music city center — Nashvillehousepro.com

Tuesday’s Tip: How to Transform Popcorn Ceilings

July 16, 2013 by claytate Leave a Comment

Popcorn. I hate it. And no, I’m not talking about the buttery, salty snack. I’m talking about popcorn ceilings. And if you are like me, they are the bane of your existence. As a realtor, I have seen so many buyers walk away from a perfectly good home because of the ceilings.

So if you happen to have a room or two with them—here’s a low mess, NO SCRAPE option that will have potential buyers bragging about your “custom” features.

1. Choose your material: Whether you use simple plywood cut into strips, tongue & groove, or bead board panels. (Lowe’s has a great option by EverTrue).

2. Stagger, Stagger, Stagger. Make sure you stagger the individual boards or panels. Think about a hardwood floor…the boards don’t all start in the same place. Use a nail gun and attach a board directly to the ceiling. Vary the sizes of the boards. I also recommend adding some adhesive for extra hold. If you are using any type of panel, you may want to add braces until it sets.

3. Fill nail holes; add your molding.
Yes friends, it really is that easy!

Search the entire MLS for your next home here!

Tuesday’s Tip: How to Clean a Glass Stovetop

July 9, 2013 by claytate Leave a Comment

Ahh, the kitchen. It’s referred to as the heart of a home. A place to gather, cook and be a family. But if your house is on the market, this one room can make or break a sale! Buyers notice the little things—and believe it or not, a dirty stovetop can send the wrong message. A little grime can make your appliances look old and dated. And who wants to sink money into new appliances in a home you are trying to sell?

So roll up your sleeves, and let’s start! This Tuesday’s Tip will have your stovetop looking like new!

How to Clean a Glass Stovetop

Bowl & Hot Soapy Water
Baking Soda
A Cleaning Rag
Gloves

First, fill up a bowl with some hot water and blue liquid Dawn. (don’t use generic, trust me!) and soak the rag.
Generously sprinkle baking soda over your stovetop, making sure the areas that have scorch marks are covered.
Squeeze out any excess water out of the rag and lay it flat on top of the stove.
Set a timer for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes (20 if you have some serious grime), take the rag and scrub in circles. The baking soda forms this magic paste that will dissolve even the most stubborn spots. Make sure you rinse and repeat.

Want to really show off? Spray a little vinegar on it, and wipe dry. Presto! Your stovetop will look as good as new!

Search the entire MLS for your next home here!

Market Monday: The Music City Center and Nashville Market Report

May 20, 2013 by claytate Leave a Comment

This weekend was huge for Nashville as Nashville’s premier convention center, the Music City Center, opened its doors to the public for the first time. This $500 million endeavor has been a controversial topic around Nashville, but it’s hard to overlook the structure’s state-of-the-art design and the positive economic impact that it will have on the businesses within the loop. If you haven’t been inside, it’s definitely worth a look. Now your weekly real estate market fix…

Nashville Real Estate Market Flyover

Homes

3053 Nashville homes are currently for sale
Average list price over the last week: $347,406
246 Nashville homes were placed on the market last week (down from 288 the previous week)
156 Nashville homes closed last week (up from 132 the previous week)
Average Sale Price over the last two weeks: $269,718

Condos

928 Nashville condos are for currently for sale
Average list price over the last week: $151,046
92 Nashville condos were placed on the market last week (up from 87 the previous week)
40 Nashville Condos closed last week (up from 38 the previous week)
Average Sale Price over the last two weeks: $187,147

Brentwood Real Estate Market Flyover

Homes

389 Brentwood homes are for currently for sale
Average list price over the last week: $878,418
30 Brentwood homes were placed on the market last week (up from 19 the previous week)
24 Brentwood homes closed last week (up from 16 the previous week)
Average Sale Price over the last two weeks: $675,707

Condos

9 Brentwood condos are currently for sale
Average list price: $327,888
1 Brentwood condos were placed on the market last week (down from 2 the previous week)
1 Brentwood condo closed last week (no change from 1 the previous week)
Average Sale Price over the last two weeks: $166,500

Franklin Real Estate Market Flyover

Homes

769 Franklin homes are currently for sale
Average list price over the last week: $552,517
68 Franklin homes were placed on the market last week (up from 41 the previous week)
38 Franklin homes closed last week (up from 31 the previous week)
Average Sale Price over the last two weeks: $484,832

Condos

79 Franklin condos are currently for sale
Average list price: $225,426
6 Franklin condos were placed on the market last week (down from 8 the previous week)
3 Franklin condos closed last week (down from 4 the previous week)
Average Sale Price over the last two weeks: $217,414

To Search Homes in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin (or anywhere else in Middle Tennessee) click here.

Watch as the Music City Center is Built in Under 2 Minutes

May 18, 2013 by claytate Leave a Comment

The Music City Center grand opening is Sunday (5/19) and Monday (5/20) so make sure you head down to check it out. Take in some great music, activities for the family and the word on the street is that there will even be a zip-line! For a full line up of the weekends events check out VisitMusicCity.com

Top 5 Real Estate Lessons of 2012

December 31, 2012 by claytate Leave a Comment

Today is a great day to look back on an entire year and take it all in. It’s a great time to remember and be thankful, a great time to plan and a great time to learn. With that in mind I have decided to put together a short “Top 5” list of lessons learned in the 2012 real estate market.

This list will mainly focus on the Middle Tennessee market, but will also incorporate a bird’s eye view of the real estate market across the entire nation. So here we go, in no particular order of importance…

Lesson #5

The Nashville area is a desirable place to live

The Nashville metro area is growing. By 2025 the Nashville are is supposed to increase in population from 1.5 million to 2.1 million. That is a pretty crazy growth spurt if you think about it. And people are coming for more all kinds of reasons. Some are looking for advanced schooling at one of the many local universities.

Others are encouraged by Nashville’s healthy economy, job market and a thriving real estate market. And some are here to enjoy the unique culture of Music City, USA. And to top it off, Franklin and Hendersonville, two Nashville suburbs, were ranked #52 and #87 in CNN Money’s BEST PLACES TO LIVE of 2012.

Here’s a little more about Nashville being a desirable city.

Lesson #4

Nashville is planning for the future and taking calculated risks

The city has invested it’s time and tax payer resources in the development of the Music City Center – a state of the art convention center at the heart of the city in downtown. I wrote about how this project is polarizing and how Nashville needs it to be a success here.

Also the city is engaged in the planning of a bus rapid transit system. The East-West Connector would run along West End from the west side of Nashville downtown to the east side of town on the other side of the Cumberland River. This project has also had mixed reviews (doesn’t every city project), but it is another example of the city ramping up for impending population growth.

Lesson #3

Williamson County real estate remains in high demand

Real estate sales in Williamson County for 2012 were up over 27% from 2011 (2011 was up over 8% from 2010). That’s quite the increase from year to year and it speaks volumes about the condition of the market. Expect home values to increase in 2013 and for days on market to decrease as supply dips below demand even further.

Williamson County Schools have traditionally been considered a cut above the rest, so combine that with lower property taxes, a traditionally more family-friendly landscape and proximity to Cool Springs, you can see why Williamson County real estate is in high demand.

If you are thinking about moving to Williamson County, you might want to make your move before the Spring rush of 2013.

Lesson #2

Nashville is a great place for business

Long considered only a country music town, Nashville has show that it has a superb environment for start-up business as well as major corporations that are interested in lowering their costs and long-term profitability. Nashville was selected as the #3 city in the US where start-up businesses are thriving by a CNN Money report.

The report says that the city offers a lower cost of living than rival cities in Silicon Valley or the Northeast. Jerry Bostelman, CEO of a Nashville staffing company, said, “Young entrepreneurs are wrong to think Nashville is just some hillbilly town.”

Right you are Jerry. Right you are.

Lesson #1

Don’t Worry About the Fiscal Cliff

Don’t laugh – I’m serious. The fiscal cliff is something that is real, but in my opinion the hype is exceeding the fallout. Now you might think that sounds flippant, but I just think if you live in the Nashville area you have little to worry about and here’s why.

A) Real estate numbers are up everywhere, not just Williamson County. Hendersonville is experiencing growth, Davidson County sales are up as are sales in Mount Juliet. B) The job market in Nashville is pretty strong and the Nashville area is a great place for businesses to start, grow and thrive. C) Nashville’s economy is diverse and stable (relative to the rest of America it’s almost rock solid).

Of course I don’t have a crystal ball, but if we do go over the fiscal cliff I’m betting on my city to walk away without a scratch.

A Final Note of 2012

Hopefully this list will help you plan for 2013 and might even spur you into investing into real estate in the Nashville area. Nashville and the surrounding communities are a great place to live, work and play and I am very fortunate to be able to serve people in the area. Thanks for a great 2012 and let me know if you need any FREE advice. 🙂

Nashville Needs Music City Center To Be An Enormous Success

December 17, 2012 by claytate 1 Comment

$623 million project is polarizing

The New York Times recently wrote an article called “Nashville Gambles on Lure of New Convention Center”. [to read that article click here] The title stuck out to me, specifically the use of the word “gambles”. Since the inception of the 350,000 square foot “widescraper” several years ago, the project has been divisive.

City officials and tax payers have had different theories as to what would be best suited for Downtown Nashville and for the city at large. For a long time Nashville’s urban (and suburban) areas have been transformed by private developers and the growth has been indicative of the current market.

“If you build it, they will come.” – Nashville

As people begin to return to urban areas instead of creeping further out to the suburbs developers and builders created product to meet the demand. These builders speculated about the future market to create products in an attempt to get in front of the oncoming demand, but not on a large scale. People’s desires to move to urban locations were the driving force of that area building.

In the case of Nashville’s Music City Center the building is supposed to be the driving force that will draw people to the city. Mayor Dean admitted that this project would be risky, but that now was the time, with record low interest rates and construction costs, to “bet” on the city of Nashville.

[Search Downtown Condos for Sale]

Early indicators are positive.

According to the NYT article nearly 90 events (including the NRA in 2015) and over 700,000 hotel room nights have been reserved. Land value in the shadow of the convention center is increasing in value, restaurants, hotels and the Country Music Hall of Fame are increasing in size to accommodate expected tourists. Also there is a general buzz that has been created around the city. Most people are kind of excited to see the finished product and see how this puts Nashville on the map.

Still there are large unanswered questions looming: What if tourist expectations aren’t met? Which government services will have to be cut to pay for the debt incurred by the creation of the Music City Center? How will the creation of the Music City Center immediately effect the Downtown Nashville residential real estate market? How will the unstable national economy effect convention attendance?

Soon these questions will be answered and we are all hoping that Nashville’s decision to build the Music City Center proves to be the right one.

My opinion?

As a Realtor and a resident of Davidson County my opinion is mixed. I am concerned about the timing of the project because of financial indicators, the national economy and the cost of the project. But on the other hand, I am excited about the short term effect the Music City Center has already had on the city. The buzz that has been created is great and groups are booking events. That is a good sign.

If this project delivers all that has been promised then the return generated will eventually outweigh the risk. I think the Music City Center is something Nashville has needed. Hopefully tourists will agree…and spend their money.