Graham M. Lombardo

Are you talking about Spring Hill Tennessee? - Wed Jun 25 2008, 13:29

Karen-I agree with Scott about not necessarily relying on info from a Realtor, or any particular individual. Gather as much info as you can from ALL sources before you decide. Drive around on your own and drive the routes you think you'll be driving on a daily basis at different times of the day. Visit the other areas around Franklin to get a feel for what's out there, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Leipers Fork, Nolensville if you choose etc.. When visiting communities with established HOA's, look at their financials and minutes from their last meeting and see if what you have in mind if any for improvements, are allowed. Be informed and choose wisely. - Thu May 29 2008, 15:30

Karen- You picked a good location. I'm sure you'll get other responses but my family and I moved from California with our now 5 year old daughter a couple of years ago. One of the attractions WAS the school system. You really can't for the most part go wrong location wise whatever you choose. Since moving to Franklin, we have moved 3 times, finally settling on Spring Hill-still in Williamson County. We move so much because we can't make up our minds, big lot or smaller, pool and club house for our daughter or not etc.. Also, I guess being in the "Business" is like being a kid in a candy store. I don't know if you have gotten a chance to visit and drive around yet, but I would suggest you do it. Check out the areas on weekends, nights etc. One problem we have found since moving here is that there are three main routes north and south-65,431 and 31. These routes can get congested because infrastructure has not kept up very well with growth. Stay away from these routes when picking a neighborhood because they can get very noisey. Like I said, you really can't choose poorly, but from my immediate experience, Fieldstone Farms is very nice, Sullivan Farms, Forrest Crossing to name a few are good choices to start your search. You can find older, more established neighborhoods, or brand new ones if that is more your liking. You can go in either direction of Franklin proper and in a few minutes, feel like your in the country with cows, horses and such. Make sure you check possible zoning changes for the area you narrow your search down to. Streets are being widened all the time. New subdivisions and Churches seem to sprout up overnight. A lot of changes still going on. Also make sure school zoning isn't changing for your neighborhood. Good Luck in your search.
Grahamlombardo@bellsouth.net - Thu May 29 2008, 11:30

Donna-Some things to keep in mind when looking at an older home v.s. a newer one. The age of all the mechanicals in the house in question. Also look at the roof and how many times it has already been covered before you'll need a complete tear off. Look at whether the floors are level or sloping and whether the house is out dated in regards to floor space and functionality. Generally, in a newer house, you are getting all new appliances and mechanicals and probably a builder's warranty. Unfortunately. landscaping usually suffers and is minimal. On older homes, the before mentioned items if not already replaced may need servicing and or replacement, but the landscaping may be more established. Price should reflect condition and projected replacement of any of the major household components. Good Luck! - Tue May 27 2008, 11:09

L Weatherly- Some possibilities would be Trestle Glenn area, Montclair, Skyline, nicer areas of Hayward, Castro Valley, maybe Dublin/Pleasanton or Berkeley. Depending where in Oakland work is, BART may be a good transportation source, especially if it's downtown. Check out Piedmont just for a comparison. Definitely do the rental thing until you get a feel for where prices are heading and what areas fit your lifestyle. The closer to the Bay you are, the more moderate the temps will be. Further away...other side of East Bay Hills, can be warmer. Bay Area roads can become quite congested throughout the day, not necessarily during prime rush hours. There always seems to be road construction going on which helps delay commute times. I grew up in Oakland and lived and worked either there or in Hayward for most of my adult life so I'm pretty comfortable in giving you my impressions. To be honest, I thought it (Bay Area in general) was getting to congested and moved away, but it can still be a desirable place if you get to know it and choose carefully where you want to live. Good Luck! - Thu May 8 2008, 10:08

Ingrid-Check out EcoBroker.com. Has some very good ways to advertise yourself as GREEN friendly. - Thu May 1 2008, 05:20