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Old 08-09-2020, 11:46 AM
 
27 posts, read 37,517 times
Reputation: 23

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First off, I would like to say how much I appreciate all the postings from people who have assisted people like me in making some important decisions with regard to relocation. Like so many others who have posted here, I am looking to make a move. Hopefully my last one. For me it is out of Arizona and I would like some help, guidance, direction and opinions from any of you. BACKGROUND: I have lived in the “Valley of the Sun (Scottsdale and surrounding areas) for over 34 years but spent few years in Castle Rock, Colorado and six years in Ocala, FL (when I had horses). I am a 61-year-old, divorced, Conservative (go red!) woman who is looking for a new community in semi-retirement. I have a masters degree in Nursing Admin and a masters in Educational Psychology. My specialty area of nursing was auditing and clinical documentation with some Case Management when I was working fulltime (license is still active). I am also a realtor and have been licensed for over 20 years in Florida, Colorado and Arizona. My goal would be to work part-time possibly in the medical field or some sort of medical audit consulting and continue to do real estate, which I love. My family is in Colorado and some live in Florida and some are still miserable in Illinois. I would return to Castle Rock in a heartbeat if it had not gotten so ridiculously expensive so that area is out. I hike, golf (occasionally), play pickleball (occasionally), like kayaking and was active in Search and Rescue (in Prescott) with my dog as she is certified in Human Remains Detection. I am tired of the HEAT here in the valley and would like a mild 4 seasons. I need nature, I need trees, I need clean air. I did live in Prescott, AZ off and on for a few years. Prescott has near perfect weather with the mild 4 seasons as 5280 ft elevation (similar to Castle Rock, CO) but there was always something “missing” from making it feel like home or that I wanted to stay there for the rest of my life. I did travel back to Florida last year (May) to the Ponte Vedra/Nocatee area and liked that a lot, mostly because it had a community feel to it. Access to the beach was nice but realized I probably would not go to the beach that often. Had still considered it but the CDD (Community District Development) fees are high as well as the property taxes ($4500-$5300 annually combined) so that area kind of got put on the back burner. The risk of hurricanes is a concern as I lived through three in a row in Ocala back in 2005. FL is still a slight possible contender but on the back, back burner for those reasons and the lack of 4 seasons. I came back to Arizona from that trip and left again in October 2019 for a long road trip to North Carolina. I looked everywhere in the state from Charlotte to Wilmington/Leland (Compass Point) to Waynesville. Waynesville and surrounding areas were beautiful, but it just did not click for me. I did NOT like the Charlotte area at all as I did not feel there was anything “special” about it or enough of a draw for me to make the move. Just sort of a flat area with a bunch of trees. I did stop for a day in Franklin, TN and Spring Hill, TN on the way back home and said…. “I may have found my happy place” but did not have enough time to look around much or research it much other than to see that Franklin is very expensive with regard to housing. So……….I am back to square one with melting in the 117 degree heat in August (and yes, we have humidity here in August and yes it is MISERABLE). Our heat is coming earlier in the year now and lasting longer so there is not a lot you can do outside with the temperature above 105+ degrees for months. I just spent 6 weeks back in Colorado in June and July of this year and felt I could BREATH. And for those of you who have not lived in the desert, we do not have many trees that can produce copious amounts of oxygen like in other locations such as TN or Colorado. We have a desert which is HOT, we have tons of people from Washington and Cali moving here and tons of new home building going on which is depleting the water sources. With the increase in people, cars, traffic, and buildings and lack of rain again this summer, this area is breaking records left and right for increased heat and temperature. I have vowed that this is my last summer here. There has to be something better.
I have friends who have moved to Tennessee from Florida and love it. They live in Fairfield Glade and are fully retired and happy to be out of Florida. I have another friend from high school who supposedly lives in Cookeville so I am trying to track her down as well. Another friend was visiting Florida this week from Illinois for a potential move to Florida but she just told me that South Florida is out (too hot she said) and they are now considering Chattanooga. It seems a lot of people are relocating and trying to find that one last place to land. Seems to be the same age group – the baby boomers who are making some pretty big moves across the country. I am heading back to Tennessee the end of September or October to spend some good quality time looking at various areas to seriously consider. Cookeville has come up time and time again and seems to check a lot of boxes. HERE ARE MY BOXES: Mild 4 seasons, nature, beauty, safe trails for hiking with my dog, water for potential kayaking, nice normal polite people, access to work in my field of nursing or education and real estate, a good healthcare facility, a sense of community, pride in the community and surrounding neighborhoods, access to amenities like Home Depot/Lowes, Petsmart, Office Max, restaurants, grocery stores, a lower cost of living, churches, conservative values, ability to make new friends at my age (maybe even that ever elusive significant other), quaint areas to visit. With regard to housing, I would be looking for a single family home from 1500 – 1800 sq foot, newer or new build would be great in a nice, quality neighborhood under $350,000 with somewhat close access (within 5-7 miles) to convenience things that I mentioned above. I enjoy a quiet area that I can feel safe in my neighborhood, have coffee on my front or back porch in the morning or evening, listen to the birds, take a walk and feel some sense of contentment. I am not opposed to an HOA but would prefer one that is less than $75 per month. I am currently paying $170 per month and hope to reduce that. How long is your growing season for flowers and/or vegetables? Do you have access to organic vegetables from like Whole Foods or Natural Grocers? Are there qualified, reasonably priced handymen or contractor that could help with any renovation if I bought a resale home? Would someone explain how your property taxes work – county versus city and/or both? For the most part, there have been very limited negative comments about TN, in particular Cookeville so it has definitely piqued my interest and is top on the list to visit next month. Based on what I have written (sorry it was so long) what are your thoughts? Cookeville? Maryville? Any areas close to Chattanooga? Thank you all so much for what you do to help us make some important decisions.
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Old 08-09-2020, 09:09 PM
 
13,356 posts, read 39,983,771 times
Reputation: 10790
You can absolutely find what you're looking for in Cookeville. You can even find what you're looking for and WITHOUT having to pay an HOA. There are just a few neighborhoods I know of in Cookeville with HOAs, but it's really the exception more than the rule. Your budget will let you live in nice neighborhoods within just a few minutes of the shopping, dining, etc., in Cookeville and even from downtown Cookeville which is one of the most charming and thriving small town downtowns in the state with museums, galleries, businesses, loads of restaurants, concerts, parks, walking/biking paths, several farmers markets, etc. Otherwise Cookeville has the big box stores (PetSmart, Ross, Home Goods, Sam's Club, etc.) and gobs of restaurants, all within just a few minutes of each other. You can live out in the boonies and be in town in just 10 minutes. Or you can do like my elderly mother and live right downtown and walk to do most of your errands.

Here are some newer construction condos (so they do have HOAs) that have recently sold in the middle of town. There are no "bad" parts of town, by the way, although these are in some of the more sought-after neighborhoods.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/7...70537741_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...70537704_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...12155200_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...9538705_zpid/?
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...19539564_zpid/

And some newer homes in neighborhoods without HOAs.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...0392380_zpid/?
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...12146343_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...81252233_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5...81256610_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...1237968_zpid/?
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9...2196687_zpid/?
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...41995540_zpid/
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6...1990966_zpid/?
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...1212545_zpid/?
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Old 08-10-2020, 07:44 AM
 
1,115 posts, read 1,610,419 times
Reputation: 1027
[quote= Do you have access to organic vegetables from like Whole Foods or Natural Grocers?[/QUOTE]

Available from Downtown Green Market, Publix and Kroger.
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Old 08-10-2020, 07:58 AM
 
13,356 posts, read 39,983,771 times
Reputation: 10790
Quote:
Originally Posted by tragenvol View Post
Available from Downtown Green Market, Publix and Kroger.
And Aldi and Cookeville Locally Grown (aka Walnut Street Market). The Food Lion on Jackson also has a large selection of organic produce. But I'm a huge fan of Cookeville Locally Grown.

https://www.facebook.com/Cookeville-...4221167784915/

Malco Produce Farm on Willow by the main post office is also good.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Malco...34898926612733
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IMPORTANT READING:
Terms of Service

---
its - possession
it's - contraction of it is
your - possession
you're - contraction of you are
their - possession
they're - contraction of they are
there - referring to a place
loose - opposite of tight
lose - opposite of win
who's - contraction of who is
whose - possession
alot - NOT A WORD

Last edited by JMT; 08-10-2020 at 08:06 AM..
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Old 08-10-2020, 10:52 AM
 
27 posts, read 37,517 times
Reputation: 23
Default Thank you!

Wow - thank you for the prompt replies and everything that you have sent clearly puts Cookeville on the top of my list. You all are so fortunate to live there already. I will keep you posted as to what I see and how it feels once I get there to visit, which will be September or October.
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