We are in the beginning stages of researching a move to the Knoxville area, and since I'm such a junkie on our local goth board I thought I'd come to yours (soon to be mine too) for info.

I've been looking at charts and graphs, classified ads ect....but input from real people is so much better. Soooooo.

What are rents like? I've seen a huge gap from $450 to $1100. We'll be looking for a 3 bedroom house. Are there areas I should avoid? Areas I should look at for better rents?

How do the utility bills run. I pay over 250 a month for electricity now. The bill was 277.28 this month.

Anybody know anything about the job market as far as welder/fabricators goes? Hubby has over 22 years experience in all phases of metal work, and currently supervises a structural steel shop. He's done lots of other stuff over the years, truck bodies, trailers, heavy equipment...

My roomie, the inevitable Junkie Christ and I rent a 3 BR in North Knoxville for $650 and had a KUB bill of $126 for last month thats with the AC on about over 2/3 of the month. Avoid East Knoxville for the most part and anything under $600 a month otherwise its a matter of looking around. Don't know much about the heavy industrial jobs in the area. Oh and welcome to KnoxHell.

650 rent and 126 power I read the area has the lowest power bills in the country but WOW!

We're paying 1100 for a small 3 bedroom and that's cheap here.

Thanks for the welcome and the info.

lol we're paying about the same rent, got around $107 power bill, three bedroom, basement, decent front porch and small back. roomy.

seriously, if you know how to shop around, you can find awesome prices around here.

oh and west knox will have high prices, low footage, from what i saw. bear would be able to describe better, and in more detail.

if you dont mind the curiousity, where are you moving from?

Oh sorry I put that info in the other section...we are coming from the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

Welcome I moved here from Tampa about 5 1/2 years ago.
Though I don't remember rent being that high... I think we paid about 550 a month for a 3 br in South Tampa or (Port Tampa).
As for welding jobs Ive seen in the paper many "Looking for welders" For around $11-20 an hour.

Oh sorry I put that info in the other section...we are coming from the Tampa Bay area of Florida

hah
no kidding
i used to live in tampa
i live in atl now though


moved here from tampa last year

One thing you may want to look at is Oak Ridge. There are welding jobs available in this area plus the rent stuff I found to be quite a bit lower than Knoxville. It's only like 15-20 minutes away from West Knoxville. My house payment is only 530 a month and utilities range between 100-150 depending on the season.

I used to live in Tampa, in a gated 2br Apt. Not far from the from the football stadium/ Yanks stadium, rent was only$ 585.00ish. When I moved to Knoxville I found similar Apts about 20% cheaper. Don't know about house rentals. When I was into strong man competitions, I used to go to welding supply houses. To get free old metal tanks etc.. to make equipment with. There is quite a few of these, and they always knew who was hiring, or looking for work. I had several welders they recommended, make some of my equipment. Try the knoxnews dot com classifieds they will have local positions available. Seems like I saw some high paying barge or ship building welding positions, not long ago.

Good luck!

Welcome to the area! We hope you enjoy.

West end is the more expensive side of Ktown, & much busier too... lots of jobs & apartments & shopping, but horrible traffic. North is calmer, but not much cheaper, though there are some good deals on houses in the old North Knox areas (4th & Gill, St Mary's). East is cheapest, but highest in crime, followed by South... its kinda pretty in spots (more trees & greenery) & you can find some very good deals. Oak Ridge, Powell, Karnes, & some of the surrounding communities are a little further out, but very nice. Good luck in your search!

Misery_Chick wrote:Oh sorry I put that info in the other section...we are coming from the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

No wonder why the Electric is so high. Tampa is fucking awful...
Hope your transition gore well...

Lots info, you guys are being so helpful. I'm going to look at Oak Ridge. We definitely would prefer to live in one of the out lying communities rather than in the city proper.

DarkFaerie- Prices here have spiraled out of control the last few years, and the electric company has asked for yet another rate hike. People are leaving in droves.

Misery_Chick wrote:Lots info, you guys are being so helpful. I'm going to look at Oak Ridge. We definitely would prefer to live in one of the out lying communities rather than in the city proper.

DarkFaerie- Prices here have spiraled out of control the last few years, and the electric company has asked for yet another rate hike. People are leaving in droves.

I imagine Oak Ridge would be chaeper, but I warn you: it's fucking boring in OR. Then again, i don't have a car and you probably do. Oh well.

Welcome to the area, and if you do move to OR then I hope to run into you guys sometime.

man..i cant believe how many of us ended up here from Tampa..its just crazy.


CRAZY!

oak ridge isnt real.
they just paint the toxic waste too look like trees, buildings, and people.

Misery_Chick wrote:Oh sorry I put that info in the other section...we are coming from the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

Cool. i was actually born in St. Pete. most of my family lives down there.

junkie christ wrote:oak ridge isnt real.
they just paint the toxic waste too look like trees, buildings, and people.

ROFL

junkie christ wrote:oak ridge isnt real.
they just paint the toxic waste too look like trees, buildings, and people.

We will now have to Kill you, you have figured out our secret of how we all got our superpowers and our nifty glow in the dark skin.

WTF....Oak Ridge National Laboratory....radiation....contamination

Now I get the joke. Great the kids are gonna glow in the dark. It does look like a beautiful little town though, lots of culture, tons of natural beauty, low rents, but if I look at one more picture of that damn rowing team I'm gonna shoot myself LOL.

Doing a bit more research on this whole laboratory thing and these "contaminated sites in the Melton Valley", but so far it looks like Oak Ridge is probably a go.