Igor Blevin's, "A Native Californian in Knoxville" (Cleveland: for sale, high crime)

[mgforshort]

Igor, thanks for the updates.

Please remember that humidity is your friend when the fire is your enemy. Look at California, burning up, all over, and no end in sight.

About ten days ago we had a big fire 18 miles to the north and a smaller one 2 miles to the south of our house. The fire to the north is unstoppable and moving towards Oregon.

Maybe you could tell us about swimming and fishing, my favorites. Please keep it up.

[Igor Blevin]

I am not into either swimming or fishing. Sorry. I LOVE being near the water or on the water, not so much in the water.

I do see peope swimming along the banks where there are coves along the Tennessee River, which here is called "Fort Loudon Lake". It is not a lake per se, but is the river but just referred to as a lake, maybe because it is so calm and wide. People don't swim out too far with all of the boats and jet skis plying the river in summer time.

I don't see many swimmers overall, but they do swim off some of the smaller beaches and more secluded coves. I have only seen a small part of the Tennesse river and only short periods at a time, so who knows?

I found a really good big park for walks along the water at Louisville Point Park in Blount County, but it is a 15 mile drive, so no better than going downtown. Pretty drive and less traffic than going downtown.

[TheShadow]

Actually Fort Loudon lake is a lake on the Tennessee river, because it is dammed at Fort Loudon Dam in Lenoir City. There are numerous other lakes on the Tennessee River formed by other TVA dams along it's length. The dams produce hydropower which is one of the reasons our electricity costs are so low in TN. IN addition to the lakes on the Tennessee River, there are other lakes and rivers within the Knoxville area, including the French Broad River and the Holsten River, and not far away the Clinch River and Tellico River. Boating and fishing are a big deal here, needless to say. The lakes are definitely swimmable, particularly from a boat. The variety of fish is pretty amazing too with trout streams in the mountains, big and small mouth bass, striped bass, crappie, catfish, etc.

[Needanewhome123]

I'm on Zillow right now and can't find any homes in the Knoxville area for less than $350k.


I mean I found a few...but that's about it.


Anyone know why? Does the real estate market have low inventory?

[Needanewhome123]

Originally Posted by TheShadow

Actually Fort Loudon lake is a lake on the Tennessee river, because it is dammed at Fort Loudon Dam in Lenoir City. There are numerous other lakes on the Tennessee River formed by other TVA dams along it's length. The dams produce hydropower which is one of the reasons our electricity costs are so low in TN. IN addition to the lakes on the Tennessee River, there are other lakes and rivers within the Knoxville area, including the French Broad River and the Holsten River, and not far away the Clinch River and Tellico River. Boating and fishing are a big deal here, needless to say. The lakes are definitely swimmable, particularly from a boat. The variety of fish is pretty amazing too with trout streams in the mountains, big and small mouth bass, striped bass, crappie, catfish, etc.

Are the fish not safe to eat due to past pollution?


Are the trout safe to eat? Can you recommend a good mountain for me to start my search on trout fishing areas near Knoxville? I used to fish Sierra Nevadas and trout are my fav (behind ocean salmon)

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by Needanewhome123

I'm on Zillow right now and can't find any homes in the Knoxville area for less than $350k.


I mean I found a few...but that's about it.


Anyone know why? Does the real estate market have low inventory?

Please read the national news; the area has been hit with the housing crisis seen across the country. Secondarily, the area is seeing a large influx of transplants from the northeast and west coast.

[Needanewhome123]

Originally Posted by Beretta

Please read the national news; the area has been hit with the housing crisis seen across the country.

So it's all over the country, not just the west coast.


Great. I will never get a house at this rate.

[Igor Blevin]

Originally Posted by Needanewhome123

I'm on Zillow right now and can't find any homes in the Knoxville area for less than $350k.


I mean I found a few...but that's about it.


Anyone know why? Does the real estate market have low inventory?

Since you have brought up homes...

Knoxville is experiencing very strong population growth from an influx of people like me, pushing up existing home prices. The nation is in a housing bubble and Wall Street and other investors are paying cash top-dollar for homes.

Inventory is still low due to Covid uncertainty. Here in West Knoxville, a lot of people love it here and just DON'T LEAVE, so you don't get the turnover in homes like you do in more transient cities/areas.

Housing starts are up and that should help eventually. I have seen several large areas around West Knoxville cleared and leveled for developments. I have no clue if these are all for housing subdivisions vs strip malls, office or other retail, but some of them must be for new homes. So supply is going to leap up at some point.

I can't believe the prices new home builders like DH Horton are asking for homes. These are over $200 per square foot and often over $240 per SQFT. On top of that, these new subdivisions are asking $200-$300 monthly HOA fees. I won't pay it. Many of the older subdivision HOA are $60-$100 per month.

My biggest problem is a lack of single-story ranch-style homes. I don't want to deal with stairs as I age and weaken. 90% of the homes around here are 2-story homes. Single-story home sare few and far between.

I don't know how 70 year olds do it here. Are they all spry? Nobody has joint problems?

Quick drives leave me with the impression there are more single story homes in Lenoir City and Maryville than Knoxville, and I still have to look at Cookeville and Oak Ridge. I may have to settle for something outside West Knoxville. Dang, I love West Knox.


Disclaimer - I still have no idea if I am staying in Tennessee. My quest is to look for a forever home and Knoxville is just a forward base for that search. West Knox has exceeded my expectations. I really like it here and can see myself living here, but I still need to see areas around Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Huntsville, Jacksonville, the Tri-City area of east TN, and others.

The summer here in Knoxville has been wonderful and I would hate to move well south and find it much hotter. So far, summer in Knoxville has been more pleasant than Sacramento summers. And that is before all of the refreshing summer rain storms and dramatic thunderstorms. Love it here.

I have been in Knoxville for 4 months. It is astounding to think of how little of Knoxville I have seen, and almost nothing of surrounding areas. It really underscores how useless it is to spend 2 weeks visting a place to find a home. You can't tell much from a 2-week visit. You really need to rent a year to have any clue if you will like an area. You may guess lucky, but you can't really know.

[creeksitter]

Igor, there are lots of trails at concord park. Is it that you are looking for trails directly beside the water? I trust you've found Sequoyah hills park, which is close. I.C king park has a trail that is directly beside the water. I understand that is farther than your preference so sometime when you are downtown visit Outdoor Knoxville welcome center on Volunteer landing drive and they can assist. They offer tons of maps.

I'm on Zillow right now and can't find any homes in the Knoxville area for less than $350k.

Hunh, I got on Zillow and there are tons of houses under 250k. Were you limiting your search to the downtown zip code? What were your parameters?

Igor, there are lots of 1 story homes in Knoxville. Many have a basement that is not necessary for everyday living. I recommend a search of houses built between 1950 and 1980.

[Igor Blevin]

creeksitter,

I will check out Concord Park. I have eaten at the Marina restaurant and didn't realize the park had trails.

No, I have never heard of Seqoyah Hills or I.C. Kinf. I will have to check them out.

Thanks mucho -- Jim