I wanna move to Tennessee and in need of advice.. (for sale, HOA)

[ShastaBell]

First: I only want to move to eastern Tennessee... as far north as the line and as far south as just before Chattanoga; as far west as the time change, east right along NC border.

Second: there just me; in my early 60's. I'm not retired and won't be for a few more years.

Third: I would like to purchase my own place, but I don't have much money and even tho I pay my bills and all, I have a scratch on my credit.
I need a place big enough for one or two people with about 1/2 acrea. Preferably no trailers.

Fourth: I am self employed, in fact, I need a place where I can continue my business at my place. So, there will be a zoning thing.

Fifth: I'm not comfortable in the city or even being too close to town.

Any ideas of where to look?

Thanks and your help is much appreciated!

[FLORIDA TO NIOTA 2010]

Originally Posted by thinknonmountains

First: I only want to move to eastern Tennessee... as far north as the line and as far south as just before Chattanoga; as far west as the time change, east right along NC border.

Second: there just me; in my early 60's. I'm not retired and won't be for a few more years.

Third: I would like to purchase my own place, but I don't have much money and even tho I pay my bills and all, I have a scratch on my credit.
I need a place big enough for one or two people with about 1/2 acrea. Preferably no trailers.

Fourth: I am self employed, in fact, I need a place where I can continue my business at my place. So, there will be a zoning thing.

Fifth: I'm not comfortable in the city or even being too close to town.

Any ideas of where to look?

Thanks and your help is much appreciated!

WOW, that's a big area. Ok so you don't want to live in the city, you don't need a job. And by your name you don't want mountains. But you do want Eastern TN, that part we got. There are quite a few mountains in Eastern TN, the closer you go to NC there will be more mountains. Now we just need to find out a few more things:
Do you have any hobbies?
Price range and size with 1/2 acre? I know you said big enough for 1-2 people, but that could be from 800sqft to 2,000sqft or bigger. Everyone's opinion is different.
Are you looking for New, old, handman special?
In a development or not?
HOA or not?
Cold or colder in the winter?

We have a lot of very helpful people on this forum, if they get enough info.
Good luck in your house hunting.

[ShastaBell]

I DO want to live in the mountains. I 'm sorry for the misunderstanding. I was trying to do thinkn'on mountains, didn't quite come out that way.


PRICE RANGE: below $75,000

I'm not much on property demensions, but, I like space.

OLD, NEW, HANDIMAN: I like older houses. Some fixup is ok, but not structural or real involved.

preferably not in a developement. It's bad enough working out of home without dealing with a list of do's and dont's

I'm sorry but I don't know what HOA means

Thanks and hopefully maybe this will help you to help me!

[FLORIDA TO NIOTA 2010]

Oh sorry I took it as "think non mountains". HOA is home onwers association, but if you don't want a development I'm sure that you don't want HOA either. What about winter cold or colder? I don't know where you are coming from so maybe cold and colder really isn't that to you. Southeast TN doesn't get quite as cold as Northeast TN and it doesn't snow as much if at all. I'm sure that someone can come up with something, if you can narrow it a little for us. Like your favorite area to your least favorite area.

[ShastaBell]

I had replied some hours ago, but I don't see it. O well, me and tech are still learning!

as far a winter goes, it isn't going to be much of a problem, I've lived in much colder climates most of my life.

Since I don't know too much about Tenn, but am near it, I know that the eastern part is about the only place that interests me. I love the mountains. I also love my peace and quiet and not intimated by living out a little ways. I've been around bears, deer, wolves, what not, even moose and understand them.

I would like an area where I can (Have my cake and eat it too)live off the beaten path and yet not so far that my customers won't come. I have a greenhouse business. One thing I realy don't want is close neighbors. I know I sound like a hermit but I just don't like being around how others live, especially if they have animals. It's not that all people are bad, but, well, I just like (my cake) my peace and quite.

thanks for helping!

[RamblinRoseRanch]

Soooo... in summary.... you want to live far out enough to be off the beaten path, yet you still want to be close enough to have customers come to your greenhouse. You want to be in the country where you can legally operate the greenhouse (check zoning on this) but not have close neighbors or people with animals. Good luck with that.

Even if your neighbors don't have livestock, the chances of them not having a dog or cat out in the country are slim to none. And if you're wanting enough acreage to not have neighbors at all, I hope you have deep pockets as well.

Oh, and you want it all for under 75,000.

[ShastaBell]

ah yeah... ok, I'll have to shelve the 1800's and get back into the 2000's, but, a lot of people do the impossible.

I guess... I could live with an acre of land or so and put up signs for dogs and cats about not pooping on my property or at least leave their own signs so I don't step/slip on the stuff. Also for the cats to go to the catnip plants that I set out for them and leave the others alone. I can tell two footed ones that they cannot take whatever they please just because they live nearby and that I'm kinda busy and for them to look up their own info on this and that. I guess I can manage that. But I still like the country....I don't think that living right on 40 or 75 would be a good idea, nor would I get much business tho..and people do seek out a business ( alright, not way out in the woods)

[ShastaBell]

What I really worry about, is people making a mess out of THEIR property and I have to look at it. If I have enough land so that I can plant trees around the boundary, hopefully, that will take care of the problem. Also, I love animals, but many people don't take care of THEIRS. They leave the poor things tied up day in and day out and they come home and push the animal away (or kick it) and I have to see all this. Also, especially if they have small dogs, the animals yip and yap constantly because they should not be left alone and outside all day , to boot. I spend a lot of time outdoors. I don't feel like I want to listen to that or listen to my neighbors fight about the kids or who they just got caught sleeping with or worse yet... a poor women getting beaten. Or... people both teens and adults having drugs that they sell or parties.Then eventually there is a drug bust and blue light specials all over the place. All this sounds like a lower class stuff, but it isn't.. it's in every social circle.

People have a right to live they way the want, I understand that. But not near me, please. I don't know how to get around it. If a neighbor seems alright when I buy my place and then he/she starts trashing it, it will affect my business. If a custormer get out his/her car and the neighbor dog comes over to greet them, that doesn't set well. And God forbid if the neighbors have a pit bull!
Most of these states have a leash law, but, there are still dogs roaming around

That's why I don't want to be close to others. There must be some place for me, without spending a small (large) fortune. I'm sure others feel the same way.. I can't possibly be the only one.

[FLORIDA TO NIOTA 2010]

This is a tough one. That description will take a while to find unless you are willing to bend on several of your needs, especially if you want to stay fairly close to town for your business. You might have to plant hedge trees around you property to block your neighbors.
To be away from everybody you would really need a lot more acreage. And like RRR said that's a lot more $. For that price with more property you're looking at a house that needs a lot more work. I have noticed that lots in TN tend to be long and narrow (like 100x300) not usually square. A parcel of 1/2 acre (about 200x200 if square) isn't really very big so you probably will have neighbors and they probably will have animals. Usually people move to the country so they can have animals (dogs, cats, horses, cows, chickens, etc). If you do find one that meets your needs and price, you better jump on it quick. Because it won't last long. Just keep looking.

[yarddawg]

I'd suggest the first thing you do, before worrying about how close the neighbors are or whether you can buy land for 1975 prices, would be to research the density of greenhouses/nurseries in a few areas to see if there's room for ya. My part of the state is a major producer of nursery stock, mostly trees, shrubs and perennials, bare root and container, shipped all over the country as well as local sales and the wholesale source of a lot of big names. There are people in the county that joins mine to the west with greenhouses bigger than half an acre and over 100 acres of fields planted. And with the general reduction in landscaping due to the economy...... yeah, it would be kindof like going to Wall St. and trying to open a new brokerage right now. Not something you could really count on as a primary income when the big boys are dumping stuff at/below cost just to get it out of their greenhouses/fields. Bedding plants/spring vegetable starts have mostly been a loss-leader in this area for over a decade, can't compete pricewise with the stuff Lowes/Home Depot/Walmart/etc. ships in from the Gulf coast every spring if you're having to pay to heat your greenhouse.


You might also want to check the state regulations on raising plants for sale in Tennessee. TDA - Permits, Licenses & Regulatory Issues scroll down to the "Plant Certification" section, depending on what you're growing you may need several certifications.