Retail in Cookeville and utility prices

[HomesickforWV]

So, what are some great areas to buy a home in? Would like a wooded large lot or small acreage 1/2 acres. I am the outdoor one, my husband rarely goes outside. I on the other hand am never inside. I have owl houses, numerous bird houses, use 40 pounds of bird food weekly and have a wildlife garden on a tiny lot. Very excited to get back to mountains and natural beauty.

I will be coming in the first week of November to scout the area out. Cookeville looks lovely but I think I need outside of the city. Also, what about internet? Must have good internet and cable.

Thanks again for all the help, makes things so much easier for me.

[tragenvol]

Originally Posted by HomesickforWV

Also, what about internet? Must have good internet and cable.

Thanks again for all the help, makes things so much easier for me.

Internet outside the city can be bad. Twin Lakes is running fiber to many areas outside of Cookeville city. I believe a cooperative utility is poised to run fiber for rural Cumberland County in the future.

Fiber is available in some rural areas, and will become more accessible in the near future, but until then...it isn't.

[scorpsman]

Originally Posted by HomesickforWV

Thanks everyone, the info is very helpful. I live in Austin, very liberal, I am conservative but not religious, not organized religion I should say. Looking for a low crime, great community, low cost of living area where it is beautiful. I am so tired of looking at burned up landscape. Texas is HOT! I so miss the mountains!

I would hope the community is open to people that are private and feel no need to share their belief. I am looking at flights now, would love to visit in the Fall season.

I compared our electric rate, remember Texas has deregulated electric. Companies must compete. My rate is 10.1. We have natural gas to heat and cook. Love it but the homes I am looking at in Cookeville appear to be all electric. I can live with that if I have to.

I moved to Cookeville 2 years ago from Texas. Natural gas is available but mostly in the cities only. Outside the cities you can get it too, but it may require a tank and sometimes it must be buried to meet deed restrictions.

Our house is outside the city but has Cookeville natural gas. We have it for heating and water heating. I'm considering adding the line for a gas dryer when our dryer finally goes out.

We definitely can have heat and humidity here, but nothing like I knew in the Houston area. Cost of living is very low here compared to Texas. Crime is low as well. Mostly just petty thefts related to drug activity.

It is definitely a conservative area around here. People are friendly and neighborly in my opinion.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by HomesickforWV

So, what are some great areas to buy a home in? Would like a wooded large lot or small acreage 1/2 acres. I am the outdoor one, my husband rarely goes outside. I on the other hand am never inside. I have owl houses, numerous bird houses, use 40 pounds of bird food weekly and have a wildlife garden on a tiny lot. Very excited to get back to mountains and natural beauty.

I will be coming in the first week of November to scout the area out. Cookeville looks lovely but I think I need outside of the city. Also, what about internet? Must have good internet and cable.

Thanks again for all the help, makes things so much easier for me.

Most of the rural areas west, north, and south of town have gigabit fiber optic internet with Twin Lakes which can include TV if you'd like it. Much of western Putnam County and most of Jackson County are covered by fiber optic although you still need to verify the specific address to make sure. Twin Lakes is also starting to build a fiber optic network in the city; my mom just got a notice that it's coming to her neighborhood downtown. Spectrum, the local cable provider, also has some fiber optic lines in some neighborhoods including a few right outside the city. Good friends recently moved from Charlottesville VA to a very rural area NW of Cookeville and were pleasantly surprised to find they have faster (and cheaper) internet with Twin Lakes than they did in Charlottesville.

I don't know what your price range is, but here are some homes that have recently sold for less than $200k that are on large lots and in the area served by Twin Lakes, just to give you an idea what the area is like and where you could narrow your search:

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/7...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/9...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/8...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...?fullpage=true

These homes have recently sold just east of town and are served by Spectrum cable, so they may or may not have gigabit internet although they would still have good, fast internet (just not gigabit speed):

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/5...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3...?fullpage=true
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2...?fullpage=true

[peppersdad]

We bought a 2000 sq. foot home a year ago in Cumberland Cove about a half hour east of Cookeville. Our natural gas averaged $70 for the year per month and our electric averaged $90 per month. Water averaged $30 per month. Our property taxes were $1000 for the year. Cumberland Cove is an 8000 acre development with 2 to 4 acre lots. HOA fees are $100 per year.

[HomesickforWV]

So sorry everyone, I just found a 2nd page of responses. Not very good with this social blog yet. Thanks so much for all the great info. I looked at each home posted and was very pleased. Cookeville seems to be wonderful! I have a concern when a small town popped up Crossville for extended search on homes. When I looked at the crime I was shocked! Does this effect Cookeville? The stats are scary! I am wanting to escape drugs and high crime, not move to it. The stats for Cookeville are good. I am aware no place is perfect but I do not want to be afraid to walk out of my house and that is the stats in Crossville! YIKES

I must assume is is a little drug center. I have seen the same thing in Texas. Drug rings move to rural area to operate under the radar but pollute and destroy the entire area.

Please be brutally honest on the Crossville area and the effects it has on Cookeville.

[Wileykid]

Different states/cities/counties report crime differently. I am very familiar with California with my last job, and the way they report crime statistics is about half of what they do here. One place reports an incident as "one" crime, while others report every crime in that "one" incident. Makes it hard to really do a good comparison. I would look at all the area's around where you are looking at, and use those statistics.

Saying all that, I now live in Cookeville, and no issue's with any crime. I have a friend that lives in Crossville, and feels the same. One thing to remember is that there is a drug problem in both area's, worse as you get more rural, but most of the crime is one of opportunity. Pick an area that is nice, not run down, and you should be no worse then anywhere else in the country.

[HomesickforWV]

Again, thanks everyone, your information is very helpful. I looked through each home and I am stunned at what you get for your money. You spend $150.00 a sq ft. in Austin and that might need fixing up. You can reach out and touch your neighbor's.

I am recording the episode that House Hunters is doing in hopes of getting a better view before our trip. Cookeville looks like a dream come true after living in Austin for 25 years.

[justindb29]

Originally Posted by HomesickforWV

Again, thanks everyone, your information is very helpful. I looked through each home and I am stunned at what you get for your money. You spend $150.00 a sq ft. in Austin and that might need fixing up. You can reach out and touch your neighbor's.

I am recording the episode that House Hunters is doing in hopes of getting a better view before our trip. Cookeville looks like a dream come true after living in Austin for 25 years.

$150.00 per sq. ft. can buy you a lot around Cookeville. Just be prepared to make strong offers up front or you'll get bypassed by other offers.