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Hello. Yes, we are yet another one of those... wanna be transplants. We want to move once and for all back to TN. We will be going there next week to check out areas to narrow down the list of possibles so I realllllllllly need and want your opinion.
About us:
I am in mid-to late 40's and hubs is in mid 50's.
We want 5 acres minimum (prefer 10-30) of decent unrestricted land so we can eventually live mostly off-grid. We have dogs and chickens now and want to be able to farm and hunt and fish.
We want privacy but not so remote that we are more than an hour to a major medical center.
I grew up in VA and we presently live in Southern CA. Wayyyyy too expense here and the politics are awful. We want to be able to enjoy life simply and pair down so that we are not financially encumbered by stuff. Hubby can build anything and wants to go more off-grid. I am open to that but am more pragmatic in getting us established and realize we aren't spring chickens and while in general overall good health, we can't do labor like we used to be able to do.
We are thinking of areas west of Knoxville from Grainger or Hawkins County (Sneedville/Rogersville/New Tazewell/Bean Station) and even south a little below Knoxville.
We both love the mountains and don't want to have to work full-time so cost of living needs and taxes need to be on the lower end of things. No kids with us so schooling isn't an issue. I do want to avoid heavy drug use areas but want to be where hunting/fishing is decent.
What areas should we visit when we go out there to help narrow down the possible location of our future homestead? Thanks!
We are thinking of areas west of Knoxville from Grainger or Hawkins County (Sneedville/Rogersville/New Tazewell/Bean Station) and even south a little below Knoxville.
That area is east of Knoxville.
How much do you plan on spending?
I'm not sure 5 acres is enough to have a house, a very small farm and still be able to hunt on the land.
I'm not sure 5 acres is enough to have a house, a very small farm and still be able to hunt on the land.
Budget will be around $100 K but we have flexibility depending on the location, number of acres, etc...
Guess I should clarify that 5 acres is the minimum ... mainly for our home and a greenhouse and small animals. We won't be farming as a living but more as a means of having our own food. Presently we have vertical gardening on our half acre here for our added veggies. We will want to do a permaculture style for gardening.
Hunting & fishing does not need to be on our own land but in an area that is near by.... we don't want to be in the city or suburbs where you are bound by either HOA's or being able to hear your neighbors.
So, really the main thing I want to know about are the pros and cons of Hawkins and Grainger counties.
Budget will be around $100 K but we have flexibility depending on the location, number of acres, etc...
Guess I should clarify that 5 acres is the minimum ... mainly for our home and a greenhouse and small animals. We won't be farming as a living but more as a means of having our own food. Presently we have vertical gardening on our half acre here for our added veggies. We will want to do a permaculture style for gardening.
Hunting & fishing does not need to be on our own land but in an area that is near by.... we don't want to be in the city or suburbs where you are bound by either HOA's or being able to hear your neighbors.
So, really the main thing I want to know about are the pros and cons of Hawkins and Grainger counties.
You are going to be hard pressed to get what you are asking for in Hawkins or Grainger County with a decent home on it.
You won't be able to hunt much on 5 acres. You run the risk of encroaching on adjoining property.
These areas do not take kindly to outsiders. Trust me on this.
Yes, there is a lot of drug action in those counties. Trust me on this.
There is fishing nearby.
If you buy here, save this post for when you want to come and complain about how horrible the people here are and how much you hate it here.
You are going to be hard pressed to get what you are asking for in Hawkins or Grainger County with a decent home on it.
You won't be able to hunt much on 5 acres. You run the risk of encroaching on adjoining property.
These areas do not take kindly to outsiders. Trust me on this.
Yes, there is a lot of drug action in those counties. Trust me on this.
There is fishing nearby.
If you buy here, save this post for when you want to come and complain about how horrible the people here are and how much you hate it here.
Thanks for your thoughts... I had clarified we were looking for land only (not w/ a house) in the area... and hunting would be a plus and that is if we are able to get the unrestricted raw land (10-20 hubs wants to get minimum)... Why is it so bad that you would say the people there are horrible?
What area would you recommend then that isn't as horrible? Thanks
Thanks for your thoughts... I had clarified we were looking for land only (not w/ a house) in the area... and hunting would be a plus and that is if we are able to get the unrestricted raw land (10-20 hubs wants to get minimum)... Why is it so bad that you would say the people there are horrible?
What area would you recommend then that isn't as horrible? Thanks
I completely agree with Beretta. I've seen numerous threads on here over the years and talked to people privately from big, wealthy areas of the country who buy a place in rural east Tennessee looking for that "country life" like you'd see in a Pigeon Forge brochure, didn't do their due diligence, and ended up selling out and losing a lot of money before going back to wherever they came from. I wouldn't recommend even considering this move without staying in the area for a week, at least a couple of times.
Places like Grainger/Claiborne/Cocke Counties and to a lesser extent Hawkins are poor, isolated, have drug/crime problems, with almost nothing in the way of significant employment, shopping, etc. Frankly, many of these areas are backward. Many rural east TN counties have a Food City (regional grocer), Dollar Stores, and Walmart for shopping, and that's about it. Trips "to town" for anything more significant probably involve hour or more drives to the Tri-Cities or Knoxville. Medical facilities/doctors are few and far between. Virtually anything you need to do aside from basic groceries is going to be a drive back to the Tri-Cities or Knoxville.
Random violent crime is low, and violent crime, while high in many rural areas, is mostly drug and domestic and contained between people who know each other. However, there are a lot of break-ins and other types of property crime by people looking for drugs or money to buy drugs.
These areas have few transplants, little to no diversity, and are basically populated by families that have been there for years. Social circles are tight knit and pretty closed off. Frankly, someone from CA moving in is going to have a very rough time in the rural areas - you'll never be accepted as a local and it's hard to make friends as most social circles are pretty full with classmates, coworkers, church members, etc.
Not sure what happened to the other thread, but those suggestions were good as well. If you want to be closer to the Tri-Cities, Fall Branch, Jearoldstown, etc., give you a rural feeling while still being fairly close to services without the problems associated with the really rural areas. Around Knoxville, I'd look south of Knoxville or slightly north off 75.
I completely agree with Beretta. I've seen numerous threads on here over the years and talked to people privately from big, wealthy areas of the country who buy a place in rural east Tennessee looking for that "country life" like you'd see in a Pigeon Forge brochure, didn't do their due diligence, and ended up selling out and losing a lot of money before going back to wherever they came from. I wouldn't recommend even considering this move without staying in the area for a week, at least a couple of times.
Places like Grainger/Claiborne/Cocke Counties and to a lesser extent Hawkins are poor, isolated, have drug/crime problems, with almost nothing in the way of significant employment, shopping, etc. Frankly, many of these areas are backward. Many rural east TN counties have a Food City (regional grocer), Dollar Stores, and Walmart for shopping, and that's about it. Trips "to town" for anything more significant probably involve hour or more drives to the Tri-Cities or Knoxville. Medical facilities/doctors are few and far between. Virtually anything you need to do aside from basic groceries is going to be a drive back to the Tri-Cities or Knoxville.
Random violent crime is low, and violent crime, while high in many rural areas, is mostly drug and domestic and contained between people who know each other. However, there are a lot of break-ins and other types of property crime by people looking for drugs or money to buy drugs.
These areas have few transplants, little to no diversity, and are basically populated by families that have been there for years. Social circles are tight knit and pretty closed off. Frankly, someone from CA moving in is going to have a very rough time in the rural areas - you'll never be accepted as a local and it's hard to make friends as most social circles are pretty full with classmates, coworkers, church members, etc.
Not sure what happened to the other thread, but those suggestions were good as well. If you want to be closer to the Tri-Cities, Fall Branch, Jearoldstown, etc., give you a rural feeling while still being fairly close to services without the problems associated with the really rural areas. Around Knoxville, I'd look south of Knoxville or slightly north off 75.
I completely agree with Beretta. I've seen numerous threads on here over the years and talked to people privately from big, wealthy areas of the country who buy a place in rural east Tennessee looking for that "country life" like you'd see in a Pigeon Forge brochure, didn't do their due diligence, and ended up selling out and losing a lot of money before going back to wherever they came from. I wouldn't recommend even considering this move without staying in the area for a week, at least a couple of times.
Places like Grainger/Claiborne/Cocke Counties and to a lesser extent Hawkins are poor, isolated, have drug/crime problems, with almost nothing in the way of significant employment, shopping, etc. Frankly, many of these areas are backward. Many rural east TN counties have a Food City (regional grocer), Dollar Stores, and Walmart for shopping, and that's about it. Trips "to town" for anything more significant probably involve hour or more drives to the Tri-Cities or Knoxville. Medical facilities/doctors are few and far between. Virtually anything you need to do aside from basic groceries is going to be a drive back to the Tri-Cities or Knoxville.
Random violent crime is low, and violent crime, while high in many rural areas, is mostly drug and domestic and contained between people who know each other. However, there are a lot of break-ins and other types of property crime by people looking for drugs or money to buy drugs.
These areas have few transplants, little to no diversity, and are basically populated by families that have been there for years. Social circles are tight knit and pretty closed off. Frankly, someone from CA moving in is going to have a very rough time in the rural areas - you'll never be accepted as a local and it's hard to make friends as most social circles are pretty full with classmates, coworkers, church members, etc.
Not sure what happened to the other thread, but those suggestions were good as well. If you want to be closer to the Tri-Cities, Fall Branch, Jearoldstown, etc., give you a rural feeling while still being fairly close to services without the problems associated with the really rural areas. Around Knoxville, I'd look south of Knoxville or slightly north off 75.
Awesome! I hear you and completely understand where you are coming from. Perhaps I should not have stated that we are from "CA" ... even though that is where we live. Presently we are in San Bernardino County which is known for being the armpit of So Cal. We live in a beautiful city (about 50,000) in the foothills of the mountains. As far as diversity, I have lived all over the world as my dad was in the Navy. Husband is former USAF and we are not strangers to adjusting to other cultures. We enjoy camping (real camping) not "glamping" and have gone off trail backpacking. I imagine just like in Tennessee there are "hoity toity" areas and then out in the sticks places. We are leaning more to the "out in the sticks" than city or urban. Neither of us likes the superficial fake attitude and are more about having a simple life. Additionally we live the Dave Ramsey budget lifestyle so Dollar Stores and Wal-Mart are right up my alley and where we shop now. Hopefully we will find a nice church and get plugged in there but I am really just looking for input on the various communities wanting to find a small area that may be off the beaten path... definitely not in the touristy areas. My husband has fished and farmed and hunted and we are no strangers to getting in the dirt and getting it done. We love to see the fruits of our labor and enjoy the limited life of having 19 chickens now (ordinances don't allow us to have much more)...
modcutI am trying to due my research so we are able to dive into this well informed and open eyed. My family still lives back in VA and I am eager to get the next part of our lives over to that side of the country.
Last edited by Beretta; 10-03-2016 at 03:55 PM..
Reason: TOS
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My husband has fished and farmed and hunted and we are no strangers to getting in the dirt and getting it done. We love to see the fruits of our labor and enjoy the limited life of having 19 chickens now (ordinances don't allow us to have much more)... 
