My baby girl is sick right now. Baby may not be the most accurate way to describe her since she’s in college, but she’ll always be my baby girl. I’ve been on the phone with her each day to see if she’s running a fever, able to sleep, if she has plenty of cough drops and tissues, and to figure out if it’s time to go pick her up and take her to the doctor. So far, she’s okay.

It’s hard to be sick when you’re away from the comforts of home, so what can we tell our kids to do in order to stay healthy? Really they should be doing the same things as they do at home: wash your hands frequently, get plenty of rest, take a vitamin each day, and drink a lot of water.

In addition to these standard precautions, students may also want to avoid crowded areas if they know there’s a virus or wide-spread case of the eppizooties going around campus. Carry anti-bacterial or disinfecting wipes (or hand sanitizer and tissues) in the back-pack and wipe down keyboards in public computer areas. If you can, open a door using your elbow or shoulder rather than your hand on the door knob. When you leave a restroom, use a paper towel to open the door rather than your bare hands.

Living in a dorm can be particularly challenging since students often use the same showers and sinks, but if they follow the same basic healthy habits they may escape getting a bad case of the cruds. The luckiest students are those whose parents buy them small houses or condos to keep during their college years. This can be an affordable option for some families, especially when they find a place big enough to have roommates which help defray expenses. If this is an option for you and your student, I’d be happy to help you find a place!

Meanwhile keep washing your hands, sneeze in your elbow, and try to eat more greens and less pizza!

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

That $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit may be mighty tempting for property newbies. Who seriously wouldn’t want some “free” money to decorate that new home, buy a side-by-side stainless steel refrigerator, or build a privacy fence in the back yard for your dog Barkley?

To qualify for the tax credit, though, you still have to qualify as a buyer. The FHA has announced new rules expected to be in place by summer that will make it more challenging to borrow on a federally guaranteed loan when purchasing a home. For example, new borrowers will need a minimum credit score of 580 to qualify for the 3.5 percent down payment program. New borrowers with less than a 580 FICO score will be required to put down at least 10 percent. Also, sellers will only be able to pay up to 3 percent in closing costs on behalf of the buyer rather than the previous 6 percent.

In addition to these expenses, a real estate buyer may also need to come up with funds for an appraisal, a home inspection, and – first and foremost – the earnest money. Why do you need to pay earnest money? How much money should you put down? What happens to your check when you’ve written it?

Why?

Earnest money shows a seller you are serious about buying the house. A typical offer will contain contingencies to purchase: the inspection contingency, the financial contingency, and appraisal contingency. If any of these contingencies are not satisfactorily met (if you can’t get a home loan, how can you buy?), you may walk away from the purchase and have your earnest money returned. If all of these contingencies are met and a buyer gets cold feet, the earnest money warms them right back up by holding their feet to the fire on the purchase. The earnest money shows that the buyer truly desires to buy the home.

How Much?

How much earnest money you put down is up to the buyer and the seller. The more down, the more serious the offer. I would recommend a buyer offer at least $500, but if it’s a very expensive home you’ll need more. The rule of thumb is “just enough to make it painful for the buyer to walk away.”

Where Does the Earnest Money Go?

The agent does not just “hold” the earnest money check. It is deposited in a broker account- called an escrow account- separated from operating funds. (So make sure when you write a check, you have the funds to cover it!). When you close, the money is applied to either the purchase price of the home, your closing costs, or sometimes buyers are refunded the amount.

As you consider taking advantage of the $8000 tax credit, remember… it will take some money in advance to make the home purchase. Save your money, make sure you’re qualified with a lender, and talk to your favorite middle Tennessee real estate agent to find out what to do next!

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

In the words of Steven Wright, “Why do you park in a driveway, but drive on a parkway?”

Sometimes we do a lot of parking on the parkway, too. But not just us… it’s everywhere! The worst traffic in the nation can be found along a stretch of asphalt in Los Angeles called the Hollywood Freeway, according to The Daily Beast.

Nashville made the list too. Our blacktop system was in the Top 50 as I-65 right in the downtown Nashville area (exit 210 at 4th Avenue) came in at #44. I thought that if Nashville was listed at all, it might have been rush hour on I-24 from Harding Place to Waldron Road because that stretch does tend to get congested.

To the credit of our state department of transportation, however, it’s a great comfort knowing that the highway incident response team is very quick to aid motorists when problems do occur. According to the state’s web site, the HELP trucks are there in case of wrecks, debris in the road, or disabled cars or trucks. They work with emergency personnel to make sure all drivers remain safe in case of incident. If you’re on one of the three major interstates that intersect in Nashville (I-40, I-24, and I-65), it’s great to know the little green men are there.

My advice? If you drive in Nashville, try to avoid rush hour traffic. And remember… the traffic isn’t so bad in the surrounding communities. As a result, if you’re thinking about moving to middle Tennessee, remember small towns also have smaller traffic problems.

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

This is painful to admit - and perhaps a little bit shocking - but I’m not the best cook in the world. As I’ve worked hard to balance my household budget these last few months, I’ve tackled some cooking projects I never dreamed of doing. Earlier this year I made shish-kabobs on the grill. They weren’t horrible. Then a friend of mine from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan taught me to make a traditional northern dish called pasties (pronounced Pass-tees). It’s like a meat pie that also includes potatoes, onions, and carrots.

I hope to keep learning new dishes through 2010 to help keep our household expenses down. There seems to be a surge in cupcake stores all over the country and part of me loves them but another part says, “Don’t even think about them much less GO there, girl!” But why buy cupcakes, sheet cakes, or layered cakes when I can make them myself? I’m going to try to bake my own low-carb cakes and then see if I can make them pretty. I have some cake decorating equipment at home and am thinking about taking a formal decorating class with one of my daughters this spring to learn how to use the fancy tips.

The Tennessee Technology Center in Murfreesboro offers a class in cake decorating. You can learn more about it by calling (615) 898-8010. In addition, Michael’s located at The Avenue offers a four-course class that teaches everything from flowers and borders to using fondant. I can get 50 percent off if I take the classes offered in February. What about you? Anyone want to take cake decorating with me?

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

The difference in the number of homes that sold from 2006 to 2008 in Smyrna, Tennessee was stone cold sobering … a drop of a little more than 60 percent in residential sales (the statistics do not include condos, land, commercial or farms). The stunning free fall seems to have leveled off in 2009, however, and hopefully it is a strong sign of economic recovery. In 2009, the number of homes sold only dropped about 6 percent - a drop much more palatable than 60 percent.

The good news for Smyrna is that the value of the homes being purchased has remained fairly strong. Where neighboring LaVergne had 327 homes that sold for under $125,000, Smyrna’s number was 161 under $125,000. In addition, the total number of homes that sold in Smyrna this past year was 560 while LaVergne had but 511. A full analysis of what you got for your money in Smyrna is featured here at the local web site, This is Smyrna.

What does this mean for the neighboring communities? Affordable homes are available in both LaVergne and Smyrna, but Smyrna’s hold is more firm on houses in the prices ranging above $125,000. However, both communities are wonderfully close to the greater Nashville metropolitan area and all its entertainment, shopping, and sports events. This makes settling in either town just a hop, skip and jump away from the easy access to fun, work, and play, so if you’re considering a move to the area your choices for where to live are wide open.

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

I don’t know about you, but I was one happy camper when it was time to say good-bye to 2009. Yes, there were many wonderful moments, but overall I was just ready to look deep into the eyes of last year and say, “Pppbbbbtttt!” Wonder why? I wrote a housing market update for my own hometown of LaVergne.

It had some good news (the market really does seem to have hit bottom so now we can begin climbing up again), but some of it wasn’t so great:

Yes, I’m ready for a new year and I wish you and yours a very pleasant, prosperous 2010!!

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

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

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

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

I drove by a billboard earlier today and saw a local agent has a new marketing campaign. “I’ll Sell Your Home in 90 Days! Guaranteed!” I had actually attended a seminar several years ago that pushed this slogan pretty hard. It sounds good on paper, but what does it really mean?

Typically when agents make this promise there’s an “OR” and if you are thinking about selling, realize that the agent is the person who defines what the “or” is. Guaranteed to sell …

• Or your money back! If you have a listing and it doesn’t sell, you’re not out any money anyway so there is no money to refund.
  

• Or we’ll buy it from you! Really? If it’s worth it for you to invest, why don’t you buy it in the first place? And if you’ll buy it, at what discount for you to make the purchase? 30 percent off list price?
  

• Or we’ll trade! The listing agent may be working for a builder who will take a trade on the property. Make no mistake that if the builder makes a trade, you will probably lose your negotiation ability when buying that new home. The trade is the negotiation… all other terms will be the builder’s.
  

When an agent makes a guarantee like this and there is no “OR” following it, the agent may only take the listing if you price the home at a largely reduced market value. Any agent who plops a decent house on the MLS, adds photos, and writes a good description can sell a listing at a discounted price. Price your home correctly right from the beginning and pick your agent based on their marketing abilities, knowledge, and professionalism and you can’t go wrong.

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

Bob Parks Realty - Smyrna office - is hosting a sport memorabilia auction on Thursday, November 10th. Held at Buffalo Wild Wings on Sam Ridley Parkway, the auction begins at 6:30 p.m.. The proceeds from the auction will benefit the annual Christmas for the Children program. Each year, the office sponsors children from throughout the community who would not otherwise have a Christmas. Each child will receive at least one toy and new clothing.

There will be many fantastic items available, including a Titans jersey signed by the legendary Steve McNair. In addition, two of a kind autographed prints by Eddie George and Frank Wycheck, an authentic Titans #10 jersey signed by Vince Young, and much more are to be sold. Even an autographed 8x10 of Brett Farve from a Sports Illustrated photo shot will be available to the highest bidder!

Visit this link to see photos and item descriptions. If you have questions, contact Kathy Tyson at (615) 459-4040. Bob Parks Realty - Smyrna office - is hosting a sport memorabilia auction on Thursday, November 10th. Held at Buffalo Wild Wings on Sam Ridley Parkway, the auction begins at 6:30 p.m.. The proceeds from the auction will benefit the annual Christmas for the Children program. Each year, the office sponsors children from throughout the community who would not otherwise have a Christmas. Each child will receive at least one toy and new clothing.

There will be many fantastic items available, including a Titans jersey signed by the legendary Steve McNair. In addition, two of a kind autographed prints by Eddie George and Frank Wycheck, an authentic Titans #10 jersey signed by Vince Young, and much more are to be sold. Even an autographed 8x10 of Brett Farve from a Sports Illustrated photo shot will be available to the highest bidder!

Visit this link to see photos and item descriptions. If you have questions, contact Kathy Tyson at (615) 459-4040.

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

What could be a more fitting time to talk about bones than Halloween? Or in this case - bone marrow. I registered several years ago to be available for bone marrow donations. If I could, I’d offer to little Angel who is the face behind Nashville’s bone marrow drive in November.

Angel is my broker’s niece by marriage and it’s on her behalf that the First Annual Nashville Marrow Registry Drive is being held on Thursday, November 12th and Saturday, November 14th. On the 12th, you can go to the Rhythm Condos located at 1510 Demonbreun Street in Nashville between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. If you can’t make it that day, on the 14th from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., you can go to Riverfront Park in Nashville for the First Annual “I Run for the Party” 1/2 Marathon & Bone Marrow Drive Day.

According to the flyer, the course begins at Riverfront Park downtown and continues through Germantown Metro Center, the new Green Way paths along the river and finishes back where it started in the heart of downtown Nashville. You can register online for the 1/2 marathon at I Run for the Party.

Go ahead and register to be a donor! Do it for Angel. Do it for yourself.

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

Feel let down?

You believed in something.

But learned it was a hoax.

There is no hot air here.

We give you the information you never thought to ask:

Check the CLUE Report to see what insurance claims have been made on the house you’re buying.

We give you the information that no one else is brave enough to say:

Clean up your front yard or no buyer will even stop to look at your house.

We speak honestly:

Dude, just because you’re qualified by the lender to buy a $200,000 house, will your other expenses allow you to make that kind of mortgage payment?

We speak with integrity:

Your earnest money will be placed in an escrow account for safekeeping.

We speak the truth:

If you try to sell now, you’ll have to bring money to the table at closing. Perhaps you should wait another year and give the market a chance to recover.

We speak on your behalf:

Yes, get a home inspection even if it’s new construction.

You CAN believe in something, because there is no hot air here. Call me today at (615) 491-2161 to learn more about buying or selling real estate in LaVergne, Smyrna, Nashville, or Murfreesboro!

By the way, if you really are interested in going for a ride in a hot air balloon, there are several companies in Nashville and the surrounding area who give rides. The one that displayed the least expensive price was Aerostation Limited. Click Here for more information!

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

While I don’t dress up for Halloween anymore, I do so enjoy hearing the stories of odd bumps in the night, about the lady in the wedding dress at the side of the road, or the soldiers dressed in the Union Blue or Confederate Gray at the old battlefield.

This, of course, is the best time of the year to hear ghost stories. One of my friends - Aunt B. - is posting a new ghost story every day at her blog site. She has interviewed countless people in the Middle Tennessee and Nashville area and then is beautifully retelling the stories about invisible children laughing, women weeping, graves moved. Click here for more info.

We have plenty of ghost stories in Middle Tennessee, for sure. In a couple of weeks - October 26 and 27 - you can come to Smyrna, Tennessee and visit the Sam Davis Home to hear the tales from this historical home. And there are plenty of stories like this accounting from the Murfreesboro Post, for example: murfreesboropost.com

On this day, Elkins remembers unlocking the outside doors of the home and turning off the alarm in preparation for a day of tours.

When he unlocked the front door, Elkins suddenly realized there was a noise coming from inside the house.

“I stopped to listen,” he said. “It was unmistakable. It sounded like someone weeping.”

Then he began walking towards the formal parlor in the front of the house, where he expected the noise was coming from. When he was just outside the door to the room, the noise stopped. There was no one in the room.

You can read more about some of our weird activities at the Nashville Ghost and Paranormal Investigators site. As for me, I’m going to focus on staying away from these things that wig me out!

Posted by:Kathy Tyson