If you are getting ready to sell your Murfreesboro home, removing unwanted items and giving it a fresh look can be just what you need to sell fast and for the highest possible price. Get rid of all items that might distract potential buyers from envisioning the space as their own. Remove bulky furniture, put away all family photos and eliminate all mail, magazine and newspapers.
Odor Control:
Oder is another important area of relevance. Make sure your Murfreesboro home does not have any distracting or uninviting smells. One way to eliminate unwanted odor is to steam clean or replace your carpet, replace your air filters, and clean your air ducts/vents.
Home Inspection:

Keep in mind, that when you sell your Murfreesboro home, your buyers will most likely want to have a home inspection done. We recommend to all of our clients that they have their own home inspection done prior to listing their home on the market, so that they can make any serious repairs before they become an issue.

Typically, items will-not pass inspection if they are …
• Broken, worn out, chipped, cracked, snagged, gnarled, stained, or damaged.
A Murfreesboro home is a retreat away from the problems and struggles of the outside world. Creating a clutter free and well maintained environment is a guaranteed way to relax and impress your prospective buyers.

Nestled deep within Rutherford County, Murfreesboro is Tennessee’s fastest growing major city. Boasting more than 60 percent population serge over the past decade, it was voted one of Money magazine’s “Best Places to Live in the United States.” Murfreesboro is home to Tennessee’s largest university, Middle Tennessee State University, now the most historical and largest public university in the state.

With a population growth more than 5 times the national average, Murfreesboro retail options are abounding. Made up of over 350,000 trades, the city houses great retail conglomerates like Faison Development, Cousins Properties and The Oaks. Stones River Mall, currently undergoing a $50 million expansion, is sure to meet all your shopping needs.

Retail desires aside, Murfreesboro is sure to satisfy your arts & cultures taste buds as well. Annual traditions like the summer Mainstreet Jazz Festival is rife with good eats and most importantly great music. Set up in downtown’s historic public square, the concert series is responsible for transforming the city into the cultural and social mecca of Rutherford County.

Stones River National Battlefield, sit of a major Civil War battle, attracts 200,000 visitors annually. Fought by 81,000 soldiers for control of Middle Tennessee, it showcases an important era in U.S. history. Likewise, Tennessee Miller Coliseum horseshows draws patrons from all over the world. With its impressive 222,000 square foot facility, the coliseum satisfies your gaming and equestrian cravings.

Murfreesboro doesn’t leave children out of the excitement. Voted BusinessWeek’s “Best Place to Raise Kids in TN” in 2009, it hosts family-friendly places to visit like the Discovery Center hands-on children’s museum and Oakland’s Historic House Museum. Murfreesboro County Center for the Arts, a part of beautiful Carnegie Library, attracts artists from all walks of life from around the country featuring children’s workshops and theatre productions.

All things considered, Murfreesboro, TN is one of the best cities to call home in the U.S. Why not see for yourself?

All statics courtesy of www.city-data.com

According to the Nashville Business Journal and Kiplinger.com, Nashville has been named one of the nation’s eleven comeback cities for 2011. This is based mainly on the projected rise in employment; however, according to Realty Times’ Carla Hill, this increase will have a direct affect on the housing market, as well.

“After plunging 7.3% during the recession, employment will climb this year by nearly 3% [in Nashville],” cites Kiplinger.

Bob Nielsen, the National Association of Homebuilders’ chairman, tells Realty Times that not only does the housing market improve as employment rates improve, but an improved housing market helps the employment rate, as well.

“Home building is a key driver of the American economy. By generating economic activity including new income and jobs, purchases of goods and services, and revenue for local governments, housing—which has historically accounted for around 17 percent of the GDP — can put America back to work,” says Nielson.

“The NAHB says that income made from construction activity is then spent in the local economy. New houses earn local taxes. New taxes pay for teachers, police, and other services. It’s an all around great scenario,” cites Hill.

Although the particular employment growth projected for Nashville lies within the accounting and financial services (not construction), states the Business Journal, the surge could prove positive for the city’s housing market just the same.

To learn more about the Nashville real estate outlook and how potential employment increases may affect your area, talk with a reputable real estate agent. Contact Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com.

1. Assess your yard and your equipment. Take a “walk about” with pen and paper in hand. If the grass is patchy, add seed and fertilizer to your list. Check out your tools, including the blades on your lawnmower, and make notes of anything that needs repair.

2. Mowing and pruning. Even if your grass is short from the winter season, it’s important to trim it in order to encourage new growth. As a rule, don’t remove more than a third of the growth. While it’s often better to prune during a tree or shrub’s dormant season, spring lends itself well to cutting back dead growth. If you’re not sure when pruning is appropriate, consult a nursery or yard maintenance service in the Nashville area – one that is familiar with the local flora.

3. Have a soil test performed, and amend the earth around your home accordingly. Before spending time and money on material and labor, make sure your soil is balanced and ready to support plant life.

4. Clean yard art, bird baths and feeders. This can be done using a very diluted bleach solution, but it’s important to rinse the items thoroughly after disinfecting.

5. Consult professionals. Find a reputable Nashville landscaping company or landscape designer to provide you with a consultation. Contact a Realtor – he or she will have seen a variety of landscapes around the area.

A few other springtime gardening tips:

1. Keep an eye on the weather. The Southeast is known for having cold spikes after residents have installed warm weather plants or relocated plants from indoors.

2. Plant native flora. You’ll do yourself a favor by planting flowers, trees and shrubs that grow naturally in your region. Otherwise, you’ll continuously fight to keep the plants in an ideal growing environment.

3. Make gardening comfortable. Install raised beds if you have a difficult time bending to plant or weed. Invest in an outdoor stool, good gloves and knee cushions to maximize your comfort when working in the yard. If tending your garden in painful or a burden, you’ll be less likely to do so diligently.

Keep in mind, a bright, neat yard not only appeals to homeowners and neighbors, it’s a huge selling point. Discuss your curb appeal with Todd Taylor, experienced Nashville real estate agent, by emailing todd@tnsoldhome.com.

If you’re trying to sell your Nashville home, keep these things in mind.

Make sure your Realtor puts your home into the Multiple Listing Service as soon as possible. This is the fastest, most thorough way to ensure buyers’ agents can access your property.

After several showings, an offer – or multiple offers – will be given. This is where the finagling begins.

Don’t accept any offer too quickly. It’s common and completely respectable to discuss offers with your real estate agent and respond within two to three days with either acceptance or a counteroffer.

Remember, as a seller, you’re in a position of power. Most offers will be somewhere between five and ten percent lower than your asking price. This leaves room for compromise, and you should take advantage of this. While you don’t always have to accept the highest offer, you should request concessions from the buyer if the price is below what you’re asking – such as the payment of closing costs or purchase of major appliances. Don’t lower your price too much without getting something in return.

Learn about your buyers. Have your real estate agent investigate to make sure that potential buyers are really in a position to purchase your home. Have they sold their previous home? Have they been pre – approved for a mortgage loan? Have they put offers on any other properties?

Keep your plans quiet. Buyers don’t need to know why you’re selling your home. In fact, if you’re move is urgent and your buyers are unscrupulous, their knowing of your need to sell quickly can lead to gazundering. This happens when a buyer offers a lower price toward the end of the negotiation and contract period to force the seller into accepting. This is fairly uncommon, but it does happen. So keep your future plans and reasons for relocating mum.

Leave it to your Realtor. Many people play real estate agent when selling their homes, wanting to do the bargaining themselves. You have a real estate agent for this reason. He or she will have experience negotiating with the right tone and in the right terms. Avoid miscommunication by leaving the back and forth to your Realtor.

If you’re looking to sell your Nashville home and need a Realtor to help navigate negotiations, contact Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com.

1. Vinyl siding no longer comes in just a few colors. There are limitless options – color and style – when it comes to siding. Plus, it’s low maintenance. Foundry siding, for example, gives your home the look of cedar shake or wood, and it comes in various tones.

2. Bright colored cladding can make windows pop. Cladding, the aluminum encasement on windows’ exterior, is very low maintenance and comes is various colors.

3. Accents such as entrance lighting; doorknockers and knobs; railings; house numbers and mailboxes; and window boxes provide opportunities for color. These are relatively small items and can be coordinated to match one another, creating a more cohesive look. Plus, it won’t take nearly as long to lay a coat of paint on these fixtures as it would the entire house.

4. Jazz up your entryway with a brightly colored door and planters filled with colorful flora. Fiberglass doors come in an array of colors and require no painting.

5. Stone and roofs can be palettes for color. Stone is available in various warm, earth tones and gives your home’s exterior a natural color scheme. Consider red shingles, or pick a shingle color that complements the hues of your mortar.

There are several other areas where you can add color to your home’s exterior – paint your shutters, stain your concrete driveway, install copper gutters. Remember, even if you’re not selling your home, curb appeal is important. It attracts people to the aesthetics of your home, improves its value and builds pride.

For more ideas on how to improve your home’s curb appeal and bring color to its exterior this spring, talk to a Realtor. Contact Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com.

The Nashville Business Journal notes, “Core founder Aaron White said the first development phase will feature 18 homes, 15 of which have been presold. The first homes are slated for completion this summer.”

Gale Park’s eco-freindly Nashville homes are available in five different floor plans – Artisan, Copley, Rockwood, Overbeck, Norton and the recently added, Morris – and they range in cost from approximately $250,000 to $315,000 thousand dollars for 1,200 square feet.

Nashville home buyers will be pleased to know that the energy efficient construction of homes in Gale Park will result in substantial energy savings and lower carbon footprints. What is the Cute Cottage Company doing to build these new Nashville homes with a green focus? They’re using cellulose insulation, which reduces air pockets and gaps – it’s been shown to save homeowners around 40% on their heating and cooling costs; installing a radiant barrier roof to deflect heat away from the home’s interior; and putting in double glazed windows. There will also be compact fluorescent lighting, low maintenance exteriors and energy star appliances. Plus the community’s convenient urban location will save homeowners on transportation costs.

All the homes in Gale Park will have hardwood floors, granite countertops, stainless appliances, front porches and European bath fixtures. It will be a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood with tree-lined boulevards and a planned playground. Located near Nashville’s Sevier Park, Gale Park residents will be within walking distance of pizza joints, coffee shops, salons, shopping, Hillsboro Village, downtown Nashville and Green Hills.

You can stay abreast of happenings within Nashville’s Gale Park by following the community’s blog.

If you would like to learn more about green living in Nashville or the upcoming Gale Park residences, contact Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com.

Parks

For the outdoor type, Murfreesboro offers a bounty of parks. Barfield Crescent Park boasts 430 acres with jogging trails, a disc golf course and volleyball. Play baseball at Old Fort Park; swim at McKnight Park; take the kids to play at Patterson Park Community Center; picnic at Rogers Park; play soccer at Siegel Park; or unleash the dogs for some romping at the Bark Park. Murfreesboro also has a system of greenways, accessible from 11 trailheads and consisting of Stones River, Lytle Creek and Gateway trails.

Shopping

Murfreesboro is ripe with shopping opportunities. From the grand Stone Rivers Mall to smaller, more intimate boutiques such as Anastasia’s Attic and Krissos, shopping destinations are endless. There are galleries, garden centers and bridal stores; discount shoe shops, tobacco stores and jewelers; print shops, flower boutiques and bookstores.

Dining

The array of dining establishments in Murfreesboro guarantees that regardless of your preference, you can find something to please your palate. You can find everything from a hot dog shop to upscale grills, Italian bistros, cafes, tapas restaurants, ice cream shops and so much more.

Check out Murfreesboro’s WorldWeb page for a complete list of dining establishments, broken down and organized by categories.

Landmarks

Tourists looking for history in Murfreesboro won’t be disappointed. There are several landmarks in the city worth visiting. Check out the Stone River National Battlefield, the site of an important three-day Civil War battle. Visit the Oaklands antebellum mansion, or take a tour to the numerous war markers around town.

Museums

The Rutherford County Center for the Arts, the Discovery Center at Murphy Spring, Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village and the Center for Historic Preservation are some of the main museums in the Murfreesboro area.

Chances are, you’ll never run out of things to see and do in Murfreesboro. There are several notable golf courses and high-rated spas; you can see a production at the Little Theatre or take in the Murfreesboro Philharmonic; there’s a skate park, annual street festivals and an active nightlife.

Murfreesboro real estate is diverse, as well. Apartments, condo complexes, single family homes, renovated historic homes and mansions can all be found throughout the area.

To learn more about what’s happening in Murfreesboro, contact a Realtor who knows the ins and outs of the city. Email Todd Taylor at TN Sold Home – todd@tnsoldhome.com.

While this news may seem discouraging, it’s important to note that the local Nashville foreclosure rate is well below the national rate, which is 3.33 percent.

Carla Hill, writer and producer for Realty Times, touches on the effects foreclosures have on the previous homeowners. The term itself – foreclosure – has become so ubiquitous during the recent economic downturns that it’s easy to forget about the aftermath caused by losing a home.

Hill cites a negative effect on your credit score as one of the biggest impacts of foreclosure. “Your credit score may plummet by 200 to 300 points…the notation of foreclosure stays on your report for up to seven years,” she claims.

On MSN’s real estate website, additional consequences are outlined. They include:

• The immediate impact of being without shelter.
• The problems faced when trying to buy another home or obtain a job where a credit check is required.
• The struggle of living through the loss.
• Being required to pay taxes on the difference, based on how much of the owed money could not be recouped by re-selling the property.

If you’re facing foreclosure in Nashville, forethought is paramount. Knowing what to expect can help you navigate the post-foreclosure process more easily. Speaking with a knowledgeable Realtor is also advised. Contact Todd Taylor at todd@tnsoldhome.com.