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Why Kentucky?

Kentucky is a great choice if you are considering a relocation.  We know Kentucky well, particularly the Lexington area. Some of our ancestors date back to when Daniel Boone settled Fort Boonesborough.   That makes us a little biased but we try to present several neutral points-of-view.  Sharon Roark for Active Rain, Marketing Trends in Real Estate,  writes  “Top Ten Reasons to Move to Lexington KY.”   These are excellent examples of our passion for Kentucky.

We also have our beloved UK Wildcats, the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Horse Park, Keeneland, the Dixie Belle at Shaker Village, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Kentucky Bourbon Trail “to take you where the spirit leads you” and many other Kentucky attractions.  More than that, Kentuckians have an “unbridled spirit,” a unique southern culture…living close with nature….and each other, that creates that neighborly feeling called “home.”  But don’t take our word for it.

Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development 2012 Annual Report says Kentucky is...
(read entire annual report)

• #1 for cost of doing business
• #2 nationally in annual job growth rate (October 2012)
• #4 for cost of living
• #8 in new start-up firms
• 10% growth in exports (double the US average)
• $22.1 billion in total exports
• 354 projects announced
• 1,025,000 light vehicles produced in Kentucky
• 14,075 new jobs announced

Kentucky ranked #10 in the nation

In Site Selection Magazine’s annual Governor’s Cup rankings for new and expanded industry activity in 2012, Kentucky finished #10 in the nation.  Kentucky has finished among the top 15 states in the nation for the last five years in a row.

“This is another strong showing for Kentucky’s economic development activity,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “This ranking reflects our dedication to economic growth, with a focus on attracting new businesses and supporting the expansion of our existing companies, reaching out to global markets through exporting, as well as showcasing all of the strategic advantages Kentucky offers.”

Site Selection, an Atlanta-based publication, has rated the states annually since 1978. The ranking is based on a state’s total number of qualified projects as tracked by Conway Data Inc.’s New Plant database.

Kentucky ranked #5 in the nation

In the annual Governor’s Cup, Kentucky ranked fifth for number of communities making the Top Micropolitans list, with only 10 communities making the cut.

Those communities include:

Lexington #3 Among Money Magazine’s10 Best Places to Retire:

Money Magazine announced its list of the Top Places to Retire on CBS News. Lexington came in at #3 on this list, and has been among the top retirement lists off and on for a number of years. Of course, a lower cost of living and taxes are almost always listed as advantages for retirees.

Atlantic Cities Lists Lexington #17 Among Its Top 25 High-Tech Hotspots:

The Atlantic Cities List  “reflects the rise of college towns like Ann Arbor (Washtenaw County) Michigan; Madison (Dane County) Wisconsin; and Lexington (Fayette County) Kentucky.” Its index measured the number of new jobs in the tech sector created between 2007 and 2012, calculated as a share of total private sector employment in 2007. Interestingly, Fayette County pulled ahead of areas like a portion of the Washington, D.C. MSA, Boston, Fort Collins (CO), and Charlotte (NC) – which is the site of the 2014 Leadership Visit.

Lexington #5 on Movoto’s List of the 10 Best Cities for Home Buyers:

“The Bluegrass State’s second-largest city was propelled halfway up our ranking in part by its school quality and number of available homes per person.” Lexington was also called the “house capital of Kentucky.”

Livability.com Ranked Lexington #27 on its List of the Top 100 Best Places to Live:

“Lexington, the Horse Capital of the World, garners recognition for its stable economy and cultural appeal. The city includes the University of Kentucky, which helps make it one of Livability’s Top 10 College Towns, as well as historical attractions, several shops and boutiques, a portion of the famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and the Kentucky Horse Park.”