Halloween Sunday.

Hopefully, everyone got through Halloween night without incident and now its time to move on to Halloween Sunday, accurately known as “All Saints Sunday.”

All Saints Sunday is always the first Sunday of November.   When I was growing up, I always referred to it as “Halloween Sunday.”   All Saints Day always falls on the first day of November, which was Thursday.  But who wants to go to church on Thursday?

Who really knows exactly how Halloween evolved to be the debacle that it is, but the evening before All Saints Day,  ”All Hallows Eve” was definitely its origin.  Who knows, or really cares, just how that evening became one where we are encouraged to scare the doo-doo out of people and dress up like fools.  It is what it is.  And it also can be fun.  You can’t beat fun, right?

Now back to the topic…   ”All Saints Day” is always falls on November 1st and this Sunday, churches all over the world will be celebrating “All Saints Sunday” to honor those that have lived and died in faith.

We are fortunate to have had all those departed souls that came before us.  They made a difference in our lives.  Without their presence here on planet earth, we would not be who we are today.   Whether a parent, a sibling, family member, friend, or acquaintance, or a total stranger, many people have played a part in shaping our lives.

So, let’s pause a few moments today.  Let’s remember everyone we miss, their presence and the difference they made while they were here.  

And don’t forget, we’re still here on planet earth, which gives us all time and the opportunity to influence the lives of others.  

Another way to do that is to VOTE next Tuesday!

Peace.

P.S.  After you have paused and reflected, this is a perfect afternoon to search for a new home!  Start now at www.OleSouth.com or by calling me at 615.593.6340.

 

Election 2012: Its all about the trough.

The current political state of our country sickens me.  Everyone just has to blame somebody.  Thank goodness for George Bush.  Without him, Democrats and Republicans alike would have no one to blame.

And they all say “after this election things will be different.”  Everybody that runs for anything says it, and has been saying it for years.  Now days, they simply make up facts as they go to substantiate their position.  Why tell the truth when a good lie will do?

And we, the American Electorate, don’t seem to care.  If we really did, things might change.

It is all about the trough.

Even the most sincere elected officials are corrupted by the trough.  They arrive on the scene with the best of intentions.  Then they see the trough.  “If another state, or special interest group, is grazing at the trough..then mine should too.”

So, the candidate you should vote for is the one that will get the trough money to the one that will do YOU the most good.  But first, think about a few key issues:

1)     The MEGA-RICH people that actually have the ability to do whatever they want without consequence, will NOT pay any tax they do not want to pay.  They have the ability to take their marbles and go home.  They can shut down their factories and they can hoard their money.  They don’t have to invest if they don’t want to.  They can hunker down and ride out any storm without missing any cocktail parties.

2)     The “rich” actually make affordable housing a reality for many families that would otherwise be homeless.  Ever heard of the “Low Income Housing Tax Credit?”  LIHTC for short.  Read about it here.

3)     The “rich” are also the ones that fund tax-free bonds that finance the homes that many families live in.  In Tennessee, a family of 3+ with household income less than 92,680 can purchase a $275,000 home under down-payment assistance programs that these tax-free bonds make possible.

A QUESTION…..

Do we really want to close all of the tax loopholes that benefit the rich?

Most of us probably consider our employers “rich.”  Do we really want government taking more from them, leaving less for them to invest in us?

I for one take great comfort knowing that my employer has more money than I do.  If that weren’t the case, I would be very uncomfortable.  Therefore, I am not for anything that would lessen his financial abilities.

One thing for certain, nothing substantial in government will ever change until we hide the trough, or quit refilling it!

Nashville New Homes: The 2012 Parade of Homes – inside and outside

If you havent yet visited the 2012 Parade of Homes at Kings Chapel, GO NOW!

CLICK HERE for more information on this great event.

The Kings Chapel community is located on Highway 96, just west of Highway 31A in Arrington.  Just minutes away from I-65 South and Hwy 840.

Today, our HBAMT Sales & Marketing Council had the opportunity to tour each of the homes featured on the Parade.  This year’s parade is one of the best yet and is truly worth taking the time to visit.

My photography skills are not the greatest, so you really should see each home for yourself.  No picture would do these fantastic homes justice!

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Nashville Homes Blog: The 2012 Parade of Homes

Once again it’s that time of year!

The Home Builders Association of Middle Tennessee (HBAMT) announces the 2012 Parade of Homes,  open to the public from October 6 – 21, 2012.  The event is sponsored by LP Building Products, Franklin Synergy Bank, and Kings Chapel Realty.

This year’s Parade is at the unbelievable Kings Chapel Community, in Arrington, Tennessee, located on Highway 96, just west of Highway 31-A Nolensville Road.

CLICK HERE for more details about this great event.

A well attended “awards celebration” was held Thursday night to recognize the best builder of each design category.  Here are the winners for 2012:

Best Front Elevation           Tradition Homes

Best Landscaping                  Tradition Homes

Best Foyer                                Aspen Construction

Best Kitchen                            Woodridge

Best Master Suite                   Aspen Construction

Best Floorplan                        Aspen Construction

Best Child’s Room                 Tradition Homes

Best Outdoor Living Area  Norfolk Homes

Best Home Mural                   Southern Heritage

Best Interior Decorating    Woodridge

Most Livable                            Aspen Construction

Best Home Theater               Woodridge

Best Draperies                         Tradition Homes

Best Craftmanship                 Aspen Homes

Best Faux Finishes                Southern Heritage

BEST OF SHOW                 Aspen Construction

A special thank you to all of the builders and suppliers that are participating in this year’s parade.  One visit to this location is all the evidence you will need to agree that the Middle Tennessee housing market is in full recovery!

Now, some scenes from the “preview party” at the Kings Chapel Pool & Club House.

There is something for everyone to see at this year’s Parade of Homes!  If you are thinking about purchasing a new home, remodeling an older home, redecorating, or just curious about the technology in new homes, you owe it to yourself to visit!

For more information on the Kings Chapel Community, visit online http://www.KingsChapelLife.com.

After the Parade is fully underway, pictures of the homes on the tour will also be posted.  It was simply too dark last night for my substandard photography skills. You need to see it in person anyway!

Trey Lewis is a licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of Tennessee with Ole South Realty, 615.896.0019  direct 615.593.6340.  Specializing in new homes in the Greater Nashville area to include Nashville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Clarksville, Gallatin, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.

Eleven years and counting….

Eleven years ago today, we were devastated by the news that America was under attack.

Now it is once again September 11th, eleven years after the terrorist attacks on our native soil.

Now, Osama Bin Laden is dead.  We are fortunate that terrible acts orchestrated by terrorists have not taken place in our country.  Or have they?

I wrote a commentary last September that I feel I need to re-post because my feelings have not changed over the past year.  If you have a few minutes, please give it a read…

https://nashvillehomesblog.com/2011/09/12/the-aftermath-of-september-11th-who-will-win/

 

 

Just what is a BLUE MOON?

Folks, tonight is the night of BLUE MOON!

But just what is a BLUE MOON anyway?

Is it a former famous floating restaurant at Rock Harbor Marina that is scheduled to reopen in March 2013?

 

Is it a brand of beer?

YES.  It is.  But it is really more  than that.  CLICK HERE to find out everything about tonight’s BLUE MOON.

What are your plans to celebrate?  Here is a neat idea to consider – PaddleBoarding on the river:

Check out the details of this cool event:  http://www.paddleuptn.com/blue-moon-paddle-boarding-on-the-river/

Yes..you can sip on a BLUE MOON while you are at the BLUE MOON looking at the BLUE MOON from the Cumberland River.  It just doesn’t get any better than that!

But if you can’t get there in person, just look up to the east!

 

 

A New Riverboat is Christened in Nashville!

Many people were downtown this weekend to welcome the brand new Queen of the Mississippi to the Nashville Riverfront.  This riverboat carrying 150 passengers made it’s Inaugural Call in Nashville, which was also the destination of it’s very first passenger voyage.

Read more about it here.  http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2012/08/queen-mississippi-paddle-wheeler-nashville-/831156/1

The Queen of the Mississippi is owned and operated by American Cruise Lines.

We caught our first glimpse of the Queen as it rounded Cockrill Bend, traveling much faster than I expected it could, my guess approximately 10 knots.  She is on her way to Clarksville, Paducah, and St. Louis.

There are only two overnight passenger paddle-wheelers plying the rivers today.   Nashville is proud to have hosted the Queen for her Christening and we look forward to seing her here again soon!

 

Things to do: Stand-up Paddleboard on the Cumberland River

One recent evening, we were grilling out while drifting along the Cumberland River in Cockrill Bend.

All of a sudden, appearing out of nowhere was a group coming around the bend that appeared to be walking on water.  No, it was not Jesus and his disciples.  It was Neil Newton and friends enjoying the newest outdoor water sport of “stand-up paddle boarding.”

Over the past weeks, it is apparent that this sport is catching on in Middle Tennessee!  Ever seen yoga on a paddle board?  Ever tried it?  NOW you can!

Here are avid paddle boarding enthusiasts getting ready to launch a YOLO brand (You Only Live once) paddle board into the Cumberland River at Rock Harbor.

Neil is now offering Stand-up Paddle Board rentals and lessons from Rock Harbor Marina in Nashville.  For more information, call 615.496.8082 or visit the website http://www.paddleuptn.com/

Nashville: A Rising Global City

Well, just what is a “global city?”

According to Wikipedia:

A global city (also called world city or sometimes alpha city or world center) is a city generally considered to be an important node in the global economic system. The concept comes from geography and urban studies and rests on the idea that globalization can be understood as largely created, facilitated, and enacted in strategic geographic locales according to a hierarchy of importance to the operation of the global system of finance and trade.

It would be a lot simpler to call it “a place where the world wants to be!”

Nashville definitely falls into that category.

Global Trade Magazine just named Nashville among the top 50 cities in the US for Global Trade.  CLICK HERE

International Business is being conducted all around us and has become a significant factor in our area economy.  You will find a lot of information on the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce website HERE.

In my 13 years of selling new homes, I have been involved in many sales to international buyers, with each bringing new cultures to our region.  Many arrive because of political unrest in their home countries while others are here to pursue new opportunities.

Regardless of reason, Nashville is a true destination.  Nashville is where the world wants to be.

And when you get here, we have a brand new home waiting at one of our Ole South neighborhoods.

Trey Lewis is a licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of Tennessee with Ole South Realty, 615.896.0019  direct 615.593.6340.  Specializing in new homes in the Greater Nashville area to include Nashville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Clarksville, Gallatin, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.

Busier Times! (Part 2)

Picking up where we left off in Part 1, with the boat moving decision made, we enjoyed our remaining time at Blackjack Cove.

Years ago, we met a very special family in Honduras, one that has been instrumental in our involvement with the Rotary Club of Choluteca Honduras service projects.  We were very fortunate to have Sergio and Karla Salinas, and their two sons Sergio Jr. and Mario join us for several days

They arrived on the evening of July 2nd, after visiting other Rotary Clubs in Northern Alabama and Middle Tennessee.   AFter their time with us, they would visit more Rotary Clubs in Martin, TN and Lawrenceburg to show appreciation of our district’s involvement in Honduras. 

On the morning of July 3rd, we gathered at the Blackjack Cove Ship Store for a farewell breakfast with Harry.  For those of you that haven’t experienced Harry’s home cooking in the Ship Store, you have missed out.  Catch him Tuesday – Saturdays for breakfast and lunch!

Quite a few friends joined us for the ride down river too.  Everyone is fascinated by the locks, which is basically like a toilet tank we would pull into and be flushed to the river below!

Today’s drop would be over 60 feet due to the lower Cumberland River levels.

We made great time down river, passed the General Jackson, and decided we would stop downtown and fix lunch and wait on it to get there and turn around, a great site to see.

Mario did a great job as Captain and we arrived at Rock Harbor Marina around 3:00 pm.

Rock Harbor Marina lost its famed restaurant, The Blue Moon, in the May 2010 Flood.  We were pleased to see construction nearly complete on the new restaurant facility, to be opening soon…more on that later.

The evening of February 3rd, the Rock Harbor Yacht Club hosted The Rotary Club of Spring Hill, The Salinas Family, and others for a great evening meal – prepared by Sid Neuhoff and Keith Clodfelter.  Those two guys are always doing something good for others and we raised over $1400 for our future Honduras project that evening!

The evening of July 4th, we headed back upstream to downtown Nashville for “Let Freedom Sing” and its awesome fireworks display.

We were fortunate to have radio personalities Doogie Vance and Dagwood Buzz join us with tunes for the evening.  They made the evening rock!

And then……

Boom, Boom, Pow.

The next morning, we said goodbye to Karla, Sergio, Sergio Jr. and Mario.  Ruby, our Blue Doberman, was there this time and enjoyed meeting them!

July was a busy month, with Ole South ending the month with 42 sales and 35 closings!  Our great sales force, construction team, and administrative staff all pulled together in this period of extreme temperatures to make everything flow smoothly!  For every new home that sells, we’re starting more and we remain very optimistic about new home sales in Middle Tennessee!

As you can see from the many postings of this blog, Nashville is a great place to call home.  We at Ole South are ready to build that home when the time is right for you!

Until then, Good Evening!

Trey Lewis is a licensed Real Estate Broker in the State of Tennessee with Ole South Realty, 615.896.0019  direct 615.593.6340.  Specializing in new homes in the Greater Nashville area to include Nashville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Clarksville, Gallatin, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.