Help me find answers to my many questions (Moving from California to Tennessee) (Knoxville: crime, mortgage)

[calitotennesee]

[SIZE=3]Hello All:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]I have lived in Southern California for over 40 years. My husband loves Eastern Tennessee (ET) and wants to build a home there and retire. I have to say, when we visit ET, I love the openness, open highways, trees, water, etc. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]He is, like many, tired of the high cost of living in California, traffic, congestion, so on and so forth. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]However, moving into an area where you know no one and that is so different from California--is just a little scary. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]How many of you that moved from California to Tennessee are glad you did so? Are any of you that made the move, sorry you did so, and want to move back to California? Are the people friendly? Is it easy to meet people and make friends?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]Just for added input, we are considering building in one of the ET Rarity Communities. If you are familiar with these communities, what do you think about them? Are they a safe nice place to live? Are they worth the money?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]I have been enjoying reading entries on this blog for months; at time, the replies seem to be contradictory. Some say ET is a safe place to live, others say, ET has a drug and crime problem—can anyone give me the “real scoop?” [/SIZE]
[SIZE=3]As you can see, I have sooo many questions. I really need advice from people who have “been there, done that.”[/SIZE]
[SIZE=3] [/SIZE]

[Beretta]

You need to talk with GoodByeHollywood. She did the Cali to TN move.

[hiknapster]

I have met many people that have moved from California to Tenn., and love it. Goodbyehollywood would be a good resource but she is also a Knoxville native so I don't know if that is quite the same.

The discrepancies are in the differences in areas, I think. Out in the rural areas there can SOMETIMES be a drug issue, schools not up to par, not as welcoming to outsiders, etc.

Rarity Bay has had a lot of bad press, lately, and there has been some writing about it on this board. Lots of other beautiful places to live, though.

I'm sure some native Californians will chime in.

[Barking Spider]

I was a native Californian and moved to KNoxville in 1994. Obviously I'm still here - must have been a good move.

If you try to look for differences you will find them.
If you try to look for similar things, you will find them.

There are the people that will never be happy, no matter where they go. Usually it's because they always try to compare where they are to where they are from, and will start conversations with something like "They don't do it this way in.........".

Then there are the people that embrace changes and look for the good things no matter where they are.

Some examples:
We don't have In & Out, but there are places that are just about as good.
We don't have Ikea or Trader Joes.
But they don't have freeways that seem to move no matter what time of day it is.
People that complain about traffic in Knoxville, have never been on the 405 on a Friday afternoon.
There are bad drivers everywhere.
Not too many drive by shootings here, or car jackings.
Drugs are everywhere if you look in the right/wrong places.
Good people are everywhere if you look in the right places.
Snobs are everywhere if you look in the right/wrong places.
Rude people are everywhere if you look in the right/wrong places.

We decided to move out of CA when my daughter was starting 1st grade. My wife was in a job she hated and was on the road 10 hours a day. We wanted to find a place that was a better place to raise our daughter, where my wife could stay home, and we had less stress in our lives.
Here we are 15 years later.
It was the best thing we could have done for our daughter, and she is living proof.

[calitotennesee]

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my post; I value your thoughts. I'm hoping other native Californians will also respond.

[leonard]

We will be there in early July to buy a house and move in August. My sister in law has lived there over 10 years and loves it. Like my wife and I she is a native Californian and will only go back for brief visits.

[knoxgarden]

I was born and raised in Los Angeles. I won't even go back for a visit.
People are so much more respectful of others here and they lack that panic-driven attitude to be the best, make the most money, get the mortgage paid that I see in my California friends.
I just got back from the Farmers' Market. I chatted with several total strangers, smiled at everyone I passed and was smiled at in turn and came home with boxes of fresh strawberries that I could smell all over the car. It was just a typical Knoxville experience.
People take the time to be nice here.

[Danni79]

Hello everyone!

Calitotennessee, My family and I are also considering a possible move to Tennessee. I currently live in Central Valley CA, I am 29 years old and I am living with my parents here. My Dad is in his 70's and my Mother is in her 60's, we recently just lost a home here, and we are feeling the affect's of the state's economy just as alot of other people are at this time. Many people here in the Central Valley are commuting approximately 2 to 3 hours daily to drive to their jobs in the Bay Area, as that is where most of the jobs are here in northeren, ca. Driving on the freeways here is horrendous anymore, and it seems as though it is getting worse all the time. Before it never used to be that bad on the weekends, but now you can't even go for a drive on the weekends without being threatened on the freeway. The high cost of living and the overcrowding in the Bay Area has made the freeways a complete mess, as this is the reason so many people are commuting back and forth. I just want to live in a place where people are respectable, where it's not a rat race, and people respect and embrace "the family." I may possibly be taking a trip out there soon, as I have never been out that way, but I have heard alot of good things, and I have met a few people that were from Tennessee that had to come out here for circumstances that were out of their control, but they miss it dearly. My Mom and Dad are not having it easy out here either, my Dad is in his 70's and he is retired, but he is still having to work full time (if that makes any sense) in order for us just to meet our necessities, people really have to pull together here in order to just make ends meet. I honestly don't see things getting any better here in california. These are a few questions I have, if anyone would be so kind to answer them?

1. What are your closest medical facilities, hospitals around Knoxville?
2. I work in the medical field in accounting, how are jobs in Knoxville?
3. Does it snow quite a bit in the winter?
4. What would be the best time of year to visit?

Any info at all would be a great help!

[calitotennesee]

I am so sorry to hear your family is having a hard time. I thank you for responding to my post.

I visit Eastern TN often, but I don't know about the particilars of the area?

From my visits, I find the spring and fall to be fabulous. The winters seem really cold for my California blood (this concerns me). I'm wondering if I will be able to adjust as I get older and the cold seems to make my body ache. Summers are hot, but the heat is different from that in California.

I will be visitng TN the first part of July. I plan on visiting the communities of Vista Bay, Timberlake Bay, and Covered Bridge. (If anybody out there can tell me more about these communities--I would appreciate the info).

I hope my comments help?

My suggestions are that you plan a trip. Airfare seems reasonable at this time.

[knoxgarden]

Danni79 --
Knoxville has always been the regional medical center for East Tennessee. We have several huge hospital complexes and University of Tennessee has a Medical Center/Teaching hospital. There is also a children's hospital.
Mercy Health Partners // Knoxville, Tennessee
Covenant Health Online Home Page
UT Medical Center -
Jobs in the Medical field are usually easy to come by.
We don't get much snow, maybe an inch or two a year.
Anytime of the year is a good time to visit. Mother Nature is generally kind to Knoxville.