JOHNSON CITY - When Florida resident Donna Jacobson retired in 2003, she and her husband had a long list of specific requirements for the place they would call home. That list brought them to Northeast Tennessee.

"We wanted a safer place," Jacobson said. "We wanted to get out of the heat. We wanted a change of seasons, but we wanted them to be moderate. ... Here, it's perfect. You've got that country feel, but there's excellent health care, there's excellent shopping, excellent restaurants. You've got the universities. You've got theater. You've got music. You've got festivals every which way. And you've got all of these clubs to belong to. There's so much to do here."

Jacobson was born in Pennsylvania, and her husband was born in Wisconsin. But after retiring they didn't want to move all the way back north. Instead, the Jacobsons bought a home and began vacationing in Northeast Tennessee in 2000. They continued to live in Florida until Donna Jacobson's retirement in 2003. For them, Northeast Tennessee offered "in between" mild weather with four seasons, lower crime, quality health care, friendly people and still many options of what to do.

The Jacobsons aren't alone. And, as vice president of the Newcomers Club, Donna Jacobson sees more people relocating to East Tennessee from other areas all of the time.

"I really do get to see many of the new people who are moving here, and, yes, a fantastic number are coming up from Florida," she said. "Florida and Texas - those are the two big ones, but Florida first."

Jacobson's observations are supported by local real estate agents and builders from across the area.
When local real estate brokers took a survey of current and past clients, they found that approximately 30 percent of all inquiries came from the state of Florida. Other major out-of-state inquiries, they said, included California, Texas and the Gulf states.

The consensus among the Realtors and developers surveyed is that an abundance of clients are relocating to the Tri-Cities from Florida and other Gulf states, especially within the last year.

According to real estate insiders, reasons cited for people relocating to Northeast Tennessee include:
•Escaping hurricanes.
•Getting away from overcrowded areas.
•Florida's high real estate prices and fear for the bursting "housing bubble."
•In this area of the country home buyers can get "more for their money."
•Northeast Tennessee has a much lower crime rate.
•Four mild seasons in Tennessee versus hot Gulf weather.
•The natural beauty and tranquility of the mountains.
•People in Northeast Tennessee are very friendly and hospitable.
•The Tri-Cities region has an abundance of quality and affordable health care.
•Northeast Tennessee has a central location to many destinations.
•Tennessee has a low tax base.
These reasons make Tennessee an attractive alternative for those of retirement age. The state last week even announced a pilot program called "Retire Tennessee" to promote Tennessee as a retirement area. Sullivan County is one of the 14 counties selected to participate in the initial phase of the program.

East Tennessee has not just become a haven for former Florida retirees, however. Families and singles of all ages are choosing to escape the hustle and bustle of big metropolitan-area living for the serenity of the mountains.

Sheila Maggard was in sales in Florida when she fell in love with the Tri-Cities region. She began looking at property five years ago and made the leap just under two months ago, buying a house and taking a break from work to move.

"I lived in the Orlando area, and it just changed so much that it's pretty much out of control," Maggard said. "I didn't want to deal with it anymore. Of course there's development up here (in the Tri-Cities), but it's just different. ... Up here it just offers a lot more serenity and peace."