Relocation suggestions

[P8riot2A]

Hey guys, 

 

I'm looking to move to TN and I couldn't think of a better place to get some suggestions than a gun oriented site!

Currently I'm in AZ.  I'm from Pittsburgh and my wife is from Chicagoland, so we aren't strangers to temperate weather.  I'm looking for somewhere in or near TN where I can get some land, but still be close to a decent city.  We are in our mid 30's so we still have a lot of working ahead of us.  I'm looking for somewhere I can walk out my back porch and have a shooting range, a water source (pond or creek), somewhere not too depressed or despondent.  I'm looking for hopefully around 60-80 acres.  Spending limit could go as high as $300k for the right property.  I like red necks because I am one, hillbillies freak me out, if that makes sense.  The people with "nothing to lose" type.  Also, the area should be relatively low in crime and drug use.

I'm the type that will drop everything if a neighbor needs help.  That's what life is about.  I would make a great addition to any community and I'm looking for the right place to plant myself.

While I'm looking on where to move, I'm also looking on where to absolutely avoid.  Thanks in advance for any help!

[Whisper]

60 acres for $300,000 in a place where there are decent jobs isn't going to be easy unless you are willing to commute a long way to the job.

Sorry,

Whisper

[10-Ring]

You will be hard pressed to find what you are looking for in that price range most anywhere in this state.  You aren't going to find a track of land line that in East TN and not have hillbillies for neighbors.  And they don't like outsiders, and by outsiders I mean anyone that did not grow up right there.  $300k in middle TN week get you a quarter acre and a 3 bed 2 bath.  West TN may be your best bet, but you won't be close to anything.

[Chucktshoes]

16 minutes ago, 10-Ring said:

You will be hard pressed to find what you are looking for in that price range most anywhere in this state.  You aren't going to find a track of land line that in East TN and not have hillbillies for neighbors.  And they don't like outsiders, and by outsiders I mean anyone that did not grow up right there.  $300k in middle TN week get you a quarter acre and a 3 bed 2 bath.  West TN may be your best bet, but you won't be close to anything.

 He will be close to Memphis. Which considering  he is from Pittsburgh and his wife is from the Chicagoland area should make them feel right at home.

 

But seriously, those are not reasonable requests to match up with that price range in the state. 

Edited November 7, 2017 by Chucktshoes

[n0rlf]

If you are willing to build there are a lot of spots available. I did the very thing recently. Only 38 acres but there is more available if I want it. Very hilly though. Also near nowhere big. An hour drive to Chattanooga. Since I work from home in the IT industry it does not matter to me. I like being out away from everyone. I will help anyone that needs it but really prefer to keep to myself. I would stay as far away from Memphis as possible due to the crime rates. Most big cities are that way now. Nashville is getting worse everyday. More info might help, what line of work for you and your wife? Kids in future (Schools)? Willing to build?  Etc.  

[Hozzie]

The question i have is the 300k just for the land or all. If just land, then you have options. If for all, you won’t get that much land. How much would depend on the next questions.

I would clarify what you mean by decent city. Are you referring to a city that has Home Depot, etc and some decent restaurants or a big city that has an airport, etc. if work is a primary factor, the type of job and industry may help.

Too many unknowns to give you a good response just yet.

[P8riot2A]

I do insurance claims and the wife is a dog groomer.  I always said I could live with just a Walmart and a Home Depot within a 20 minute drive.  I drive an hour each way now so driving 30-40 miles to work isnt a big deal.  But Im not a white collar only type.  I do construction and painting as well and I honestly enjoy it more.  White collar just pays the bills more consistently.

 

I get the whole "outsider" thing and thats what concerns me with some areas.  I dont hold it against them and completely understand, but would just avoid that situation.

 

I was finding some nice properties near Jackson, TN but again, Im not sure what the area is like.

 

A decent city would be something for dog grooming I guess.  A petsmart?  I dont know how many people get dogs groomed there though.  Its probably not like these AZ dog breed snobs.

Edited November 7, 2017 by P8riot2A

[Raoul]

Do any of you actually know a hillbilly?

[n0rlf]

34 minutes ago, Raoul said:

Do any of you actually know a hillbilly?

Yes. Not real close but there are a few folks within ten miles of the land I bought that I would say qualify. They might disagree though. We are talking serious banjo music and uncle Daddy types. 

[P8riot2A]

42 minutes ago, Raoul said:

Do any of you actually know a hillbilly?

I used to hunt a mile from West Virginia.  Yeah I've seen some a hung out with some.  They are scary...in a sense of unpredictable.

[bigun]

3 hours ago, Raoul said:

Do any of you actually know a hillbilly?

My whole family.

[Jeb48]

I agree the money isn't enough from what I see in East TN for 60 acres. I have not had any problems with the native born treating me as an outsider. My best shooting friend has roots back to before TN was a state. Maybe because I don't think of them any different than anyone else. I have more problem from a few yankees that complain about things not being the same as where they came from. I actually told one fellow maybe he should move back.

I partially solved the land problem by buying next to the National forest, I only have 7.5 acres but have tens of thousand of acres out my back door. And I do shoot off my back deck. Half hour or less from big cities that have everything I need.

[Ronald_55]

No idea where this land is exactly, but this is an example in East TN. This site seems to be a decent place to look through.

https://m.landwatch.com/tennessee/hawkins-county/land-for-sale/?id=2385210

[10-Ring]

Haven't spent a whole lot of time in West TN but I did hunt for a couple years in far West Tn.  IME the people in West TN are very friendly.  I lived in East TN for years, there are some legit hillbillies there, as in the government displaced their families when GSMNP was created in the 1930s, and they are still pissed off about it.  Moonshine making, marijuana growing, poaching, trespasser shooting hillbillies.  They don't want anything to do with anyone,  you certainly don't want anything to do with them.  All of East TN isn't that way, but the deeper you get into the mountains the more it tends to be this way.  Also, in case you don't know, west, middle, and east TN are distinctly different terrains.

[Danger Rane]

If the $300k price range you mentioned is for land alone you might have some options for decent acreage. You might look into Chapel Hill and Culleoka. They are still kind of small town feel but starting to grow.

As for snobby dogs needing grooming yes there are plenty of those out here (unfortunately my wife has one) so she should have no problem finding work grooming. There are even a couple ladies around that have tiny trailers they tow to people's homes to groom, and charge a premium for it.

You mentioned being handy, there will be plenty of side work available as the majority of the people moving to middle TN don't seem to know or want to do things for themselves. I make decent money working as a handyman on the side, it's almost cringeworthy how simple some of the tasks are that people pay me to do. If people spent a little more time studying at the University of YouTube they could save themselves a lot of money. 

[P8riot2A]

10 hours ago, Danger Rane said:

If people spent a little more time studying at the University of YouTube they could save themselves a lot of money. 

Thats where I got my redneck engineering degree!

 

I do not want to move to TN to have it be like it is anywhere else.  I hate the people that do that crap.  I want to move there for what it is.

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

[xsubsailor]

19 hours ago, Raoul said:

Do any of you actually know a hillbilly?

 I used to be a hillbilly, now I'm a redneck hillbilly 

All joking aside, check out this site. 

http://www.unitedcountry.com/

Edited November 8, 2017 by xsubsailor

[P8riot2A]

1 hour ago, xsubsailor said:

 I used to be a hillbilly, now I'm a redneck hillbilly 

All joking aside, check out this site. 

http://www.unitedcountry.com/

Hmmm  I like that site!  Thanks

[Jeb48]

22 hours ago, Ronald_55 said:

No idea where this land is exactly, but this is an example in East TN. This site seems to be a decent place to look through.

https://m.landwatch.com/tennessee/hawkins-county/land-for-sale/?id=2385210

Looks like a good price but the map shows it off the end of the runway of a county airport. Wonder how much traffic it gets.

[Ronald_55]

Not a clue, but with TRI so close I bet it is not a ton. Plus the row of houses so close makes me think it is kind of quiet.

[gregintenn]

I’m a hillbilly, so you probably don’t want to move near me.

[Hershmeister]

Move here and rent at first. That way you can have time to explore and make a good decision about where you want your ponderosa


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Sidecarist]

We had great luck in East TN. It took a while and we looked at nearly 100 properties but wound up with 20+ acres that most of it is useable, but met out other requirements too. Mostly isolation, no view, solid but not fancy house. I can shoot 100 yds at home and pistor and shotgun as well.

I'm not far from Pineville, and Dayton and 1 hr from Chattanooga. I never fiel at a lose for anything i need. Eadt TN jas very low unemployment now 3-4%. Pikeville and dayton will be adding new manufacturing in thr next 2 years for another 1500 jobs. Opportunity is here for those that work rather than gripe...

Renting is an option, I know that Keven here on the forum has done just that and hopes to be in his new home soon outside of Knoxville. 

Best of luck!

 

[Sunfish]

I resemble a long line of Hillbilly's. Better find you a car that's easy on gas and start looking because your going to see a bunch of no's before you find the right one. 

[MudBugjr]

Try Tullahoma area. I am 50 mins from Cattanooga, Nashville, And Huntsville Ala. That kind of money no problem getting what you want. Nice small town feel but have most things you need.