Possible move to Sevierville or Pigeon Forge (Knoxville, Chattanooga: rental, credit card)

[hoosier07]

Well, tourist areas are just that, an area for the tourist to come, spend their money and drive back to their regular schedules on Monday morning. I'm sorry but you should have considered Knoxville, Chattanooga, Tri-Cities for a place to live and be close enough to enjoy Gatlinburg and Sevierville in an occasional trip. Trying to compare the place where you live with a touristic area is the least.....not fair.

[MB2]

Originally Posted by hoosier07

Well, tourist areas are just that, an area for the tourist to come, spend their money and drive back to their regular schedules on Monday morning. I'm sorry but you should have considered Knoxville, Chattanooga, Tri-Cities for a place to live and be close enough to enjoy Gatlinburg and Sevierville in an occasional trip. Trying to compare the place where you live with a touristic area is the least.....not fair.

I am familiar with gatlinburg, and knoxville....and I totally agree! I would not move to Gatlinburg.....
I mean, DON'T get me wrong...it's beautiful and breathtaking, just like the rest of the state, but a bit to touristy and pricey for my taste.

[tonsoffunsy]

ok.....so I am leaning more towards Knoxville (western)......
any input as to the "smog" in that area? Since I dont think it is as trapped in the mountains as Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, wondering if anyone else has had any problems with this.
Also, on Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed....they gave the area a very high rating as far as air quality (almost 3x better than here!).
Thanks again for all of your input, this helps!!

[adanVdo]

Okay -

Sorry for the delay...medical problems.

I can't find the map I was looking for, but here are my OPINIONS of some of the Knoxville areas:

ZIP 37922 IS Farragut - It's growing quickly, has 2 golf course communities. Fox Den is now "World Class", I think, but the residents are snooty, ignorant, and very self-absorbed (the ones who've been there since 1969 are the ones I know of). Fox Den has lots of wild teenagers - parents not too interested in teaching them values, morals, etc. But the houses are very nice.

There are other parts of Farragut that I would recommend - older homes, smaller homes, but good neighbors that watch out for each other. (There are exceptions to every point I make - there are some new, grand, large homes that are fine, too)

Lenoir City is growing too....the center city is old, but new upscale subdivisions are in that area (Avalon)- it all depends on what you're looking for. Waterfront property is high dollar.....like everywhere else.

UT area - almost all the old houses are rentals to UT students (I've known many serious students who do whatever they can to live elsewhere)

Sequoya Hills - these are ante-bellum mansions - old money, but if you can afford it more power to ya!

Forest Hills - several really good apartment buildings - some very sweet big & small houses

Bearden area - The oldest, best shopping mall. Traffic is horrendous.....lots of loud, busy apartment complexes.

Lonsdale & surrounding - HUD housing (the projects)......I'd stay away from there (Exception: Cross Creek Apts. on Western Ave - depending on the change in ownership/management I spent several safe years there - but it can change in a flash if the management is uninterested) Then there's a very nice subdivision of older responsible homeowners about 5 miles west of there, called "Cumberland Estates"..no drugs in CE.

north of Pleasant Ridge Rd - there has been some pretty steady crime at the cheaper apartment buildings there - but north into Norwood the residents are older but proud and keep well-groomed homes. Smaller, cheaper, older homes but great neighbors.

Oak Ridge - home of the invention of the A-bomb - old military "temporary housing" refurbished to code......and was overrun with skunks & cockroaches when I lived there - the available housing for Pellissippi State Technical College. Some folks are nice, some are hicks, some are druggies.......a mixture. The older ones are retired scientists, teachers, etc. Also surrounded by a Federally managed fence (my b-i-l won't take a job there because undoubtedly when trouble starts - they'll lock the gates, and he couldn't get home to his family)

I've lived all over the city. From my viewpoint, neighbors can make or break the area. When I lived out in the country in Blount county ( 12 mi. from Maryville) I was mostly concerned with the local government. There are quite a few "shady" sherrif deputies, lots of politics, taxes are growing (like everywhere else).

When I lived near the Lonsdale area, I decided to take a gun-safety class with a view to getting my Carry Permit. A 'friend' in a nearby apt. ostracized me because I took the class! IMO she was ignorant, but to each his own. She was also a state employee at the time who worked with food stamp recipients.

East Knoxville has a mixture of older respectable residents and some irresponsible ones.

North Knoxville (where Fountain City is) has a very good reputation.

Everyone is opinionated here........take everything you hear with a grain of salt.

The little bit of research that I did on Sevierville v.s. Pigeon Forge schools did not support another claim on this board. So, do your research first before moving your kids here.

There are lots of rumors of corruption in the local governments. I think the rumors are about 80% true.

If you don't have "connections" here - it will take a long time to get a good job here. (Family comes first)

State Route 66 is the main drag into Sevierville - if it's nice weather - it will be crazy crowded. It's been that way for years, and will stay this way for many more because the local legislators know how profitable it is for them to keep it this way.

Route 66 is THE ONLY way for tourists coming from I-40 to get into Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg. The Nat'l Forrest is #1 in the U.S.A. for visitors......

There are great people everywhere - and rednecks everywhere.

I currently live out in the country surrounded by fields, trees & critters: I keep my doors locked and firearms loaded & clean. Safety First!

Advice: Do Not take a temporary job in Oak Ridge with the intent of moving up later - it doesn't work that way there - the 'Good Ol' Boy ' Network prevails. See above comment RE/ connections

[CG&D93]

adanVdo-

I loved what you said about the 'good ole boy' network prevailing. That is so true and whether there is a road with your last name on the road sign makes a difference also. :?

You nailed so much right on the head. Here is a link to Standard & Poor's school ratings. Sevier County HS has a higher enrollment and lacks in math. Pigeon Forge HS is smaller and has better scores overall. Gatlinburg Pitman rises above all of them. I believe it may be one of the best in the state. I know they are nationally known for the amount of scholarships and honors/awards their students receive.

http://www.schoolmatters.com/app/search/q/stype=SM/stid=43/llid=118/stridx=0/srtname=/srto=/locname=/ctyname=/zip=/dst=/cntyname=/distname=/distid=1023517/adv=false/page=25/site=pes (broken link)

Hope it helps. I live here currently and we would go to Sevier Co. HS if my kids rode the bus. If we are still here when my son goes to HS, I will be driving him to Gatlinburg without a doubt. Definitely worth the drive.

[tonsoffunsy]

Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to explain all of that. You don't realize how much that helps. That gives us a LOT to think about and research. (my head is spinning). Hope all is well (medical problems).
Thanks again to all, going to do more "vacationing" online...hehe

[hiknapster]

AdanVdo: Great summation!

[adanVdo]

Thanks neighbors for your positive feedback.

I love this area, now - but am considering moving......a tall, rich old man is promising me "the world" ...so, I'm thinkin' bout it.

About the air quality here: trees make oxygen, and there's a bunch of them here. But there are many transplanted (not indigenous). So, it's an insider's joke that - if you don't already have allergies, you will if you stick around. My doctor says, "The whole state is on Clarinex."

I had the tv news on as I was getting ready to drive to Nashville VA Hospital yesterday morning. but I don't remember a news report of air quality being mentioned. One of those "informational" signs over the interstate was displaying this at 6a.m. "Air quality danger. Reduce driving."

.........well, duhhhh! Should I pull over and park? Think the VA Regional would reschedule my appointment to a better air quality day? hehehe BTW...Knoxville is in a valley....So are most of these cities & towns. (which kinda keeps the pollutants right here - think of us, as doing a favor for the "Flat Country"....we're keepin it all here.)

dang! I'm inna good mood today.

[Rcm58]

The Pigion Forge area has been screaming for help for years now, everyone is hiring because the cost of housing verses the pay scale is way out of balance. Don't get me wrong this area has alot to offer for vacationers, i've had alot of fun with my family but its no where to live unless you have a good job with above average pay, otherwise you'll be commuting a long ways and traffic is unreal because of how things were planned. This area has millions of dollars being spent in new development this year but its the minimum wage capitol of the state too.

I've lived in several parts of Florida, Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Panama City and in Tennessee, Dunlap, Crossville, Nashville and the Tri Cities.

If I were going to recommend an area I would have to say stay with Nashville or the Tri Cities area. What alot of people that are looking on the internet for that perfect place to live don't realize is, Tennessee has realized the majority of its population shift from the retirement age group, forcing up the price of land and housing but the wages are slow to respond. The retires like it because the money they made in other areas goes further here, Texas is a great example of this. Warm weather, cheap compared to other parts of the U.S.

Crime is higher through out the state than the national average but although we do get out share of murders and drug arrests the part I can't get used to is the thieves, Crossville is actually comical where one out of every ten people have been tried and convicted of larceny.

[sliverbox]

If I were going to recommend an area I would have to say stay with Nashville or the Tri Cities area. What alot of people that are looking on the internet for that perfect place to live don't realize is, Tennessee has realized the majority of its population shift from the retirement age group, forcing up the price of land and housing but the wages are slow to respond. The retires like it because the money they made in other areas goes further here, Texas is a great example of this. Warm weather, cheap compared to other parts of the U.S.

You make some excellent points there. I grew up in Knoxville, and in my opinion it is probably one of the least healthy in terms of economical growth ( real growth anyway) the real story is that it is heavily reliant on the service industry and retirees. Tons and tons of retirees who all want to live on the lake, gold course, or mountains and with them they bring their out of state money which I suppose helps the local economy ( Wal-Mart and Cracker Barrel) but it also puts a sort of stunt on progressive industrial development. Just look at the states of MI, OH, ... the rest of the rust belt. Those states are losing population like mad. I'd say a vast majority are moving down here.

I hope that TN learns from FL that a retirement economy doesn't really work that well.