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We're recent transplants to Nashville, early-30s professional couple, no kids but plan to start a family soon. We're socially liberal and enjoy being around a good mix of personalities. Like most, we want to live in an area reflective of our income bracket (don't want to be surrounded by cars up on blocks in the front yard or, conversely, absurdly large trophy homes). My first appt with real estate agent is this week and she has mentioned some developments in Nolensville and Mt. Juliet that might satisfy our wish list, which is:
-- good schools
-- non-ranch style home at least 2/2 pref 3/2
-- pref craftsman or other interesting style construction (not tract home)
-- lots of natural light (usually rules out attached homes like townhomes, condos)
-- within 30-45 minute drive of Murfreesboro
-- within 20-30 minutes of downtown Nashville
-- walkable amenities would be amazing but for our $250k budget I'm not expecting much.
What are the stereotypes of Mt. Juliet and Nolensville?
I've driven down Nolensville Rd to the historic section (?) of No'ville, but it didn't seem up to much. It looks like nothing is there. Have I missed something? Is the popular reason to live in No'ville because it's a cheaper alternative to Brentwood/Franklin with the benefit of Williamson Co schools or does it have more to offer in its own right?
I have never been to Mt. Juliet. What is its stereotype (whether real or perceived)? I would appreciate it if I could get direct, honest answers b/c I don't want to regret buying there and find out later the area isn't a fit for me. It's impossible for me to figure out what a place is like by just driving around.
Which of these two places is less conservative?
We are not exactly suburban types but have been priced out of urban areas we like. It looks like we'll be in the suburbs but we'd still like an area that feels vital or interesting, not sleepy. Recommendations?
What's wrong with Franklin? Here are some houses in your price range. You're going to have a hard time finding an "interesting style" of construction in the area in that price range. I, too, was a bit disappointed at the tract homes which are prevalent but it's probably 90% of the housing stock in that price range.
There aren't a lot of neighborhoods that are walkable . . some beautiful old bungalow type houses within walking distance of downtown Franklin but VERY sought after and therefore pricey.
Is the popular reason to live in No'ville because it's a cheaper alternative to Brentwood/Franklin with the benefit of Williamson Co schools or does it have more to offer in its own right?
Yes.
Nolensville is TINY, fewer than 6,000 people. It is a mix of longtime country folks and transplants, or those who don't want to pay B'wood/Franklin prices but don't want Spring Hill. I will add, though, that homes in Nolensville are not exactly cheap. It does have a town festival and is trying to preserve its small yet quaint town center.
Mt. Juliet has always been a smallish country town. The growth has come from the interstate-area Providence Marketplace chain-based explosion of retail.
Because the growth of both areas is fairly new, I honestly can't think of a true stereotype. They just don't have any real entrenched quirks to make fun of. Not that I would.
I would say Mt. Juliet is more conservative.
I think you should keep an open mind and not let architecture preferences rule your search.
If schools really are your first priority, I would settle in Nolensville because the staff at Nolensville Elementary there, from the principal down, is really truly great.
CountryGirl, I think you're right that we'll have to look at tract homes since they make up so much of the inventory in our price range. Franklin would be ok but it seems we could only afford way outskirts, which puts us far from downtown Nashville and it didn't look like that great a commute to the Boro. (DH said M'boro Rd leading to 840 was narrow and windey when he drove it once. Took him an hour to get to the Factory from his office.) But it's on our list for a closer look because Franklin itself is great.
TNEC, I am concerned about fitting in (i.e., liking the place) because we want to settle in for quite a while. Resale value is a concern too, naturally. I'd like to move into an area on the upswing.
Wms4Life - As much as I don't like to hear it, your advice to overlook architecture is right. It's hard to let it go! Also, was your "yes" to the first part of my question or the second?
Are the Nolensville schools very good? I don't assume so simply b/c they're in Williamson County, as the demographics in No'ville are quite different from those of Franklin/B'wood.
We're recent transplants to Nashville, early-30s professional couple, no kids but plan to start a family soon. We're socially liberal and enjoy being around a good mix of personalities. Like most, we want to live in an area reflective of our income bracket (don't want to be surrounded by cars up on blocks in the front yard or, conversely, absurdly large trophy homes). My first appt with real estate agent is this week and she has mentioned some developments in Nolensville and Mt. Juliet that might satisfy our wish list, which is:
-- good schools
-- non-ranch style home at least 2/2 pref 3/2
-- pref craftsman or other interesting style construction (not tract home)
-- lots of natural light (usually rules out attached homes like townhomes, condos)
-- within 30-45 minute drive of Murfreesboro
-- within 20-30 minutes of downtown Nashville
-- walkable amenities would be amazing but for our $250k budget I'm not expecting much.
What are the stereotypes of Mt. Juliet and Nolensville?
I've driven down Nolensville Rd to the historic section (?) of No'ville, but it didn't seem up to much. It looks like nothing is there. Have I missed something? Is the popular reason to live in No'ville because it's a cheaper alternative to Brentwood/Franklin with the benefit of Williamson Co schools or does it have more to offer in its own right?
I have never been to Mt. Juliet. What is its stereotype (whether real or perceived)? I would appreciate it if I could get direct, honest answers b/c I don't want to regret buying there and find out later the area isn't a fit for me. It's impossible for me to figure out what a place is like by just driving around.
Which of these two places is less conservative?
We are not exactly suburban types but have been priced out of urban areas we like. It looks like we'll be in the suburbs but we'd still like an area that feels vital or interesting, not sleepy. Recommendations?
Many thanks.
Nolensville is a small small town that is just now starting to see suburban development. As far as the "historic" section...it's not going to look like the town squares of the county seats in the area (i.e. Franklin, Murfreesboro, Lebanon, Columbia, or even Springfield). It has existed for more than 200 years...but until very, very recently, it was just a country village. Now the town has about 5,000 people, and is primarily residential. I expect it to grow pretty rapidly in the next couple of decades (much like Mount Juliet has).
Nolensville's main draw is location. Although it is not particularly close to an interstate, it is between Franklin, Brentwood, Nashville, La Vergne, and Smyrna, all of which have seen rapid growth in recent years. For now, at least, it's relatively easy to access these areas (most of which are major employment or shopping areas) yet still be in a relatively rural or sub-suburban setting (there are several neighborhoods in the area, but not wall-to-wall development like in some of the aforementioned places). On top of this, Nolensville is in Williamson County, which has prestigious schools and the property values that follow.
And for the time being, I don't imagine Nolensville developing any multi-unit housing (condos/townhomes, etc).
As for Mount Juliet, 20-25 years ago, it was in the same boat as Nolensville...just a tiny town. Now it has about 25,000 residents, as well as a good sized shopping center. What you'll find with both is that most houses are new construction. Some of it is cookie cutter, but generally the towns are desirable enough where the quality is a bit better than what you will find in some places.
Neither are walkable, and neither are going to satisfy the desire for more "interesting" construction. Both are about the same as far as how politically conservative they are. Both are quite conservative (not that social liberals cannot be found -- but in that category, you may be better off in a larger suburb).
I think the stereotypes would be very conservative, religious, middle-to-upper middle class, family-friendly, good schools, suburban to nearly rural, and having a very high growth rate.
To tell you the truth, every criteria you mentioned points to Nashville rather than one of its suburbs...though $250k in a nicer area and finding schools that would satisfy you might be pushing it.
It's hard to let it go! Also, was your "yes" to the first part of my question or the second?
The first part.
Are the Nolensville schools very good? I don't assume so simply b/c they're in Williamson County, as the demographics in No'ville are quite different from those of Franklin/B'wood.
There really is only one school "in" Nolensville, the elementary school. Well, I guess Sunset Elementary and Middle are technically in the city also, but they are close to the Brentwood city limits. Yes, as I said, the staff at Nolensville elem is excellent, and parents are very involved. The typical school feeding pattern there is N'ville Elem/Sunset Middle/Ravenwood High. Sunset Middle is about 60% N'ville kids/40% Brentwood kids.
I wouldn't say the demographics are very different from b'wood and Franklin. N'ville Elem has 11% economically disadvantaged compared to 8.5% at Lipscomb in B'wood, where we are zoned, 8% at Hunters Bend in Franklin and 2.6% at Scales in B'wood, 1% at Edmondson in B'wood. N'ville Elem still is 85% white, with slightly more Asian students than AA, so that statistic is about the same.
In 2014 the county will open a high school in Nolensville, and zones will change. But the elementary and middle schools are very good.
Last edited by BirdieBelle; 07-11-2012 at 03:47 PM..
Reason: typo
I've lived in Mt. Juliet for the last decade. "Family-friendly suburbia, almost to a fault" would be a good description for it.
Plainly speaking, the stereotypical grownup here is a white Christian conservative-leaner with kids in school. The Christian/conservative factors are generally not in-your-face on a personal level; in the 10+ years I've been here, I've been asked maybe twice about church and never about my politics, but that might be a function of the type of people we like to hang out with and the fact that I don't wear those things on my sleeve myself. It may be too red-state to be perfect for you, but I'm having a hard time thinking of any decent suburban area around Nashville where this wouldn't be true.
There are way more didn't-grow-up-here people than there used to be (the population has more than doubled in the last 10-15 years), so it's not like the social networks are impenetrable, particularly once you have kids and get into the school-and-sports thing. A friend who recently moved back home to western New York (they'd moved here for a job in the first place) was socially liberal and didn't have trouble making friends here. As with most places, people tend to get what they give.
From the "walkable amenities" mention I'm guessing you were pointed toward the Providence developments in south MJ, which is a nice area and has a few pockets of new-urban in it. Providence will have more transplants and new-to-the-area people, relatively speaking, so you would probably find the mix there more interesting than in other parts of town.
I live in Mt. Juliet now (almost by accident, but that's another story).
'Conservative' doesn't begin to describe Mt. Juliet -- or even Middle Tennessee outside of Nashville. This area has officially jumped the shark politically. The mayor here in Mt. Juliet is actively recruiting an unnamed 'megachurch' to locate here and erect a gigantic cross on the side of the interstate so that everyone who passes by will know 'Mt. Juliet's values.' Apparently, those of us with different values who live here aren't really part of Mt. Juliet.
I've written many times here about this not being the same Tennessee in which I was raised.
If religious and cultural/social conservatism aren't your cup of tea, stick with the city. There's simply no escaping that stuff in the suburbs -- and it doesn't matter whether it's Mt. Juliet, Nolensville, Hendersonville, Franklin, or Brentwood. Right wing craziness spans the economic classes and knows no town boundary in Middle Tennessee suburbia.
That's the straight dope from a religious and cultural/social progressive.
Good luck with your search.
Last edited by JMT; 07-12-2012 at 03:35 PM..
Reason: Let's not refer to a political ideology as wingnuttery.
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