Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge Tell me about Chattanooga

Ok, The place I applied too has made me an offer of employment in Chattanooga. The real drawback is the money is quite a bit less then I now make. But i know the cost of living is way lower there anyhow so I could probably get by ok.
So, now I need to know whatever any of you more local guys can tell me about specifics. I figure we will go down this next week, check it out and decide if it indeed where we want to live. We should have about $100-120k cash for house buying as well. I was also thinking if we do move, to rent somewhere for a few months to get a better fell for exactly we want to end up living instead of just moving down and buying a house, only to find that we really would have preferred another part of the area.
We would like to get a decent house in the $100/sq ft range with a couple acres at least. We want to live outside the city and I could commute to downtown where the job is located. I have done a lot of reading the forums about the area and Soddy Daisy, Dixon, Cleveland Ottwehaw(sp?) all seem to be nice areas with affordable housing. Lookout Mtn and Signal Hill also look and sound nice but seem a tad pricey.
Anyhow, anyone got some info they can share?
Areas we should look at when we go down?
Thanks.

I absolutely forbid you from moving that close to Chy. My GOD, think of the consequences. Do you hold the Noreast rally 80 miles Northwest of Dahlonega? Where would I stop on my way back from business in Toronto? Can you REALLY handle pretyy much riding year round? Answer truthfully. You will never be able to to naturally lager a beer again but will instead have to buy a frigerator and thermostat. Think about it. Noooo way you would like it down there Mr. Yankee, tried and true. Noooo Way!!

1.Triumph of Chattanooga is there.
2.You will be closer to me.
3.Home of the Krystals HQ.
4.Closer to Chy's
5.No state income tax

Its the storied scene of one of of many key battles in our Civil War.

The third and most well known of three battles of Chattanooga was waged from Nov 23-25 1863 when Northern forces under the command of Ulysses S. Grant relieved embattled and besieged Union forces thereby defeating Confederate general Braxton Bragg. Lots of history there. Big successful Northern assaults on Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. This battle was key towards soidifying Union control of Tennessee.

Tennessee has the also dubious distinction of being the home state of one Al Gore who failed to even carry said home state in his non winning attempt to win the white house.

Can you officially keep your handle "Dinqua" if you move away from Canandaigua? We'll have to start calling you Noogie, or maybe we could just call you Tennessee. Reminds me of an old Fess Parker movie.

I like the idea of renting for a few months. That would help you get a feel for the place. After moving Albuquerque, I found out the insurance companies divide the city into 4 zones. Each has it's own insurance rates, and some are quite a bit higher than others.

It's also funny who gives you useful information. About 2 weeks after we moved in, the security guy came over to setup the security system. He was friendly and talkative. He told us about lots of good places to go see, and also places to avoid. As I said, it pays to hang out for a while before you commit to anything. I'm sure you knew that, but a little reminder never hurts.

Good luck,
Cody

Do I see a pattern here? Ya buy a Triumph, and within a few years you are looking to move south to extend your riding season. Seems like lots of us are doing it.

Pat
A google search on "compare cost of living between" brought up a host of sites to do that with ...a quick blast thru one of them revealed a 3.4% decrease in cost of living from Rochester NY (sorry it was as close as I could get) to Chatanooga....but there are others Like www.salaryexpert.com

that have Can-a-Dinqua listed...

Last summer we were in Chattanooga and saw this place. It's up for sale at just the right time! Here's the place:

http://tennesseeguy.wordpress.com/2007/02/05/chattanoogas-flying-saucer-house-for-sale/

Can you imagine, if Pat buys this place, the great pictures of a TBA rally!

Yes, The Dinqua in Chattanooga. 1 1/2 hrs from me in Knoxville. Let's see uh, I need a to do the big bore, new carbies, homemade brew, sweeeet
What can I tell you about Chattanooga, not a lot. If your Civil War buff you'll find plenty to do.By the way the south actually won the the war Lincoln just declared victory to save face I know you do not want to live in Chattanooga. Cleveland is about 1/2 hour east,nice area. Soddy Daisy is rural and also a nice area. Triumph of Chattanooga is the lowest cost dealer in the US.
And last but not least if you need new carpeting just across the line in Georgia, rug capitol of the world
Welcome to the South
Mike

Post deleted by Yota

Post deleted by Dinqua

thats what I'm talking about. We need new genes in south. Welcome to Dixie Pat.

Post deleted by Dinqua

Pat- Sorry about that man. I wasn't trying to rub you the wrong way. It was more of a joke about the legal system in the South. I would never make any wise a** comments about your children.

Hopefully we can call him Di-nooqua by then.

it has a choo choo
thats all i got...
G

you can pack a pistol.

Anyone heard this one? "Pardon me Roy...is that the cat who chewed your new shoes?"

I think you just made it up.

Quote:

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Post deleted by Dinqua

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Thanks Pat I need that but don't take yourself to seriously.
Welcome to Dixie.
PS: a gun rack is not necessary for your pick up I keep my hog leg under the front seat

Ummm...Chattanooga.

The local catch fraise here is.

Paddle Faster, I hear Bango Music.

Or, as Jeff Foxworthy would say.

If you live in Chattanooga, You might be a Red Neck.

I do of course jest. Chattanooga is a nice town. Full of interesting history, and surrounded by some of the nicest riding roads you will ever see. One hour from the Cherohala Skyway, 90 minutes and a bit to Deals Gap (aka, The Dragon). There are some nice lakes if your into boats. There is a Triumph motorcycle store here. Also a big HD store as well.

The down town area has been completely renovated and is a very nice place to spend an evening. There are a lot of surrounding areas that are nice places to live. But the two mountains that over look Chattanooga are very expensive.

Ooltewah is a nice area, but it is growing fast. Not much there at the moment but it seems every month a new sub division opens.

I live in Cleveland, just 30 miles north of Chattanooga. I think you will find life a little slower paced to what you might be used to up in NY. I like Cleveland, it is quite town, little if any crime, well i dont hear of any. Nice place to bring up children and its one of those places where you can leave your car out all night with the doors unlocked and all is ok next morning.

One bad thing about this ara. The Southeast Corner of Tennesee has the highest rate of alegies in the country. If you have any kind of sinus issues stay away. Summer can be hell.

If you dont mind commuting to work in the morning, places like Benton, the Occoee area (Tennessee), Chatsworth, Ringgold, Fort Oglethorpe (Georgia) and around those areas are really nice. Tennessee does not have a State Income tax, Georgia does, so if you live in Georgia and work in Tennessee it plays havoc with your taxes.

If you have any specific questions ask me. If i dont know the answers i can try and find out for you.

mark

Coupla things:

Can I have your old job?


and

I wonder why Pat wants to move away from there?

"We're just trying to keep up. It's almost an unreal amount," said Mayor Randy Bateman of Oswego,
[75 miles from Dinquaville] where 70 inches of snow had fallen by Thursday morning."

No doubt. Who would want to leave that?

They play the 1-AA football championship game there (The only Division 1 football championship won on the field). Also the home of UT-Chattanooga Mocs who consistently loose to my Georgia Southern Eagles.

Mark,
That's the kind of stuff I was looking for. thanks.
I will be there probably from Monday-Thursday, I'll have my cell with me so if you can PM your number we can hookup and maybe you can show us a little of the area if you have time.
And the area I live in up here in NY is WAY smaller than Chattanooga, it is serious farmland too that is why I prefer the outskirts, or miniskirts even more. The biggest city in this area, Rochester is about 200k people so Chatt is even smaller, my idea of a good size.

Well, of course Oklaqhoma is #1 (go big XII) but Tenn. is a great state, good riding roads and the winters are moderate...cost of living is simular to here...2000 to 2200 sq ft home (living space) pluse 2-car garage for 90K to 150K ---this depending if you opt for the "mini-mansion" style.....

150k, wow thats what you need as a down payment here in mass

Frank

Pat

Sent you a direct email.

Mark "Arsenalfan"

We should get a snow cat out of principle

Frank I love the idea of living within 10 minutes of 3 home depots, a lowes and a few sears, but I think I would give it up and plan my hardware store trips better for a little more space!

i hear ya

Frank

Mark,
Thanks for the great info and contact stuff.
We are heading out for a three day visit in about an hour.
I am supposed to meet with the guys sometime Tuesday and talk with the GM about the job. We will then spend a day or so driving around to get a feel of the area. And of course make a stop in at the two brewpubs I found at PubCrawler. How convenient, they are across the street from each other, about a block from where I will be going I wonder how that Happened.
Another thing, it seems Chattanooga is in Hamilton County. That's also Jane's name. More omens? Fate?
See ya....leaving the snow behind for a few days.

Pat,
I can't believe you're down here while I'm working 3 nightshifts. Maybe later, eh?
I am not too familiar with Chattanooga, usually just passing through. Ooltewah/Collegedale is a nice area as is Soddy Daisy. Please beware that the area north of Cleveland holds a horrible traffic hazard. FOG! The Bowater paper mill is there and something to do with their cooling lake causes the absolute worse fog in the world. I thought the San Joaquin Valley was bad - this stuff is like soup. Anyway, the locals there can tell you more - it's just a short drive through the foggy area, but lotsa bad accidents. I know you'll like it there.

I've never lived there, but been thru it a million times. For a small city, the traffic is always a mess, up north of the ridge (they seem to have been working on the freeway for some 50 years now!).

However, you'd be approximately an hour from some of the greatest riding east of Colorado !!!

Ok, made it back safe and sound...barely. We almost got trapped in the parking lot of route 81 north just outside of Harrisburg, PA. Other then that, we were about 12 hours behind the huge ice storm that blew through this part of the country and had pretty clear dry roads all the way there and back.
So we got a chance to spend about a day looking around the area and have already discounted a couple areas. Soddy Daisy, sure could use burning down, that would be an improvement. Maybe there's nice parts, but I sure didn't see any near the route 27. YUK.
We really liked it down closer to Georgia around Apison and Occee (sp?). The real estate prices were a little higher then we first thought, but still not out of line.
The interview went great, they loved me and were drooling to get me to commit. Naturally. (Modesty is one of my better traits)
I did not get a chance to speak to the GM since he was out of town and he is supposed to call me sometime soon to negotiate some more with me. I really would prefer more $$ then they have offered and they also said some relocation bucks could also be found for us. That would also help in the decision. Everything is negotiable I was told.
It was pretty nice though, the area sure has a lot to offer and I am sure we could find somewhere to call home that would suit both of us. Just not in the city, at least 20 or so miles out is what I envision if we do the move.
So now we are in the discussion and research of moving expenses mode. I would still need to negotiate with the X as far as what the girls would do. I figured at least finish the school year in NY, then come down for the summer and decide if they want to go to school in TN or back in NY. They would most likely choose NY cause of their friends and such. That would also determine what size and location of a house to buy since school will be a big deciding factor. If they go to school in NY, then school districts are a non-issue. My oldest has said she wants to go wherever I go though. They are also both old enough where they would be allowed to make that decision themselves. But going back and forth would be a slight PITA, but still do-able for vacations and holidays. It's only a three hour flight and tickets are about $200 roundtrip.
Anyway, we're still thinking about it. No decision has been made either way as yet.

And thanks to Mark (Arsenalfan) for the assist and information. Sorry we could not hook up as things were pretty hectic for both us.
Stay tuned.