Moving to Chattanooga area...PLEASE give some input!!!!! (Johnson City, Maryville: city hall, renting)

[Jersey5312]

Hello everyone I have been reading these threads/posts for the past few days now...especially TriDad's with his journeys....very helpful! Our family of 5 (kids 5,4,2) are looking to relocate in the next few months and we are still not sure about which area we want to live. Some say Ooltewah or Soddy-Daisy, but I see other people that say Hixson, Dunlap, Crossville, Johnson City, etc..... How in the world do we decide? We drove to TN a few weeks ago to Knox/Maryville area. We really liked it and heard the schools were awesome, but most of my husbands job opportunities are more towards Chattanooga. He is a boiler technician and I am a nurse. I know I wont have a problem finding work...I am more worried about him. Can anyone/everyone please respond with diff. areas and the pros and cons so I can try to figure out what we are doing?? Any info you can provide is a great help. We are planning on coming back up there in a few weeks to check out the Chatt. area but I would like to have a certain area in mind when we come so we arent touring 12 diff. areas trying to find a house. I want to concentrate on 1 or 2, that would make it SO much easier. I am looking for somewhere that has good schools, not too far in the country but do want some yard for the kids and animals to play, I dont mind a development but dont want the neighbor right on top of us, looking at no more than $190,000 for a home. We are moving from Florida where everything is getting rediculous! Taxes and homeowners insurance will kill you! It is way overcrowded and seems like they arent doing much to keep people from moving out of state. Please respond...even if you dont think your info matters...believe me it will help! Michelle

[beachbyrd]

I would maybe got the the TN state website and look at school grades, then also look at greatschools.net, where they compare schools and see which ones look good that way. Now that I am here, I have been asking about schools north of Chattanooga in N. Chattanooga, Stuart Heights, Hixson, and Soddy Daisy, because we like this are. In this area supposedly the best elementary schools are Big Ridge, McConnell, Falling Water, and Normal Park Museum Magnet School. However, I have heard Signal Mountain Schools are excellent, as well as Ooltewah, and some in E. Brainard. I know some of the magnet schools are supposed to be great and there are some great private schools.

If you do a search in this forum under schools, there are numerous posts by people more knowledgeable than I am about the schools.

It will be hard to stay our of developments in areas like E. Brainard and N. Chattanooga is more urban. I really can't speak for Ooltewah, because I have never looked over there, but that is a rapidly developing area.

Please feel free to ask more questions, as they come up!

[PickedTN]

Signal Mtn is a great place for families and the schools are excellent, but I've heard that housing is more expensive than elsewhere in Chattanooga. In my experience you can find older houses here that are under $200K, but they're probably going to need work. Are you in touch with a realtor? Will you have a few days to look around? I don't think it will take that much time to get a feeling for the different areas. In the meantime, I'd suggest looking at chattanoogamls.net to get an idea of housing costs in this area.

[Jon F Moss]

all the areas you mentioned have appeal for certain types of people. You really will have a lot of questions answered when visiting the area. You may be tempted to see all the attractions, and do the "touristy" stuff. I recommend skipping all that and focusing on the neighborhoods you're interested in.

Another thing...seriously consider renting before buying. (that's what we did) Despite all the research from afar, and advice from others--you really won't know for sure until you're living in the area and seeing for yourself. In just a month we've learned a lot about taxes, utilities, schools, traffic patterns, and proximity that we could not have found out about till we were here.

It's an exciting time, and I hope you find what you're looking for

[sway77]

HI,
I live in Ooltewah/Collegedale (they are both the same community)TN, and it's not very far from downtown Chattanooga (20minutes), it's right on the border of Chattanooga. Collegedale is growing fairly quickly at this present time, so there's a lot of construction going on, but nothing really near housing, mostly businesses. They just built a New wal-Mart which makes it so much more convenient and there's talk of a Starbucks coming in, and a Ruby Tuesdays, I'd give it 6 months minimum. Collegdale is predominately a Seventh-day Adventist community only because everyone kept having children and they all just stuck around, lol, I'm just kidding. Southern Adventist University is located right in the middle of Collegedale, and you will see many McKee foods plants which is the company that makes Little Debbie Snack Cakes, and if your husband has trouble finding work, then he may find a good paying job in the factory, as a back up plan. My mother worked in the McKee factory through-out my childhood supporting me and my sister by herself, so it pays very well. We also have "The Green Way" which is a community walking path stretching through out the Collegedale area all the way to the College Campus, and I believe it is over a mile and a half long now. They have almost finished building a Cato (clothing store) right next to the Wal-Mart and there's a small Hospital Center going up by the interstate. Collegedale is a great place to live. If you'd like to visit the town and you need any help just send me an email and I tell you anything you need to know.Good Luck!
My email: rockhardslush@yahoo.com
PS I could also send you pictures if you'd like.

[jkmewright]

Sway, post some pics please We love pics!

[sway77]

http://www.southern.edu/campus/tour/images-vtour/tour-aerial-rounded.jpg (broken link)


This is an aerial view of the Southern Adventist University located in the middle of Collegedale. It is one of only two Adventist Colleges in the united States, so there is a wide verity of people who populated the Collegedale/Ooltewah area.
http://www.collegedaletn.gov/Departments/parksandrec.html (broken link)http://www.collegedaletn.gov/Departments/parksandrec.html (broken link)

[sway77]

http://www.collegedaletn.gov/Departments/parksandrec.html (broken link)http://www.collegedaletn.gov/images/gwayrailbridge.JPG (broken link)
http://www.collegedaletn.gov/Departments/parksandrec.html (broken link)
This is a bridge located on the Green Way, it's also a great place for fishing, I speak from experience.
http://www.collegedaletn.gov/images/naturenook.JPG (broken link)

This is at the other end of the Green Way and contains a gazebo and a small park, it also has an outside theater set for groups to gather and have meetings.

http://www.collegedaletn.gov/images/vetpark.JPG (broken link)
Here are some historical artifacts on the Green Way. This is also the field that the local community gathers in for the 4th of July. It is a much bigger field than it looks.

[Jon F Moss]

hmmm...I can't seem to see any of your pics Sway

[sway77]

These are pictures of the Imagination Station which is right next to Collegedale City Hall. I have many many wonderful childhood memories, because this park is so much fun. Just watch out for the splinters, OUCH!