Each week, I am picking the top five sweet deals in the Nashville area.

The deals are chosen based off the following criteria:

• Attractive price for today’s top buyer pool
• Quality of finishes, style and character
• Proximity to shops, restaurants and neighborhood amenities

For buyer representation on any of these homes, please contact brian@re615.com or megan@re615.com. We can have you inside within 3-10 hours of your inquiry!

#1: $144,900||815 Powers Avenue (Rosebank neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Forest Hills REALTORS.

#2: $164,000||118 Vaden Drive (Glencoe Acres neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Crye-Leike, Inc REALTORS.

#3: $185,000||4613 Log Cabin Road (Brush Hill neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Southern REALTORS.

#4: $199,900||4902 Darlington Court (Crieve Hall Neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Bob Parks Realty.

#5: $219,900||104 Scott Avenue (Eastwood Neighbors neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of RE/Max Choice Properties.

A couple days ago, The Tennessean featured one of Nashville’s hip yet historic and re-developing neighborhoods, Salemtown.  Salemtown is Germantown’s neighbor, so close to downtown but with a somewhat quaint feel.  It is becoming a blend of old and new, with builders extremely optimistic about its potential.

Resident Viola Miller, who served in Governor Bredesen’s cabinet, told The Tennessean “Living in a developing neighborhood, it’s a fun place to live. We love the energy and diversity, and you couldn’t be in a more convenient place.” Convenient it is!  The neighborhood lies minutes from downtown, and borders Germantown with its popular and satisfying restaurants and city events. Also close by are Nashville Farmer’s Market (one of my personal Nashville faves), Bicentennial Mall State Park, and interstate access.

Salemtown neighborhood association president Molly McCluer describes the area she calls home as “a community, a front porch neighborhood where you can talk to your neighbors.”

Several developers have become attracted to its potential and are enthusiastic about the area. Kenner McLean Development believes in it so much that they are building four Energy Star-rated homes at the corner of 5th and Coffee Streets, with the first home estimated to be completed in the next couple of weeks. Prices here are well below those in Germantown, and a brand new build with 1500+ sq ft appealing to the energy-conscience consumer including cellulose and spray foam insulation, zip wall systems, tankless water heaters, and more, is available starting at just $211,000. The same developers are also eyeing other lots as they see so much promise in this up and coming neighborhood.

Read the full article published by The Tennessean.

Each week, I am picking the top five sweet deals in the Nashville area.
The deals are chosen based off the following criteria:

• Attractive price for today’s top buyer pool
• Quality of finishes, style and character
• Proximity to shops, restaurants and neighborhood amenities

For buyer representation on any of these homes, please contact brian@re615.com or megan@re615.com. We can have you inside within 3-10 hours of your inquiry!

#1: $89,900||1603 Dorchester Avenue (South Inglewood neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Keller Williams Realty.

#2: $104,500||721 Dover Road (Battlwood neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Village Real Estate Services.

#3: $115,000||1119 Stockell Street (Cleveland Park neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of United States Equities Corp.

#4: $124,900||503 Stevenson Street (West Nashville Heights Neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of The Wilson Group.

#5: $149,900||1405 Russell Street (Lockeland Springs neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Forest Hills REALTORS.

Today’s home buyers have more access to knowledge than ever.  They do their research on the internet, they pick up tips from HGTV, and we’ve all learned from the mistakes that were made several years ago.  First time buyers are especially conscientious of their decisions.  They understand that they are benefitting from one of the most amazing opportunities to become a homeowner, with record low interest rates, great inventory, and extremely competitive prices. Plus they often pay less to own than rent.  

One of the things that both repeat and first time homebuyers are expressing by their decisions is that bigger is not necessarily better, not anymore.  Living beyond our means will have this affect on people.  We were able to make purchases for things we had no ability to pay for just a few years ago, and the outcome of that is stress and heartache.  We bought bigger and we spent more, because we could.  Then people started losing their jobs, those who kept their jobs stopped getting raises and bonuses, housing prices started falling, and we all realized we really don’t need all this big grand stuff.

This has lead to more and more repeat buyers coming to us to sell their homes so they can downsize, either by size, mortgage, or both.  We are all asking ourselves, do we really need all this space and all this stuff?  We are seeing more and more first time buyers who are pre-qualified for a lot higher amount than they actually end up spending.  We see tons of renters wanting to buy because it will actually decrease their monthly housing payment in so many cases.  And the trend seems to be leaning toward slightly smaller homes.

“I grew up in a large home, and my paternal grandparents built a 6-bedroom home back in the 1920s in Abilene, Texas, but my favorite home is the one I now live in (972 sq ft),” says homeowner Penny Lynn. She adds that “A smaller home certainly lends itself to less clutter–when a new item comes in, an older item leaves to be recycled, if at all possible”, and points out that using less gas and electrical resources is one way of being “green”.

One of our clients who also owns a small home has a plaque on her wall that says “Simplify Your Life”.  To me, that says it all right there.  Get rid of all the STUFF and JUNK that is bogging us down and holding us back from other pursuits and dreams, and keep what is essential and beneficial.  Our clients who decide to sell their McMansions often comment that they just don’t need all that space.  Maybe they are becoming empty nesters, maybe they bought because they thought bigger was a better investment, maybe they were trying to keep up with the Joneses.  I realize there are instances where you are a large family, work from home, maybe have a music studio, and simply require more space than most.  And we still have tons of buyers who are transitioning from their first bought homes to larger ones as their families and budgets grow, and needs change.  But many repeat buyers are deciding lately that less is more.

Although our numbers here in Nashville don’t necessarily reflect an enormously growing trend toward smaller homes, the mentality of our clients certainly has.  The Small House Movement that has swept parts of the country has not hit us yet, but we are experiencing our own downplayed version of that.

Benefits of a smaller home are not just in a lower mortgage payment, but it also usually means lower utility bills, less cleaning, and less upkeep all together.  Low maintenance living.  ”Unused space most likely equals wasted space. Who wants to pay for a space they never use?” wonders homeowner Beth Schackne, who loves her East Nashville cottage that is less than 800 square feet. “Once you start to rid your life of things you no longer need, you’ll never want to go back. Lack of clutter leads to peace of mind, and that is something on which you cannot put a price tag.”

Each week, I am picking the top five sweet deals in the Nashville area.
The deals are chosen based off the following criteria:

• Attractive price for today’s top buyer pool
• Quality of finishes, style and character
• Proximity to shops, restaurants and neighborhood amenities

For buyer representation on any of these homes, please contact brian@re615.com or megan@re615.com. We can have you inside within 3-10 hours of your inquiry!

#1: $90,000||3111 Brick Church Pike (Parkwood Estates neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Coldwell Banker Barnes.

#2: $155,000||3709 Moss Rose Drive (Moss Rose neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of New Hope Realty Group, LLC.

#3: $159,900||1009 Mitchell Road (Rosebank neighborhood)

Additional Photos Coming Soon. Courtesy of Village Real Estate Services.

#4: $169,900||5328 Hunters Ridge (Villages of Brentwood Neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Fridrich & Clark Realty.

#5: $179,900||1125 McChesney Avenue (Inglewood neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of The DeSelms Team.

Each week, I am picking the top five sweet deals in the Nashville area.
The deals are chosen based off the following criteria:

• Attractive price for today’s top buyer pool
• Quality of finishes, style and character
• Proximity to shops, restaurants and neighborhood amenities

For buyer representation on any of these homes, please contact brian@re615.com or megan@re615.com. We can have you inside within 3-10 hours of your inquiry!

#1: $89,900||3825 Hutson Avenue (Maplewood neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of RE/Max Choice Properties.

#2: $129,900||5010 West Durrett Drive (Caldwell Hall neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Brentview Realty Company.

#3: $139,000||4008 Kennedy Avenue (Inglewood neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Keller Williams Realty.

#4: $164,000||2835 Bronte Avenue (South Inglewood Neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Benchmark Realty, LLC.

#5: $188,500||3413 Dakota Avenue (Sylvan Heights neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Benchmark Realty, LLC.

For the first time since 2006, home sales in the Greater Nashville area were up from the previous year.  December 2011 home sales ended with an 18.2% increase over December 2010, with 1,773 closings according to Greater Nashville Association of Realtors.  Fourth quarter closings were also up from fourth quarter 2010, by 17.9%.  December marks the sixth consecutive month of increased home sales.  For the year, there were 20,624 homes sold.  Although that is only a 1.8% increase over total sales for 2010, it is still a great sign of things to come.  January has started off well too with pending sales being up.

Each week, I am picking the top five sweet deals in the Nashville area.
The deals are chosen based off the following criteria:

• Attractive price for today’s top buyer pool
• Quality of finishes, style and character
• Proximity to shops, restaurants and neighborhood amenities

For buyer representation on any of these homes, please contact brian@re615.com or megan@re615.com. We can have you inside within 3-10 hours of your inquiry!

#1: $147,900||1112 Riverside Drive (Rosebank neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Keller Williams Realty.

#2: $179,900||2658 Barclay Drive (Fortland Park neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Village Real Estate Services.

#3: $179,900||1001 Chicamauga Avenue (Cleveland Park neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Forest Hills REALTORS.

#4: $194,500||2433 Eastland Avenue (Rosebank Neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Village Real Estate Services.

#5: $194,900||3747 Moss Rose Drive (Moss Rose neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Village Real Estate Services.

Each week, I am picking the top five sweet deals in the Nashville area.
The deals are chosen based off the following criteria:

• Attractive price for today’s top buyer pool
• Quality of finishes, style and character
• Proximity to shops, restaurants and neighborhood amenities

For buyer representation on any of these homes, please contact brian@re615.com or megan@re615.com. We can have you inside within 3-10 hours of your inquiry!

#1: $109,900||915 Oneida Avenue (Joy Garden neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Urbane Residential Specialists.

#2: $119,900||1805 Lischey (Tom Joy neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Reliant Realty.

#3: $139,900||1503 Corder Drive (Rosebank neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Keller Williams Realty.

#4: $159,900||2536 McGinnis Drive (Moss Rose Neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Urbane Residential Specialists.

#5: $179,850||854 Kirkwood Avenue #A (12 South neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Benchmark Realty, LLC

Each week, I am picking the top five sweet deals in the Nashville area.
The deals are chosen based off the following criteria:

• Attractive price for today’s top buyer pool
• Quality of finishes, style and character
• Proximity to shops, restaurants and neighborhood amenities

For buyer representation on any of these homes, please contact brian@re615.com or megan@re615.com. We can have you inside within 3-10 hours of your inquiry!

#1: $114,500||1224 Chester Avenue (Eastland Park neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of BrokerSouth Real Estate Partners, LLC.

#2: $114,900||5317 Ashlawn Drive (Hickory View neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Reliant Realty.

#3: $119,900||2625 Morganmeade Drive (Inglewood neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of The Realty Association.

#4: $159,900||5400 Pennsylvania Avenue (Historic West Town Neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Fridrich & Clark Realty.

#5: $178,200||1007 Shadow Lane (Rosebank neighborhood)

Click photo for full photos and information. Courtesy of Village Real Estate Services.