Thoughts on South-East Tennessee?

[spencer60]

Looking at buying some land, or even a future retirement home in the Polk county area in the Southeast part of the state.

Looks like a beautiful, rural area with some decent options.

Opinions? Especially interested in hearing from anyone who has lived in that area.

 

[BillsCamino]

You'll need to brush up on Shine recipes...

 

[Dawgbrain]

It's a nice area with plenty of great outdoor options right in your backyard. The population is pretty stable with mostly salt of the earth types having roots in the area. If you want to travel, the Chattanooga airport is convenient but you're limited with direct flights. By car it's an easy jump to 75 north but I'd probably rather take hwy 411 to get to 75 south and avoid Chattanooga. I'm not real familiar with their healthcare system but you'll probably be heading over to Memorial or Erlanger in Chattanooga for anything too serious or for many specialists. You should be able to buy most the basics local but if big box shopping is your thing you'll have a 15-20 minute drive to Cleveland.

 

[MacTavish]

The locals up there think all that land is theirs to hunt and fish whenever they like. If you were to put up POSTED and NO TRESPASSING signs your stay there might be short lived.

 

[coolformula]

Polk county is rural. Very pretty. Be prepared to drive to Cleveland and Chattanooga.

Enjoy no state income taxes

Lots of good dual sport motorcycle trails in the area.

The ocoee area is high traffic in the summers for the area due the white waters.

PM if you I can help.

 

[Phydoux]

I lived up on the Cumberland plateau for a couple years. Locals asked if I was from NY City. I didn’t sound southern or had an accent they could detect. Met a couple folks that could count on one hand how many times they have traveled outside the county. Had one lady that worked for me that had grown up in a run down trailer, told me the day she bought her doublewide, all her dreams had come true. Great folks, I felt somewhere between envy and sorry for them sometimes.
did notice quite a few black eyes, and not on men. Just minded my own business with that!

 

[Horsehat]

I grew up in the next county over. Polk county has an interesting political history, was at one point one of the most corrupt places in the nation. that has changed, no doubt. There used to be a sign up on 64 highway warning black folks to be out before dark and into the 70’s at least there were no black residents. Again, times have changed.
it is comprised mostly of national forest so the tax base is extremely small. Local government relies heavily on speed trap fines For revenue. It is probably one of the most “you mind your business, I’ll mind mine” places left on the planet. You may never be accepted as anything other than a tolerable outsider during your lifetime but your kids and grandkids might at some point be. I hunted it extensively in my misspent youth and spent many a night camped in the Cherokee national forest. Beautiful place. It is quite a trip to decent medical facilities, internet and cell service may not be what you are used to if that matters.

 

[MJH661]

I lived in Fannin county GA for 21 years. About 5 miles from Polk county TN. I give up and left, even though I’m born and raised in GA with hundreds of years ancestry in GA, I was never accepted as “one of the locals”. Beautiful land, great climate, rural, … etc. lots of positives. The deciding factor for me was the exponential population growth in the area and property values Skyrocketing. I cashed out and left. Think twice and evaluate carefully, all is not as it appears.
just my 2 cents and worth every penny!
good luck my friend

 

[MJH661]

The locals up there think all that land is theirs to hunt and fish whenever they like. If you were to put up POSTED and NO TRESPASSING signs your stay there might be short lived.

Very true, I found countless unknown people on game cameras.

 

[spistols]

I never been to E. TN. Hear great things about it.