another Floridian wanting to move (Knoxville, Chattanooga: Home Depot, camping, subdivision)

[JudyP]

Been in the Tampa area for 15 years; too hot and congested. Would like a home on about an acre. Am looking at Chattanooga area, Soddy Daisy, Hixon, Lookout Mountain, Signal Mountain. Been researching these areas but they're still just names. Have greyhounds. I have a petsitting service here and because of the dense population, it is very successful. I don't think I would be able to survive on petsitting in a more rural area, but... I need Super WalMart, TJMaxx, Home Depot, stores like that, privacy but friendly people, no racism or hunting around me. I need to make a trip up there but am wondering if anyone can give me some pointers. Thanks.

[hiknapster]

Lots of hunting in Tennessee. This is a southern-style of living. People kill what they eat.

I love it, but I imagine it may not be for everyone.

[SPLIT]

J.P. To help you with some driving directions 1st. Rt #27, 4 lane divided parkway runns North & South from I-24. Rt #153 is East west shopping corridor with both Lowe, Home Depot, malls, and more malls to come.
Signal mtn, lookout mtn downtown being very upscale now. 'WWW.TRGT.org" more pictures of Grand Canyon of East, back before Civil war battles. Just west of Soddy up twisty Walden Ridge it gets farm rural within a few miles. This would be POE rd, fire tower station, etc. This may be to your liking. More South -West heads back to river at JASPER and I-24 which is getting very popular along riverFront Developments.
All Wal-Marts being built around all town. Dunlap opens this week, up by hangGliding mtn ridge. Many web links for our early JUne 9 day RiverBend Festival on river.Check it out. Your selections are full of Hiking trails and clubs.
Kayak gettin popular in this region with BlueWay camping,etc.

[JOHNNYCOUNTRY]

I love the fact that Tennessee getting taking over by Floridians I feel for yall but Georgias got enough of them. You want to move out to the country but want a perfect utopia..please no hunting or racists around me. Ill give ya decent advice move to a subdivision in the burbs somewhere that way you can babysit ferrets or poodles in peace. You probally dont belong in a rural area..no hunting or racism thats to funny good one.

[flrose]

Yet another Person from Florida wanting to move, I want to move to TN
like Servilville (k can not sp) or Johnsoncity area or any where kinda close to an airport, but want the county living. any and all information would be appricated

[Milo Bloom]

Originally Posted by flrose

Yet another Person from Florida wanting to move, I want to move to TN
like Servilville (k can not sp) or Johnsoncity area or any where kinda close to an airport, but want the county living. any and all information would be appricated

Depending on what kind of airport you want to live close to, Sevierville may not the place to be looking.

Blount County/Maryville area is right next to the big airport at Knoxville. You still get the mountains and scenic beauty, and even have all of the services you need right there. Difference between Blount and Sevier is that Sevier is choked with tourists most of the year. I imagine anyone coming from FL would want to avoid that scenario.

Other places to look that have the scenery but are close to town are Roane/Loudon counties, and north of town, near Norris Lake. Very beautiful up there too.

[Joe P]

Originally Posted by JOHNNYCOUNTRY

I love the fact that Tennessee getting taking over by Floridians I feel for yall but Georgias got enough of them. You want to move out to the country but want a perfect utopia..please no hunting or racists around me. Ill give ya decent advice move to a subdivision in the burbs somewhere that way you can babysit ferrets or poodles in peace. You probally dont belong in a rural area..no hunting or racism thats to funny good one.

I’ve been kind of thinking the same thing. Why do people think they can move to a cute little cabin with a trout stream in the mountains of Tennessee but quantify their mission by saying “I don’t want any hunting around me”? Sorry folks but this is the south and there is hunting in the south. In fact, be prepared for some culture shock if hunting offends your delicate sensibilities because it’s a way of life here in the south. For the record, Tennessee is much more ‘southern’ than most of Florida, in heritage and philosophy if not geographically.

This is not to say that some redneck in overalls is going to drag a dead deer across your front lawn or clean a turkey in your driveway but there are gunshots in the season and you will see deer on roof racks and in the beds of trucks. Also, please don’t think you can move here and “change” or “modernize” the area to your liking. We don’t need Florida Part Two (one is enough and quite possibly one too many) and if you’re that worried that you can’t assimilate to the area and everything it entails, you might want to stay where you are. It’s a package deal and if you want mountains and your name on a Tennessee driver’s license, hunting is part of the package unless you live in, and never leave, one of the more city oriented environments.

Personally, I moved here from Florida in May because I belong here. I hunt, I fish, I love the outdoors and I have embraced the East Tennessee way of life, and hunting is a way of life for a lot of people around here.

Joe

[mbmouse]

Guys, I SO agree with you. I agree we need to re state this concept to folks looking to move here from elsewhere. I am not saying we are a different/backward/behind the times kinda place, but there are deep roots here unlike Fl. I remember when I lived in Fl, maybe 1 out of a 100 were actually "native" and less than that were 2nd generation or more. My children (due to their father) are actually 5th generation native Floridians. The family had a HUGE issue with how "all the newcomers ruined our state". We sure don't want to be saying this about TN in 20 years. I think the big difference, for now, is that our local governments are made up of native Tennesseans and probably more generations than they know of. I am praying they stay true to their roots. So far (in the past 10 years) I have seen that they are. Not to say we aren't progressive, but in a way that preserves the heritage and ways of the people here.
That being said, just about all the people I know of that have moved here from elsewhere are moving here because they like it the way TN is now and also want to preserve that. This is also why we need to stress to everyone that wants to move to TN is to VISIT FIRST! Talk to the people who are going to be your neighbors, fellow voters, co-workers, people you will be shopping with, people you are going to be going to church with, these can be any person you come into contact with while you are visiting. Ask them questions about how they go about their normal day. If it is SO different from they way you think your life should be, maybe TN is not right for you. If you are moving here ONLY because the cost of living is cheaper, TN may not be right for you.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Guys, I SO agree with you. I agree we need to re state this concept to folks looking to move here from elsewhere. I am not saying we are a different/backward/behind the times kinda place, but there are deep roots here unlike Fl. I remember when I lived in Fl, maybe 1 out of a 100 were actually "native" and less than that were 2nd generation or more. My children (due to their father) are actually 5th generation native Floridians. The family had a HUGE issue with how "all the newcomers ruined our state". We sure don't want to be saying this about TN in 20 years. I think the big difference, for now, is that our local governments are made up of native Tennesseans and probably more generations than they know of. I am praying they stay true to their roots. So far (in the past 10 years) I have seen that they are. Not to say we aren't progressive, but in a way that preserves the heritage and ways of the people here.
That being said, just about all the people I know of that have moved here from elsewhere are moving here because they like it the way TN is now and also want to preserve that. This is also why we need to stress to everyone that wants to move to TN is to VISIT FIRST! Talk to the people who are going to be your neighbors, fellow voters, co-workers, people you will be shopping with, people you are going to be going to church with, these can be any person you come into contact with while you are visiting. Ask them questions about how they go about their normal day. If it is SO different from they way you think your life should be, maybe TN is not right for you. If you are moving here ONLY because the cost of living is cheaper, TN may not be right for you.

Amen! And as a 5th-generation Floridian myself, I understand completely your husband's family. My family's cemetery is in Clearwater, so I suppose I might end up in Florida one of these days anyway, but at least at that point I'll be dead and won't have to worry about it.

[suzycue]

Originally Posted by mbmouse

Guys, I SO agree with you. I agree we need to re state this concept to folks looking to move here from elsewhere. I am not saying we are a different/backward/behind the times kinda place, but there are deep roots here unlike Fl. I remember when I lived in Fl, maybe 1 out of a 100 were actually "native" and less than that were 2nd generation or more. My children (due to their father) are actually 5th generation native Floridians. The family had a HUGE issue with how "all the newcomers ruined our state". We sure don't want to be saying this about TN in 20 years. I think the big difference, for now, is that our local governments are made up of native Tennesseans and probably more generations than they know of. I am praying they stay true to their roots. So far (in the past 10 years) I have seen that they are. Not to say we aren't progressive, but in a way that preserves the heritage and ways of the people here.
That being said, just about all the people I know of that have moved here from elsewhere are moving here because they like it the way TN is now and also want to preserve that. This is also why we need to stress to everyone that wants to move to TN is to VISIT FIRST! Talk to the people who are going to be your neighbors, fellow voters, co-workers, people you will be shopping with, people you are going to be going to church with, these can be any person you come into contact with while you are visiting. Ask them questions about how they go about their normal day. If it is SO different from they way you think your life should be, maybe TN is not right for you. If you are moving here ONLY because the cost of living is cheaper, TN may not be right for you.

Interesting that you say this...I appreciate your advice...I am moving from Miami to TN sometime in Spring 2008, and this is something I was wondering about...I am not a Miami native, but I am from the South, so I do not think I will have any problems adjusting to this new State. What do you know about Maryville VS Knoxville….those are the two cities I will be visiting in May to see which one I like best….I do not have any children yet, but I will be soon planning to, so I am looking for a nice friendly town, good paying jobs, lot’s of youth, and decent housing cost….