How to choose a city (Memphis, Knoxville: to rent, low crime, how much)

[jjmay]

I guess I sound like so many when I say that my husband and I are thinking about relocating to TN from , you guessed it, FL. We are wanting to get away from all that central FL has become and are wanting something slower paced and quieter. Would love some land, although just a couple acres would be ok. Would like a town where you see people you know and where people actually wave or say hello. We have 3 children and although schools are important, I am not afraid of homeschooling as that is what I am doing now thanks to good ole Polk County, FL schools. As far as work, we are flexible with what we will do as we are both self-employed at this time and I can always go back to being a dental hygienist or realtor as I am licensed for both if needed. We are coming to Gatlinburg for a family vacation and are wanting to maybe drive around some areas. Any suggestions on some areas to consider? Where we live now, in Lakeland, FL, is centered between Tampa and Orlando and is slowing being enveloped by the two. We don't mind growth, but prefer slow growth if you know what I mean. We wouldn't mind being in the backwoods if it were the right place!!! Help, I don't know where to start! Any info would be appreciated!

[gemkeeper]

Jjmay, a good place to start is right here on the forum. Read lots of posts on towns and sites all over E. TN. Visit several times each area that you might be drawn to. Ask as many tough questions as you wish to find out the good and not so good in any given town or area.

There are so many good, friendly knowledgeable folks here that will answer your questions. They won't always agree, but they will be honest and certainly give you a good basis for making a decision on your new home.

Best of everything to you in your search. We are relocating to E. TN ourselves and have spent many hours becoming familiar with so many wonderful friends on the Tennessee forum. There will many TN residents who will gladly help you find a nice hometown.

[alleycat]

I think the first place to start is with yourself. Of course, everyone wants great schools, low crime, a beautiful area, low taxes, job opportunities (if employed), nice neighbors, low utility costs, etc., etc., etc. It's hard to have everything. For example, sometimes there's a trade-off between living in a small town somewhere and living near a larger city. The small town has its own plus and minuses, as does a town near a large city. A small town might have wonderful outdoor activities and be a great place to live, but if someone can't find a job there or if they need advanced medical care on a regular basis, then it's less desirable for that person.

Start by making a list of all the things that are important to you, and in some kind of order. Give it a lot of thought (start a notebook) and be as specific as possible. That way you'll have some kind of "roadmap" for searching and evaluating places that might work for you.

After you've done that, look at the general geographic areas of Tennessee and what each of them have to offer. East Tennessee is somewhat different than Middle Tennessee which is somewhat different than West Tennessee. Also, a lot of things revolved around the proximity to the larger cities (Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis) and to a lesser extent the larger small cities (there are many of those). With your list of criteria, does a small town in Middle Tennessee within an hours drive of Nashville seem to work best for you, or does one of the areas in East Tennessee (say, the general area around the Tri-Cities), or does one of the small towns near the lakes half-way between Nashville and Knoxville? After that, focus on specific places to research further and to possibly visit. You can also use your list of specific "wants and needs" to ask people here to recommend some places that fits your list.

Breaking down the task into bite-sized chunks like this will make it easier for you and will probably work better than just throwing darts at a board, or taking a shot of moving someplace just because someone else likes living there.

[AlisonL]

Excellent advice Alleycat.
We're not exactly sure where in TN we will relocate to, it all depends on what CAT dealer my husband can transfer to. I am researching alot of towns within a hour of Knoxville in all directions.
I never saw my hubby as excited about moving as he was last night. He had been chatting with one of his customers and the man mentioned he had some family members move to TN and how much they love it and how its better and alot less expensive than Maine is. Evidently he needed to hear it from someone in person. He has never been against a move, just not one to show excitement over anything. Well, maybe a baseball or football game. LOL

[AlisonL]

You may want to rent for awhile before buying. We plan to rent for a year to give us time to find just the right town for our needs.

[jjmay]

Thank you so much for your responses. We are in the process of deciding what we want most for a new home town. We know for sure we want more seasonal weather (as it is sooo hot for sooo long here in FL). We also know we want a small town, but in near proximity to a Wal-Mart. My kids are in Kindergarden and 1st grade so looking into schools will be tough as I am not well rehearsed in that area. I have played with the Find your Spot website and it listed Paris, TN which I have read in many posts is a common location listed. Since my husband and I can essentially find work in any town, I don't have to worry about that as much. I will continue to read as many posts daily as I can, it just seems so overwhelming trying to narrow things down. I can barely pick a restaurant for dinner, much less a city to move to! HAHA Thanks again for all your help in my quest for the perfect home!

[alleycat]

Paris is a nice small town if you like hunting and fishing and outdoors stuff. Nearby is Kentucky Lake, Land Between the Lakes (about as large as a national park), and Paris Landing State Park (complete with golf course), and Fort Donelson Battlefield.

It is a little off the beaten path. The nearest larger town is Clarksville. There's probably a Wal-Mart in Paris, but I'm not sure. A lot of retirees and semi-retirees live in the area (as well as Hank Williams, Jr and his sometimes guest Kid Rock). I have no idea what the schools are like there.