Thursday, August 9, 2007

I've Moved!

It's official - I've moved! For information about real estate in middle Tennessee, including LaVergne, please go to http://midtnrealty.wordpress.com.

Middle Tennessee Real Estate

Friday, June 8, 2007

And it was in LaVergne!

Go to my "real" real estate blog over here!

I showed a new home yesterday - beautiful, tastefully painted, nice fixtures - you know, the works. Then we walked into the garage and noticed a pile of grass seed was spilling out of a small, built-in cabinet. So we opened the little storage door and screamed. A RAT was inside and started to move to us - toward the light. My buyer and I got out of there FAST. AAAAAGH!

That was only the second time I've screamed during a showing. The first was when I laid my business card down on a counter and accidentally brushed another card. About a kazillion baby cockroaches came streaming out from under that card.

The time the spider ran out of a closet and up my pant leg didn't make me scream. I think I just wet my pants over that one! haha!

Friday, June 1, 2007

Housing Market Side-by-Side: LaV & Smyrna

Please go to my "real" blog here.

Smyrna

2007
Homes currently on the market in Smyrna: 348
Home under contract (pending): 140
Homes closed in May 2007: 82
Homes closed Jan. 1 - May 31, 2007: 376

2006
Homes closed in May 2006: 84
Homes closed Jan. 1 - May 31, 2006: 348

Current
Least expensive: $97,100 (998 square feet, 2 bedroom, 2 bath, zero lot line on Dellwood Dr.).

Most expensive: $649,900 (this home has a contract on it, but is located in Hidden Valley and has 4706 square feet, four bedrooms, three and a half baths).

Total number of homes for sale for over $300,000: 26

LaVergne

2007
Homes currently on the market: 405
Home under contract (pending): 83
Homes closed in May 2007: 72
Homes closed Jan. 1 - May 31, 2007: 304

2006
Homes closed in May 2006: 84
Homes closed Jan. 1 - May 31, 2006: 406

Least expensive: $25,900 (mobile home in Driftwood Village currently under contract. The home itself is uninhabitable according to the listing agent on the MLS). Next least expensive: $40,000 on Fergus Road that just came on the market this week.

Most expensive: $452,900 in McFarlin Pointe. Four bedrooms, two and half baths, 4008 square feet.

Total number of homes for sale for over $300,000: 28

This research definitely shows a tale of two cities. Smyrna real estate market is right on track, and perhaps a little ahead of the numbers from last year. However, the number of homes sold from last Jan-May (2006) to those sold this Jan-May (2007) in LaVergne dropped 25% this year. The good news for LaVergne, however, is the numbers seem to be leveling again when you compare May to May (2006 v. 2007), so my thoughts are the market is picking up again. I hope gas prices stabilize so that consumers can regain confidence and get back to investing in purchasing their own homes!

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Wrapped in Support Hose

Please go to my "real" estate blog here.

I hope this never ever never never ever happens to me or my clients. An agent showing a house allowed her clients to go back to the bedroom alone. Shortly after, she heard a scream. The buyers had found the homeowner deceased on the bed. She died two weeks before. The listing agent wouldn't say how long it had been since the last showing, but my money says it had been at least two weeks. Read the article here.

Side note: I try to contact my clients every week!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Housing Market Up ??

Don't forget to visit the Middle Tennessee Real Estate Blog here.

The big players in the mortgage business, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, may be gearing up to help home owners in distress due to possible foreclosure, according to news today via Comcast.net. According to the article:
Richard Syron, Freddie Mac's chairman and chief executive, said the company is "working on a major effort to develop more consumer-friendly subprime products that will provide stable financing alternatives going forward," which are expected to be available by midsummer.
30-year mortgages are already commonplace, but growth is expected in 40-year mortgages. Because these mortgages are longer-term, buyers will pay more interest, but monthly payments would be expected to go down.

In other news, the housing market economic outlook is being called "modest" by forecasters. According to CNN,
The South, which accounts for about half the nation's home building, showed a 3 percent decline [in housing starts], and building fell nearly 8 percent in both the Northeast and West.
But according to the same article, the National Association of Home Builders predicts the housing market to stagger along,
The glut of new homes for sale on the market has slammed sales and profits of the nation's major builders.
On a personal note, the market does seem to be picking up after what has been my longest dry-spell since I initially got my real estate license. For that I am very thankful! I'm always available as a full-time agent to help you with any of your real estate needs. I also appreciate any referral business you can send!

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Open House this Sunday

DON'T FORGET TO GO TO THE REAL LAVERGNE REAL ESTATE BLOG.

I'm helping an agent in my office out this Sunday by hosting an open house on one of her listings. If you're in the housing market or you know someone who is, please stop by 302 Davids Way between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. It's a beautiful home with lots of upgrades! There are so many lovely places to live in La Vergne and this one is definitely one of them! Some photos:


Notice the privacy fence in the back, all brick (with some wood), level yard, two car garage.








I love this living room. Neutral colors, fireplace, bright.



Here's the real winner... this kitchen with the black appliances is very pretty. I like having a pantry (see to the right of the stove) ... very nice.



A formal dining room is huge!



PLUS a breakfast nook.



PLUS a bonus room!



(See, I told you this house is beautiful!)

Finally, a view of the back yard!



Come by and say hello! And don't forget about the lender I know whose company is offering $5,000 toward closing costs (while supply lasts - probably mid-May). I received a phone call earlier this week about this offer, but never heard back from the caller. Let me know if you want more info because this won't last long.

And for your added info, here's a quick guesstimate... to buy a home for $110,000, your payment would be around $785 p/month (includes tax and insurance). So to buy a home for $200,000, it would be around $1400'ish. And there are plenty of other homes out there! Right now, we have 381 homes on the market in La Vergne. Lowest price is $31,500 on Old Jefferson Pike and the highest is $485,900 in Hampton Estates.

Saturday, March 31, 2007

La Vergne Real Estate 3-31-07

GO TO MY "REAL" ESTATE BLOG HERE.

Wanted to give a quick update on where our housing market in La Vergne is today.

Homes sold in March 2007: 56
Homes sold since January 1, 2007: 160
Homes sold in March 2006: 100
Homes sold from Jan. 1 - March 31, 2007: 237

Clearly, we've a a decline in the housing market since this time last year.

Homes currently on the market: 369
Homes on the market, but pending: 85 (these could include lease-purchase homes or regular homes that are nearly ready to close)

Lowest home price is $49,500 for a mobile home on a decent track of land on Hollandale Road.
Most expensive home is $485,900 in Hampton Estates off of Jones Mill Road.

By comparison, Smyrna has 372 homes on the market (as of right now 12:35 p.m. 3-31-07) and 210 homes have sold since January 1, 2007.

Please comment if you have questions!