Hardin Valley vs Farragut (Northshore Drive) (Knoxville, Oak Ridge: renting, credit, new home)

[Needjah]

We are new to Knoxville, TN and are looking to make a home purchase. Prior to Knoxville we lived on Amelia Island in Florida and before that, Peachtree City, GA. We loved PTC. Amelia Island was pretty, but seemed more for retired people. That city shut down very early. Not much to do and no where to go outside of the beach. (I did enjoy the shrimp festival though)

Currently we are renting at Greystone Summit in Hardin Valley. It seems like a nice up and coming area. We looked at homes in The Covered Bridge and The Glen at Hardin Valley. Very nice homes where the builders paid attention to detail. A little hesitant to spend that kind of $ in an area that isn't all that established with farms as neighbors.

Also interested in Farragut and the Northshore Drive area. Very pretty, and I love Turkey Creek! We hear Bearden is nice as well, but not quite sure where it is. LOL

New construction is a MUST! The ideal situation would be to find a spec home where we can still customize things like flooring. We would like to be under contract by the end of the month to be able to take advantage of the tax credit.

Any advice for us newbies is greatly appreciated! We can use all the help and advice we can get!

[hiknapster]

If you follow Kingston Pike towards the city, just past the West Town mall you will come into Bearden. It is mostly older homes. There is an area there that has beautiful old-money mansions that sits on the TN River. That is Sequoyah. I love Bearden and that area. Northshore Drive starts in Bearden, goes through Rocky Hill and then into Concord and so on.

Anyway, it sounds like the areas that you are looking in are great! Truly, you can't go wrong.

[piedmont]

OP: Do you have any commuting needs?

Areas in Hardin Valley like Covered Bridge are quite convenient to Oak Ridge/ORNL (you can even go the back way to the west gate and skip a lot of traffic). Northshore area is a bit of a commute to Oak Ridge, sometimes even to downtown, depending on where you are.

Northshore is closer to more established businesses and possibly more convenient to Turkey Creek---again, it depends on where. Bearden is just west of Sequoyah Hills. Probably not as likely to find a new home there.

[Needjah]

There are no real requirements regarding the commute. As long as we have access to the various expressways we will be good!

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Needjah

There are no real requirements regarding the commute. As long as we have access to the various expressways we will be good!

I think you are fine with that, too. As you know, being in Hardin Valley you have great access, but if you go to Farragut, Concord, Bluegrass, etc. you will still have good access because of I-140, too.

But I think that Hardin Valley is very up-and-coming. The new high school is all the rage, right now. I think the surrounding farmland is charming, although I don't know how long it will actually last.

And of course, Turkey Creek is fabulous and it is about 20 minutes to downtown Knoxville to catch a show, or what have you.

[piedmont]

I'd add that for this area, Hardin Valley is probably beyond up and coming. It is already considered a nice suburban area with good schools.

The farms will probably be mostly gone within a decade or so

[oldmanbob]

Hey Needjah, you actually have to be under contract by end of april and close in 2 months. Most builders are eager to still work and if you find one mostly complete, not hard to make changes as they are willing to do anything to make work. The upscale in Covered Bridge are nice, and I know personally most of the builders, and they will work to bring to your satisfaction.

[UT lover]

I would settle in Farragut. The schools are AWESOME despite they being old. Hardin Valley is nice but it is much farther away than Farragut from shopping centers and other businesses. Hardin Valley schools are new but the demographics aren't better than Farragut, because you still have lower income areas such as Karns which is partly zoned for Hardin Valley High School. Hardin Valley High School is very crowded now and it is over the capacity. Also Farragut is a much more established town with its own mayor and board, who carefully zone everything and you will find TONS of green spaces/parks everywhere. It is much more community oriented. As for Bearden, most houses are older and the schools are very good but slightly worse than Farragut.

[weisgarber1]

Originally Posted by UT lover

Hardin Valley High School is very crowded now and it is over the capacity.

Wrong, it is not over its capacity, although it might be soon, or more likely, it will level off. Any overcrowding would be alleviated by adjusting attendance zones. A new school in that area won't fly politically, anytime soon.