As I sit here this morning reading some of these PostsI ask myself the question, should I begin blogging again or not? I have read many articles about the benefits of the social media and writing a blog. I have read articles stating that in order to have a successful blog you not only need to post your own ideas but also read others and comment on them as well. But, when will I ever have time to do this?

I received a phone call from an agent in Atlanta yesterday evening with a referral for a buyer that is moving to my area. The agent let me know that this customer is one of her blog readers. Whoa...hold up, so its TRUE, families looking for homes are actually reading the blogs that my fellow agents across the country are writing. The agent forwarded me the emails between her and the blog reader and we made contact via email last night. I will be meeting with them this coming weekend to look at a few houses.

This phone call was the reason that I sat down and logged onto active rain this morning for the first time in a very long time. I admit that it took a couple of log on attempts to remember what my user name and password were, but I am back.

The answer to the question is a resounding, "YES" I will start blogging again. Watch for upcoming posts in the very near future. 

Come and enjoy the quiet of country living. Located in Big Rock, TN this 1300 Square Foot home is nestled on 12 acres. With 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms, a 2 car garage, and a 30' round above ground pool, you can't go wrong. This home is nicely priced at $185,000, it won't last long. Give me a call to see it today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Laura Reed

Century 21 Alamo Realty, Inc.

(931) 237-6243

lreed@realtracs.com 

 

 

 

 

The morning of February 14, 1862 began cold and quiet, like many of the days before. Early that afternoon the Union Gunboats arrived and the earth began to shake as the two sides of the Civil War began exchanging what became knows as "Iron Valentines."

 

 

 

 

 

 

             

 

 

 

 

  

During the 1 1/2 hour fight the Confederate Soldiers inflicted such extensive damage to the gunboats that the Union Soldiers were forced to retreat. The Confederate Soldiers rejoiced too soon. Ulysses S. Grant received daily reinforcements and eventually had the Southerners surrounded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 On February 15, 1862 the battle that lasted all day long saw the Union Soldiers once again being defeated, however in a state of confusion the Confederate Officers ordered their soldiers back to the trenches.

   

When Grant saw the Southerners retreating he launched an immediate counterattack, retaking most of the lost ground and gaining new positions as well. The way of escape that the Southerners had procured was closed once more.
 

  

 

On February 16, 1862 General Simon Buckner asked Grant for terms. Grant's answer was short and direct: "No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted." Buckner surrendered. After Buckner agreed to Grant's terms the two General's met at the Dover Hotel, Buckner's Headquarters, to work out the details. The Dover Hotel then became known as the Surrender House, after surviving Union occupation the Dover Hotel remained in business until the 1930's.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

After the fall of Ft. Donelson the South was forced to give up southern Kentucky and much of Middle and West Tennessee. The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, and railroads in the area, became vital supply lines.

  

 

 

 

 

 

Fort Donelson is open to the public year round. The Visitor Center is at the opening of the park and operating hours are 8:00 Am to 4:30 PM, and closed on Christmas Day. The Visitor Center has a gift shop/book store, a museum displaying Civil War artifacts, and an exhibit on the Underground Railroad. You can also stop and see a video about the history of the war, and interesting information on the lifelong friendship of General's Grant & Buckner. The Surrender House is open for tours from 12:00 to 4:00 PM, weekends only, from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Throughout the year the there are Civil War Re-enactments, stop on in and see what it was like during the Civil War in Dover, TN.

 

 

 

 

Of course we all know that the temperatures across the nation have been steadily increasing. Tennessee has hit triple digits for the first time in over 10 years. At 101, the Heat Index was closer to 107. Can you say HOT?

I got an email from our local Board Office a couple of days ago titled, "Angels for Air," this is what it said:

While the temperature is rising outside so are many health issues for our community.

The Montgomery County's Housing and Community Development office has brought to our attention that there are many elderly and young children without the comfort of cool air.

This is where you come in.......

For only $10.00 you can make a difference in someone's life plus it is tax deductible.

Lowe's is partnering with our Public Relations Committee and the Board Office by offering window units for $125.00 each and the more we purchase the bigger the discount they will give us.

As of today's date we have 801 realtors in our membership - that is $8,010.00 if everyone would just give $10.00!!!!

Will you be an "Angel for Air"? All donations are to be made at the Board Office.  

Let's go even one step further.................

How about a case of water or Gatorade to go along with your $10.00?

Let me leave you with this quote by Anne Frank.......

"No one has ever become poor by giving."

Clarksville Association of Realtors

How great is this? The community of Realtors coming together for a good cause. Today we received a follow up email from Carolyn Watson, the Vice Chair of Public Relations. This is what she had to say:

Subject: Air conditioning

We have given enough money to purchase 10 units.  Two of these I have delivered to the homes.  They were elderly, poor, and thrilled.  Without this money many of the poor elderly and small children would have no air.  The city housing and urban ministries think we are truly angels.   Anyone who wants to help deliver these can let me know and I will take them along for the ride.  Realtors, you have started a community effort like none I have been involved in in a long time.

Carolyn

 I have to tell you it is times like these, when I am even more proud to call myself a Realtor. Have any others associations out there started a project like this? If not, I challenge them to start. In essence we may even save a few lives.

This Post isn't about marketing and children, rather its about having your children with you and a client wants to meet in an hour. UH-OH...

I have banned my girls from my office. My girls are 10 & 8 and wonderful little girls, by themselves. Put them together and we have the beginnings of WWIII. Normally my 15 yo son will babysit if I have a sales meeting or floor duty, but the day I banned my girls my son was at church camp. I had a sales meeting that I had to attend, there was a guest speaker from Bryan Tracey coming into the office. I had left my girls in my office, (they like to play Real Estate) and went upstairs to the sales meeting. When I came out of the sales meeting I went to my office to find dirty foot prints on my wall. I was really upset over this because my office partner had paid to have the office painted before we moved into it. For this reason and the fact that they act like little banshee's when they are there is why I banned them.

Of course the inevitable would happen... I have a day off and I had let my son stay the night with a friend the night before. I had the intentions of only going to the office to pick up my check from a closing I had the day before and then the girls and I were going shopping to get ready for Vacation Bible School that started that night. We are in the drive-thru line for Wendy's when a investor client calls. We had put an offer in on a property the night before and received a counter. He wants to meet in 30 minutes and go over the counter, the property disclosure, and take pictures of the property. Before he accepts the counter he wants to estimate how much he is going to have to invest in repairs. He had told me the night before that he can't stand rude and disrespectful children. UH OH!!! Now What???

I can't miss the opportunity right? I warn my children, that they had better be on their best behavior. I meet with my client, we go over the paperwork and then go to the house. Luckily my girls were behaved, they had the curious kid questions, but that was ok, my client (a single father) actually told me that they were more behaved than his 9 yo daughter. He didn't purchase the house, too many repairs needed to be made. And my client's daughter will be cheer-leading with my 8 yo this fall. I told him that he can't get away from me because he has to see 3 times a week at practice. We both got a good laugh out of it, not only do I have a client I have made a friend as well. My family has invited his family over for the 4th of July and in the meantime I will be looking for another home for him to invest in.

 

I have 3 kids; 15, 10, & 8. A couple of months ago I bought these really great Pocket Notebooks. They have my name, company, website, phone numbers and website listed on them. They also have this really great slogan that says, "List With Me And Start Packing!" (Get it, notebook, make lists, list with me..lol) and they close with a pen holding them shut. Anyway, my youngest daughter thought they were the neatest thing she has ever seen and begged me to let her take some to school to give to her teachers. Of course, I couldn't deny her. (My mother also took a handful with her to my Cousin's wedding this past weekend and handed them all out).

Back in November I was sitting in the office just about to end my Floor Duty Shift. My middle child was in the office with me that day, I think they were out on Thanksgiving Break. In walks this couple and my daughter lights up and screams, "Ashleigh, hey!!!" I looked at my daughter and said, "Do you know her?" Of course, they were in the same class. I took my daughter with me for every appointment with this couple and they brought their daughter which made things so much nicer for everyone involved. We closed on their first home in January.

My son, the oldest, is always telling his friends that his mom is a Real Estate Agent for Century 21. (I swear thats how he says it, he's proud of the Century 21 name). A few months ago he found out that his best friend was moving and I told the both of them that if his friends parents decide to sell their house to let me know. They both forgot, and then when his mother stopped by I casually mentioned it in conversation and she had no clue. Needless to say, if they decide to sell their home I will be the listing agent.

See, our children are our Active (Free) Walking Talking Advertisements!!!

I was sitting here thinking, ok, Laurie, what are you going to write about today and then I read Sally's post about the Angels.It made me remember what I call my first "real" sale. I think that I have mentioned before that I have held my real estate license for almost 3 years now, but just started Full-Time real estate in September of last year. My first client was my brother's best friend and the second was a gentleman and his wife that worked with my husband.

On this particular day I happened to be on Floor Duty and had a young soldier and his wife come into the office and they wanted to speak with an agent. Unfortunately they had been working with an agent from another company and were very upset with the service they had been receiving. In conversation I found out that they had not signed a buyers agreement or anything else for that matter. I mentioned a home that had just come on the market and we went to look at it. They fell in love with the house and we decided to put an offer in on it. How often does it ever go this well, first house, put an offer it? For me this was the only time.

Long story short, the offer was never accepted because the Seller refused to allow the Buyers a home inspection. Why? I still don't know to this day. We spent the next 60days looking at probably 50 houses. Nothing compared to that first house. When they were just about to give up the wife found a FSBO in the local newspaper. I contacted the seller to find out if she would allow me to bring her a qualified buyer, and if she was willing to pay a commission to me. After two days the seller called me back and said, and I quote, "I am only prepared to offer you $500," this was a $142,000 sale. I agreed, we signed an agreement to show the property, and then I presented her with an offer from my buyers.

In the end the seller really stuck it to the buyers. The appraisal came in a few thousand under contract price, but they wanted the home so they paid the difference. Then they paid a higher amount of closing costs as well. I tried to convince them to find another home, because I really felt that they were being taken advantage of, but they wouldn't hear of it.

The real pay off for me was that this wonderful couple got a house that they could call home. The day that the seller accepted the contract the wife found out that she was pregnant with their first child. They had been trying for a year and had suffered a couple of terrible miscarriages. The news of the pregnancy was wonderful. I was so excited for them. I not sold a home to a wonderful soldier and his wife, I made friends, and was there for 2 exciting events in their life.

Did I mention that the home they purchased was in the same subdivision as the first home that we put an offer in on and on the same street? It took that first homeowner 3 more months to sell his home.

Clarksville will be commemorating the National Day of Prayer from 6 a. m. to 6 p. m. Thursday at the Riverview Inn Ballroom, just off of Riverside Drive. There will be more than 40 local pastors leading 15 minute prayer segments. At noon local officials will congregate to pray for our national leaders and our country's soldiers. The event is Non-Denominational so all are invited. The power of prayer is an amazing thing, I would encourage all who can to attend.