Lisa Alyn: Realtor® specializing in Westhaven. WesthavenTNHomesForSale.com

The annual Westhaven in Franklin, TN HOA membership meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 19th, at 6:30 p.m. in Townsend Hall.

The current debate over school zoning will NOT be discussed at this HOA meeting but will be addressed in the near future.

The following is a quick update regarding the status regarding the school zoning which can be passed along: Janice Mills, the Williamson County School Board Representative for District 2, attended the Resident Advisory Committee this morning. Janice was very informative regarding the zoning issues affecting Westhaven.

Janice stated that she supports the original 5-year plan, developed by Williamson County Schools' Central Office, which "would zone residents of Westhaven to the West Franklin Elementary" (school located in Westhaven), Grassland Middle School, and Franklin High School. However, several communities have expressed their desire to investigate other zoning options, which Janice and the WCS Superintendent are examining.

An announcement will be sent out from the School Board to all Westhaven parents who have children who currently attend Williamson County Schools inviting them to attend an "input" meeting with the School Board Members. This meeting will likely be scheduled for early December at a local school.

To communicate with the school board regarding this matter, please visit http://www.wcs.edu/district/sbmembers.htm for each board member's email address. *Ms. Mills commented that all of the emails that had been sent from Westhaven residents thus far have been very "professional and respectful." She stated that communicating in that manner is greatly appreciated by all school board members.

DON'T GET CAUGHT HANGIN UPSIDE DOWN ON 01-01-10!

Westhaven in Franklin, TN new construction and re-sale Lenders face new RESPA Guidelines along with all Lenders and Title Companies nationwide. RESPA (Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act) representative visited Keller Williams Franklin and explained new federal lending guidelines and the possible affect they could have on sellers and buyers.

As of January 1, 2010, all Lender GFE (Good Faith Estimates) and Title Company HUD Settlement Statements changes will go into effect. According to RESPA representatives, the most obvious change to the seller or buyer is the need of a delayed closing by a few days while lenders and title companies adhere to meet strict regulations

This realtor's advice:

• Work with your lender when choosing a closing date-have your realtor pick-up the phone and call the lender when scheduling date and time-don't just assume your lender has an open calendar, especially if it's on a Friday or toward the end of the month.
• When scheduling your moving date, be prepared to give yourself, your lender, and your title company and most of all, your moving company a few days lead way if the closing doesn't take place on the scheduled date.
• Be patient with your buyer, his realtor and lender if they need a few extra days to close.
• Know the new regulations are across the board and affect all lenders including those involved with new construction.
• Being flexible allows all concerned to and know everyone is after the same results.
• Work with a realtor who is educated and on top of new RESPA changes

Simultaneous Closing Headaches:

Simultaneous closings are more common today as the market demands a seller close on his home before he can purchase another. The following are my 5 Buyer B's when working with a simultaneous closing:

• Be realistic-Set your possession date a few days out instead of ‘at close of escrow' just in case seller's closing does not close on schedule. Please, don't have the moving van loaded and parked out front waiting with baited breath for the key.
• Be Wise-know up front that the seller may need a few extra days to finalize the closing on his next home and have your realtor work with the listing agent to clarify the seller's needs up front and ask seller's to stipulate in writing with the contract any special requests
• Be Gracious-know that your seller may need to exercise their ‘lease back option' until the closing on their new home is finalized. Give your seller time to move their possessions out of the home and thoroughly clean.
• Be Clear: Establish up front a Lease-back document allowing for a few extra days, if needed. For instance: a rate of $50/day may be established for the first two days, $100 for the next week. I usually set a final date of possession for seven days after closing date. Remember, they are equally as anxious to move into their new home. *Make sure the sellers acquire renters insurance on their possessions as your home owners policy will not cover their things.
• Be Flexible and know, everyone is after the same results. Whether you're buying or selling, moving locally or across the country, patience, kindness, and flexibility allows for a rewarding and exciting experience for all involved.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/ramh/res/respa_hm.cfm

Heath Albritton from Starkey Mortgage @ www.HeathAlbritton.com and Dawn Chase from Foundation Title & Escrow @ www.foundationtande.com are available to answer any questions you might have. ‘Tell em I sent ya!'

To see your home or business featured on Westhaven Weekly, or to promote any local event or charity, please contact Lisa Alyn, your Westhaven neighbor & realtor at lisa@lisaalyn.com , www.lisaalyn.com, or drop my home on Championship Blvd and lets sit and chat a spell; I'm always looking for a fun new story to tell, an event to support or a home to sell!

For regular WESTHAVEN WEEKLY updates add www.westhaventn.lisaalyn.com to your favorites!

As a Westhaven resident & realtor, I have designed Westhaven Weekly in Franklin, Tennessee as a regional and national platform to promote & provide:

• Westhaven residents the ability to feature their homes & help expedite getting their home sold
• easy access to Westhaven and all Middle TN homes, farms, & land for sale
• Westhaven neighborhood news & events
• up-to-date home sales, statistics, reports and neighborhood home values
• a wealth of information when buying and selling homes
• current federal tax incentives, lending information, & TN stimulus
• data on school districts, new schools, area private schools & local zoning issues
• information on local builders and Southern Land developments
• a venue to ask neighborhood, local area and real estate questions and get answers...

...while proudly showcasing local merchants & businesses in our new Westhaven Town Center & the surrounding areas including Historic Downtown Franklin, Leipers Fork, Franklin, and all Williamson County in Middle Tennessee.

To see your home or business featured on Westhaven Weekly, or to promote any local event or charity, please contact Lisa Alyn at lisa@lisaalyn.com , www.lisaalyn.com, or drop my home on Championship Blvd and lets sit and chat a spell; I'm always looking for a fun new story to tell, an event to support or a home to sell!

Westhaven in Franklin, TN is still out-preforming all other Williamson County competing communities in home sales for 2009! If you have ever wondered if the area you are considering is a good investment, this Westhaven happy resident and realtor suggests taking note of this professionals top five questions when buying a home:

(1) How have the neighborhood home sales been for the past twelve months?

(2) Have the builders been able to address the market changes while keeping a high quality of home construction?

(3) Are re-sale homes selling as well as the new construction homes?

(4) Has the developer consistently maintained community high standards?

(5) Have the home values increased or maintained their long-term value?

I am happy to report Westhaven community consistently reaches and exceeds all five areas in sales, high quaility construction, re-sales, high standards, and the homes are maintaining their long-term value. In a sentence, Westhaven's developer, Souther Land, is committed to the success of Westhaven and the quality of life it provides its residents.

For more information on Westhaven and to see homes for sale in Westhaven, go to www.WesthavenTN.lisaalyn.com or call Lisa Alyn 615-708-0445

Franklin, TN New Elementary School in Westhaven, Scheduled to Open Fall 2010!

GOOD NEWS to all you wonderful Westhaven families and your sweet children living in Franklin, TN: the New Elementary School in Westhaven (not yet formerly named) is on course to open fall of 2010! The school is slated to hold a maximum capacity of 800 students. Rezoning board members are working to explain proposed new boundaries for this west Franklin, TN area elementary school. Board members recommend bringing 200 students from neighboring Franklin Green and Spencer Hall. Westhaven will liberally provide the bulk of the students. Currently, there are over 200 Westhaven children currently enrolled in Walnut Grove with the majority of those transferring to their neighborhood Westhaven elementary school; come fall it will be bustling time of backpacks, books, bikes, and buses as the these lucky children benefit from what few kids today enjoy: an elementary school right in their own neighborhood.

Franklin, TN parents may begin organizing a PTO/PTA, however this is usually done after the principal has been chosen. Knowing the superb involvement of Westhaven families, it won't take long before they are rolling out the welcome mat to the school's new principal and beginning fundraising events to help cover the costs Williamson County is not able to completely absorb.

While some Franklin, TN Westhaven students live within a short walk to the elementary school, bus services will be offered to all students who live in the transportation zone. Westhaven offers numerous sidewalks and bike paths to all its residents making mornings in this friendly neighborhood, a welcome sight of smiling faces, running, giggling, and waving on their way to school. Come join our wonderful Westhaven community and enjoy all it has to offer.

For more information on Westhaven or other Westhaven homes and information, click HERE