10 Questions For Those Who Moved To Tennessee (Knoxville, Chattanooga: real estate market, rental)

[Kim918]

Originally Posted by shadowwalker

1. Where did you come from and how long have you been in Tennessee?
From Wyoming. Been here over three and a half years.

2. What was the most important reason why you moved to Tennessee?
Start a business and enjoy retiring in TN, Wife is from here. We lived here for one and a half years in 1998 and loved it.


3. What made you pick the particular town in Tennessee that you moved to?
Found what we wanted in a home and land. Believed the realtors answers to our questions. AND the county building and planning office when they answered our questions.

4. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the move?
Still not, nor is my wife

5. If you had to do it over again would you still move to Tennessee? If no, would you have chosen a different town in Tennessee, moved to someplace other than Tennessee or returned to the place you left? Maybe in another town, with answers to our questions in writing and notorized, and signed off by the governor. Or I'd just get a job and live somewhere I didn't plan on making a living off of the land.


6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Tennessee than where you moved from?
Worse, sunk life savings, time, energy. In getting started and keeping going. As for my health, I have never been so physically sick, so long. In my entire life.

7. Do you have friends of relatives in other states that tried to either directly persuade you not to move to Tennessee or showed their displeasure/disapproval/incredulity/disgust/non-enthusiasm in more subtle ways? Why, do you know? Wife has realatives all over middle tn. Said come on down glad to have you. People in my home state that had lived here said I would be back.

8. Do you think the town where you live now in Tennessee will eventually turn into the place you left? If so, how long will it take? Absolutely not. Could be though. But I don't see the town or state giving up that much control to the people of TN.


9. Since you got here, what has surprised you most either about Tennessee or your town in Tennessee? (good or bad)
Unless I'm cracking my wallet open and sometimes not even then to purchase something. People in business can't wait to get you off the property. Some of the charges and estamates here vary by as much as 40% on the same job! We have businesses that we go into weekly, bi weekly and they still treat us as it's the first time they ever laid eyes on us! And they have delt with us all this time.
I have made friends here, there are good people. But I am still treated like a outsider.

10. Would you recommend others move to Tennessee?Sure, I have met people that moved here and liked it. Most had no expectations when they drove in here. So they weren't set up for dissapointment. And I have met other people just like me. So goes both ways.


Extra Question: What haven't you done yet since moving to Tennessee that you would like to do?
I would very much like to enjoy a 6 hour afternoon on public land. Hunting or Fishing. With out competing with 50 to 100 other people doing the same thing in the immedeate area. Oh, I would like to leave my home without wondering. If I will have things stolen from me when I am away.

There are some good places and good people in the state of tennessee. It's not like everyday is one more day in Hell here. I have had things not turn out many times in my life as everyone has I am sure. I just worked my butt off, saved much and we did without what we considerd frivialities, to have start money when we got here. I took a lifes savings out of the retirement account. And we took the gamble. It didn't work. So now we are going home. I am still young enough (50) to make a decent savings by the time I am going to retire (it's just going to be alot later than I thought), without killing myself.

shadowwalker,
sorry you had such a bad experience here.

[Kim918]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Okay, Laura, I'm a little more coherent today, so I'll try and answer your questions. By the way, I think it's fun, too!




Visit Nashville, Memphis, Falls Creek Falls, the Tri-Cities, and attend a City-Data party.

Another Happy floridian! Or should I say ex-floridian
I was just talking to someone today who would love to get out, but can't. He said it is just getting worse. He will never be able to get out of his house now.
He still watches the Tennessee weather everyday and feels jealous. He wanted to move here too.

[TheShadow]

Shadowwalker,

Forgive me if you've answered these questions on another thread, because I haven't read them all. What town in Tenn. did you move to? and what type of business did you start? I am startled to hear some of your answers and wondering how it could have gone so wrong for you. I plan to someday move to east Tenn. and your answers might show me a different side to people's experiences.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by Kim918

Another Happy floridian! Or should I say ex-floridian
I was just talking to someone today who would love to get out, but can't. He said it is just getting worse. He will never be able to get out of his house now.
He still watches the Tennessee weather everyday and feels jealous. He wanted to move here too.

Well, I don't consider myself an ex-Floridian. I moved there because I had to, basically.

In 2005 we realized it was time to get out. We knew the other shoe was going to drop. How so many others couldn't see it, then, I will never know.

I guess it was a lot like the roaring 20s. People were so high on themselves that they couldn't see the train wreck coming.

[knoxgarden]

Originally Posted by LauraC

I saw this on the Florida forum and thought I'd modify it for Tennessee.

For those who moved to Tennessee:


1. Where did you come from and how long have you been in Tennessee?

I've been in Tennessee about 8 years now. I moved here from South Georgia. Lived most of my life in Washington, D.C. but I'm a native of Los Angeles.


2. What was the most important reason why you moved to Tennessee?

People. Low cost of living. Job prospects.


3. What made you pick the particular town in Tennessee that you moved to?

People. I'd stayed here a lot on my travels and thought it felt like home.

4. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the move?

Immediate. Always felt like home.


5. If you had to do it over again would you still move to Tennessee? If no, would you have chosen a different town in Tennessee, moved to someplace other than Tennessee or returned to the place you left?

Would have moved here sooner.


6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Tennessee than where you moved from?

Much, much better.



7. Do you have friends of relatives in other states that tried to either directly persuade you not to move to Tennessee or showed their displeasure/disapproval/incredulity/disgust/non-enthusiasm in more subtle ways? Why, do you know?

Nope. Any place sounds better than south Georgia. Only advantage of having lived there. Moved there for work.

8. Do you think the town where you live now in Tennessee will eventually turn into the place you left? If so, how long will it take?

Can't imagine it. Knoxville is too independent. Just got back from shopping and there were horses on the meadow on Kingston Pike (across from Home Depot) and cows along Gleason Road about 1-1/2 miles from West Town Mall.


9. Since you got here, what has surprised you most either about Tennessee or your town in Tennessee? (good or bad)

Nothing. It's what I expected.


10. Would you recommend others move to Tennessee?

Always do, if it's the type of lifestyle they want.

Extra Question: What haven't you done yet since moving to Tennessee that you would like to do?

Visit the Historical Society in Crossville. My mother was born and raised in Crossville and her relatives were some of the first to come into the area. I've done some research into it and would like to do some more.
I heard about Crossville all my life and my mother missed it but she never went back. They moved to Dayton, Ohio, when she graduated from High School. That may be why Tennessee feels like home. I remember her telling me that she got called a hillbilly and "briar" for being from Tennessee.
I've got a great grandmother who was a midwife/herbalist in the Lantana area. I have a great, great grandfather who was said to be a revenuer in the area and a great, great, great uncle who was one of the first school teachers according to family stories.

[Kim918]

So far it looks like most of us transplants are pretty happy!

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by Kim918

So far it looks like most of us transplants are pretty happy!

We're just luring you all here so we can steal your kidney.


(just kidding! hehehe)

[JMT]

For those who moved to Tennessee:

1. Where did you come from and how long have you been in Tennessee?
Tampa, Florida. My family moved to Cookeville in 1975 when I was just a kid.

2. What was the most important reason why you moved to Tennessee?
My parents wanted a better and safer environment to raise their kids.

3. What made you pick the particular town in Tennessee that you moved to?
Cookeville has excellent schools, beautiful countryside, and is a very family-friendly town.

4. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the move?
I fell in love with the area immediately even though I was just a kid.

5. If you had to do it over again would you still move to Tennessee? If no, would you have chosen a different town in Tennessee, moved to someplace other than Tennessee or returned to the place you left?
I would absolutely do it again. My parents have said over and over again that moving to Cookeville was the best thing they could've done for us kids.

6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Tennessee than where you moved from?
It's MUCH better. In Florida, I hated going to school. Every day was a constant battle for my mother to get us kids to want to go to school. In Cookeville, we loved it and became fully engaged in our schools from the very first day.

7. Do you have friends of relatives in other states that tried to either directly persuade you not to move to Tennessee or showed their displeasure/disapproval/incredulity/disgust/non-enthusiasm in more subtle ways? Why, do you know?
I had cousins who thought we were going to fall off the face of the planet when we moved to a small town in Tennessee. And now some of them want to move up here, too.

8. Do you think the town where you live now in Tennessee will eventually turn into the place you left? If so, how long will it take?
Absolutely not. While there are some places in Tennessee that have the "growth at any cost" mentality of Florida (most notably Murfreesboro and Sevier County) Cookeville isn't like that.

9. Since you got here, what has surprised you most either about Tennessee or your town in Tennessee? (good or bad)
My parents were surprised at how quickly we kids loved going to school, and my parents were surprised at how many cultural opportunities were available to us kids in such a small town.

10. Would you recommend others move to Tennessee?
Absolutely.

Extra Question: What haven't you done yet since moving to Tennessee that you would like to do?
Open a Belgian friterie in Cookeville.

[TXboomerang]

Originally Posted by LauraC

1. Where did you come from and how long have you been in Tennessee? DFW Texas

2. What was the most important reason why you moved to Tennessee? Abundance of outdoors and recreation with temperate climate.


3. What made you pick the particular town in Tennessee that you moved to? Best job offer.


4. How long did it take you to get comfortable with the move? 24hrs


5. If you had to do it over again would you still move to Tennessee? If no, would you have chosen a different town in Tennessee, moved to someplace other than Tennessee or returned to the place you left? yes


6. Is your "overall " life better or worse in Tennessee than where you moved from? Better


7. Do you have friends of relatives in other states that tried to either directly persuade you not to move to Tennessee or showed their displeasure/disapproval/incredulity/disgust/non-enthusiasm in more subtle ways? Why, do you know? In laws were visibly upset when we announced our decision. They seemed to have hoped we were just talking and not serious when we had mentioned it before. They seem to be okay with it now and are planning a visit this spring.


8. Do you think the town where you live now in Tennessee will eventually turn into the place you left? If so, how long will it take? Yes, west Knoxville is growing very fast. Maybe not as fast as where we left, but still much faster than we were interested in. We are already looking to move further out of the Knoxville area, most likely out of Knox county when we purchase a home. Loudon and Sweetwater are looking really good to us right now since it will likely be at least 10-15 years before they grow into large cities, maybe longer.


9. Since you got here, what has surprised you most either about Tennessee or your town in Tennessee? (good or bad) No big surprises, except the number of state parks withing less than 2 hours driving distance. We have been to 8 different state parks in less than a year, along with the Smokey Mountains and many city parks. We knew there was a lot more here to do outdoors, but there was even more than we were aware of until we got here and started exploring.

10. Would you recommend others move to Tennessee? If I like them, yes! If I don't like them? Of course not!!! lol


Extra Question: What haven't you done yet since moving to Tennessee that you would like to do?Catch a really big bass! But I'm working on it!!

Pretty happy with everything for sure, no regrets.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by JMT

Extra Question: What haven't you done yet since moving to Tennessee that you would like to do?
Open a Belgian friterie in Cookeville.

What is that?