Looking to buy in TN or KY, need advice

We've got family in Clarksville TN and we are considering making a move to that area. We are not set on being right next door to Clarksville, anywhere within a couple hours drive would be close enough. We would like to get a nice home on or near a good recreational lake. Can you give us some recommendations on where to look and where not to look. Our family knows nothing about the lakes in the area as they are not into fishing/riding at all.

Are there any good lakes in that area for watersports? If you know the area where would you be looking to buy a nice home? We would love to have an area big enough and that is zoned for horses as well. We have been looking at everything from lots/acreage from $50K to homes already built on acreage up to $400K, just don't know the area very well. Anything you can throw out to us would be great!

ctimrun, I live in Paducah, KY, which is about 1.5 hours north of Clarksville. In-between us, is KY Lake, and Barkley Lake. The watersports scene here is growing. Not nearly as large as Nashville, which is closer to Clarksville, but still a great lake that's huge. You can actually use the river system to get from Nashville to KY Lake.

I've been on Hickory Hollow Lake in Nashville, and it's big, but seems to me to be very crowded. Lots of people on here live in that area, so they can tell you more about it.

If you head this way, I'll be glad to show you around my area. I can show you the lakes area from my boat, or whatever you'd have in mind. My cousin is a realtor (www.stevekeiler.com) and may be able to help out for the Paducah area. There are a few small towns in between Clarksville and Paducah, which would be perfect for a large piece of property for the horses. You won't have a problem finding property that's zoned for them.

Let me know if I can help out in any way.

I live in STL but grew up in Western Kentucky and have family there ... I would highly recommend anywhere from Cadiz to Paducah KY --- Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake are awesome.... We go to clarksville, tn every so often to hit up Target and they have a Raffertys there we always eat ) hahaha...

Another vote for Western Kentucky. I live in Sturgis which is about 1.5 hours from Clarksville. Home prices are pretty low here. 1 hour from Lake Barkely and Kentucky Lake. Right along the Ohio River. If you come this way let me know.

I have a really nice lakehouse for sale about 3hr from clarksville. It overlooks lake with its own dock. During the week in afternoons water is like glass. If u want pics and more info let me know.

I live in Owensboro, whitch is a little far East for you. But I have a lake house on Barkley in Cadiz and spend most Fri. Sat. and Sun. there. The water sports seen is growing, always seeing new wake boats. Pleanty of room around for your horses.
The price of homes in the area is pretty low.
If your ever around the Barkley Lodge or up around the canal, look us up...

Wow thanks for the great response! I am very interested in looking at or near Barkley and Kentucky Lakes. We are working on putting another trip out there together and will certainly take the offer of being shown around the area a bit. I will hit some of you guys up when the time comes, we are thinking late July possibly.

Having never lived there or near any body of water, what are the negatives to living near water? Is flood insurance mandatory like it is if you live near water where we live? Is it outrageously expensive? How many months out of the year do you guys enjoy the boats? I realize the bugs are different in different parts of the country, but how bad are they in this area? What about water snakes? I have been to Oklahoma and you can't go in the water without keeping a shotgun near you because of the water moccasins. How big of a problem is this in these lakes? Anything else you can throw out for us to think about would be great!

I do not live close enough to the water to answer some of those questions. We typically get 3-4 months of ideal boating weather. Snakes are around but, definately not bad enough to worry about. Bugs are no worse than anywhere else. Feel free to hit me up if you come this way. Maybe we can hit the water and get some boarding in.

I live a bit further south (Chattanooga), but we typically start in April and can usually go until November, without wetsuits or drysuits, I don't own either. Water moccasins will not be found, you have to go a bit further south. You may find a water snake, but they are harmless. Copperheads are the only snakes you have to look out for and I haven't encountered them much around the water. Mosquitoes are bad, along with the humidity.

Snakes in my area aren't bad. I don't think there are any poisonous snakes around, but I could be wrong.

We just got through a pretty bad flood. Summer pool on KY Lake is 359.5. The water got up to 370.0 before it crested. That's the highest that I've heard it's ever gotten. Most house out here are perched on a hill, or up high enough that flooding is not a concern. The water is controlled by KY Dam, and Barkley Dam. The flood was because Nashville and the surrounding areas got hit with about 15" of rain in a couple days. Nashville was devastated and all the tourist attractions were destroyed. The Grand Ole Opry and Opry Mills mall all had at least 10' of water in them from the Cumberland River that backed up. Most of that water had to come this way, so that's why we got flooded.

www.kentuckylake.com
www.kylakepokerrun.com

If you want some phone numbers for the future, let us know, I'll pm you mine.

you could also check out center hill lake which is in the cookeville area of TN. It is about halfway between nashville and knoxville. Great lake and puts within a couple hours of clarksville.

Rough River is where it's at.
Check it out.