Best Parts in Knox to Live

#1

rockytop989

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#1
Ive been to Knoxville numerous times due to games, hanging out, etc. My wife and I are looking to relocate there eventually once we get our jobs lined up and to eventually start our family. However, we are unfamiliar with the demographics, safest areas, schools, stuff like that. I’ve heard you can’t go wrong around Farragut. Any other good areas in town? I appreciate all the info!
 
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#3
#3
Ive been to Knoxville numerous times due to games, hanging out, etc. My wife and I are looking to relocate there eventually once we get our jobs lined up and to eventually start our family. However, we are unfamiliar with the demographics, safest areas, schools, stuff like that. I’ve heard you can’t go wrong around Farragut. Any other good areas in town? I appreciate all the info!

Owning a home inside the Knoxville city limits could be a big mistake. The leaders are pretty far left (I think some are proud to be called socialists of some form or another) and like to spend, so taxes could become a huge issue. But hey, some people really like that political philosophy and want to join the community). To be bipartisan, previous Right orientated administrations left a lot of debt (how much did the convention center cost, $200,000,000?). An expensive new police headquarters is in the early stages. I'd suggest if you want to live inside the city limits, then rent at first or try to stay under $200k. You could actually still find nice, but modest 1,200-1,600 SF homes for $125-$150k.

The incorporated Town of Farragut was created for the purpose of blocking the city from annexing the nice homes out there (far west Knox County). I guess it's considered a bedroom community. Not really huge employers in Farragut outside of retailers. Knoxville and Farragut have agreed on future annexation borders. Buying in Farragut (or the unincorporated areas that have been designated for Farragut's future growth) is pretty sound. It's easy access to the airport, Oak Ridge, and still about 30 minutes to UT/Downtown. South of I-40 the Knoxville/Farragut border has generally been set around Lovell Road/Canton Hollow Road.

Riverbend is a great community that is close in west (Northshore Road/Lyons Bend Road, 10-15 minutes to UT/Downtown). Beautiful properties, on and close to the lake, Duncan Boat Dock, and the home owners are rich and powerful. It will be a long time before Knoxville has a chance to annex out in Riverbend even though it's practically inside of the city limits of Knoxville). The Haslams have hundreds of acres in Riverbend. The owner of HT Hackney has hundreds of acres.

Outside of Knox County, Maryville in Blount County and Lenoir City in Loudon County are good choices as is Sevier County (although lots of Smoky Mtn tourists clog up the roads, but locals learn the back roads).

There are some backwards people and areas within an hour outside of downtown Knoxville. Beautiful inexpensive lake properties, but you should research where the "Deliverance-like" fellers are living and breeding. Places like Del Rio in Cocke County or Morgan County... not even close to politically correct, tolerant communities in those places. Even Halls in North Knox County has had some crosses burned in yards about a generation ago.

Back to Knoxville/Knox County... West is Best, not debatable. Costs half again as much, but worth it. Hardin Valley is a booming, still rural area in NW Knox County. New HV High School. 90% of the private schools are out west (Webb, Catholic, CAK, Grace Christian).

Out in Farragut, the Concord community is like Mayberry. Concord Hills (1970s and later homes) is a high end neighborhood on the northern edge of the Town of Concord. Beware, the post office uses the term "Concord" for areas far east of the actual "town" of Concord. Fox Den (inside of the INCORPORATED Town of Farragut) is a beautiful neighborhood developed around 1970. Farragut is also loaded with dozens of neighborhoods full of McMansions.

Bearden High School is very good. But most of the "Bearden Community" residents are zoned for West High School (not a bad school either). Bearden High School is probably considered just west of the "Bearden" community.

Generally most of Knoxville is safe and prosperous. Much of the east side rates as the lowest in the economic pecking order. Of course there are lots of pockets of gentrification if you want to pay a lot of money for pretty restored areas that are vulnerable to nearby slummy parts spilling back over in the next severe economic downturn.

I have a **** ton more that I could say, but I've probably akready pissed off half the board by speaking the truth.
 
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#6
#6
Owning a home inside the Knoxville city limits could be a big mistake. The leaders are pretty far left (I think some are proud to be called socialists of some form or another) and like to spend, so taxes could become a huge issue. But hey, some people really like that political philosophy and want to join the community). To be bipartisan, previous Right orientated administrations left a lot of debt (how much did the convention center cost, $200,000,000?). An expensive new police headquarters is in the early stages. I'd suggest if you want to live inside the city limits, then rent at first or try to stay under $200k. You could actually still find nice, but modest 1,200-1,600 SF homes for $125-$150k.

The incorporated Town of Farragut was created for the purpose of blocking the city from annexing the nice homes out there (far west Knox County). I guess it's considered a bedroom community. Not really huge employers in Farragut outside of retailers. Knoxville and Farragut have agreed on future annexation borders. Buying in Farragut (or the unincorporated areas that have been designated for Farragut's future growth) is pretty sound. It's easy access to the airport, Oak Ridge, and still about 30 minutes to UT/Downtown. South of I-40 the Knoxville/Farragut border has generally been set around Lovell Road/Canton Hollow Road.

Riverbend is a great community that is close in west (Northshore Road/Lyons Bend Road, 10-15 minutes to UT/Downtown). Beautiful properties, on and close to the lake, Duncan Boat Dock, and the home owners are rich and powerful. It will be a long time before Knoxville has a chance to annex out in Riverbend even though it's practically inside of the city limits of Knoxville). The Haslams have hundreds of acres in Riverbend. The owner of HT Hackney has hundreds of acres.

Outside of Knox County, Maryville in Blount County and Lenoir City in Loudon County are good choices as is Sevier County (although lots of Smoky Mtn tourists clog up the roads, but locals learn the back roads).

There are some backwards people and areas within an hour outside of downtown Knoxville. Beautiful inexpensive lake properties, but you should research where the "Deliverance-like" fellers are living and breeding. Places like Del Rio in Cocke County or Morgan County... not even close to politically correct, tolerant communities in those places. Even Halls in North Knox County has had some crosses burned in yards about a generation ago.

Back to Knoxville/Knox County... West is Best, not debatable. Costs half again as much, but worth it. Hardin Valley is a booming, still rural area in NW Knox County. New HV High School. 90% of the private schools are out west (Webb, Catholic, CAK, Grace Christian).

Out in Farragut, the Concord community is like Mayberry. Concord Hills (1970s and later homes) is a high end neighborhood on the northern edge of the Town of Concord. Beware, the post office uses the term "Concord" for areas far east of the actual "town" of Concord. Fox Den (inside of the INCORPORATED Town of Farragut) is a beautiful neighborhood developed around 1970. Farragut is also loaded with dozens of neighborhoods full of McMansions.

Bearden High School is very good. But most of the "Bearden Community" residents are zoned for West High School (not a bad school either). Bearden High School is probably considered just west of the "Bearden" community.

Generally most of Knoxville is safe and prosperous. Much of the east side rates as the lowest in the economic pecking order. Of course there are lots of pockets of gentrification if you want to pay a lot of money for pretty restored areas that are vulnerable to nearby slummy parts spilling back over in the next severe economic downturn.

I have a **** ton more that I could say, but I've probably akready pissed off half the board by speaking the truth.

good info
 
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#7
#7
Owning a home inside the Knoxville city limits could be a big mistake. The leaders are pretty far left (I think some are proud to be called socialists of some form or another) and like to spend, so taxes could become a huge issue. But hey, some people really like that political philosophy and want to join the community). To be bipartisan, previous Right orientated administrations left a lot of debt (how much did the convention center cost, $200,000,000?). An expensive new police headquarters is in the early stages. I'd suggest if you want to live inside the city limits, then rent at first or try to stay under $200k. You could actually still find nice, but modest 1,200-1,600 SF homes for $125-$150k.

The incorporated Town of Farragut was created for the purpose of blocking the city from annexing the nice homes out there (far west Knox County). I guess it's considered a bedroom community. Not really huge employers in Farragut outside of retailers. Knoxville and Farragut have agreed on future annexation borders. Buying in Farragut (or the unincorporated areas that have been designated for Farragut's future growth) is pretty sound. It's easy access to the airport, Oak Ridge, and still about 30 minutes to UT/Downtown. South of I-40 the Knoxville/Farragut border has generally been set around Lovell Road/Canton Hollow Road.

Riverbend is a great community that is close in west (Northshore Road/Lyons Bend Road, 10-15 minutes to UT/Downtown). Beautiful properties, on and close to the lake, Duncan Boat Dock, and the home owners are rich and powerful. It will be a long time before Knoxville has a chance to annex out in Riverbend even though it's practically inside of the city limits of Knoxville). The Haslams have hundreds of acres in Riverbend. The owner of HT Hackney has hundreds of acres.

Outside of Knox County, Maryville in Blount County and Lenoir City in Loudon County are good choices as is Sevier County (although lots of Smoky Mtn tourists clog up the roads, but locals learn the back roads).

There are some backwards people and areas within an hour outside of downtown Knoxville. Beautiful inexpensive lake properties, but you should research where the "Deliverance-like" fellers are living and breeding. Places like Del Rio in Cocke County or Morgan County... not even close to politically correct, tolerant communities in those places. Even Halls in North Knox County has had some crosses burned in yards about a generation ago.

Back to Knoxville/Knox County... West is Best, not debatable. Costs half again as much, but worth it. Hardin Valley is a booming, still rural area in NW Knox County. New HV High School. 90% of the private schools are out west (Webb, Catholic, CAK, Grace Christian).

Out in Farragut, the Concord community is like Mayberry. Concord Hills (1970s and later homes) is a high end neighborhood on the northern edge of the Town of Concord. Beware, the post office uses the term "Concord" for areas far east of the actual "town" of Concord. Fox Den (inside of the INCORPORATED Town of Farragut) is a beautiful neighborhood developed around 1970. Farragut is also loaded with dozens of neighborhoods full of McMansions.

Bearden High School is very good. But most of the "Bearden Community" residents are zoned for West High School (not a bad school either). Bearden High School is probably considered just west of the "Bearden" community.

Generally most of Knoxville is safe and prosperous. Much of the east side rates as the lowest in the economic pecking order. Of course there are lots of pockets of gentrification if you want to pay a lot of money for pretty restored areas that are vulnerable to nearby slummy parts spilling back over in the next severe economic downturn.

I have a **** ton more that I could say, but I've probably akready pissed off half the board by speaking the truth.
Geez thank you for this information! I wasn’t expecting this much in one post. I really appreciate it! We are planning to rent after we sell our current home so we can become more familiar with the city. I’ve been doing a lot of research on Google Maps and I do like how rural some of West Knox is but yet still close to the city. We don’t want to up and buy a house and regret it later due to schools or being too distant from our employers. Thanks for the info!
 
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#8
#8
And I failed to mention the obvious about Farragut. Their property tax is zero. Knoxville's is close to the Knox County rate. Home owners in Farragut pay the same property tax rate as everybody else in Knox County that are outside of the city limits. So just using simple percentages, say a $300k property and Knox and Knoxville each charge 2.5%, annual taxes are $750 outside of Knoxville and $1,500 inside of Knoxville. BUT those living inside of Knoxville get free trash pickup, free yard waste pickup, free fire protection (and sometimes cheaper homeowners insurance), and free street lights (many of the McMansion neighborhoods have homeowners associations that provide the street lighting... but they also can be tyrants that rule over your property rights (and prevent your neighbor from disrupting the neighborhood "tranquility")). Plus the utility company charges slightly less inside of the Knoxville city limits. So somewhere around a $250k house the services provided by Knoxville balance out for the nearly double property taxes charged. Farragut becomes a far better deal for properties somewhere around $300-$400k and up. Knoxville also has a more tyrannical Codes Enforcement office. You'll get away with letting your grass grow a little long outside of Knoxville. But Farragut can also enforce their rules and the Home Owner Associations anywhere can be picky. Just depends how much government and private governing bodies you want ruling over you and your neighbors.

Knox County provides sheriff protection and schools. Knoxville provides police protection, fire protection, garbage and yard waste removal, and fancy murals painted on downtown alleys and expensive pieces of art scattered all about. Both have parks and recreation departments. The complete lists should be on their respective websites.

The Knoxville police have a faster response time to calls, but also have to deal with the homeless population that is getting rather large just north of downtown Knoxville. There are still homeless camps in the unincorporated county, but they're more spread out. The mission district along North Broadway near downtown is ground zero.

The Knox County Sheriff has a much larger area to police so their response time to emergencies can be much longer. The Knoxville Firefighter First Responders will also come save your life and not send you a bill. So if you're going to have a heart attack, have it inside the city of Knoxville.

The Knox County Sheriffs and the Knoxville City Police are both (mostly) above average and professional. Most are real good guys if you aren't a disruptive instigator.
 
#9
#9
Geez thank you for this information! I wasn’t expecting this much in one post. I really appreciate it! We are planning to rent after we sell our current home so we can become more familiar with the city. I’ve been doing a lot of research on Google Maps and I do like how rural some of West Knox is but yet still close to the city. We don’t want to up and buy a house and regret it later due to schools or being too distant from our employers. Thanks for the info!

If you want a little more rural atmosphere outside of Knoxville and on the west side, there's still a lot of that north of I-40. It's also a nice rural setting along Northshore Drive in the SW sections (but a little pricier). Far East is very rural, south is kind of rural and blends into the Smoky Mtn area, and north is chock full of good ole boy, successful farmer types.

The lakes surrounding Knoxville are kind of distinct. Easy access is along Northshore Drive and Lenoir City (Fort Loudon, which is the river running through downtown but backed up into a TVA reservoir. Tellico Lake (the nicest and connected to Fort Loudon... that water flows out of the Smoky Mountains and is cleaner than FL) is the fanciest. Watts Bar Lake is downstream from Tellico/Fort Loudon and boaters can access it with free travels through the Fort Loudon Dam locks (you can sail all the way through to Chattanooga and onward to the Gulf of Mexico). Melton Hill Lake is smaller and is accessed from NW Knox County and the Oak Ridge/Anderson County side. MH dumps into Watts Bar.

Norris Lake is beautiful and is about 45 minutes north of downtown Knoxville. It feeds into Melton Hill, but boats can NOT navigate through Norris Dam. It is also clean water like Tellico.

Douglas Lake and Cherokee Lake are about an hour east of Knoxville. Douglas tucks up near the Smoky Mountains. Douglas and Cherokee are smaller (but also less populated) and both are separated from the rest of the system by dams that boats can not navigate thru. Norris, Douglas, and Cherokee are all separated. Fort Loudon, Tellico, Watts Bar, and Melton Hill are all connected. You can boat from them all the way up to Neyland Stadium.
 
#11
#11
Probably has one of the most diverse price ranges in housing for any neighborhood you could find.

Probably 200k - 8 digits.

You got that right. The bus line runs through Sequoyah Hills. Partly to serve the people living in those old apartments right in the center and partly to get the multi-millionaires' domestic help back and forth to their east Knoxville homes.
 
#12
#12
Not trying to be an elitist d***, but pay attention to where the government housing is located. West Knoxville has little of that. Broadway/North Knoxville, East Knoxville, downtown, and Vestal in South Knoxville carry the load.
 
#13
#13
The elected officials in Farragut won't be pushing for affordable housing developments. The liberals that are gaining power in the city of Knoxville have it high on their agendas. Knoxville city leaders built a day time gathering area for the homeless (actually they are forced to try to manage the situation). That doesn't happen in Farragut.

The homeless services along North Broadway are Mecca for the transient. Not trying to be political, that's just the reality. Some people actually don't want to hide from it and embrace being their neighbors. The Farragutians typically stroke checks to the agencies and their churches to help out and might load the kids into the $80,000 SUVs head down to KARM or the other agencies and have them pass out gloves, blankets, and meals once or twice a year. If you're into that.. check out the Love Kitchen. I knew Helen Ashe and Ellen Turner. They are angels.
 
#14
#14
Geez thank you for this information! I wasn’t expecting this much in one post. I really appreciate it! We are planning to rent after we sell our current home so we can become more familiar with the city. I’ve been doing a lot of research on Google Maps and I do like how rural some of West Knox is but yet still close to the city. We don’t want to up and buy a house and regret it later due to schools or being too distant from our employers. Thanks for the info!


My grandparents lived in South Knox off John Sevier and Chapman Hwy in Woodfield Park. Always thought it was a nice area. Middle class/upper middle. Don't know what school is out there. Pretty centrally located area to the Airport/Pigeon Forge/Downtown.
 
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#15
#15
My grandparents lived in South Knox off John Sevier and Chapman Hwy in Woodfield Park. Always thought it was a nice area. Middle class/upper middle. Don't know what school is out there. Pretty centrally located area to the Airport/Pigeon Forge/Downtown.

There are some real nice areas in South Knoxville. Seymour is a nice, slower paced area. South is a little isolated from the interstate and the TN River seperates it from downtown and west Knoxville.

Maryville has a top notch school system. Maryville is a good, nearby municipality.

I'm far less familiar with the south side.
 
#16
#16
I’m contemplating buying an investment property and highly considering doing it in TN. I’m a UT grad and absolutely love the state of TN. I’ve thought about buying one in FL, but flood insurance is too much and there are so many hurricanes. I’m from NJ and currently live in NJ as well. I don’t want an investment property here because the taxes are so high and so is auto insurance and I think I can make a better investment elsewhere. Currently my house is worth about $225,000 but my property taxes are $8,500 a year. My thought process in getting an investment property is to continue living in NJ while I’m working and rent out the house in TN. When I’m ready to retire I could then move to TN. Because I’m looking to rent the property would I be better doing it somewhere in the Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge area or somewhere near Knoxville or Nashville? I’m not super familiar with the areas- I dated a girl from Spring Hill when I was at UT, so I know that area a little bit, but that was over 10 years ago. I want a property that would entice renters to want to be there as well as me want to be there when I retire (whether that’s mountain view, lake view, river view, waterfront, or close to the city). Any help/suggestions are appreciated. Also, is there anything I should know about living in TN that would affect cost? I know property taxes are way lower in TN than NJ but is there anything else that is expensive and would deter me from wanting an investment property in TN?
 
#17
#17
I’m contemplating buying an investment property and highly considering doing it in TN. I’m a UT grad and absolutely love the state of TN. I’ve thought about buying one in FL, but flood insurance is too much and there are so many hurricanes. I’m from NJ and currently live in NJ as well. I don’t want an investment property here because the taxes are so high and so is auto insurance and I think I can make a better investment elsewhere. Currently my house is worth about $225,000 but my property taxes are $8,500 a year. My thought process in getting an investment property is to continue living in NJ while I’m working and rent out the house in TN. When I’m ready to retire I could then move to TN. Because I’m looking to rent the property would I be better doing it somewhere in the Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge area or somewhere near Knoxville or Nashville? I’m not super familiar with the areas- I dated a girl from Spring Hill when I was at UT, so I know that area a little bit, but that was over 10 years ago. I want a property that would entice renters to want to be there as well as me want to be there when I retire (whether that’s mountain view, lake view, river view, waterfront, or close to the city). Any help/suggestions are appreciated. Also, is there anything I should know about living in TN that would affect cost? I know property taxes are way lower in TN than NJ but is there anything else that is expensive and would deter me from wanting an investment property in TN?

Check out Tellico Village. Google will provide a lot of links.

If you want to find something in the $200-$300,000 range, check out West Hills/Bearden inside of Knoxville. I'll defer to others to chime in on the Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg / Sevierville / Smoky Mountain areas. Wears Valley anybody?
 
#19
#19
There are some real nice areas in South Knoxville. Seymour is a nice, slower paced area. South is a little isolated from the interstate and the TN River seperates it from downtown and west Knoxville.

Maryville has a top notch school system. Maryville is a good, nearby municipality.

I'm far less familiar with the south side.

They weren't too far south. Just off 441 on John Sevier. Relatives were out west side I think, but not glam area. Western Hills area maybe. I know it felt like forever going from John Sevier over to their houses. If you don't mind being on out there, I've been by some beautiful places on the east along the Holston and French Broad. even got native american history lessons from gramps walking the hillsides bird hunting over the convergence of the Holston and French Broad.
 
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#21
#21
Also, Fairfield Glade on the Cumberland Plateau between Knoxville and Nashville is a big retirement/golf community.

If you want serious scenery with accessibility, the area near Harriman where I-40 seems a mile above the valley floor is money.
 
#22
#22
Check out Tellico Village. Google will provide a lot of links.

If you want to find something in the $200-$300,000 range, check out West Hills/Bearden inside of Knoxville. I'll defer to others to chime in on the Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg / Sevierville / Smoky Mountain areas. Wears Valley anybody?

Right in the middle of some great outdoors, and trout fishing.
 
#23
#23
Check out Tellico Village. Google will provide a lot of links.

If you want to find something in the $200-$300,000 range, check out West Hills/Bearden inside of Knoxville. I'll defer to others to chime in on the Pigeon Forge / Gatlinburg / Sevierville / Smoky Mountain areas. Wears Valley anybody?
Thanks. Since the property taxes in TN are so much lower I could go up a lot higher in price if need be and it would essentially be like what I’m paying here now and have a way bigger house. (I was looking online and could find 4,000 plus square feet homes with 5,6 bedrooms and 4 plus bathrooms on an acre lot for a couple hundred dollars a month more than what I’m paying now and it blew my mind) I’m just not sure what the rental market in TN is like and if it would make sense to do that. That’s the biggest reason I was thinking Gatlinburg area for tourism. Are there a lot of renters in the Knoxville area?
 
#24
#24
They weren't too far south. Just off 441 on John Sevier. Relatives were out west side I think, but not glam area. Western Hills area maybe. I know it felt like forever going from John Sevier over to their houses. If you don't mind being on out there, I've been by some beautiful places on the east along the Holston and French Broad. even got native american history lessons from gramps walking the hillsides bird hunting over the convergence of the Holston and French Broad.

Out west there is West Hills and there is Western Avenue. Very different areas. West Hills is less rural, sits right by I-40 10 minutes from downtown, and has $140,000 condos and $2,000,000 homes. It's a big neighborhood.

Western Avenue is the original state highway connecting downtown Knoxville and Oak Ridge. Cumberland Estates, West Haven, and Norwood are solid communities on or near Western Avenue. The Western Heights projects are along Western Avenue as well as the Lonsdale, Beaumont, Mechanicsville (MLB) area. MLB is where the new police headquarters will be going.
 
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