10/07/2026
I shared a listing on my real estate page. Some of the comments and private messages became personal. I was told I was ruining the Knoxville area.
I deleted the cruel comments and didn’t argue back. But it hurt to feel unwelcome in a place our family had chosen to call home.
Our connection to East Tennessee goes back years. We’d been visiting long before we moved, and we have family who’ve lived here for 20 years. Coming from rural Central New York, near the Adirondacks, the surroundings felt familiar.
So when we started thinking about our children’s future, East Tennessee was already part of our lives. Our faith matters to us, and we wanted our children to feel free to express theirs. That was part of the life we hoped to build here.
That’s the family behind the listing. Proud of our Central New York roots, and grateful to be making a home in East Tennessee.
The comments hurt, but I’d rather get to know our neighbors than argue online. If we haven’t met yet, I’m Crystal.
What makes East Tennessee feel like home to you?