It's almost time for the NAIA Division II Basketball Championship. This year's contest will be held at the College of Ozarks, just south of Branson, Missouri. The dates for the tournament are March 11-17, 2009. Thirty-two teams will compete for the chance to capture the national championship title.
Each year the single-elimination tournament is hosted at the Keeter Gymnasium at the College of the Ozarks. The first round starts on March 11 at 8:30 a.m. and the championship game is held on March 17 at 8:50 p.m. 
People travel from all over the country to this event. Some make it a yearly vacation.
March is a great time to visit the area too. The weather is usually mild and most of the music shows are open.
For more complete information on this tournament, visit www.cofo.edu/naia or call 417-335-NAIA.
It's important to understand the Contract for Purchase when buying or selling real estate. 
In this article and others, I will be explaining different parts of the Contract for Sale of Residential Real Estate drafted by the legal counsel of the Missouri Association of Realtors.
Our subject today is the Inclusions and Exclusions section. This simply means: what's included with the property and what is not.
The items listed on the contract in this section are the basis for what is included in the sale; not the MLS information sheet, the Seller's Disclosure, or a promotional flyer. Therefore, as a buyer, it is imperative that you list items that you wanted included in the sale on the contract.
Our contracts already list attached items such as built-in dishwashers, ceiling fans, hot water heaters and other objects that would obviously stay with a home. However, the refrigerator, washer, and dryer are NOT on this list. For these items to be included in the sale, they MUST be specifically listed as included in the sale on the contract.
The same is true for boat slips and lifts. Even though the MLS listing sheet says, "boat slip included in the price," the boat slip must still be listed next to the line that says "included in the sale."
On the opposite side, the seller has to make it clear on the contract, any items that do not stay that ordinarily would. For example, I just closed on a home that had a dining room light fixture that the seller wanted to keep. On the contract, we listed "dining room light fixture" in the "excluded section."
Being thorough on the Inclusions and Exclusions section of the contract is a must to prevent any misunderstandings.
The slump in housing sales across the nation trickled down to the Tri-Lakes area in the last half of 2008. Residential property sales were down 26% as compared to sales in 2007. Many people wish to move here, but are held back by the real estate market in their area and, in some cases, the decrease in their investments.
Average sales price of residential/condo listings decreased less than one-half percent. Also, these listings sold for 94.4% of list price. The price range with the most sales was the $100,000 to $200,000 range. Home sales in the $300,000+ range saw the least activity, accounting for only 15% of all sales.
Our company, Tri-Lakes Realtors, was again the top company in the area. Our firm had the largest number of sales and also the most sales volume in comparison to all the companies belonging to the Tri-Lakes Board of Realtors.
On the bright side, email inquiries, phone calls, showing appointments, and offers have picked up quite a bit since the new year began.
For a full report on 2008 sales activity, drop me an email or call me at 417-337-4422. I'll be glad to share that information with you.
It was recently announced by Branson city officials that three new businesses will soon be built in Branson Hills. Pizza Hut, Dollar Tree, and Quizno's Subs will be built next to the Wendy's on Branson Hills Parkway.
For the fourth straight year, Branson has surpassed over $100 million in new construction. For 2008, the city's data shows a total of $102 million in new construction.
Our community continues to be an area of growth and expansion, attracting several new businesses in the past few years and, hopefully, for years to come. In light of the national media's coverage of doom and gloom, it's nice to hear of economic growth.
Taney County is one step closer to an east-west corridor road.
The Taney County Commission recently voted to put an issue on the April 7th ballot concerning a 4.5 mile road which would connect Hollister to Kirbyville. Voters will be able to vote on a 1/4 cent sales tax to pay for the project. 
Currently, the only way to Kirbyville is via Highway 76 east or through BB Highway to Coon Creek Road to east 76. This new road would help ease traffic congestion in downtown Branson and on the Lake Taneycomo bridge. However, are the voters willing to incur more sales tax to build this road? We'll find out in April.
Experience matters! Realtor for 10+ years, covering Stone & Taney counties & Table Rock Lake. Consistently a top producer with Tri-Lakes Realtors. Area resident for over 27 years--I know the area
Welcome! Thanks for visiting my site here in the Tri-Lakes area of Ozark Mountain Country.
I'm sure you've heard Branson described as "the Country Music Capitol." However, this location has so much more to offer than music shows. What's so great about living here? It's a small town with a friendly atmosphere, yet there is so much to do here. My goal will be to feature different aspects about our area in my blogs. Below is just a summary about our part of the Ozarks.
First of all, there are three lakes. Table Rock Lake has over 745 miles of shoreline where you can fish, swim, ski, or just relax on your boat. If fishing is your passion, we also have Lake Taneycomo, a cold-water lake famous for its trout. Then there's Bull Shoals Lake in Forsyth and eastern Taney County. Bull Shoals is a recreational lake, like Table Rock, but a little more secluded.
If you're not a lake lover, don't worry, there are a multitude of other things to occupy your time. There are three outlet malls along with the Branson Landing with its shops, restaurants, fire/water/light fountains and boardwalk along Lake Taneycomo. In addition, there are several craft shops and flea markets throughout the area. We also have theme and water parks, hiking trails, sports programs at the new Recplex, beautiful parks... the list is endless.
And we can't forget golf. There are seven large golf courses in the area. So if you're addicted to this sport, the Tri-Lakes area offers a different course for every day of the week.
One more thing to mention is the beauty of the Ozarks. The views go on forever. I've had more than one client visit the area for the first time and buy a home on their first trip. It's that easy to fall in love with the Tri-Lakes area. Be sure to visit my blog often for more info or go to my web site.
Since 1997, I've been an active Realtor. I list and sell property in the entire area including Branson, Hollister, Forsyth, Walnut Shade, Blue Eye, Branson West, Kimberling City, Reeds Spring, Galena, Lampe, and Shell Knob.
I've lived in the Branson/Tri-Lakes area for over 27 years so I know it like the back of my hand. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from College of the Ozarks. That's how I ended up in Branson. After I graduated, I didn't want to leave the area.
My husband, Frank, is a native of the area. He is a commercial general contractor and owner of Frank Turner Construction. We have two children. Our son is a junior at Missouri State University and our daughter is a freshman at the University of Missouri. So I'll be working very hard for the next several years to pay tuition!
Our family loves the outdoors and we practically live on Table Rock Lake in the summer. We have a small houseboat that we try to spend as much time on as possible.
I love selling real estate. It's a challenging job and I meet the greatest people. Many of my clients have become good friends.
In 2005, my long-time friend, Beckie Boedefeld, joined me in real estate to form a team. One of us is always available to handle your real estate needs.
Whether you're considering buying or selling in the Tri-Lakes area, I'd love to be your Realtor!
Lynn & Beverly Ryan, St. Louis, MO
"Our experience with Tammie Turner was the best real estate relationship we have ever had. Tammie remained flexible and efficient in going through the past listings to fit our new criteria, as well as new listings. We can truly say that Tammie always kept our best interest in mind, worked hard to see that we had all the needed information, and displayed exemplary follow through on all of the many requests and details needed to close our deal. We now wish she had a Kansas license so that when we sell our primary residence, she could represent us on that deal as well!"
Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Marcell, Carbondale, KS
"It was our lucky day when we began working with Tammie Turner. We told her what we were looking for in lakeside retirement home and she began the search. We spent an entire day together looking for properties and we really "clicked." She just understood our style and financial parameters. We recommend her to anyone looking for a REALTOR. On a scale of 1-10, she's a 12!"
Jim & Debby Shirley, Lampe, MO
"We had experienced disappointments in looking for the perfect lake home in Branson until we found Tammie. She made the difference--the end result was a happy and successful one. Her professionalism, knowledge, and experience were what we had expected and had been used to in the past. We look forward to working with Tammie when we upgrade to a lakefront home."
Mike & Olive Wood, Vanzant, MO
"We would recommend Tammie Turner to anyone looking for a REALTOR in the Branson area. Her commitment to her clients' needs, knowledge of the market, and organizational skills were invaluable in helping the sale of our home go quickly and smoothly."
John & Shelly Akers, Branson, MO
"As a senior citizen, it was a comfort to know Tammie was looking out for our best interest in selling one of our properties. You can always trust her to answer your questions truthfully. We think she is the best!"
Richard & Rosella Combs, Branson, MO
"Tammie made our trip to find homes very inviting. It felt like she was our only friend in the Ozarks at the time. We didn''t know the area and, by gosh, she made sure we saw it all, so we could make a good decision. We have relocated to the Ozarks from Minnesota and love our lake home. Thanks to Tammie and her tenacity; we now enjoy warmer winters. "
Punky Fedora, Galena, MO
"We feel that we were very lucky in selecting Tammie Turner as our Real Estate Agent. She sent us a number of listings in our price range and spent many hours with us showing us several properties on different occiasions. Tammie paid close attention to our reaction to each of those properties until she knew just what we were looking for in a retirement home at Table Rock Lake, then she found the perfect home for us! We would certainly recommend Tammie Turner to anyone wanting to purchase a home or property in the Tri-Lakes area. She was great to work with and certainly kept our best interests in mind at all times. Tammie has become a good friend as well as our Real Estate Agent, and it's always nice to do business with a friend! "
Al & Evelyn Murfin, Ft. Worth, TX
"Our experience with Tammie Turner as our Realtor was the best sales experience we've ever had. She was dedicated to our needs as a client and did not hesitate to help. She was very prompt in returning all of my calls and messages and was always willing to take time for us. She was very flexible and honest and had our best interest at heart. I would give her an A+++ rating and recommend her to anyone!! "
Brenda Polke, Rockaway Beach, MO
"I wanted to find a house in Branson, MO. I lived in Las Vegas. So with no contacts, I went to the internet and found Tammie Turners web site. God was smiling on me that day. Tammie is not only a no-hassel real estate agent but one of the most caring and helpful people I have ever come across. If you are considering using Tammie as your agent, you won't be sorry! She will treat you like family and go beyond the best for you. Tammie, we can't thank you enough! "
Kevin & Amy Bleske
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