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A Complete Relocation Guide  ◆  Franklin, Tennessee

Your New Life
Begins Here

Where Southern warmth meets clinical precision. A guide built from twenty years of daily life in Franklin, Tennessee.

20Years in Franklin
3×Relocated Personally
0%State Income Tax
2Public School Districts
Investigate  ◆  Educate  ◆  Advocate  ◆  Navigate
Where You Will Live

Franklin Communities

Two decades of daily life here means I know each community from personal experience, not a data sheet. These are the communities I know well.

01
Historic District
Downtown Franklin
Main Street with Victorian architecture, independent restaurants, boutiques, live music, and a genuine farmers market. A walkable downtown, paired with a wide range of historic architecture.
Architecture spanning Cape Cod, Colonial, and Greek Revival styles. Proximity to Civil War history, arts, and the full pulse of Franklin's community calendar. Availability varies, so I track new listings against your criteria.
From $1.2M – $3.5M+
02
Planned Village
Westhaven
A village-style community built around walkability and neighborhood life. Town center with shops and dining, a packed community events calendar, and a 15,000 sq. ft. Residents Club at its center.
Housing types from single-family homes to townhomes, condos, and a 55+ enclave. Golf and pool access. Well-positioned for the commute to Nashville and Franklin's corporate corridor.
From $700K – $2.5M+
03
Established Neighborhood
Fieldstone Farms
Franklin's largest established neighborhood, with more than 2,000 homes, green space, and a swim and tennis club. The housing stock spans three decades, which keeps the price range unusually wide for a single neighborhood.
Includes a gated enclave and a 55-plus community. Homes range from smaller floor plans to estates near 6,700 sq. ft. The amenity package is broad relative to the price range.
From $550K – $1.8M
04
Luxury Enclave
LaurelBrooke & Hidden River
Gated communities set within natural landscape, with custom-built estates on large parcels. Some sales here happen off-market, so a public search may not show everything.
Custom-built estates and occasional off-market opportunities. Two decades of local relationships mean I can sometimes learn of a sale before it reaches public search.
From $2M – $8M+
05
Pastoral & Rural
Leiper's Fork
Rural acreage and the village of Leiper's Fork, with its galleries and live music, within easy reach of Franklin.
Horse properties, farmland, and custom builds on acreage. Roughly 15–20 minutes from downtown Franklin. Lot size and permitted use vary widely, so I review each parcel individually.
From $1.5M – $10M+
06
Golf Community
Forrest Crossing
A 650-home neighborhood centered on Franklin Bridge Golf Club, with a clubhouse, pool, and tennis and pickleball courts. Green space runs throughout the neighborhood.
Homes from 1,200 sq. ft. upward, many built in the 1990s–2000s. Golf and recreation amenities at a lower price point than most of the other communities listed here.
From $450K – $900K
Schools and Zoning

Williamson County Schools

Franklin sits across two public districts. Williamson County Schools covers the county, and inside Franklin city limits the Franklin Special School District runs kindergarten through eight before students move to a Williamson County high school. Assignment is by address, not by neighborhood, and zone lines can change between school years. I verify the zone before we look at a house, and I leave the judgment about the schools themselves to you.

WCS
Williamson County Schools
Public School District
The public district for the county. Assignment is by address rather than by neighborhood, and the district's InfoFinder lookup at wcs.edu confirms the zone for any specific street.
K–8
Elementary & Middle Schools
Zoned Public Schools
Assignment follows the street address, not the neighborhood name, and lines can shift between school years. I confirm the zone before we look at a house.
9–12
Franklin & Independence High
Public High Schools
Assignment follows the address. Each school publishes its own course and program offerings.
K–12
Battle Ground Academy
Independent Private
Franklin's oldest independent school, with a college preparatory curriculum across two campuses. Admissions and tuition are published by the school.
K–12
Montessori & Faith-Based
Private & Supplemental
Williamson County has Montessori, classical, and faith-based private schools. Each publishes its own admissions and tuition information.
Note
What I Confirm First
Zoning Process
Review the school zoning map before choosing a neighborhood. I confirm the zone for each address before we look at a listing, using the district's InfoFinder lookup, and confirm it again before an offer because zone lines can change between school years.
Rates Change. Markets Move. Be Informed.

New York & California vs. Franklin

Many of my clients are weighing exactly this comparison. The figures below are a starting point, and the right answer depends on the specific property and your own tax situation.

New York Metro
State Income Tax
Up to 10.9%
Median Home Price
$750K+
Effective Property Tax
~1.7%+
What $1.5M Buys
~1,200 sq. ft.
Daily Commute
60–90 min
Franklin, Tennessee
State Income Tax
None
Median Home Price
$875,000
City Tax Rate
$0.296/$100
What $1.5M Buys
4,000+ sq. ft.
Commute to Nashville
25–30 min
California (Bay Area / LA)
State Income Tax
Up to 13.3%
Median Home Price
$1.2M–$1.8M
Effective Property Tax
~1.1–1.3%
What $1.5M Buys
~1,000–1,500 sq. ft.
Daily Commute
45–90 min+
Your Goals. Our Guidance.

The Relocation Process

One agent. One relationship. One phone number from first conversation to closing table. Here is what working with me actually looks like.

01
Discovery

A real conversation before a single property search. Your timeline, priorities, household needs, commute pattern, and non-negotiables. Zoning is confirmed by address before the search begins.

02
Neighborhood Map

A personalized community picture built around your life. School zoning, drive times, amenities, and off-market opportunity, drawn from two decades of Franklin knowledge.

03
Curated Search

MLS access plus off-market and pocket listings from 20 years of Franklin relationships. That can include listings public search has not yet surfaced. Quality over volume.

04
Navigate & Close

Close attention to each contingency and inspection detail, with Monday update texts and proactive communication. When something needs to be made right, my name is on it personally.

Manjiri Rao-Kostas, Affiliate Broker
Manjiri Rao-Kostas
Begin the Conversation

Let's Find Your Franklin

I have been where you are standing. Three times. I know what it costs to build a life somewhere new, and I know what it looks like when it goes right. I would be genuinely honored to be part of that journey for you.

NameManjiri Rao-Kostas, ABR, LRS
TitleAffiliate Broker, Onward Real Estate
Mobile615.584.5485
Office615.234.5180
Emailmanjiri@onwardre.com
WebmanjiriRao-Kostas.com
Address5000 Meridian Blvd, Ste 300
Franklin, TN 37067
LicenseTN LIC# 366387
Start the Conversation Send an Email
Your Goals. Our Guidance. Buy Strategically. Investigate. Educate. Advocate. Navigate.
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Your Advisor

One expert. One relationship. One phone number.

Manjiri Rao-Kostas, Affiliate Broker, Onward Real Estate
Manjiri Rao-Kostas
Affiliate Broker · ABR · LRS

Manjiri Rao-Kostas is a native New Yorker who has lived in Franklin for twenty years and has worked in real estate for about two decades. She first came to Middle Tennessee as a corporate relocation client, moving three times with no family nearby, two young children and a husband who traveled four days a week, so she knows from experience where a relocation tends to strain.

Before real estate she was Administrator of the Division of Cardiology at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan, and she trained in cardiorespiratory therapy. That background still shapes how she works: gather the information first, explain what it means, then let the client decide.

She works with buyers and sellers across Franklin, Brentwood, Nashville and the surrounding Middle Tennessee markets, with a particular focus on clients relocating from the New York metro area. She holds the Accredited Buyer's Representative and Luxury Real Estate Specialist designations, and she is a Preferred Real Estate Partner of the Gary Sinise Foundation, serving military families.

One agent, one relationship, one phone number, from the first question through closing and after.

Manjiri Rao-Kostas · Affiliate Broker, ABR, LRS
Onward Real Estate · 5000 Meridian Blvd, Suite 300, Franklin, TN 37067
Mobile 615.584.5485 · Office 615.234.5180
manjiri@onwardre.com · www.manjirirao-kostas.com