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We are considering relocating out of Denver and are looking into Knoxville and are wondering if it's a good place for us.
About us:
I work remotely so my job is not an issue. It pays well enough to afford most places.
My wife is a medical office manager so she'll need to find a job in the same field.
No kids (not planning on it). Two German Shepherds.
We are in our 30's
We are looking to leave for a few reasons:
1. Denver winters while mild are long and drawn out - we'd want to live somewhere warmer
2. Denver has gotten crowded and expensive recently - we want something smaller
3. We don't really use the rocky mountains that much. We love to hike in the summer but we don't ski / snowboard - we'd want to be near a place we can hike most of the year.
4. Just looking to explore a little bit with an eye on real estate - I'd like to rent for a year then buy a house within a year.
Questions:
1. What's the weather like - summer and winter specifically. How hot and humid? Do the mountains offer any relief?
2. How dog friendly is Knoxville? With 2 GSDs I know renting will be tough (been there) but assuming that's settled how dog friendly is the city?
3. What are some good areas to live in as a young couple (given the housing constraints below)
In general, things we want (not tied to Knoxville directly, posted on another forum so some repetition):
1. House with a yard - rental under 1600 a month, purchase under 200k. In a safe neighborhood in a safe city that is close to restaurants and live music. We'd rent the first year and then buy.
2. Dog friendly city - we don't have kids but we have two German Shepherds
3. Mild winters
4. we'd love to live near a beach but worry about buying in a place with heavy hurricane risks so that's definitely not a must have.
5. Things to do - good restaurants (love BBQ), live music, outdoor events.
6. Neither ultra conservative nor ultra liberal. We are definitely center oriented and can't live in a place that is too heavy into either one.
7. Young / older couples - not looking for a heavy nightlife or singles scene nor do we want a retirement community (we're in our 30s)
8. Low COL - jobs don't matter because I work remotely and am paid relatively well. Wife will likely find a job in a medical office (she's a clinic manager currently) but we can live on my salary if the housing cost is as I described. I'm in software so would be cool to live where there are software jobs but those usually correlate to higher housing prices.
9. Quiet living! Low traffic, lots of scenery - would love to sit and watch the water for hours on end.
Housing constraints:
We definitely want a yard, and either a SFH or a townhome. (size 1300-2000 SQFT)
We'd want to be in a neighborhood with stuff to do i.e. restaurants parks etc.
Definitely want a safe neighborhood.
Looking to stay below $1600 for a rental (and below 200k for a house).
Don't mind if we are a bit further out (20 mins downtown in any direction).
Reasonable? Unreasonable? Limited research was promising but I don't know areas very well.
Could you recommend some areas to check out for the above?
Full disclosure: you might find a very similar post in a few sub forums - we're looking at a few cities.
Last edited by ayoitzrimz; 12-24-2017 at 03:49 PM..
First of all I suggest visiting the area to see how it fits. Its impossible to determine if the area fits your needs from the internet.
I will take a stab at your questions... I will answer in all caps, but I'm not shouting, its just so you can see answers to your questions.
Questions:
1. What's the weather like - summer and winter specifically. How hot and humid? Do the mountains offer any relief?
COMING FROM DENVER YOU MIGHT FIND THE HUMIDITY OPPRESSIVE. IT IS HOT AND HUMID HERE IN THE SUMMER. VISIT IN JULY IF YOU WANT TO GET A TASTE FOR IT.
2. How dog friendly is Knoxville? With 2 GSDs I know renting will be tough (been there) but assuming that's settled how dog friendly is the city? WHILE IT IS DOG FRIENDLY, THERE ARE LIMITATIONS FOR SURE. FOR INSTANCE, WHILE I AM A DOG OWNER AND LOVER, I DO NOT ALLOW PETS IN MY RENTALS.
3. What are some good areas to live in as a young couple (given the housing constraints below). JUST ABOUT ANY PART OF KNOXVILLE WILL BE FINE. IT IS A UNIVERSITY TOWN AFTER ALL.
In general, things we want (not tied to Knoxville directly, posted on another forum so some repetition):
1. House with a yard - rental under 1600 a month, purchase under 200k. In a safe neighborhood in a safe city that is close to restaurants and live music. We'd rent the first year and then buy. OUR UNSAFE AREAS ARE CLEARLY MARKED, SO YOU WILL KNOW FOR SURE WHEN YOU ARE ENTERING THEM. THAT WAS TONGUE IN CHEEK, SINCE KNOXVILLE IS A VERY SAFE CITY, BUT THERE IS CRIME IN ALL PARTS. THIS SUBJECT HAS BEEN COVERED OVER AND OVER AGAIN HERE ON THE KNOXVILLE THREAD.
2. Dog friendly city - we don't have kids but we have two German Shepherds SEE ABOVE.
3. Mild winters DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU CONSIDER MILD. WHILE WE GET SNOW FROM TIME TO TIME, FOR THE MOST PARTS IT DOESN'T STAY LONG. HOWEVER, SINCE 1994 WHEN I MOVED HERE, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SERIOUS WINTERS HERE WHERE THE SNOW AND ICE STAYED FOR A WEEK OR SO.
4. we'd love to live near a beach but worry about buying in a place with heavy hurricane risks so that's definitely not a must have. OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW THAT KNOXVILLE IS NOWHERE NEAR A BEECH.
5. Things to do - good restaurants (love BBQ), live music, outdoor events. KNOXVILLE HAS ALL OF THAT. DEPENDS ON YOUR TASTE.
6. Neither ultra conservative nor ultra liberal. We are definitely center oriented and can't live in a place that is too heavy into either one. WHILE KNOXVILLE VOTES CONSERVATIVE, MOST PEOPLE DON'T JAMB IT DOWN YOUR THROATS. I SOCIALIZE WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I HAVE NO IDEA WHERE THEY LEAN POLITICALLY, AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHERE I STAND. BUT THAT MAY BE THE CROWD I HANG AROUND WITH.
7. Young / older couples - not looking for a heavy nightlife or singles scene nor do we want a retirement community (we're in our 30s). I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU CAN LABEL AN AREA OF A HALF MILLION PEOPLE AND NOT FIND SOME OF EACH OF THOSE AROUND. I THINK ALL OF THOSE ARE AVAILABLE IF YOU LOOK FOR IT.
8. Low COL - jobs don't matter because I work remotely and am paid relatively well. Wife will likely find a job in a medical office (she's a clinic manager currently) but we can live on my salary if the housing cost is as I described. I'm in software so would be cool to live where there are software jobs but those usually correlate to higher housing prices. COL IS ONE OF THE REASONS I MOVED HERE FROM SO CAL. HOWEVER, IM SURE THERE ARE MANY AREAS THAT HAVE LOWER COL. SALRY FOR YOU WIFE MIGHT BE LOWER THAN THE DENVER AREA, AND JOBS ARE NOT ALWAYS EASY TO GET, ESPECIALLY IN SOME SPECIFIC FILEDS
9. Quiet living! Low traffic, lots of scenery - would love to sit and watch the water for hours on end. AGAIN, IT DEPENDS ON YOUR THRESHOLD OF WHAT IS LOW TRAFFIC. COMING FROM SO CAL, MY FEEL FOR LOW TRAFFIC IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAT SOMEONE THAT WAS RAISED HERE. SINCE I-40 AND I-75 GO RIGHT THRU KNOXVILLE, THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF INTERSTATE TRAFFIC. AT TIMES ITS HEAVY, BUT AGAIN NOT ANYTHING LIKE SO CAL STANDARDS. SCENERY WE HAVE THE MOUNTAINS. IF YOU WANT TO WATCH WATER, YOU WILL HAVE TO DO WITH LAKES AND RIVERS.
HOPE THIS HELPS. WHILE INTERNET RESEARCH IS GOOD FOR SOME THINGS, NOTHING BEATS A REAL VISIT. I WOULD SUGGEST A JULY VISIT TO GET A FEEL FOR THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY.
I work remotely so my job is not an issue. It pays well enough to afford most places.
My wife is a medical office manager so she'll need to find a job in the same field.
No kids (not planning on it). Two German Shepherds.
We are in our 30's
Not every location has decent internet speed, if you need that. Chattanooga has a well regarded municipal gigabit fiber but it is restricted to inside the city limits. Bristol and Morristown also offer fiber connections. For any other areas you really have "Pot luck" on internet availability.
3. Mild winters DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU CONSIDER MILD. WHILE WE GET SNOW FROM TIME TO TIME, FOR THE MOST PARTS IT DOESN'T STAY LONG. HOWEVER, SINCE 1994 WHEN I MOVED HERE, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME SERIOUS WINTERS HERE WHERE THE SNOW AND ICE STAYED FOR A WEEK OR SO.
I guess to someone from Southern California, you can call the weather around here "serious." It's not true, but I guess it's a matter of perspective. However, the average seasonal snowfall for Denver is 57 inches. Where I'm from, the average is 64 inches. A few years ago, they received over 110 inches. THAT is a SERIOUS winter.
Compare that to Knoxville's average of six inches. I don't care what Knoxville got over 20 years ago. It can't compete with "real" winters.
Quote:
Originally Posted by arabus
Not every location has decent internet speed, if you need that. Chattanooga has a well regarded municipal gigabit fiber but it is restricted to inside the city limits. Bristol and Morristown also offer fiber connections. For any other areas you really have "Pot luck" on internet availability.
I've lived in a few places in Knoxville - rural Heiskell in north Knox County, West Fountain City and West Knoxville - and I've always had an excellent internet speed. This past year, I've had numerous people troop through my place. At one point, we had two televisions, two laptops and six phones streaming. Not even a hiccup.
*************
What I wonder about is the OP's quest for quiet, yet 20 minutes away from downtown AND not being around ultra-conservative folks. It can happen, but it might not be that easy. Who knows, though.
We're in far West Knox which is farther from downtown than the OP wants. But as far as internet speed, it varies by neighborhood. Once cable is laid, it doesn't seem to be replaced. So the newer neighborhoods have fiber optic cable, the older ones pay the same rates but can't get the same speed.
Believe me, it's a topic of hot interest on our neighborhood forum.
As far as political beliefs go, our neighborhood is a mix, and I imagine many are. The Trump/Clinton race was 59% to 39.5% in a population of about 450,000. No idea how many of those jam their politics down anyone's throat.
For our immediate area, gun ownership and concealed carry are bigger issues.
We seriously considered Knoxville before deciding on western N.C. After visiting there we ruled it out. Keep in mind most people headed to the northeast pass through Knoxville, so the traffic and associated pollution can be significant.
We're in far West Knox which is farther from downtown than the OP wants. But as far as internet speed, it varies by neighborhood. Once cable is laid, it doesn't seem to be replaced. So the newer neighborhoods have fiber optic cable, the older ones pay the same rates but can't get the same speed.
Believe me, it's a topic of hot interest on our neighborhood forum.
As far as political beliefs go, our neighborhood is a mix, and I imagine many are. The Trump/Clinton race was 59% to 39.5% in a population of about 450,000. No idea how many of those jam their politics down anyone's throat.
For our immediate area, gun ownership and concealed carry are bigger issues.
Well, I've only lived in older neighborhoods and the internet speeds have been great.
I guess your mileage may vary.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lizap
We seriously considered Knoxville before deciding on western N.C. After visiting there we ruled it out. Keep in mind most people headed to the northeast pass through Knoxville, so the traffic and associated pollution can be significant.
Well, you recently said that you've known for a long time that you wanted to move to Western NC. I'm glad you found your place, though!
You're comparing apples to oranges, though. You've settled on a small-town area where it's 40 minutes to Asheville and 46 minutes to Greenville. It's not the same thing as Knoxville. The OP is interested in Knoxville so he may not be interested in an area so far from a small city.
By the way, don't kid yourself. I just drove up and down 26, last month. The traffic was horrendous.
We seriously considered Knoxville before deciding on western N.C. After visiting there we ruled it out. Keep in mind most people headed to the northeast pass through Knoxville, so the traffic and associated pollution can be significant.
Knoxville also has enough lanes to keep up with the traffic, by and large. 26 from the SC line back to Asheville is mostly two-lanes in both directions and can be terrible. Western NC can get far more congested due to a lack of lanes with probably far fewer people on those roads than you'd find in Knoxville most of the time. Knoxville's traffic will move better.
Thanks for all the info everyone - that is much appreciated!
re: visiting - of course we plan to visit! We're planning to visit in February (if you are or know a realtor that deals with both rentals and home buying feel free to reach and leave some contact info - if you can show us around when we visit in February all the better! Remember: I have to find a place that will allow 2 GSDs but I also plan to buy a home within a year so it could be a good relationship!)
re: humidity - We lived in NYC for 13 years. While it doesn't get as hot it sure does get hot and humid so we are familiar with what that's like. While I prefer dry weather I am happy with hot and humid as long as it's not cold and humid (cold being NYC / Chicago cold).
re: internet service - good point and definitely something I'll be sure to check out when we settle on a place because that is a consideration.
re: political views - it's a similar scene here in CO. My Boulder friends have vastly different political views than my Jefferson County friends and that's fine! We try to stay out of it for the most part and know there are no easy answers in politics.
What about COL? Am I standing in a good place re: $1600 for a smaller house in the suburbs to rent, and up to 200k for a house 1600-2000 sqft with a yard that hopefully backs into open space (if I up my drive to downtown time to 40 minutes and be fine living in the suburbs)? If not, what am I missing? Rent doesn’t include any added pet fees. Schools districts don’t matter to us. Safe area definitely matters.
Thanks! Looking forward to checking out the area! I'll be sure to update this thread or start a new one when we start planning our visit.
Well, I've only lived in older neighborhoods and the internet speeds have been great.
I guess your mileage may vary.
Well, you recently said that you've known for a long time that you wanted to move to Western NC. I'm glad you found your place, though!
You're comparing apples to oranges, though. You've settled on a small-town area where it's 40 minutes to Asheville and 46 minutes to Greenville. It's not the same thing as Knoxville. The OP is interested in Knoxville so he may not be interested in an area so far from a small city.
By the way, don't kid yourself. I just drove up and down 26, last month. The traffic was horrendous.
BTW, Hendersonville is 24 miles from Asheville. Regarding the traffic on 26, we don't plan to drive to Asheville very often. The Hendersonville/Flat Rock area has approx. 20k people and most of what we'll need..
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