Home Search and Value

Real Estate News November 2009 Nashville and Williamson County

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:48:52 -0600

Hi Friends,

Wow, the holidays are in full swing. Happy Hannukah to my Jewish friends. Celebrating for a week - I love that about Jewish holidays - many of them are for a week long. It is good to celebrate. What are you celebrating? Christmas -ok. And I hope you have a Merry Christmas! And the new year is good to celebrate - out with the old and in with the New Year. And may it be a good one! We need some good news after the challenges of this year. But what I am really asking is, what are you celebrating in your own life? Have you met your goals for this year? Are you healthy? Have your children crossed a milestone? I realized one year that I whizzed by my goals with nary a notice and later realized what a missed opportunity that was. Celebrate our wonderful holidays, they are worthy of it. And find what else is worthy of celebration in your life.

How about the housing market? Is it worth celebrating? Well, yes it is. We are finishing stronger than we did last year. 2009 saw housing prices drop in Middle TN, and the spring saw little movement in inventory. However, November has seen a 62% increase in volume over last year. Yes, the first time homebuyer credit may have had something to do with that, but that is what it is there for. Prices are still down, but inventory is moving. I am hopeful that the bottom has passed. If you were hoping for the great deal - there is still time, but that might be changing. Like I said, I am hopeful. Our government is making changes everyday though - let's hope they work for our good. We'll keep watching.

The numbers for Williamson County can be found here - at the Williamson County Assn. of Realtors.

There have already been 74 closing in Williamson County for December, and many of them in the higher price ranges - maybe the Median price will go up for December.
If you want to read about the Greater Nashville numbers, which reflect the same trends, click here.

Fun Coupon Tip. There is a site called www.retailmenot.com where you can access coupon codes for ordering online merchandise. This can be very helpful, especially now when you have to pay extra for shipping!

I hope you all have safe travels and fun times celebrating the holidays, family and friends!
Call me if I can be of assistance or if you want information about your part of town.

Sincerely,
Monica

Monica Neubauer, Broker

Benchmark Realty
7127 Crossroads Blvd, Suite 102
Brentwood, TN 37027
615-568-8384 Cell
615-371-1544 Office
www.RealEstateTennessee.com
www.FranklinTNBlog.com

Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR)
Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES)
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
Green

This posting and the contents written here are the intellectual property and opinions of Monica Neubauer. Monica is a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in Franklin, TN. She provides real estate services to clients in the Nashville area, including Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hills, Thompsons Station, and other areas in the Middle Tennessee Region. You can contact her by calling 615-568-8384 or visit www.RealEstateTennessee.com.

The Springhouse at Breezeway in Franklin TN

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:05:06 -0600

Breezeway in Franklin, TN is a new community on the east side of Franklin. Houses are selling well there. They have sold about 12 houses in the last 3 months. Drees is the builder. Prices start in the $380's and go into the $600's. Very nice homes with lots of options to choose from. Drees is a semi-custom builder that offers many modifications to their choices of floor plans. The neighborhood is considered a historic district because of the Historical Herbert House, built in 1830. All the home plans have been reviewed by the Historical Foundation for approval to create a certain historical look. There will be many front porches on the houses. There are two ponds and views of hills on all sides. This is a very convenient "country" location. You can enjoy the feeling of "getting out of town", while still being only 10 minutes from the shopping, etc of the Cool Springs area.

Currently the schools are Kenrose, Woodland Middle and Ravenwood High. There is always discussion about rezoning though as there are many families with children in this area and school populations are ever shifting.

Breezeway is in the city of Franklin and has those services available. And because of that, it also has sewer.

Search for homes in Breezeway

Nashville and Franklin TN Real Estate News November 2009

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:09:54 -0600

Hi Friends,
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you and your family and friends have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and for many of you, a good break from work! I'll be in town, celebrating with my parents and brother and his family. I'll be watching for your posts about Turkey and funny family jokes on Facebook. If we aren't "Friends" on Facebook and you are already connected there, find me so we can connect. To find it directly, you can go to this link, www.facebook.com/monica.neubauer . I post lots of fun stuff and interesting Real Estate news when I have it.

I've been watching the local market news. 2009 has been a bit of a challenge for real estate in Middle TN. However, October and November show some "up" numbers . How many months constitute a trend? We hope we are trending upwards. This month ends the "old" deadline for the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit, so we expect some of this volume that is higher than 2008 is a reflection of the Tax Credit and people taking advantage of the Credit. And hopefully the increases will continue. The Tax Credit has been extended and enlarged.

Click Here for information about the New Tax Credit. And you can check out this link too. This is still an $8000 credit for First Time Homebuyers, and it also has a $6,500 Tax Credit for current homeowners who want to move and buy a different house. You would have needed to live in your current house for at least 5 consecutive years out of the last 8 years to qualify. There are also income restrictions, but they are fairly high for our market.

One of the questions that seem to come up fairly often is, "What is going to happen to Spring Hill when the plant closes this month? " The obvious answer is that we will have to wait and see. I have a number of friends and acquaintances who work at the GM plant or know people who do. I have heard so many different responses to their own personal journeys that I have some thoughts about it. First, not all the employees live in Spring Hill. Many live in Franklin and Columbia and other areas. So, even if everyone did move - the effect would be across several towns. But I am not hearing about people moving right away. A good number of the folks have decided to take retirement. Some of them will stay here because they like it or have found other work. Some of those retiring will move, but not necessarily right away - they may have flexibility in their plans. 840 workers will be offered jobs in Michigan and most, if not all, of those jobs will be taken, but I know of at least one family where the GM employee will work in Michigan and they will still keep their house here, making a temporary move. For some folks, Michigan is home and moving back might be what they want. Some will start new small businesses and some will find jobs in other industries here. I am not hearing of a mass exodus of GM workers. Not yet, anyway. If someone knows otherwise, let me know. I am interested to hear any updates. We will know over the next few months as the workers transferring to Michigan will be leaving from February through April 2010. And, of course, the plant is still there - waiting for a new job to do and people to do that job.

I have attached links to the Williamson County Association of Realtors and the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors updates of recent closing numbers. You can see that September was not too active, and October was active - better than 2008. I have taken a look at the upcoming November numbers and they look like an improvement over 2008, at the least. And hopefully we will see an upward trend.

If you have questions about your home or your situation, please call me. Sometimes, getting answers to questions can help you see through the fog of housing options you might be considering. I can help with local information about your subdivision. If you are finding your payment is a little high, we can discuss options for you. I am glad to help out with information whether you are selling or not.

October Williamson County News
http://www.williamsoncountyrealtors.org/News/Article/47.aspx

September Williamson County News
http://www.williamsoncountyrealtors.org/News/Article/46.aspx

Greater Nashville Numbers for 2009
http://gnar.org/09mlsmonthly.htm

Greater Nashville October Comparisons
http://gnar.org/mlsrelease.htm

You may have noticed a different logo on my newsletter. I have made a change to Benchmark Realty in Cool Springs. Like others in all businesses, I have reviewed my business and needed to make a change. You can be assured that you will have the same great service as always!

I hope you have a great weekend!!
Monica

Monica Neubauer, Broker

Real Estate in Founders Pointe in Franklin, TN

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:05:57 -0500

Today we are featuring Founders Pointe in Franklin, TN. Founder's Pointe is a large community on the west side of Franklin. It is conveniently located near all the major sports fields - baseball, football and soccer fields are nearby. They have a community pool and a playground. Sidewalks provide safe walking and bike zones. Many of the yards have mature trees. Close to downtown Franklin, this community is an easy drive to enjoying all the benefits Franklin has to offer.

Many of the houses in Founder's Pointe are all brick and have fairly flat lots. Houses range in size from just under 2000 sq. ft to about 3700 sq. ft. Various sizes. Prices range from $225,000 to about $375,000. The community was built in the 1990s. Homes in Founders Pointe are selling at comparable rates to the rest of the community.

View houses for sale in Founders Pointe

I have a listing in Founders Pointe that I would like to share with you. Over 3000 sq. ft. for an asking price of $339,500.

From Franklin Pictures

For more information on 407 Fontaine Dr., Franklin, TN, click here

Williamson County, TN Market Information June 2009

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:22:07 -0500

Dear Friends,

Welcome Summer! Have you been out to the Lake or having picnics in parks? Aren't we so excited to have a break from the rain? As the grass dries up. Oh, well. We have been enjoying riding our motorcycle. We are grateful school is out.

I am working up some different statistics for you this month. These numbers are for Williamson County. I broke them down by price ranges. These are current numbers as of July 3, 2009. The active listings are those that are for sale. Currently, except for the highest price point, up to 5-10% of them have contracts on them that are being worked through. Pending means that the houses are expected to close. Some of them are new construction and may not close in the traditional 30 day contract to closing period.
A couple of interesting points.

The pendings are about the same as the closed. Stability - for now.
The closed numbers are higher than they have been this year. It is high season, and it is good to see that houses are selling.

The absorption rate, which I have out to the side, shows us the amount of inventory we have for that period of time. It is based on the number of closings, and the number of active listings at that time. We always have a certain number of months worth of inventory on the market. Under 6 months is a Seller's Market, over 6 month's is a Buyer's Market. These numbers change depending on how narrow or broad your search criteria is. We usually look at several months so it can truly change daily, but it is an interesting statistic to watch.

Williamson County
Statistics for the Month of June 2009, as of July 3, 2009

Total		Absorption Rates
Active	2607	10 Months
Pending	270
Closed	260

Up to $300K
Active	683	7.5 Months
Pending	89
Closed	90

$300K - $500K
Active	879	9.2 Months
Pending	105
Closed	95

$500K - $800K
Active	585	9.5 Months
Pending	55
Closed	61

$800K and Higher
Active	467	21 Months
Pending	21
Closed	21

If you want to see the Greater Nashville numbers, click here to see their latest press release. This link will update when they have new stats available.

Fun Fact:
Alan Jackson's house is for sale. Do you want to peak? click here

Call or email me if you need information about my listings or for a market analysis of your neighborhood. Have a great week!

Monica

Monica Neubauer, Broker

Keller Williams Realty
9175 Carothers Parkway
Franklin, TN 37067
615-568-8384 Cell
615-690-8936 Fax
www.RealEstateTennessee.com

Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR)
Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES)
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
Green

Petition to change the Home Value Code of Conduct

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Tue, 12 May 2009 14:33:48 -0500

Friends,

There has been progress made in trying to strengthen the real estate market. This new appraisal law charges the consumer 50% more for an appraisal and drives independent appraisers out of work. Sometimes regulations need to be added, but this is way over the top. Visit Matt's blog for some interesting comments.

Monica

Via National Credit Fixers - Matt Listro:

Petition to change the Home Value Code of Conduct

Here is a link to the petition to change the Home Value Code of Conduct:

http://www.petitiononline.com/hvcc/petition.html

It is important for everyone to go and sign the petition if this law is going to be changed. How many appraisers do you know who have been put out of business by this new law?

I personally know one appraiser who has no work because of this new law. He was charging $325 for an appraisal. Now he has no work because his mortgage brokers can not order appraisals from him. He was just solicited by one of the big conglomerate Appraisal Management Companies to work for them. The AMC is charging $450 for an appraisal and is only willing to pay him $200 per appraisal. What ever happened to democracy and competition - this guy was just legislated out of his job!

Let me ask you another question: how long will it be until you have a real estate deal go south because of this new law. Because of this new law, appraisals are expected to cost more and take longer. What happens when your deal falls apart because the value doesn't come in because an appraiser was assigned from 50 miles away and doesn't know the local market.

Currently their are 8,900 signatures but they need lots more - please take a moment and sign it.

PLEASE PLEASE FLAG this post for feature status - it is imperative that the real estate community gets behind this move to change this legislation.

:)

Matt

Credit Repair Company

Homes in Courtside in Brentwood TN

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Mon, 11 May 2009 12:58:31 -0500

Courtside in Brentwood, TN has all brick homes that range from 2700-4000+ sq. ft. This subdivision is in Northern Williamson County. It is a desireable area due to its location close to Nashville, but still in
Williamson County where many people like to live because of the school system and lower taxes than in Davidson County.

Visit my outside blog at www.MonicaNeubauer.wordpress.com to read more about Courtside and see some local statistics for that area.

Click below to check out homes for sale in Courtside in Brentwood TN.

Courtside Homes for Sale

Nashville Area Home Sales Information

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Fri, 08 May 2009 11:04:38 -0500

The Greater Nashville Association of Realtors has released the Home Sales information for the Greater Nashville area for April 2009.

Their most current press release shows that house sale volume is down, but there are still a good number of deals pending. GNAR May 2009 MLS press release.

They also updated their annual numbers for 2009. Click here for that report.

The result is that there is still a good inventory of houses and buyers can get a reasonable price on a house. Some sellers are not motivated, but some have to move and are ready to sell. A buyer's market can mean a deal for a buyer, and can be a little tough on the sellers. Everyone just keeps looking, planning and talking together to put together the deals for those who are ready to make them.

Williamson County House Sale Information

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:48:47 -0500

May 07 2009

WCAR Announces April 2009 Housing Numbers

(Franklin, TN)—The Williamson County Association of REALTORS® today announces the sale of homes statistics for Williamson County, Tn. for the month of April. There were 192 residential and condominium closings reported for the month, according to figures provided by RealTracs® Solutions, the multiple listing service used by REALTORS® in the Middle-Tennessee area.

Compared to April of 2008, the residential home closings decreased 23 percent and the median prices for residential homes increased by 10 percent. Days on the market (DOM) for residential homes increased by 25 days as compared to April 2008. Condominium closings decreased by 29 percent. The median prices for condominiums decreased by 4 percent and days on the market decreased by 12 days compared to April 2008.

April 2009

Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	177	$ 380,000	$ 466,520	99
Condominium	15	$ 160,000	$ 185,052	51

April 2008

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	229	$ 345,000	$ 418,653	74
Condominium	21	$ 166,300	$ 190,443	63

April 2007

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	308	$ 391,200	$ 462,038	65
Condominium	36	$ 224,995	$ 227,367	80

April 2006

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	378	$ 322,000	$ 398,088	48
Condominium	50	$ 140,900	$ 175,642	38

"The market is picking up for spring as buyers are continuing to write contracts on properties that they anticipate closing on over the next 60-90 days. The increase in median price is a good indication that buyers and sellers understand current market conditions and the availability of a great selection at our market prices. We continue to outperform other areas of the country in direct result to our strong local economy and great community amenities,” said Diane Johnson, 2009 President of the Williamson County Association of REALTORS®.

Monica is a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in Franklin, TN. She provides real estate services to clients in the Nashville area, including Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hills, Thompsons Station, and other areas in the Middle Tennessee Region. You can contact her by calling 615-568-8384 or visit www.RealEstateTennessee.com.

Links to areas of interest in the Middle TN Area

Basketball Coaches Ride for Breast Cancer Research

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:08:28 -0500

Last night my biker friends and I went down to the Hard Rock Cafe to support ChampionsforaCause.com with University of Tennessee Associate Head Basketball Coach Holly Warlick and UCLA Women's Head Basketball Coach Nikki Caldwell. We had a great time helping them raise money to support the fight against Breast Cancer. The 2009 TaTa Tour is a several day ride with events along the way. Our HOG chapter supports Breast Cancer support organizations as one of our charities. If you love basketball and want to support the cause supported by these two terrific women, or if supporting Breast Cancer is one of your charitites, go to www.ChampionsforaCause.com and lend a hand and see the pictures of their wet ride.

Here is a photo of me with Holly and Nikki, and a picture of my HOG friends who joined in to support the cause.

Monica with Holly and Nikki

Our HOG Chapter with Holly and Nikki

Townhouses for Sale in Nashville, TN - Bellevue area

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 09:53:09 -0500

4 New Townhouses for sale in McPherson Place in Bellevue. SouthWest of Nashville. 3 of the units have tenants and are ready for an investor. The 4th is ready for an owner occupant or tenant who wants a rehabbed 3 bedroom unit for a great price in a sought after school district. Great Price for real estate in Nashville, TN.

Call Monica Neubauer for more information: 615-568-8384

www.RealEstateTennessee.com

Nashville's Best Restaurants according to Nashville Lifestyle Magazine

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:44:21 -0500

Via Larry Brewer Nashville real estate (Keller Williams - Franklin tn):

Nashville's best restaurants according to Nashville Lifestyle magazine are as follows.

Boxwood Bistro - 230 Franklin Rd, Franklin TN

J. Alexanders - 2609 West End and in Cool Springs

Germantown Cafe - 1200 Fifth Ave. N

Calypso Cafe - 2424 Elliston Place

Baja Burrito - 722 Thompsons Lane

Rotiers - 2413 Elliston Place

Nashville's Best Deli

Noshville - 1918 Broadway and in Cool Springs

Jason Deli - 2028 West End Ave

Mitchell's Deli - 1402 McGavock Pike

Best Business Lunch

The Palm - 140 Fifth Ave. S.

J. Alexanders - Cool Springs and 2609 West End Ave

Bricktops - 3000 West End Ave.

Best Burgers

Rotiers - 2413 Elliston Place

Fat Mo's - 351 White Bridge Rd

Five Guys Famous Burgers - 2020 West End Ave

Best Pizza

Mafiaoza's - 2400 12th Ave. S

Pizza Perfect - 1602 21st Ave S

Mellow Mushroom - 212 21st Ave S

Best American

J. Alexanders - 2609 West End Ave

Bricktops - 2000 West End Ave

Monell's_- 1235 Sixth Ave N

Best Sunday Brunch

Copper Kettle - 4004 Granny White Pike

Margot Cafe - 1017 Woodland St

Marche - 1000 Main St

Best Breakfast

Pancake Pantry - 1796 21st Ave South

Noshville - 1918 Broadway

Loveless Cafe - 8400 Highway 100

Best steakhouse

Ruth's Chris - 2100 West End Ave

Flemings - 2525 West End Ave

Mortons - 618 Church St

Best Barbecue

Jack's - 416 Broadway

Whitts - 5310 Harding Rd

Jim and Nick's - 7004 Charlotte Pike

Best Seafood

Bonefish Grill - 3010 Mallory Lane in Cool Springs

South Street - 907 20th Ave South

Watermark - 507 12th Ave South

Best Italian

Maggiano's - 3106 West End Ave.

Mamma Mia's - 4501 Trousdale Rd.

Amerigo - 1920 West End Ave

Best Mexican

Rosepepper Cantina - 1907 Eastland Ave.

Las Palmas - 1905 Hayes St

La Hacienda - 2615 Nolensville Rd.

This posting and the contents written here are the intellectual property and opinions of Larry Brewer of Keller Williams Realty.

Monica is a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in Franklin, TN. She provides real estate services to clients in the Nashville area, including Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hills, Thompsons Station, and other areas in the Middle Tennessee Region. You can contact her by calling 615-568-8384 or visit www.RealEstateTennessee.com.

Links to areas of interest in the Middle TN Area

Via Larry Brewer Nashville real estate (Keller Williams - Franklin tn):

Nashville's best restaurants according to nashville lifestyle magazine are as follows.

Boxwood Bistro - 230 Franklin rd, Franklin tn

J. Alexanders - 2609 west end and in Cool Springs

Germantown Cafe - 1200 Fifth ave. n

Calypso Cafe - 2424 Elliston Place

Baja Burrito - 722 Thompsons lane

Rotiers - 2413 Elliston Place

Nashville's Best Deli

Noshville - 1918 Broadway and in Cool Springs

Jason Deli - 2028 West end ave

Mitchell's Deli - 1402 mcgavock pike

Best Business Lunch

The Palm - 140 fifth ave. s.

J. Alexanders - Cool Springs and 2609 West end ave

Bricktops - 3000 West End ave.

Best Burgers

Rotiers - 2413 Elliston Place

Fat Mo's - 351 White Bridge rd

Five guys Famous Burgers - 2020 West End ave

Best Pizza

Mafiaoza's - 2400 12th ave. s.

Pizza Perfect - 1602 21st ave s

Mellow Mushroom - 212 21st ave s.

Best American

J. Alexanders - 2609 West End ave

Bricktops - 2000 West End ave

Monell's _- 1235 Sixth ave n.

Best Sunday Brunch

Copper Kettle - 4004 Granny White Pike

Margot Cafe - 1017 Woodland st

Marche - 1000 Main st

Best Breakfast

Pancake pantry - 1796 21st ave south

Noshville - 1918 Broadway

Loveless Cafe - 8400 Highway 100

Best steakhouse

Ruth's Chris - 2100 West End ave

Flemings - 2525 West End ave

Mortons - 618 Church st

Best barbecue

Jack's - 416 Broadway

Whitts - 5310 harding rd

Jim and Nick's - 7004 Charlotte pike

Best Seafood

Bonefish Grill - 3010 Mallory ln in Cool Springs

South Street - 907 20th ave south

Watermark - 507 12th ave south

Best Italian

Maggiano's - 3106 West End ave.

mamma Mia's - 4501 Trousdale rd

Amerigo - 1920 West End ave

Best Mexican

Rosepepper Cantina - 1907 Eastland Ave.

Las Palmas - 1905 Hayes St

La Hacienda - 2615 nolensville rd

This posting and the contents written here are the intellectual property and opinions of Larry Brewer of Keller Williams Realty. Providing real estate services to clients in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Spring Hill, Green Hills, and the middle Tennessee area

Interested in McKay's Mill in Franklin, TN??

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:40:54 -0500

This is a large neighborhood in Franklin, TN that is in a convenient location near the Cool Springs area. Visit my other blog to see the details about McKay's Mill and see some photos.

http://www.monicaneubauer.wordpress.com

Call me if you want to learn more about McKays Mill.

www.RealEstateTennessee.com

Monica Neubauer

615-568-8384

Come Visit the Henpeck Market

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:56:46 -0500

HENPECK MARKET and THE LOFT at the Henpeck Market

I love Don and Jackie Gregory, the owners of the Henpeck Market on the corner of Henpeck Lane and Lewisburg Pike in Franklin. This is a fabulous country market that is great for the neighborhood, but not really in the country. They transformed this place about 6 years (?) ago and it has continued to grow into something more and more interesting.

But wait, I am getting ahead of myself. The Henpeck Market is lots of things. It is a small grocery store that has a gas station attatched to it. I know, there are lots of those. But I seldom go there for the groceries. I go for the food! Jackie is a great cook. They transformed a rather yucky grill to a gourmet stop for delicious food. They have a great assortment of salads, an area for hot foods with fried chicken and vegetables, and burgers and sandwiches as well. They serve breakfast and lunch everyday except Sunday and dinner sometimes (I don't know if the dinner serving has changed or not - I always go for lunch). And desserts! It looks like a bakery. Sometimes they have Catfish dinners and live music. It is a fun place to eat with lots of atmosphere.

Jackie used to have a small gift area in one side of the store. I guess they did okay with it, because they have bought many more things and opened up a store in "The Loft" upstairs of the store and restaurant. What a great collection of fun gift items. I was thrilled to find something I had seen but didn't know where to buy - a box of questions. What? Well, we like to spur each other and guests to good conversation. So we bought a box of questions. They have a such a great collection of things - very fun!

In the place downstairs where the gift items are, they added a small post office. You can do your mailing from there instead of going in to the frequently crowded post office.

Talk about great one-stop-shopping "in the neighborhood"! What a treat. I often take my clients there because it is a neat place to eat and always find friendly faces. Go by and visit if you are in "our" neighborhood!

You can check out their website for yourself, www.henpeckmarket.com

Have a great week! If you need something to do this weekend - Stop by the Henpeck Market for a treat!

Jackie Gregory in The Loft at the Henpeck Market

Welcome to the Henpeck Market

Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers and Home Improvement Credit

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:42:30 -0500

Dear Friends,

Wow! Is there news out there or what? I want to focus on the good news and what is happening to spur on the Real Estate Market. Read on and see if there is something here for you or for someone you know. Please call me if you want or need more information. We can have some coffee and talk about real estate and whatever else interests you.

$8000 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers.

Let's break that down a bit. First, do you know the definition of a first time homebuyer? It is broader than you think. If you have not owned a property for 3 years, you qualify as a "first time homebuyer" for this benefit. Have you been renting for more than 2 and a half years? Buy before December 1, 2009 and you can take advantage of this $8000 gift from the government. Did I say gift? Yes, that is what a tax credit is. We like Tax Credits. If you buy a house and fit the criteria, when you do your taxes next year, if you owe any federal income tax, you won't have to pay it up to $8000. Are you now asking, "What if I don't owe that much tax?" Then the IRS will send you a check for the difference!

$8,000 Home Buyer Tax Credit at a Glance

The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase.
The tax credit does not have to be repaid. (you must own and live in the home for at least three years)
The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home's purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.
Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

Check out this website for more information and talk to your tax preparer.
www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com

Is that good news for you? Do you have any young friends or adult children who should take a look to see if this is a good time to buy? Prices are low. Government is giving you money. There are good loan products for people with good credit and RATES ARE AT OR BELOW 5%!!! Does it get any better than this? You can't afford to live anywhere hardly for better prices.

Example:
$120,000 House. FHA loan downpayment, 3.5% = $4200

Loan amount: $115800 at 5.5% would be a principle and interest payment of $657.50 per month with a 30 year mortgage. We need to add taxes and insurance. In Davidson County, taxes might be $1800 plus $600 for insurance. Therefore add $200 per month to the payment. House payment of approximately $857.50 per month for a 3 bedroom house in the Nashville area! And it would be less if you bought a $100,000 house!

There will be closing costs too. Maybe $4500+ depending on many factors. Those can be paid by the buyer or paid by the seller and negotiated into the sales price for a property. And these are approximates. I can get you with a lender to help you have more exact numbers.

Next year, you can claim the $8000 credit on your taxes, and get most of your cash out of pocket back. WOW!

Just make sure you buy a house you can afford with a fixed rate loan, so we don't get into the trouble we are trying to get out of.

News for those staying in their house: A Home Improvement Tax Credit.

These relate to Homes that are improved and are more energy efficient after the improvement. Click here to go to the Energy Star Website for more information.

- Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, in 2009 & 2010 (for existing homes only) for:
- Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, with no upper limit through 2016 (for existing homes & new construction) for:

Is this news you can use? I hope so. Please check with your tax preparer or accountant for specific application to your situation.

Changes are happening so fast. Please call me to chat about these changes. I am so glad to help you or your family walk through this real estate market with the best information we can find. I have great lenders who are on top of this and can help me help you.
Don't miss this great opportunity!

Keep checking my blog. You can sign up to receive news when I post there. www.FranklinTNblog.com.

Have a great weekend! Spring is here. The day is sunny! Go for a walk, a ride, a drive and enjoy the day!

Monica

Monica Neubauer, Broker

Keller Williams Realty
9175 Carothers Parkway
Franklin, TN 37067
615-568-8384 Cell
615-690-8936 Fax
www.RealEstateTennessee.com
www.FranklinTNBlog.com

Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR)
Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES)
Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
GREEN

Williamson County TN Market Statistics for February 2009

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:37:15 -0500

February 2009 Home Sales

The Williamson County Association of REALTORS® today announces the sale of homes statistics for Williamson County, Tn. for the month of February 2009. There were 154 residential and condominium closings reported for the month of February, according to figures provided by RealTracs Solutions, the multiple listing service used by REALTORS® in the Middle-Tennessee area.

Compared to February of 2008, the single family residential closings decreased 14 percent and the median price remained the same. The average days on market (DOM) for residential homes and condominiums has increased by 16 days. The median is a typical market price where half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less.

February 2009

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price
Residential	141	$ 385,000	$ 444,094	93
Condominium	13	$ 180,000	$ 179,727	44

February 2008

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	163	$ 387,000	$ 439,578	77
Condominium	27	$ 215,000	$ 232,452	60

February 2007

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	260	$ 371,118	$ 432,966	63
Condominium	36	$ 180,652	$ 220,079	61

February 2006

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	296	$ 304,900	$ 390,915	53
Condominium	29	$ 157,500	$ 174,386	22

"The Williamson County real estate market experienced a nice increase during the second month of the calendar year as compared to January; residential closings increased by 32 percent. With changes still taking place at the Federal legislative level many buyers are still searching and waiting for additional incentives; however the time to buy is now. Prices are holding, interest rates are great and the buyers are taking advantage of the opportunities," said Diane Johnson, 2009 President of the Williamson County Association of REALTORS®.

The Williamson County Association of REALTORS® is the professional trade organization servicing the real estate industry in Williamson County. Established in 1962, the association provides professional development and support services for real estate professionals. The association has over 1,450 members and is headquartered in Franklin, Tn.

Information provided by Williamson County Association of Realtors, Franklin, TN.

America's Most Manly City - Nashville

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 08:14:54 -0500

Nashville has a new title to add to its already long list. Not only are we the Music City, Athens of the South, Nashvegas and others, but now we also are "America's Most Manly City". Sperling's BestPlaces was commissioned to do a study on what cities were the most "manly". Items they looked for were men's pastimes like hunting and fishing, Professional Sporting teams and frequency of Monster Truck Rallies. Some of the things that contributed to Nashville's wins are the high number of NASCAR fans, great hunting and fishing and an abundance of Barbeque eateries.

Can I tell you, as a motorcycle rider, there truly are an abundance of BBQ and Catfish restaurants all over Middle TN. As time goes by, my list of BBQ and catfish sampling grows. There is something about men and BBQ.

And so, we are lacking in Home Furnishing stores, and don't take as many subscriptions to Women's Magazines. Oh well, that might be good news. We get out a lot. We ride, we hang out at baseball, soccer, hockey and football games.

And did I mention we have great state and county fairs? Come on and I'll show you around our Manly City.

News from The Tennessean and Combos Press Release

Visiting Downtown Franklin, TN - Puckett's Grocery

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:43:46 -0600

We had a great lunch today at Puckett's in downtown Franklin. The first Puckett's began as a local grocery store in the Leipers Fork area. In Leipers Fork, they served meals and music for the locals. It quickly became a favorite location for weekend drivers and motorcycle riders. It still is. The owners decided to open a restaurant with the grocery store flair in downtown Franklin. It was a huge success from the beginning. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. On Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings they have live music with dinner.

I had a delicious "award winning" (really!) hamburger today. I am quickly becoming the hamburger connoisseur because I always enjoy a hamburger. One of the specialties of Puckett's are the Sweet Potato Fries. I had to get them to share with my husband and friend. They were a big hit. The waitress said she prefers them with sugar. I can see that. My friend had the catfish and my husband, the vegetable plate. They have specials for the southern style "Meat and 3" or you can get "2" or "1" vegetable with your meat.

I always enjoy going to Puckett's because I see someone I know there every time. Today was no exception as I greeted the dad of one of my High School friends.

Sometimes this town still feels small. And I like it.

Puckett's Grocery in Franklin, TN

Buying or Renting in Cool Springs - Franklin, TN

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 09:18:43 -0600

Buying or Renting in Cool Springs?

McEwen - Franklin's newest "New Urbanism" community - is right in the middle of Cool Springs. Cool Springs is the large shopping and commercial area between Franklin and Brentwood. And right along I-65 South of Nashville. Part of the original vision of Cool Springs was to have shopping, business and residential areas located close together to facilitate the "work-live-play" lifestyle. This was before developers moved to the even tighter walking communities. The original vision has been fulfilled with growth continuing.

One of the new areas of growth in Cool Springs is a walkable "work-live-play" community within Cool Springs. They will have shops and business with condos and apartments all built together in one community. Think city lifestyle in the suburbs. Progess is occuring in this new area called McEwen. It is being developed by the company that brought us Westhaven, Southern Land Company.

Before the retailers will come, there must be people. One of the communities McEwen will have is an upscale apartment community called Dwell at McEwen. This community is nearly finished and it has begun renting. This is a rental community only. They have some really nice amenities: Workout room with state of the art equipment, a conference room, a pilates/spin room with classes at no charge for residents. Their outdoor spaces seem to be really nice. They have a Swimming pool with cold and hot water spas and a fountain. For your evening gatherings, there is an outdoor billiards table and Fire Pit. Inside the units have what you would expect in units at this level; roomy, well-designed kitchens, and spacious bathrooms. In the unit I saw, the use of space was well planned out and really useful. You can even rent a garage.

Several Buildings in Dwell at McEwen

Main Building at Dwell at McEwen -
Community Center is in this building

And for those interested in buying, there is a small, well-planned community right across the street called Grant Park. They have one level condominuims each with it's own garage. This community only has 51 units, but the developer wanted to give it a real community feel and has built a clubhouse with a fitness room and pool for the community. And kept the fees reasonable. It is a refreshing combination. These will begin to be finished this summer. I included a photo of the construction. These are right in the McEwen community, and just down from the Honda dealership - you can get a motorcycle to get around on. They have paid special attention to the construction in order for the sound levels between units to be minimized. These units have hardwood floors and granite countertops, etc. They offer one and two bedroom untis. And did I say the community is gated? Nice touch. The price for these units are in the $300's depending on the size of the units and garages, etc. I would be glad to show you around and introduce you to one level living in Cool Springs!

Residence under construction in Grant Park

Clubhouse ready this summer in Grant Park

If you are interested in maintenence-free living in Cool Springs - give me a call! We'll get you set up. There are more options than these as well. I would be glad to show you the options.

Jamison Station Condos in Franklin

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:53:12 -0600

Jamison Station are multi level condos in Franklin, near downtown. They are across from The Factory, an interesting local area for events, dining and shopping. They are billed as loft style which is not exactly what they are. They have wonderful high ceilings with exposed ceiling beams and lighting, etc. But each unit has 2 distinct floors. Some of the larger units have the more open "loft" style. The floors and stairs are hardwood throughout. There are lots of stairs. What these units really are is townhouses. Townhouses above retail establishments. In the first building they have personal elevators inside each unit. Which is helpful because the units really are 3 levels. They have the living, dining and kitchen on the main level. The bedrooms are on the 2nd level. And the most fabulous part is the roof! Each unit has its own rooftop space with the fiber cement decking. And there is a walking "trail" on the roof. There are the most wonderful views from there.

These units are in the mid $400's for a 2 bedroom unit without an elevator. The ones with elevators that are completed are in the low $500's for a 2 bedroom. There is a one bedroom and they have many larger options as well. They have granite and tile, like you would expect. The balconys are mostly on every level. There is some kind of outdoor space on every level. There are 2 parking spaces and a storage room in an underground garage. The community also has townhouses that are dual zoned - commercial and residential.

Call me if you want more information on Jamison Station in downtown Franklin.

Condos available in Jamison Station

Middle Tennessee Electric Features Creekstone Subdivision in Magazine

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 16:13:36 -0600

Creekstone is one of Franklin's newest communities. They feature homes and townhomes that are extremely energy efficient. The whole community is designed that way. See earlier post about Creekstone for more information about the subdivision. The Tennessee Magazine, put out by the Electric Co-op in Tennessee, features them in an article in the December 2008 issue. I can't reprint the article without permission though. If you want to read it, email me. They also printed an article about a renovation in downtown Franklin where the homeowner would recoup the investment for more energy efficiency in 9 years. $3000 a month after that nine years goes right back into his pocket. Contact me if you want to learn more.

I would be glad to help you if you want more information about Creekstone or green building in Franklin. 615-568-8384

Some houses in Creekstone

Some more houses in Creekstone

Condos/Townhouses in Creekstone

Weather in Franklin, TN

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:18:02 -0600

Okay, I have lived in Franklin most of my life. Generally, I love the weather here. If you are someone looking for 4 seasons without the long winters, Franklin is your kind of place.

We have colorful Springs with bright greens, forsythia yellows and dogwoods blooming every where. Spring is fabulous! Hopefully we get some rain in the Spring too. And big thunderstorms! Those used to be fun. We have had a few more tornadoes in recent years, so the storm enthusiasm is a bid dampened. Spring is fresh air and wonderful temperatures. We love to be outside. We ride a motorcycle and Spring is a great time to ride.

Summer is, well, fairly hot. But not until mid July. Most people don't leave for vacations until July because June is really nice. Lots of flowers. Our city has so much beautiful landscaping that in the Summer the streets are ablaze with color. Water hobbies abound here - fishing, swimming. Swim Teams are a pretty big deal in the summer. There are lakes nearby if you like boating. We have lots of lakes, but they are all a bit of a drive from Franklin - 30 minutes to 1 hour. Great boating though and water skiing.

Fall features the changing of the trees. We have lots of hills with lots of trees and decorative pear trees. The trees change color for about 6 weeks. Yellows, reds, purples, and oranges. Driving down the Natchez Trace Parkway is a huge treat in the Spring and Fall - beautiful. Golf anyone? Almost year round.

Winter is unpredictable. Some years we are riding our motorcycle intermittently through the season. This year though it has been cold and rainy. The sun has begun to shine though and Spring is in view. December usually isn't too bad, whatever the weather, because Christmas is coming and it is a busy time with all the other holidays we love to celebrate. January moves a bit slowly because it is usually our Winter month. Sometimes we get snow, but it is usually gone the next day. People here tell stories about snow and ice by referencing the year that occurred. "Remember that ice storm we had back in 199...."

4 seasons - We have them. And they all have something to appreciate. My husband tells me the cold winters are important to keep the bugs from flourishing. I don't need bugs flourishing.

Have a great day!

Franklin in late Fall

Foreclosures, Short Sales and other options for troubled Mortgages

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:23:26 -0600

Do you ever wonder about how the foreclosure system works? If someone is in trouble - when do they start looking for help? Are there options for people? These are great questions. Let's talk about it a bit.

When someone starts having some real problems paying their bills - either from a job loss or medical bills, or whatever change has occured - the rates go up - when the problem becomes evident - that is when help is needed. A homeowner can do several things. First they need to decide though if they want to stay in the house or move out.

If the homeowner wants to stay in the house, there are options the bank may be willing to work out. Forebearance is when the bank is willing to suspend the payment for a short period of time. This would be in the event that the financial diffficulty is temporary. A mortgage modification is where the lender would be willing to modify the payment or terms of the loan to make the mortgage repayment possible.

If the homeowner doesn't want to stay in the house, they can sell it. Maybe the house is worth the loan amount and the loan can be paid and the seller move on with no negative effect to the credit report. If the house is worth less than the loan amount, the bank may be willing to discuss doing a short sale. A short sale is where the bank would be willing to cooperate with the seller to sell the house at market value, but below the loan amount. In these cases the banks forgive the rest of the debt. They will only do a short sale if the homeowner is in a complete financial hardship. And there are a lot of details and challenges in a short sale.

Who should a homeowner talk to?

Their bank. Which may be helpful. Or not. But it is a good place to start. It depends on, well, lots of things.

Their Realtor. Which may be helpful. Or not. It depends on if they know anything about short sales and foreclosures. Selling a house in this environment has special challenges that go with it and working with a Realtor who doesn't understand it can ruin the opportunity. To sell a house in a foreclosure environment needs to be done in a timely and committed manner. Make sure to work with a trained real estate consultant. If this agent is well informed, they can help a homeowner walk through a challenging decision making process.

Getting help is the best idea.

Westhaven Townhouses

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:23:14 -0600

Yesterday, I was shopping with some clients for townhouses in Westhaven. There is a good selection available. There are two on the main road coming in, State Blvd. They have nice features, as you would expect in Westhaven. They are priced in the low $400's for about 2300 sq. ft. These have 2 car garages. Also on State Blvd, Southern Land is building some new townhouses, about 6 to start. These have a new townhouse floor plan that mirrors the style of some some of the houses. The Master is down. The upstairs space seems very useful. They are starting at a base, pre construction price of about $390K.

Another area they have townhouses is around the "Game Park". This park has a bocci court and a large size chess board. You have to walk the pieces around it. They have 2-3 level townhouses on two sides of the park. Some of the townhouses have a room over the garage for an office. These have a 1 car garage. They range from $339K to $294,500 with square footage ranging from 1935 to almost 2500. They are fairly varied with some rooms finished or not and with different upgrades. This is a very nice block to have a house on.

Call or email me if you have interest in houses or townhouses in Westhaven. I'll be glad to help you with that information. The Harris Tweeter has begun to be built. The commercial area is developing. They have a restaurant coming soon too. The pharmacy and medical center are in. There is also a "Spectacles" store. And did I mention there are two condos left above the retail businesses? They have their own special appeal.

Search here for houses.

Boscos Microbrewery in Franklin, Tennessee

Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer (Benchmark Realty) — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:17:34 -0600

Well, the restaurant choices continue to grow! Franklin has lots of great eating options. One of the newer ones is Boscos. They have a restaurant in Hillsboro Village that has a lot of college traffic. The Franklin restaurant has more of the suburban crowd. What we have in common is an appreciation for fresh microbrewery beer. We appreciate having a good restaurant with a microbrewery in Franklin. Welcome Boscos!

Are you interested in moving to Franklin?

Houses for sale in Middle Tennessee