Moving from southern ca to Brentwood ? (Franklin: renting, homes, school)

[Momtotom]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

Correct.

Thank you ! What about Ravenwood High, noticed that's also listed as a 10?

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by Momtotom

Thank you ! What about Ravenwood High, noticed that's also listed as a 10?

Yes, Ravenwood is an excellent school with lots of academic and extracurricular opportunity.

They are on opposite sides of town, with BHS being in a 40-year-old building that is in the older, more established side of town, while Ravenwood is on the newer side where there is still tons of homebuilding going on. There are some new builds in the BHS zone but its neighborhood growth comes mostly from turnover as empty-nesters sell to young families.

Ravenwood looks like the Taj Mahal compared to BHS (RHS was built in 2002), but both schools are great, and BHS actually edges Ravenwood in test scores. They both have excellent feeder elementary and middle schools and VERY active parent volunteer groups. All the schools here have that; the schools and their activities are a huge part of community life.

[Momtotom]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

Yes, Ravenwood is an excellent school with lots of academic and extracurricular opportunity.

They are on opposite sides of town, with BHS being in a 40-year-old building that is in the older, more established side of town, while Ravenwood is on the newer side where there is still tons of homebuilding going on. There are some new builds in the BHS zone but its neighborhood growth comes mostly from turnover as empty-nesters sell to young families.

Ravenwood looks like the Taj Mahal compared to BHS (RHS was built in 2002), but both schools are great, and BHS actually edges Ravenwood in test scores. They both have excellent feeder elementary and middle schools and VERY active parent volunteer groups. All the schools here have that; the schools and their activities are a huge part of community life.

Thank you, sounds great!

[Sunflower_gal]

Brentwood Middle and High campus is slated for renovation in the next 3-5 years (google: brentwood high school renovation for info). The Williamson County school board is already working with the county to obtain the necessary funding. These renovations would probably be complete before your oldest started kindergarten.

The school board is also starting talks for rezoning for the 2017-2018 year. This is the first district wide rezoning since 2010. There will be a new elementary school opening in Thompson Station in 2017 and a new east Brentwood elementary school in 2018 or 2019. Just some things to be aware of as the county continues to experience tremendous growth and new construction continues in Brentwood along Split Log Road.

[Pocketplayer]

I moved from So Cal (LA Area) to Williamson Country in 2009. Brentwood and Cool Springs in much like Valencia north of San Fernando Valley when their was the "white flight" out of the Valley to the next Valley in the late 80's. I found this area very compatible to So Cal in style and tone, but travel 10 miles any way and this is where life changes fast, like driving to UCLA in Brentwood out here and 20 miles to USC...dramatically different area!

Here's my take...you need to radically change your thinking regarding CA real estate and TN real estate. You are looking at the wealthiest area of TN. For $300k you can get a whole lot of house and land! Downsize and readjust your thinking unless money is not a concern for you.

The weather is a huge change as well. I got KILLED by ticks and chiggers...not as much an issue in a more "city" surrounding. The 2010 flood was interesting. Going from historic CA drought to 20 inches of rain in three days was intense. I love the weather in TN. I also got hit with a tornado.

In Brentwood saying you are from CA is no big deal, travel 10 miles in another direction and not such a good thing to mention. I asked a friend why and he said, "Don't bring your liberal thinking out here!" There is a Hollywood factor and fantasy about CA that almost sounds like, "So you think you're better than us?" I felt this and stopped telling people I was from So Cal (I lived in Fairview and Auburntown, the later very rural).

Family is different here. In So Cal you usually do not live near cousins and siblings, not so here. The more rural I went, the more family which meant I was an "outsider" In Auburntown, my neighbor lived on the hollow for 14 years and he was still a "foreigner"--this type of thinking is unheard of in So Cal. Friendly, but distant was what I felt. People do not socialize the same, especially in the smaller towns, it takes time to develop trust where in So Cal, you blend in quick. I had a mother tell me she did a sex offender check on me when I moved in. I don't blame her, but that is usual. Who is this guy? He's from CA? What is he doing here! That said, I met very nice people and some jerks as well. Animal care was different as well, especially with dogs. Dogs are family friends in CA, in TN, I saw some harsh treatment and experienced two terrible animal abuse issues, one involving horses nearby. Again, people love their animals in TN, but there are "hicks"--let's face it and "coon dogs" are to be left outside in a "trash can" dog house tipped to the side. I got in trouble trying to help my neighbor's dog thinking I would get praised when they left for three days (dog left outside in a winter storm w/no shelter and a tipped bucket of water. Again, WHO do YOU think you are?

Feel free to PM me for more...

[BirdieBelle]

Good warning on the ticks and chiggers. And the weather! You can have 4 seasons in one week here

To be fair though, Auburntown is about 50 miles away from Brentwood and a world apart. I actually do have a friend who grew up there, and it is about as big as one of Brentwood's city parks. Truly a wide spot in the road. I wanted to be sure the OP didn't come away thinking this kind of thing:

Originally Posted by Pocketplayer

Family is different here. In So Cal you usually do not live near cousins and siblings, not so here. The more rural I went, the more family which meant I was an "outsider" In Auburntown, my neighbor lived on the hollow for 14 years and he was still a "foreigner"--this type of thinking is unheard of in So Cal. Friendly, but distant was what I felt. People do not socialize the same, especially in the smaller towns, it takes time to develop trust where in So Cal, you blend in quick. I had a mother tell me she did a sex offender check on me when I moved in. I don't blame her, but that is usual. Who is this guy? He's from CA? What is he doing here! That said, I met very nice people and some jerks as well. Animal care was different as well, especially with dogs. Dogs are family friends in CA, in TN, I saw some harsh treatment and experienced two terrible animal abuse issues, one involving horses nearby. Again, people love their animals in TN, but there are "hicks"--let's face it and "coon dogs" are to be left outside in a "trash can" dog house tipped to the side. I got in trouble trying to help my neighbor's dog thinking I would get praised when they left for three days (dog left outside in a winter storm w/no shelter and a tipped bucket of water. Again, WHO do YOU think you are?

... is what life is like in Brentwood or most of Middle TN cities.

[Momtotom]

[quote=Pocketplayer;46884195]I moved from So Cal (LA Area) to Williamson Country in 2009. Brentwood and Cool Springs in much like Valencia north of San Fernando Valley when their was the "white flight" out of the Valley to the next Valley in the late 80's. I found this area very compatible to So Cal in style and tone, but travel 10 miles any way and this is where life changes fast, like driving to UCLA in Brentwood out here and 20 miles to USC...dramatically different area!

Here's my take...you need to radically change your thinking regarding CA real estate and TN real estate. You are looking at the wealthiest area of TN. For $300k you can get a whole lot of house and land! Downsize and readjust your thinking unless money is not a concern for you.

The weather is a huge change as well. I got KILLED by ticks and chiggers...not as much an issue in a more "city" surrounding. The 2010 flood was interesting. Going from historic CA drought to 20 inches of rain in three days was intense. I love the weather in TN. I also got hit with a tornado.

In Brentwood saying you are from CA is no big deal, travel 10 miles in another direction and not such a good thing to mention. I asked a friend why and he said, "Don't bring your liberal thinking out here!" There is a Hollywood factor and fantasy about CA that almost sounds like, "So you think you're better than us?" I felt this and stopped telling people I was from So Cal (I lived in Fairview and Auburntown, the later very rural).

Family is different here. In So Cal you usually do not live near cousins and siblings, not so here. The more rural I went, the more family which meant I was an "outsider" In Auburntown, my neighbor lived on the hollow for 14 years and he was still a "foreigner"--this type of thinking is unheard of in So Cal. Friendly, but distant was what I felt. People do not socialize the same, especially in the smaller towns, it takes time to develop trust where in So Cal, you blend in quick. I had a mother tell me she did a sex offender check on me when I moved in. I don't blame her, but that is usual. Who is this guy? He's from CA? What is he doing here! That said, I met very nice people and some jerks as well. Animal care was different as well, especially with dogs. Dogs are family friends in CA, in TN, I saw some harsh treatment and experienced two terrible animal abuse issues, one involving horses nearby. Again, people love their animals in TN, but there are "hicks"--let's face it and "coon dogs" are to be left outside in a "trash can" dog house tipped to the side. I got in trouble trying to help my neighbor's dog thinking I would get praised when they left for three days (dog left outside in a winter storm w/no shelter and a tipped bucket of water. Again, WHO do YOU think you are?


Wow , thanks. That's definitely a lot to think about . The weather I can definitely handle , but I am hoping to meet some welcoming and nice people.

[Momtotom]

Originally Posted by Wmsn4Life

Good warning on the ticks and chiggers. And the weather! You can have 4 seasons in one week here

To be fair though, Auburntown is about 50 miles away from Brentwood and a world apart. I actually do have a friend who grew up there, and it is about as big as one of Brentwood's city parks. Truly a wide spot in the road. I wanted to be sure the OP didn't come away thinking this kind of thing:



... is what life is like in Brentwood or most of Middle TN cities.

Thanks. Do you think it will be less of a culture shock in Brentwood? Right now I think Franklin and Brentwood are my top two choices to look at.

[Momtotom]

So can any locals tell me , is religion a huge deal ? Do people push Jesus on you a lot ? We wouldnt be joining a church at all .

[BirdieBelle]

Originally Posted by Momtotom

Thanks. Do you think it will be less of a culture shock in Brentwood?

Yes.

Brentwood is nothing like California, but it's definitely not the country either.

As the previous poster said, you don't have to go far to find the country, with hollers and dogs running around and folks maybe asking, "You're not from around here, are you?" But Franklin and Brentwood are just typical affluent Southern suburbs.

This short drone video I found shows a little bit of the city's main office park, Maryland Farms (when cars are actually moving on Maryland Way!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=659Dns4hekM