Nashville Tennessee Living

Nashville TN Real Estate 

Villages of Brentwood October/November 2011 Market Report

The sales in Villages of Brentwood more than doubled in October and November, compared to the number of homes sold in 2010. Only 2 homes sold in the two month period in 2010 and 5 homes closed in the same period this year.

The Days on the market dropped from 107 days to only 70.

The average sales price on the 2 homes sold in 2010 was $184,450. The average of those sold in 2011 was only $148,660. However the Average Sales Price per Square Foot on dropped from $89.32 to $87.31. This indicates that the homes that sold this year were considerably smaller than those of last year.

In the Villages of Brentwood, there are currently 6 homes actively for sale with an average asking price of $163,966. The average asking price/square foot is $104, a good bit higher than those sold. These homes have already been on the market for an average of 69 days.

Homes continue to sell in December and January, but only those priced correctly.

Brentwood TN Real Estate November 2011

Sales were up just 1/2 of a percent in November compared with the November sales in 2010. The number went from 40 closings in 2010 to 42 in 2011.

The Average List Price went from $620,128 to $707,107 up 14%.

The Average Sales Price increased from $587,054 to $669,733 also up 14%. 

Brentwood TN Real Estate has floundered somewhat the past couple of years.

There has been an up-turn of the higher end properties selling. This is the main reason for the steep increase in prices.

We looked at the median sales price, the numbers went from $528,750 to $589,874. This was still a 12% increase.

The average days on the market are down from 111 to 103. This is a great sign for sellers as we head back into the spring market in the next few months.

Christmas Eve at Brentwood Baptist Church 2011

The Candlelight Service at Brentwood Baptist was wonderful this evening. We sang Christmas Carols together with the Worship Leaders and then Emily did this beautiful adaptation of John 1: 1-18.

Mike Glen, the pastor was very engaging and we closed the service singing All is Well while the candles were lit. 

It's always amazing to see this huge sanctuary lit up by the candles that the congregation holds. We sat very near the front and I was able to turn my head to the right and see up into the balcony.

I'm sorry I couldn't take better pictures. My husband was mortified I was taking them in Church.

What does he understand about blogging! LOL

Merry Christmas!

Is it Possible to Engage all of your Subscribers?

The Holidays are upon us and we're thinking of those who we love, or just friends we miss. We often reach out to people we haven't talked to in a while.

I was thinking of a blog post that Sheldon Neal did a few year ago. He actually went to each of his subscribers' blogs and left a comment. "Wow", I remember thinking.

So I'm asking myself, "Can't I do at least that?" Can't I call them and wish them a Merry Christmas? It seems to me that Margaret Rome did something similar.

It's not about copying what someone else has done, but to make sure that I am truly engaged with those that choose to take the time to read my posts.

I've been working on this now for several days. I've made several phone calls and have left over 50 who knows how many comments! I have many more to do.

Though the feedback on the comments has been good, it's the phone calls that are really making a difference!

I have read and commented on some AR member's posts for 3 years now. Others just this past year. I feel like we know each other yet I've never "spoken" to them. Today, talking to several AR members I got to know even more about them. Kids, grandkids, parents.

I feel like it's taking our friendship to a new level. I haven't had this much fun in ages!

Are you one of my subscribers? Will I be calling you? If I don't get to call, I promise I'll be reading you this week and commenting!

December Challenge days 20 and 21

Christmas Card, Christmas Cards and More Christmas Cards! December Challenge

I'm not one to write Christmas letters. I don't always like reading about people and things that I don't know. But I didn't send out Christmas Cards last year and felt that there were a lot of things that people needed to know.

We moved, Jim's mom passed away, I changed companies and Jim's Dad finally moved to assisted living. The letter was short and sweet.

But dang if I didn't have problems first printing the address list and then the letters. How hard can these things be?

Finally printed, I've spent 2 days hand addressing envelopes, adding notes and licking envelopes!

I've also been going down my list of Active Rain Subscribers and wishing them a Merry Christmas. That's taking a lot longer than I thought it would!

What's Holding you Back? End of year Reflection

This is the time of year where besides preparing for the Holidays, we look back at the year and see what went right, and what went wrong.

This post isn't about Business, but about Self. The two are always connected, but sometimes without fixing "Self", it's impossible to improve Business.

So What's holding you Back? Some things that we do are draining. They suck the life out of us and make it so hard to be UP and positive.

This is my list of DON'Ts:

Don't compare yourself with others. Success is between you and yourself. Worrying about how someone else is doing just pulls energy from something you could be doing that will move you forward.

Don't keep doing the same things you've always done when they stop working. Times have changed. You must change with them.

Don't spend time with the wrong people. We all have people in our lives that bring us down. Limit time with them if you can't totally eliminate it. Find people who are positive and are working toward their own goals. Run forward together!

Don't be afraid of making a mistake. We get paralyzed by fear. Make a move! Most successes follow failures!

This is my list of DOs:

Be Grateful. People who express gratitude and truly feel it, are happier in their lives.

Focus on what you want instead of what you don't want. When you have that clear picture in your mind, it's easier to achieve it.

Forgive. Holding grudges only hurts you. The other person often doesn't even know you have an issue with them, so the anger only hurts  you.

Love. Love makes the world go round! Especially during the Christmas season. Christ was all about Love.

Focus on that. Merry Christmas my friends!

Christmas Lights in the Nashville Area- Beautiful Displays

Opryland Christmas Lights - Opryland Hotel has almost 2 million sparkling Christmas lights on display Weekdays. You can drive around the hotel and see them from 4pm to 11pm and Weekends 4pm to 2am. There are also horse-drawn carriage rides if you want out of the car!

Festival of Lights is a drive-through display at the James Ward Agricultural Center in Lebanon. They've hosted this event for several years now. This special display of hundreds of thousands of lights includes beautiful scenes and animated displays. 5pm to 9pm Thursday through Sunday. $5/car 615-443-2626

Chad's Winter Wonderland is also in Lebanon at 791 E. Old LaGuardo Road off Hwy 109. Chad has an 8 acre drive-through display. $10/car 5-10pm Sunday-Thursday and 5-11pm Friday and Saturday. www.chadswinterwonderland.com

Even though this isn't the Light up the Night in Brentwood, you can still enjoy beautiful displays throughout the Brentwood subdivisions!

Generating Facebook Leads

My First RainCamp Online Today!

Wow, I knew there would be a lot of information but...

Debe, (the famous Debe Maxwell, and my dear friend) before I even start, your segment rocked! You've motivated me to do a Wordpress site.

So it's not that I didn't learn anything, it's that I couldn't explain what I learned if I wanted!

What I really got out of today was Generating Leads from Facebook by Chris Alston. Chris broke it down into 12 easy steps.

I'm going to recap some of it for you the best I can.

First, it's OK to Stalk your friends! Wow, that's illegal in most places. Really, what Chris said was to "learn more about your Clients BEFORE they're your Clients". Get to know their likes and dislikes. Find common ground so you can engage them.

Engage them - Isn't that like what we do here on ActiveRain? The light went off for me here.

I had already heard to not bombard your friends with business information non-stop because they would UnFriend you. Now that hurts, being unfriended. :(

This was the most important thing I learned today. I thought I was doing that but in hindsight, I really wasn't.

Next, Reciprocate. Those that comment on your status updates or even "Like" your things, do the same on theirs.

OMGosh! Isn't that what we do here?

I just started really participating in Facebook a little while back. I've been on it but, like a newbie at ActiveRain, looked but didn't say much. A lot of it didn't make sense.

Last year I got a listing via a friend who moved to California from Nashville. She had been a Realtor here. She was engaged with her friends on Facebook and found out that they were selling their house here. She immediately told them that I would be the perfect person to help them.

Now, I'm starting to get it.

If you're not using Facebook well, find Chris and see if he has more classes he's teaching!

So this is what I spent a good bit of the day doing to help my Business in 2012!

Nashville Originals 

Discounted Restaurant Gift Certificates One Day Only!

I just received the email from Nashville Originals that Wednesday December 14, 2011 their gift certificates will go on sale for 30 to 40% discount!

Nashville Originals is a collection of 48 Locally Owned Independent restaurants who have joined together to support one another and to increase their overall visibility. They are some of my personal favorite restaurants around town.

These discounted gift cards will sell out quickly. Usually by 8:30am they tell me! Go to their Instagift website and order your cards!

This is you way to support Local Businesses at a discount. It's a win win!

ENJOY!

The Day is Getting Away, Have I completed my "To Do" List?

I just received a response email from a good friend. We've been working on a project in different cities. Nothing rushed mind you, but I could almost hear the panic in her "voice":

"I'm in pretty good shape for Christmas but I realized today how close it is and if I don't finish
up I'll be in panic mode!!!"

My first thought was "Well me too!" I was actually thinking about going home early. It's damp and cold outside. I'm feeling lazy.

I've been working on Christmas Cards for several days. Part of that is the December 31 Challenge to do something for my business each day. The other reason is because they need to get out.

Then I looked over at my To Do List and realized I hadn't done several of the things that really NEEDED to be done! I needed to  shop for some gifts online, do some banking, get to the post office to buy stamps AND I needed to write my blog covering my activities!

There's no going home with that much to do! Yikes!