Sherri Wellborn, Keller Williams Realty Murfreesboro TN Homes, Real Estate

Main Street Market occurs every Saturday morning from 8 am til noon on the historic square in downtown Murfreesboro TN. Vendors and farmers transform the square into a wonderland of locally grown vegetables, fresh cut flowers, raw honey, delicious jams, jellies, and apple butters, not to mention nutritious organic breads and baked goods! The Market is a mecca for individuals searching for quality organic food and locally grown produce.

Main Street Market runs from June through the end of October. It is becoming an extremely popular place for individuals and families of all ages, including a few well trained dogs! The prices are very reasonable and the quality is outstanding.

If you haven’t purchased your pumpkins yet for fall decorating, there were some amazing ones at the Market that were priced at $3 and $4!! Blankenships was offering mix and match any five for $20 and the selection was impressive. We saw everything from the bumpy versions, and multi-color gourds, to the traditional carving pumpkin.

The Nashville Jam Company had a booth with samples of their Strawberry and Peach Chipotle Jams that were out of this world! These jams aren’t just for toast! They have a whole page of recipes on their website and I was told that their dressing made with the Strawberry Chipotle was awesome! I came home with three jars...and a loaf of organic whole grain bread from WildFlours.org! Breakfast in the morning will be delicious & healthy!

My daughter and I enjoyed the brisk morning browsing the various booths and sampling whole grain muffins, bread and scones. We also came home with some fresh purple peppers to eat! It was a wonderful way to spend a fall Saturday morning together.

Shop the Main Street Market for local venders with fresh products! And, when you are ready to buy or sell Murfreesboro TN real estate, call your local Realtor, Sherri Wellborn!

The Murfreesboro Tennessee homes and real estate market has taken a hit! Home prices have declined along with the number of homes sold. Foreclosures and short sales have pulled the market down and negatively impacted the overall value of homes in the area.

Sounds bleak I know. Add everything together and it is easy to see why people that qualify to buy a home are choosing to rent and afraid to invest in home ownership. I’ve even heard people tell say that you’d have to be crazy to buy a home in the current market! And, I absolutely AGREE!

Crazy Like a Fox!

I believe that our current Murfreesboro TN real estate market is at the prime time for individuals to purchase their first home, or consider selling and moving up to their dream home. Let me give you my top five reasons why NOW is the best time to buy a new home. Hopefully, you too will be saying WOW when you see some of these history making facts in writing!

Home affordability is at an all time high! The National Association of Realtors began tracking home affordability in 1970. According to NAR, homes have never been as affordable as they are today! That's over 31 years of statistics! NAR refers to this as the Golden Era of Home Ownership WOW!

Mortgage rates are at all time lows! That’s right...ALL TIME LOWS! We got numb to hearing interest rates were at 20 year lows, then 30, then 40, 50 and finally 60! But currently, they are at ALL TIME LOWS! WOW!

Need more WOW factors?

Read this article from CBS Money Watch: Why the Time to Buy Real Estate Is Now! They describe our current market as a “once in a generation buyer’s market.” WOW!

Our housing prices have already taken the worst decline. Home prices have dropped to prices we saw five or even ten years ago in some areas. But, income hasn’t dropped at those rates. Look at this chart from Realtor.org - In 2008 the median price home was $196,600 with a 6.15% interest rate, monthly P&I payment $958, income $46,000 a year to qualify. Compare that to August 2011, the median price home was $168,400, 4.69% interest rate, monthly P&I payment of $698, annual income only $33,500 to qualify! Interest rates have dropped even lower to 3.75 in Sept/Oct making monthly payments and income requirements even lower! WOW!

Think I’m biased because I’m a Realtor?

According to Trulia, it is now cheaper to BUY vs. Rent in most parts of the country! Check out this Rent vs. Buy graph!

CNN Money Magazine published an article “How to Calculate If You Should Rent or Buy” which discussed how the dramatic drop in home prices had changed the equation of renting vs. buying. Their basic formula was take the estimated purchase price and divide it by the annual rent of a similar home. Anything below a 15 indicates that you “should start looking for homes” according to CNN Money Magazine!

This home is a nice home that might be something a first time home buyer would be interest in but not sure if they should rent of buy.

It is located in Battleground in North Murfreesboro available for rent.

Listing Broker: Stones River Real Estate Services

Monthly Rent 1,025 or $12,300 per year

This is a very similar home in Battleground for sale.

Listing Broker: Exit Realty Bob Lamb & Associates

Amenities are similar but it has charm that shows it was loved & maintained by the previous owner. It includes a privacy fence and extensive landscaping.

ASKING PRICE: $119,900

If you take the FULL list price (which is highly unusual in this market) and divide it by the annual rent you get 9.74!

Remember anything under 15 and CNN Money Magazine suggested you...START LOOKING FOR HOMES! WOW!

Trulia, CNN Money Magazine, CBS Market Watch, National Association of Realtors.... They all agree that NOW is the time to buy a new home! WOW!

There are many financial reasons to buy a new home now! But most importantly, appreciate that you will be buying a house that will be your own; a house that will be your home.

Your story begins at home.

If you’re ready to begin your story, please contact me at 615-566-3789 or visit me online at SherriWellborn.com or SoldonTN.com today!

A SWEET Smelling home leads to...

The Sweet Smell of Success With A Contract and...

The Sweet Smell of Money when your home closes!

If you are considering selling your Murfreesboro Tennessee home, NEVER underestimate the power of smell!

Your NET PROFIT from the sale of your home is DIRECTLY impacted by the smell of your home!

We live in our homes and become “immune” to their smell. But, potential buyers will notice your home’s unique scent as soon as they enter.

The second a potential buyer walks through the door into your home, they begin to form a crucial emotional connection. Your home should “welcome” them with a fresh, clean scent.

Smells Happen

That’s What Febreeze Is For!

CARPET - Carpet can trap dirt and odors that make your whole house smell! Most carpets need to be steam cleaned to remove stains AND odors before listing your home for sale!

Put a dryer sheet inside your vacuum bag. It will smell great as you vacuum and transmit fresh scent all through your home!

GARBAGE DISPOSALS - Never underestimate the strong odor that can come from your kitchen sink! Clean the rubber splash guard with bleach. Fill the disposal to the top with ice cubes and then let the disposal run until the cubes are crushed. Fill the sink with hot soapy water and release this into the drain (without the disposal running!) Finally, run an orange or lemon peel through the disposal for a fresh citrus smell!

Hang a car air freshener in the laundry room where smells can accumulate!

CIGARETTE SMOKE - If you are a smoker, trust me when I tell you this without even stepping foot inside your home...it smells! The majority of buyers today will not even consider buying a home that smells of cigarettes. And, the few that will, are going to significantly reduce the price in order to compensate them for the time and effort it will take to remove the smell. Invest in having the smoke odor removed before you place your home on the market and DON’T smoke inside your home!

Place a bowl of white vinegar in a smelly room.

The smell will disappear in 48 hours!

PETS - I love pets! I have two dogs and a cat...and they all smell! Make sure you keep your pets bathed regularly while your home is for sale. Wash all pet bedding and spray fabrics with a Febreeze type product daily. Make sure to keep them brushed to prevent shedding which also causes trapped odors in carpeting and fabrics.

The fragrance industry generates multibillions in annual sales. Smells have a HUGE impact on emotions and buyers generally buy with emotion.

AIR FRESHENERS - Use wisely! A few strategically placed fresh scented plug-in air fresheners can really add a nice smell to your home. But, don’t go over board and DON’T use heavy floral scents! Select a fresh linen or vanilla scent.

Excessive use of fragrances can also be a negative smell!

CLEAN - Start with a deep clean! Then clean again! Investing some elbow grease into a squeeky clean home will be the best investment you make for maximizing your net profit! Don’t forget to clean those windows inside and out!

A fresh smelling home will draw buyers in and appeal to their emotions. It will also send a signal that you take pride in your home and it is well maintained. If you just hate to clean, then invest in a professional cleaning service to complete this much needed task! You will MORE than recoup the cost of this service in the sales price of your home!

Dab vanilla aroma oil on light bulbs. When you turn on lamps for a showing the gentle scent will be released into the air.

COOKING SMELLS - When it comes time to sell your home, think twice before cooking! The smell of a warm apple pie or fresh baked cookies will release a pleasant aroma and put buyers into a nostalgic mood which can help them make an emotional connection to your home. If you aren’t a Julia Childs in the kitchen, just boil some stick cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg and a few whole cloves in a pot of water and let it steep. Voila! You have now convinced the buyers that someone just finished baking a fresh apple pie! But remember, most cooking smells can be a real no-no and need to be avoided. And, please just say NO to fish while your home is for sale!

If you are thinking about selling your Murfreesboro Tennessee home, please contact me at 615-566-3789! I would love to get your home positioned, staged, sold, and closed! You can always visit me online at SherriWellborn.com or SoldonTN.com.

Don’t forget - Smells Sell!

Oakland High School is the home of the Patriots and located in Murfreesboro Tennessee. There are approximately 1630 students in grades 9 - 12 who attend Oakland High School making it one of the largest in Tennessee. Students living in the northeast and eastern portion of Rutherford County, including Lascassas, Milton and Kittrell attend Oakland High School. My two oldest children graduated from Oakland High School and I was very pleased with the administration and educational programs there. To determine if a specific home is zoned for Oakland High School you can visit the Rutherford County School Zone data base by clicking the highlighted link.

Oakland High School is extremely proud to be an International Baccalaureate Program school since 2008. There are only ten schools in the State of Tennessee that have been certified to offer the International Baccaaureate Program! Oakland High School is very proud of their success in bringing this program to Rutherford County high school students.

The IB Program is a two year rigorous academic program that allows students to graduate with the International Baccalaureate Diploma. The IB Program is an academically challenging program that provides a balanced educational experience, facilitates cultural mobility, and promotes international understanding. It prepares students for a successful university life and a successful future. This prestigious program has gained the respect and recognition from the world’s most elite universities. Students who graduate with the IB Diploma have a greater chance of college acceptance than those students who apply with a general diploma. In addition, they may receive college credits and scholarships at major universities.

Oakland High School students in the IB Program study six courses at a higher level. Students are required to complete an extended essay which some describe as a mini doctorate at the student’s level. The program encourages the students to be creative and use critical thinking in applying their theory of knowledge.

Students in the program must complete a written examination at the end of the program. Those who gain at least 24 points will be awarded the International Baccalaureate Diploma. For more information on the International Baccalaureate Program please visit their website and watch the video below:

Oakland High School is the home of The Patriots! They are proud of their athletes and have won many awards as a result of their spectacular performance. Some of their sports awards received by the Oakland High School sports programs are:

2011 Region 4 Boys Tennis Champions

2011 District 7 Boys Tennis Champions

2010 Sub-State Girls Soccer Champions

2010 Region 4 Girls soccer Champions

2010 District 7 Girls Tennis Champions

2009 Mid State Champions Boys Cross Counry

2008 Class 5A State Champion Football Team

Oakland High School offers a wide range of sports for both boys and girls.

The Tennessee Department of Education Report Card for 2010 rated Oakland High School in Good Standing and a Safe School. The graduation rate was 91% and the students to teacher ratio was 17.9. They received an A grade in the TCAP Writing Achievement Test. For a complete TDOE report for Oakland High School please visit the Tennessee Report Card website.

If you have a Murfreesboro Tennessee home to sell located in the Oakland School zone, please contact me today at 615-566-3789! I would love to show you my approach to getting your home positioned, staged, marketed, and SOLD! Your home will receive maximum internet exposure including real videos and syndication to hundreds of websites!

If you would like to buy a Murfreesboro Tennessee home in the Oakland School Zone, you can start your search by visiting my website, SoldonTN.com. You can also go directly to my home search page SellMurfreesboroTNHomes.com and search by SCHOOL ZONE! Just enter Oakland in the school field and every home currently active in the MLS will be available to you!