We love the Smokey Mountains and even thought about moving from Marietta, GA to east Tennessee including the Maryville area after I retired a few years ago. We decided against that area for four reasons.

First we had a concern about the many frequent earthquakes in the area. Even though they are small earthquakes, it's concerning to us.
EarthquakeTrack.com - Maryville TN.

Second, my wife doesn't like the idea of the possibility of running into a Black Bear in our own yard. I know that is a pretty remote possibility.

Third, is property costs and property taxes are a pretty good bit higher than where we eventually moved to on lakefront property in Cullman, AL. I know TN has no state income tax, but we save more in Alabama and have a much nicer home and property than we could have bought for the same price in east Tennessee.

Fourth, we moved close to family and friends. We have family and friends in west Tennessee but not east Tennessee.

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Posted by Nolalakeview

Member since Feb 2015

863 posts

Posted on 7/11/23 at 3:23 pm to 98eagle

Earthquakes? Had no clue!

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Posted by LSUBoo

Knoxville, TN

Member since Mar 2006

101937 posts

Posted on 7/11/23 at 5:21 pm to 98eagle

quote:
First we had a concern about the many frequent earthquakes in the area. Even though they are small earthquakes, it's concerning to us.

I moved here 4 years ago, there has been one big enough for people to talk about feeling it and I slept right through it. That's a very minor concern here, but yeah they do happen.

quote:
Second, my wife doesn't like the idea of the possibility of running into a Black Bear in our own yard. I know that is a pretty remote possibility.

Much much bigger than earthquakes. Two people I know in Maryville have had them in their yards, both pretty close to downtown too and not out rural. 99.9% chance they are just going to run away though.

quote:
Third, is property costs and property taxes are a pretty good bit higher than where we eventually moved to on lakefront property in Cullman, AL. I know TN has no state income tax, but we save more in Alabama and have a much nicer home and property than we could have bought for the same price in east Tennessee.

This is valid. Costs have gone through the roof. We bought an updated 2008 build in 2019 for $109/sf and the most recent one in our neighborhood sold last month for $205/sf... but it was very well updated and has a pool. We got lucky on the timing.