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Thank you to all the locals and recent transplants for providing input! City-Data has been my go to for researching the area but it's only as good as local knowledge
I fled SoCal to Prescott Valley, AZ once I retired (retired LE SDSO), bought 5 acres and a new home for $549,900 (well, septic, propane, wood stove) in a rural area next to Mingus Mountain. My property sits right against the Prescott National Forest where I can hike and farm firewood for the stove. I love it but am definitely not in love. I miss the water and BBQ (Trout Fishing, Lakes, Water Falls, Humidity, and even Bugs lol). A long time ago I had a girl friend in Tennessee when I was stationed at Redstone in Huntsville, Alabama. I was immediately drawn to the people and amazing state of Tennessee. I recently drove my wife and her daughter to Knoxville and even though Knox is not for me, I can't wait to get out to Tennessee.
My wife and I are avid golfers, hikers, Fishers, Bowlers... sometimes Hunters and desire to have small city amenities (restaurants, coffee, farmers markets, small shopping) at a reasonable distance (20-30 min). I'm searching for acreage (minimum of 5, ideally 10 plus) in an area that might offer the freedom of living in or near the mountains at higher elevations. I'm retired and am bringing my retirement checks with me, so I don't need access to a vigorous work force area.
I'm flying into Nashville on the October 21, 2019 and staying for the week to scout out the areas in and around Cookeville, Johnson City then down towards Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and finally check out Waynesville, NC. It's an ambitious trip but I want to be a "Volunteer" so bad it hurts.
- My question is, am I on track and searching the right areas/locations as far as what I desire?
- Are there any local treasures (areas) I should consider?
Thanks Folks
P.S. I will do my part and provide feedback about my experience when I get back.
Cookeville is middle TN. The land is still hilly/rolling, but it's going to be much milder than Johnson City and especially Waynesville. Cookeville has a major university and will have all these small city amenities. Cookeville will have abundant fishing, parks, and waterfalls nearby.
Gatlinburg is a tourist town. Unless you like that "scene," with all the attendant traffic issues and catering to tourists, I'd avoid it entirely. Maryville, Lenoir City, and even somewhere like Dandridge would be preferable for that general area.
I'm from the Johnson City area, and used to own property there. Johnson City is easily the nicest city east of Knoxville, but prices tend to reflect that.
Waynesville is in NC, with higher prices and higher NC taxes. It truly is "in the mountains" and will have much milder summers than anywhere else here.
Thank you to all the locals and recent transplants for providing input! City-Data has been my go to for researching the area but it's only as good as local knowledge
I fled SoCal to Prescott Valley, AZ once I retired (retired LE SDSO), bought 5 acres and a new home for $549,900 (well, septic, propane, wood stove) in a rural area next to Mingus Mountain. My property sits right against the Prescott National Forest where I can hike and farm firewood for the stove. I love it but am definitely not in love. I miss the water and BBQ (Trout Fishing, Lakes, Water Falls, Humidity, and even Bugs lol). A long time ago I had a girl friend in Tennessee when I was stationed at Redstone in Huntsville, Alabama. I was immediately drawn to the people and amazing state of Tennessee. I recently drove my wife and her daughter to Knoxville and even though Knox is not for me, I can't wait to get out to Tennessee.
My wife and I are avid golfers, hikers, Fishers, Bowlers... sometimes Hunters and desire to have small city amenities (restaurants, coffee, farmers markets, small shopping) at a reasonable distance (20-30 min). I'm searching for acreage (minimum of 5, ideally 10 plus) in an area that might offer the freedom of living in or near the mountains at higher elevations. I'm retired and am bringing my retirement checks with me, so I don't need access to a vigorous work force area.
I'm flying into Nashville on the October 21, 2019 and staying for the week to scout out the areas in and around Cookeville, Johnson City then down towards Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and finally check out Waynesville, NC. It's an ambitious trip but I want to be a "Volunteer" so bad it hurts.
- My question is, am I on track and searching the right areas/locations as far as what I desire?
- Are there any local treasures (areas) I should consider?
Thanks Folks
P.S. I will do my part and provide feedback about my experience when I get back.
Tennessee is a beautiful state, as-is Arizona! Great choices . I lived in Arizona for almost 7 years and currently live in East Tennessee again.
I would recommend Cookeville, and Johnson City areas, as you expressed interest in. Also, take a look at Dandridge, which is very small but historic and a big retirement town on a lake. As SeriousConversation mentioned too, Maryville is ideal, as-is any town in that general region near Maryville, within 10-20 miles. Knoxville is a short drive away and there you have your "big city" conveniences.
Murfreesboro, about 45 min from Nashville, is a booming retirement destination too, but also is a suburban area that is growing quickly but still inexpensive and allows proximity to the Nashville amenities but still is within a half hour, hour or so to mountains and lakes.
The Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville areas are amazing to visit, but not everyone's choice to live there--due to the heavy, heavy traffic/tourist volume almost all year long. Jan/Feb will be quieter, but you'd encounter tourists often. If that's not a big deal, there are incredible properties that seem a world away tucked in the mountains and cliffs of Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge/Sevierville.
Jonesborough side of Johnson City, and as you get closer to the way down to Greeneville, TN, is just stunning in terms of views, as well as history. Check that drive out when you visit, if you can--US 321 from Johnson City to Greeneville, or for a more close-up rural experience with incredible farmland and mountain views, drive on TN state route 107, Erwin Highway.
Thank you to all the locals and recent transplants for providing input! City-Data has been my go to for researching the area but it's only as good as local knowledge
I fled SoCal to Prescott Valley, AZ once I retired (retired LE SDSO), bought 5 acres and a new home for $549,900 (well, septic, propane, wood stove) in a rural area next to Mingus Mountain. My property sits right against the Prescott National Forest where I can hike and farm firewood for the stove. I love it but am definitely not in love. I miss the water and BBQ (Trout Fishing, Lakes, Water Falls, Humidity, and even Bugs lol). A long time ago I had a girl friend in Tennessee when I was stationed at Redstone in Huntsville, Alabama. I was immediately drawn to the people and amazing state of Tennessee. I recently drove my wife and her daughter to Knoxville and even though Knox is not for me, I can't wait to get out to Tennessee.
My wife and I are avid golfers, hikers, Fishers, Bowlers... sometimes Hunters and desire to have small city amenities (restaurants, coffee, farmers markets, small shopping) at a reasonable distance (20-30 min). I'm searching for acreage (minimum of 5, ideally 10 plus) in an area that might offer the freedom of living in or near the mountains at higher elevations. I'm retired and am bringing my retirement checks with me, so I don't need access to a vigorous work force area.
I'm flying into Nashville on the October 21, 2019 and staying for the week to scout out the areas in and around Cookeville, Johnson City then down towards Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and finally check out Waynesville, NC. It's an ambitious trip but I want to be a "Volunteer" so bad it hurts.
- My question is, am I on track and searching the right areas/locations as far as what I desire?
- Are there any local treasures (areas) I should consider?
Thanks Folks
P.S. I will do my part and provide feedback about my experience when I get back.
It sounds like you can absolutely find what you're looking for in the Cookeville area. As SC mentioned earlier, there are tons (100+) waterfalls near Cookeville as well as 1200 miles of lakeshore. Several national fishing competitions have been held on the area lakes, and there are miles and miles of smaller rivers that are also ideal for fishing.
For kicks and giggles I looked up some wooded properties on 10+ acres that have recently sold in the Cookeville area for less than $500k to give you an idea what's available. Some of these look great.
For what it's worth, I have a vacation cabin just outside of Waynesville NC. It's beautiful there and higher up in elevation. But NC is more expensive than TN, and there's a heck of a lot more traffic in WNC than there is in the Cookeville area. All those Floridiots like me who invade WNC in the summers clog the roads and stores. In addition, winters there can be brutal. I love to vacation there, but to live? Not in a million years. For day-to-day stuff, the Cookeville area is hard to beat, particularly given your parameters.
Another big thing for me is Cookeville's proximity to the Nashville airport. The Tri Cities, Knoxville, and Asheville airports are tiny and very expensive. If you ever feel the hankering to return to AZ or SoCal, you might appreciate being close to the Nashville airport.
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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
Thank you very much... Serious Conversation, jjbradleynyc and JMT Those are truly helpful comments/information and as such I'm going to skip on NC and focus on those suggestions. I initially wanted to focus on East Tennessee but there has been so many wonderful comments about Cookeville it seems like one stop shopping. JMT, your comment about proximity to the airport was certainly on point!
Since you are golfers, Cookeville area has some great golfing: Golden Eagle, Southern Hills and 30 minutes south of Cookeville is Riverwalk which borders Center Hill Lake. For a senior, these are all in the $25 range for 18 with a cart included.
While not technically "mountains" you could still have that "mountain view" if you find somewhere in eastern Putnam/Overton/White Counties. The "mountains" you would be looking at would technically be the western escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau. All of these locations would have easy access to Cookeville within 30 minutes.
Cumberland County sits on top of the Cumberland Plateau, with an elevation of around 1800 - 1900 feet. It is noticeably cooler in the summer and receives (some) more snow in the winter, but still not enough to cause major issues. Another option for mountain views would be areas near southern/eastern Cumberland County. The Cumberland Mountains run SW to NE in this area of the county and are around 2000 feet higher than the surrounding areas.
You would also have killer "mountain views" in the valley running from north of Pikeville to the south of the Dunlap area. However this is quite isolated and you can't get anywhere easily, though I do suggest you drive through here if you're traveling to Chattanooga (HWY 127/28)
You also mentioned you like golf and hiking. Crossville used to bill itself as "The Golf Capital of Tennessee". It said so on the water tanks and everything! haha. There are 9 courses in the county that I can think of - down from at least 11 at one point. Now, though, I think they are moving away from that slogan and focusing on hiking and biking in the area. They have recently added hundreds of miles of walking trails in the area and a couple of biking only trails. September is the county's dedicated hiking marathon month with everyone who completes the 26.2 miles over the course of the month getting a free t-shirt. Over 1500 participated this year. Since Crossville is at a higher elevation, and water flows downhill, there aren't any large lakes like you will find in other areas, but there are several smaller ones, and plenty of streams. For hunting, Catoosa Wildlife Management Area is in Cumberland County.
If it were me, I would focus on the Cookeville/Crossville areas. Both Crossville and Cookeville are wildly popular with retirees. There are many similarities between the two locations, but here is the very condensed version of some of the differences. Crossville has decent shopping and dining while Cookeville is the regional hub of the area, and has more options. Both have easy access to I-40, "big-city" making trips a breeze. Cookeville is closer to Nashville, while Crossville is closer to Knoxville, and the TV markets reflect this. Crossville/Cumberland County has lower property taxes than Cookeville/Putnam County, but also fewer services. Cookeville has a university and all the activities and offerings that come with that while Crossville has only a community college. Cookeville is more dense/filled in and has zoning, while Crossville has none and is more spread out/less filled in. Housing costs are more or less the same in the two areas. Internet options are better in Cookeville, if that is a concern. I already mentioned the temperature differences, but the 3-5 degree atop the plateau difference in the summer is truly amazing and can make a sweltering day manageable. Cumberland County is quite a bit larger than Putnam County in land area, so finding the acreage you seek may be slightly easier.
Hope this helps. Have a great trip.
Side note - due to the killer drought endured by most of the state in September, the fall colors are highly diminished this year. In my area at least, most everything is a dull brown, or has already fallen off the trees. But typically, your travel date would be peak foliage time.
Side note - due to the killer drought endured by most of the state in September, the fall colors are highly diminished this year. In my area at least, most everything is a dull brown, or has already fallen off the trees. But typically, your travel date would be peak foliage time.
This is so true. We were originally told that the fall colors this year would be brilliant because we had such a wet spring. Then September came around and ruined it with record-breaking heat and drought. While we're finally having spectacular fall weather, I'm afraid the OP won't get to see our usually beautiful fall foliage.
---
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
While not technically "mountains" you could still have that "mountain view" if you find somewhere in eastern Putnam/Overton/White Counties. The "mountains" you would be looking at would technically be the western escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau. All of these locations would have easy access to Cookeville within 30 minutes.
Cumberland County sits on top of the Cumberland Plateau, with an elevation of around 1800 - 1900 feet. It is noticeably cooler in the summer and receives (some) more snow in the winter, but still not enough to cause major issues. Another option for mountain views would be areas near southern/eastern Cumberland County. The Cumberland Mountains run SW to NE in this area of the county and are around 2000 feet higher than the surrounding areas.
You would also have killer "mountain views" in the valley running from north of Pikeville to the south of the Dunlap area. However this is quite isolated and you can't get anywhere easily, though I do suggest you drive through here if you're traveling to Chattanooga (HWY 127/28)
You also mentioned you like golf and hiking. Crossville used to bill itself as "The Golf Capital of Tennessee". It said so on the water tanks and everything! haha. There are 9 courses in the county that I can think of - down from at least 11 at one point. Now, though, I think they are moving away from that slogan and focusing on hiking and biking in the area. They have recently added hundreds of miles of walking trails in the area and a couple of biking only trails. September is the county's dedicated hiking marathon month with everyone who completes the 26.2 miles over the course of the month getting a free t-shirt. Over 1500 participated this year. Since Crossville is at a higher elevation, and water flows downhill, there aren't any large lakes like you will find in other areas, but there are several smaller ones, and plenty of streams. For hunting, Catoosa Wildlife Management Area is in Cumberland County.
If it were me, I would focus on the Cookeville/Crossville areas. Both Crossville and Cookeville are wildly popular with retirees. There are many similarities between the two locations, but here is the very condensed version of some of the differences. Crossville has decent shopping and dining while Cookeville is the regional hub of the area, and has more options. Both have easy access to I-40, "big-city" making trips a breeze. Cookeville is closer to Nashville, while Crossville is closer to Knoxville, and the TV markets reflect this. Crossville/Cumberland County has lower property taxes than Cookeville/Putnam County, but also fewer services. Cookeville has a university and all the activities and offerings that come with that while Crossville has only a community college. Cookeville is more dense/filled in and has zoning, while Crossville has none and is more spread out/less filled in. Housing costs are more or less the same in the two areas. Internet options are better in Cookeville, if that is a concern. I already mentioned the temperature differences, but the 3-5 degree atop the plateau difference in the summer is truly amazing and can make a sweltering day manageable. Cumberland County is quite a bit larger than Putnam County in land area, so finding the acreage you seek may be slightly easier.
Hope this helps. Have a great trip.
Side note - due to the killer drought endured by most of the state in September, the fall colors are highly diminished this year. In my area at least, most everything is a dull brown, or has already fallen off the trees. But typically, your travel date would be peak foliage time.
That's a good comparison, but I will have to take exception to a couple of things that you wrote. As far as lakes or water activities (fishing, boating, etc) are concerned, Putnam County has only 1.5 square miles of surface water (according to Wikipedia) while Cumberland County has 3.8 square miles of surface water which is more than double Putnam County. Lake Tansi alone (in Cumberland County) has 0.85 square miles, is two miles long and has over 10 miles of shoreline. You'll see lots of fishing boats, pontoon boots, and boats of all sizes and horsepower on Lake Tansi. There are also numerous other smaller lakes in Cumberland County for recreation.
As for real estate prices, my shopping experience indicates that Cumberland County home prices are about 20% to 35% less expensive than a similar/comparable home in Putnam County. In addition, real estate taxes in Cumberland County are roughly 60% of what they are in Putnam County.
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. I lived in Arizona for almost 7 years and currently live in East Tennessee again. 
