I thought you might be interested to know that for the third quarter of 2008 compared to the third quarter of 2007, Williamson County TN only experienced a 2.46% drop in median price for single-family homes. Williamson County continues to perform better than many metro areas and the National average.  I have summarized information from Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller, story from Inman News, for your review…

S&P/Case-Shiller reports 16.6% drop in Q3

By Inman News, Tuesday, November 25, 2008.

The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller National Home Price Index dropped a record 16.6 percent in the third quarter compared to the same quarter last year.

And a separate monthly price index for 20 U.S. metro areas also fell a record 17.4 percent year-over-year in September.

The monthly index is based on repeat sales of resale single-family homes over time, and the quarterly national index is a composite of single-family home-price indices for the nation’s nine Census divisions.

In a separate announcement this week, the National Association of Realtors reported that the median price of U.S. resale homes dropped 11.3 percent year-over-year in October — the largest ever drop since the National Association of Realtors began tracking the statistic in 1968 (see Inman News).

Phoenix suffered the largest year-over-year price drop in the S&P/Case-Shiller monthly index, falling 31.9 percent; followed by Las Vegas, down 31.3 percent; and San Francisco, down 29.5 percent.

Dallas had the slightest year-over-year price drop in September, at 2.7 percent (our own Williamson County Tennessee did better at only 2.46%); Charlotte was down 3.5 percent; and Denver was down 5.4 percent.

San Francisco had the largest August-to-September price drop, at 3.9 percent, while Cleveland had the slightest month-to-month drop, at 0.6 percent.

Click here to see the S&P/Case-Shiller 20-metro-area price index

Read this Inman News article in full

Search the Middle TN MLS for Williamson County Homes for Sale

See what your home is worth and what other homes are selling for in your neighborhood

This information was brought to you by JoAnne Staler, Williamson County Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee.  Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help.  To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

Milky Way Farms is an Equestrian and Golf Community nestled in the southern portion of Middle Tennessee less than an hour from Nashville.  This community is an ideal location if you’re looking for that special place to call home.  Milky Way Farms offers estate lots, lake cottages, equestrian cottages, golf cottages, condos and will cater to all standards of horsemanship.

The barns, track, trails and polo field now being built or renovated are worthy of Milky Way’s own 1940 Kentucky Derby winner, Gallahadion. Once renovated, the Club barns will provide world-class boarding facilities and will include indoor riding and training arenas. The hub of the Equestrian Club is the original Mars’ stone Show Barn.

The Milky Way Farms Equestrian Facilities will include;

Miles and Miles of Trails   There are currently 10 miles of winding, scenic riding trails.

Historic Stone, Show and Galaxy Barns  The plan estimates 70+ stalls, a hay/feed storage, outdoor and indoor riding and training arenas, tack rooms, grooming areas and much more!

Mars Thoroughbred Training Track  The original 5/8 mile thoroughbred racing training track that produced many famous champions such as ‘Reaping Reward’, ‘Sangreal’ and the winner of the 1940 Kentucky Derby ‘Gallahadion’.

Pub and Bistro

Polo Grounds

Click here for additional information on Milky Way Farms Equestrian offerings and to see additional photographs.

JoAnne is a designated Milky Way Farms Specialist so please contact her for additional information or to arrange a private tour of this Equestrian and Golf community located in Lynnville, Tennessee .  Click here to speak to JoAnne or email JoAnne directly.

JoAnne Staler, Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee.  Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help.  To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

Click here to read more about living at Milky Way Farms.

Find out more about Lynnville TN; History, attractions, local government information, and business directory.

While the holiday season is a hectic time to show and sell your house, there are distinct advantages to staging and showing your home during the holidays. Nothing is more inviting than a home brimming with greenery, twinkling lights and holiday decorations.  FrontDoor.com has an article with some great tips to Sell Your Home During the Holidays.  I’ve outlined the article and the tips below to help you sell your Nashville, Brentwood or Franklin TN home this holiday season……

While the thought of selling your home during the winter months may dampen your holiday spirit, the season does have its advantages: holiday home buyers tend to be more serious, and competition is less fierce with fewer homes being actively marketed.

1. Deck the halls, but don’t go overboard. Homes often look their best during the holidays, but sellers should be careful not to overdo it on the decor. Adornments that are too large or too many can crowd your home and distract buyers. Choose decorations with a general winter or holiday theme to avoid alienating buyers.  You may even consider hiring a professional home stager to make certain your home appeals to a  wide range of buyers.  If you list your Middle TN home for sale with me, I’ll provide the services of a Professional Home Stager !  Click here to see a professional home stager in action.
2. Hire a reliable real estate agent. That means someone who will work hard for you and won’t disappear during Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year’s. This will ease your stress and give you more time to enjoy the season.  Click here to see Why Nashville, Franklin and Brentwood Home Sellers Choose Me.
3. Seek out motivated buyers. Anyone house hunting during the holidays must have a good reason for doing so. Work with your agent to target buyers on a deadline, including people relocating for jobs in your area.  I work extensively with several large companys assisting with their employee Middle TN relocations so I have a large pool of motivated home buyers on a deadline! 
4. Price to sell. No matter what time of year, a home that’s priced low for the market will make Nashville home buyers feel merry.  Click here to see what other homes in your neighborhood have sold for.
5. Make curb appeal a top priority. When autumn rolls around and the trees start to lose their leaves, maintaining the exterior of your home becomes even more important. Bare trees equal a more exposed home, so touch up the paint, clean the gutters and spruce up the yard. Keep buyers’ safety in mind as well by making sure stairs and walkways are free of snow, ice and leaves.
6. Take top-notch real estate photos. When the weather outside is frightful, TN homebuyers are likely to start their house hunt from the comfort of their homes by browsing listings on the Internet. Make a good first impression by offering lots of flattering, high-quality photos of your home. If possible, have a summer or spring photo of your home available so buyers can see how it looks year-round.
   I have many years of experience taking photos that showcase the best your Nashville home has to offer.  When you list your home with me I’ll take top quality digital photos and use them to market your property all across the web….. Yahoo Real Estate, Microsoft MSN HomeAdvisor, Craigslist, REALTOR.com and other top national sites. I can place your home on my web site and blog site within a few minutes time! 
7. Create a video tour for the Web. You’ll get less foot traffic during the holidays, thanks to inclement weather and vacation plans. But shooting a video tour and posting it on the Web may attract house hunters who don’t have time to physically visit your home or would rather not drive in a snowstorm.
   See one of my Franklin TN listing’s video tours.
8. Give house hunters a place to escape from the cold. Make your home feel cozy and inviting during showings by cranking up the heat, playing soft classical music and offering homemade holiday treats like cookies and eggnog. When you encourage buyers to spend more time in your home, you also give them more time to admire its best features.
9. Offer holiday cheer in the form of home loan financing. Bah, humbug! Lenders are scrooges these days, but if you’ve got the means, then why not offer a home loan to a serious buyer? You could get a good rate of return on your money.  Click here for more TN Mortgage information.
10. Relax — the new year is just around the corner. Thanksgiving and Christmas are stressful enough, with gifts to buy, dinners to prepare and relatives to entertain. Hire me to sell your home and rest easy!  Request a Free Presentation On How I Will Market and Sell Your Nashville Brentwood or Franklin Home. Remember, All Real Estate Agents Are NOT Alike. 

Click here to read FrontDoor.com’s article Top 10 Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holidays in full.

Quickly Find Out What Your Nashville, Franklin or Brentwood TN home is Really Worth, by Email, for Free.

More Nashville TN Home Seller Tips here.

Get the Straight Facts About What Can Make or Break the Sale of Your Nashville TN Home.

This information was brought to you by JoAnne Staler, Nashville Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee.  Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help.  To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

320 Hamlets End Way

This stunning Five Bedroom Franklin TN Home is now available to rent with a one year lease.  Built in 2007, 320 Hamlets End Way is top quality throughout with Jenn-air appliances, Granite, Dumbwaiter, 2 wet bars and Exceptional outdoor living to enjoy year round with an exterior fireplace.  Located in the heart of Cool Springs TN the gated community of Avalon is a premier location enjoying convenience to dining and shopping as well as top notch Williamson County schools.

Click here for more information on and to see additional photographs of this Executive Rental Home.

This Franklin TN executive rental home is listed by JoAnne Staler, Franklin Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee.  Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help.  To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

I came across on article on Zillow.com that caught my attention regarding many homeowners being in denial regarding the housing market.  While Nashville and the surrounding Middle TN area isn’t suffering as drastically as other regions, our local housing market has definitely taken a nosedive.  As the Zillow.com article reads…..

America is in one of the worst housing crisis in history, yet 49% of U.S. homeowners believe their home’s value has increased or stayed the same over the past year, according to  Zillow’s Q3 Homeowner Confidence Survey.

What can you do as a Nashville Homeowner? 

Click here to see the Top 10 Ways to Beat the Sluggish Housing Market-Tips for Nashville Home Sellers   

Find out what other homes in your neighborhood sold for here.

 This information was brought to you by JoAnne Staler, Nashville Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee.  Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help.  To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

October 2008

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	195	$      362,350	$        440,270	80
Condominium	18	$      232,250	$        228,173	98

October 2007

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	256	$      385,225	$       451,472	58
Condominium	33	$      197,655	$       231,030	53

October 2006

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	427	$      375,000	$        455,567	51
Condominium	58	$      185,500	$        205,317	40

October 2005

	Closings	Median Price	Average Price	DOM
Residential	412	$      285,000	$        363,267	53
Condominium	36	$      139,845	$        163,679	47

 For additional information on Home Sales in Williamson County Tennessee contact JoAnne Staler, Williamson County  REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company.  JoAnne is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown Nashville, Downtown Nashville, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee.  Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Williamson County Tennessee, let a Top Selling Williamson County Real Estate Agent help.  To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Williamson County Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

Sign up For Automatic E-Mail Property Updates of Williamson County homes for sale that meet your search criteria.

Find your Perfect Williamson County TN Neighborhood. 

Read more about the Williamson County community of Franklin TN.

See demographics and homes for sale in Franklin TN.

Top 25 employers in Williamson County TN.

I just wanted to take a second and update you on some current and soon to be FHA mortgage loan changes that may affect Nashville area home sellers and home buyers. As of last month FHA has changed its up front and monthly mortgage insurance premiums. The new upfront premium is 1.75% and the new monthly premium is .55%. Prior to these changes both the monthly and the upfront were credit score driven.

The other change that will go into effective on January 1, 2009 is the new minimum down payment that will be required on all FHA loans. FHA will change the minimum required down payment to 3.5% which is up from 3%. The borrower is still allowed to get this gifted from a relative but no longer from Down Payment Assistance Programs.

As always, Heather, Kristi, Gary, Josh, Gena, and I are always available to answer any questions you may have regarding Middle TN mortgage loans.  Click here to speak to me immediately.

The JoAnne Staler Group specializes in first time home buyers.  We offer home purchase counseling to walk you through every step of purchasing your first home in the Nashville TN area.  We’ll help you find your perfect Nashville neighborhood, educate you on financing options, assist in the mortgage loan prequalifying process, find your dream home, guide you through the home inspection,  make sure the final contract is in your best interest and coordinate the closing.  Click here to see Why Nashville area home buyers choose me as their real estate agent.

To see what other TN Home Buyers have said about JoAnne please click here. 

New to the home buying process? Click here to tell me your concerns or ask me questions. It’s my job to help! There’s no obligation, and I promise to get back to you quickly… 

JoAnne Staler, Nashville Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee.  Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help.  To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

Click here to pre-qualify for your Brentwood, Franklin or Nashville TN mortgage loan.

Find Out About the Latest Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin Area Homes for Sale Before Anyone Else! INSTANT DAILY EMAILS! 

An article by Patrick Rucker WASHINGTON (Reuters) reports sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose 5.5 percent last month, the biggest gain since July 2003, and the inventory of unsold homes fell, a hopeful sign for the housing market. The article also states that The National Association of Realtors said on Friday that sales of existing homes rose to a 5.18 million-unit annual rate from the 4.91 million unit pace set in August.

Economists had expected sales to rise to only a 4.93 million unit rate. It was the first time the sales pace had risen above its year ago level in nearly three years, a sign the market could be stabilizing. The surprisingly large jump in sales pushed the inventory of unsold homes down by 1.6 percent to 4.27 million, or a 9.9 months’ supply at the current pace, the lowest since February. “We’re not out of the woods yet by any means when it comes to falling house prices and our fundamental problem of an oversupply of homes, but we’re getting near to the bottom every day,” said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. Home prices, however, showed no signs of escaping their long, deep slide and economists said the number of homes on the market would likely have to fall further before they do. The median national home price declined 9 percent from a year ago to $191,600, the lowest level since April 2004. “As the median price continues to decline, seeking out that new equilibrium level, demand is — slowly and hesitantly — moving back into the market,” said Lindsey Piegza, an economic analyst at FTN Financial in New York. A Reuters poll taken October 21-24 found economists expect prices to continue to fall through next year. The median forecast from the survey was for a 15 percent drop this year and a 6.4 percent fall in 2009. Economists expect prices to turn up in 2010, but by a meager 1 percent. ‘VULTURE INVESTORS’ Rising U.S. mortgage defaults have sent credit markets into a tailspin, threatening economies worldwide. A majority of economists polled said finding a floor for house prices is an essential condition for ending the financial crisis. In order for prices to recover, the glut of unsold homes needs to be whittled down further, analysts said. “Most, if not all, the rise in sales is due to vulture investors buying cheap foreclosed homes, but all sales reduce inventory,” said Ian Shepherdson, the chief U.S. economist at High Frequency Economics in Valhalla, New York. “If this continues, people will stop expecting further price falls and activity will start to recover.” Lawrence Yun, the chief economist for the Realtors’ trade group, also pointed to a rise in foreclosure and other ‘distress’ sales in regions hard-hit by the housing downturn. “In some regions, the lower prices are seeing buyers return to the marketplace,” he said. “This was a nice jump and hopefully this trend can continue because the first step to stabilizing the market is an increase in home sales.”

Sales jumped 16.8 percent in the West, while rising 4.4 percent in the Midwest and 2.2 percent in the South. In the Northeast, sales fell 1.2 percent. Sales of single-family homes, which represent the lion’s share of the market, rose 6.2 percent. Sales of condominiums held steady. “We’re still struggling with falling home prices and we will for a while, but we’re forming a bottom here,” said Bob Walters, chief economist at Quicken Loans in Livonia, Michigan. (Additional reporting by Pedro Nicolaci da DaCosta, Ellen Freilich and Nick Olivari in New York; Polling by Bangalore polling unit; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

Click here to read the aforementioned article in its entirity.

This article was brought to you by JoAnne Staler, Nashville Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee.  Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help.  To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit http://www.JoAnnestaler.com/.

Review Williamson County Tennessee Home Sale Statistics for 2008

Click here to search all local listings on the Nashville MLS

MLS Market Snapshot: Get this week’s Nashville TN market conditions 

Searching for that perfect home in Nashville or the Middle TN area?  Before you can love a home you have to like the neighborhood.  Many times buyers have a good idea of the home they are looking for but haven’t given the neighborhood much thought. I recently came across an interesting article on FrontDoor.com outling 5 steps to choosing your perfect neighborhood that I thought might be helpful to buyers out there. 

The FrontDoor.com article titled How to Choose a Neighborhood, 5 steps to finding a place where you belong gives some great tips for choosing the Nashville community that is right for you.  I’ve provided the article’s highlights below.  Click here to read the FrontDoor.com article in full. 

STEP 1 — Profile Your Perfect Neighborhood

• Do you have children or are you planning to have children anytime soon?
• What type of home do you want…single-family home or a condo, townhouse?
• How far are you willing to commute?
• Do you want to be in a historic neighborhood or a new development?
• What is your current community lacking? 

STEP 2 — Zero In on the Area

This is where a good realtor can really help to narrow the search by educating you on the areas that best match your list of wants and don’t wants that you came up with in Step 1.  My expert local knowledge of the Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin Tennessee area should be invaluable to you, not just in terms of real estate, but also schools, neighborhoods, the local economy, and more. Click here to read detailed descriptions of many Middle Tennessee neighborhoods. 

STEP 3 — Get the Suspects

With your area of Middle TN in mind, start digging up information. Find interesting neighborhoods online, ask real estate agents for recommendations and compile all the background information you can, including:

• School information
• Crime statistics
• Parks and recreation
• Neighborhood associations
• Tourist attractions

STEP 4 — Find the Clues

Once you’ve done the background research, visit neighborhoods that made the preliminary grade in person. There’s no better way to paint a real picture of life in the neighborhood. Use your senses to get a complete picture of the prospective community.

Sights:

• Remember your first impression. You’ll want to feel good about where you call home, and impress buyers when you’re ready to move on.
• Visualize yourself in the neighborhood.You’ll enjoy the neighborhood more if it’s easy to do what you like.
• Observe the neighborhood at different times of the day. Driving through will help you get a snapshot of life in the community — good and bad.
• Make sure the local schools make the grade even if you don’t have kids. It will be easier to sell your house later if the schools are nice.
• Look for warning signs. Be on the lookout for signs that the neighborhood is in trouble.

Sounds:

• Stop and listen. Bird and nature sounds are generally pleasant, but what about noise from the highway, airport, hospital, train tracks or nearby clubs and bars? It’s not very relaxing to listen to trains screech by during your morning coffee — especially not every morning.

Smells:

• Specifically, are there any? Take a big whiff of the air, and ask around if you smell any bad odors.

Taste:

• Ask yourself if the neighborhood matches your taste in a living environment

STEP 5 — Close the Case

You’ve chosen your Middle TN neighborhoods. Now for the hard part: finding a house you love. Now, make sure to:

• Find out how much house you can afford. 
• Draw up your vision of home. It worked for your neighborhood — now make your list of wants and don’t wants for your home!

Click here to read FrontDoor.com’s How to Choose a Neighborhood 5 steps to finding a place where you belong

This information was brought to you by JoAnne Staler, Nashville Tennessee REALTOR with Rochford Realty & Construction Company is providing a unique level of service to buyers and sellers in Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, Williamson County, Green Hills, Belle Meade, Bellevue, Forest Hills, Oak Hill, Vanderbilt, Belmont, Midtown, Downtown, Historic Areas, Spring Hill, and Thompson Station Tennessee.  Whether Buying or Selling Real Estate locally or Relocating to Middle Tennessee, let a Top Selling Nashville Real Estate Agent help.  To find out more about JoAnne Staler or search for real estate via the Middle Tennessee MLS visit www.JoAnneStaler.com.

Click here to speak to JoAnne directly and start finding your perfect Nashville neighborhood and home today.

Read about Nashville communities here to help decide which one you might prefer.

Access my real estate map here to locate Middle TN communities that may house your perfect neighborhood.