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It's been awhile since I looked into TN last so things have changed but this is what we'll be looking for when it's time to move:
3 or 4 bed 2 bath with hardwood floors & central air for less than $155k in a safe, walkable neighborhood.
Strong home school community. Currently we drive anywhere from 45-90 minutes each way for group meetings, classes and events.
My husband is currently pursuing an Associates in Criminal Justice, and will be completing his BS transition in the same at the end of his coursework. He would prefer an armed security position or federal/state type security position primarily because it's what he's familiar with and enjoys. He doesn't want to be a civilian LEO but other than that is rather open otherwise.
I am a licensed massage therapist. By the time we are ready to move I will have gained additional training and certification in Thai bodywork, myofascial etc. Obviously as a new transplant I will be looking for a spa, studio or similar position, and ideally we would be in a market area where I can average 21-25 billable hours per week.
Our oldest is dealing with moderate functioning aspergers and a neurological issue that thankfully only requires annual CAT scans. So being within 2 hours each way of a pediatric neuro program or childrens hospital would be ideal. Since any and all head-to-surface contact requires at the least a neuro consult and usually an MRI or CAT scan, a hospital that doesn't shut down the radiology lab at 5 p.m. and on weekends within 20-30 minutes drive is essential.
Weather, almost forgot. I hate, despise, and want to minimalize my exposure to snow. I know, it's TN, there are mountains etc. But I'm hoping to avoid the seeming six to seven months of cold, grey, miserable yuck I've dealt with for my whole life here in Indiana. Perfect situation would be snow that lasts a couple days at most and doesn't totally shut down entire electric grids for weeks. BTDT don't care to ever deal with it again. I have good insurance but filing a claim and getting $ to replace my normal months worth of meat storage is a huge PITA.
Sorry for the book. Trying to be super-clear and give the full picture.
You can definitely get a home for that price, very good homeschool community with various groups to choose from, possible federal security job over in Oak Ridge and excellent spas in the West Knox area, children's hospital and we have very little snow.
At the most we might have a couple of inches that lasts a day, but it usually is less than one inch and lasts a couple of hours. I'm originally from up north and we have nice seasons here which are spaced out, so winter turns out to be a few months, really, compared to the northern climes. I love it!
That's wild. Knoxville seems to draw my attention every time I think about looking at TN lately. Kid you not my #2 most frequent search on Realtor.com is for homes in/near Knoxville. The sheer size makes me a bit nervous coming from a town of 10k 9 months out of the year 3k the rest of the time to a town CD says has over 185,100 people. Hubby has done it before but the closest I've come is living on the outter edge of Indianapolis for six months about 9 years ago.
That's wild. Knoxville seems to draw my attention every time I think about looking at TN lately. Kid you not my #2 most frequent search on Realtor.com is for homes in/near Knoxville. The sheer size makes me a bit nervous coming from a town of 10k 9 months out of the year 3k the rest of the time to a town CD says has over 185,100 people. Hubby has done it before but the closest I've come is living on the outter edge of Indianapolis for six months about 9 years ago.
Maybe this will help. I come from a town of 12,000. I lived there for 34 years. And it was not on the edge of a big metro area, either. I was about 25 minutes from a city about the size of Knoxville, and I don't mean METRO Knoxville but the small city of Knoxville.
In other words, I am use to living in Mayberry and being fairly isolated.
I lived in Florida for 10 years and that was VERY fast-paced and I didn't like it. Okay, I hated it. I felt shell-shocked by the time I left.
So we rented on the Knox Countly line when we moved here. Right on the Anderson County line. It was very rural but it was also only about 12 minutes to downtown. Well, Knoxville is such a small city and it has the feel of a large town, that when we bought it was in the city limits.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever live in a city but I love it here. My neighborhood looks just like the town I was born and raised in. And the people are even friendlier!
Thanks We are looking at coming down for the weekend around the middle of October. {earliest we can get away between dh's school and our commitments with the local farmers market}
It looks alot like Indy, at least online, afa size of the downtown/corporate center area and since I know Knoxville's MSA is 1/10th the population of Indianapolis-Marion County, I'm sure that's probably a trick of my own visual processing.
Any hotel & dining recommendations? I'm hoping to get away just the husband and I for the first visit but odds are we'll have all 3 kids with us as well.
What does the budget look like? What's the max you want to spend per night? And do you like old or new homes? If older, what decade? The reason I ask is that way I can find a hotel close to where you will be looking.
And you have to be careful because sometimes it is tough to get a room if there is a home game. On the away weekends it is much easier.
We're looking at $150/night maybe $165/night with taxes.
As far as age of home, I honestly have seen older homes that I loved and newer as well. I want 'normal' ceilings and new windows though. My dad's house is over a hundred and fifty years old and it's beautiful but the 20 foot ceilings and wood frame windows are two huge $$ burners utility wise just keeping it liveable let alone most peoples version of warm in winter and cool in summer. Central air is a must because of my oldest daughter's neurology issues.
That's a high threshold for hotels in our area. Even the Hilton is usually less, although it depends on the weekend. There is also a Hampton Inn downtown and one near my nieghborhood. It is considered the Hampton Inn North and is on Pratt Road. It is voted a Best Value by Trip Advisor. There are a lot of other hotels in that neighborhood, too, that are much less but in a good safe area. It is also an easy on and off for someone coming from Indiana down I-75. Hampton Inn Knoxville North (Knoxville, TN) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor
That's a high threshold for hotels in our area. Even the Hilton is usually less, although it depends on the weekend. There is also a Hampton Inn downtown and one near my nieghborhood. It is considered the Hampton Inn North and is on Pratt Road. It is voted a Best Value by Trip Advisor. There are a lot of other hotels in that neighborhood, too, that are much less but in a good safe area. It is also an easy on and off for someone coming from Indiana down I-75. Hampton Inn Knoxville North (Knoxville, TN) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor
We usually get hit hard with extra person fees and alot of hotels say they only allow 4 people per room even if 3 of them are children. I will be calling on Friday. made a list of the top for families on TripAdvisor and the top 3 that my dad can give me his airmiles for.
3 or 4 bed 2 bath with hardwood floors & central air for less than $155k in a safe, walkable neighborhood.
You can find this in several suburbs of Nashville...Mt. Juliet, Hendersonville, Goodlettville all come to mind. This website is the best for middle TN real estate if you decide you want to buy right away:
Strong home school community. Currently we drive anywhere from 45-90 minutes each way for group meetings, classes and events.
I don't know how strong Nashville's home school community is, but my wife is a teacher and she gets 5-6 formerly homeschooled children each year. So I'd guess it is pretty strong. I've only seen one "base" for homeschools but I'm sure there are more:
My husband is currently pursuing an Associates in Criminal Justice, and will be completing his BS transition in the same at the end of his coursework. He would prefer an armed security position or federal/state type security position primarily because it's what he's familiar with and enjoys. He doesn't want to be a civilian LEO but other than that is rather open otherwise.
There are loads of colleges in this area...which is why we're known as the "Athens of the South". It shouldn't be a problem finding a college to transfer credits to. I'd check at Middle TN State University. It is reasonably priced and located in Murfreesboro...about a 45 minute commute from Nashville. There are plenty of private schools in the area. As for finding a job in security...I'm not really sure what the job market looks like in that area.
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I am a licensed massage therapist. By the time we are ready to move I will have gained additional training and certification in Thai bodywork, myofascial etc. Obviously as a new transplant I will be looking for a spa, studio or similar position, and ideally we would be in a market area where I can average 21-25 billable hours per week.
Again, lots of spas in this area and in the suburbs I mentioned above too. I don't know about the hiring situation though.
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Our oldest is dealing with moderate functioning aspergers and a neurological issue that thankfully only requires annual CAT scans. So being within 2 hours each way of a pediatric neuro program or childrens hospital would be ideal. Since any and all head-to-surface contact requires at the least a neuro consult and usually an MRI or CAT scan, a hospital that doesn't shut down the radiology lab at 5 p.m. and on weekends within 20-30 minutes drive is essential.
Vanderbilt Children's Hospital is one of the best in the nation and located here in Nashville. You'd be 20-30 minutes away from it in all the major suburbs.
Nashville's biggest industry is healthcare with music being #2. There are lots of doctors, nurses, and hospitals in the area. If I had a child with special medical needs, I'd definitely feel comfortable living in this area with so many specialists.
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Weather, almost forgot. I hate, despise, and want to minimalize my exposure to snow.
We generally don't get too much snow in Tennessee so that probably won't be a major issue here. However, we do get cold weather. Some people seem to think that just because we're south of the Mason-Dixon line that winters are mild...they're not. We can get sustained days/weeks of 20-25 degree highs. And, yes, we do get snow. But generally it is gone within a few days and most years we only get 2-3 snows measuring 2 inches or more in Middle Tennessee. As you move east, the elevation increases and snowfall amounts usually do too.
We also dont' have the equipment to move snow like you're used to in IN. Consequently, a 5-6 inch snow will shut the city down. Power usually stays up, but no one navigates the roads unless they have to. Which is why (for some unexplainable reason) Nashvillians will stock up on groceries a day in advance of the hint of snowfall. Plus we are mild enough to where precipitation usually comes in the form of ice first, then snow, so there's a thin sheet of ice on the road. This combined with the rolling hills in the area can make winter driving a little treacherous.
Most transplants laugh at us when we get ancy about snow...and I wouldn't let it affect my decision a great deal on where to move, but trust me when I say that the rare days we do get snow, it is a big newsmaker here.
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Sorry for the book. Trying to be super-clear and give the full picture.
I don't want to knock Knoxville at all, I love that city. But I think Nashville is definitely worth a look too, especially considering the school and hospital concerns. Wherever you decide upon, I'd definitely consider renting at first to make sure you're in the right part of town that works for you and your family.
Good luck in your decision, wherever you end up going.
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We are looking at coming down for the weekend around the middle of October. {earliest we can get away between dh's school and our commitments with the local farmers market} 
