Confessions of a Realtor

New Listing - 601 Boyd Mill Ave Unit J5 - $106,900 Downtown Franklin!

2011-05-13T09:42:00.001-07:00

Ok...I'm going to venture to guess if you've ever walked down Main Street in Franklin you've had the following thoughts: "Look all this history and charm! Great shops and restaurants! Can't wait till the renovated movie theater opens back up! I should move here...but wait I'm not a millionaire...dang...there goes that idea. Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue."

(If you've actually had those exact thoughts in that exact sequence, I promise I've only read your diary once or twice. No big deal.)

We'll if you've ever had any of the above thoughts, I've got the place you've been waiting for. This first level condo has been well kept and is waiting for you. Just a few blocks off of downtown Franklin and next to Jim Warren Park. If you get bored living here, it's your own dang fault. Take a look at these pictures below. Give me a call when you want to see it. The first pint at 55 South or Red Pony or McCreary's...or any of the other restaurants down there is on me.

Before you head out on your walk downtown, stop by Fleet Feet in Brentwood. The owners of this killer condo also own Fleet Feet. Probably the best running store in town, but you already knew that.

New Listing - 4809 Quail Hollow Drive - $112,900!!!

2010-10-04T13:32:00.000-07:00

Just listed this great townhome in the Woodlake development in Old Hickory. It's got it all, vaulted ceilings, walk in closets, huge family room with a cozy fireplace, nice deck that backs to woods, 2 car garage, etc...

This is alot of home for the money. Short drive to the lake. It's perfect for someone who needs to be close to town, but wants to get away from it all. Don't take my word for it, come and see it.

Give me a call and I'll be happy to set up a showing. Do it quick, at this price it won't last long.

Killing time...

2010-07-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

My job is one big hurry up and wait. Thats probably why I'm all over Facebook everyday. Here are few things that caught my eye today.

One of my favorite summertime treats - Gin.

U.S. Condemned For Pre-Emptive Use Of Hillary Clinton Against Pakistan

I'll take two of these. For gardening work of course.

I'll be here next week. I'll pour our some Bud and Alley's margaritas on the curb for you.

Makers Mark 46. The best got better.

This isn't good.

Japanese people are so weird.

That is all.

Nashville area's median home price is TEMPORARILY highest in 2 years

2010-07-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

The Tennessean reports "The median price of a single-family home in the Nashville area rose 8 percent in June from the month before to $181,312, the first time prices have been this high since June 2008, the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors reported Thursday."

Well kids, I'd love to tell you all this was because the market is making a huge comeback, prices will stay up and someone will buy you an ice cream. I wish I could. This is the final ripple of the tax credit. Don't get me wrong, as government hand outs go...I liked this one. However, I wished it would have been a lower amount for more time. Like 4 years. That would have truly "stimulated" the housing market instead of jabbing it in the ribs. This credit was a sudden spike and now its gone.

Oh well...we will be fine. It's just a long, narrow road out of this place. There are still tons of great houses on the market (see below) and the rates are great. Call me up and I'll promise not to lecture you on stimuli.

New Lisitng - 7105 Sunnywood Drive

2010-05-10T14:19:00.000-07:00

Real estate is a funny thing. You never know where it's going to lead you. Let me tell you a little story. Jennifer and I had our hearts set on building a new house in Lenox Village. (For those who don't know about Lenox Village it's a mixed use community in south Nashville. Front porches, shops, restaurants, parks, etc.) I was appraising a home in Lenox and saw a blue cottage with a for sale sign in the yard. I peaked in and liked what I saw. Later that night I brought Jennifer by and she fell in love.

We were a little nervous about leaving our town home. The town home was in a great place w/ great neighbors, but it must have been built by a blind man. (Home crap home...) We were at the Lenox house the night we made an offer on the home when we saw the next door neighbor outside. I decided to say something to our potential new neighbor. When I opened the door I heard a loud "Ross Wetzel!" coming from next door. It turned out living next door was one of my good friends from high school. I had lost touch with him, but knew he lived in Nashville. It was the sign we were looking for.

Needless to say we had the best neighbors. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Lenox with them and couldn't have asked for better neighbors. Those five years were some of the best in our lives.

What does this story have to do with 7105 Sunnywood Drive? Good question. We'll our neighbors have decided that life without us just isn't as much fun. So I'm selling their place and they are building in our new neighborhood. Hey...if it ain't broke.

So the house...It's a good one. It's a one level with tons of upgrades. Brand new hardwoods, corian countertops, crown everywhere. Nice bonus room over the garage. Huge master suite. Don't take my word for it. Look at the pictures.

Call me and maybe I can set you up with some instant friends. This home has brought a lot of happiness to them, I know they hope it does the same for someone new.

New listing - 6612 Valleypark Drive

2010-04-16T10:34:00.000-07:00

It's no secret I'm a Realtor. Believe it or not part of my job is selling houses. Amazingly here is one of the houses I'm currently selling. So in order to fulfill my Realtorly duties here's the sales pictch (just imagine me wearing some snazzy sport coat and shiney shoe. Oh...and when I smile my teeth sparkle and make a "bling" noise) :

Perfect one level home in the heart of Riverwalk! Across from the pool! Great fenced yard with large deck. Formal living and dining room. Open kitchen w/bartop overlooks the family room. Great storage! Well kept w/ fresh paint. Great value! New roof!

All kidding aside, this is a great house right across from an amazing pool. Call me if you want see this place...or if you just want to watch my teeth bling.

Home Sales Up - 6th Straight Month

2010-04-08T12:50:00.000-07:00

Looks like home sales in the Nashville area have continued the slow crawl out of the pitts of hell. Thats good news. The bad news: rates are going up, the tax credit is going away and Leon is getting larger. (horrible Airplane pun - "looks like I picked the wrong week to quit sniffing glue.")

So whats this mean for you, dear buyer who hasn't picked an agent yet? It means get up off your ass and give me a call. Lets get you in that sweet house and put some money in your pocket.

Read the details here.

Hugh Donald Wetzel

2010-03-05T06:16:00.000-08:00

It was a year ago that we lost my father. I miss him so much. I miss talking to him. I miss his advice. I miss making him laugh.

I'm over the sad times. I can now remember the good times, the loving care of a father. The lessons taught. I hope he is looking down and please in what he sees.

I spoke at his funeral. It was one of the toughest things I've ever done, but I'm very proud I had the opportunity to do it. Here's what I said:

My father used to be a mystery to me. I think any boy trying to come to grips with becoming a husband and father has questioned his dad a time or two. My father was a lucky man. He married his high school sweetheart and had three loving children. I've been married just over five years to a woman of whom I don't deserve. We had a beautiful baby girl just over a year ago. I'm proud to report that she is her daddy's girl. When I look at my father from where I stand today he really isn't that much of a mystery any more.

He taught me:

How to keep my eye on the ball and follow through...in sports and life.

How to treat a lady. (Holding doors is a lost art)

He taught me how to loose gracefully.

He taught me how to tie a tie.

He taught me how to cheer for a team. (I remember at the Kentucky Wesleyan games, Dad had two sets of seats. One set on the second row for mom and the girls and one set court side for him and I. He used to rub his hands together before he yelled at a ref or a USI player. I used to wonder why he did that. Now I find myself doing it at almost every game I go to.)

He taught me to marry up. (You'll never be sorry.)

He taught me to not start fights, finish them.

He taught me to never be afraid to ask out the best looking girl in the room. (You'd be surprised how often it works.)

He taught me that truly being fair means sometimes serving yourself last.

He taught me that pushing the elevator button several times won't make it come any faster.

He taught me to appreciate giving.

He taught me how to shake someones hand.

He taught me to stand up for the little guy.

He taught me that it was better to be overdress than under. (This was a way of life for him. Who else do you know that sits around the house in a cashmere sweater, a monogrammed button down shirt and creased khaki's?)

He taught me that it was better to offer no excuse than a bad one.

He taught me how to be a gentleman.

So many of lessons are apart of me today. I'd like to think that the lessons he passed down have become the best part of me. Thank you Daddy.

Glorified Body

2010-02-23T06:15:00.000-08:00

After reading my friend Anna's blog (Questioning Soul) talking about death and dying with your children, I found myself remembering a story about my grandfather.

When I was about 8 my grandfather took me fishing. He was a Methodist preacher and a farmer. He was a small man but his hands were large and callused from years on the farm. Age had taken it’s toll on him. Never a tall man, he claims he was 5′6″. I’m guessing he peaked at 5′3″.

After about 15 minutes of enjoying the silence of the lake (an eternity to an 8 year old), I turned to watch him reel in a large catfish. I watched as his massive hands worked the fighting fish out of the water. I asked him “Pa, what will you look like you in heaven?” The question took him by surprise. He paused, look up at he sky and said “You will have a glorified body in heaven.” Confused I asked “What do you mean?” “I’ll be about 6 foot tall.” Amused, he cast his line back into the water.

Being 8 years old, I missed the humor. I was still concerned about this heaven business. “If you’re body is going to be glorified, how I will know you?” I asked. He opened both palms to me and said “I’ll have these hands.”

2009 was a rough year on me and my family. We lost my father last spring. Just as we were starting to get used to the idea of him being gone, we lost our dog of 9 years Genie. It seems funny to mention Genie in the same breath with Dad. To be honest, that's when the grief really hit me. I was so busy with all the details and the business of Dad's passing that I never had time to feel the moment. When Genie left us, my guard was down and every emotion just flowed. I miss Genie so much, but I thank her for allowing me to let go and deal with Dad passing.

I'm so lucky that Annaross got to have time with Dad and with Genie. She still talks about them. It hurts a little, but it really makes me appreciate the time I had with them. I hope she always talks about them. I hope Dad is proud of who I am. I hope Genie is bugging him and begging for treats right now.

The luckiest man...

2010-02-12T13:34:00.000-08:00

I've been busy as can be with work today so I wasn't able to put my flower plan in action today. So I'm telling the world (via this wonderful blog) I am the luckiest man in the world. I love Jennifer with my whole heart and I am so thankful to have her in my life. She is the best wife and the most amazing mother. I am truly b...lessed.

That's as good as flowers...right?

New Listing - 7512 Lords Chapel Drive

2010-02-03T12:43:00.000-08:00

Hey I just listed a great new townhome in Lenox Village. Welcoming front porch and private fenced yard. Amazing kitchen. Hardwood floors! Covered parking w/ storage! Huge master suite with walk-in closet! Tons of storage! Walk to parks, shops and 5 different restaurants.

Give me a call and I'll be happy to show you this great place.

Ross Wetzel
David Pearson Real Estate
615-260-8926

Ouch...

2010-01-25T14:01:00.000-08:00

December home sales down nearly 17 percent

Home sales plunge nearly 17 percent in December after tax credit deadline extended

"Sales of previously occupied homes took the largest monthly drop in more than 40 years last month, sinking more dramatically than expected after lawmakers gave buyers additional time to use a tax credit."

Read the full article here.

Sales in Nashville have been picking up as of late. Sales have been up, I've never been busier. Nationally things are slowing. Rates are still great and there are lots of bargins out there. This is a hiccup...we are going to see ups and downs in the market for the next year or two. Demand is a funny thing...

Nashville approves new convention center...people of Nashville say "Meh..."

2010-01-20T06:57:00.000-08:00

From the Citypaper article:

"The Metro Council has approved financing for a $585 million convention center by a vote of 29-9, scoring Mayor Karl Dean the biggest political victory of his first term in office.

After a few council skeptics made their final case, Metro’s legislative body decided to go forward and bankroll Music City Center, a project Dean first championed during his 2007 mayoral campaign as vital to staying competitive in the convention and tourism business and as a catalyst for economic growth."

I haven't heard much from my peers on this one. Sure it sounds great and I'm sure Nashville will bring in some tourist/convention money from it, but I haven't heard anyone talking about the convention space out at Opryland. They are consistently having large conventions. I know a good majority of that money stays in under the Opry umbrella (hotel and Opry "the mall that no locals go to" Mills). I think its a shame that the land that is being "condemned" in order to make way for the convention center is driving some business out. Progress hurts, just ask Gabby's.

Honestly...I don't know what to think.

New listing - 7617 Leveson Way

2010-01-05T07:38:00.000-08:00

Just listed a great new place in Lenox Village. This house is located in the heart of Lenox, just up from the park and shops. Walk to 5 different restaurants. This place is the perfect crossroads. Great main home with formal and casual living spaces and a office/in-law suite w/ a full bath above the garage. Great for the work from home crowd or great rental potential. Great private backyard (a real bonus in Lenox).

Give me a call and I'll show you the possibilities with this place.

Home sales up 60% in Nashville!

2009-12-10T08:21:00.001-08:00

This is from Nashville Public Radio's site:

"Homes sales in the Nashville area jumped nearly 60% last month with close to 2,000 closings reported in November.

Mike Nichols, who is president of the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, says closings were driven largely by the first-time homebuyer tax credit. He says no one knew the original deadline would be extended, so they chose to act. Nichols expects the activity, however, will continue since the tax credit has been expanded to more buyers.

Even with the improved sales, closings are down 14% year to date. The median price of a single family home also dropped from $165,000 last year to $158,000 this year."

Time to get out and buy that special someone a new house for Christmas! Call me and I'll be Santa's little helper for you. (Note: I'll wear a costume if you are buying in the $500k range.)

Here's the "sorry I haven't posted much" post...

2009-12-03T14:33:00.000-08:00

Ok...so almost every blog I read at one time or another has an apology post about not posting. I didn't want to break from tradition so here is mine: I'm sorry. I'll post more. I know only Coach Price cares, but damn it...he cares.

This one is for you Coach Price. You complete me.

This just in...

2009-11-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

From the Onion.com

Poll: 100% Of Grandsons Talented

November 9, 2009 | Issue 45•4

ATLANTA—A Zogby poll of 1,542 American grandparents published Monday found that grandsons were described as "very" to "extremely" talented by 1,542 of the respondents. "Participants in the poll were emphatic in their descriptions of the talents of grandsons in fields as diverse as advertising and sales, choral performance, baseball, talking, crawling, making their beds, video games, and instructing their elders on proper cell-phone use," pollster Tom Waterton said. "In addition, an overwhelming percentage of grandchildren were described as outgoing, sharp, and looking just like Uncle Andy, you remember Uncle Andy, he was always up to something, too bad he passed so young, he would have loved the grandchild in question." Sources at Zogby admitted that the survey was incomplete, as several hundred pollsters are still unable to get their assigned grandparents off the phone.

A little pee comes out every time I read the Onion.

What your beer says about you...

2009-11-02T10:48:00.000-08:00

Ad Age did a study of beer drinkers and their habits. This is pretty interesting. The description is fluff, but the statistics are amazing.

"Your choice of beer can be as telling about your personality as what kind of clothing you wear or the car that you drive. And if you don't drink suds at all, or change brands depending on your mood -- well, that says something too."

Here's the full article.

Think about that next time you pick up a six pack.

Great townhome in the heart of Lenox Village - $164,900!!!

2009-10-30T13:19:00.001-07:00

Wonderful end unit home with a great front porch. Perfect condition. Private fenced backyard, Great kitchen with beadboard cabinets. Crown molding. Vaulted ceiling in master bedroom. Walk in closets. Shops, parks and restaurants in the neighborhood!

Call Ross to take a look at this great place.

Ross Wetzel
David Pearson Real Estate
615.260.8926

Great home in Hendersonville

2009-10-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

Hey...my good friends have moved to Seattle to start up a new church and they need to sell their place in Hendersonville. It's not my listing but I thought I would spread the word.

It's a great house in a wonderful neighborhood. It was well loved and they hate to see it go. If you are looking, thinking about looking or just want to snoop around a great house call Kristy Seccia with Century 21 @ 615 859-9500.

Here's the full listing.

Second Housing Bubble?

2009-10-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting article in the WSJ about a potential 2nd housing bubble.

Oh yeah...can't wait for that. Maybe we should appoint an Housing Bubble Czar. We have a Czar for everything else.

"Despite some signs of recovery, the U.S. housing market isn't out of the woods yet. According to a Wall Street Journal survey of housing-market data in 28 major metro areas, the number of homes for sale has dropped sharply, probably because of the government's efforts to save borrowers from losing their houses. It's likely that government efforts have only temporarily slowed the flow of foreclosed homes to the market, leaving markets in Las Vegas, Atlanta, Detroit, Phoenix, Miami and other parts of Florida, and Sacramento vulnerable over the next few years. The chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association recently testified to the Senate that "recovery will begin when unemployment stops rising," while the president of a New Jersey appraisal firm suggested that if the job market continues declining and mortgage rates rise steeply, the market could reach a "tipping point" and crash again."

Read the full article here.

Rant...I'm really old.

2009-10-08T07:27:00.000-07:00

Ok...I've got to get a few things off my chest:

Things I'd like to ban:

Kissie face in pictures

Who told this guy this was a good idea?

The peace sign

If Miley does it, how sincere can it be?

Hipsters

Really?

Nickelback

I think it's time to sit back and count your money Chad.

Please stop.
Love,
Ross

Maybe the coolest thing ever...

2009-10-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

My inner geek just claimed the bar scene in my mind...

Star Wars: Uncut Trailer from Casey Pugh on Vimeo.

New Listing - 7837 Heaton Way

2009-09-22T07:50:00.001-07:00

I just listed this amazing town home with a killer basement in Lenox Village. Over 2300 sq. ft. of living space. Tons of storage. Great views. Just around the corner from the park, shops and restaurants.

Check out the listing here. Give me a call and I'll give you a tour.

7 New Rules for the First-Time Homebuyer

2009-09-18T09:43:00.000-07:00

Ron Lieber over at the New York Times has put together seven good tips that can help you find a first time home that you can both afford and enjoy living in.

Here's a quick run down of the tips (read the full article here):

"Start with the basics." Approach your first home purchase conservatively.

"Consider your income."

"Bow to unknowns." We're talking starting a family, or realizing in 5 years that you never wanted the career you're currently in and need to switch paths.

"Map out expenses." A lot of home buyers are stunned by the annual cost of maintenance.

"But best (or cheapest)." If you can't afford the ideal home, it's better to go cheap and save up rather than settle for a mediocre substitute that will drain your accounts while keeping you stuck in a home you don't like.

"Stretch the house." The longer you live in one house, the longer you put off the expense of moving to a newer/bigger one.

"The eight-hour rule." If you can't sleep at night due to worries about how to pay for the upcoming mortgage, you don't need that mortgage.

I'll add another:

Make sure you don't have too much attic space. You'll be way tempted to keep everything you've ever owned. (See my attic for reference.)

BUY MY HOUSE....Shameless Self Promotion

2009-09-11T12:53:00.001-07:00

Ok...I've got this blog, now I guess I should use it. My house is on the market as we speak. We are building a place just south of where we live now. We've loved our house and neighborhood, just need a little more space. Take a look at these pictures and tell me you don't want to make a full price offer right now. Here's the listing.

If you buy today I'll throw in 5 gallons of homebrew. Don't miss this opportunity.

New Listing - 7849 Heaton Way

2009-09-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

Hey...I wanted to feature my new listing. It's a great end unit town home in Lenox Village. Great front porch, sun room and huge master suite. Here's the listing.

Parks and playgrounds are just around the corner. Blue Coast Burrito and Golden Eagle Stir Fry just opened up. Don't forget about Pie in the Sky Pizza and Sushi O Shushi too. (I don't think Sushi O Sushi is an Irish place...I could be wrong)

The way listings should be...

2009-08-21T08:11:00.000-07:00

I saw these mock listings on the Onion today and actually laughed out loud. (FYI- Mom...that's what LOL means.)

I've had a couple of listings where I wish I could have been this honest.

Tick...tick...tick

2009-08-19T14:13:00.000-07:00

The $8000 tax credit for new home buyers runs out on November 30th. I'm not a fan of government handouts, but this one can really benefit first time buyers. You can actually get the $8000 a couple of weeks after you close on the new place.

Here's an article about the tax credit.

If you are riding the fence about buying a place this should tip you over. Get out the and claim your money...after all it's actually yours to begin with.

The Headshot: Kiss Of Death

2009-08-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

If you were to ask me what would be my person Hell, I wouldn't even hesitate with my answer: Being locked in a room full of Realtors. (oh...with modern country music blasting)

Realtors can either be the most savy business person or a slack jawed yokel. There is very little middle ground. That also goes for their marketing.

I can just imagine some big boardroom in the early 90's filled with big hair, shoulder pads and horrible moustaches. The queen bee of ReMax/Coldwell Banker/Century 21 (take your pick) stands up at the head of the table as her hair scrapes the drop ceiling. She begins to dole out pearls of wisdom as if she is General Patton addressing her troops. "We need to shift our paradigm. We need to think outside of the box. You need to have your picture on everything you do as an agent. I'm talking business cards, yard signs, email signatures, cars, name tags, pencils, your dog, etc. Your picture should express what a powerhouse agent you are. By that I mean have your huge cell phone up to your ear in the picture. That way people will think you are way to busy even to have your picture taken. Make sure you have a serious tan in your picture. People equate tan with vacations. We all know vacations = sucess. Also...if you have a picture that was taken a decade ago, use it. Send email forwards to everyone you know that put thier faith in doubt if they don't forward on to thier 20 best friends or poke fun at the opposite sex. Oh...and make sure you have and AOL email address. Ok...any questions? No...then lets go to lunch. I hear sushi is all the rage."

Ok...Yes I have my picture on this site. Headshots have thier place in marketing, they just shouldn't be the centerpiece. I found this site that listed the top 10 really bad Realtor headshots. I know I could top the hell out of this list, but I have to work with these people.

Let me know if I should go with #4 Dwayne's look. I think I would look sweet with a stache like his.

Minty fresh...

2009-07-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend Jennifer and I decided to follow through on something we've been talking about for a long time. We sat down and had the finances meeting. I don't think either of us was looking forward to it. We have tried before but really didn't know where to start. Luckily we found Mint.com.

Mint.com is a free site that syncs up with your online banking. It categorizes your expenses and shows you how much you have spent in each section of your budget. It's real time and amazing. It's free and worth checking out.

After you have your budget on autopilot and all your extra money is burning a hole in your pocket, call me (your friendly Realtor) and I'll help you move on up to that deluxe apartment in the sky.

Inspectors of the home variety...

2009-07-24T08:11:00.000-07:00

Home inspectors come in two varieties: horrible and worth their weight in gold. As an agent you walk a fine line when suggesting home inspectors. I have learned the hard way that I want to control the inspectors/lenders/title companies I work with. Not to "make the deal close", but to ensure that my clients are getting the best service from competent professionals. Some people don't trust agent's suggestions. They are afraid it's a big conspiracy to make the deal close no matter what. I'm sure some agents are that way. A few bad apples...

Here's a great article from the Nashville City Paper on home inspectors. The author is distrusting of Realtors, but who isn't?

I try my best to use one home inspector, BJK properties. They are the best I have encountered in my many years of real estate. (Ok...I'm not that old, but they are the best.) Many times these guys have told my clients not to buy the home. That's taking money out of my pocket (and Annaross needs her waffles!). I would much rather have lost out on a sale than having someone buy a home that was a money pit. Are these guys perfect? Not by a long shot, but they are very good.

San Franciso Days....

2009-07-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

Traditions are the little things that make life special. Jenn and I are lucky enough to have 10 year tradition with our good friend Mike and Jen Knotts. Over the course of a decade we've seen Chris Isaak three times at the Ryman in Nashville with them. (FYI- it rained every time.)

I'm sure everyone has heard Chris' big hits (Baby did a bad thing, Wicked Game, etc..). If you get a chance check out the Baja Sessions album. It would be on my desert island 5.

Last night we hit Blackstone Brewery before the show for dinner and social lubrication. After the show we headed down to the best honky tonk in Nashvegas, Robert's Western World. Do youself a favor...if you come to Nashville and want to hit up the Broadway honky tonks skip over Tootsie's and keep walking down to Robert's. (If you like being apart of a major fire hazard and rubbing up agianst some sweaty guy with a Dale Jr. t-shirt on, by all means head to Tootsie's)

We were able to grab a table and listen to the killer band playing. After a few minutes I looked up and saw Kenny Dale Johnson (Chris Isaak's drummer) standing at the bar. I walked over and bought him a beer. Kenny was the nicest guy. He came over and hung out with us for 10 minutes. Heck of a nice guy, a great musician and horrible joke teller.

We had the best night with great friends and great music. We decided that this will be our lasting tradtion. When poor Chris is relagated to playing Tunica and Branson we will be boarding that bus to the casinos (with all the other senior citizens) to keep our tradition alive.

Whats the moral? Spend time with people you care about and keep traditions. We all spend time with people that are sort of friends, but we never spend enough time with the people we really care about. We all need to invest in true friends. You only get so many.

Dance with your wife. Nothing is a beautiful as the smile on her face when you twirl her.

Oh yeah...move to Nashville (let me be your agent) and you too can drink with semi-famous people at honky tonks on Wednesday nights.

Why didn't my mother teach me this?

2009-07-22T08:12:00.000-07:00

A perfect grilled cheese may be one of my favorite treats. My mom always made the best. Perfectly browned, melty and buttery. She whipped up this magically sandwich while refereeing fights between me and my sister, smoking a cigarette and (if at dinnertime) having a Makers. Mom was a multitasker from way back.

I was never able to reproduce those magical grilled cheeses until I saw this video. Chow.com is one of the best places to figure out how to make your life better, one sandwich at a time.

When dirt is worth more than your home

2009-07-20T09:04:00.001-07:00

This home was recently appraised at $100 but the land was worth $190,000.

This is actually not that uncommon. The land in some areas of Nashville is worth much more empty then when a older/smaller home is sitting on it. In appraising we call the process of finding the most profitable use for a piece of land/house it's highest and best use. I run into homes that contribute little to no real value to the property. Construction has slowed in Nashville, but there is still a market for lots that have potential to be split or are zoned for attached homes.

Tops sales in June

2009-07-16T08:38:00.000-07:00

Somebody needs to tell these people that the economy is bad. Take a look at the first one. It's a cash sale.

June's top home sales

FYI - I've appraised one of these houses. I'm not telling which one.

Housing rebound continues, barely

2009-07-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

Housing sales are up for the fourth straight month across the nation. CNN has an article here. It's not much of a gain, but hey...it's a gain. Four months running...I call that a trend. Nashville has had a similar trend. How much of that is seasonal uptick and how much is actual recovery is hard to tell.

Housing and small business are going to be the two things that will bring out of this downturn. Government spending can't get us back on our feet. If it could it would have already started. (cough...stimulus...stimulus II the sequel...)

Killing time...

2009-07-14T07:56:00.000-07:00

A few things that caught my eye:

- Teddy Kennedy's new book will have a $1000 limited edition. Does it come with a jar of water from the Chappaquiddick?

- If I was this monkey I would use this thing to get me the hell out.

- Great grilling guide for those who are looking for inspiration.

- I can't get this song out of my head. My daughter loves the hint of Lady Gaga.

- A little pee came out when I watched this.

- I can't wait to see Chris Isaak next week.

Alright...must actually work at some point today. Does anybody read this site?

Yazoo Beer moving...

2009-07-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yazoo annouced today that they will be moving to the Gulch sometime this fall. Thats great news for anyone who has ever visited their location in Marathon Village. While the old place was charming, it was near the gates of hell. You could pick up a growler and a couple of crack rocks on your way back to your car.

Here's the annoucement on Yazoo's blog.

I worked at a Christian music merch company in marathon for a couple days when I was in college. While I worked there a trucker left his truck overnight outside the building to be unloaded in the morning. Magically when he came back the next morning his truck had been broken into and everything was gone. It wasn't too hard to tell where the cargo went. All you had to do was look at the hookers on the corner walking around with thier Michael W. Smith and DC Talk t-shirts on. Bravo hookers.

Is best of the worst a good thing?

2009-07-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

A report from PMI Mortgage Insurance Company claims that Nashville has one of the most stable housing markets of most major metro areas in Nashville. This sounds great and certainly is not a bad thing, but you really must take it with a grain of salt (cough...Las Vegas...cough...Miami...)

Here's the full article

Whats this mean? Well...I would say if you thinking about buying but you are waiting for the bottom you might want to think about getting out there. Nobody knows where the bottom actually is(cough...Spring Hill...), but sales have picked up in the past few months. Foreclosures have too, but they take much longer these days because of the backlog of homes.

Beware of things after the comma...

2009-07-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

If you've been looking at homes for sale or seen for sale signs in yards you may have noticed all kinds of abbreviations after Realtor's names. Things like "e-pro" or "CRS". These are designations that are given to Realtors who have taken a special class. Here is the guide to what they all mean.

Now lets talk about what they actually mean. It means that the Realtor with all those designations behind their name had way too much time on his or her hands. Most of the top end agents won't have any of those designations. They are too busy actually selling homes to bother with those useless classes.

I truley love when I see an agent with three or four of those abbreviations after their name. They are usually the agent's who have a picture of them on the phone plastered on thier signs and business cards. It's like they think "I'm way to freaking busy to have my picture taken."

One of the easiest designations to get is the "e-pro." The National association of Realtor's description of the e-pro designation is:

e-PRO Internet Professional (e-PRO)
e-PRO Certification is a revolutionary new training program, presented entirely online, to certify real estate agents and brokers as Internet Professsionals. Comprehensive and educational, e-Pro is the only certification program of its kind that is recognized and endorsed by the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

This is all well and good. Sounds great too. I can't tell you how many "e-pro" agents I deal with that have an AOL email address. (FYI- if you agent has an AOL email addres...run as fast as you can in the other direction.)

Today's market require's you to be up on all the latest and greatest on the internet, but it mainly requires you to have a brain. Look for agents who don't have to call thier grandkids to ask what a Twitter is. Oh and the picture your agent chose to put on their cards features them on their cell phones....well you get what you deserve.

Fixed-rate mortgages are lowest in decades

2008-12-19T08:18:00.000-08:00

The AP has an article about rates bottoming out. These are the lowest rates we've seen in almost 40 years. Don't believe the press...banks have money to lend. You need to have good credit and oh maybe a job, but if you are worthy of credit there is tons to be had. Inventory of homes on the market is also at a peak right now.

Did I mention that this is a good time to buy?

Today's Sign Of The Apocalypse

2008-12-17T08:42:00.000-08:00

Fran Drescher eyes Clinton's Senate seat

The Associated Press

9:45 a.m. December 10, 2008

ALBANY, N.Y. — The star of "The Nanny" wants to go from playing nasally New Yawkers to succeeding Hillary Rodham Clinton in the U.S. Senate.

If anyone needs me I'll be stocking up on water and canned goods for these are the end days.

Nashville home sales this November

2008-12-10T10:46:00.000-08:00

The Greater Nashville Association of Realtors just released the following report:

"HOME SALES REMAIN SLOW IN NOVEMBER

There were 1,243 closings in November, a decrease of 45 percent from the 2,260 closings reported in November of 2007.

Year-to-date closings are 22,824, a decrease of 29 percent from the 32,112 closings for the same period in 2007.

The median price for a single-family residence was $165,000 and $150,000 for a condominium, compared with median prices of $179,900 and $167,035 respectively in November 2007.

Inventory is currently at 23,467, compared with 22,301 at this time last year."

What does this mean? Well...not to be a salesman, but it's a hell of a time to buy. We are well off last years mark. The thing to remember is 2006 and 2007 were record years. It's all relative.

People think that their homes are not effected by the laws of economy. They will say things like "My home is worth 200k, but I could only sell it for 175k right now." Guess what...you home is only worth 175K. Something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay.

In their defense, we've had such a long period of appreciation that most people don't remember a time when home values fluctuated. Real estate is going through an interesting time. Nashville has grown, but not to the extent that the Atlanta's or Raleigh's have. We have a good economy here and no shortage of people moving into middle Tennessee. In the short term you may see some fluctuation. You have to do what your parents always told you: "Don't bite off more than you can chew!" Everyone...take a deep breath. We will make it through this. The smart ones will buy the right home now and laugh all the way to the next housing boom.

The first post

2008-12-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is the first post. It's not worth reading. It's really just here to help me set up the page. I feel sorry for you if you read this. Those seconds you have wasted on this post you will never get back. If you tell me you have read this post I will buy you a beer/drink/ice cream for your trouble.