Historic Henderson, an Alternative to Nearby Nashville

http://billhobbs.com/2005/12/costly_failure.html
I've been following a blog about the reasons people may move out of an urban area to a suburban neighborhood, with some interest. We can't explain urban flight except to realize that it involves a shift in total demographics. Families--black, white or purple-- want to get their children to safe, good schools, and to escape from persistent crime and city frenzy. On the other hand, young urban professionals of every ethnicity and religion are beating down the city doors more and more to get in were the jobs and action is. Deadly suspicious of the attempts a few years back to push an income tax through the state legislature, many people in Nashville became even more edgy and eager to cut their property liabilities further by moving out of the city to lower tax, lower crime, better schools in surrounding areas.

Hendersonville is one of the more popular communities that are attracting Nashville workers and residents to locate here. It began as a peaceful farming community with pretty rolling hills and ponds and after WW II, saw a boom in growth. Today it is attracting a more affluent demographic with a mid-range income and a lot of the residents are professionals who commute or retirees.

Very large luxury homes in Hendersonville can go up to $2 million. One listed right now has 10,000 sq. ft. and is listed for $199,000. The price per sq. ft. is still around $100 here but, generally speaking, the higher priced Hendersonville homes are above this scale. Cherokee Woods is one of the subdivisions where many of the most upscale homes are located. Savannah is another very affluent subdivision. One of the most luxurious homes has 5 beds, 4.5 baths, 4 fireplaces, hardwood floors, absolutely huge rooms, a beautiful swimming pool and boat facilities, on 1.3 acres. This is a home over 8,000 sq. ft. and they're asking $1.7 million for it. It also has a 4-car garage.

Hendersonville has some homes with good value that are very affordable. About 120 of the homes on the market here are selling for $200,000 and under. Most of the homes with at least 2 baths are asking over $135,000. Some examples of homes on the market are: a 3 bed, 1 bath, for around $117,00; a townhouse/co-op 3 bed, 2 bath for $127,000; a 4 bed, 1.5 bath for $134,900. These are selling for around $80-$120 per sq. ft. and many are ranch-style homes built after 1970, but some of the newer homes are traditional styles. The good news is that homes over $200,000 have plenty of room and amenities. Homes in the $200,000-$300,000 range have amenities like granite counters, walk-in closets, crown molding, tile and hardwood floors, decks, and two-car garages. I found some that have nice lots of around 1/2 acre.

Only about 16 of the properties in this town list in the $100k=$100k price range. Check out the sq. footage with the listing agent yourself, though. Actually, It seems older homes in Hendersonville are selling for a range of about $110 per sq. ft., and these are some pretty nice homes with decent acreage too. One with 4 beds./ 2 full bath is asking $169,900 for a 1700 sq. ft. home with lots of amenities.