Andy Hodes

By David Israel, Business Manager

This past week my wife and I were watching our local PBS Station, WTCI Chattanooga while flipping channels called Tennessee Crossroads. This particular program was called "Smokin'" it was a special on BBQ places around state of Tennessee. Since moving to Chattanooga we have come to love BBQ and love to watch programming about BBQ. Well, they did a story about a local place called HillBilly Willy's BBQ located in Lookout Valley, where they serve Baby Back Ribs. It is not easy to find in good Baby Back Ribs in Chattanooga, as most BBQ joints use the St. Louis style ribs.

After the program I asked my wife to go look it up on the computer to see if they were open for dinner and maybe we would go try it. Well, they were closed Sunday and Monday, I was a little disappointed but determined to try out this place. So, I set up a date night with my wife and tonight we drove just three miles west of Chattanooga to try out HillBilly Willy's BBQ.

Well, let me tell you it was worth the wait and the drive. This BBQ joint is in an old supermarket strip mall and the food was incredible. We both shared a combo plate (1/2 rack of baby back and pulled brisket) it came with 2 sides, we ordered 2 additional sides, and we shared the meal. Let me tell you that it was enough food for both of us. The meat was smoked perfectly and they served sauce on the side. I dipped a little into the sauce but the flavor of the baby backs were incredible, sauce wasn't even needed. The sides were all fresh, great mac & cheese and green beans!

The atmosphere was very comfortable, like being in a friend's eat-in kitchen. The walls had pictures of family and friends and a ton of old pictures of the prohibition times, old stills, articles on liquor and just a few local celebrities. You come into the restaurant and are greeted with a huge smile, they ask if you had ever been there before, they certainly new we were newbies. They explained how to order at the counter, how the food is prepared, the sides, which they say are fresh and let me tell you they certainly are! We placed our order and took a seat and read the sign that says "this is not fast food, meals are prepared to order". We only waited about five minutes and our food was brought to our table. The portions were huge served on plastic plates with plastic forks. It was just a good ole BBQ joint.

After our meal we talked with the owners George and Angela, talk about some really nice people. We had a nice conversation about BBQ, families and friends. It was like going to a friends house for dinner. I can tell you that if you like Chattanooga BBQ, I highly recommend Chattanooga's Best Kept Secret, HillBilly Willy's BBQ, you won't be disappointed.

By David Israel, Business Manager

Today marks the Opening Ceremony of the celebration of the anniversary of the Civil War battles at the Chickamauga National Battlefield. Vice-President Dick Cheney has arrived at Lovell field and his on his way into the battlefield as a guest speaker for the event. It turns out, after a little reading that his great-grandfather, Capt. Samuel Fletcher Cheney of the 21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, served in the battle that became known as the "Gettysburg of the West." This information was gathered from The Gadsden Times article posted this week.

Celebrating the 145th Anniversary seems to draw in crowds from all over The United States of America and the world. I have only seen this on the news, but what I have seen seems to be pretty incredible. The re-enactment of the battles take place over three days and thousands of men and women play the roles of these Civil War soldiers and wives. Local students are also attending as a hands on learning experience from some of the local schools.

There are tons of activities planned throughout the entire weekend. You can tour the camps and talk to the solders, you can visit "living tents", attend a concert and experience the Civil War period like never before. The Chattanooga area is rich in history, that includes some good and bad, but this event marks the change that our country made and how we have grown. Before the Civil war the U.S. was referred to as These United States, now we use the term The United States. Many families were torn, brother fought against brother, but in the end it made our country stronger. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to visit the battlefields in their lifetime, it is a very powerful experience.

By David Israel, Business Manager

This past week Chattanooga received beneficial rains thanks to the tail end of Tropical Storm Fay. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has been negatively affected by her rain and winds, but in Chattanooga we needed the four inches of rain to help our lawns - especially homes that are on the market. It's not easy maintaining a beautiful lawn during the summer while it's extremely hot. We don't want to be out on our weekends mowing the grass, weeding beds and trimming bushes, but as a Seller in today's market, this is a must!

In past articles I frequently talk about the first impression, you only get one! Lawn Maintenance is a very important tool in working to get your home on the top of a Buyer's short list. If the yard does not look like it is well maintained, then it's a bad first impression and the Buyer will likely think that the inside is not maintained causing them to move on to the next house before they even see the incredible inside of your home.

If you don't have time to properly maintain your landscaping, there are plenty of qualified companies that can do the work in less than an hour. Large lawn companies usually do about 6-8 houses a day with a crew of two to three individuals and could easily go through your property, make it look great, and move on. The cost to have your lawn maintained professionally is not always cheap, but if you are on a regular schedule, your yard will always look welcoming to Buyers and it will move from the "for sale" column to the "sold" column quickly.

Should you want to tackle this work on your own, here are 6 tips:

1. Make sure you have the time to regularly keep your lawn looking its best.

2. If you have kids, make it a fun project every week to pick up the toys and pull weeds.

3. Invest in having your lawn mower blade sharpened. A sharp blade will cut nicely and not leave the grass brown.

4. Avoid cutting wet grass. This causes brown spots because clippings clump together and smother your lawn.

5. Keep your flowers and planting beds well watered, the last thing a buyer needs to see are wilted plants.

6. Water your lawn as frequently as possible.

These tips will help as long as you keep to a schedule. It is all about maintenance. We don't like to do it but if we keep to a schedule the workload will be much easier every week. You can even break it up during the week. Whatever works for you just as long as you keep your landscaping looking top notch. This will certainly enhance your curb appeal, which attracts buyers and finally gets you a contract on your home.

Keep coming back for more tips and advice. If you have any comments, please feel free to send them to us. Our goal is to help our clients and give valuable information to a wide variety of readers.

By Jay Zuckerman - Guest Blogger

I love the downtown music venues in Chattanooga. However, I don't always enjoy returning home smelling like a 6′3″ cigarette, partially deaf from inebriated audience members who yell "Play Free Bird" at the top of their lungs at the end of every dadgum song. The Tivoli and Memorial Auditorium bring in talented artists, but on my budget as a writer, I can only afford a couple $60 concerts a year.

If you're looking for a change of pace with equally talented rock, blues, and folk musicians, consider Charles & Myrtle's Coffeehouse located on 105 McBrien Road in the Brainerd area of Chattanooga. The concerts are held in a converted entertainment room in a residential area. Charles and Myrtle's provides an intimate area for musicians to share stories, interact with the crowd, and usually try out new material.

I learned about Charles and Myrtle's two years ago when noted Nashville Blues Rocker Kevin Gordon, a good friend of mine, had a gig there. Since then, I've attended several concerts a year there. When Marshall Chapman makes her annual appearance there, it's always amusing to see 200 people cram in to an area not much larger than a combined living/dining room.

For a suggested $10 fee (no one is turned away for lack of funds), you can catch a two hour set in a non-smoking, family-friendly environment. All artists are accessible after the show to hang out with, something you will never find at most impersonal venues. I once spent 30 minutes talking about the alt-country music scene with Rock Musician, Tennessean music journalist, and adjunct Vanderbilt music professor, Peter Cooper after his show.

Coffeehouse Director Andrew Kelsay books notable acts from the vibrant Nashville and Atlanta music scenes. While people who aren't self-professed "music snobs" like myself, may not have heard of any of the musicians who play each Saturday, I can guarantee you that some are just as talented as anyone you'll find playing at larger venues in the city. He told me he's booked acts through March 2009 and to expect a few surprises. I'm eager to find out who all is coming.

You can learn more here. The building is used as a Unity Church on Sundays, so for information on strictly the Coffeehouse, the links down the left side of the web page are what you need to click on. The Chattanooga Times Free Press Weekender always does feature pieces on the musicians who play each Saturday if you want to learn even more about them before you go.

By Stephanie Arnold, Transaction Specialist

So . . . What's a Transaction Specialist? On The Scenic City Team, it's me! I handle all the details and negotiations from the time one of our clients have an accepted contract straight through to the end of a successful closing. Working with Andy, Kacey, the other Realtor and our seller or buyer, I coordinate home inspections, "termite" inspections, surveys, appraisals, home warranties, repairs, switching over utilities, cleaning services etc., plus I work with the lender and the title company to facilitate a smooth closing. (Basically I make sure our contracts get closed and keep things running smoothly; we call it "bullet proofing" a transaction).

The Scenic City Team strives to provide our clients with a highly specialized level of service during our entire relationship. Andy focuses on working with our sellers to get our listings marketed and sold. Kacey specializes in working with buyers to explain the process, answer questions and help them find the perfect home. Taking care of the transactions is my job so I'm able to devote my full attention to all the deadlines we need to meet and the many details that need to be handled for an "on time" arrival at the title company.

Handling a tranaction is complicated and I bring to the table a systematic, proven approach, over five years experience as a Realtor plus the organizational skills and tenacity it takes to get it done. I'm licensed in both Tennessee and Georgia. A couple of years ago, I worked with Andy as a Buyer Specialist and was able to take advange of extensive one on one training with him plus the great training offered through Keller Williams Realty. I left The Scenic City Team to work on my own but quickly realized that I could offer my clients a higher, more focused level of service through a team experience where each person specializes in what they do best. I'm back to stay on The Scenic City Team and look forward to working with all of our clients to make their transactions a GREAT experience that they'll never forget.