Murfreesboro Information and Resources

John Jones Real Estate is happy to present the winner of our Scales Elementary "Careers on Wheels Day" Coloring Contest, Ms. Claire Shirley. Claire will be in 4th grade at Scales when school resumes. She was awarded a $100 Gift Card to Wal-Mart where she plans to use her winnings to purchase supplies for an upcoming Church Camp. Thanks to all our Coloring Contest participants. Here are just a few of the entries we recieved.

 Scales Elementary "Carreers on Wheels Day" Coloring Contest Entries 

It's been another great year for The Jones Team and we have our wonderful clients to thank for it. We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year in 2010!

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
___________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release
November 6, 2009
On Friday, November 6, 2009, the President signed into law:

H.J.Res. 26, which proclaims Casimir Pulaski to be an honorary citizen
of the United States posthumously;

H.R. 1209, the “Medal of Honor Commemorative Coin Act of 2009,” which requires the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in recognition and celebration of the establishment of the Medal of Honor in 1861;

H.R. 3548, the “Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009,” which provides an additional 14 weeks of emergency unemployment compensation (EUC) in all States and six additional weeks of EUC in very high unemployment States; extends the Federal Unemployment Tax Act surtax through June 30, 2011; extends the $8,000 First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit through April 30, 2010, and provides a $6,500 credit to certain other homebuyers through April 30, 2010; increases from two to five preceding years the period for which businesses can offset net operation losses in 2008 and 2009 against income; and makes certain other changes to Federal unemployment programs and tax laws;

H.R. 3606, the “Credit CARD Technical Corrections Act of 2009,” which
amends the Truth in Lending Act to make a technical correction to an
amendment made by the Credit CARD Act of 2009;

S. 832, which grants a Federal charter to the Military Officers
Association of America; and

S. 1694, which allows funding for the Commerce Department’s Public
Safety Interoperable Communications Grant Program to remain available
for an additional two years through FY 2012.

Here are a couple of links you may find of interest:

Comparison to the Old Tax Credit

FAQs on the New Tax Credit

Call us at 615-867-3020 if you have any questions. We'd love to help you.

I've decided it's time to bring some real estate humor back to our website so I'm posting this video that our first blog subscribers saw a couple of years ago before our blog was hosted on our site. I'll be adding more humorous content soon. Enjoy!

There is a lot that can be said about Zillow.com's Zestimates. First off, what is a Zestimate? Well to put it simply its Zillow's estimate of what a home is worth. They pull their information from a number of sources and then run that info through an algorithm that spits out a number (which is supposedly what your home is worth). My "beef" with Zillow is that this number is completely and utterly wrong as much as it is right (at least in the Murfreesboro real estate market). Not only that, buy sellers are actually believing the Zestimates and expecting agents to be willing to list their home at inflated prices. 

So is it Zillow's fault sellers are peddling their home to the Realtor with the highest list price? No way! Zillow freely admits it's an inexact science. Here's THEIR explanation of what a Zestimate is:

More and more we're finding potential sellers interviewing Realtors to list their home, sellers who are shopping for a real estate agent to give them that magic number they can sell the house for. Here's the bad news for those sellers, the Realtor doesn't have a say in what your home is worth! An agent can tell you all day long your home is worth $189,900 to get the listing when it's really going to sell for $164,900. Yes that is less than you paid for it and yes that is $15 grand less than the Zestimate (did you really think a machine or person who has never set foot on Tennessee soil could give you a good representation of what the local market will think your home is worth?) In fact, the Zestimate is more than we're even willing to LIST the house for (likely more than it will even appraise for, and most of the time you CAN'T sell a home for more than it appraises) fully expecting that we won't see a full price offer in a Buyers market like we're currently facing. You overpaid for the house two years ago, but lucky for you so did the guy who owns the house you want (and he's taking an even bigger hit).

In my time working for John I've heard one quote more than any other. It may be John's mantra, it could be inscribed on his headstone because he undoubtedly believes it to be words any Realtor can live by, "Your home is what someone is willing to pay for it". Not what you think it's worth, not what I think it's worth, not what any Realtor, nor Zillow, Trulia, the appraiser, the bank, the tax collector, the butcher, the baker or the candlestick maker.

Lucky for you...if you have the right agent to market your property (who didn't allow you to allow them to take an overpriced listing) and 5 buyers willing to "pay for it" at the same time. You'll probably still come out alright, if not better, than if you'd listed it John R. Realtor who'd still have it $10 grand overpriced 3 months from now with ZERO offers. (F.Y.I. that's another 3 payments you have to make on it and the market may be worse than it was...you missed the SUMMER BUYERS BOOM). You missed every buyer that was searching online under $175,000 (probably their agents too) which is a BIG chunk of the buyer pool.

What's the point to all of this you say? When choosing YOUR REALTOR you have to look past the numbers they are spitting out. Any man, woman, child, or machine can spit out an estimate of what your home is worth but what it all comes down to is who knows about your home and what it's worth to THEM.

Now for the shameless plug. Want a Murfreesboro locals educated opinion of what your home is worth? Try http://www.MidTNHouseValues.com

Why do I need a home inspection? We get the question frequently and there are a number of reasons we suggest our buyers ALL get a home inspection done. This week alone we've seen two issues, one fairly uncommon, arise.

For instance, we had a client who against our advice didn't have a home inspection done. After beginning a renovation (upgrading the vinyl floor in the kitchen to tile) he found that there was a leak that had ruined the flooring not only in the kitchen, but all the way through a great room as well. This would definitely have been discovered by even the most inexperienced home inspector. In this case, saving the buyer from both a big headache and a hefty sum of money. The home was "run of the mill" and we could have easily found a very similar deal on a comparable property.

The second situation we've run into is infestation. In another property the home inspection turned up not only the normal shortcomings of an aging home that can be repaired before the sale, saving the buyer the headache and money of dealing with unresolved an unknown issues, but also a Brown Recluse infestation. Those familiar with this spider know that it is a common species in Middle Tennessee but also highly poisonous and thus dangerous. Here are the images from the home inspection:

Not only that, but much more uncommon inhabitant was also found. This snake (see below) seems to have taken up residence in the attic of the home.

Now that's a problem most buyers don't want to deal with. Luckily the buyers of this property had the home inspection done and will be moving into the home reptile, insect, and probably problem free.

So what does the typical home inspection include?

1) Finding major defects.

Example: Structural failure, foundation cracks (due to water penetration causing excessive settlement), roof defects, etc.

2) Identifying problems that can lead to major defects.

Example: Defective roof mounted structures, stopped up gutters, defective or damaged windows, water in crawl space, excessive heat/moister build in attic (caused by inadequate ventilation which can lead to premature roof failure), and termite damage.

A home inspector will also check the home's heating system, central air conditioning system, interior plumbing and electrical systems; the roof, attic, and visible insulation; walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors; the foundation, basement, and visible structure. Many inspectors will also offer services such as mold, radon and water testing.

We've even had a home inspection turn up a dead cat in an air conditioning unit. Another found that the sellers stored their unwanted trash in the crawl space. Take it from us You Want To Get A Home Inspection!

Wondering what other ODD things home inspectors come across? ThisOldHouse.com posted THIS article that featured everything from a home heating system made from car parts and holes in roofs, to light switches in a showers and aluminum foil pipes. The things some builders and homeowners do to houses never cease to amaze me!

Friday's tornado has left much of Murfreesboro damaged and while the tornado's path went staggeringly close to our office, our staff, families and office all made it through the storm relatively unscathed, only one of our listings did not.

Our listing (which was already under contract) on Cornwall Court in Victoria Park was completely destroyed, and while the property was vacant we ask that you keep Perry Muse (a local pastor), his family, and the numerous others affected in your thoughts and prayers. It is still uncertain how the damage will affect the Muse family and many others who lost their homes in this tragedy.

Short Sale and Foreclosure expert Joe Hafner, John Jones Real Estate's Managing Broker, explains H.U.D. homes and the details of how you can take advantage of HUD real estate opportunities.

What's a H.U.D. Home?
A HUD home is a property acquired by Housing and Urban Development as a result of a foreclosure on a FHA-insured mortgage. Housing and Urban Development becomes the property owner and sells the property to recover the loss incured on the foreclosure claim.

Who can buy H.U.D. Homes?
Anyone in the position to make a cash purchase or qualify for a loan that meets HUD restrictions can purchase a HUD property. People who are purchasing the property as their primary residence are given first priority to purchase HUD homes. Properties not sold in the Owner/Occupant priority period are then made availabel to all buyers.

How are H.U.D. Homes sold?
All properties available for purchase by the public are offered for sale on internet listing sites by HUD approved management companies.

Any real estate broker registered with HUD can submit a contract to purchase on your behalf. In most cases HUD pays the real estate broker's commission.

Properties in certain areas are offered at a reduced sales price to law enforcement officers, teachers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, nonprofits and local governments. Contact John Jones Real Estate, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or your local HUD expert to find out more about these programs.

I came across this post on www.RealSimple.com today and thought about its relevance to real estate. If you've ever had a home listed on the market you've probably experienced at least one of those last minute showings and thought to yourself "I just don't have time to clean up the house". While these tips are certainly not all sensible and may not solve all of your last-minute cleanup conundrums, they are certainly better than denying that critical showing to a willing and able buyer.

by Kathleen Squires

The Living Room

• Reserve one side of sofa cushions to be shown to guests. Before company arrives, flip over the cushions to reveal good-as-new fabric. When guests are gone, flip them back.
• Rid the sofa of pet hair by wetting the fingertips of rubber gloves and gliding your hand over the sofa. The hair will stick to the rubber.
• Stack books, catalogs, and magazines in neat piles on the floor or arrange them in a deep decorative basket.
• To disguise windows in need of washing, pull curtain panels closed.
• Fold a clean blanket neatly and drape it over a stained sofa. Strategically placed throw pillows can also camouflage soiled upholstery.
   

The Kitchen

• When the dishwasher is full and the sink is overflowing, stow dirty dishes and silverware in a stockpot and pull them out later to be cleaned.
• Cover up the lingering aroma of last night’s supper by boiling nutmeg, cloves, or cinnamon and orange peels in a sauce-pan on the stove.
• Declutter the refrigerator by taking down notes, drawings, and magnets and throwing them in a plastic bag. Sort through it later.
• Fold hand towels to hide stains. Two tips: Hang the clean side over the oven handle (with the stains in the back), or roll towels in neat spirals and stack them pyramid-style next to the sink.
   

The Bathroom

• Glide a sticky lint roller over the bath mat to pick up hair.
• Light a candle. Everything looks better (and cleaner) by candlelight.
• Hang a fluffy bathrobe on top of damp towels dangling from the hooks on the back of the door.
• Store a rattan or canvas basket on top of the toilet and throw in stray cosmetic brushes.
• Hang fresh guest towels. The humidity in this room makes textiles look droopy, even after a recent machine washing.
• Mound cosmetics and hairstyling products in a container underneath the sink. In a pinch, pile them in the tub and close the shower curtain. Cross your fingers that guests don’t snoop.

The Home Office

• Stash stray office supplies, like pencils and pens, in decorative stationery boxes or filing containers on your desk.
• Take down calendars and notes from bulletin boards and file them in folders. Or align them so that the tops are all in horizontal lines.
• Rearrange crooked books so that all spines are facing the same direction and the titles all read from top to bottom.
• Stow the keyboard and the mouse in a drawer so only the computer monitor tops the desk.
• Temporarily hide wayward Post-it notes and to-do lists underneath the keyboard.
   

The Kids' Rooms

• Stash scattered puzzle pieces in a drawer; stack the boards on a shelf.
• Stow pajamas under the pillow. This way, they’re off the floor and ready for later.
• Put blocks in a handled shopping bag and hang it on a hanger or a doorknob inside the closet.
• Put homeless stuffed animals in extra pillowcases. Or prop them up behind shams.
• If your kids have a play tent, hide toys and clothes inside it.
• Pile books neatly on the floor, largest to smallest, next to a chair or a desk.
• Spritz a deodorizer spray around the diaper pail to eliminate odors.
   

The Laundry Room

• Fold clean towels neatly on the drying rack. Rope lingerie items on hangers, then place them in the bedroom closet, away from prying eyes.
• Drape a scorched ironing board with a clean white sheet, tuck in the edges to fashion a make-shift cover, and place the board in the far corner of the room or behind the door.
• Pile any laundry that needs to be folded in baskets or storage containers and lay them on the washing machine to be sorted through later.
• As for dirty clothes awaiting washing, simply toss them in the washer. 

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This video from Howcast.com is a great resource about the process of getting Homeowners Insurance. It really simplifies the process in a quick 3 minute video.

You can't be approved for a mortgage without it and you'll be covered if a tree falls on your home, your home catches fire, someone trips on your stairs, your home is burglarized, or a number of other unexpected/unfortunate incidents occur.