Info on McMinnville?? (Knoxville, Chattanooga, Johnson City: transplants, mortgage, houses)

[robin from Oregon]

Hi -
My family is considering a move from Oregon. We have been looking at the Southeastern US because I work in the wholesale nursery industry. McMinnville, TN has a motto "Nursery Capital of the World", so I don't think it would be hard for me to find work there. Reason for wanting to move is to actually be able to own a house free and clear before retirement! Cost of housing here in western Oregon is not as bad as California or Seattle, but it's getting there. I'm 15 years away from retirement, and there's no way I can get my house here paid off in that time.

We lived in southern Illinois for 20 years before moving here, so I don't think there would be any culture shock. Can anyone tell me anything about the McMinnville area? We have 2 kids in high school - what are the schools like? Is there much in the way of recreation? Shopping? What is the proximity to larger cities? What is the weather like? Is it close to the mountains? Would love to hear from anyone that lives in that area or has visited, especially transplants. Thanks!

[mbmouse]

Hi! I have drove through McMinnville on the way back to East TN after going to a meeting in Murfreesbourough abut 3 years ago. I specifically went there to buy some trees for myself and as gifts for my parents. Now I went all the back roads just to enjoy the area and views. I always try to take the "scenic" route to anywhere I go in TN. hhahahahha
My impression of McMinnville was just like KY. A lot of spread out areas. You are right, there are A LOT of nurseries. Seems like everyone has one in their back yard and a sign out front too! They must be making a killing too as the trees were not cheap! I went to a large nursery, was a fun day for me. hahahahhaa But happy to say the trees are growing beautifully! I did notice your comment about not being able to pay off your house in 15 years, I am doing everything I can to bite my tung here because that is not why you asked your question so I will not say anything except find a GOOD financial adviser that sees a house as a true asset, not just a tax write off or a place to live. But I digress, back to McMinnville, here are some sites I found, hope these help!
http://www.warrentn.com/
//www.city-data.com/city/McMinn...Tennessee.html
http://www.tncities.com/mcminnville.shtml
http://www.tennesseeanytime.org/local/warren.html

[robin from Oregon]

I know that my house is an asset, but it's not one that I want to be paying for the rest of my life. I am making $1500/month house payments, and as a result we have to scrimp on everything else, meaning we can't take vacations very often, or eat out, or do alot of other things that would make life more enjoyable. We live close to some terrific skiing but it's too expensive. There are awesome restaurants around here but we can't afford them. I absolutely love living in Oregon, but would love it more if I could actually afford to LIVE here, not just survive. And my house isn't anything extravagant! It's a modest house in a small town. I know that if I tighten my belt (it's already sqeezing me!) and just keep making the payments, hopefully my house will continue to appreciate and I'll be able to sell it for a bundle SOMEDAY. It has appreciated nicely the last couple of years. But meanwhile my kids are growing up without family vacations because everything goes to pay the mortgage. I could sell my house today and have enough equity to pay cash for an equivalent house in middle Tennessee, on acreage. With what we save on mortgage payments we could take the family to Europe next year! And Hawaii the year after, then maybe Japan........ PLUS save for retirement. Life is a trade off - you have to decide what is most important. I only get one shot to make memories with my kids. They're already in high school, so I don't have a lot of time left. I will definitely miss Oregon (it was 80 degrees today with about 10% humidity........) It's beautiful here but it's also beautiful in Tennessee. I've lived in humidity before, I can adjust again (with air conditioning....) Also we still have family in southern Illinois, so that would put us closer to them.

Anyway, I do appreciate your advice and the links. Did it seem like the nurseries in McMinnville were mostly growing trees? Did you happen to notice if it was mostly field production or containers? I work as a manager for a wholesale container grower of shrubs and perennials, and am hoping to find similar work out there. We have just started looking into this. Right now we are doing some work on our house with the intent of putting it on the market. We're taking it slow - I haven't sent any resumes or actively started looking for work, because I don't want to get a job and then have to scramble to get the house ready to sell, etc. I'm hoping I'll eventually get an offer from a company that pays relocation. Anyone that has experience with long distance moving that would like to advise? What you did right or what you would do differently? We're tentatively hoping to make the move next summer, since the school year just started. I appreciate any and all information about the area and about relocating in general. Thanks!

[mbmouse]

I hear you! Very similar reason as to why I moved out of FL, mainly for better schools for my children, but also to ENJOY living with my children. I have lived in East TN for 10 years and we really do enjoy it! You can find a lot of house for less than 1500 a month here too!
Check into employment recruiters, they are the ones that can negotiate relocation and work with companies that are willing to pay that for the right people. As for my trip to McMinnville, there was not only trees, there were plants by the hundreds, of each variety, in little containers, big containers, hanging baskets and flats. There were flowers and trees everywhere in the big greenhouses, not as much in the smaller ones. I don't know if that helps you any as I just like planting them and hop and pray they survive a year before my black thumb kills them hehehehehhe But hey! I try darn it I am better with vegetables

[robin from Oregon]

I think the advantage of vegetables is that you don't have to worry about overwintering them. Winter has a way of killing plants, even the mild winters we have here in Oregon. Last year we had 8 weeks of straight rain - measurable rain every day - with above normal temperatures. Then the temps plummeted to about 15F (very cold for here). Problem was the plants weren't completely dormant because of the warmer temps so they couldn't survive it. We lost literally thousands of plants at the nursery where I work. Not sure if it was the rain or the cold. What are the winters like in Tennessee? It is below freezing very often? I used to live in southern Illinois, and it could get to 10 below. I'm guessing TN is quite a bit milder than that. Here it seldom gets below 20, occasionally in the teens. But we do get lots of rain in the winter, and none in the summer. It seldom rains very hard here, and if there's thunder it makes the news. No tornadoes! But I can adapt

[mbmouse]

The winters here are very mild. Now mind you I am saying that and I was born and raised in Ct, which anything in comparison would be mild hahahaha. There is not enough snow for me, I wish there was a bit more. I am speaking of here in East TN, I think they get less in West TN, but I could be wrong. I have been in East TN for 10 years, never has it gotten below 0. Only one year that I can remember that it got below 20. We do have 20 to 30 degree temperature spreads in a day during spring and fall, my barometer knees let me know it too! hahahaha But it is bearable. We do get rain in the summers, raining today actually, but that is mostly from the outer bands of Enesto. That is the most we ever get from any hurricane that hits NC as the mountains protect us. Hugo did do damage all the way up to Boone NC, which was a shock to everyone. We get thunderstorms in the evenings about 3 days a week in the summers. Sometimes we get the rain, sometimes we don't. We did get a "micro burst" Tuesday in Johnson City, caused a tree to go through a home, here is the link to the article in the paper today: http://www.johnsoncitypress.com/Detail.php?Cat=LOCALNEWS&ID=57591 (broken link) There was one here (Gray) that came through this development about 6 years ago and my husband lost 6 or 7 dogwood trees in the back yard and other neighbors lost some as well, but no houses damaged, micro bursts don't happen often. I have learned that if the weather man says that there is a 30% chance of rain, that really means 30% of the viewing area is going to get rain, the other 70% will remain dry. hahahahahahha

[mhogan10010]

My sister lives in McMinnville and I used to live in Nashville.
The only good thing I can say about McMinnville is that it is cheap. You can still find a house around there for $50,000 or less. Yes there are lots of Nursery's. I have a friend in Western NC who is a buyer for Lowe's, and they get lots of stuff from there.
However, it is a very redneck kind of town.....I heard some racist remarks when I was there last summer for my Brother-in-laws funeral, that I thought would have died out before now. Just know that you are stepping back in time when you go there.
Good luck.

[Kklynnt]

Robin, I'm not that up on McMinnville's schools but I can tell you that they aren't kidding about it being the nursery capital of the world. Most of what I have seen is in ground plants--all kinds. I don't recall seeing any containers unless they would be inside some of the greenhouses. I used to drive through there regularly on my way to water treatment school in murfreesboro. I do know they have some turf farms there because I have seen them cutting the grass and rolling it up.

Mcminnville is a fair sized city and there seems to be lots to do there. They have some malls,Movies,and I think there is a fair choice of restaurants there.

The land in and around mcminnville is flat until you get just east of murfreesboro--then you will go through a very hilly area with lots of ridges. The little town of Woodbury is located among these ridges. West of there you are then pretty much out in the flat part of the state. (with some exceptions)

I know that other than nurseries, McMinnville is home to a huge Bridgestone tire plant. south of that in a little area called Morrison is a Huge Carrier Air Conditioning plant if it is still open.

Mcminnville would actually be in the foothills of the cumberland plateau. It is home to Cumberland caverns--a large cave that has been made into a banquet hall and scenic attraction. http://www.cumberlandcaverns.com/

McMinnville is located just a short drive from Fall Creek Falls (256 ft high) The area is a state park with a variety of things to do. Kerry

[robin from Oregon]

Thank you Kerry - that was a very informative post!

[angel]

I think it is great here. My family and I moved here from Knoxville TN. We love it here . There is only 1 High School here . I have 2 teenagers who attend there.They really like it. Shopping is limited but we have a nice town that has a lot of small shops. Chattanooga is close to us and it has big mall. We are going to have an annual County Fair this month. We have never been but people say it will be big. Everyone from all over comes to it. I know that the people in our church congregation are involved in it every year and really enjoy it. If you love the country and want to find a house that is cheap and affordable and nice you need to come here. Some of the members had a house and it was a 3 bedroom 2 bath for 450.00 month!!!! And that seems to be the going rate. I thought that was cheap. We payed 700.00 a month in Knovillle for a apt. So the houses are here and you will love the view and the nursery work is good. Members in the church have been doing it for a long time and really enjoy it. Hope you come this way and see the beauty and country.