Chances are either you, or someone you know, is currently getting a divorce. With that comes a division of your most valuable asset — your home. Real estate transactions alone can be stressful. Add a divorce to the situation and many costly mistakes are made that too often lead to damaged credit, default, foreclosure or even bankruptcy.

Bob Parks Realty announced that nine of their agents have successfully completed the real estate divorce course and earned their Real Estate Collaborative Specialist – Divorce designation. Presented at Vanderbilt Law School by DivorceThisHouse.com, this twelve-hour seminar teaches Middle Tennessee real estate agents how to work with homeowners going through a divorce. More importantly, these real estate professionals learned how to get more information for their clients earlier in the divorce process that leads to more informed decision-making and a stronger financial future for divorcees and their kids.

President and CEO of DivorceThisHouse.com, Kelly Lise Murray, J.D., states, “To successfully divorce your spouse and house, you need more earlier. This concept means getting more information and doing more due diligence with real estate and financial experts much earlier in the divorce process.”

Unfortunately, many divorced homeowners find out too late that they didn’t divorce their house — or completely divorce their spouse — if there is any joint debt or joint ownership after the divorce decree becomes final. Murray says. “The lender can unfortunately seek repayment in full from you alone. Also, under joint ownership, the individual creditor of your co-owner can record a lien against title to the property you own jointly — preventing you from refinancing or selling until that lien is released, which usually requires payment of the debt.” Murray further cautions that there are only two ways to remove your name from a joint mortgage: your co-borrower individually refinances the mortgage, or the house is sold. That’s it. And with any joint debt after divorce, you risk damaged credit, foreclosure, and bankruptcy.

Combining the expertise of real estate professionals, and financial experts with divorce attorneys, will help limit damages that can occur to your credit, future home, and finances during a divorce. For more information on reaching a Middle Tennessee divorce real estate professional near you, see below:

Beverly Cannon Jones
Sumner County/Gallatin Hendersonville
Office (615) 826-4040
Cell (615) 812-6954

Mary Jane Cochran
Williamson County/Franklin
Office (615) 790-7400
Cell (615) 438-6640

Lori Fishkind
Green Hills/Nashville
Office (615) 383-6600
Cell (615) 495-9218

Frances Garner
Green Hills/Nashville
Office (615) 383-6600
Cell (615) 300-6439

Cindy Garner
Williamson County/Franklin
Office (615)790-7400
Cell (615) 587-0366

Lisa Rose Johnson
Mt. Juliet
Office (615) 583-5050
Cell (615) 495-0554

Diane McKee
Williamson County/Franklin
Office (615) 790-7400
Cell (931) 215-1573

Denise Moody
Williamson County/Brentwood
Office (615) 370-8669
Cell (615) 585-7283

David Votta
Williamson County/Brentwood
Phone (615) 370-8669
Cell (615) 330-8638

Posted by:  Kimberly Fahey

Car Show to Help “Christmas for the Children”

Real estate agents in the Smyrna office of Bob Parks Realty are hosting a “Cruise In” on Saturday, July 24th from 3:00 - 8:00 p.m. The car show is being held to raise money for the annual “Christmas for the Children” program where hundreds of needy kids are given a toy and new clothes during the holidays.

In the six years I’ve participated as a real estate agent, I’d estimate that about 500 children have benefited from this wonderful program. Christmas for the Children started years ago when Mr. Parks asked agents to donate a gift to a child in need during the holidays rather than buying him a gift. Events are now held year-round to raise money for the cause, including horse shows, golf tournaments, and now the Cruise-In.

The car show will feature antique cars, awesome new cars, funny cars, and just plain pretty cars! A live band featuring one of our own agents will be performing! In addition, our amazing concession stand will be available to quench your thirst or to chow down on a hot dog, sloppy joe, or chips.

Admission is free, so stop by and say hello! We hope to see you there!

Posted by:  Kathy Tyson

Kendra Cooke

Bob Parks Realty–Brentwood, TN– Corporate Office: Bob Parks Realty welcomes one of the most successful real estate professionals in all of Middle Tennessee, Kendra Cooke. Formerly with Crye-Leike for twelve years, Kendra brings with her a team of three real estate professionals, more than 50 residential real estate listings, and a reputation for exceptional service. Kendra is consistently ranked in the top 25 Realtors in Middle Tennessee by the Nashville Business Journal.

“We are very proud to have a real estate professional such as Kendra Cooke join us”, stated Bob Parks. “To us, Kendra is more than a top producing agent, she is a wonderful person with a heart of gold.” Parks continued, “Kendra’s commitment to serving the community and middle Tennessee families speaks volumes about her success. We look forward to being a part of her future for many, many years to come.”

“I’m so excited to be a part of Bob Parks Realty”, said Kendra Cooke. “The company name is highly respected in Middle Tennessee. My team and my services are still the same we just have two new locations.”

More About Kendra Cooke – www.kendracooke.com

Kendra is originally from Southern Illinois and relocated to Middle Tennessee in 1988 initially to pursue a career in law. Nearly 22 years later, Kendra has achieved many real estate honors and accolades, including being named Realtor of the Year by the Greater Nashville Associations of Realtors in February 2006. This was a huge honor for Kendra since she was selected by her peers for this award based on her professionalism, community involvement, enthusiasm, and willingness to serve the real estate industry on many different levels.

While consistently serving 100+ families annually and being named top producing agent for the past ten years, Kendra also coaches real estate agents both locally and around the US. When Kendra is not working and serving on various real estate boards, she enjoys running, reading autobiographies, and most importantly spending time with her husband, Greg and their son, Kory who is 12.

For your real estate needs, Kendra can be reached at 615-207-7852 or by email at 

About Bob Parks Realty – www.bobparks.com

Nominated for the “Best in Nashville Business” and winner of numerous other awards, Bob Parks Realty is known as the most respected name in Middle Tennessee real estate. Bob Parks Realty is home to over 400 real estate professionals serving families and home owners in Murfreesboro, Brentwood, Franklin, Nashville, Smyrna, Mt. Juliet, Sumner County, and the surrounding areas. In 2009 Bob Parks Realty donated more than $120,000 to help middle Tennessee communities. 

Posted by:  Kimberly Fahey

Linn Ann Guss Helps Save Puppy from Cruelty!
A three-month old puppy was found on Memorial Day weekend, bleeding from two gunshot wounds to his chest. His name is Gus, named after Linn Ann Guss. Linn Ann, who is currently caring for the puppy, is a Bob Parks real estate professional serving the Rutherford County and Bedford County area. Linn Ann volunteers to temporarily adopt animals who face possible euthanization. Linn Ann states, “I’ve volunteered since I was a child, I think I was born into it.” She has also fostered many dogs for several different organizations.

Linn Ann is considering renaming the puppy “Velcro,” she states, because he sticks so close to her. The young dog is a sweetheart and almost potty trained. Just like a puppy, he likes to chew, but he is very quite in the house.

For more information about Linn Ann Guss, please visit her on the web at: www.linnann.bobparks.com

Posted by:  Kimberly Fahey

More than 25 Bob Parks Realty agents gathered on Friday, May 07, 2010 to provide support, lunch, and supplies to more than 200 residents and several hundred other workers in the Cottonwood subdivision located off Cotton Lane in west Franklin, TN.

Several homes in the neighborhood were flooded and one home completely burned almost to the ground. Steve Sweet, a Cottonwood resident and Bob Parks Realty broker reports that, “It was devastating. Seeing rushing water through your yard, basement, and trenches in addition to a home across the street catching fire was unbelievable.”

The level of organization already in place before Bob Parks Realty agents arrived was amazing. The Cottonwood neighborhood set-up a central location to give workers and residents a place to eat, get supplies, and remain organized. There was a section for supplies organized by type like bleach, gloves, mask, work gloves, etc. It operated just like a free grocery store to all the residents and volunteers in need. To help make sure most needs were met, the central location included writing boards which listed ongoing needed supplies. Nick Harper with the Tennessee Titans joined Chris Fuller with Bob Parks Realty to see how they could help. Throughout the day, volunteers would check the boards and then drop-off items needed.

Steve Sweet reported that “the Bob Parks Team ROCKS! Everyone in my neighborhood talked about the nice Bob Parks people in the heart t-shirts.”

Posted by:  Kimberly Fahey

Discover why these top producing agents chose the most respected name in Franklin and Brentwood, TN real estate!

Leanne Vande Kamp
Franklin Office
615-557-8552
“Hands-down, I chose Bob Parks because of their reputation.”

Mary Ray CRS, GRI
Brentwood Office
615-456-4810
“I chose Bob Parks for their support and technology.”

Charles Stearns
Brentwood Office
615-604-3122
“Training and personal coaching is the reason I chose Bob Parks.”

Ron Shapton
Franklin Office
615-891-8260
“I love the modern downtown Franklin facility.”


For more information about joining the most respected real estate agents in town, please visit www.bobparks.com/careers.

Posted By: Kimberly Fahey

Actually, May 23rd is the big day for the new International Airport in Panama City Florida. The state of the art terminal features a huge modern terminal with seven gates for a total cost of $318 million dollars. Also a new 10,000 foot runway will allow commercial aircraft and larger jets of any size be able to land more easily. This new airport will make travel more accessible for people coming from around the world.

Bob Parks Realty and The Premier Property Group is a member of the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World^® network which has over 35 international members. These members will now be able to fly directly in to the Panama City Beach area ~ also known as the Emerald Coast. Members within the network share information about their local areas and encourage other members to visit. To view homes in the area: www.relohomesearch.com.

For more information about the airport: www.newpcairport.com

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

In addition to being nominated for Best in Nashville Business, the Greater Nashville House and Home magazine awarded Bob Parks Realty with the “The Readers Favorite Award.” This is a huge honor because the award is based upon the opinions of Middle Tennessee home owners and magazine readers. They cast their votes and stories for their favorite real estate companies, designers, builders, landscapers, and more. 

The 450 plus real estate professionals at Bob Parks Realty are dedicated to providing only the highest level of care for families, communities, and home owners in Brentwood, Murfreesboro, Franklin, Smyrna, Mt. Juliet, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Green Hills, Shelbyville, the Nashville area, and Florida’s Emerald Coast. Again, receiving this award is a proud moment as the organization continues to be the Most Respected Name in Real Estate serving Middle Tennessee, Seacrest Beach, and Santa Rosa Florida.

For more information about Bob Parks Realty, visit www.bobparks.com.

Posted By: Kimberly Fahey

Residents and home owners choose Rutherford County because of its family-affordable suburbs, beautiful landscaped neighborhoods, and exceptional schools! Recently, the Rutherford County School District earned District Accreditation by the Advanced Accreditation Commission. Rutherford County is the only county in Tennessee to earn this prestigious designation. In order to be considered and maintain this level of education excellence, the school district must adhere to very high standards, quality assurance, and continuous education improvement set forth by the Advanced Accreditation Commission.

To further impact the lives of Rutherford County children and families, the school district had to address many areas of their education process. Specifically, seven of these standards included:

• Commitment to Ongoing Improvement
• Teaching and Learning
• Vision and Purpose
• Leadership
• Documenting and Using Results
• Resources and Support Systems
• Stakeholder Communications and Relationships

For more information about moving to Rutherford County visit www.bobparks.com.

Posted By: Kimberly Fahey

Whenever I think of spring in Nashville, lots of places come to mind. This year there are many fun places to visit to have some fun. For example, Bass Prop Shop is having Easter activities from March 27 through April 4th. The Easter Bunny will make an appearance along with lot of games and crafts for the younger kids at heart.

Then there is the Belmont Mansion’s First Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 3rd. This is a free event and will feature prizes, a petting zoo and of course the Eater Bunny. Cheekwood’s Spring Art Hop will also be held on Saturday April 3rd where families will enjoy an Easter egg hunt and a visit from the Easter Bunny himself.

Exploring in Nashville is fun for everyone of every age! Young, old and everyone in between. Looking for the finest museums, attractions and events is easy. I suggest every Nashvillian enjoy our own city and check out the sites we have to offer.

At Bob Parks Realty, we like to share what Nashville has to offer by taking a tour of downtown. Start at Fort Nashboro and wind up at Centennial Park for a picnic. When we have clients coming in from out of town who may be relocating or thinking about moving to Nashville an area tour is a great way to kick off the day.

When searching for homes in Nashville we start by searching on: www.bobparks.com by area, price range or schools.

Needless to say, there are lots of activities going on in Nashville this season. For more information click here.

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

Bob Parks Realty is pleased to welcome Belinda Butler Perry as a Realtor in the Smyrna office located at 557 Sam Ridley Parkway West.

“I am very excited to join Bob Parks Realty,” said Belinda. “The opportunity to combine my experience with Bob Parks Realty reputation as Tennessee’s premier real estate company will allow me to provide my clients with the highest quality of service.” Belinda recently transferred from Crye-Leike Realtors Starwood office. She has been a licensed Realtor for 15 years in addition to acting as sales & marketing manager for a Rutherford County builder since 1991. “I bring to my real estate clients a total of 19 years of experience assisting buyers in realizing their dream of home ownership,” said Belinda. “I have extensive new construction experience and have sold hundreds of homes in Middle Tennessee.”

Since becoming a licensed Realtor, Belinda has been assisting buyers and sellers in and around Rutherford, Davidson, and Wilson Counties. She specializes in residential real estate focusing on previously owned homes and first-time homebuyers. Belinda is a member of the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors (GNAR) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR). She currently lives in Smyrna and has been a resident of Rutherford County since 1985. For all your real estate needs and personal referrals, please contact Belinda Perry at Bob Parks Realty, LLC by phone at (615) 482-4180 or email her at belindaperry@realtracs.com.

For more information about homes for sale in Smyrna, TN, check out these links:

• All Smyrna Real Estate
• Search for real estate by Smyrna Subdivision
• Smyrna Real Estate $200,000 - $400,000

  Posted By: Kimberly Fahey

The Bob Parks Realty office in Mt. Juliet is very proud to announce that Amy Oakley has joined the team! As a Mt. Juliet native, Amy brings with her more than 20 years of customer service experience and area expertise.

For more information about the Bob Parks Realty in Mt. Juliet, click here.

For more information about homes for sale in Mt. Juliet, click here.

Posted By: Kimberly Fahey

The initial cost to implement green and healthier living in your home may seem like it’s too much, but when you compare the benefits and energy saved, you come out way ahead. The results and cost of implementing tankless water heaters, high efficiency HVAC, PEX water pipes, spray foam, etc can equal a 30-70% reduced energy bill, plus increase the overall resale value of your home. In addition to cost savings, your air quality is up to 50% cleaner.

Another way to look at implementing healthier and cost reduced living would be to consider buying a green HOME the next time you are house hunting. One of the major builders in Middle TN is Herrington Homes, LLC. They focus on building LEED® certified homes. LEED is a rating system that sets the standard for designing and building high performance healthy homes that use less energy, water, and natural resources.

Check out this green LEED home currently on the market in Hendersonville:

1547 Hunt Club BLVD, Hendersonville, TN 37066

$479,900 MLS # 1067037

Total SQ 3070

For more information on finding green LEED® certified home in Middle, TN contact Dan Herrington with Bob Parks Realty at (615) 975-9021. Click here for all homes for sale in Hendersonville.

• Bellevue Homes for sale

• Brentwood Homes for sale

• Franklin Homes for sale

• Green Hills Homes for sale

• Murfreesboro Homes for Sale

• Nashville Homes for Sale

• Smyrna Homes for Sale

Posted By: Kimberly Fahey

Despite the decline in real estate sales, Bob Parks Realty, the most respected name in Middle, TN real estate has not stopped their mission to serve Middle Tennessee residents. Bob Parks Realty invested a significant amount of money and time to local charities and to implement state-of-the-art web technology that better serves residents and real estate agents.

2009 Charity Involvement

Bob Parks Realty raised more than $123,000 for Middle TN communities throughout 2009 and helped save many lives by coordinating two blood drives. The thrill of finding families their perfect home is second only to the joy of giving back to Middle TN residents.

• $30,000 to Mercy Ministries
• $24,000 for Christmas for Kids
• $22,000 for Make a Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee
• $12,000 for the Tennessee School for Blind. And More than $121,000 over the past ten years.
• $14,000 for Christmas for the Children. And over $100,000 for the past ten years.
• $2,300 to Mobil Meals
• $1427.43 to Mitchell Neilson School
• $1751.78 to Jack Anderson School
• Bob Parks Realty helped save many lives by coordinating two blood drives for Red Cross Blood Mobile
• $15,635 to various other charities

Advancements in Web Technology: www.bobparks.com

Community involvement is not the only thing that sets Bob Parks Realty apart from other real estate companies. Www.bobparks.com is a local company that can compete with nationally-known online real estate giants like realtor.com. The Bob Parks difference is the focus on Middle Tennessee communities and families.

About Bob Parks Realty

Bob Parks Realty is the most respected name in Middle, TN real estate. To find your next dream home or to become an agent , visit www.bobparks.com.

Connect with Bob Parks Realty On

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

LINKEDIN

Posted By: Kimberly Fahey

Despite the decline in home sales throughout 2009, Bob Parks Realty has not stopped their mission to serve Middle Tennessee home buyers. Bob Parks Realty invested a significant amount to implement state-of-the-art web technology that better serves Middle Tennessee residents and real estate agents.

Finally, there is a local real estate company that can compete with nationally-known online giants like Realtor.com, Truila.com, and Homes.com. The Bob Parks difference is the focus on Middle Tennessee Communities!

The latest in web technology is not only extremely expensive, but it’s also very time consuming to implement. Regardless of the cost, Bob Parks Realty wanted to give agents more technology-driven tools while allowing home buyers a way to search for homes for sale by Tennessee schools, local interactive maps, Middle Tennessee subdivisions, and more . The total initiative took almost 12 months to finalize. In late October 2009, Bob Parks Realty launched its website specifically with real estate agents and Middle Tennessee home buyers in mind. This technology is linked to the latest in social media, community information, school reports, and it allows agents to develop and customize their own personal websites to further reach home buyers.

Visit www.bobparks.com and click on property search for a complete review of how Bob Parks Realty is better serving Middle Tennessee on the web.

Check out the Most Popular Searches:

• Murfreesboro Homes for Sale: $125,000 - $225,000

• Downtown Nashville Condos

• Brentwood Homes for Sales: $225,000 - $350,000

• Mt. Juliet Homes for Sale: $125,000 - $225,000

• Shelbyville Homes for Sale: $150,000 - $250,000

• Franklin Homes for Sales: $225,000 - $350,000

• Gallatin Homes for Sale: $180,000 - $250,000

• Smyrna Homes for Sale: $180,000 - $250,000

Posted By: Kimberly Fahey