Monica Neubauer - Franklin, TN REALTOR/Trainer

Jamison Station are multi level condos in Franklin, near downtown. They are across from The Factory, an interesting local area for events, dining and shopping. They are billed as loft style which is not exactly what they are. They have wonderful high ceilings with exposed ceiling beams and lighting, etc. But each unit has 2 distinct floors. Some of the larger units have the more open "loft" style. The floors and stairs are hardwood throughout. There are lots of stairs. What these units really are is townhouses. Townhouses above retail establishments. In the first building they have personal elevators inside each unit. Which is helpful because the units really are 3 levels. They have the living, dining and kitchen on the main level. The bedrooms are on the 2nd level. And the most fabulous part is the roof! Each unit has its own rooftop space with the fiber cement decking. And there is a walking "trail" on the roof. There are the most wonderful views from there.

These units are in the mid $400's for a 2 bedroom unit without an elevator. The ones with elevators that are completed are in the low $500's for a 2 bedroom. There is a one bedroom and they have many larger options as well. They have granite and tile, like you would expect. The balconys are mostly on every level. There is some kind of outdoor space on every level. There are 2 parking spaces and a storage room in an underground garage. The community also has townhouses that are dual zoned - commercial and residential.

Call me if you want more information on Jamison Station in downtown Franklin.

Condos available in Jamison Station

Creekstone is one of Franklin's newest communities. They feature homes and townhomes that are extremely energy efficient. The whole community is designed that way. See earlier post about Creekstone for more information about the subdivision. The Tennessee Magazine, put out by the Electric Co-op in Tennessee, features them in an article in the December 2008 issue. I can't reprint the article without permission though. If you want to read it, email me. They also printed an article about a renovation in downtown Franklin where the homeowner would recoup the investment for more energy efficiency in 9 years. $3000 a month after that nine years goes right back into his pocket. Contact me if you want to learn more.

I would be glad to help you if you want more information about Creekstone or green building in Franklin. 615-568-8384

Some houses in Creekstone

Some more houses in Creekstone

Condos/Townhouses in Creekstone

Okay, I have lived in Franklin most of my life.  Generally, I love the weather here.  If you are someone looking for 4 seasons without the long winters, Franklin is your kind of place. 

We have colorful Springs with bright greens, forsythia yellows and dogwoods blooming every where.  Spring is fabulous!  Hopefully we get some rain in the Spring too.  And big thunderstorms!  Those used to be fun.  We have had a few more tornadoes in recent years, so the storm enthusiasm is a bid dampened.  Spring is fresh air and wonderful temperatures.  We love to be outside.  We ride a motorcycle and Spring is a great time to ride.

Summer is, well, fairly hot.  But not until mid July.  Most people don't leave for vacations until July because June is really nice.  Lots of flowers.  Our city has so much beautiful landscaping that in the Summer the streets are ablaze with color.  Water hobbies abound here - fishing, swimming.  Swim Teams are a pretty big deal in the summer.  There are lakes nearby if you like boating.  We have lots of lakes, but they are all a bit of a drive from Franklin - 30 minutes to 1 hour.  Great boating though and water skiing. 

Fall features the changing of the trees.  We have lots of hills with lots of trees and decorative pear trees.  The trees change color for about 6 weeks.  Yellows, reds, purples, and oranges.  Driving down the Natchez Trace Parkway is a huge treat in the Spring and Fall - beautiful. Golf anyone? Almost year round.

Winter is unpredictable. Some years we are riding our motorcycle intermittently through the season.  This year though it has been cold and rainy.  The sun has begun to shine though and Spring is in view.  December usually isn't too bad, whatever the weather, because Christmas is coming and it is a busy time with all the other holidays we love to celebrate. January moves a bit slowly because it is usually our Winter month.  Sometimes we get snow, but it is usually gone the next day. People here tell stories about snow and ice by referencing the year that occurred.  "Remember that ice storm we had back in 199...." 

4 seasons - We have them.  And they all have something to appreciate.  My husband tells me the cold winters are important to keep the bugs from flourishing. I don't need bugs flourishing.

Have a great day!

Franklin in late Fall

Do you ever wonder about how the foreclosure system works? If someone is in trouble - when do they start looking for help? Are there options for people? These are great questions. Let's talk about it a bit.

When someone starts having some real problems paying their bills - either from a job loss or medical bills, or whatever change has occured - the rates go up - when the problem becomes evident - that is when help is needed. A homeowner can do several things. First they need to decide though if they want to stay in the house or move out.

If the homeowner wants to stay in the house, there are options the bank may be willing to work out. Forebearance is when the bank is willing to suspend the payment for a short period of time. This would be in the event that the financial diffficulty is temporary. A mortgage modification is where the lender would be willing to modify the payment or terms of the loan to make the mortgage repayment possible.

If the homeowner doesn't want to stay in the house, they can sell it. Maybe the house is worth the loan amount and the loan can be paid and the seller move on with no negative effect to the credit report. If the house is worth less than the loan amount, the bank may be willing to discuss doing a short sale. A short sale is where the bank would be willing to cooperate with the seller to sell the house at market value, but below the loan amount. In these cases the banks forgive the rest of the debt. They will only do a short sale if the homeowner is in a complete financial hardship. And there are a lot of details and challenges in a short sale.

Who should a homeowner talk to?

Their bank. Which may be helpful. Or not. But it is a good place to start. It depends on, well, lots of things.

Their Realtor. Which may be helpful. Or not. It depends on if they know anything about short sales and foreclosures. Selling a house in this environment has special challenges that go with it and working with a Realtor who doesn't understand it can ruin the opportunity. To sell a house in a foreclosure environment needs to be done in a timely and committed manner. Make sure to work with a trained real estate consultant. If this agent is well informed, they can help a homeowner walk through a challenging decision making process.

Getting help is the best idea.

Yesterday, I was shopping with some clients for townhouses in Westhaven. There is a good selection available. There are two on the main road coming in, State Blvd. They have nice features, as you would expect in Westhaven. They are priced in the low $400's for about 2300 sq. ft. These have 2 car garages. Also on State Blvd, Southern Land is building some new townhouses, about 6 to start. These have a new townhouse floor plan that mirrors the style of some some of the houses. The Master is down. The upstairs space seems very useful. They are starting at a base, pre construction price of about $390K.

Another area they have townhouses is around the "Game Park". This park has a bocci court and a large size chess board. You have to walk the pieces around it. They have 2-3 level townhouses on two sides of the park. Some of the townhouses have a room over the garage for an office. These have a 1 car garage. They range from $339K to $294,500 with square footage ranging from 1935 to almost 2500. They are fairly varied with some rooms finished or not and with different upgrades. This is a very nice block to have a house on.

Call or email me if you have interest in houses or townhouses in Westhaven. I'll be glad to help you with that information. The Harris Tweeter has begun to be built. The commercial area is developing. They have a restaurant coming soon too. The pharmacy and medical center are in. There is also a "Spectacles" store. And did I mention there are two condos left above the retail businesses? They have their own special appeal.

Search here for houses.