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7/4/2026 5:05:26 PM EDT
Next week, I anticipate signing a job offer in the Knoxville area.

Its going to be a bear moving, and all.

We will be selling our VA home and looking in the Oak ridge / knoxville area. Anyone have any suggestions, need to knows, pros, cons, and so on or so forth.
7/4/2026 5:32:14 PM EDT
[#1]
Welcome to Tennessee! I lived in Knoxville in the 80s but have no advice based on current info.
I think one of the major problems with America today is not enough families sit down to a big plate of squirrels momma just fried up.
7/4/2026 6:07:44 PM EDT
[Last Edit: rebel_rifle][Edited] [#2]
Originally Posted By cryo_tech:
Next week, I anticipate signing a job offer in the Knoxville area.

Its going to be a bear moving, and all.

We will be selling our VA home and looking in the Oak ridge / knoxville area. Anyone have any suggestions, need to knows, pros, cons, and so on or so forth.
View Quote


Job location?
Budget?
Kids? If so, school age?
Acreage? Or subdivision?
Particular health care needs?

Need more info to give a recommendation.

Curious, where from in VA?
7/4/2026 8:42:12 PM EDT
[Last Edit: 19Charlie278][Edited] [#3]
Welcome!!  I, too, was a VA refugee in 1991.
I’m in Sevierville County, just southeast of Knoxville. Let me know how I can help.

BTW, Oak Ridge is in Anderson County, and just north of Knoxville.  
 Are looking for better schools? Acreage? Closeness to shopping?
Wild Man of East TN
7/5/2026 8:46:11 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote History
Originally Posted By rebel_rifle:


Job location?
Budget?
Kids? If so, school age?
Acreage? Or subdivision?
Particular health care needs?

Need more info to give a recommendation.

Curious, where from in VA?
View Quote


Job location will be in oak ridge.
Budget? Good question - 450-500K? Id like to spend less but.....
No kids.
No subdivisions and I dont want to spit in my neighbors window, but I have no delusions of acerage.
Wife will need care for the wife, she has bad pancreatitis, we expect UT should be able to help with that, if not, vanderbilt 2H away is a NPF center.
7/5/2026 9:48:49 AM EDT
[Last Edit: rebel_rifle][Edited] [#5]
Quote History
Originally Posted By cryo_tech:


Job location will be in oak ridge.
Budget? Good question - 450-500K? Id like to spend less but.....
No kids.
No subdivisions and I dont want to spit in my neighbors window, but I have no delusions of acerage.
Wife will need care for the wife, she has bad pancreatitis, we expect UT should be able to help with that, if not, vanderbilt 2H away is a NPF center.
View Quote


Within those parameters, I would look at the Hardin Valley area.

Driving to Oak Ridge will be fairly close, a lot depends on the time of day. Traffic is primarily dictated by the DOE facilities and start times and end of day shifts.

You’re straight out Pellissippi Parkway and it’s fairly direct to UT hospital. Pretty much from Knox/Oak Ridge to Vanderbilt is going to be closer to 3 hours than 2, IMHO. Throw in traffic and time of day for that and could be longer.

As to your budget it all depends on size, age of house, etc. As crazy as the housing market has been, that might be a bit light of a budget, but who knows. You’ll just need to get out and look.

ETA: How familiar are you with this area? Have you been here before? Before you buy or make an offer on anything, put boots on the ground.

Another option would be to rent until you get familiar with the area. You might find out after buying something that it doesn’t really suit you or your needs. I know the rental market is tight, but then again the housing market is as well.
7/5/2026 1:43:22 PM EDT
[#6]
I'll be working at ORNL.

I HATE renting. With a passion. I cannot be akin to a landlord, hat in my hand. F all that. I may do a month to month if I have to but I have my dogs etc and I dont want to move like 3 times.
We were looking a Loudoun, Hardin, Clinton, powell, oliver springs.
7/5/2026 3:32:02 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote History
Originally Posted By cryo_tech:
I'll be working at ORNL.

I HATE renting. With a passion. I cannot be akin to a landlord, hat in my hand. F all that. I may do a month to month if I have to but I have my dogs etc and I dont want to move like 3 times.
We were looking a Loudoun, Hardin, Clinton, powell, oliver springs.
View Quote


Totally understand about renting, but again, how familiar are you with the area? The traffic patterns? At least with renting you aren’t tied to a specific area and you can further investigate other areas.

One of the side affects with this crazy housing market is that a lot of POS properties have been sold only for some buyers to regret.


7/5/2026 3:40:20 PM EDT
[#8]
Big Ed's pizza used to be great Pizza in Oak Ridge. Google says it's still there.
I think one of the major problems with America today is not enough families sit down to a big plate of squirrels momma just fried up.
7/5/2026 4:04:51 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote History
Originally Posted By bodybagger:
Big Ed's pizza used to be great Pizza in Oak Ridge. Google says it's still there.
View Quote


It’s not anything like it was.
7/5/2026 4:06:09 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote History
Originally Posted By rebel_rifle:


It’s not anything like it was.
View Quote

That's sad. I'm guessing Big Ed has passed on by now.
I think one of the major problems with America today is not enough families sit down to a big plate of squirrels momma just fried up.
7/5/2026 4:53:29 PM EDT
[Last Edit: rebel_rifle][Edited] [#11]
Quote History
Originally Posted By bodybagger:

That's sad. I'm guessing Big Ed has passed on by now.
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Quote History
Originally Posted By bodybagger:
Originally Posted By rebel_rifle:


It’s not anything like it was.

That's sad. I'm guessing Big Ed has passed on by now.



Big Ed died years ago. His son David took it over and he died a few years ago as well. David’s kids are continuing it, but it’s not the same. Overall quality of the pizza is not near what it was and they limit how much beer you can have.
7/6/2026 12:06:33 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote History
Originally Posted By rebel_rifle:
Pretty much from Knox/Oak Ridge to Vanderbilt is going to be closer to 3 hours than 2, IMHO. Throw in traffic and time of day for that and could be longer.
View Quote


Yeah, with Vanderbilt being on the west side of Nashville, getting across Nashville during rush hour traffic can be a slow process.
Earthsheltered house - a reinforced bunker that even the treehuggers consider to be socially acceptable.
Earthbag house - like an earthsheltered house, but cheaper and easier to DIY.
7/9/2026 11:09:51 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote History
Originally Posted By cryo_tech:
I'll be working at ORNL.

I HATE renting. With a passion. I cannot be akin to a landlord, hat in my hand. F all that. I may do a month to month if I have to but I have my dogs etc and I dont want to move like 3 times.
We were looking a Loudoun, Hardin, Clinton, powell, oliver springs.
View Quote

Of those locations listed, Clinton and Oliver Springs would be the most affordable places I think, and also the closest to your job.

I live in Powell and there is so much development going on here right now I doubt you can find a home not in a subdivision that hasn't been snatched up by some developer to turn the land into a bunch of condos. Also, the commute from Powell to Oak Ridge sucks. They may look fairly close on a map, but there's no straight-shot road that goes between those areas, so you're stuck with a choice of circling around the long way on the Interstate, or taking a bunch of narrow back roads where you will be guaranteed to get stuck behind a slow driver you can't pass.

I know you said you didn't want to rent, but when I moved from Nashville to Knoxville back in 2007 I put most of my stuff in a storage unit, and rented a small condo for about 6 months. It gave me time to settle into my job, and to drive around with the wife and figure out what area we wanted to buy a house in. I would do it that way again if I had to, much less stress that way.

Also, as others have said, the drive from the Knoxville area to Vanderbilt is more like 3 hours minimum, maybe as much as 4 depending on the time of day you get into the Nashville area and the insane traffic you have to navigate to get to the Vanderbilt area. You're not doing that drive in 2 hours unless you are in an ambulance with the lights and siren going. Hopefully UT will work out for you.
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
7/9/2026 12:46:30 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote History
Originally Posted By indianapwns:

Of those locations listed, Clinton and Oliver Springs would be the most affordable places I think, and also the closest to your job.

I live in Powell and there is so much development going on here right now I doubt you can find a home not in a subdivision that hasn't been snatched up by some developer to turn the land into a bunch of condos. Also, the commute from Powell to Oak Ridge sucks. They may look fairly close on a map, but there's no straight-shot road that goes between those areas, so you're stuck with a choice of circling around the long way on the Interstate, or taking a bunch of narrow back roads where you will be guaranteed to get stuck behind a slow driver you can't pass.

I know you said you didn't want to rent, but when I moved from Nashville to Knoxville back in 2007 I put most of my stuff in a storage unit, and rented a small condo for about 6 months. It gave me time to settle into my job, and to drive around with the wife and figure out what area we wanted to buy a house in. I would do it that way again if I had to, much less stress that way.

Also, as others have said, the drive from the Knoxville area to Vanderbilt is more like 3 hours minimum, maybe as much as 4 depending on the time of day you get into the Nashville area and the insane traffic you have to navigate to get to the Vanderbilt area. You're not doing that drive in 2 hours unless you are in an ambulance with the lights and siren going. Hopefully UT will work out for you.
View Quote

If it's a lights and sirens type transfer they will use a helicopter before sending an ambulance fron Knoxville to Nashville. Also Vanderbilt isn't all it's touted to be. Between the DEI and the penny pinching Vandy is a ghost of it's former self and basically running on it's reputation.
I think one of the major problems with America today is not enough families sit down to a big plate of squirrels momma just fried up.
7/9/2026 8:30:47 PM EDT
[#15]
How is UT medical?
7/9/2026 8:56:37 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote History
Originally Posted By cryo_tech:
How is UT medical?
View Quote



As in???

It is a Level 1 trauma hospital.

What specialty are you inquiring about?

From a personal standpoint, I had a stroke not quite two years ago, I’m still alive.
7/9/2026 9:31:40 PM EDT
[#17]
GI I guess. Wife has terrible pancreatits, and a pancrattic stent.

I'm already moving lol. I guess we will find someone there.
7/10/2026 3:14:05 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote History
Originally Posted By cryo_tech:
GI I guess. Wife has terrible pancreatits, and a pancrattic stent.

I'm already moving lol. I guess we will find someone there.
View Quote



Why not have your current doctor provide a referral for a doctor at UT?
8/28/2026 5:50:15 PM EDT
[#19]
Escaping Notva like Cryo_tech  and will be looking at houses in Murville and Lenoir City next week. Trying to buy in Tim Burchett's district.  Hoping to be a new resident of the volunteer state by Jan 1.

I'll be bothering you guys on here where to be a volunteer firefighter, reserve deputy, private range memberships, barber shops, churches etc.  We're refugees, not missionaries and like East Tennessee just the way it is.
8/28/2026 8:27:26 PM EDT
[#20]
Welcome! I see you've done some scouting and learned local pronunciations. I think you'll fit in.
As far as being a volunteer fireman you generally have to live in the service area of the FD you're on so while you're house shopping look at the county fire district maps.

Reserve deputy and police officer got a bit tougher when the POST commission upped the training requirements for reserves. A lot of depts phased out the programs after that happened.
I think one of the major problems with America today is not enough families sit down to a big plate of squirrels momma just fried up.

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