Best lakes to live on with 30 minute or less commute to bigger city? (Knoxville: appointed, rent)

[LauraC]

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f7LwuVF8Oo

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by LauraC

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist:

In the words of Clairee Belcher in "Steel Magnolias," "You are too twisted for color tv."

[It'sUs]

Originally Posted by LauraC

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f7LwuVF8Oo

*snooooort!*

Hee Hee!

[It'sUs]

So what about Careyville area?

We have found a few homes that we like in Careyville. Wondering about Twin Cove Marina too.....do they rent out boat slips to people who don't live in the community? We don't have a boat now, but would when we move there. A few of the houses are not in The Willows community, so I don't know if they would allow outside the community to rent. I'm sure in this economy, they'll let whoever pays them rent from them.

It seems every time we look for houses we find new resources.

Thanks for the previous link, will give it a look!

[nashvols]

Originally Posted by It'sUs

So what about Careyville area?

We have found a few homes that we like in Careyville. Wondering about Twin Cove Marina too.....do they rent out boat slips to people who don't live in the community? We don't have a boat now, but would when we move there. A few of the houses are not in The Willows community, so I don't know if they would allow outside the community to rent. I'm sure in this economy, they'll let whoever pays them rent from them.

It seems every time we look for houses we find new resources.

Thanks for the previous link, will give it a look!

I can't speak for Caryville as far as a place to live, but it's location to Knoxville really isn't too bad. You can make it to town in under 30 minutes. Norris Lake is a gorgeous area, too. I would investigate further to find out more about the community.

[It'sUs]

Chelaque Estates?

We found a couple of homes there.

Is that a nice area? It seems to be and because it's gated and has some nice policies in the HOA it seems as if it might be right for us. Rustic, clean, and quiet.

[It'sUs]

Yes nashvols, we have been all over that link for the last few days. Thank You for the suggestion

[hiknapster]

Caryville is popular with the second-home Midwesterner crowd.

Living there year-round is an entirely different situation.

First of all, it's a minimum of 35 minutes from there to downtown Knoxville. In actuality, to drive from a lake property to downtown or West Knoxville is going to take you even longer. And you probably will not find work closer to there. Caryville has a high unemployment rate as well as a high poverty level.

I attended a class with a Californian that moved to near there and he really regretted it. He was trying to move closer to Knoxville.

A lot of transplants don't realize how "rural" rural really is around here and how small of a city Knoxville is. It's more like an overgrown town and it has that kind of feel.

I think you'd be better off looking in the West Knoxville, Concord, Farragut and Oak Ridge areas.

Ultimately, you have to come visit and do the drive to see for yourself. Personally, I wouldn't do it, but that's me.

[It'sUs]

Thank You for the heads up!

Also, I get the Cali perspective. While I would never want to move to Cali, we are both from WV, I am from a town of 45,000 people and hubby is from a town of about 55,000-250,000 in the metro area, so we understand rural. I am not the kind of woman who enjoys putting chains on the tires during 5 inches of snow to get to the grocery store. Hubby can drive a rear wheel drive sports car in snow and get there without a scratch , so it works

Edited to add content.

[hiknapster]

I'm from New England. I grew up in a town of about 12,000 people and lived there for 33 years. I am here to tell you that rural around here is very, very rural. When I first moved here I rented in north Knox County, near the Anderson County line, and I did not like it. And Caryville, from that perspective, is light-years away. I think there is only a couple of thousand people and it is MUCH farther away from Knoxville.

Would I move to the Caryville area? Never. I think it's great for the second-home set that can get quickly home by traveling up I-75. But you are probably going to be happiest surrounded by people that live and work in this area. Drive-wise, it has nothing to do with snow. We rarely get snow, and nothing - absolutely nothing - like WV. It just has to do with time.

Everyone does the same thing. Even we did it. We looked - by internet - at towns quite removed from Knoxville. On paper it looked great. Then I hooked up with a local that told me that I would want to move closer. There was no City-Data back then. Thank goodness that I took her advice. Even then, I didn't move close enough. We ended up buying in the city limits. I am not a city gal but this city seems more like a big town. My street looks much like the small town I grew up in.

I'm not here to argue. You will ultimately do what you want. But I've seen this scenario play out over and over again.

And the bottom line, of course, is if you need jobs you will end up buying where you can find work and that could be anywhere. You also need to visit and see for yourself what you are dealing with.

Quick aside: I have to tell you that a town of 45,000 to 55,000 is the "big time" to me. REALLY.