Questions people ask first.

Cost & taxes

Does Tennessee have a state income tax?

No. Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, investment income, or retirement distributions. The Hall tax on dividends and interest was fully repealed effective January 1, 2021.

What the move costs

How does the cost of living in Knoxville compare to California?

On overall cost of living, Los Angeles runs roughly 97% more expensive than Knoxville, and a typical California home value is about $787,500 versus about $368,500 in Knoxville (Zillow, 2026). Tennessee offsets its low income and property taxes with one of the nation's highest sales-tax rates, so the full picture is worth working through for your situation.

The full California breakdown

Buying a home

Can I buy a home in East Tennessee from out of state?

Yes, many of the people Robert works with buy from California and elsewhere before they ever move. Robert is set up to guide remote buyers through the process: video walkthroughs, honest read-outs on areas and commutes, and someone local to be your eyes on the ground.

Buying from out of state

How long does the inspection or due-diligence period last in Tennessee?

Tennessee sets no statutory inspection period, it's whatever your contract says, most often 7 to 14 calendar days from the day the contract is fully executed. In that window you complete your inspections, negotiate repairs or credits, and keep the right to walk away with your earnest money returned. Tennessee also has no attorney-review window, so the contract binds at signature.

The Tennessee buying process

What are closing costs, and what will I actually pay?

Closing costs are the one-time fees that finalize the sale, separate from your down payment. For buyers in Tennessee they typically run a few percent of the price and cover lender and loan fees, title search and title insurance, the appraisal, recording fees, and prepaid property taxes and insurance. Tennessee also charges a realty transfer tax of $0.37 per $100 of the price, about $370 per $100,000, usually paid by the buyer, plus a small mortgage-recording tax if you're financing. Robert gets you a written estimate up front so there are no surprises at the table.

How do earnest money deposits work?

Earnest money is a good-faith deposit you put up when your offer is accepted, showing the seller you're serious. It's held in escrow, not pocketed by the seller, and credited toward your down payment and closing costs at closing. The amount is negotiable and spelled out in your contract. If you cancel for a reason your contract protects, you get it back; if you walk away outside those terms, you can lose it.

What does a contingency mean in a real estate contract?

A contingency is a condition that has to be met for the sale to go through, and a built-in right to walk away with your earnest money if it isn't. The common ones are the inspection or due-diligence period, financing, and the appraisal. They're your protection: each one is an off-ramp if something doesn't check out. Robert helps you keep the contingencies that matter without loading up an offer so heavily it can't compete.

How do I make my offer stand out in a competitive market?

Strong offers usually come down to clean, credible terms, not just price: a solid pre-approval from a lender the seller trusts, an earnest-money amount that signals you're serious, a closing timeline that fits the seller, and only the contingencies you actually need. What Robert won't do is have you waive inspections blind or write a personal letter to the seller; the first is risky, and the second can raise fair-housing problems. The goal is an offer that's competitive and protects you.

Selling your home

How do I know what my home is worth?

The starting point is a comparative market analysis, a CMA, where Robert looks at what comparable homes nearby have actually sold for recently, then adjusts for your home's condition, size, and features. It's a market-based pricing tool, not a formal appraisal (that's ordered by the lender) and not an online estimate. Pricing right from the start usually does more for your final number than any other single decision.

What do I have to disclose when I sell a home in Tennessee?

Tennessee's Residential Property Disclosure Act requires sellers of one-to-four-unit homes to give the buyer a written disclosure of the property's known condition, including any material defects, before the purchase contract is signed. It's based on what you actually know, you're not required to investigate or inspect, and certain items like known sinkholes must be called out specifically. You can update it before closing if something changes, and it isn't a warranty or a substitute for the buyer's own inspection. Robert walks sellers through the form so it's complete and accurate. (Always confirm specifics with a Tennessee real estate attorney.)

I've received multiple offers, how do I handle them?

When more than one offer comes in, you generally have a few moves: accept the strongest, counter one or more, or ask everyone for their highest and best. Price is only part of it; financing strength, contingencies, and closing timeline often matter just as much. Robert lays the offers out side by side so you can compare them on the terms that actually affect your bottom line and your timeline, and every offer gets evaluated on its merits.

The move & living here

What's the weather like in Knoxville?

It's a humid-subtropical, four-season climate. Summers are warm and humid, with July highs in the upper 80s; winters are short and mild, with January lows near the high 20s and only about 4.6 inches of snow a year. The region averages around 52 inches of rain annually, and spring can bring severe thunderstorms, occasionally including tornadoes, so it's worth having a plan.

The honest weather report

Where should I start looking, what areas?

East Tennessee spans Knoxville itself, the lakeside communities on the reservoirs, and the foothills running toward the Smokies. Rather than rank places, Robert helps match areas to how you actually want to live, commute, land, water, walkability, and gives you the honest trade-offs of each.

Exploring areas the right way

What should I tackle first after the move?

Tennessee asks new residents to get a TN driver license and to title and register their vehicles within 30 days of establishing residency, and there's a California-specific motor-vehicle-record wrinkle worth handling before you leave. Beyond that, a simple 30, 60 & 90 day checklist keeps the rest from piling up.

Your first 30, 60 & 90 days

What are the most common mistakes people make buying from out of state?

The big ones: deciding on an area from photos alone instead of seeing it in different seasons, underestimating commutes and what daily life actually looks like, skipping the well, septic, and HOA details on rural and lakeside properties, and budgeting for the purchase but not the full move, closing costs, the move itself, and re-titling your vehicles within 30 days. Having someone local as your eyes on the ground is how most of these get caught early.