Looking to move to Southeast Tennessee

[Aloha8]

My wife and I are fed up with so many things in the Atlanta area where we now live and are looking to move to southeast (more or less) Tennessee. Not only for the more conservative points of view and less crowding (my wife calls it "too peoplely" around here), but to avoid state income tax as well.

We've having a devil of a time finding something that meets our requirements, which admittedly, are somewhat unusual. We want some land, more than 5 acres (to help with the close neighbors issue), within about an hour's drive to the Chattanooga or Knoxville airports, with some mountain views, and (here's the hard part) true high speed internet, not the so-called high speed from DSL or satellite service.

We've found several properties that seem to meet everything except the high speed internet requirement. And a few that have gigabit service but with other serious problems. And one property that's close to right, but we need to keep looking it seems.

Just wondering is anyone here knows of any leads on properties that might be coming up for sale.

Thanks everyone.

[Mark A]

Well, you've picked a nice area in general. As far as high speed internet, I'm afraid you may be out of luck at the moment. We use (2) Cellular routers with external antennas. One for the house and one for my office. Speeds aren't great but that gives me an excuse to keep my camera off during video calls. It is fast enough to stream most of the time.

I sent my Star Link deposit in a couple of months ago. I should have equipment in the next 6-8 weeks (I hope). It remains to be seen if this will be the savior of rural internet the hype promises. I am optimistic anyway...

 

Mark

[BJB]

At this time checking off all of those boxes is going to be hard to do. Your either in the country with some privacy from neighbors or your stack on top of each other and super fast internet. In our are we have AT&T for our internet and it’s ok. But they have been working and installing new lines that is suppose to bring faster service 

we live in Roane Co which is in between Knoxville and Chattanooga. If this is the ears you are interested in. I would contact 

Megan Snow @ mountains to lakes realtor 

 

[Grayfox54]

Not sure about that part of the state, but here in the west end, real estate has gone nuts. Asking prices are just a starting point. Buyers are ending up in bidding wars and final prices are 10-20 thousand over what they started at. 

My younger son and his bride tried for a long time to buy a house. They kept getting outbid. They finally gave up and had one built. That may be your best bet. Buy a piece of property and build on it. 

[Erik88]

1 hour ago, ALoha8 said:

My wife and I are fed up with so many things in the Atlanta area where we now live and are looking to move to southeast (more or less) Tennessee. Not only for the more conservative points of view and less crowding (my wife calls it "too peoplely" around here), but to avoid state income tax as well.

We've having a devil of a time finding something that meets our requirements, which admittedly, are somewhat unusual. We want some land, more than 5 acres (to help with the close neighbors issue), within about an hour's drive to the Chattanooga or Knoxville airports, with some mountain views, and (here's the hard part) true high speed internet, not the so-called high speed from DSL or satellite service.

We've found several properties that seem to meet everything except the high speed internet requirement. And a few that have gigabit service but with other serious problems. And one property that's close to right, but we need to keep looking it seems.

Just wondering is anyone here knows of any leads on properties that might be coming up for sale.

Thanks everyone.

Have you spent much time up in that area? It's a beautiful part of the state but it's extremely poor. We go hiking/camping/off-roading in that corner near Ducktown and there is nothing there. It's hard to even find a grocery store in some of those towns. I understand wanting to get away from people, but you may want to try and be a bit closer to Chattanooga. I don't think you will find fast internet in most of that area. I wouldn't want to live there full time but it would be nice to have a cabin there. 

[gregintenn]

It seems Tennessee is all full up right now. We can add your name to our waiting list if you'd like.

[MacGyver]

We're going to start blowing the bridges any day now...

[gregintenn]

4 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

We're going to start blowing the bridges any day now...

If Memphis ends up underwater or in Arkansas, that’s just the price we pay for freedom.

[MacGyver]

24 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

If Memphis ends up underwater or in Arkansas, that’s just the price we pay for freedom.

Heck, at this point they're probably ready to be done with us, too.

[Chucktshoes]

 

43 minutes ago, gregintenn said:

If Memphis ends up underwater or in Arkansas, that’s just the price we pay for freedom.

Y’all can say what you want about Memphis all you like. Our corner of the state ain’t getting filled up with Yankees.  Y’all, sorry, y’inz or youse can enjoy the new dialects  ‘round them parts. 

[RED333]

I do not cafe where y’all from or where y’all move to in TN. Just please behave y’all’s self, and welcome to TGO.

[A516]

Look up on Flat Top mountain about 20 miles north of Chattanooga (off Highway 111 going to Dunlap).  Five and ten acre tracts.  Thirty-five to Forty minutes to Chattanooga Airport or Downtown Chattanooga.  Four lane divided highway up the mountain.  Twenty minutes to two different Wal-Marts.  Grocery stores about 20 minutes away.  EPB fiber optics is 300 Mbps to 10,000 Mbps. 

[gregintenn]

1 hour ago, Chucktshoes said:

 

Y’all can say what you want about Memphis all you like. Our corner of the state ain’t getting filled up with Yankees.  Y’all, sorry, y’inz or youse can enjoy the new dialects  ‘round them parts. 

Sorry Memphisians! I was just ribbing ya.

[MacGyver]

Memphis is doing something right.  You don’t here people from New York or California or Colorado saying, “you know, I think I’m gonna move to Memphis.”

Could be a br’er rabbit sort of thing, I guess.

I am, and will remain long on the place. 

[gregintenn]

4 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

Memphis is doing something right.  You don’t here people from New York or California or Colorado saying, “you know, I think I’m gonna move to Memphis.”

Could be a br’er rabbit sort of thing, I guess.

I am, and will remain long on the place. 

I haven’t been there since I was a small boy. I’ve no idea what it’s like. I just like ruffling the feathers of our southwestern members. They get riled up easily.

[billmeek]

6 minutes ago, MacGyver said:

Memphis is doing something right.

With a crime index of 1 (100 being the safest), not sure what's being done right.

[Erik88]

2 hours ago, A516 said:

Look up on Flat Top mountain about 20 miles north of Chattanooga (off Highway 111 going to Dunlap).  Five and ten acre tracts. 

Why is land so cheap there? 

[Dirtshooter]

Aloha8, you will just have to come and look with your own 2 eyes. There are some really nice places out in the sticks, some have nice neighbors some have crack shacks and meth labs. But most anyplace has those nowadays. Just take a few 3 day weekends and start searching, although there are lots of nice pretty areas such as Gatlinburg, well it also has 4 million plus visitors on the roads, so you have to take all the things into consideration. Pm me if you want a few tips. Most anyplace in Tennessee will beat the rat race in Hotlanta!!

[A516]

Never said land was cheap on Flattop.  It is just that a lot of the area has opened up for sale in the last few years.

[Erik88]

2 minutes ago, A516 said:

Never said land was cheap on Flattop.  It is just that a lot of the area has opened up for sale in the last few years.

My fault. I misread your post. 

[Murgatroy]

9 hours ago, Erik88 said:

Have you spent much time up in that area? It's a beautiful part of the state but it's extremely poor. We go hiking/camping/off-roading in that corner near Ducktown and there is nothing there. It's hard to even find a grocery store in some of those towns. I understand wanting to get away from people, but you may want to try and be a bit closer to Chattanooga. I don't think you will find fast internet in most of that area. I wouldn't want to live there full time but it would be nice to have a cabin there. 

Having grown up in the area, I have to agree with this. The farther you get from civilization, the poorer it gets. There are less job prospects and less industry. Land is cheap, if you can find someone willing to sell. It is beautiful land for sure, but now you are in an area where folks haven't been off of the mountain in years, if ever. They don't welcome strangers. That is why there is no true high speed internet in that area, it is too poor. It is too sparse. Hell, there isn't even cell reception in a lot of the places out there. Communication companies won't see a return on their investment, so, well, they don't invest. No industry and no one with money. It breaks my hear every time I go back to visit. 

 

To the OP, I don't know your budget, but look at some of the smaller towns just outside of Knoxville or Chattanooga, anything along the I-75 Corridor. I have a buddy I went to school with that owns a fairly successful Real Estate company out that way, he specializes in the area. East Tennessee Properties, 423-453-5722. He might be able to help you in your search.

Edited March 23, 2021 by Murgatroy

[Swamp ash]

Welcome. You'll be dueling with the neighbors in no time.

 

[Grayfox54]

The Yankees don't come to Memphis because they're too scared of the place.  The only yankees that move there are wanted for crimes in places like New York, Chicago and Detroit. 

Honestly, once you get out of the Memphis city limits proper, the surrounding smaller towns are nice, quiet places to live. 

[Aloha8]

On 3/22/2021 at 8:53 AM, Mark A said:

Well, you've picked a nice area in general. As far as high speed internet, I'm afraid you may be out of luck at the moment.

Thanks Mark. Yep, real high speed internet is rare, but we'll keep looking until we can put something together.

[Aloha8]

On 3/22/2021 at 8:55 AM, BJB said:

At this time checking off all of those boxes is going to be hard to do. Your either in the country with some privacy from neighbors or your stack on top of each other and super fast internet.

we live in Roane Co which is in between Knoxville and Chattanooga. If this is the ears you are interested in. I would contact 

Megan Snow @ mountains to lakes realtor

Those choices are what's making the search a slow process, given our fixed requirements.

Thanks for the contact info.