In Eastern Tennessee there's a little city
you might not have heard of.
Sevierville.
Dolly Parton was born right around here
and just down the road is where she built her
own theme park, Dollywood.
Meaning this place will always put a song in your heart.
The great Smoky Mountains National Park is basically
Sevierville's backyard.
Hiking, biking, fishing, it's all on the table.
So it's no surprise that housing prices
have been on the rise.
> Oh what is this?
Someone is living in a tent and building their own house.
That's pretty cool.
I'm telling you, people are resourceful around here.
> But Amy and Stacey say they are up for the
challenge of trying to find the perfect fit.
Here in the Appalachians.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[MUSIC]
> It's so cute.
Look at this store, Max.
> Okay this is adorable (LAUGHS).
> This is why you go to the mountains, right?
> Yeah. > Yeah.
> Cider bar and... > Yeah.
> I'm Amy.
> I'm Stacey.
> And we're looking for our American dream home
in Sevierville, Tennessee.
Do y'all want to get a cookbook?
> We'd have to be good at cooking
to get a cook book [LAUGHS]
> We've been married 23 years?
> Hold on.
I have the date around here.
> [LAUGHS] No, no.
You know how that.
> So it's like 20...
> No I [LAUGHS] okay, all right.
> We met in college.
We both went to Georgia Tech.
> We didn't really date in college but we were friends.
And then we had our first job together.
That's really when we started dating.
So right after college.
> And at that point she told me I needed a real job.
So that's when I went to law school.
Why don't we go pay for this and then we can go to
the cafe and get something to eat?
> Okay, cool.
> Okay.
> We're moving from a suburb of Atlanta.
You know, because I don't have enough naps I think.
> [LAUGHS] That's true.
> It's a little too hectic.
And so one of our goals is really just to find
something a little bit different.
> So we chose this area around the Smoky Mountains
mostly because we have four kids.
Two are now in college and two are still home with us.
And so part of this is we want a place for them
and then our younger two to want to come home to.
And this area is known for so many different activities.
You can go hiking and enjoy the nature.
You can go out and see shows
or you can go to theme parks.
And very few mountain towns have all of that available.
> Yeah, you get to the point where you
just have to bribe them to come back.
> [LAUGHS] That's so true.
> Mm-hmm.
> I can't to try these Slushies.
> All right, gang.
Apples up to your eyeballs.
I mean everyone says American dream is a house
and I think that's traditionally been it.
But I think it's more like the belief that
hard work pays off.
I mean half my family are immigrants.
So. > Yes.
> I've seen it firsthand.
And I think it, you know, it's totally achievable.
That's really good.
> Yeah?
> This is really good too.
Try some.
> Yeah.
All right.
> So what do you think of the mountains?
It's so... > It's really pretty.
> Isn't it beautiful here?
> Mm-hmm.
> We weren't comfortable by any means.
But we started investing about ten years ago
with a tiny little fixer-upper near
our home in Atlanta, Georgia.
And I thought let's turn this into something better.
> Yeah and she's like oh yeah, we'll put money down
on this house and then we'll sell it for a profit.
I'm like wait, hold on, let's see.
> And I think he was just scared that, you know,
it might end like in a bad way
like it does for some people.
So just getting ourselves on board together
was a challenge back then.
> I wouldn't say I was scared.
I just, I am aware of the reality.
> Oh there you go [LAUGHS]
> For things to go. > That's fair.
That's fair.
> Yeah.
> And I would say I mean that's really what set us up for,
you know, future success in real estate.
I mean we're just getting to that next phase of
trying to make sure that we slow down enough to
enjoy what we've built up.
We're excited to be able to get a dream house
while y'all are still at home and can enjoy it.
> Yeah.
It's gonna be like fun for vacations.
> Yeah.
> We could have all the cousins over.
And you can be in charge.
> I do not want to be in charge, no.
> I'm an attorney.
I work in various like corporate
and transactional and litigation matters.
> I am a broker for a real estate company in Atlanta.
I run a small team and we do commercial investment
and residential real estate.
> It's very convenient to have a wife as a realtor.
Because then I can just sit back
and be the trophy husband that I am.
But you were saying market's a little tight
now, though, right?
So we have to be ready to go.
> It is.
I've seen some pretty ones and they've gone quickly.
So if we find the one we want,
we need to be really ready to act right away.
So we're really hoping to stay around one point five.
Interest rates are still so great right now.
So your money goes a lot further.
But of course with the way interest rates are now
that also means that the prices have gone up.
So it's like now or never.
We're not getting any younger.
Our kids aren't getting younger and it's something
to just go ahead and take the leap.
> Ditto [LAUGHS]
[MUSIC]
> All right, so what are we looking at now?
> This is the house that backs up to the national park.
> Yeah.
All I know is it's probably high up
and I might need you to get out
and push this thing up the hill.
> [LAUGHS] I know, I can feel my ears popping
as we go up.
So I think it's this one up here with the sign.
> You sure?
You're never good at directions.
> True.
But I think I remember this from the photo.
> Okay.
> Yep.
That's it.
Wow.
Gosh, that house looks so much bigger than the pictures.
> Wow, this is pretty cool.
> This is beautiful.
> This is the park, right?
> Yeah, this is the park right there.
> That's pretty awesome.
> Look at this porch.
I wonder what this is for.
> Probably a Norse drinking hall
or something for you.
> [LAUGHS] Yeah it does look like you could line
some tables up here and.
> Yeah, this is cool.
> Have a great party.
Well let's see what inside looks like.
> Yeah, let's see.
The deck's huge though.
> Yeah.
Looks like it wraps all the way around.
> Yeah.
> All right.
[DOOR OPENING]
[MUSIC]
Wow, look at this room.
> Now this is it right here.
> Yes.
> This is...
> Windows everywhere.
It's like the outside is in.
I love it.
> Yeah, yeah.
And the fireplace is great.
> So the kitchen's not open to the great room but it's.
> Yeah, the... > But it's really pretty.
Look at these cabinets.
> I know what kind of wood is this?
> It looks like bark from the trees outside.
And it's on everything. > That is pretty neat.
> Look, even these built-ins right here.
> Yeah.
> I love the style of the kitchen.
I wish it was open to the family room over there.
But I just think this is a really tiny spot
to gather to eat.
That really only fits about eight people,
and we have six bedrooms [LAUGHS] I'm hoping to have.
> Yeah
> More people here than that.
So.
> But that little cubby hole here,
you could probably put a lot of people in here too.
> That's true.
All right, what else is?
> Let's go over here. > On this level?
Wow, look at this room.
> This has to be the master, right?
> Yeah.
With these huge ceilings.
Plenty of space.
And over there's the bathroom.
> This is great.
And the view just keeps going right here.
> Yeah.
It does.
And look at that big deck, and the hammocks.
Plenty of room for you over there.
> Oh yeah.
I'll just spread out.
> Spread.
> And I can go from one nap to another.
> Yes.
Definitely a place of relaxation [LAUGHS]
> Yeah.
> So. > It's my...
> Let's take a look upstairs.
> Okay.
Look at this cute bedroom.
> This is pretty neat.
I think the kids would like to stay here.
Especially with this day bed and kind of like
the sloping roof.
> Yeah.
Oh and there's a little nook, their reading nook.
And its own bathroom.
> Oh that's pretty neat.
Then what is this room?
> Oh wow, this is almost like another master.
> I like that you have like the private.
> Yeah.
> Deck here.
> I really like the second floor.
> It basically has everything your family needs.
> Yep.
> Well let's keep going.
> Okay.