 at 08:09 PM..
Do you know the specialties and strong points of Pardee compared to Mission and vice versa?
Mission Hospital is among the best hospitals in the nation, the physicians and surgeons there are top notch (imo). ParDee is growing and currently building a new cancer center on their campus. Mission is a much larger hospital. You may want to look at both of their websites for more details.
This might not be of much help to you in your decision...but I recently purchased a mobile home in a 55+ park in Franklin, and I can't say enough about how much I like it there. First of all, my dad used to live in Asheville, but it was about 20 years ago..so I first wanted to check out that area...but...the traffic and congestion from Hendersonville to Asheville was bumper to bumper so I turned around and never went back...just not what I want to deal with. I just want a slower pace with enough going on to keep me busy and active. I like the downtown in Franklin. And where I'm living the majority of folks who live here, my neighbors, are from Florida and they head back to Florida in the winter months. No traffic jams and people are just downright friendly, and have the time of day to chat with you about this and that. I also like hiking, biking and kakaying and there's plenty of opportunities for me to do that as well. Plus there's a wonderful fitness center close by so I can swim and exercise all winter. I used to live in Maine for 20 years, then Ashland, OR for 6 years, and recently have lived in an expat community in Mexico for the past 6 years. Anyway, good luck with your search...I'm sure you can find a really nice home with your budget...my 2br 2ba home was only $30K which was just perfect for me.
What an interesting series of places to live! Where in Mexico did you live (perhaps Lake Chapala or San Miguel de Allende, two large ex-pat communities)? I looked at moving to the Lake Chapala area back in 2007, but was deterred by news of escalating drug cartel violence, and the daunting idea of moving internationally solo. So I moved to Maine for two years, loved it but the winters were too extreme, and am now back in Michigan (home base), but looking at Asheville. Anyway, why did you leave Mexico?
Yes, I lived in Ajijic on Lake Chapala (gringolandia) for 6 years, and also did a lot of house-sitting in different areas of Mexico...San Miguel, Merida, Mexico City, etc. What finally made me decide to leave was a number of things, not in any order, but in combination: trash, noise, lousy roads and sidewalks, dog do, stray dogs, noise, worthless police, corruption, boredom, noise, firecrackers at 5AM, bars on the windows and doors, horrible drivers, noise...etc etc. Sure, the weather is pretty darn good, but there's more to life besides good weather. Asheville used to be really wonderful, but lately, it has become THE place to go, and it was just too crowded and expensive for me...but there are many smaller towns close to it, so you don't have to live right in town. At this point in my life, I just want a little peace and quiet...and good roads and sidewalks....and I've always loved the Blue Ridge and Smokey Mts...etc. Plus my daughter and grand-kids just moved to Simpsonville, SC that's only about 2 hours away.
Do not go to Franklin. It's trashy, garbage everywhere. some beautiful places but the garbage takes away from it all. Bible belt, if that matters one way or another. Generally ignorant but kind people. Be prepared to get into long conversations wherever you go. Be prepared to be asked what church you attend in casual conversation. And be prepared to see garbage everywhere, along the road, in peoples yards. This is a place where things go to decompose and rot.
Great Thai food in town. And Stamey's is the best breakfast place.
Hendersonville is a much cleaner town. Much more going on. And just feels cheerier. More to do because it is a bigger town, and a county seat .A bit more open, being in the blue ridge area. Awesome community, lots of things coing on on mainstreet all the time.
Franklin is in the Smokies. Deep in the mountains.
Sylva is a mostly poverty stricken town with a funky-fun set up downtown mainstreet. feels suffocating there. Although good bbq in Dillsboro and awesome park for kids in Sylva.
Brevard for me would hands down win, then Hendersonville, then Franklin, then Sylva.
Brevard has a youthful feeling, and they definitely keep their town clean. There are retirees and college students so a great mix. And it's right on the entrance of Pisgah National Forrest. You can't go wrong, good restaurants and bakeries. Great Big grocery store. Lots of things to do. It also feels more pristine. No major highways going through this town and I think it keeps it's integrity that way better. As opposed to the three other towns.
I have lived in Franklin, and Hendersonville. And spent a lot of time in both Brevard and Sylva on a regular basis.
Again, go for Brevard, then Hendersonville, then Franklin and then Sylva.
But really. I would say avoid Franklin and Sylva, except for the day trip, stay away.
Wow.. hard to believe what you say has happen to Franklin. Wife and I lived there for 10 months back in 2002. The town was clean as we remember it then. What has caused all the trash and garbage there. I agree the Bible thumpers did ask what church we attended, I would say the church of hard knocks in response. We lived in Carolina Village and sold to get away from the trash that ran the park. The scenery is wonderful all around that area, sure do miss roaming around there for the 10 months we lived in that area. Honest P. >.I would like to converse with you?
Do not go to Franklin. It's trashy, garbage everywhere. some beautiful places but the garbage takes away from it all. Bible belt, if that matters one way or another. Generally ignorant but kind people. Be prepared to get into long conversations wherever you go. Be prepared to be asked what church you attend in casual conversation. And be prepared to see garbage everywhere, along the road, in peoples yards. This is a place where things go to decompose and rot.
Great Thai food in town. And Stamey's is the best breakfast place.
Hendersonville is a much cleaner town. Much more going on. And just feels cheerier. More to do because it is a bigger town, and a county seat .A bit more open, being in the blue ridge area. Awesome community, lots of things coing on on mainstreet all the time.
Franklin is in the Smokies. Deep in the mountains.
Sylva is a mostly poverty stricken town with a funky-fun set up downtown mainstreet. feels suffocating there. Although good bbq in Dillsboro and awesome park for kids in Sylva.
Brevard for me would hands down win, then Hendersonville, then Franklin, then Sylva.
Brevard has a youthful feeling, and they definitely keep their town clean. There are retirees and college students so a great mix. And it's right on the entrance of Pisgah National Forrest. You can't go wrong, good restaurants and bakeries. Great Big grocery store. Lots of things to do. It also feels more pristine. No major highways going through this town and I think it keeps it's integrity that way better. As opposed to the three other towns.
I have lived in Franklin, and Hendersonville. And spent a lot of time in both Brevard and Sylva on a regular basis.
Again, go for Brevard, then Hendersonville, then Franklin and then Sylva.
But really. I would say avoid Franklin and Sylva, except for the day trip, stay away.
Generally agree, but I would swap places with Brevard and Hendersonville. Brevard is a cute town but a good bit smaller than Hendersonville. The sheer number of restaurant choices is going to be greater in Hendersonville, plus Hendersonville has two hospitals. I like Brevard, but for retirees, it's more remote and not as convenient.
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