Legends and Legendary tales in Tennessee - 12/31/09 12:09 PM
Legends and Legendary tales in Tennessee. How did Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition fame die that night on the Natchez Trace?  Who was the Boy Distiller?  Did Jesse James do some house hunting in Nashville?  If you want to find out the answers...or legnds...and learn some of tales of Tennessee then you certainly want to check out the Tennessee Myths and Legends exhibit at the Tennessee State Library and Archives in downtown Nashville.  The exhibit runs until April 29th, 8am to 6 pm daily excluding holidays.
 
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A decade of home sales in Spring Hill Williamson County - 12/31/09 11:22 AM
A decade of home sales in Spring Hill Williamson County.  So all day today you will see a decade in review for this and that.  Well here are the numbers for home sales in Spring Hill, TN.  These numbers only reflect the sales in the Williamson County section of the city.  There is a chart for homes sold under $150,00 and a chart for those over the $150,000 mark.
As the charts indicate homes under $150,000 started took a dive in 2005, part of the reason can be seen in the increase of homes sales in those priced above the $150,000 … (2 comments)

Happy New Year from Diane O and Friends - 12/30/09 04:18 PM
Happy New Year from Diane O and Friends.  Wishing you and yours a wonderful new year filled with lots of successes, love and joy.

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Williamson County Christmas Tree Recycling - 12/30/09 03:26 PM
Williamson County Christmas Tree Recycling  Ho ho ho off to recycling the old tree goes.
Spring Hill - Throughout the month of January, residents can take their cut trees to Evans Park located at 575 Maury Hill St. in Spring Hill. An area near the mulch pile in the rear of the park will serve as a collection point for the trees.Thompsons Station - a special container for nothing but Christmas trees is available at Thompson's Station Convenience Center located at 515B Thompson Station Road W.Drop off hours for the Thompson's Station Convenience Center are from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and … (0 comments)

Spring Hill Town Hall Meeting on Water Rate Increase January 5, 2010 - 12/30/09 02:48 PM
Spring Hill Town Hall Meeting on Water Rate Increase January 5, 2010. Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Alderman recently instituted a $3.50 storm water fee in compliance with both state and federal regualtions.  The January 5 hown hall meeting is where citizens  can learn the new fee, the water utilites and share feedback.    The meeting will be held beginning at 6pm at the Court Room at City Hall located at 199 Town Center Parkway.
 
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Go Green and Save some Green through Tax Credits- Geothermal Heat Pumps - 12/30/09 02:18 PM
Go Green and Save some Green through Tax Credits- Geothermal Heat Pumps.  You know that when you go into your basement how the temperature stays relatively the same whether it is the summer or the winter.   Well the geothermal heat pump technology relies on this fact.  You see, the geothermal heat pump transfers heat stored in the Earth or in ground water into a building during the winter, and transferring it out of the building and back into the ground during the summer. The ground, in other words, acts as a heat source in winter and a heat sink in summer.
The … (1 comments)

Nashville's New Year's Eve Blast - 12/30/09 01:44 PM

Nashville's New Year's Eve Blast.  This New Year's the offerings in Nashville are numerious and promise to be spectacular.  Bundle up...it is suppose to be cold and enjoy the party.

 
This list of New Year's Eve events will be updated frequently. Check back often for new ideas for your New Year's Eve in Music City!

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Ice Storms - Know what to do if the power goes out - 12/30/09 12:29 PM
Ice Storms - Know what to do if the power goes out.  Ice storms are not fun especially if the wweight of the ice causes the powerlines to break and you find yourself without power.  Here are the steps you should take if this happens to you:
1. Make sure the outage is not just a problem at your home.  Check all fuses and circuit breakers. 2. Call your electric utility provider to report the outage. 3. Stay away from fallen powerlines and trees. 4. Avoid opening your refrigerator or freezer.  Your food should stay fresh for about a day if the door … (5 comments)

Timing is everything - 12/30/09 12:18 PM
 Timing is everything.  As we all look at getting a list of New Year's resolutions together, the timing of what we plan to do may be as important as the what according to Prevention.Com.  I've included the bullet points from thier article The Healthiest Time to Do Everything When to schedule doctors visits, workouts, and more   For the full article check out http://www.prevention.com/healthiesttime/2.html
It's true: Timing is everything, especially when it comes to your health. Proper planning can mean the difference between getting sick and staying healthy.
 Sharpen Your Brain
•·          Pay bills or do a crossword between 10 and 11 … (0 comments)

Animal Control County helping County - It is all about the animals - 12/30/09 11:40 AM

Animal Control County helping County - It is all about the animals.  Recently Williamson County Animal Control Officer Heidi Buchholz delivered much needed food to her counterparts at the Bedford Animal Control center.  Make 2010 the year you get involved with your local animal control.
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Tennessee River Gated Commmunity Lot Sale - Two for the price of one - 12/30/09 10:53 AM
Tennessee River Gated Community Lot Sale - Two for the price of one … (1 comments)

What's your score - it will shape your financial future - 12/29/09 05:18 PM
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Avoid Foreclolsure - There is help - 12/29/09 04:30 PM
Avoid Foreclolsure - There is help  Are you having trouble keeping up with your mortgage payments? Have you received a notice from your lender asking you to contact them? Don't ignore the letters from your lender, contact your lender immediately, contact a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency, Toll FREE (800) 569-4287, TTY (800) 877-8339 if you can't make your mortgage payment:
1. Don't ignore the problem. The further behind you become, the harder it will be to reinstate your loan and the more likely that you will lose your house.
2. Contact your lender as soon as you realize that you have … (0 comments)

A home that promotes health, safety and well-being - 12/29/09 03:59 PM
A home that promotes promotes health, safety and well-being is what homeowners are looking for a quality of life that promotes health, safety and well-being-and it all begins with the home.  If someone were to ask you to describe the most important things about achieving the "good life," what would you say?
 Even in these challenging economic times, being a homeowner is still the dream of most people. With so many things in play that they can't control, such as gas and food prices, home values, the global economy and more, homeowners are paying very close attention to the things they … (0 comments)

Save money while saving energy through these tips, tricks and tools for winterizing your home - 12/29/09 02:47 PM
Save money while saving enegery through these tips, tricks and tools for winterizing your home. According to the U.S Department of Energy, heating accounts for the biggest chunk of a typical utility bill. These days, many homeowners can't afford a spike in heating costs. Use these money-saving tips to keep your home warm without breaking the bank.
· Check the insulation levels in your attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces. Visit www.energysavers.gov for instructions on checking your insulation levels.
· Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and … (0 comments)

Home Inspections a Must have with buyers and sellers - 12/29/09 02:17 PM
 Home Inspctions a must have when buying or selling a home. Choosing the right home inspector can be one of the best decisions you make during the home buying or selling process.
After the inspector has examined the home in question, you’ll have a better idea about what you’re about to purchase or what repairs you may need to make befoe your list. Ultimately your home inspector will help you to at best, feel secure about your home’s potential and at worst, walk out on a lemon that could have cost you much more down the road. With that much at stake, … (1 comments)

Home for sale in Greater Nashville area with 1.03 acres and guest house - 12/23/09 03:28 PM
Home for sale in Greater Nashville area with 1.03 acres and guest house now available for only $475,000.  Located just minutes from Downtown this updated and upgraded home features a fully fenced in yard with an additional fence in the private patio area.  But the extras don't stop there, this home also features a wonderful guest house with a full kitchen, bedroom and bath along with a workshop/studio with its own private entrance.  New roof, windows and too many upgrades to mention.  Take a virtual tour.
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Banks doing poorly turning loan modifications permanent - 12/21/09 10:42 AM
Banks doing poorly turning loan modifications permanent government study says.  Only 31,382 of more than 700,000 mortgage modifications under the federal program had been made permanent by the end of November.  Well this is no surprise to any realtor that has tried to work with a bank with short sales.  The banks just don't get it.  In a nutshell the problems are:
Lenders will not help unless the homeowner is past due on mortage -  That's right.  If you just lost your job, know that you will be in financial difficulty and contact your lender for loan modification they will tell … (2 comments)

SHIFT into high gear and time block your lead generation - 12/17/09 07:05 PM
SHIFT into high gear and time block your lead generation each and every day.  I can hear the sighs now.  Not the lead generation talk again.  I hate the phone. Isn't there another way??  Not really and especially not now.
 According to Gary Keller in his book SHIFT in Tactic #4 you find the motivated buyer and seller through lead generation.  Keller believes that as leads become fewer, you must recognize the need to SHIFT your lead generation activities into the highest gear possible.
 When researching for the Millionaire Real Estate Agent the one thing that each high producing agent did … (4 comments)

Did the house fail the home inspection? - 12/16/09 08:00 PM
Did the house fail the home inspection? That really depends on the buyer.  A professional home inspection is an examination of the current condition of a house. It is not an appraisal, which determines market value. It is not a municipal inspection, which verifies local code compliance. A home inspector, therefore, will not pass or fail a house, but rather describe its physical condition and indicate what components and systems may need major repair or replacement.  Based on this information the buyer can decide to move forward with the purchase, ask for repairs to be made in a professional manner or notify the … (7 comments)

Real Estate and Customer Service - 12/16/09 07:45 PM
Recently my family and I made a large purchase and in our opinion we did not receive the level of customer service we should have.  Well it got me thinking....what is Customer Service and does my team and I as realtors provide true customer service? 
According to Wikipedia,Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.  Sounds simple enough, but how does it relate to our realtor team?
We have lots of customers. Some may say, yeah it's the buyer or the seller.  Well that just names two.  During the typical 180 steps taken by a Realtor … (3 comments)

Franklin's Dickens of a Christmas this weekend - 12/09/09 04:25 PM
Franklin's Dickens of a Christmas this weekend.  A time when Downtown Franklin transport back in time...some 150 years to the time of Dickens Christmas Carol.  This 24-year tradition is a time when more than 250 volunteers participate in the event as Dickens characters such as vendors or street performers.  You may run into Mr. Scrooge while enjoying your roasted chestnuts or plum pudding.
Entertainment is continuous through the weekend but the following events are scheduled for specific times
Five Points Saturday, Dec. 12 10 a.m. Tri-M Music Honors band Franklin High School 11:00 to 11:30 a.m. Renaissance Kids 12:30 to 1 p.m. Renaissance … (3 comments)

Colder weather affects animals too - 12/09/09 03:32 PM
Colder weather affects animals too.  With colder weather moving into the Greater Nashville area we are all out filling up our vehicles with fuel, unhooking garden hoses and digging out those winder coats.  Well it's time to make special arrangements for our animal friends.  According to the ASPCA we should:
Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife. During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is … (1 comments)

The year past and the year ahead- What's next - 12/09/09 02:36 PM
The year past and the year ahead- What's next?  What a year!  Lots of negative Real Estate news to start the year and then some upbeat stats as we wind down 2009.  But the thing that remains the same throughout is lead generation.  Yes, we all know what it is....but do we do it.  As many in my office know I do live and breath the 33 Touch program I learned through The Millionaire Real Estate Agent.  I've not reached a million in gross commission sales...not yet.
So what is 33 touch?  It is a marketing program aimed at your met … (2 comments)

Nashville Antiques and Garden Show - The Largest in the Country - 12/09/09 09:59 AM
With the recent overcast and gloomy weather we had here in Nashville the past couple of days it was nice to see the flyer on The Antiques and Garden Show of Nashville scheduled for February 11-13.  Featuring 150 extraordinary antique and horticultural dealers, the show is the largest in the country combining gardens and antiques in one spectacular show.  The show is held at The Show is held at the Nashville Convention Center on Commerce St in Nashville.
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the show and since its founding, it has served as a prototype for major shows throughout … (1 comments)

The Sky is Not Falling in Spring Hill TN - 12/09/09 08:14 AM
The Sky is Not Falling in Spring Hill TN was a quote I provided The Advertiser News, who contacted me when doing a story on the closing of the GM Plant.  Well, there has been lots of talk about the plant closing.  Lots of negative talk,  which in my opinion is being blown way out of paportion by many. Following the publication I received a lovely letter from Rick Graham, City of Spring Hill Alderman, Ward #3.
Here's the article, see what you think:
 
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Location, Location, Location - Really? - 12/08/09 10:07 AM
Location, Location, Location - Really? One of my partners recently traveled out to Aspen Colorado and came across this flyer.  When she showed the team we all were a little taken back
Not trying to say that the property doesn't look like it is worth 1.3 million, but.....
Here's what 1.3 will buy you in the Great Nashville TN area:
Land
Commerical
Single Family
Multi-Family
Condo/Townhome
 
 
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Spring Hill/Thompsons Station November Home Sale Remain Strong - 12/08/09 09:51 AM
Spring Hill/Thompsons Station November Sales
Spring Hill and Thompsons Station saw 55 homes close in November with an average sales price of $95.88/sq ft and sales price totaling 98% of asking price.  On average the homes were built in 2003 and 2463 square ft and sold in 79 days compared to the 106 days needed with homes that closed in October.

Top neighborhoods for November were Wades Grove with 7, Chapman's Retreat with 6 and Dakota Pointe with 5.
 
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Condo or Townhouse - What's the difference and does it matter? - 12/08/09 09:14 AM
Condo or Townhouse - What's the difference and does it matter?
Well, when purchasing either of these lenders have differing rules and regulations that they must adhere to.  On Monday, December 7 the Federal Housing Authority (FHA) implemented tighter lending standards for Condos.  These rules were enacted to protect the financial health of the FHA, who is now seeing 18% of these loans either delinquent or in foreclosure.
So are you looking at a Condo or a townhouse?  Condominium is a form of real estate ownership, a townhouse generally describes a style of structure.
Let's begin by clarifying these terms. The … (4 comments)

Franklin's Grant Park - Make it home - 12/05/09 09:13 AM


With only 51 total homes, Grant Park is an intimate community unlike anything else in the Franklin area. Each building is designed to resemble an elegant manor home. Grant Park combines the security of a gated community along with the ease of professionally managed grounds to provide residents with a maintenance-free "lock-and-go" lifestyle.
Grant Park is one of the only condo communities in Williamson County to receive FHA approval and our buyers have great financing options available. FHA loans offer competitive interest rates and down payment options as low as 3.5%. FHA loans are available to all homebuyers. You … (3 comments)

Go Green this holiday season and I don't just mean the tree - 12/05/09 08:00 AM
Make it a Green Holiday and I don't just mean the tree.
According to the Clean Air Council, an additional 5 million tons of waste is generated in the U.S. during the holidays. Four million tons of that figure is wrapping paper and shopping bags. So here are some ways to deflate your impact this holiday season. Share your green passion--Give of yourself by offering to walk through friends' homes and suggest ways of greening their properties. Spend an afternoon teaching a friend about composting and set up a bin for him or her. Offer books on green gardening and create … (3 comments)

Perform energy-saving home improvements and reduce your 2009 tax hit - 12/04/09 06:27 PM
Perform energy-saving home improvements and reduce your 2009 tax hit. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act), enacted earlier this year, expanded two home energy tax credits: the non-business energy property credit and the residential energy efficient property credit.
That means you can perform energy-saving home improvements and reduce your 2009 tax hit. The credit equals 30 percent of what you spend on eligible energy-saving improvements, up to a maximum tax credit of $1,500 for the combined 2009 and 2010 tax years. The IRS says that by spending as little as $5,000 before the end of this year on eligible … (1 comments)

Franklin TN November home sales top 20 million - 12/04/09 06:12 PM
Franklin TN November home sales top 20 million with home sellers achieving 93% of asking price.  The top selling neighborhoods for November are Fieldstone Farms, Spencer Hall and Westhaven.  According to sale figures, the average home which sold was a 3 bedroom, built in 1994 with  2948 square ft.
Here are the numbers:

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Spring Hill Homes Stats Indicate Sales Remain Strong for November - 12/04/09 05:47 PM
Spring Hill Homes Stats Indicate Sales Remain Strong for November.  The city of Spring Hill is divided between Williamson and Maury counties so the stats were run for each county. According to these figures, in November the average home that sold in Williamson County was a 3 bedroom, built in 2003 at 2377 square feet and it was on the market for 93.  Maury County homes that sold in November were 3 bedroom, built in 2002 wtih an average square footage of 1928.
Here's how the sales numbers breakdown:
Sold homes in Spring Hill, Maury County
The total number of homes that sold … (0 comments)

Play Group forming at Franklin's McLemore Farms - 12/02/09 03:42 PM
A new play group is forming at Franklin's McLemore Farms  The play group is scheduled for Wednesday mornings, 9:30 - 11:00, with snacks provided. Plans call to rotate between the homes within the neighborhood each week. The first play date was today with lots of children enjoying a day of fun.  Just another example of the great "community" offered as this neighborhood.  
Want to make McLemore Farms you home? Email me at Diane@DianeO.us and see how we can make your dream come true.
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