Thank goodness 2009 is over! What a tough year it was for all of us. But… we survived!!

Now it’s time to start thinking about 2010 if you haven’t done so already. One of the best ways to get your New Year started off in the right direction is finish up 2009 and bag it for good. In other words “Clean Some Things Up” and get a clean start in 2010. Listed below are some good tips to help us complete that clean up and set ourselves up for Great Success in 2010.

1. Clean that Computer up!

• Now is the time to clean up all those old e-mails.
• Go through your Contacts and make sure they are all correct and needed.
• Purge your My Documents file. Transfer all of the documents and files you want to keep to your Server, an external hard drive or to a thumb drive for safe keeping.
• Check your computer out for performance issues. Do you need a new one? Is it time to transition to a laptop? Check your memory and see if you may need to add additional memory. How about your virus software? Is it up to date? Have you defragged your hard drive recently? How about your software? Do you have the most up to date versions? There are great sales going on right now and it is the perfect time to upgrade.
• Finally, it’s time to update all of your Social Networking sites and information. Do you need to un-friend some folks on Facebook or MySpace? Do you have all the right contacts in LinkedIn and other Business Networks? How about your Profile? Is it correct and up to date and do you have an up to date photo?

2. Calendar Transition

• Now is the time to decide if you are finally going to go completely electronic or continue to use a paper based calendar. If you decide to go electronic, learn to use your smart phone calendar option correctly, know how to sync and make sure your e-mail is connected properly. If you decide to continue to go with paper, it’s time to go on-line or to the local Office Products store and get a new one for 2010.
• Get your calendar ready for 2010.
• Transfer any recurring appointments or dates like birthdays, anniversaries or business meetings.
• Outlook is probably what most everyone uses and there are some great tools available within the calendar option for color coding and labeling appointments and meetings so you stay more organized.

3. Get Organized – Clean up those Paper Files

• There is nothing worse than to have a bunch of old files sitting around. Make sure you use a new storage box labeled properly to put your old 2009 files in. Remember keeping those old documents does come in handy. Always try to keep 2 years of records nearby. You probably will need them.
• Not to be politically correct here, but now may be a good time to reduce your carbon footprint and start moving toward a paperless record keeping process by going completely electronic with your files.

4. “If you don’t have a Plan for 2010 you definitely won’t achieve it!”
In other words it is time to set your Goals for 2010

• Look at your 2009 Goals and your Plan and see what worked and what didn’t. Where were you successful and what do you need to change?
• Keep your Plan simple. I find just setting 5 Key Goals that I can accomplish helps me to have a better focus and a better chance of succeeding.
• Set 5 Business Goals and 5 Personal Goals. Just a reminder that you should always do an evaluation every month to see where you are and adjust your plan if you need to.
• Stretch yourself in 2010. You probably worked harder in 2009 than any other year so you have yourself set up for a great 2010. Don’t take the easy road but set some lofty goals that are achievable!
• Some suggestions, revenue goal, income goal, total sales, health goals, community service goal and a goal to help your company be more successful.

Final thoughts

As I said in the beginning, 2009 was a tough year for all of us. The economy was atrocious. Many people lost their jobs. Most all of us suffered monetarily and had to tighten our belts. But there is a silver lining in all of this. We have survived!! We learned some things about ourselves and we probably became better at what we do. So now that we have gotten through 09, here a few thoughts for 2010.

• Be Positive!!! There is a tendency to be cynical when times are tough. Make up your mind that you are going to have a positive attitude and be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem. Attitude is half the battle or more in being successful.
• Build relationships in the new year. Find new people to associate with. Genuinely show interest in them and their lives. Hey we all need each other. We just saw how much in the last year.
• Take responsibility for your success. Don’t blame everything around you when things get tough. If it is to be it will have to be you!
• Live a life of gratitude. There is always something we can be grateful for. Think about it!
• Be where we are and be committed to serve others. If you don’t like where you are change it. If you do like where you are than get better at what you do and make everyone around you more successful.

Finally….. Some words to live by:

5 Laws of Success

Law of Value
Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment

Law of Compensation
Your Income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them

Law of Influence
Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interests first

Law of Authenticity
The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself

Law of Receptivity
The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving

Posted by:Tammy Carroll, CRP, GMS, RCC, WRS

When people get to a certain age and if they become unable to care for themselves, sometimes it’s necessary to find a nursing facility to ensure they are comfortable, eat regularly, and receive proper medical care. Nursing homes are notoriously expensive, but Medicaid is there to help pay when a patient is unable to do this.

Problems arise, however, when a patient does have assets that can be used for their own care. An attorney spoke at our office today about how people often come to her asking for help in hiding their assets so the nursing home doesn’t get them. The question that must be asked is, “If you’re not going to pay for the care, who will?” It’s the taxpayers who pay - you, me, our children.

Debtors usually have a one-year limit to seek repayment from an estate for expenses, but the Tennessee Courts have ruled that Tenn Care is not limited by this law. Tenn Care is mandated by the federal government to collect money to offset the costs of Medicaid if assets are available. As a result, attorneys are now sifting through legal documents to see if a homeowner has signed over their home or other real estate to someone else using a quit claim deed.

The key is whether the quit claim deed is at least five years old. If it is less than five years old, the deed may be considered as a way to hide assets. If a deed was signed over three months before a patient was admitted to a nursing home, then there is a strong suspicion of fraud, but if it’s been four years and three months, then the concern lessens.

If you’re thinking about trying to save your home from being sold to pay nursing home expenses, think again. The best thing you can do is to contact an attorney who has experience with elderly care, estate planning, and real estate. I would recommend Imogene Bolin, attorney at law, as a good source for more information. She can be reached at (615) 459-6189.

Have a very Merry Christmas, a safe holiday season, and a prosperous 2010!

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

Murfreesboro, TN in Rutherford County is one of the fastest growing communities in Tennessee and is located about 38 miles south of Nashville, TN. This medium-sized community is loaded with everything you need as a family, single professional, or retiree. Homes for sale in Murfreesboro range from $45,000 - $1,000,000 plus. Murfreesboro’s wide-range of diversity includes new construction, garden homes, custom estate homes, farms/land, and historic homes in downtown Murfreesboro.

Murfreesboro, TN is loaded with historical significance and homes for sale are near shopping, beautiful parks, a dog park, churches, nature trails, restaurants, Stones River, and some of the best public schools in Middle Tennessee. Home to Middle Tennessee State University and several large employers, some locals rate Murfreesboro as one of the best places to raise a family.

The Bob Parks real estate agents are considered the most respected in Middle Tennessee real estate not only because they are committed to excellence, but some of them are Middle Tennessee natives for many generations.

Visit BobParks.com to search for your next dream home and to checkout all homes for sale in the MLS directory.

Murfreesboro, TN Home Resources:

• Relocate to Murfreesboro, TN

• Homes for Sale in Murfreesboro, TN

• List Your Home

• Checkout Murfreesboro Schools

• Auctions in Murfreesboro

• Find a Home in Rutherford County: Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, Eagleville

• Learn more about Murfreesboro, TN

Posted By: Kimberly Fahey

The company coach for Bob Parks Realty, Bud George, has been road-tripping these last two weeks sharing his thoughts on industry trends and the market forecast for 2010.

The best news is that a portion of the Middle Tennessee area (Rutherford and Wilson Counties, specifically) are in the blue collar housing market. This means that homes were built for regular people and so they remain affordable, available, and may begin appreciating in value again soon. As the job market finds steady ground, the inventory is expected to eventually decrease while prices for houses valued under $200,000 should start coming up.

Unfortunately, short sales and foreclosures will remain as a key component of home sales in 2010. Another final round of adjustable rate mortgage loans are coming up this year, so people who are barely making payments now won’t be able to afford them when their payments increase. It is anticipated that in the coming year, 25 to 30 percent of homes available will be bank owned or have a bank involved. This opens the market for investors who will represent 20 to 25 percent of buyers in the coming year.

In good news, interest rates will remain low but Bud expects them to slowly increase. They will hopefully remain under 6 percent in 2010 and not go higher than 7 percent by 2011.

2010 should be a very interesting year for both the residential and commercial real estate markets. My hope is that we’ll see the housing market regain its firm footing and see some healthy growth.

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

They may be right, especially with the interest rates where they are today. Right now the average 30-year fixed-rate loan with no points or fees is around 5% which is the lowest the rate has been in nearly 40 years. There are some great homes on the market right now and with a few simple steps to get prequalified for a mortgage loan, you can be a proud new home owner. Bob Parks Realty can help you find just the perfect home ~ call Tammy Carroll at 615-550-0087.

Read the fantastic article from BusinessWeek here.

Posted by:Tammy Carroll, CRP, GMS, RCC, WRS

The new Bob Parks Office at 415 Main Street in Franklin is off to a great start! On Dec 3rd, after only 3 weeks in their new site, the office held their Christmas party and the Lobby was filled with decked out revelers! The office double window onto Main is filled with great winter scenes. The theme is “Home for the Holidays.” People of all ages stop by to look and smile. The most popular scene is the skating rink!

On December 5, the office is helping with the annual Christmas Parade. We are open offering hot apple cider to all visitors. It was a cold day and many people came into the office to watch the parade from our warm and inviting office. Vicki Lowe donated her cider recipe which was just fabulous! We gave away about 100 cups of hot cider.

On December 12th, Franklin will turn into Merry Olde England with our annual Dickens of a Christmas Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Again, we will be open serving Hot Apple Cider and “A merry Christmas will be had by all!”

Looking for something to do with your family this season, or anytime of the year? We’ve got you covered in Franklin- the most Family Friendly town in the USA! Contact the Bob Parks Office in Franklin or me at www.bobparks.com/ckimmel for information on upcoming events anytime!

(Thanks to Ray Lowe for the pictures!)

Posted By: Charlene Kimmel

Remember the old college idiom - “Look to your left, now look to your right? These people probably won’t graduate.” The point may not have been that everyone knows someone who won’t make it, but we can still use that expression when describing today’s homeowners. Look to your left, look to your right - one of those neighbors may be in trouble. We all know a distressed homeowner - at least one, but perhaps two, three or twelve.

When a person faces losing their home to foreclosure, they are often too embarrassed to seek help. One day they’re there and the next, they are gone. Sadly, losing your house doesn’t always have to happen. Although lenders have been overwhelmed this year with short-sale and loan modification applications, they do get to them eventually and either of those options is much better on your credit score than an outright foreclosure.

In Chicago, Bank of America is working with community volunteers on an outreach project to get the word out that loan modifications are an option, according to the Chicago Tribune. The volunteers go to homes in trouble, knock on the door, and encourage neighbors to seek help. They provide them with the information on how to start and what to do.

If you find yourself in a situation where you’re behind on your mortgage payments, call your lender first and they will advise you on what to do. You don’t need to feel embarrassed to make the call, though it may be painful. They don’t want to foreclose any more than you want to lose your home.

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

Time to get in the holiday spirit in Tennessee with Christmas parades scheduled almost every weekend day (and night) in the coming two weeks. I know this because my daughter the baton twirling queen will be in most of them. What does it mean for me? I get to be in them as well as I balance driving a swanky convertible with tossing candy to spectators (never aim for the head) and reminding the queens to remember their regal wave.

I don’t know what’s more fun - hearing people comment on my awesome convertible (which I totally pretend to be mine whether it’s a Mustang, Smart car, or a Volkswagen Beetle) or listening to the teen boys say, “Hey! Wanna go out with me?” and the little girls saying, “Look! They’re so pretty!” It’s just so much fun!

If you want to join in the fun, here are some dates, places, and times (asterisks show parades my daughter and her twirling group will attend):

Friday, December 4th
*Nashville Christmas Parade

Parade goes down Broadway and the grand marshal is recording artist John Rich, 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, December 5th
Mt. Juliet Christmas Parade, 12:00 noon

Fairview Christmas Parade, 1:00 p.m.

Franklin Christmas Parade, 2:00 p.m.

Hendersonville Lighted Boat Parade, 6:00 p.m.

*Clarksville Christmas Parade, 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 6th

Smyrna Christmas Parade, 2:00 p.m.

Lebanon Christmas Parade, 2:00 p.m.

Portland Christmas Parade, 2:00 p.m.

(Santa’s going to have to be in three places at once!)

Saturday, December 12
Eagleville Christmas Parade, 11:00 a.m.

*Goodlettsville Christmas Parade, 5:30 p.m.

Sunday, December 13
*Rutherford County Christmas Parade, 2:30 p.m.

We hope to see you there!

Posted by:Kathy Tyson