Congratulations to all of our agents that made Broker’s Choice for the month of December, 2011!

Brentwood Office

John Thomas

Bogle Waggoner Team(Becky Bogle, Pat Waggoner, Mike Waggoner)


Gayla Moore

Craig Johnson

Rick Messick

Melissa Eubanks

Karen Neal

Donnel Milam

Cool Springs/Franklin Office

Kim Day Shacklock

Goodlettsville Office

Joy Boykin

Diane Barbee

Gallatin Office

Cindi Malone

Pat Hutton

Pat Briley

Mt. Juliet Office

Angela Bavetta


Daisy Hall

Carol Palmer

Murfreesboro Office

Mitchell Bowman


Scott Zeller

Kelley Ammon


Debra Beagle


Tammy & Terry Coleman

Debbie Bailey


Steven Taylor

Trey Randolph

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Ready for your next move?
Visit one of our offices today!

Fastest-Growing Real Estate Franchise

Simple Tips to Prevent House Fires

Foreclosed Home Search

Refresh, Renew, Revitalize with Spring

Natural Pesticides

Moving Checklist

How to Improve Your Home’s Appeal

Tricks to Keep Your Home Cool This Summer

The American Dream

Just Listed

We’re listing homes all over the area, old and new
Why don’t you give us a call to set up a view

When it comes to real estate, we’re not rookies
We’ll light the candles and bake some cookies

We’ll even stage your home in a special way
Let you know what the buyers have to say

We’ll advertise each home really well
We’ll do everything we can to make the sale

Facebook, Twitter, text or call
We’ll get your homes posted on every wall

We’ll host an open house or maybe two
We won’t stop til the closing is through

Listing and Selling is our forte
It’s what we do each and every day!

Give us a call and we’ll see what we can do
If you’re buying or selling.. WE’D LOVE TO HELP YOU!

From the Front Porch Swing

Sipping my cup a tea, a luminous sunrise greets me
Song birds flock overhead with ease singing their lovely melodies
A squirrel, a chipmunk and a lizard or two, stop by for a quick hello and how do you do

From the Front Porch Swing

Life can be so grand… sitting next to my love, holding his hand
A cuddle, a kiss, a wink… all go hand in hand with a nice cold drink
Conversations about the day … listening closely to everything he has to say

From the Front Porch Swing

The view is absolutely amazing … the sun above with brilliant rays of light blazing
Listening to the rustle of the leaves as the wind blows through the Summer trees
With a heavy sigh and a soft smile .. I could sit here for a very long while

From the Front Porch Swing

The days light slowly turns to night
The June bugs slow their hummm and lightening bugs come out for a bit of fun
The moon’s light and twinkle from the stars above fill me with a warm, gentle kind of love

From the Front Porch Swing

Problems and stress all fade away, now this is the way to spend your day!
Swinging to and fro… letting it all go.
Come have a seat next to me… You’ll too see how great life can be.

From the Front Porch Swing

By Raventalker

LET US HELP YOU FIND THAT PERFECT PLACE FOR YOUR FRONT PORCH SWING!
Visit one of our offices today!

Now you can now compare properties side by side with the new and improved Coldwell Banker Barnes, Snow & Wall, Real Estate Now websites.

Compare prices, acreage, number of bed and bathrooms, lot size, price per sq ft, and much more.

Below is a QUICK TUTORIAL ON HOW TO SEARCH AND COMPARE:

(click on each image to enlarge)

Step 1: visit www.coldwellbankerbarnes.com (Nashville office), www.snowandwall.com (Murfreesboro Office) or www.realestatenow.com (Jackson Office) – enter your search criteria then click GO

Click to enlarge

Step 2: Check the box next to the properties that you would like to compare. TIP: you may want to narrow your search by checking the menu listed on the left.

click to enlarge

Step 3: Click Compare Selected at the bottom of the search page

click to enlarge

 

Step 4: DONE! You can now view your selected properties on a side by side comparison screen. When done comparing – click the “X” in the top right corner of the comparison view window to go back to your search.

click to enlarge

Getting a Home Ready to Sell

Getting a home ready for sell

From a House to a Home

Once upon a time in a land not so far away .. there was a house who always dreamed of becoming a home.

It sat there centered perfectly on its lot, landscaping strategically placed so it wouldn’t look so bare…
It had hopes that someone would notice, that someone would care.

There was a driveway, paved all in stone
A walk lined with a floral flare that led to a mat at the door with a greeting… “Welcome Home”

The entry wasn’t too small nor too grand
It simply left a statement that whispered softly, “Welcome home my friend”

Granite counter tops and appliances all done in steel
Gave the kitchen a really nice look and feel

A fireplace each, warmed the living room, den and master suite
Freshly laid carpet made the floors soft and comfy beneath your feet

Walk-in closets and storage galore
This house had everything you could think of and a little bit more

There was but one thing missing to make this dream a reality
So it got itself listed by by a top notch realty

A family was in need to make this place a home… not just a house
Come take a look, its easy you see..  by a simple click of the mouse!


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Ready to find a place to call home?   Visit one of our offices today!

We have 7 offices located in the Jackson, Nashville and the Middle Tennessee areas, fully staffed with the most knowledgeable and caring agents the industry can provide.

Stop by, give us a call, friend us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter..
When it comes to your real estates needs… We’re here for YOU!

Tax Tips When You’re Selling Your Home

 

2011 Wall Street Journal – Real Trends “The Thousand”

To showcase the Coldwell Banker brand’s success on the 2011 Wall Street Journal/Real Trends “The Thousand,” we wanted to share the following statistics:

• The Coldwell Banker brand had 28% of all agents on the individual sides list, 20% higher than our nearest competitor.

• The Coldwell Banker brand had 34% of all agents on the individual sales volume list, more than double our nearest competitor.

• The Coldwell Banker brand had 22% of all teams on the team sales volume list, 14.5% higher than our nearest competitor.

Consumers have chosen Coldwell Banker for years for their real estate needs because they understand that those with the Coldwell Banker brand have “it” — the combination of trust-inspiring abilities, dedication to your craft and willingness to overcome obstacles.

For Coldwell Banker agents, this is more than a job. It’s a calling. Coldwell Banker agents enjoy what they do and that shows!

Relocation through a Buyer’s Eyes…and a Coldwell Banker Agent

2010 was the year of change for my husband and I. As Baby Boomers facing retirement in a few years, we decided it was time to explore options other than California to call home.  As a Realtor for 25 years in California specializing in corporate relocation, I had a lot of experience and wonderful memories helping buyers not only find a special home in a completely new area, but also helping them get settled quickly into their new neighborhood.  It took a solid commitment of working together 8-10 hours a day during their limited time to find a home.  Whether it was picking them up at the airport and getting a sitter for the children to make the best of a 2-day house hunting trip, or getting fresh water for the dogs, cats, and even bunny rabbits that had made the long trip across country, I was the “can do”, “do all” Realtor..

So when we started our house hunting adventure in the Nashville area, we told our Realtor that we would look at homes within an hour radius of Nashville, and were open to researching various counties and cities within our budget of $300,000 and minimum requirements of a 2500 sq. ft. home on at least an acre with room to build a shop for hubby’s toys if there wasn’t one on the property.  In California, we might have received 10 homes to consider…but in the Nashville area we received a list of nearly 200 to start narrowing down. 

We put 800 miles on a rental car the first week, driving around by ourselves the first 2 days to eliminate as many properties as we could to come up with a reasonable number to view with our agent.  We did find a great house on our second trip out here, only to find out that sink holes and septic systems eliminated any space for hubby’s workshop… so the hunt continued.  We found many that looked great in online photos, only to discover the pictures were at least a year old and in reality, the glamour shots did not really portray what we actually saw.  We found other homes that were perfect… but could not get back out to Nashville to see them before they sold. 

On our 4^th or 5^th trip, we found a great home that belonged to a Coldwell Banker Barnes agent, wrote up an offer that was accepted, and 30 days later were the proud owners of our new home north of Nashville, just 2 miles from a boat ramp on the Cumberland River and Old Hickory Lake.  We met with a contractor who could quickly build a shop, as we went back to California to start the other half of the process – packing and shipping cars, boats, and furniture over 2400 miles to our new home.  Luckily we did not have to sell our CA home first, so our stress level was reduced by not having a deadline to vacate that house… other than the financial stress of carrying two properties!

 I drove the Corvette across country with 2 camping chairs and an airbed, and spent the first two nights looking at my shiny Burmese teakwood floors in my vacant house! I flew back to CA, and a month later, hubby and I caravanned across country a second time, with Ted hauling his hotrod with our pickup truck, and me driving a rented pickup truck hauling our new boat we had just purchased.  3 days later, we were here, safely stowing those toys in the newly built workshop.  And 2 days after that, we were driving back to CA in Ted’s pickup, to make another trip across country with the 2^nd hotrod and 2^nd boat that had a “for sale” on the trailer as we drove through Nevada, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and down into Tennessee.  We flew back home, and finished packing the house, just in time for hubby to go back to work, and the truck driver says to me “See you in Nashville in 3 days!!!”  So with a deer in the headlights stare at him, the light bulb went on that he was right – someone had to be there to unlock the door to receive 25,000 lbs. of household furniture and boxes!  I quickly packed the cat carrier, food, water & litter for her, a few clothes for me, locked the door, and started one more 2400 mile trip across country, this time through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and whatever other states I crossed on the southern route. 

I met the movers with a bleery-eyed, exhausted smile, and quickly got overloaded with “where do you want this?” and “where does this go?”, but at the end of the day, kitty and I had all of our stuff in the new house.  What to do with it all was the next step.  Good thing we had the workshop built with a 60’ long loft storage area!! I laughed as I found boxes still unopened from the previous 400 mile relocation 15 years earlier. 

Looking back now, a year later, we couldn’t be happier.  We have wonderful neighbors, the fun of going into “Music City Nashville” to the honky tonks and Titan football games and Predator hockey games. We found wine tasting such as we enjoyed in California… and experienced the South’s own version of wine tasting – the bourbon barrel tour in Kentucky! We’ve gone to the Corvette assembly plant, and took the maiden voyage in our new boat on the Cumberland this past winter…with a 1” layer of icy slush on the water!

I am now a happy Tennessee Realtor with Coldwell Banker Barnes, with a new insight and sensitivity to how I work with my clients.  Unless you have experienced it personally, it is sometimes difficult to understand the emotional stress of a life-changing decision to buy a new home, especially when it involves a relocation move and is far from family and friends and a lifestyle you are familiar with.  My neighbors were wonderful in recommending banks, doctors, schools, restaurants and other necessities. 

So I will again be specializing in corporate relocation, and treating every client with the new understanding and personal experience of all the frustration, tension, excitement, anticipation and happiness of making a new house a new home.  Buyer’s remorse?  Let me tell you all about it… and yes, it does go away in a day or two after the first “Oh my gosh – what have we done?” when you’ve received acceptance on your offer and there’s no turning back!

PS – we did finally sell our California home last month, and can sleep well at night again!

Sincerly yours,
Rosie Mietzel

10 Easy Tips to Winterize Your Home

So you’ve pulled your sweaters out of mothballs and found your mittens at the bottom of the coat closet. But what about your house — is it prepared for the cold months ahead?

You’ll be a lot less comfortable in the coming months if you haven’t girded Home Sweet Home for Old Man Winter.

With the help of several experts, we’ve boiled down your autumn to-do list to 10 easy tips:

1. Clean those gutters  
Once the leaves fall, remove them and other debris from your home’s gutters — by hand, by scraper or spatula, and finally by a good hose rinse — so that winter’s rain and melting snow can drain. Clogged drains can form ice dams, in which water backs up, freezes and causes water to seep into the house, the Insurance Information Institute says. 
As you’re hosing out your gutters, look for leaks and misaligned pipes. Also, make sure the downspouts are carrying water away from the house’s foundation, where it could cause flooding or other water damage.

“The rule of thumb is that water should be at least 10 feet away from the house,” says Michael Broili, the director of the Well Home Program for the Phinney Neighborhood Association, a nationally recognized neighborhood group in Seattle.

2. Block those leaks
One of the best ways to winterize your home is to simply block obvious leaks around your house, both inside and out, experts say. The average American home has leaks that amount to a nine-square-foot hole in the wall, according to EarthWorks Group.

Then, buy door sweeps to close spaces under exterior doors, and caulk or apply tacky rope caulk to those drafty spots, says Danny Lipford, host of the nationally syndicated TV show “Today’s Homeowner.” Outlet gaskets can easily be installed in electrical outlets that share a home’s outer walls, where cold air often enters.

Outside, seal leaks with weather-resistant caulk. For brick areas, use masonry sealer, which will better stand up to freezing and thawing. “Even if it’s a small crack, it’s worth sealing up,” Lipford says. “It also discourages any insects from entering your home.”

3. Insulate yourself
“Another thing that does cost a little money — but boy, you do get the money back quick — is adding insulation to the existing insulation in the attic,” says Lipford. “Regardless of the climate conditions you live in, in the (U.S.) you need a minimum of 12 inches of insulation in your attic.”

Don’t clutter your brain with R-values or measuring tape, though. Here’s Lipford’s rule of thumb on whether you need to add insulation: “If you go into the attic and you can see the ceiling joists you know you don’t have enough, because a ceiling joist is at most 10 or 11 inches.”

A related tip: If you’re layering insulation atop other insulation, don’t use the kind that has “kraft face” finish (i.e., a paper backing). It acts as a vapor barrier, Lipford explains, and therefore can cause moisture problems in the insulation.

4. Check the furnace
First, turn your furnace on now, to make sure it’s even working, before the coldest weather descends. A strong, odd, short-lasting smell is natural when firing up the furnace in the autumn; simply open windows to dissipate it. But if the smell lasts a long time, shut down the furnace and call a professional.

It’s a good idea to have furnaces cleaned and tuned annually. Costs will often run about $100-$125. An inspector should do the following, among other things: 

Throughout the winter you should change the furnace filters regularly (check them monthly). A dirty filter impedes air flow, reduces efficiency and could even cause a fire in an extreme case. Toss out the dirty fiberglass filters; reusable electrostatic or electronic filters can be washed.

5. Get your ducts in a row
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a home with central heating can lose up to 60% of its heated air before that air reaches the vents if ductwork is not well-connected and insulated, or if it must travel through unheated spaces. That’s a huge amount of wasted money, not to mention a chilly house. (Check out this audit tool for other ideas on how to save on your energy bills this winter.)

Ducts aren’t always easy to see, but you can often find them exposed in the attic, the basement and crawlspaces. Repair places where pipes are pinched, which impedes flow of heated air to the house, and fix gaps with a metal-backed tape (duct tape actually doesn’t stand up to the job over time).

Ducts also should be vacuumed once every few years, to clean out the abundant dust, animal hair and other gunk that can gather in them and cause respiratory problems.

6. Face your windows
Now, of course, is the time to take down the window screens and put up storm windows, which provide an extra layer of protection and warmth for the home. Storm windows are particularly helpful if you have old, single-pane glass windows. But if you don’t have storm windows, and your windows are leaky or drafty, “They need to be updated to a more efficient window,” says Lipford.

Of course, windows are pricey. Budget to replace them a few at a time, and in the meantime, buy a window insulator kit, Lipford and Broili recommend. Basically, the kit is plastic sheeting that’s affixed to a window’s interior with double-stick tape. A hair dryer is then used to shrink-wrap the sheeting onto the window. (It can be removed in the spring.) “It’s temporary and it’s not pretty, but it’s inexpensive (about $4 a window) and it’s extremely effective,” says Lipford.

7. Don’t forget the chimney
Ideally, spring is the time to think about your chimney, because “chimney sweeps are going crazy right now, as you might have guessed,” says Ashley Eldridge, director of education for the Chimney Safety Institute of America.

That said, don’t put off your chimney needs before using your fireplace, Eldridge advises. “A common myth is that a chimney needs to be swept every year,” says Eldridge. Not true. But a chimney should at least be inspected before use each year, he adds. “I’ve seen tennis balls and ducks in chimneys,” he says.

Ask for a Level 1 inspection, in which the professional examines the readily accessible portions of the chimney, Eldridge says. “Most certified chimney sweeps include a Level 1 service with a sweep,” he adds.

Woodstoves are a different beast, however, cautions Eldridge. They should be swept more than once a year. A general rule of thumb is that a cleaning should be performed for every ¼ inch of creosote, “anywhere that it’s found.” Why? “If it’s ash, then it’s primarily lye — the same stuff that was once used to make soap, and it’s very acidic.” It can cause mortar and the metal damper to rot, Eldridge says.

Another tip: Buy a protective cap for your chimney, with a screen, advises Eldridge. “It’s probably the single easiest protection” because it keeps out foreign objects (birds, tennis balls) as well as rain that can mix with the ash and eat away at the fireplace’s walls. He advises buying based on durability, not appearance.

One other reminder: To keep out cold air, fireplace owners should keep their chimney’s damper closed when the fireplace isn’t in use. And for the same reason, woodstove owners should have glass doors on their stoves, and keep them closed when the stove isn’t in use.

Check out CSIA’S Web site for a list of certified chimney sweeps in your area.

8. Reverse that fan
“Reversing your ceiling fan is a small tip that people don’t often think of,” says Lipford. By reversing its direction from the summer operation, the fan will push warm air downward and force it to recirculate, keeping you more comfortable. (Here’s how you know the fan is ready for winter: As you look up, the blades should be turning clockwise, says Lipford.)

9. Wrap those pipes
A burst pipe caused by a winter freeze is a nightmare. Prevent it before Jack Frost sets his grip: Before freezing nights hit, make certain that the water to your hose bibs is shut off inside your house (via a turnoff valve), and that the lines are drained, says Broili. In climes such as Portland, Ore., or Seattle, where freezing nights aren’t commonplace, you can install Styrofoam cups with a screw attachment to help insulate spigots, says Broili. 

Next, go looking for other pipes that aren’t insulated, or that pass through unheated spaces — pipes that run through crawlspaces, basements or garages. Wrap them with pre-molded foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulation, available at hardware stores. If you’re really worried about a pipe freezing, you can first wrap it with heating tape, which is basically an electrical cord that emits heat.

10. Finally, check those alarms
This is a great time to check the operation — and change the batteries — on your home’s smoke detectors. Detectors should be replaced every 10 years, fire officials say. Test them — older ones in particular — with a small bit of actual smoke, and not just by pressing the “test” button. Check to see that your fire extinguisher is still where it should be, and still works.

Also, invest in a carbon-monoxide detector; every home should have at least one.

Real-Estate Myths

Don’t fall for real-estate myths in this market

It’s easy to think that because we’re in a buyers market, buyers can call all the shots: Wait weeks before deciding whether to make an offer on a particular house, find grateful acceptance of lowball offers or scoop up homes for 50% of the asking price.

Your worst real-estate enemy? You

Good luck with that. Clinging to those and other popular myths may keep you from getting the house you want.

I’m always amused to see how unrealistic some of the would-be buyers are on the TV house-hunting shows. But when I was 25, I knew everything, too — even if I didn’t realize my life would never be complete without granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances.

Syndicated columnist Lew Sichelman had a column in last weekend’s Los Angeles Times about some of the real-estate myths that can keep buyers from getting the homes they want.

“… many people believe they can make any bid they want, no matter how ridiculous, because it’s a buyers market. False,” he wrote. “Even foreclosures and short sales are never priced at half their value ‘or anything even close to that type of fire-sale discount,’ says Christina Rordam of Exit Real Estate Results in Longwood, Fla.”

Is the buyers market a mirage?

No one can predict how a particular seller will respond to an offer, whether the seller is an individual or a bank. If the seller doesn’t like you, you run the risk that he will refuse to deal with you.

Here are some other myths that could doom your purchase:

• If the house has been on the market a long time, the seller will take a low offer. Wrong. The house could be on the market a long time because the seller not only won’t take a low offer but also won’t take a reasonable offer.
• A distressed property is always cheaper. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t. Lenders aren’t always logical in their negotiations, so you may get as good a deal or better from a realistic homeowner.
• If you look long enough, you’ll find your perfect house. Afraid not. The perfect house doesn’t exist, at least not in your price range. And that’s true no matter what your price range.
• Your family and friends will give you good advice about real estate. They’ll give you advice, all right. But it is unlikely to be as good as the advice you’ll get from a professional.

We’ll offer one more piece of advice: All real estate is local. Very local.

Don’t fall victim to a lying seller

That means that while it may be a buyers market nationwide, or even in your city, it could easily be a sellers market in your first-choice neighborhood. Do your homework.

Look at houses for sale in your desired neighborhood

• If you’re thinking of buying a home, we suggest you dig into the articles in in the homebuyer’s section of MSN Real Estate. That should save you from a few misconceptions and a lot of wasted time.

Getting it SOLD!

Coldwell Banker has a long history of professionalism in the Real Estate Industry and that same professionalism has been incorporated in the Auction Industry.  All the Auctioneers working with Coldwell Banker Barnes Auction are highly trained, respected individuals who have set the industry standard for successful auction marketing in the Southeast.

Testimonial from Doris Crews Frizzell:

October 8th was a very tough day for me and my family. We had to sell our Mother’s beloved property and many of her things at auction. We are truly blessed to know Beth & Jim Obrien our neighbors, Debra Beagle who I love staging homes for, and through them, met Ralph McKee, Auctioneer with Coldwell Banker Snow and Wall. The guidance and care given to us from these wonderful people will never be forgotten. Because of the success of the auction, our mother will be able to live in a beautiful place and hopefully have a long and happy life.

Ralph, his crew, and Debra went way beyond the call of duty. I highly recommend this company, Ralph McKee, and Debra Beagle whom I’ve worked with many, many times, to anyone who needs to auction or sell their property.

Thank you all so much,
Doris Crews Frizzell

Another Key to Getting it SOLD:

Home staging allows you to highlight the best features of your home and outshine all other similar properties on the market at the same time. When buyers tour your home, you want “wow” them and you want them to be able to see themselves living there. Home staging makes that happen! Staged homes sell faster and for more money than identical properties on the market that have not been staged.

Visit Doris’ website for photos and more information about staging your home to sell.

Simply Sophisticated Home Staging

Congrats from Jim Gillespie – Coldwell Banker

We are so proud to have received this message from Jim Gillespie yesterday afternoon:

Dear David,

It is an honor to announce that Coldwell Banker Barnes has attained the following Quarterly Awards for the 3^rd Quarter of 2011.

  Rank                    Award

 28                      Top 50 Companies in North America-Adjusted Gross Commission

 23                      Top 50 Companies in North America-Units

I am extremely proud of the achievements of Coldwell Banker Barnes and commend you and your entire staff for your exemplary performance and dedication.  It is due to this commitment that Coldwell Banker Barnes continues to be a distinguished member of the Coldwell Banker^® family and I look forward to your continued success. 

Click here to view the full list of Top 50 Companies Nationally on coldwellbankerworks.com

Best Regards,

Jim Gillespie

10 Fall Lawn Care Tips