Gatlinburg, TN real estate >> One Tennessee Agent's Thoughts

Stone Wall

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 05:38:13 -0700

I found this beautiful stone wall in the National Park last week-- how many hours did this take someone to create? It's still here 100 years later:)

Summer in the Mountains

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 08:57:03 -0700

One of the things I love about moving back to Tennessee is the bounty of local produce that shows up in the farmers markets and even in the Food City! Everything just tastes sweeter in the summer! Our favorite this year is grilled peaches and pears.. I'm still trying to figure out what to do with Kale.. maybe stuff it in the zucchini bread??

817 Powdermill Rd Gatlinburg TN

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:20:03 -0700

This attractive home rests on a 2 acre lot, featuring level areas and rolling hills, right in the Arts and Crafts area of Gatlinburg. The home has privacy, yet is just off a main road in the area. It is a 2-bedroom 2 bathhome, with a 1-car garage currently being used as a workshop. Then, attached by a covered breezeway is a 2-room cottage, with large stone fireplace and huge beamed celings.

This property is priced at $199,900 for the home and 2 acres, with 2+ additional acres avilable.

In addition, this property has dual zoning, and can be used for a home-based business. It is currently being used for a show dog kennel, and there is an outbuilding with dog runs. 817 Powdermill, Gatlinburg

2-Bedroom Gatlinburg Condo $149,900

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:18:51 -0700

This spacious 2-bedroom 2-bath condo is located in Hidden Hills, which is a terrific spot-- facing the National Park, and down the East Parkway just far enough to get out of the seasonal traffic. Units in this development rarely come on the market-- seems like once people get there no one wants to leave! This unit is on the lower level, with an outside covered patio area, screened in porch, stone fireplace and walking distance to the beautiful pool surrounded by the mountains.

1824 Oriole Rd. #116 Gatlinburg, TN

Dogwood in the Smokies

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 05:17:59 -0700

I love the progression of Spring in the Smokies. it starts with the daffodils, moves to the redbuds.. now it is the Dogwood's turn-- just little bits of lace in the woods..really pretty to see every morning on the way to work. This big tree is just outside my window. Can you see why I never get any work done!

Rivers Flowing

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 06:05:50 -0700

One of the joys of living in the Great Smoky Mountains is the instant accessibility to places like this! Last weekend my family took our dogs for a walk. (yes, all of them..Tommy the 2 year Aussie who is very mature, Dennis the 1 year old Pound Puppy who is afraid of everything but still manages to get into unbelievable trouble, and Elsie the 4 month old Yellow Lab who has absolutely NO CLUE about life in general and is already HUGE).

We took them on the Gatlinburg Trail, which is one of the few places in the Park that dogs are welcomed. It runs from behind the Park Headquarters at Sugarlands in the Park down into downtown Gatlinburg near where the Happy Hiker used to be.

**Oh my gosh I just realized I have become "one of them"! Directions for Realtors in this area are full of things like "turn at the red barn" but I always laugh at the ones that say "turn where the red barn used to be" and now I did it myself. Oh my....**

OK it comes out near light number 10 at the end of Gatlinburg just before you enter the Park. Is that better?

At any rate, this easy to walk trail runs right along the stream all the way-- the sound is so loud in the Spring like on this day you cant even talk, just listen to the rush of the water. Very relaxing!

Very Affordable Condo at the Top of the Mountain in Gatlinburg!

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 06:49:00 -0800

This adorable efficiency condo located at "The Summit" offers upscale furnishings, first floor convenience, private wooded deck, easy parking and walking distance to the pool-- all at the top of the mountain! MLS# 168250

$45,500

MLS # 168250

Get More Info on this Condo!

Our Mobile Version is Ready!

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 11:39:19 -0800

We have just launched the mobile version of our website. www.JaneTerrell.com! This wonderful new application allows you to search any nighborhood you are driving in, and see all the homes for sale, great details and agent contact info. It lets you save your favorites and get directions, too! This mobile site is really what we have been waiting for-- and soo easy.

Just go to your browser on your phone and type in www.JaneTerrell.com-- you'll see this right away....

Then--- this! If you are in Sevier County, simply click on the blue "View Nearby Properties" and you will see a list of what is for sale!

Just like this!

Then click on an individual home for more detail-- like this:

And then on View 15 Photos for Pics that load lightnening fast!

That's it! Happy Searching for any property in the Great Smoky Mountains MLS!

Spring Daffodils in Gatlinburg

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:10:12 -0800

We have had such an early Spring-- flowers are confused, and daffodils have bloomed a month early. They were pretty out in the yard, but last night a hailstorm threatened, so I harvested them. When I lived in Florida I missed these cheery flowers-- always popping up to remind me that winter is over.

Affordable Condos for Sale in Pigeon Forge

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:17:02 -0800

There are some really great affordable condos for sale in Pigeon Forge, and they are starting to move! Prices have come down substantially on many units, especially on some new construction condos. For example, construction began on the Mountain View Condos just as the economy slowed, and unsold and unfinished units went into foreclosure. Now these bank-owned units are on the market at significantly lowered prices, after the bank completed the buildings. This complex is located across the street from the new Titanic attraction, right in the heart of the action in Pigeon Forge. Units in this complex boast granite counter tops, tile floors, stainless appliances, concrete construction and elevators-- and many of the units are brand new! HOA fees in this complex are $289.45 a month, and include cable tv, lawn maintenance, phone, pool, roads and exterior maintenance.

To view all Affordable Condos for Sale in Pigeon Forge CLICK HERE.

Luxury Mountain Homes for Sale in Gatlinburg

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:13:52 -0800

If you are seeking luxury mountain homes for sale in Gatlinburg, now may be the perfect time to find one! As prices and mortgage rates have come down, these gorgeous homes are finding their place in our market again. Typically high end homes in this area may offer many of these amenities:

Phenomenal mountain views, many of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Gourmet Kitchens with upscale appliances
Theater Rooms
Fully Equipped Game Rooms with pool tables, video games, Foosball, wet bar and fridge
Multiple King Master suites, with en-suite full bathrooms
Covered Porches
Ample parking for large numbers of guests
Outdoor kitchens or Fire Pit areas
True log or Hardi-Plank type construction
Wine Cellar or Pub
Privacy
Landscaped Lots

Some neighborhoods where these luxury mountain homes for sale in Gatlinburg can be found are

Chalet Village
The Enclave
Pinnacle View
Cobbly Nob

To view current listings of luxury mountain homes for sale in Gatlinburg, CLICK HERE.

Affordable Log Homes in Gatlinburg

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 08:16:14 -0800

Looking for an affordable log home in Gatlinburg? Well, the market downturn and remarkably low financing rates are making Gatlinburg log home ownership a reality for many! In fact, the inventory of affordable log homes in Gatlinburg, priced under $150K is shrinking in the current market for the first time in three years. There are some beautiful cabins available, and there just couldn't be a better time-- remember the winter and early Spring months give buyrs a great advantage when looking at cabins. Most are available during the week and the knowledgeable agents on our Team can get you into a bunch of them in a day! That beats the disappointment of not being able to see your favorites during the summer months, because they are rented all the time!

Local lenders are offering up to 90% financing on second homes, too!

If you'd like to see a list of affordable log homes in Gatlinburg that are currently listed, CLICK HERE!

Visit our website at www.JaneTerrell.com for all listings in the MLS.

Log Cabins in the Smokies

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:46:58 -0800

Original Log Cabins in the Smokies: The original Scandanavian-inspired Handcrafted style of log cabin was adopted by the early settlers in Cades Cove and other parts of the area. These homes were built with logs square-cut with hand tools, many of them from chestnut trees. These log cabins required a filling in between the logs, called "chinking" which was mud or mortar. Homes you see now in the Cove may have this mortar missing. While contemporary builders correctly refer to new construction as a "log home" these original buildings were aptly named "log cabins", with usually just one or two rooms and a loft.
Handhewn log cabin in Cades Cove

Nandina in December

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:51:38 -0800

This is the sight that greeted me outside my office this morning-- what could be more Christmas-y! Ohhh. I just love my Smoky Mountains:)

Help Us Sell this Home Fast-- Seller in Distress

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:34:54 -0800

This vacation home located on Ski Mountain in Gatlinburg TN is a great investment opportunity-- or a chance to own a private mountain getaway at a foreclosure price. The owner's daughter is ill, and medical expenses are forcing the immediate sale of this property. Here are the details:

3 Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths
Currently on Overnight Rental Program
Located on Campbell Lead, just off the Gatlinburg By-Pass with easy access to downtown Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
City Water and Sewer, Planned Unit Development
Turnkey Furnishings
Comps in community priced at $284,500
Current (2011) tax appraisal which is adjusted for lower market values in the area is $264,400
Extraordinary Mountain Views

This home is now listed at $209,000 but the owner is highly motivated and will look at any resonable offer. This is a chance to help someone in need and at the same time make a phenomenal investment in the Smokies!

Contact me at janebterrell@gmail.com for more information on this home!

It's That time of the Year!

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 06:56:50 -0700

I love this time of the year in the Smokies-- while some people look at fall as the end of something, lots of us here see it as a beginning. This is the time when our Mountains sparkle and shine with brilliant color and the towns are full of visitors, sharing the beauty with us. There's just an energy that permeates the area that is palpable. After a long (hot) and busy summer, it's renewing to pull off the road and just enjoy the views. I was showing property to a client last week who was looking for Gatlinburg real estate and we were driviing through the Park areas around Gatlinburg. I just said to her "I can't believe I'm working!" and I meant it... but someone has to do it!

List to Sale Ratio in the Smokies Remains Constant

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:48:19 -0700

Reviewing Gatlinburg Real Estate for sale, statistically the relationship between the price that a home is listed at (at the time of sale) and the price it sells for has remained stable throughout the last 12 months-- at 92.8%. This means that home sales that have closed in this time period close for a sales price that is, on average, 92.8% of the asking price. Looking behind this a bit, on many homes that have sold, you can find the progression of asking price drops until a home is truly in the market. One this "sweet spot" has been reached, the number of showing dramatically increases, and a sale close to asking price is acheived. A good rule of thumb, if customers are not asking to be shown the home, it isn't going to sell at that price.

Cash Investers in Gatlinburg

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 06:10:55 -0700

Did you know that 30 per cent of the sales of properties in the Gatlinburg area to date this year have been cash transactions?

Interested in Selling Your Home in the Smokies?

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:26:19 -0700

For anyone who has interest in selling their home in the Gatlinburg area, we would like to provide you with information about the Terrell Team, and our approach to marketing your home. We'd love to present this information to you in person, but since a huge majority of our homeowners live out of state, that's a little tough! Please let us know if we can provide a Market Assessment or other information for you!

How We Sell Homes in the Smokies

Gatlinburg, TN this Morning

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:53:29 -0700

I stopped on the way into the office at the corner of Campbell Lead and the Gatlinburg ByPass to take these photos-- overlooking the town of Gatlinburg. I can tell we are moving towards fall-- it's 62 degrees and bright blue skies. There were three convertibles in the parking lot-- the perfect ride for looking at Gatlinburg Real estate!

Gatlinburg Real Estate and My Garden

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:22:49 -0700

One of the joys of living here after so many monochromatic years in Florida is the change of seasons. I always think I will have a huge garden full of zinnias and peonies just like my grandmother. But it seems like every spring just as I am getting ready to plant, the real estate business picks up and I am too busy to think about my flowers.

The last couple of years I have had to settle for some "spot gardens" -- just little places that I can add some color to that don't take too much attention. I was out last night watering my one and only spot garden of this season-- except my gigantic 8 ft. tomato plants of course (I never did figure out where they came from!). When I looked at my tiny garden, I realized it's a lot like selling homes in Gatlinburg these days.

The fundamentals are there, and really pretty strong. The ferns are green and healthy, thriving with the support of the old tree stump that is creating natural mulch to protect them, and forming a backdrop for the impatiens....the impatiens are doing OK, but with almost none of the bright flowers they are capable of producing. So, my garden, like real estate in the Smokies-- is healthy and doing well, but without anything fancy! I am looking forward to the day when those flowers start blooming again, but for right now I am tending the garden with water and fertilizer, waiting for a time when the flowers will bloom just a bit more, and being grateful for the ferns!

View from My Office Window

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 12:29:45 -0700

What Can I Say? Selling Gatlinburg Real Estate is a dirty job, but someone has to do it..:)

View from My Office Window

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 12:28:07 -0700

What Can I Say? Selling Gatlinburg Real Estate is a dirty job, but someone has to do it..:)

Gatlinburg TN Real Estate Market Trends- Letters of Pre-Approval (and why we are still..again..even more.. asking for it!)

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:25:48 -0700

The agents on our Team at www.JaneTerrell.com are heads-down working selling Gatlinburg real estate all day every day, so we are in a position to pick up changes in the market rather quickly. One is happening with regard to lender pre-approval letters. We have been strongly recommending to buyers that they take the time to obtain their letter of pre-approval or proof of funds from their lender prior to coming into town to look for properties for some time. This was because any foreclosure or short sale property would require this document before looking at an offer. Good foreclosure deals in this market often get multiple offers within hours, so buyers must be prepared.

Then, about a year ago, we noticed that the deals that fell apart prior to closing most often did so as a result of financing problems. Sellers became acutely aware of this when sales they thought were good and solid evaporated prior to closing. So, private sellers began to also require from us letters of pre-approval to accompany any offers on a property. This was to provide at least initial reassurance to the seller that the buyers were not only ready and willing, but ABLE to purchase a home.

Most recently, in the last few weeks we are experiencing sellers who will not allow showing the home without a letter of pre-approval in hand. Again, the source of this request is time, effort and energy spent to prepare and market a home to buyers who turn out not to be ready, willing and able to purchase. In most cases, buyers are not at all offended by this request, and come into town prepared. But sometimes, buyers will not have enough knowledge of the market forces to understand why it is being requested, and feel like sellers are being unreasonable. As an agent that works in the market every day, I have to say that is not usually the case, and I actually think it works in the buyers interest in a couple of important ways:

Having your letter of pre-approval at the time of viewing a home immediately casts you (the buyer) in a positive light with the seller. They know that, which you may not choose their home, you are qualified and giving it a look. Even if they did not require a letter of pre-approval, if you did make an offer on the home and your letter accompanied the offer, it gives you negotiating strength.
If you take the time to begin a relationship with a lender in the pre-approval process, you will have a much better understanding of what kind and amount of mortgage funding you will be eligible for. We've had many many "qualified" buyers get a big surprise when they are applying for their first new mortgage in 30 years-- Dorothy, this isn't Kansas any more:)

Getting a letter of pre-approval is easy-- and you can do it right from our website. Just click on the "Finance" tab for instructions.

Real Estate Market Report for Gatlinburg TN 37738

Jane Terrell, Broker Gatlinburg Homes for Sale (Century 21 Four Seasons) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:29:31 -0700

July Real Estate Market Report for Gatlnburg, TN