Seniors living in Nashville Davidson County, TN may be eligible for property tax relief. Certain income groups of those over age 65 can have property taxes stabilized.  It is too late to apply for tax year 2009, but you can look forward to 2010 and apply.



There may be further information at the Donelson Station Center, 108 Donelson Pike; Knowles Senior Citizens Center, 174 Rains Avenue; Madison Station Center, 301 Madison Street and the Northwest Center, 3315 John Mallette Drive, Nashville TN.

Applicants may also contact the city Trustee's office at 615-862-6330 to set up an appointment. Or visit the Trustee's Office at 800 Second Avenue, North, Nashville TN.  

To date, there have been over 7,000 Davidson County residents to qualify for this program.

If you are a senior in our surrounding area who needs help in downsizing or relocating, it would be our pleasure to consult with you about your options.  Give us a call to chat, Sarah at 615-516-5233 or John at 615-945-1838.

Sarah In Nashville

Codes problems take a lot of time and energy for those affected.  All neighborhoods seem to have at least one home which is neglected or abandoned by the owner, and which is an eyesore or dangerous. 

Here is a way to have more information on what is going on with certain addresses in Nashville, Davidson County, TN. This is a new site which may still be under construction. But give it a try.

You can check the status of Metro Codes violations and specific addresses. You will see "e-RFS Public Site" in a menu on the right side of the screen...this will take you to the search engine which will allow you to search for information about specific addresses. A user guide has been added to provide assistance.

Thank you Codes Department of Nashville TN for this helpful site!

Sarah in Nashville

Here is a travel piece from New York Times about the sights and sounds of a weekend in Nashville TN. Mentioned are the Wildhorse Saloon, The Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium, Hermitage Hotel, Country Music Hall of Fame, East Nashville sights, Belle Meade Mansion, Loveless Cafe and more. Take a peek at what Nashville has to offer!  Then come visit us. 

I was downtown today shopping for "Nashville" souvenirs to take to a national Realtor® conference we going to shortly.  We hope to network and tell about what Nashville has to offer.  It was very exciting to see lots of tourists taking in the sights and enjoying the beautiful Fall weather!

Call us if you are coming to Nashville to house hunt. We'd love to meet you and work with you!

Sarah in Nashville

Halloween is over and I would like to thank the neighborhoods where homeowners
make it such a fun and special holiday for kids.

Our grandson dressed as Thomas the Train (photo to the right) and went Trick or Treating in the Old Hickory area of Nashville.  This village was established during the first world war, and the houses are close together, and many are decorated so festively. 

The children visit their friends' homes. Homeowners love to sit on the porch and watch the children as they approach.  Thanks, Old Hickory for treating our little children so well!

Another area of Nashville which hosted some children I know is the Richland area off West End Avenue.  One child told me that it was so crowded in that neighborhood that they couldn't walk very fast!  She had so much fun. 

Sarah in Nashville

Below are statistics for single family homes (active and closed in the last month) in some of the zip codes and neighborhoods in the Greater Nashville TN area: 

Antioch, 37013; Melrose, 37204; Belle Meade/West Meade, 37205; Green Hills, 37215; Bellevue, 37221; Donelson, 37214; Oak Hill/Crieve hall, 37220; Vanderbilt, 37212; East Nashville, 37206; Inglewood, 37216; Crieve Hall/Nolensville Rd, 37211; Smyrna, 37167; Murfreesboro, 37130; Franklin, 37067.

We would love to help you find a home in any of these great neighborhoods! 

It would be our pleasure to help you buy or sell property in the Middle Tennessee USA area.  Go ahead!  Call us.

More tips off the top of my head. Not in any particular order. • Low-ball offers work best on distressed property.

• Distressed properties are properties that are not move-in ready.  A property could be distressed because of the age, weathering and wear-and-tear of the structure, electrical and plumbing equipment age and condition, condition of paint and flooring material, condition or absence of appliance and adverse neighborhood location (power lines, busy highway, etc).

• Properties advertised as renovated usually have repaired or replaced structural aspects such as roofs and siding materials, electrical and plumbing systems and freshened up flooring and paint, and they could have had luxury items added like granite counter tops in the kitchen and bath, upscale appliances in the kitchen, marble and tile showers and garden tubs, high end lighting fixtures including can lights in the ceiling and room additions.

• Longevity on the market does not necessarily indicate a desperate seller or an over priced property.  There is a buyer and an acceptable price for every property.  Frequent showings increase the likelihood of a buyer being found for a particular property.  Ample promotion, such as Internet advertising on single property websites, Realtor.com, etc., are factors in determining the quantity of showings.  The number of like-kind properties on the market at any given moment might also determine the number of showings.  If there are 400 like-kind properties on the market, and assuming this is a high inventory, Realtors® and buyers, because of time constraints, limit what can be shown.  When there is a glut of homes on the market not all homes will be shown.

More in part 3.

John Rummage

We will gladly email you a list of newly reduced homes in the Greater Nashville TN area.  If you have a specific area of town in mind, be sure to specify.

Just put in the email subject line, "list of just reduced homes," and area if desired.  Click on the button below.  Get a new update anytime.

Sarah in Nashville

Unrealistic expectations in buying and selling real estate can sabotage results.  If you intend to buy or sell real estate in six months or sooner the following information needs to be considered. 

• You should price the real estate you are selling according to market conditions and the condition of your property.  

If you are buying you should be willing to pay a fair price for the best choice of a home that fits your needs and expectations concerning quality and condition.  

• Be clear on what you are trying to accomplish.  This is particularly difficult for first-time-home buyers and sellers.  You need to know where you want to buy, the minimum size and amenities that you need, the price you need to pay so that paying the mortgage will not change your present life style and unduly burden you financially. You also need to consider the distance required to travel to work, school, daycare, recreation and shopping.  

When pricing your home to sell, you need to consider condition, competition and economic conditions in your area. 

• You also need to be prepared to act decisively.  There are more buyers than you out in the marketplace wanting to buy property.  The best homes (location, condition and price) will always be bought first and quickly.  First-time-home buyers are sometimes competing with buyers who have experience buying property.  Experienced homebuyers know the rules and market place conditions, which gives them the advantage.  The only way a first-time-home buyer can level the playing field is by having an experienced Realtor® who has your interest at heart and listening to and taking the advice they give you. 

• Correct price for the local market is essential.  You should not believe everything you read from ‘real estate experts' who do not live in your area.  While national asking/selling price averages might seem useful, they are generally divorced from the reality of a local market.  Real estate web sites do not guarantee or promise that information they present is accurate or up-to-date.  MLS information is the only accurate way to judge price, condition or location.  Generally prices vary across a market place and can vary street to street.

John in Nashville

Someone invited me to a lecture today at a nearby university.  I went, but I wasn't sure in which of the many buildings on the campus the lecture would be.  As it turned out, I parked across the campus from the location, but it was a beautiful day and the little walk was good for me. 

When I found the location, there were lots of students and visitors in the stadium lecture hall.  The lecture was semi-political in nature, and I was SO impressed at the polite attention the students paid and their courtesy to the speaker.  Wow! I am not so sure that in my day, the students would have been this respectful.  Made my day! What an upbeat experience.

Sometimes it is good to go somewhere and get totally away from real estate and have an experience that give you hope that some of the world is going in the right direction.

Now I am ready to go list a house tomorrow!

Sarah in Nashville