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Nashville, TN Real Estate News

By Barry Owen
(Pareto Realty)
Everyone you know FORGETS you every 16 days . . .  Well, they might not all forget you as a person - Friend, Family, Neighbors, & Acquaintances "know" you . . . but do they remember that you're a REALTOR and that you support your family by selling houses? I believe this is one of the greatest emigmas for most REALTORS. Most of us are not "wired" to be organizationally adept . . . In fact, I bet most of us are denying our inner ADDness. The truth is that for us to thrive in business, we must do these 4 things well: 1. Create a database of everyone we know 2. Feed it every day by adding people we meet along the way and keeping information current 3. Communicate with everyone there in a systematic way (At LEAST every 16 days) 4. Service all the leads our efforts generate . . . and service ...
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By Barry Owen
(Pareto Realty)
Just on the chance that this letter would be useful to anyone out there . . . I wrote this morning an open letter to the People of Nashville, TN, my client base, and every REALTOR in my database. This letter is a response to the resounding negative media blitz that ensued when the news of the November Real Estate market statistics in Middle Tennessee hit. I hope you are gearing yourself up for a launch into 2009. The Associations sent their news releases about October's market, and the news media has taken their best shots at doom and gloom. . . . I am passionately defending the viability of our market and feel a responsibility to keep chins UP and do whatever we REALTORS can do to push through all of this and keep things floating. With that in mind . . . I offer the following 2 things:...
Comments 1
By Barry Owen
(Pareto Realty)
Most nights, we have home-cooked meals in our house, Both Deb and I enjoy cooking. Deb's cooking is more gourmet than mine - But that's another story. Our family also likes to eat food cooked by other people (restaurants), and we have our favorites. "Greasy Chinese" "Healthy Chinese" "Authentic Italian" (Either from local Family Restaurant or big chain) "Pizza from the grocery or delivered" How this food gets to our table depends on: What we "feel like eating" . . . The convenience factor . . . Do we want to gather the tribe and load into the car and journey to a restaurant for the full experience? Order Carry-out? (Only one person would need to go to the restaurant, and we'd be able enjoy it at home) Or call for delivery and roll the dice as to when the food will show up and/or if the ...
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By TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc., Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029
(Complete Home Inspections, Inc.)
Invariably, I get several calls a week from potential clients asking, "What do you charge for a home inspection?" What seems like a logical question to ask, when you look into the logistics of what goes into a property inspection, the question may not so be so logical after all. As a home buyer, you are looking at a mortgage payment of several hundred if not thousands of dollars a month. You are going to be paying on this property for a long, long time. What is the knowledge of a good home inspector worth? As independent businessmen who have families to support; life, health, and other insurances to pay; vehicle maintenance; fuel costs; etc.; they have to charge a fee that will support their families and run their businesses. What does it take to support your family? The industry averag...
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At the end of every year, there's a lot of chatter about goal setting. We always offer "The Business Planning Clinic" in our office for our agents to crunch the numbers per the model and set their individual (and team) benchmarks for the coming year. A few days ago, I had an agent approach me to ask me if I would meet with her to work through the numbers with her . . . even though the Business Planning Clinic is happening next week. I agreed, and we sat for @ an hour at the end of which she said that she had attended the clinic every year and emerged with a passel of goals but had never really followed through . . . because it was so confusing and complex. This year feels different . . . Why? Because I cheat . . . making it easier than it should be. Do you REALLY think that your busines...
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By Barry Owen
(Pareto Realty)
Are the finest things in life the most expensive? Does something have to be expensive to be valuable? Do you have to pay a lot of money to  get the best? or Is it all perspective and perception? How 'bout your career? How's it going? I guess most folks reading this post are Independent Contractors - REALTORS or Small business owners. If you don't make sales, you probably don't eat. and the market has not been cooperating these days. Have you considered hiring a coach? or finding a strong accountability partner? There are things to consider: What's YOUR skin in the game? What's it gonna cost? Money? Ego? Pride? Time? Effort? and what's the anticipated return? Money? Satisfaction? Pride? Are you standing in the way of your own success? Can you look yourself in the eye with honesty and int...
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By Roland Woodworth, Blue Cord Realty
(Blue Cord Realty)
 CONGRATULATIONS to the Tennessee Titans for their win today and are now the 2008 AFC South Champions ! The next step is of course to bring the road to the Super Bowl through Nashville. The Tennessee Titans are now 12-1 and lead the NFL with the best record. With only minutes to go inthe 4th QTR Coach Jeff Fisher was rewarded with the cooler of ice water (32* out there)
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By Barry Owen
(Pareto Realty)
As we meander through the whole schimoli of information and news that pummels us daily, do you often find yourself overwhelmed? How do you sort the pile? Who's telling the truth? Who REALLY knows what they're talking about? What IS "recovery"? How will we know when we've turned the corner? On any given day, I could google any given topic and find a whole collage of experts who could easily justify just about any point of view I could possibly imagine. Here's what I think. It's time for each of us to begin to THINK! In our mastermind yesterday, Dortch and I thought . . . and we thought . . . and we thought ... And I think what we thought led to some conclusions. Sure, LISTEN to the experts - READ EVERYTHING you can get your hands on - LEARN as much as you can squeeze into your head - and...
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By Larry Brewer - Benchmark Realty llc
(Benchmark Realty LLc)
Nashville real estate - I have had more phone calls, e-mails, text messages, and contracts from strangers about Nashville and Franklin real estate, than from my sphere of influence for the first time in my career. Most of these people are from other states, but all have the same thing in common. The want to purchase Nashville real estate, and they found me, or my listings on the web. either from my blogs, or my websites. I have to admit, that I was a non-believer at first. I really didn't think that this environment would really generate many Nashville real estate buyers or sellers, but I was wrong. My next 2 scheduled closings are from strangers who found the real estate through my website, and in turn used me as a buyers agent. Thank you Activerain.        
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Ole St Nick has saved the day AGAIN! Read this whole post to learn the strategy that will save your career. In our house, we have 2 VERY energetic young ladies (our daughters) who are VERY excited about Christmas. If you have young ones about your house, you know that excitement creates excitement . . . It's a veritable perpetual energy machine. When Deb and I wake these girls up in the morning, I call it: "starting the blender" Anyhow when Thanksgiving passed, full attention turned to Christmas and the volume seemed to have been turned up a few notches. The excitement was distracting from the "natural order" of the family routine. Santa sent us an Elf to help out. His name is Liam. He came with an instruction (rule) book called "the ELF on the SHELF - A Christmas Tradition" (by Carol V...
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By Barry Owen
(Pareto Realty)
When things were REALLY good and many people were feeling rich and glamorous, keeping up with the Jones's was all the rage. The real estate markets were rising in value MUCH faster than the per capita income, but that was OK because the lending guidelines were loosening up equally fast, and money (Credit) was easy to find. It seems that with all of this excitement, the definition of "Standard Features" in a home also rose. How could we possibly justify these hyper-inflated prices if we didn't increase the baseline perception of value? The Buyers simply HAD to feel like they were getting more by paying more, but that was OK because the counter-tops were solid surface or granite . . . and there were hardwood floors everywhere. The day finally came when it wasn't such a big perk to have Gr...
Comments 8
By Tiffany White, Franklin TN Real Estate
(Keller Williams Realty - Franklin TN)
Just when I thought most Nashville area real estate buyers were on the fence, I had the opportunity to represent a ready, willing and financially able buyer to bring one of many offers on a house that was recently listed. Yes, multiple offers can happen even in this slow market!  The Nashville TN area real estate market shifted to a buyer's market probably about July of 2007 and has remained sluggish with this past summer being unusually boring.  So what would cause a home to bring multiple offers and have 21 showings in one week?  It's just a combination of price and condition.  This Nashville home has been very well cared for and nicely updated plus the price was set slightly below market value.  KUDOS to the listing agent!  This is a great example of what a knowledgeable real estate ...
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By Barry Owen
(Pareto Realty)
My wife loves Chinese food, so we know every Chinese restaurant within a 10 mile radius of our house. The Hands-down favorite is only a few blocks from our office. It's a quiet little place and the food is fabulous. Even better, the owner knows most of the people who eat there. It's not uncommon for him to pull up a chair and sit with us for a few minutes any time we're there. Today, he stopped by the table and noticed that my plate was clean (empty). This is not unusual for me - I ALWAYS clean my plate when I have lunch there. He asked us if we were in a hurry today and offered "a little something sweet" . . . A few minutes later, the most delicious little dessert appeared in front of us. Simply delectable . . . Deb and I decided that is the best restaurant on the planet . . . and so w...
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Susan Ney and Debra Moore are business partners and are affiliated with Countrywide Home Loans. They have recently "opted in" to serve as the "in-house" lending source for our office . . . And these 2 ladies seem to be doing the right things to capture the business, They both seem to be everywhere all the time. I don't know how they're doing it, but it seems that every time I look up - There one of them stands with a smile on her face and a willingness to engage and pitch in. They will succeed where others have not - Even in this strange business environment. By a stroke of luck/faith for all of us :-), Susan's husband is Paul Ney. Mr. Ney holds the position of director of the Mayor's Office of Economic and Community Development. Do you know the director of the Mayor's Office of Economi...
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By TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc., Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029
(Complete Home Inspections, Inc.)
Last night, the 4th annual Lighting of the Green, sponsored by David Lipscomb University; Nashville, TN. was held below the Allen Bell tower on the university campus. This fundraiser supports the Second Harvest Food Banks Feeding Hope Challenge for December 2008. Their goal is to raise 300,000 pounds of food for the hungry here in the Middle and West Tennessee counties. Although the weather was cool, the event was not... Special thanks to Amy Grant for taking time out of her schedule to hosted this wonderful event again. There were appearances by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, Phil Stacey, Trey Hensley, David Lipscomb Elementary Choir, David Lipscomb High School and University Choirs, and many more talented Nashvillians. Thanks to all the musicians and technicians who donated their time and ...
Comments 4
By Larry Brewer - Benchmark Realty llc
(Benchmark Realty LLc)
Nashville real estate - I have a client who was transferred here from Oregon, and when they picked out several homes to view, none seemed special, or even similar. I'm a pretty quick guy, but this one had me stumped. But I didn't say anything until we had looked at a couple, and then I asked my questions. Why did you like the house? It had trees in the back. I can't have a house without mature trees. OK, this is unusually for the Nashville customers I've had in the past. Most like trees, but they don't use it as a major purchasing issue. From now on, I make sure to ask my buyers if trees are important. because most new homes just don't have many. This posting and the contents written here are the intellectual property and opinions of Larry Brewer of Keller Williams Realty. Providing rea...
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New legislation provides a tax credit of as much as $7,500 for first-time home buyers. Time is of the essence for buyers who want to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. This tax credit is only for homes purchased on or after April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009. Let's go over some frequently asked questions regarding the tax credit. Who is eligible to claim the $7,500 tax credit? First -time home buyers who purchase any type of home whether it be new construction or a re-sell. The home must be purchased between the dates mentioned above. For purposes of the tax credit, the purchase date is the date when the closing takes place. What types of homes will qualify for the tax credit? Any home purchased by an eligible first-time buyer can qualify for the credit, but the home has t...
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By Barry Owen
(Pareto Realty)
Isn't email cool? Even more cool are the myriad electronic capabilities for quick communication that seem to be gaining in popularity (and number) daily. We can twit, text, "Status Up-date", write on walls, and gather friends while sitting in a cafe having lunch . . . or even while DRIVING to said cafe. Yep - We're in an electronic world. The messages we send in most of these places are somewhat cryptic because the number of characters allowed are limited . . . and because typing ability is hampered with smaller devices . . . so words are truncated to one letter . . . I'm convinced there's a whole subculture out there who speak "Abbreviated" R U MY BFF? BEWARE! These avenues for communication DO have some very deep and potentially damaging potholes: Open Social Networks - Sure, it's fun...
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By Barry Owen
(Pareto Realty)
I don't really know what got into us this week-end. Perhaps the media "Black Friday" reporting combined with the surge of marketing did it . . . But my family SHOPPED and pretty much knocked out the whole list. For me, shopping for gifts for other people is fun. Isn't that really a big part of what we do as REALTORS? We perpetually shop for "gifts" (houses) for our clients, and this is the part of our business most of us think is most fun, right? ESPECIALLY when we KNOW we have found the PERFECT one. All the same principles apply. We have a budget (Our goal was Less than $15 per person on our list) and we consider the recipient's wants and needs. Urgent Needs come first. For the College Student, money and gift cards for gas and food and school supplies is a need.  We really try to be in...
Comments 4
By TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc., Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029
(Complete Home Inspections, Inc.)
Coming Tuesday, December 2, 2008... Lipscomp University proudly presents it's 4th Annual... Lighting of the Green... Hosted by Amy Grant Featuring: The Fisk Jubilee Singers Ruth McGinnis American Idol fiinalsist - Phil Stacey Trey Hensley The Nashville Pipes and Drums The Lipscomb choruses and Santa and Mrs. Clause... Festivites start at 5:30 and go on till 7:00 PM. Event will be held at the Allen Bell Tower on the DLU Campus. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, family and friends for this exciting event... In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held in the Allen Arena. 
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