Moving to Nashville area (Chattanooga, Murfreesboro: home, employment, good schools)

[bigbenny123]

By looking at your post I would definetly think that you would be much more well suited in the eastern tenn. area. If I had to pick a specific spot, I would say Maryville. It is a nice small town with Knoxville about 15 minutes to the north and Townsend and the Smoky Mountain National Park no more than 20 min. The school system is the best in the state and the people there are very friendly. There is every activity there that you listed in your post and many more. I just moved there and it is awsome.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by bigbenny123

By looking at your post I would definetly think that you would be much more well suited in the eastern tenn. area. If I had to pick a specific spot, I would say Maryville. It is a nice small town with Knoxville about 15 minutes to the north and Townsend and the Smoky Mountain National Park no more than 20 min. The school system is the best in the state and the people there are very friendly. There is every activity there that you listed in your post and many more. I just moved there and it is awsome.

Maryville has the best school system in the state? Based on what? The people in Oak Ridge probably have a more legitimate claim to that title.

[tn06]

Originally Posted by wellkids

Hi Kim,

Murfreesboro is a wonderful place to raise a family! With the local university and growing population, we have become a very diversified city and everyone feels welcome here. There seems to be a large rush of people leaving CA and coming to TN! My clients from San Diego seem to be extremely happy to be here. They must think the people are friendly and accepting of Californians because his father and mother-in-law are both going to move here. We are looking for his Dad now. I also had another couple view one of my listings last week from LA ~ she said she couldn't wait to get out of CA. Had two others, one from LA and the other from La Jolla. What's going on out there??

The community of Murfreesboro is very middle class and family oriented. The parents here are very involved with their children. We have numerous dance schools offering everything from Pointe Ballet to jazz and hip-hop, sports arenas of every kind, children's museum, plays, music and drama, and almost everything else a "major" city would have...yet we are still a relatively small town although growing rapidly. We just got Reese Performing Arts Academy last year that offers everything from Music Maestro for infants, theatrical performance for children, to fencing.

Every type of religious belief has an outlet here, and social clubs abound. People here are very friendly and sometimes it takes a little while for people moving here to get used to that. My aunt could not get over standing in line at Kroger's to buy groceries and a "total stranger" just started chatting with her about what she was buying and how was her day. People don't mean to be nosey, they are just friendly.

A lot of our neighborhoods are very social as well. Many will have their own little Halloween parades, Fourth of July parties, etc. for the kids. Families here trick-or-treat together. In my neighborhood a lot of the homes will serve "treats" to the moms and dads that are walking with their children. Everyone tends to look out for everyone else's children too ~ it takes a village to raise a child seems to ring true here. As my oldest son will tell you, parents didn't have a problem calling to report a situation they witnessed if he was doing something he shouldn't be doing!

However, we lived in Brentwood for several years and it is an awesome place to live also! There is a BIG difference between Murfreesboro and Brentwood. Brentwood is definitely a white collar, high-end community with a lot of turn over due to executives being transferred in and out of the city so frequently. As far as education and income level of the residents, there is no other city in TN like Brentwood. Due to the extremely lucrative tax base in Brentwood, they also have, in my opinion, the BEST schools in the state. That being said, Murfreesboro also has excellent schools. Brentwood just has so much extra cash on hand through parent donations and taxes that it is hard for any system to compete with that! Shopping, shopping, shopping is everywhere in Brentwood and every type of luxury is within a few minutes drive. Brentwood has gorgeous homes on large lots, rolling hills, and trees. Murfreesboro has gorgeous homes on small lots, flat acreage with few trees. Brentwood is going to start around $400,000 and quickly go up, and up, and up. Murfreesboro is gong to start in the low 100's with an extremely nice home for $300,000 and a "Parade of Homes" home for $400-450,000.

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My suspicions were confirmed.
Wellkids is a realtor.

[Oklatraveler]

Wellkids~I would like to ask you a question. What area would you suggest for a 22 yr old female moving to the Nasvhille area, just getting started on her own? More than likely she will be working in Nashville so she doesn't want a long commute. Of course looking for a safe area of town with easy access to the highway. Her sister lives in Murfreesboro but I think she is wanting something a little bit closer. She probably won't be able to afford much more than $650 a month max.

Of course she would like to buy a house but that may be out of the quesiton at least until she gets established with a job.

Any suggestions on the area she should look? She was thinking maybe Smyrna or LaVergne.

Thanks in advance!

[gamaray]

Pam,
Moving from the left coast to TN will certainly be an interesting experience.
You will find excellent value in real estate. I would recommend middle TN, since the eastern half of the state is in higher elevations (potential for ice/snow). Our seasons are as equally divided as you can get, with beautiful Springs/Falls. Summers hot. Winters mild. I own a snow shovel, but have not seen it in several years. I play golf all year.
We moved to Dickson (great schools,40 minutes to Nashville, my wife comutes) 20 years ago from Cleveland,OH. Everything takes 20% longer to do here. (it is just a slower pace) You will not believe how friendly the people are.
I have a sister who lives in Redwood City and would kill to live here if not for family ties.
God's Blessings

[scrammy]

Thank you gamaray! It is very encouraging to hear that the seasons are so wonderful, I'm really looking forward to seeing them all! Here in SoCal it's pretty much summer all the time - with scattered, and sometimes torrential, rains which manage to catch the masses off guard. My mother is worried about the humidity, how bad is it? Can you compre it to anything we might know here in SoCal?

Also, I'm encouraged that you've noted Dickson County as having great schools, which cities/towns in Dickson would you say have the best schools?

I'm already getting a great feeling for the friendliness of the people in out there in TN, everyone seems so willing to offer help and guidance which reminds me a lot of Northern California where I went to high school.

Many warm thanks to you again gamaray!

Originally Posted by gamaray

Pam,
Moving from the left coast to TN will certainly be an interesting experience.
You will find excellent value in real estate. I would recommend middle TN, since the eastern half of the state is in higher elevations (potential for ice/snow). Our seasons are as equally divided as you can get, with beautiful Springs/Falls. Summers hot. Winters mild. I own a snow shovel, but have not seen it in several years. I play golf all year.
We moved to Dickson (great schools,40 minutes to Nashville, my wife comutes) 20 years ago from Cleveland,OH. Everything takes 20% longer to do here. (it is just a slower pace) You will not believe how friendly the people are.
I have a sister who lives in Redwood City and would kill to live here if not for family ties.
God's Blessings

[gamaray]

Scrammy,
I must admit that it does get humid here. We also have something called bugs. My sister's son-in-law was here a couple years ago. He had never been east of the Rockies his entire life. That was when I learned that they don't have screens in windows in San Fran. I had as hard a time imagining that, as him never seeing a lightning bug before.
Dickson County has 4 cities/towns with schools. Dickson, Burns, Charlotte(county seat), VanLeer.(listed in order of size). Two high schools, one in Dickson and a new(5yrs old) one in Charlotte. For my money I'm living in Dickson. Burns second.(both have better access to I-40). Dickson has all the shopping Wmart-Kroger-K-mart-Lowes etc). We find ourselves going to Nashville for very little. (except, of course, for Titans, Predators, Sounds games)
There are also 3 outstanding golf courses in Dickson.
Hope this helps

[gtf1]

Originally Posted by scrammy

My mother is worried about the humidity, how bad is it? Can you compre it to anything we might know here in SoCal?

Scrammy, I freeze when I'm in SoCal in 70 degree weather because it feels so different than 70 here in MidTn. Summers here are unbearable at times if you don't like really hot sticky weather. Also, are you aware that middle Tennessee sits in the Cumberland Basin and has major implications for anyone with breathing problems like asthma or allergies because the air does not circulate here as well as other places. Many people develop allergies soon after moving here also. Not trying to be the unwelcome committee, just thought I'd throw that out to you since you have small ones.

Other than that, MidTn is an excellent place to live. I just wanted to make sure you knew about the air quality here because it can make you miserable if you are susceptible to it. Research it for yourself if you have reason to be concerned. From what I hear, east is better because you are out of the bowl we sit in here.

[gtf1]

Originally Posted by gtf1

Also, are you aware that middle Tennessee sits in the Cumberland Basin and has major implications for anyone with breathing problems like asthma or allergies because the air does not circulate here as well as other places. Many people develop allergies soon after moving here also.

Here are two articles you might want to check out that kinda explain the air quality issue we have here. You may not currently have allergies but could very well have them here.

Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed
Bob Dylan News on Yahoo! Music (http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/19618082 - broken link)

We are the #2 place for respiratory infections and the second article explains the physical symptoms people get here including musicians who record and live here.

Again, it is a great place to live but it has an issue you need to consider if you have small ones with asthma or are sick alot. East or west of MidTn seem to be fine.

[kmommy3]

[quote=wellkids;46659]Hi,

I am a realtor and native Middle Tennessean. I currently live in Rutherford County/Murfreesboro, TN and moved here from Williamson County, Brentwood and Franklin, TN.

If you can afford the housing, Williamson County is EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT for schools. Beautiful, beautiful area with rolling hills and gorgeous homes.

If housing price is an issue, consider Rutherford County and Murfreesboro City Schools. Great schools and houses are much more affordable (more middle class). There are luxury homes in Murfreesboro ~ but they are the exception. In Williamson County and Brentwood Luxury Estate are the "norm" versus the exception.