Nice area to live

After all these nice little plans made to live in Kingsport, and blah blah blah the wife tells me today..she doesnt want to live that close to her family anymore, that she kinda likes being away a little so not every cousin aunt uncle isnt knocking on the door.

She wants to live close, but far enough so that it would have to be a thought of effort to come visit, and gamble on us being home if they dont call first.

They mostly live around Kingsport and towards Grey/Gray off of 36? I think thats right. I have seen so many areas that I wouldnt mind living in, but you all have the time there. Lets say Bristol the farthest North to looks like 44 to Bluff city Elizabethton, and skirt 181/81 kinda a triangle. Looks driveable to just about anywhere I might end up working in the next few years. I perfer to be close to a town, either small or big doesnt matter. Dont want to pay out the entire paycheck on rent and utilities. I dont need a castle. Any suggestions? I have been reading a couple local papers and classifieds up there, so I know about the living costs. Just kinda need a few ideas of places I dont really know about since I only know the few areas Ive been to.

Johnson City. If you want something more out of town, just look at the map. There are lots of good "country" places just miles from the city.

I dont mind JC. The wife just mentioned something about Blomingdale? I know where its at, but have never been there.

I kinda like your area too Clay, not too small, but just big enough to accomidate you for internet connectionc, decent phone service, and close enough to JC if you want to go out, or go to best buy, or something like that.

Is there anything worth doing around MTN city? Ive always kinda liked that area, seems pretty quiet and it is a decent sized town.

Mtn City is a nice town, but it's too far away from any "bigger" cities. And though you may like it, you've got to go thru some major twisties to get almost anywhere. The fam usually doesn't like such things. I like where I live alot. I'm still in the country, but I've got cable internet and I'm 10 miles from the mall in JC and just 3 from Elizabethton. Heck, maybe you should consider Watauga? :laughing Jonesborough is a thought, Colonial Heights, Blountville, even Bristol if you want more of a city life.

Originally posted by TLstreak
I dont mind JC. The wife just mentioned something about Blomingdale? I know where its at, but have never been there.Northside of Kingsport. You also are near Weber City, VA and Gate City, VA. That includes areas like Yuma too.

The wife said not in VA. She has really put a kink in my overall plan I had going on. Watch as soon as I decide on a general area again, she will want to go back to Kingsport:mad

Originally posted by TLstreak
The wife said not in VA....What's so bad with Virginia? At least our state government doesn't threaten to shut down every year at budget time.

Heck, I told my sister to find me a place, but not on the TN side. :p

I dont know.


Ok since theres so many good places to choose from. Is there any area I should stay away from?

This is TN, the same could be said for all the places we just told you were good to live in :laughing

:confused

Honestly, I can't really think of any area to "stay away from". Every city or town has its areas that are more desireable than the others are. I wouldn't mind living in just about any area around JC or Grey. I really don't like Kingsport much at all though, it just seems like a dirty city. The whole city basically centers around industry like Eastman and Willamette. However, if you want a house...GEEZ...Kingsport is the place to buy. They had the huge management layoff at Eastman a few years ago and you can get houses dirt cheap here. Personally though, I like JC alot of the three cities. Bristol is ok, probably the most populated of the 3. I think Elizabethton is a good spot though. It's not too rich or ritzy like some of JC is, most people are down to earth and friendly. It's not a big city, but it's not an itty bitty town either. There are several smaller factories all around the area, like snap-on and such, along with some smaller colleges close by, and ETSU just down the road.

So ill be safe just about anywhere in the tri-city area. Its all a matter of finding a house I like and moving in?
If thats the case thats cool. Everywhere that I have ever lived has had several areas you wanted to stay away from. example the place I lived before my little cottage in retirement central had a 10 foot securtiy fence with barbed wire , 4 attack dogs, alarm system around an 8 acre lot. With bushes and trees all the way around it so you couldnt really see in, and a dual gate and cant forget about the fence being charged with a few volts. And this was a quiet street. Must admit I liked being able to let the kids go out anytime they wanted and play , ride bikes , and run around without ever having them have to leave the yard. Carport , garage, workshop, a complete wood working shop , and a yard cleaning service twice a year for leaves. Had to move though..the schools sucked!

I live in elizabethton, about 5 miles from clay, about 3 from barry, and next door to shane (don't remember his screen name, something to do with TL1000???) oh and can't forget lance b. (Naked1) a.k.a. wheelie meister. E-town is ok, not much to do, but, you are only 5-10 minutes from johnson city so it's not really a problem. Gray is located off of 181 or the old kingsport highway (not sure what the number is for that one) it is an O.K. Area, also jonesboro is ok, it's basically like elizabethton, but, on the other end of J.C. on 11E going towards greeneville. I agree with clay about Mtn City. Too far out in the middle of no where and driving the twisties in snow just scares the hell outta me. And the cost of living is good pretty much everywhere in the tri cities. Johnson city and kingsport are a little higher than Etown, but, not by much. good luck and let us know if you need any help

Thanks again guys...I didnt want to move into a bad area. That was only concearn! I am so used to living in bad parts of the country, its habit to ask whats a good area.

Even though the wife doesnt like Va(dont know why?), but Abingdon is a great town, 10 minutes from 421, close to everything and very clean!!

Originally posted by joedogR6
Even though the wife doesnt like Va(dont know why?), but Abingdon is a great town, 10 minutes from 421, close to everything and very clean!!

Ahhh, Abingdon. I once had er.. knew this girl in Abingdon. She lived on Glen Rochie Dr, up behind the Long John Silvers. Ahh, memories.;)

Glad I could dig up a few memories for ya Scot:laughing

Originally posted by joedogR6
Even though the wife doesnt like Va(dont know why?), but Abingdon is a great town, 10 minutes from 421, close to everything and very clean!!

Uh, how about a state income tax, car tax, radar detectors are illegal, mandatory car & bike inspections, state option on your firstborn (look out Edge).:laughing

Tennessee doesnt have state wage taxes?

Oh hell no im not living in VA:D
That of course might be a reason for her not wantint to live there:p

Wait no car taxes either,?
What about highway taxes? Yearly county tax? lets see what else can I think to ask....Ill have to get my mind of not having to paying taxes for a minute...I have gotten out of missouri state tax for 11 years somehow, I wasnt looking forward to having to pay them again:cool


Im stupid.......whats an option on first born? Is that like an inside joke?

Originally posted by JRA
Uh, how about a state income tax, car tax, radar detectors are illegal, mandatory car & bike inspections, state option on your firstborn (look out Edge).:laughing

Tennessee now wants a state income tax. Don't expect them to permanently lower the sales tax if they get it.

Tennessee sales tax is so high people go to neighboring states to buy stuff if they can.

Look at some cars in Tenneessee and you'd support bike and car inspections. All they check is tires, lights, wipers, & horn. It's at least an effort to keep wrecks off the road. I just wish the MC decal was smaller, I'm running out of places to mount them. Forks aren't that big.

You can live without a radar detector. Never got a ticket in TN or VA in all these years. :p

I don't expect Tennesse to lower the sales tax rate, ever. There are very, very few temporary taxes and this isn't likely to be one of them. Once a tax is established there is only one thing that will happen to it, it'll go up. I'll gladly pay a higher sales tax because EVERYONE pays this tax (assuming you buy things), not just the so-called rich. A state income tax is not likely to happen in the near future and maybe not ever, way too many people opposed to it here.

As for Virginia, you have a sales tax (albeit lower than ours), an income tax, a car tax, a lottery, and your state government is still having to lay people off because they don't have enough revenue.
And, I've seen some pretty crappy vehicles with Virginia tags driving around down here, all you have to do is know someone who runs an inspection station, you get your sticker and they look the other way (I know this for a fact). I think owning a radar detector is my right, if the state is going to use an electronic device to try ticket me, I ought to be able to know when one of those devices is on the same road as I am. Officers are selective as to who they pull over, letting speeders in some types of vehicles pass when they are way over the limit, and stopping others (motorcycles for instance) for minor infractions. BTW, speeding tickets are just another tax, Virginia can tax more speeders if they can't use radar detectors. My .02 on taxes.

Jeff, the first born thing is just a joke. Virginia has first dibs on on everything else its residents have, why not their first born child too.:laughing

So true John. I lived in Northern Virginia for 3 years and will never live in that communist state again!

figured it was gonna be something like that. Think slow ride slow, I should just jump off the wagon now and get a harley:laughing

Originally posted by JRA
....As for Virginia, you have a sales tax (albeit lower than ours), an income tax, a car tax, a lottery, and your state government is still having to lay people off because they don't have enough revenue....I agree the lottery is a joke, but I also tried to warn people about it being a scam. It's a tax on people who can't do math and don't have any financial sense.

Sadly, Tennessee okayed one, it's just a matter if they actually do it. Probably will since they don't like Tennesseean's money going to VA, GA, KY, AL, and most every other state that has lotteries.

On car taxes, I tell people to get real and get a life. It seems unfair, and I was a supporter of Gilmore and getting rid of the car tax, but guess what....EVERY STATE HAS IT!

In both Wyoming, Nevada, and about every other state, you pay a "registration fee" based on the value of the vehicle. If it walks like a duck....

In Virginia, you pay a fixed fee for you plates/decal. You pay a variable fee to the county for a county decal and you pay personal property taxes to the county too. If you add all this up, you probably are paying as much as other people pay in other states. It's that it's called a "tax" that ruffles so many feathers.

Every state seems to do it, and you can't fight it.

The only area in east tn that you have to pay a car tax (wheel tax ) is in johnson county (Mtn. city) and its paid when you renew or buy new tags.. And there is some talk of johnson city going to the same thing... But only in the city limits.. And as for tax rate no they will never lower it. Most most areas have a 9.25%
sales tax except johnson city and they have a 9.25% state sales tax and a .5% city sales tax

Every city/county in TN has a state fee (additions made by the city/county to this fee are refered to as a wheel tax and usually add between $2 and $15 ) that you pay when you renew your registration each year, most are under $25. In VA you pay a car tax that is based on the value of your car. Own an expensive car and you might pay several hundred dollars annually in tax to the state.

If can't already tell, taxes are of particular interest to me. I don't enjoy paying them only to have the state and federal government waste a large percentage of my hard earned money.:mad

But to get back to Jeff's original question about where to live. Johnson City is , in my opinion, the best area to live in. I lived in Elizabethton for 5 years, and although it's nice, we spent a lot of time driving to Johnson City for work, shopping, restaurants,etc. Johnson City has everything you need and with 181 running through the middle of town, you are only 15 minutes or less away from everything.:p

What about the cost of living diffrence. Ill be renting when I first get up there, maybe the first year or 2 before even thinking of buying another home. I could pay about the same in town as I could out of town and usually end up with something a little bigger if I wasnt in the city. I dont mind commuting a little. As long as I have a local greocery store or a wal-mart or something to make those (honey-do) runs. I have been reading the local paper up there a little, and you see 3 bdr houses with garage and a little land going for about 5-800 a month. Im not rushed to find a pace to live, Im good on a place to stay when I get there. I am just checking areas out on a map right now.

Originally posted by JRA
Every city/county in TN has a state fee (additions made by the city/county to this fee are refered to as a wheel tax and usually add between $2 and $15 ) that you pay when you renew your registration each year, most are under $25 The only place in the area he is looking at that adds extra tax on your tages every time you renew is johson county. yes you do have a tax on the car when its a new or used car you just bought.
Most fees or $35.00 plus a 6% tax when tagging a new car. and 35 ever time you renew that tag. In johson county you pay $35.00 plus a 6% tax PLUS a wheel tax of 25.00 extra.. The 25.00 extra is what i was calling a wheel tax .. not the state fee tax you are right everone has to pay that but i was talking extra on top of that. And as far a a good area to live in i would look at the milligan area... there is a a ton of apartments to rent there plus your 5 mins from both eliz and jc. and the phone sevice there has a larger calling area.. you can call both jc and eliz as a local call if you live in eliz and call jc there is a long distance charge

I found the college and the road. Ill have to drive thru that area. Not to far from a few major roads , and not dead in the middle of JC either. Ill check that one out!

Originally posted by TLstreak
What about the cost of living diffrence. Ill be renting when I first get up there, maybe the first year or 2 before even thinking of buying another home. I could pay about the same in town as I could out of town and usually end up with something a little bigger if I wasnt in the city. I dont mind commuting a little. As long as I have a local greocery store or a wal-mart or something to make those (honey-do) runs. I have been reading the local paper up there a little, and you see 3 bdr houses with garage and a little land going for about 5-800 a month. Im not rushed to find a pace to live, Im good on a place to stay when I get there. I am just checking areas out on a map right now.


It's all about location, location,location. You will pay more for convenience. In other words a rental property that's close to ETSU, the hospital, North Johnson City shopping, etc. will rent for more than something farther away. As far as being close to a Wal Mart goes, no matter where you live in the tri cities or Elizebethton, you won't be more than 20 minutes away from one. Now if you want to be 5 minutes away from everything, you'll pay more.

Being that close usually means more traffic, less room for the muts, more worries about kids in the street, alot more people seeing the bike come in and out (dont know how bike theft is up there) less privacy and cant use the air compressor late at night when I want to work and not be sitting in front of the TV, or worse the computer which I never seem to leave because its too cold outside to work.:rolleyes