Tag Archives: Trey Lewis

Nashville Homes Blog: It’s Christmas on the Cumberland

Christmas in Nashville.  There’s so much going on, and its hard to experience everything in one season.

The Nashville boating community is a great group of folks, consisting of boaters from the Cumberland River, Old Hickory Lake, and Percy Priest Lake.  While many decorate their homes, there are others that decorate their boats.

And then there are some groups that go all out for the season.  One such group is the Rock Harbor Yacht Club, who kicked off the Fifth Annual “Dock Crawl” this past weekend at Rock Harbor Marina.  If you are a boater, or enjoy boating, this is a must-do event.

This year’s celebration centered around various crock pots and platters, followed by specialty drinks at each boat.  Afterwards, the group crawled to the club house for karaoke, a true sight to behold!

While this event provided a good time to all, it also served the needs of many area children.  Every participant donated a toy, or a $10 donation, to Toys For Tots.

We were glad to be able to make the trip down from Blackjack Cove Marina on Old Hickory Lake to enjoy this year’s dock crawl.  It was great to see visiting boats on The Great Loop also in attendance.   Rock Harbor welcomes transient boaters all year round and is just minutes from downtown Nashville!

If you are considering “The Great Loop” trip on your boat, make it a point to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Cumberland River and Old Hickory Lake during your voyage!  If you come to downtown Nashville’s Riverfront Park for New Year’s Eve 2011, we’ll see you there!  And so will Lynrd Sknyrd!

Now, enjoy the sights of Rock Harbor Yacht Club’s 2011 Dock Crawl:

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Nashville New Homes: Thank you Gaylord for “A Country Christmas”

Nashville is a spectacular city.  People come from all over the world to visit and enjoy everything our city has to offer.  Us locals need to do more of that also!

Christmas time in Nashville is an extra special time and there are events happening all over the city.  The crown jewel of the holiday season in Nashville is Gaylord Opryland Hotel, which is celebrating “A Country Christmas.”

Remember the historic flood in May of 2010 where the Cumberland River forced its way into this hotel?

 Until recently, we had not visited the hotel since it reopened to the public last year.  We have really missed out, and you have too if you haven’t been lately!

Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of dining at the Old Hickory Steak House, inside the Delta of the hotel.  I can now add this to the list of “must experience places” to dine in Nashville.

Words cannot describe the excellent meal and fabulous service.  The evening was so enjoyable that we loaded up family and friends and visited again last Wednesday night.  This time, we dined at “Fuse,” which had a great selection of items from a casual and less formal menu. 

And we’ll be there yet another time during “A Country Christmas”  on Christmas Day evening.  The hotel will still be in full swing, and as we found in years past, less crowded.  You should go too!  

In these uncertain and delicate times, Gaylord is to be commended and applauded for not surrendering to “politically correct” protocol and staying with the “Country Christmas” theme without apology.  Can you imagine “A Country Holiday” or worst yet, “A Southern United States Holiday?” 

Thank you Gaylord for your presence here, and especially for “A Country Christmas.”

Now, on to scenes from the hotel.  Remember, I am not a professional photographer by any means, so you are encouraged to visit and see for yourself!

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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 home sales in the Greater Nashville area to include Nashville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.

What’s up with Ruby?

It is hard to believe that Ruby, our little Blue Doberman, isn’t even a year old yet, and I really cannot imagine how life would be without her…although I am tempted to find out at times.

Her first birthday is coming up New Year’s Eve.  And she is resting up for the occasion every chance she gets!

And when presented with doing something inconvenient, she pretends to be sleep.

I would like to share a tip:

Christmas decorations and young blue dobermans simply do not mix.  More on that later! 

In the meantime, get out there and enjoy the holidays!  While you are out, drop by any Ole South model home location and make a difference for someone else too!  Visit www.OleSouth.com for the location nearest you.

Looking back, it really is hard to believe Ruby ever looked like this, much less just 10 months ago!

Ruby - 6 wks old

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 home sales in the Greater Nashville area to include Nashville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.

 

Nashville New Homes: Happy Thanksgiving

Remember back in nursery school when we all wore funny black  hats, or a headband of feathers?  Yep, the days of the Pilgrims and the Indians celebrating their first Thanksgiving.  They got along beautifully, and we pretended to be them, thankful to find a new home and plenty to eat.

Then, as we get older, and much fatter, we forget about the black hats and feathers and concentrate on a day for families to gather and enjoy each other’s company, and get fatter too.

Regardless of the real origin of Thanksgiving Day, we all really do need to take the time to give thanks to God for our families, our friends, and the life we enjoy.  That is the whole point and lets take time to do just that.

But before we start, lets all make plans to help those that are less fortunate.  Local support networks, such as Second Harvest Food Bank, church and local food pantries, the Nashville Union Rescue Mission, The Salvation Army, and others have serviced growing numbers of individuals and families as a result of our economic times. 

This holiday season, all of us at Ole South are collecting new, unwrapped toys for the Toys For Tots program along with new and used shoes for the Soles 4 Souls organization.  We need your help too! 

Our model homes will be open daily to receive your donations.  Please visit www.OleSouth.com for the location nearest you, or visit www.toysfortots.org or www.soles4souls.org for other drop-off locations.  Together, we can, and will make a difference.

We all have problems, but there are always others with larger problems.  We do have a lot to be thankful for.  So, give thanks, be a glutten, and watch the parades!  In the meantime, here is discussion about Thanksgiving, according to history.com.  All those years of silly hats were wasted.  But the turkey won’t be!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thanksgiving Controversies

For some scholars, the jury is still out on whether the feast at Plymouth really constituted the first Thanksgiving in the United States. Indeed, historians have recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America that predate the Pilgrims’ celebration. In 1565, for instance, the Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilé invited members of the local Timucua tribe to a dinner in St. Augustine, Florida, after holding a mass to thank God for his crew’s safe arrival. On December 4, 1619, when 38 British settlers reached a site known as Berkeley Hundred on the banks of Virginia’s James River, they read a proclamation designating the date as “a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

Some Native Americans and others take issue with how the Thanksgiving story is presented to the American public, and especially to schoolchildren. In their view, the traditional narrative paints a deceptively sunny portrait of relations between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people, masking the long and bloody history of conflict between Native Americans and European settlers that resulted in the deaths of millions. Since 1970, protesters have gathered on the day designated as Thanksgiving at the top of Cole’s Hill, which overlooks Plymouth Rock, to commemorate a “National Day of Mourning.” Similar events are held in other parts of the country.

Thanksgiving’s Ancient Origins

le the American concept of Thanksgiving developed in the colonies of New England, its roots can be traced back to the other side of the Atlantic. Both the Separatists who came over on the Mayflower and the Puritans who arrived soon after brought with them a tradition of providential holidays—days of fasting during difficult or pivotal moments and days of feasting and celebration to thank God in times of plenty.

As an annual celebration of the harvest and its bounty, moreover, Thanksgiving falls under a category of festivals that spans cultures, continents and millennia. In ancient times, the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans feasted and paid tribute to their gods after the fall harvest. Thanksgiving also bears a resemblance to the ancient Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. Finally, historians have noted that Native Americans had a rich tradition of commemorating the fall harvest with feasting and merrymaking long before Europeans set foot.

 

Nashville Homes Blog: Santa’s early visit to the Cumberland River

To many residents of the Waterford Subdivision in Nashville, Santa has already arrived in town, and he has set up shop on the Cumberland River.

View of Waterford from Upstream Cumberland River

Except this year, he didn’t arrive in a sleigh full of toys.  He arrived with barges full of gravel.

Choctaw Transportation Company Tow Boats

Many remember that the Waterford subdivision was devastated from the now-infamous May 2010 Flood.  Those homes you see overlooking the barges were actually underwater.  Many say this subdivision should have never been built, but that is hindsight.  It was built, and it suffered.  Take a look at the erosion that has taken place over the years:

In September of this year, work started on the Waterford Stabilization Project, in which plastic sheeting is attached to the riverbank and covered with rock, commonly called rip-rap.  Over 100,000 tons of rock will be used to stabilize this 1/2 mile stretch.

The May 2010 flood dealt a harsh blow to Nashville, and many areas are yet to recover.  This project is just one sign that good things can come out of bad situations.   Just ask one of those residents!

Meanwhile, further downstream in the Pennington Bend area, activity seems to be breaking loose.  Although many homes are still like they were after the flood, many have been totally remodeled, or are in the process.  I know of a totally renovated 3-bedroom, 2 bath ranch with a sunroom that will be available for rent in January.  And this is the view you will see every day from your backyard:

Ingram Barge's David K. Wilson

There are several new homes being built along the river, just upstream from Opryland:

New Home on the Cumberland River

And not just homes are being renovated on the river!  Lets check the progress being made at the old Nashville Bridge Company Offices in downtown.  Here is the story:  http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2010/10/04/daily20.html

And further downstream, an older renovation project is still moving forward, the former Neuhoff Packing Plant.  Remember Frosty Morn?    http://wikimapia.org/1560269/Historic-Neuhoff-Buildings

Here are pictures of the Neuhoff Building that I borrowed from another site:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/greystgirl/sets/72157608368624763/

Rivers and Lakes have always attracted people.  The risk of possibile flooding is outweighed by the certainty of a great lifestyle.  If you have ever wanted to live on a lake or river, now is a pretty good time to start exploring.  And guess what?  I want to help you when you do!

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, and Spring Hill, Tennessee

Nashville New Homes: Just why are new home starts so critical to our economy?

Wasn’t it great to hear some positive news over the nation’s airwaves this week?

Although high unemployment is still a grave concern, there are signs that we could very well be in our next “recovery.”  Slow, it may be, but that beats what we’ve been hearing for a LONG time!

Like it or not, we are in a World Economy, and many European countries have far greater financial issues than the US. to deal with.  This past week brought optimism that those issues are being addressed.  News released last week was positive enough for many to “call-off” a predicted “Double-Dip-Recession” in the US.

http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/10/27/no_double_dip_recession_u_s_gdp_growth_2_5_in_third_quarter.html

And there was positive news for new home starts too!

http://www.census.gov/const/newressales.pdf

That brings us to today’s question…. “Why are new home starts so critical to our economy and it’s recovery?”

Could it be that new homes are one of the few remaining items that are built here in the US?  New homes aren’t built in a factory overseas and shipped in….well, not yet anyway.  New home construction provides immediate jobs to the very area where they are being constructed.  It is said that each new home start creates 3 full-time jobs for one year!

Everyone that has purchased a new home recently can be proud they have contributed greatly to our economy.  (Those that have purchased their new home from us at Ole South have contributed even greater!)

Jobs in this country are still hard to come by, but there are a lot of things that each one of us can do to make a difference.  Buy products made in the US whenever possible.   Not only will you be saving existing jobs, but creating new ones as well.  From the tube of toothpaste, to a kitchen table..it still is possible to find!

A friend forwarded an email to me this morning that opened my eyes even more.  It is about a behemoth container ship used to transport goods from China to the US.  Please read below:

The Emma Maersk, part of a Danish shipping line, is shown in the photos below.

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What a ship….no wonder ‘Made in China ‘ is displacing North American made goods big time.

This monster transports goods across the Pacific in just 5 days!! This is one of three ships presently in service, with another two ships commissioned to be completed in 2012.

 These ships were commissioned by Wal-Mart to get all their goods and stuff from China . They hold an incredible 15,000 containers and have a 207 foot deck beam!! The full crew is just 13 people on a ship longer than a US Aircraft Carrier (which has a crew of 5,000. With its 207′ beam it is too big to fit through the Panama or Suez Canals ….

 It is strictly Transpacific. Cruise speed: 31 knots.

The goods arrive 4 days before the typical container ship (18-20 knots) on a China-to–California run. 91% of Wal-Mart products are made in China. So this behemoth is hugely competitive even when carrying perishable goods.

The ship was built in five sections. The sections floated together and then welded.

 The command bridge is higher than a 10-story building and has 11 cargo crane rigs that can operate simultaneously unloading the entire ship in less than two hours.

 Editorial Comment!

A recent documentary in late March, 2010 on the History Channel noted that all of these containers are shipped back to China, EMPTY. Yep, that’s right. We send nothing back on these ships. What does that tell you about the current financial state of this country? Just keep buying those imported goods (mostly gadgets) until you run outof money.

Then you may wonder what the cause of unemployment (maybe even your job) in the U.S. and Canada might be????

‘Nuff said ??

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WOW.  And that is just ONE of thousands of container ships.  Something to think about for sure.

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, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.

 

 

 

 

 

Nashville New Homes: Fall is going to be fun!

Fall in Middle Tennessee is already off to a great start!

Leaves are beginning to turn, the Tennessee Titans first season under Head Coach Mike Munchak is underway, the Nashville Predators host their first home game of the season tonight, and Ole South rolls out its very first “Facebook Friends Friday” tomorrow.

You can find out more about Facebook Friends Friday on “The Ole South Blog,” where you will also learn just how easy and fun buying a new home can be!

Another reason Fall is off to a great start is the Real Estate market in Middle Tennessee.  Interest Rates are “stupid-low.”  Incentives are terrific, and there are still a lot of new homes to select from.   With the US Economy in the doldrums, and our local economy growing again, don’t miss exploring this great opportunity to purchase a new Ole South home!

 

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Whether you choose your new Ole South home in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Spring Hill, or Clarksville, you can be assured you are receiving the very best new home value…period.  Visit our website OleSouth.com for the location nearest you.  Find out first hand why thousands of Middle Tennesseans are proud to say

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, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.

 

Nashville New Homes: The 2011 Parade of Homes – the “inside scoop”

On Thursday, the Sales and Marketing Council of the Home Builders Association of Tennessee had the pleasure of touring the 2011 Parade of Homes. 

Yesterday’s blog focused on the exteriors of the magnificent homes that are on display, through tomorrow, October 9th at Annandale in Brentwood.

Today, I’d like to show you some interior scenes from these featured homes.  Again, the disclaimer that my photography skills leave much to be desired.  Why not visit the 2011 Parade of Homes and see everything in person!

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If you are in the market for a true luxury home, this is one event you do not want to miss.  Even if you are not in the market for a new home at all, you will see many fascinating decorating ideas that can be used for any home.

One popular feature is the trend toward outdoor living areas.  Another obviously is having a wet bar of some type in every area of the home.  One home even has a wine cooler in the master bath!   Lots of diferent flooring products are used, including porcelain. 

With a little creativity, most any dream can become a reality.  With a little fresh paint, any home can begin a dramatic transformation.   Get those ideas at the 2011 Parade of Homes!

 

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, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.

Nashville New Homes: The “Short Sale” can of worms.

I was showing one of our brand new Ole South homes this week to a first-time home buyer.  They loved the home and all of its many features, especially the fact that everything was NEW and under warranty too.

They had learned through others that new homes offered the best value for the money, and that in most cases, a new home could be purchased for the same price, or even less, than an older resale home comparable in size and features.  They had looked at other resales, and told me everything that was important to them, even the price range.  Well guess what?  We have the perfect home nearing completion!

This particular home was $169,990, complete with all appliances and closing costs paid.  Using THDA’s Great Start program for first-time homebuyers, their monthly payment, yes PITI, would be approximately $1153 with zero cash out of pocket at closing.  If they chose to place their own down-payment of approximately $5950, their monthly payment would drop to approximately $1076. 

They really liked the -0- down option, but developed a perplexing look on their faces.  They really wanted a NEW home, but there was another home, similar in size, just 2 miles away they had seen online.  It was listed for $84,900.  It was a “short sale.”

They asked, “Just what does that mean?”   I explained the basic process where the bank would hopefully agree to allow the current owner to sell the home for less than the bank was owed on the property.  “You mean to say the bank is going to let them sell that home for 84,900?”  No, not necessarily.  “Then why is it listed for that price?”

Great question.  And we Realtors know the answer.  It is just like fishing.  We know the list price is just to attract a prospect, who will then be encouraged to make an offer, which the bank, at some unknown point in time, will accept or counter.  We all know that in most cases, the bank will not approve a listing price on a pre-foreclosure home until an offer of some kind is on the table.  The general public does NOT know that.

So, in the meantime, those shopping for homes receive a unrealistic picture of home values.  Neighborhoods suffer.  Those trying to sell their homes without financial difficulty suffer.  Zillow’s “z-estimates” seem to pick up on the suffering too, lowering those home values that are automatically calculated.  People believe those values because they saw it on “the internet.”

Okay, let’s go ahead and open the can of worms.

 The “short sale” can be a great alternative to foreclosure and I know many Realtors that are very successful negotiating the sale of homes in this situation.  It can be a win-win situation for all involved, but only if extraordinary levels of patience can be applied.

Let’s be serious.  Wouldn’t our whole real estate economy be better off if a property could not be listed at an arbitrary price that is basically pulled out of the sky?  

Many will disagree, but ANY home listed for sale on our MLS should be able to be purchased at the price listed.  Period. 

Why can’t our MLS require all short sales to be classified a separate way without a list price, followed by the instructions?   Or, if a price has to be present, enter $1.00.  At least that way, the playing field is more level.  I know there are data fields already for short sale notations, but that still leaves the “pie-in-the-sky” listing price.  Simply put, it is “bait and switch.”  

Again, there are many great Realtors that specialize in “short sales.”  If you would like a recommendation, please feel free to contact me anytime.

Bad things happen to good people all the time.  If you know anyone that has suffered a 30% drop in income or more, that may need assistance in avoiding a foreclosure or short sale, don’t forget about THDA’s newest program, www.keepmytnhome.org.

And always remember, better times are ahead.

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, and Spring Hill, Tennessee.

Nashville New Homes: Just what is Labor Day?

The first Monday in September has always been designated Labor Day.  Well not always, but officially since 1894 when President Grover Cleveland declared the holiday.  Read more details of what brought this holiday about:  

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/207792/20110902/labor-day-2011-history-origins-holiday-labor-union-workers-strike-railroad-protest-military-canada-n.htm

And if you don’t like to read, here is a video on the origins of this holiday.

Now you know the history.  Now it is time to celebrate! 

What are your plans for this last holiday weekend of summer?

Why not use Saturday and Sunday to explore purchasing a new Ole South home?  We’ve got a new home to meet your needs in Nashville, Smyrna, Murfreesboro, Spring Hill, and Clarksville.  You can see all of our Middle Tennessee new home neighborhoods online at www.OleSouth.com.

 

After you’ve found the perfect new home for your needs, why not venture out to Old Hickory Lake for a relaxing meal at Nashville’s only floating restaurant and bar, The Black Pearl at Blackjack Cove Marina.  www.blackjackcove.com

Labor Day is the last official holiday between now and Thanksgiving.  Get out there and enjoy it!  Enjoy it even more in your new Ole South home!

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, and Spring Hill, Tennessee