Rogersville TN (Knoxville, Johnson City, Kingsport: foreclosure, crime, home)

[1Debbie1956]

We are looking at 28 acres in Rogersville, TN. It is on Reed Hollow Road. Can anyone give me information
as to the area there. We're retired, late 60's and wanting rural and just a place to call home.
We know ideally we should drive down and visit area but it's an auction property and we can't
manage a drive at this time. ANY information as to area would be very helpful. Thanks..

[jjbradleynyc]

Rogersville is Tennessee's second oldest town, and it is beautifully quaint and historic downtown. The town has become a bit of a magnet for retired folks to move to in the past 10-15 years or so, mainly due to the low cost of living, rural feeling of the area, access to Cherokee Lake, and the mostly mild winters.

That area is not far from my aunt and cousin. I grew up just up the road from Rogersville about 20 miles or so, in Church Hill, and have quite a few family members that live in the Rogersville/Surgoinsville areas. It is beautiful countryside, and a good area overall to retire.

That part of Rogersville is closer to the way towards Cherokee Lake. The further north and northeast you go though, the area gets more and more rural and into very impoverished Hancock County, TN, which is very rural, wooded and not much industry. But that part looks to be in Hawkins County and is fine overall, just rural.

I would be wary of buying land sight unseen though. There could be tons of issues with it. Can you at least go there and get your due diligence done? I would never advise anyone to buy land--especially 28 acres--without viewing it in person at least once.

[Serious Conversation]

Rogersville itself is OK, but the surrounding areas of Hawkins County are rural, few services, with a lot of crime and drug problems. Medical care is poor. If you're not from the general region, it's going to be tough to make friends.

You could run into many thousands of dollars just getting electricity to the site. You need to visit and understand what you are dealing with, just from a general logistics perspective.

[rccrain]

Could you hire an appraiser or realtor to provide an unbiased report?

[suzytx]

When you're in your sixties you always have to be concerned about medical care within a reasonable distance. We chose Elizabethton because we are six minutes away from their smallish hospital but still living on acreage outside the city limits. Otherwise we are about twenty minutes from Johnson City and its Level 1 trauma center.

[1Debbie1956]

Thank you for your reply. Wish we could get out there but not able to until after January. There is a home already on
property built in 1991 that needs repairs. It's a foreclosure. It is indeed Hawkins County. We were hoping to get a reply from someone who lives in that very area near Reed Hollow and could give us information as to if it is a desirable area
or Not.

[1Debbie1956]

rccrain we have asked a couple realtors and since it's a foreclosure and going to action now it seems nobody wants
to look at it as I do understand they will not be making any money. Couldn't find appraiser either.

[Serious Conversation]

Part of the problem is that is a very remote area, between Rogersville and Bean Station on the very rural north side of the county. I would not live in that area at all - it's probably a bit closer to Kingsport than to Knoxville, but not close to either. Anything more than Walmart or Food City is probably a drive back to Morristown. That's not even counting all the drugs and issues with rural Hawkins County.

I don't know why you would buy sight unseen, but if there are no pictures of the home, assume it is in very poor condition. Assume well water.

[sprintuser2014]

I'm not a fan of Rogersville, it just seems to be the drug den of Hawkins county. You always read bad thing about Rogersville and crime and drugs. Hawkins county though in general though seems to be where far too much crime and other issues seem to happen. Plus it's quite remote and you really aren't close to anything.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by 1Debbie1956

rccrain we have asked a couple realtors and since it's a foreclosure and going to action now it seems nobody wants
to look at it as I do understand they will not be making any money. Couldn't find appraiser either.

That should tell you something.