|
|
Reasons to Buy or Invest in the
Greater Knoxville-Smoky Mountains Region
 People in the Greater Knoxville-Smoky Mountains Region enjoy a vacationer's paradise that draws millions of visitors from all over the world every year. They come to share the incomparable beauty of the lakes, mountains, and hills of East Tennessee. Compare East Tennessee to other parts of the country, and you will find that it stacks up very favorably as a place for living and living well. Presented here are reasons to consider making this your home or to consider investing in property here. Look at the major factors. I will help you find that particular home or property in a part of our region that you prefer. Whether you are investing, retiring, coming here to work or run a business, East Tennessee has a place that would please you. For more details on communities in the Great Smoky Mountains and Greater Knoxville, go to the section on Communities in East Tennessee.
If you are interested in more on the areas, contact me. I would be happy to discuss the possibilities of buying a home, investing in property, or opening or moving a business to the Greater Knoxville Great Smoky Mountains Region. Below are just some of the great attributes of our part of the country.
Deborah Korlin at Century 21 MVP, Seymour, Tennessee
Natural Beauty of the Region
The Great Valley of East Tennessee (elevations ranging from 1500' in the n orth down to 700' in the south) contains a series of northeast-southwest ridges. The eastern border of the state is dominated by the Great Smoky Mountains, with numerous peaks rising 4000' to 6000' above sea level. Spectacular and accessible natural beauty is available to you everywhere in the the Greater Knoxville-Smoky Mountains region. The diversity of the natural environment is outstanding; those with a love for nature cannot go wrong in choosing East Tennessee as a place to live and work. Residents of the region enjoy vast forests, abundant fresh-water fishing streams and lakes, and beautiful vistas everywhere. Major geographic features are the Great Smoky Mountains, the Tennessee Valley, and, to the west, the Cumberland Plateau.
Climate
The Knoxville-Oak Ridge-Smoky Mountains Region residents enjoy a moderate climate with four distinct seasons. Extended periods of extremely hot or cold weather are exceedingly rare, creating an ideal environment for living. Given below are temperature averages and ranges for t he valley areas:
- Average Annual High/Low Temperature: 69 / 46
- Average Winter High/Low Temperature: 49 / 28
- Average Spring High/Low Temperature: 70 / 45
- Average Summer High/Low Temperature: 86 / 64
- Average Autumn High /Low Temperature: 71 / 48
Of course, these general patterns are affected by topography: the higher mountain areas have climates with milder summers as well as colder, more blustery winters. The length of the growing season is also linked to topography: most of East Tennessee has a growing season between 180 and 220 days, but this drops 130 days in the highest mountains. The average rainfall in the valley is 48 inches. The highest peaks in the Great Smoky Mountains can experience as much as 80 inches of rainfall. The valley areas average about 12 inches of snow per year. The amount at higher elevations will be higher- up to 84 inches at Mr. LeConte, for example.
Recreation
Year-round opportunities for recreation abound in the region. Resources include seven TVA lakes, major state and national parks, as well as large number of golf courses and country clubs and city  and county parks. For children and youth, there are a wide range of athletic and park facilities, as well as highly organized sports programs.
For the part of the region we primarily service, the primary park is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which is highly acclaimed for its bio-diversity and beauty. We offer the opportunity to invest in vacation cabins right next to the park and in othe areas, even in towns and cities, to have beautiful vistas of the Great Smokies. See our maps of the area. For more about the park, go the the Great Smoky Mountains website of the National Park Service. For additional information about the park, go to this private website , which has a large number of useful links.
TVA lakes provide prime recreation for residents and visitors. We serve communities bordering on four TVA lakes. Please see our maps of the area for locations of these lakes relative to communities. Following are links to the descriptions of recreation opportunies provided by each of the lakes serving the various communities:
Douglas Lake - Douglas Lake has shoreline bordering Jefferson, Cocke, and Sevier Counties.
Ft. Loudon Lake - Fr. Loudon Lake has shoreline bordering Knox, Blount and Loudon counties.
Tellico Lake - Tellico Lake, which is contiguous with Ft. Loudon lake, has shoreline bordering Monroe and Loudon counties.
Melton Hill Lake - Melton Hill Lake has shoreline bordering Knox, Loudon, Roane, and Anderson counties.
Cultural Activities and Entertainment
The region has a great diversity of entertainment and cultural venues and opportunities. Every type of music from Blue Grass (we think it was at least partially invented here) to Classical is available. The region abounds with amusements, including art and science museums, a theme park, a highly acclaimed zoo. There are close to 1000 restaurants in the region, over 60 movie theatres, and numerous venues for music, plays, and other entertainment. Some of the better known and acclaimed cultural opportunities that residents experience include:
The Civic Coliseum-Auditorium and Thomas Bowling Arena in Knoxville regularly sponsor plays, concerts, and other shows. Both Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have a wide range of entertainment. Spectator sporting activities center on the University of Tennessee. The region has a professional hockey team, the Knoxville Ice Bears, and a professional baseball team, the Tennesse Smokies, who make their home in Sevier County.
Culture and population of the region
The population of the Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Area is approximately 700,000 (From US Census estimate in 2003). Demographics of the population is provided by the Census estimate. Statistical data on social aspects of the region are also available, as well as information on economic characteristics, and housing. Median age of the populatioin is 36 years. The population is primarily of European historical origin, although the region has a population rich in diverse backgrounds and traditions.
Other data of interest are educational attainment (11% of adult population have advanced degrees, 15% have bachelor degrees).
Detailed information on education level, housing patterns, economics, and industrial-business employment is provided graphically by an analysis of the Knoxville MSA in 2004.
Facts about the population of each county and city is available online from the Quick Facts website of the US Census Bureau.
Education
Education of the people is emphasized in the region. Most public school systems perform as well as the average of US systems, and several them perform better. Some individual public schools have outstanding performance and have received national awards. There are a number of private schools at the K-12 level in the region. See our local schools page for more information on both public and private schools at the K-12 level.
The region is served by the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, by three community collleges, which have branches thoughout the region, and by a number of private colleges. More detailed information and data is accessible from our colleges page.
Cost of Living
Statistics show that the Greater Knoxville area has a cost of living that is 12 percent below the national average. Average cost of house is significantly less than the national average. See these graphic comparisons of the cost of living and the cost of housing.
Economy of the Region
The region has a robust economy, a highly qualified and diligent workforce, and public leadership to assure a growing economy. Advantages of the region and type of assistance for investment and moving businesses to the region are given on the website of the East Tennessee Economic Development Agency. Other good sources of information include the planning commissions of the local areas. For example the Knox County-Knoxville Metropolitan Planning Commission has excellent summary data on economic factors of the Knoxville Metropolitan Statistical Areas, which includes the counties of Knox, Loudon, Union, and Blount.
|
|