Stephen Strickhausen

I hope that everyone has enjoyed the benefits of the $8,000 tax credit whether you are a first time home buyer or an agent.

For buyers of course, this helps with home ownership for those that typically might not even consider buying. I have personally seen several families take advantage of this opportunity. The credit has not "turned the market around" here in Nashville but it has definitely "stimulated" it. The most recent months have seen those that have been sitting on the fence finally get on the home ownership train.

In my opinion, the whole point of having a deadline is to encourage even the procrastinators to make a decision. Sure, this decision may turn into a last minute offer on November 13th with a contingency that they "Must close by November 30th". November 13th is a Friday by the way....Scary in more ways than one:)

The question with those that are on the fence has been "Aren't they going to extend the deadline"? Of course I don't truly know the answer to that BUT (being the honest person that I am) I have to tell them "That is a possibility". The truth is, IT IS A POSSIBILITY and the reason why I know this is because IT'S ON THE NEWS!! It's in the media and of course once you start talking about an extension then those that are on the fence are more than likely going to STAY on the fence.

What is the point of that?? There is still time to find a great first home before the deadline. If the government is trying to stimulate home sales then DON'T LET THE CAT OUT OF THE BAG. If they are going to extend the deadline then wait until AFTER the deadline to make the announcement.

I DO think that they should have a 2 week "grace period" for those first time home buyers that are already under contract. There WILL be last minute contracts and Title companies and Lenders will have their hands full. Bottom line is that with the talks of extensions come talks of waiting. The $8,000 was a great idea but the full benefit of it comes from waiting until the very end to announce or even talk about extensions.

Stephen Strickhausen

KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY

9175 CAROTHERS PKY SUITE 110

615-778-1818

Sstrickhausen@gmail.com

Disclaimer:
Franklin Homes for Sale, Nashville homes for Sale, Nashville home search, Property in Brentwood TN, Franklin TN Real Estate, Franklin TN Realtor, Franklin MLS search, Nashville MLS search, Green Hills TN Properties for sale, Spring Hill TN Homes for sale, Belle Meade, Middle Tennessee, Music City, Stephen Strickhausen, and Keller Williams do not necessarily reflect any of the views or beliefs held by Active Rain or it’s employees.

Driving through the streets of Historic Franklin in Williamson County you will pass some truly incredible homes. These houses are an average of four-thousand square feet and well appointed with custom trims and gorgeous flooring. The homes are very well taken care of with wonderful landscaping and beautiful detail work.

Not only are these homes gorgeous but they are also rich in history. Franklin sits in the middle of what was a battle ground in the 1800’s. These homes in Franklin played a role in the battle. For example, Carnton Plantation was the home of the famed, ‘Widow of The South.’ (Read the book. Its really great) Franklin homes are filled with character and charm. There are some new residential developments being built in Franklin that I think will be huge successes in continuing the tradition of excellence as well as bringing a younger crowd into the area.

The first of these is a development of townhomes directly off Main Street. I believe they are called 11^th and Main. These Townhomes are not your average townshomes. Covering up to 2700 square feet, these showpieces are filled with gorgeous hardwood flooring, insane crown moldings and top of the line appliances. Each room posseses its own character and details. When most builders build townhomes they do not feel it necessary to go the extra mile as far as details go. The builder of the townhomes I speak of definitely went the extra mile. The woodwork in these homes is exquisite. The shelving is encased with awesome detail work and moldings. Some units have a private brick enclosed courtyard that is perfect for a wall fountain and outdoor dining table. The owners are going to love the kitchens, with their granite counters and top of the line cabinets. I highly recommend you check these out. (I should also mention the great price. They are priced to sell!)

Another awesome development for the younger crowd in Franklin is the new Jamison Station. Sitting directly across the street from the Factory, Jamison Station possesses features that will make the owner feel they are really living in New York. As you enter the unit you will see a large living space and a half bath. Hop on your own elevator and go up one floor to the kitchen and eating space, as well as living space. The kitchen is very open, which will show off you Viking appliances. You be surrounded by modern walls and lighting fixtures. The floor is a sleek hardwood. To go to the bedrooms you go up again, to the third floor. The rooms are on the smaller side. (which is to be expected in a loft setting) However, the master bath is tremendous. Slate flooring and a huge shower add a New York feel to the bathroom. These units are very clean-lined and modern. Each unit has its own large balcony enclosed in brick walls. The fixtures are very modern and complete that loft feeling. Be ready to sell some of you furniture to fit in this loft style space. However, with the character and swank New York feel I know you would not miss it.

As a whole I am thrilled Franklin is starting to bring in younger crowds. I think it is needed to have modern and edgy living spaces to do that. However, I am hoping that each new development takes notice of how high the bar has been set by the ones I speak of.

Stephen Strickhausen

KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY

9175 CAROTHERS PKY SUITE 110

615-778-1818

Sstrickhausen@gmail.com

Disclaimer:
Franklin Homes for Sale, Nashville homes for Sale, Nashville home search, Property in Brentwood TN, Franklin TN Real Estate, Franklin TN Realtor, Franklin MLS search, Nashville MLS search, Green Hills TN Properties for sale, Spring Hill TN Homes for sale, Belle Meade, Middle Tennessee, Music City, Stephen Strickhausen, and Keller Williams do not necessarily reflect any of the views or beliefs held by Active Rain or it’s employees

There are a lot of people who tend to steer clear of building a new home. I am not just talking about walking into a model home and picking out 3 or 4 options and having a new home in 3-4 months. I am referring to sitting down with a custom builder and having him build the house of your dreams.

There are many reasons why people tend to stay away from this option.

1) Time. Custom homes can take anywhere from 6 months to two years. This of course depends on the budget and how often the wife changes the cabinets and wall colors :)

2) Effort. This task is far above and beyond the typical walk-through a model home and picking out 1 of 4 tile options. This is a start from scratch job that requires figuring out floor plans, the land to build it on, and THEN all the paint, brick, roof, and tile colors. This is not a one hour meeting!

3) Money. Generally to do a true custom home takes more dollars per square foot than most "cookie cutter" homes because...well...they're cookie cutter.

I have recently been working with a home builder here in Nashville that can debunk all of those myths. He even pays a Real Estate agent their commission who brings him buyers. He believes that having a Realtor will help the process run smoother and is well worth his dime.

I have seen his work and he is just about impeccable. He builds anything from a 1200 sf barn in Liepers Fork to a multi million dollar estate in Franklin. As far as price goes, he can stay within your budget! Clients meet with him with their max budget for land and everything. He then tells them everything he CAN do within that price range.

The Effort is taken on by the builder. Sure, you can go out there everyday while it is under construction but he takes on all the work and headache. This of course is where the agent comes into play. We have a reputation for taking bullets for our clients:)

The time it takes is generally 6 months! I know this is about 2 months longer than building a spec home BUT instead of spec you get your DREAM HOME!!

Don't forget to count out the custom builders for your clients! This could be the best decision they make!

Stephen Strickhausen

KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY

9175 CAROTHERS PKY SUITE 110

615-778-1818

Sstrickhausen@gmail.com

Disclaimer:
Franklin Homes for Sale, Nashville homes for Sale, Nashville home search, Property in Brentwood TN, Franklin TN Real Estate, Franklin TN Realtor, Franklin MLS search, Nashville MLS search, Green Hills TN Properties for sale, Spring Hill TN Homes for sale, Belle Meade, Middle Tennessee, Music City, Stephen Strickhausen, and Keller Williams do not necessarily reflect any of the views or beliefs held by Active Rain or it’s employees.

This just in.

A young couple living in Nashville, TN reportadly lost money in a house flipping venture. The couple says,"they are shocked this has happened to them, we have nothing now that this has cleaned us out." Jim Bearns and His wife Melissa both work in industries outside the real estate world and decided that it would be an easy way to make an extra 'pile' of cash. "With my handy work skills and Melissa's good taste we knew it was a winner." After pouring a total of $227,981 into the flip the couple was shocked that it did not sell within the time frame they needed it to.

BSNBC reports that they are "Stunned this could happen to such a wonderful couple with wonderful taste and ideas." Reporter, Lynn Whatthecrap, reported that the entire news room is still in amazement that this house did not sell, and this poor couple stands to lose everything and spend the next 15 years recovering.

Ok. So maybe i made this whole thing up! The point I am trying to make is simple...IT IS POSSIBLE TO LOSE MONEY FLIPPING HOUSES. (or should I say it is PROBABLE) its not breaking news!! Please don't be shocked and call the media to alert everyone else. It is the same thing as calling the media you burned yourself when you touched the hot stove!

Can you imagine hearing a news story like the one i made up? it shocks me that there are people out there that really think they are going to be 'the ones' that hit it big flipping. They say that they have 'great taste and they are money smart.' It amazes me. I have met countless people that are willing to poor their savings into flipping a house. They have never worked in real estate, construction or even researched the facts. After all is said and done they are actually shocked that the construction is taking longer than expected. Look... You have to wait longer than expected just to see a doctor. Don't you think you may have to wait longer than you thought to re-do a house. THINK!!

Why do people think that statistics do not apply to them? "Geee officer, I didn't think seven beers would have that big of an effect of me." Yeah, those are the same people that think with no experience in building, selling, designing, or even owning a house what-so-ever are saying when they are pulled over. (Side note...I met a couple that, instead of buying a home to live in, bought a flip property upon returning from their honeymoon...They are still living with their parents three years later because they lost everything)

Heres the thing. Yes, there are people out there that can flip a house and make money. Those people are dedicated, knowledgeable and have money. They make smart decisions and are prepared to loose money. These people are few and far between. Most people out there are not all the things I mentioned. They are impatient, unrealistic and have no money. It is no shocker they are so surprised that the painters were late. DUH!

It is no breaking news that you can lose money flipping. Why cant people pull their heads out of the vacuum they got it stuck in and listen!

Stephen Strickhausen

KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY

9175 CAROTHERS PKY SUITE 110

615-778-1818

Sstrickhausen@gmail.com

Disclaimer:
Franklin Homes for Sale, Nashville homes for Sale, Nashville home search, Property in Brentwood TN, Franklin TN Real Estate, Franklin TN Realtor, Franklin MLS search, Nashville MLS search, Green Hills TN Properties for sale, Spring Hill TN Homes for sale, Belle Meade, Middle Tennessee, Music City, Stephen Strickhausen, and Keller Williams do not necessarily reflect any of the views or beliefs held by Active Rain or it’s employees.

A while back I wrote a blog about "How I wish Real Estate was more like brain surgery". I know that may sound a bit drastic but the point I was trying to make was that there were so many people out there that have their Real Estate license. There is always a potential client that says something to the effect of "My uncle has his license and I am going to use him to sell my house". Generally this same friend or family member works full time doing something else. You add all these people up and they are only making a couple transactions a year but as a whole they are taking away 1,000's of potential clients from those of us that have made a career out of it.

Going back to my previous blog, it's not like you would say "My uncle is going to do surgery on me this time" "He took some medical classes in college". Again... a bit drastic but there are so many people out there that have someone that they know either representing them as a buyer or trying to sell their home. The sad thing is that most of these people don't really know the difference between the guy who took a few classes in college and the guy who has spent the past 15 years of his life studying and practicing medicine.

This is so frustrating to watch but I see it often. In fact, I currently have a "referral" from someone who was a friend of a friend. Long story short...I am now their Realtor. My lender tried to pass on a lead to me a while back. I called her but she decided to go with a family friend. Long story short, my lender told me that this was the worst transaction he has EVER had to deal with. Everything inside of him wants to make the "I told you so" phone call.

Back to the "LEVELS". This would allow the general public to know what level of knowledge and level professionalism they are dealing with, even if it IS a family member. I am not sure exactly how I would break things down but those of us that have full time jobs and happen to have taken the state exam should be on level one (at the bottom). I also think there should be a "rookie" year where the agent is working under a higher level agent for that time period. Higher levels should be based on the knowledge of contracts and state laws. I even think Realtors should be ranked on how a listing is done. Knowledge of the surrounding area which includes pricing is crucial. Your shiny new sign doesn't cut it.

I will be the first to admit that I am inferior to others... especially within my office! Our office is full of seasoned agents who have been in the business for 15 + years. These are the people that I go to for answers and advice. The point I am trying to make is that there are those of us that LOVE Real Estate and have given it their 60hrs a week ( which includes constant and continual education, extensive knowledge of the market and city, and TIME ) and then there are those that hold a license. Beware of the "Level 1" agents!!

Stephen Strickhausen

KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY

9175 CAROTHERS PKY SUITE 110

615-778-1818

Sstrickhausen@gmail.com

Disclaimer:
Franklin Homes for Sale, Nashville homes for Sale, Nashville home search, Property in Brentwood TN, Franklin TN Real Estate, Franklin TN Realtor, Franklin MLS search, Nashville MLS search, Green Hills TN Properties for sale, Spring Hill TN Homes for sale, Belle Meade, Middle Tennessee, Music City, Stephen Strickhausen, and Keller Williams do not necessarily reflect any of the views or beliefs held by Active Rain or it’s employees.