[ManyDogs]

We currently live outside of Abingdon, VA and with the new hospital going up, it is getting a little too crowded for Mr. MD and me. My office is in Bristol and I'm wondering about TN as a possibility. I'd want to be w/in a 20-30 minute drive to work.
We have horses, dogs, cats, farm equipment yada yada and about 10 acres (or more) would be ideal.
Although I am a neophyte fox hunter I find that moving close(r) to a hunt is influencing my decision . Yes, TVH, I hear you calling .
Costs of home/farm? Availability? Taxes?
We are low key so don't need entertainment a big city would offer. A good casual restaurant, book store, and feed/tack place would be nice.
Am I dreaming?

[carolprudm]

I have considered retiring to TN but close enough to shop in VA (anywhere but TN) TN has no state income tax but does have a high sales tax, even on food.

Do you have children? In parts of TN public education is of dubious quality except around Oak Ridge

[LexInVA]

The Nooga has great schools but that's too far. The area in TN near Bristol is more or less just like the VA side.

[ManyDogs]

We don't have children so school is not a problem. I'd still shop in VA. Sam's Club, Target, Lowe's etc.

[JanM]

Oak Ridge has some seriously great housing prices, and is a beautiful place.

I am a little confused. If you intend to keep the same jobs, but live in TN, then you'll probably have to pay VA income tax too. I live in AL, but work on post at Fort Benning, GA, so I pay GA income tax.

[CHSatwork]

I don't have any helpful info for you since I live in the same town as you. LOL I would like to know more about TVH though. I fox hunted religiously in NJ. I haven't since moving here. How far is the TVH?

[carolprudm]

Oak Ridge has some seriously great housing prices, and is a beautiful place.

Yup, Mr P works there and has an apartment in West Knoxville. There doesn't seem to be much between Knoxville and the VA line. There are the usual TSC and petsmart, also http://agrifeedpetsupply.com/
The only tack store i know of is Equiknox, not much to write home about

[ManyDogs]

It is sort of a toss-up between TN and near Richmond VA for me --in my dreams. Lol I was raised outside of Richmond and feel the tug to end up there. But moving/horses/dogs/ household/equipment/vehicles/DH makes me curl up in a fetal position just thinking about it.

[ManyDogs]

Pm'ed you CHS

[Guilherme]

We were members of the TVH for several years. The hunt HQ is near Morristown. It's a good group and we enjoyed our time. We moved in a different direction and allowed our membership to lapse.

The TN sales tax is high; most other taxes are not. But a consequence of low taxes is not-robust public services. The weakest is education. But to make a decision solely on taxes is probably not the wisest course unless you've run the numbers and the result is pretty big.

For convenience to the TVH you don't want to live near Oak Ridge. Most of their hunt territories on the far east side of the Knoxville area. They have hunted on some of the government lands along the Clinch River but I don't know if they still do. There are lots good horse keeping areas around Oak Ridge.

Another good area for schools is Maryville and Alcoa. They are not very convenient to the TVH either, but are pretty well set for horse keeping.

As a general rule land costs here are modest. The "Location, Location, Location Rule" does apply, though!

G.

[suz]

is south fork in east tennesee? that looks like some prime riding country to me.

[Guilherme]

is south fork in east tennesee? that looks like some prime riding country to me.

Yes. Every extensive area and may extend into KY.

G.

[Oberon13]

I grew up in Bristol (parents still live there...off Exit 7 and GEEEEZ LOUISE has that part of town changed....it was all cow pasture when I was growing up!), and worked for seven summers (high school and college) as a tour guide in Abingdon. Yes....I can still do the spiel I used as I pointed out the Martha, the Barter, the Bank, the Tavern, the courthouse with the confederate soldier statue, etc. I LOVE that historic district.

If you're going to move to the TN side of the line, I'd recommend going south of Exit 74 (the first TN exit as you go down I-81). There is some nice, quiet living once you get down past the hospital and its ginormous sign, just before you get the Tri-Cities airport. You'll still have an easy shot to Bristol to commute to work, but you may not have much by way of restaurants, stores, etc., except for the occassional Southern States as you get closer to Kingsport.

Other option....move farther out in Washington County, VA, away from Abingdon. You could still be close-ish to Bristol if you move out Rt. 19 somewhere, or out White's Mill Rd.

Good luck land/home shopping!

[Frank B]

Consider the Blountville/Bluff City area, especially south and east of the racetrack. There's acreage available, it's very convenient to Bristol, and it's horsey.

Blountville, while expansive (that's with an "a", not an "e"), is unincorporated, so all you have are Sullivan county taxes. Tennessee has no tax on earned income, though there is some on certain interest and dividends.