Rodney Kennedy

It's about that time again in Nashville, Tennessee! The crisp/cool air, countless beautiful shades of colors, and plenty of enjoyable evenings around the bonfire await us. Yet, amidst all these great things, there are certain preparations that you need to be aware of when getting ready for the fall season as well.

As a homeowner, it's important that you take certain steps in order to protect your home's condition and also your wallet. So let's explore 5 key areas that you ought to review over the upcoming weeks to be fully equipped for what lies ahead:

• Routine furnace maintenance: Don't hesitate to schedule an appointment for your furnace. While trying to juggle work obligations, kids, school, chores, and much more, this is one of those areas that can easily be overlooked. Find a reputable servicing company in Nashville, Tennessee. A couple hundred dollars now is much more reasonable than a few thousand later.


• Clean off your roof: As the leaves begin to fall, it's important that you protect your roof from unnecessary moisture. Take the time to clean off any debris that builds up before the winter months and ensure that your roof is patched from any basic wear and tear. This will be especially vital when winter snow begins to accumulate. Also, clear out your gutters and scan the area around your chimney as well.


• Prepare Your Pipes: First of all, don't forget to unscrew any hoses or nozzles attached to the outside faucets. For those who are using underground sprinklers, take the time to push out any remaining water from the summer. Also, cleaning your septic system may be beneficial before the temperatures hit freezing.


• Basic Crack Repair & Landscape: For those who have minor sidewalk or concrete damage, now may be a good time to fill some of those areas with something like Quikrete to avoid further damage. This can help to keep water and moisture out, especially once snow hits. Also, make sure to clear out the areas around your house where leaves have fallen, and cut back any other trees or shrubbery.


• Insulation & Energy Efficiency: This can be a huge money waster! For those who are rarely at home and constantly on the run, you may want to consider investing in a programmable thermostat. This can save you hundreds of dollars alone by cutting back on unnecessary energy costs. Especially with the rise in most utility costs, this should certainly be considered.
  Also, are there areas around your windows, doors or elsewhere that may be allowing draughts to enter your home? Consider either having these places sealed or maybe investing in some new materials.

No matter where you live, yes, even Nashville, Tennessee, I trust you have found these 5 tips to be helpful and informative.

Search for Homes for Sale in Nashville, Brentwood and Franklin, Tennessee.

Rodney Kennedy, Realtor (615)417-9257 KennedySells.com Keller Williams Realty 9175 Carothers Pkwy, #110 Franklin, TN 37067

Short Sales in the real estate world are up in many states and banks consistently maintain higher returns. If both have increased, what's "Short" about that in a Sale? Oh, and how about timing; how "short" is a Short Sale anyway?

SHORT SALE DEFINITION
A bank allowing a home owner to pay them less money than what is owed on the mortgages combined. (i.e. Home owner owes $300,000 and the bank allows a pay-off of $200,000. That is a sale short of $100,000)

MORE SHORT SALES
According to USA Today, there are more Short Sales happening now in some states than in previous months/years. Part of that is in order to avoid a devastating Foreclosure. In my experience as a Short Sale & Foreclosure Resource Realtor I have seen many people successfully complete a Short Sale of their home,  many of those are homeowners that did not think it was for them or they did not even consider it as an option.

Why would someone not even know about a Short Sale option? Often it results in our pride, ego, embarrassment, etc. Who wants to admit to people close to them, or anyone for that matter, that they are struggling financially - that they may be losing their house. Or worse yet, the possibility of Bankruptcy. These are sensitive topics and require delicate conversations.

CREDIT SCORE
Effects on credit are controversial and ever-changing. In the past, Foreclosure vs. Short Sale could result in a 200-400 point discrepancy. Today those numbers aren't quite as drastic between the two; however, one needs to be more concerned about "Lend-ability." Regardless of your credit score, will a bank lend to you based on the other items in your history? In this regard a Short Sale will not have the same effect as a Foreclosure or Bankruptcy.

BANK LOSS
 Why would a bank agree to a Short Sale? There's quite a savings for the bank in allowing for a Short Sale compared to the loss experienced in a Foreclosure. As RealtyTrac is quoted in the USA Today article:

"In the second quarter, short-sale homes sold at a 21% discount to non-foreclosure homes, while bank-owned homes went at a 40% discount, RealtyTrac says."

Foreclosed home losses are seen as double that of Short Sales.

Want a confidential conversation? Contact me and we can discuss your situation.

Select an area below to search Short Sale and Foreclosure Homes for Sale in Tennessee.

Rodney Kennedy, Realtor (615)417-9257 KennedySells.com Keller Williams Realty 9175 Carothers Pkwy, #110 Franklin, TN 37067

Should I buy a home in Brentwood Tennessee?

NO! Not unless you want to purchase a home today at prices with interest rates of yester-year.

It's prime time to buy a home!
I just read a great ebook called 7 Reasons Why Now Is a Great Time to Buy a Home! It's filled with positive, exciting information to help buyers seize the incredible market opportunities available to them right now. Over the next seven weeks, I'll be sharing key excerpts from this ebook with you in my blog.

For a free copy of this ebook, contact me or click the image below and I'll send 7 Reasons Why Now Is a Great Time to Buy a Home! your way.



Select this link if you would like to search for a home in Brentwood, TN.