Moving Near Nashville, TN I need some help! Please.

[ThreeMusketeers]

Is Murfreesboro a good spot away from "Hurricane Zone"?

 

[formernyer]

Is Murfreesboro a good spot away from "Hurricane Zone"?

ummmmm...NO!!!

The area that I live in (outskirts of Murfreesboro, up closer toward Smyrna) was hit badly in 1996. I figured that meant it would be a safe area to build...WRONG!

A tornado hit again on Mother's Day morning in 2003 about one mile from my house. The subdivision it hit was made up of smaller vinyl-sided homes and it leveled about 15 of them. I'm sure that even if it hit the nicer brick homes in my area it still would have been devastating. Hundreds of other homes had varying degrees of damage. My area was limited to just hail damage and I got a new roof out of it.

Tornados are very scary and IMO they are the single worst thing about living in Tennessee.

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

ummmmm...NO!!!

The area that I live in (outskirts of Murfreesboro, up closer toward Smyrna) was hit badly in 1996. I figured that meant it would be a safe area to build...WRONG!

A tornado hit again on Mother's Day morning in 2003 about one mile from my house. The subdivision it hit was made up of smaller vinyl-sided homes and it leveled about 15 of them. I'm sure that even if it hit the nicer brick homes in my area it still would have been devastating. Hundreds of other homes had varying degrees of damage. My area was limited to just hail damage and I got a new roof out of it.

Tornados are very scary and IMO they are the single worst thing about living in Tennessee.

WOW, forgive me for my incompetant questioning here, but does this happen often? Is there a "Tornado Season" or can they happen anytime??

 

[formernyer]

WOW, forgive me for my incompetant questioning here, but does this happen often? Is there a "Tornado Season" or can they happen anytime??

unfortunately, they come around more frequently than i ever imagined prior to moving here.

the worst times of year are march, april, and september, but they can really come around at just about any time.

 

[jillyjoey]

Tornados are very scary and IMO they are the single worst thing about living in Tennessee.

I second this. I live in Jackson and we have been hit pretty bad. Tennessee appears to be the new tornado alley and I don't think any area of the state is immune. I have been here for 11 years (moved south from PA) and I still can not get used to the sirens. DH, on the other hand, (from MS) is not bothered that much. We have had damage 3 times since we have been here from tornadoes. In fact, we just bought a storm shelter-- thought I would never spend the money on one- but better alive than dead.

 

[jillyjoey]

Tornados are very scary and IMO they are the single worst thing about living in Tennessee.

I second this. I live in Jackson and we have been hit pretty bad. Tennessee appears to be the new tornado alley and I don't think any area of the state is immune. I have been here for 11 years (moved south from PA) and I still can not get used to the sirens. DH, on the other hand, (from MS) is not bothered that much. We have had damage 3 times since we have been here from tornadoes. In fact, we just bought a storm shelter-- thought I would never spend the money on one- but better alive than dead.

Crime rate in Tennessee really depends on where you are at -- I practice criminal law on state wide level and my DH is in law enforcement. Sorry any Memphis fans but you could not pay me to live in Memphis and, actually, we have seen crime rate here in Jackson rise to level of concern for us over past five years. I can break the state down by each grand division -- West (Memphis) high gang activity, murders committed as result of drugs or during commission of other crimes; Middle (Nashville) - alot of domestic abuse type crimes/ murders committed during robberies; East (Knoxville) they get the really weird stuff aka Christa Gail Pike (mostly committed by out of state people passing through). West Tennessee violent crimes outnumber East & Middle combined -- Shelby County taking the lead. But as of today we have already had 9 murders in Jackson this year -- really high -- most have been "alleged" gang/drug activity -- we are starting to see Memphis overflow. I do all my shopping in neighboring county when I can.

 

[da-winnie-pooh]

Not a Memphis fan here -

I'm the black sheep of my family because I want to move far, far, far from Memphis. I was telling my mom TODAY that the crime in Memphis is scary, blah, blah, blah. She's convinced that "It's like that everywhere." Don't think so.

Nashville is really nice, I know my comments are totally off-topic, so I'll shut up.

I live in the worst, I mean west, no, I mean worst end of the state.

 

[QueenofMyCastle]

Not a Memphis fan here -

I'm the black sheep of my family because I want to move far, far, far from Memphis. I was telling my mom TODAY that the crime in Memphis is scary, blah, blah, blah. She's convinced that "It's like that everywhere." Don't think so.

Nashville is really nice, I know my comments are totally off-topic, so I'll shut up.

I live in the worst, I mean west, no, I mean worst end of the state.

So you could do like me and move to Desoto County (MS). We love it down here. You have the benefits of being in a "suburb" of a large city without the effects of the crime etc. There are some great things about Memphis. Sure, there are certain parts of town I wouldn't go lingering in for very long.... but the zoo is awesome, I love the Red Birds baseball team, the Peabody is gorgeous (I got to stay there for my anniversary last year) and I love Memphis in May and watching the sunset over the river. The eastern part of Shelby county is actually very, very nice. I grew up in Bartlett/east Shelby county and it was a wonderful place to grow up. I'd be raising my kids there except it's gotten so popular I can't afford it! That's why we live in Desoto county...the next best thing in my opinion. And I highly doubt the crime in Jackson is an "overflow" from Memphis. All my relatives live in Haywood and Madison county and it's a well known fact that crime has been bad there for *quite* awhile...don't blame Memphis...just admit that everyone's got their own problems. No place is Utopia.

 

[QueenofMyCastle]

ummmmm...NO!!!

The area that I live in (outskirts of Murfreesboro, up closer toward Smyrna) was hit badly in 1996. I figured that meant it would be a safe area to build...WRONG!

A tornado hit again on Mother's Day morning in 2003 about one mile from my house. The subdivision it hit was made up of smaller vinyl-sided homes and it leveled about 15 of them. I'm sure that even if it hit the nicer brick homes in my area it still would have been devastating. Hundreds of other homes had varying degrees of damage. My area was limited to just hail damage and I got a new roof out of it.

Tornados are very scary and IMO they are the single worst thing about living in Tennessee.

The original poster had asked about "Hurricane Zone" instead of "Tornado Zone". I'm not sure which you meant but to answer the "Hurricane" question: Yes, you are pretty safe from Hurricanes in Nashville Although all joking aside, I live in Northwest MS and Katrina did tear the awning off my porch swing and knock over my dog's fenced in kennel...pretty impressive to get hurricane winds this far ashore!

 

[formernyer]

The original poster had asked about "Hurricane Zone" instead of "Tornado Zone". I'm not sure which you meant but to answer the "Hurricane" question: Yes, you are pretty safe from Hurricanes in Nashville Although all joking aside, I live in Northwest MS and Katrina did tear the awning off my porch swing and knock over my dog's fenced in kennel...pretty impressive to get hurricane winds this far ashore!

I probably just read the question wrong. Tennessee is nowhere near any hurricanes, but tornados are always a threat so when I read the question I automatically thought about tornados.

 

[Mom-to-3]

A good guideline is price per square foot.

When we we considering building a new house 3 years ago, we were told $90-$100/square foot was a good guideline. Not any more.

I think Williamson county is MUCH more expensive.

Do any of you know anything about the boom in Nolensville? It is such a pretty area but I have no clue about schools there.

Movies love to portray southerners as idiots. People in TN talk much more slowly and most have an accent. You have to get past the stereotype that a slow drawl means the person is stupid!!!!!

 

[swilshire]

Tennessee is nowhere near any hurricanes, but tornados are always a threat.

Just for the record, we do see damage from the stray hurricane now and then. I-40 east of Knoxville lost a lane last year and think it is still being repaired.

Typically we just see heavy rain as the storm dies down. Usually they go east of us, but we do see some damage. Certainly nothing like New Orleans, but we are affected at times.

Sheila

 

[ThreeMusketeers]

I just wanted to thank everyone again for all the advice. DH went with the Philadelphia branch instead. I am sad that I won't be able to live in your great state, but it sounds like I have a very good reason to come visit! Nashville and surrounding areas sound beautiful and great fun! Just scared of Hurricannes and Tornados, So we decided to keep it safe and stay NE. Thanks agian to everyone!!