Relocation Knoxville, Maryville, or Asheville.Help! (renting, homes, employment)

[mrs.scholten2010]

Hello! My husband and I are looking to relocate from Marco Island Fl here in the next 6 months top. We are 30 and 29 with 2 small children ages 7 months and soon to be 5. We have been looking into Knoxville, maryville and also Asheville NC we are so undecided and it seems everytime I think I made a decision I change my mind. So any info you could provide would be much appreciated.. I am a bartender so I need somewhere with restaraunts bars pubs etc I guess a night life. My husband is a cdl class A driver he has worked for pepsi, coke cola, and also delivered for beer distrubutors.. So any of those places would have to jobs in those industries.. Also looking for a country feel would like to live out in the country with mountains. I dont want to live in a big city or sub division right next to other homes.I dont mind driving 30 minutes or so to get to work or grocery shop or schools we do that now. We want privacy with a big yard for the kids to run free.. It would be nice to drive down a long driveway to our hidden home off the road.. As for housing would probaly start off renting need 4bdrm atleast so would like some affordable housing like 1300 monthly max.. Coming from Fl we most definilty want change of seasons.. Fl has 2 seasons hot or hotter sometimes cold. We want some snow not minnesota snow or cold but some snow and cold weather, and not too hot or humid summers... Also need good school systems my son will be starting kindergarden this year so this is also important.. so any info you can provide I really appreciate it help me go in the right direction. thanks nicole

[hiknapster]

I lived in Florida for almost 10 years. My daughter was born in Naples. The schools in Knoxville are very good, far better than Florida. None of the areas on your list are big cities. The largest, Knoxville, seems more like a very large town. Having lived in Southwest Florida I can tell you that Knoxville has a far more welcoming vibe. I'm in the city limits and it feels like a small town. About 10 minutes out of downtown can seem very rural. Knoxville has a lot of places where one can be a bartender and it also is a very large distribution center. We are not far from the mountains here, and it is very picturesque. Maryville gets you a bit closer to them and Asheville is in the mountains. Both of those area are a bit more expensive with Asheville being the most expensive.

[mrs.scholten2010]

how is the weather summer/winter? snow? humidity?

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by mrs.scholten2010

how is the weather summer/winter? snow? humidity?

Summer is a cakewalk for someone from Southwest Florida. People around me fan themselves and I wear a blazer and don't sweat.

If you ever lived up north then the winter is VERY mild. If you are a native Floridian then you could think the winter is cold. But really, it isn't. We don't get a lot of snow here, either. Last winter was one of the coldest on record and Knoxville got about 10 inches. This year was one of the mildest on record and we barely got a dusting. Locals rave on and on about how the winters were really cold and snowy before but the truth is their worst winter would be a mild one for a northerner.

All four seasons are equally divided so that we get about 3 months of each season. That is a far cry from the endless summer down there and the endless winter up there. There actually is a wonderful spring and fall.

This all from the perspective of someone that has lived in all three places and only regarding Knoxville.

[mrs.scholten2010]

thanks so much you have been very helpful.. looks like knoxville is overall a much more afforadable place to live housing, utilites, food, etc espically compared to where I am now.. I just dont want 100 degree humid summers where my son can come out side and play because he will die from heat exhaustion like now. I feel so bad for him summer time i make him stay indoors or in the pool because its miserable here. I just want a nice home out in the country with a nice yard for my kids to run around and not have to worry about them falling into the ocean lol. Our back yard now is the ocean.. Yes beautiful most people call this place there dream but for us young family its just not practical! and I want to live a little cheaper I have to work so much here and I miss out on a lot of things because I work ( I am the breadwinner in the house, always have been) I am definilty leaning towards knoxville I think. Thanks so much hiknapster!

[Barking Spider]

Hopefully you can secure employment (or have a decent savings) before you make the move.

You might want to visit each place (Knoxville and Asheville) and see if its a good fit for you.

[mrs.scholten2010]

yes we have decent amount of savings built up. enough to live for 3 months without worry and enough for moving truck gas, and to get utility deposits , and also for first last and security. we are both going to look for jobs and hopefully secure them before we move.. We are actually going to asheville well waynesville in march and going camping for a week in the cataloochie (sp?) national park i think? and we are going to check out the area..

[NJDevil]

Asheville gets a bit more snow than Knoxville. Forget Maryville for the job you seek. While you're in Asheville really do your research as far as employment potential and what salaries are like....then you can compare it to Knoxville. Knoxville is known for the amount of restaurants it has, but Asheville is a bigger town. Both have a country feel.

[mrs.scholten2010]

yes it seems asheville gets the weather we really want cooler summers less humidity, and more snow but knoxville seems to have more jobs on craigslist and seems like its more affordable.

[mrs.scholten2010]

i know these are a little farther from asheville but what about franklin, highlands, candler,fletcher areas?