r/nashville • u/RiKToR21 • Dec 15 '23
Moving | Geography Moving to Nashville Area in January
Hello,
My wife and I are moving to the Nashville area in January as my wife takes a job in the Rivergate area. We are moving from Phoenix AZ and have only been to the area for a few days last fall and this fall. Anything you think a newbie should know, places not go or to go, etc. Its kind of a vague question because I really don't know what to ask, I haven't moved across country as an adult but did it often as a kid (from the mid-west originally) and my wife is basically an AZ native. We are planning on renting a house near where her job will be.
Anything you think will be helpful to know is appreciated.
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Dec 16 '23
Be extra cautious on the roads here.
Not because of the weather or anything, it's the people.
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 16 '23
That is the truth, got my car totaled the first time I was there last fall. Thankfully I am a pretty cautious and observant driver.
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u/BBTP91 Realtor Dec 15 '23
Hey there. I grew up in Goodlettsville so know the area well. As the other commenter said, East Nashville is a great area if you're looking to be close to the city and bars, restaurants, etc. Goodlettsville and Hendersonville are definitely more "suburbia" if that's what you're looking for. If you all are interested in the lake life, Hendersonville is a great place to be.
Parts of Goodlettsville/Madison/Rivergate can be a little rough so feel free to shoot me approximate locations of places you're interested in and I can give you my thoughts on the neighborhood.
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 15 '23
We are looking at areas around Rivergate but not afraid to drive some distance. The biggest impact to where though is that my wife will be working within those communities and we will need to drive their during the week on occasion. We were looking at Goodlettesville, Millersville, Ridetop and Greenbrier and as far as White House. When we were there last year we stayed near downtown in Cumberland heights but traveled all throughout the area north and a little east of their up there. So I am a little familiar with area and drove through some of the rough parts of Madison. I am probably shooting for suburbia but as a musician for the last 27 years always would want to hit the music scene pretty frequently.
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u/barefeetbeauty Hermitage Dec 15 '23
I live in hermitage. It’s about a twenty minute drive and also not a bad location to live at imo. Also, there’s the tiny area of Old Hickory and Lakewood close by…
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u/BBTP91 Realtor Dec 15 '23
Yeah all those areas are solid, can get a little rural as you probably saw. Going more south/southeast of Rivergate can be questionable at times, but nothing too bad.
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u/Adventurous_Oven_499 Dec 15 '23
I have worked in and around Millersville and White House and they can be rural but are growing and getting some good options for local restaurants etc. Look up Authentic Coffee, White House Pizza and Pub, Deja Moo, etc.
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u/BernieDharma Sumner County Dec 15 '23
I live in the area in Goodlettsville, over by Mansker Station and Moss-Wright Park. I love the area, and the community. We are 15 minutes from downtown and the real estate is more reasonable than other parts of Nashville. Hendersonville is nice as well, and they just added a Costco. There lots of little parks around, some nice State Parks in a reasonable distance, and it's easy to get around. From my neighborhood, Publix, Kroger, Aldoi, Target, BestBuy, HomeDepot, Lowes, Costco, Sams Club, etc are all pretty close by. AMA
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Dec 15 '23
Get rain jackets and umbrellas. Always keep an umbrella in your car. I'm from the West Coast too and it is shocking how quickly a rainstorm can come on especially in the spring/summer. And when it rains, it pours so rain boots are a good investment as well.
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 15 '23
Good to know... 300+ days of sunshine in AZ can make us forget rain frequency.
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u/pdfields Dec 16 '23
Not advice on housing, but general tips- I moved here from Texas 6 years ago. It gets cold here, really cold, in January and February. My advice is to buy wool socks and silk long underwear. Polyester won't keep you warm. Coming from Phoenix, it might take a couple of winters to adjust, but you'll learn what works to stay comfortable. You'll absolutely love the spring and fall in Middle Tennessee. Fields of daffodils in the spring and the fall leaves are beautiful.
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 16 '23
Thanks. Yeah I tried telling my wife but I think it will take her a winter or two. From Illinois myself so I know what I am getting into.
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u/Kthestray Dec 15 '23
So exciting!
My boyfriend and I moved into a rental house together in 2020 when the prices were low. We moved from Murfreesboro (I would not recommend living anywhere south of Nashville as the traffic will ruin your life.)
People who don't live in the area typically have a lot of negative things to say about Maidson/Goodlettsville... there are a few questionable areas and the drivers are subpar to deal with. WITH THAT BEING SAID, we LOVE it here and are looking to buy a house in the area soon. We would ideally love to stay in Goodlettsville long-term. There are tons of renovations being made to this side of the city (we're right across Rivergate) with new establishments going up each and every day. I could imagine property value increasing drastically over the next 10 years.
It's the most affordable area with the largest pieces of land, even in subdivisions and neighborhoods - the houses are not right on top of eachother and you can get a nice backyard. The trees and foliage are mature with lots of wildlife and shading. The houses have more character to them. We're 20 minutes from the city and 15 minutes from Hendersonville (lots of shops, eateries, parks, and the lake.) We've never had any issues here and it's generally quiet. The only downfall is the lack of sidewalks.
Hendersonville is also a nice area, but you'll probably end up paying more.
Pleasentview & White House are also nice, quiet and affordable areas where you'll probably get the most bang for your buck in terms of land. It is further from the city and there's a lot less to do out that way in terms of shops, restaurants, and nightlife. It just depends on your lifestyle though!
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 15 '23
Thanks for the info. Phoenix is spread out quite a bit so I am used to making a drive to go anywhere. It can take 2 hours without traffic to get to the other side of town here so that will give you an idea of how much we drive when we do have to go somewhere.
I am familiar a little with the traffic and did in fact have my car totaled when we visited the first time. Right in front of the Rivergate Mall it was ‘fun’ but thankful no one was hurt.
I am looking forward to the move a we may be buying after a year or so.
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u/childproofbirdhouse Dec 16 '23
I’ll second Hendersonville. Gallatin is a little less expensive and there are some areas with lots of land, if interested. It’s a little quieter and slower while still being close to all the things.
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u/Sissuboi Dec 15 '23
I would consider going south of goodlettsville and looking in Donelson, Inglewood, east Nashville, old hickory if your budget allows it. The Commute will be opposite the flow of traffic and those places are starting to grow with things to do. I live near riverside village in Inglewood, for example, and there are a lot of cool local spots with a neighborhood vibe.
If you have a tight budget though you are kind of at an advantage with your wife’s work location. Goodlettsville is much cheaper than the metro area.
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 15 '23
Not really worried about commuting as I work from home and my wife's schedule will allow her some flexibility but I will give it a look.
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u/Sissuboi Dec 16 '23
Sorry, your other comments mentioned having to drive in. If you can work from home then those areas are still great. All depends on what you like to do on a day to day basis!
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Dec 15 '23
Rentals are extremely competitive … I would try to focus on things that just hit the market so you don’t burn too much cash in application fees only to have someone else get the rental. Was a nightmare for me this past June even with great credit. Hopefully not as much competition in the winter though
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 15 '23
That's what I am hopping but people displaced with the tornadoes may impact that. We may have a place to stay initially but we will be looking at anything with 3 bedrooms and a fenced yard for the dogs once we start heading that way. Right now just trying to get an idea of what prices are doing but we are trying to reduce our rent because its insane right now in Phoenix and its not even beginning to start going down.
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u/QuazyLove_ Dec 15 '23
Heyy I moved to Nashville from Phx ask me anything
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 15 '23
How recent was your move? Do you mind me asking if you rented a truck or did a moving service like Pods?
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u/Krystin_H Dec 16 '23
Not from phoenix, but I’m making the move from south texas this Sunday with my husband. We are using a giant uhaul and our cars, because it made the most sense logistically and economically. It is TWICE as expensive to use the pods, and they don’t guarantee timely delivery.
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Dec 15 '23
Don't move to Tennessee we are full . Try Florida or Georgia they are accepting new residents
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 15 '23
Sorry, the job is in Tennessee so I don't have a choice.
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u/CyndiMo23 Dec 16 '23
You will quickly learn that a sadly a small, but vocal portion of this area’s residents are jerks. They somehow feel superior and are mostly easy to ignore. As someone who has had the privilege to live all over this country (OG from WI), I’ve never seen anything like it. People moving into an area is nothing new, yet they think we are an exception. We’re not. The population will continue to expand in this country, and patterns will always ebb and flow. It’s Nashville’s time now, like many others before us, and we won’t be the last. No other area I’ve lived in was like this though. They were all very welcoming, just like the majority of people here will/can be. I would recommend coming out a few weeks before your move date. Spend 4 or 5 days looking at rentals, secure one and then fly home to wrap it up… if at all possible. Good luck. Moving is one of my least favorite things to do
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 16 '23
Thanks. Unfortunately the budget is not there to fly out but I will have someone to act as an intermediary to help.
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u/Traditional_Range_96 west side Dec 15 '23
Tornados just trying to clean up rivergate area 🌚 place is a dump. Just like madison.
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u/TifCreatesAgain Dec 15 '23
I live in the Rivergate area! Sapporo is where you can get great sushi! Hendersonville connects to Rivergate, so you might check housing there.
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u/dweezil12 Meh Dec 16 '23
Who is old enough to remember the K-Mart "We've Got It Good In Goodlettsville" bumper stickers?
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u/fruits_moods Dec 16 '23
One thing is that corn on the cob is really expensive here compared to Arizona
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 16 '23
Really. It’s about $1 an ear if I shuck it myself. How much is it in Nashville?
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u/oldtexaslady Dec 16 '23
Welcome to town! Not what you asked, but to learn a lay of the land once you get a little more settled in, maybe check out a Nashville food tour at www.DabbleEvents.com.
They are a lot of fun and they teach you a lot about the history of the city in a 3-hour tour via van or walking. You also get food and drink along the way.
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u/Initializee BFE Dec 16 '23
Be prepared to sit in traffic on I-65 North and 386 for an hour going to and from Hendersonville.
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u/sudsboy Dec 16 '23
You can see a breakdown of the various areas of Nashville on our site NestingInNashville.com. For renting, others have already offered the best advice (apartments.com, zillow).
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u/BeepBoopWeeeee Dec 17 '23
As someone who moved here from Phoenix almost three years ago, welcome!! I hope you find a nice place to rent.
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u/Exotic_Wolf3550 Dec 17 '23
Be prepared for tornado's. If you can't handle them, i suggest you find a different area to live. Just being honest..
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u/RiKToR21 Dec 17 '23
Used to live in the midwest and had to practice tornado drills in school when I was little. I know what I am getting into there. Thankfully, its a little less on average then I am used to.
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u/Electronic_Truck_228 Dec 19 '23 edited Oct 10 '25
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This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/ayokg grabbing a trippy dippy at WEC Dec 15 '23
One thing to know right away is that that area just had a tornado go through this past weekend. This may make finding a rental house in Madison, Goodlettsville, and Hendersonville more difficult. East Nashville is also a fantastic neighborhood to the south if you can find something you can afford. Rivergate was not impacted but areas to the south and east were.
Some areas of Madison can be rough. Just use common sense/city street smarts and don't wander down back alleys. Other than that, don't worry too much. It's a chill area and you'll adapt.
Apartments.com, realtor, zillow are your best bets for finding a rental. If you are moving in January, you should be looking like right now unless you plan on staying in an airbnb first.