Nashville, TN

Yesterday, Mark Boersma, International speaker and President of Synergy Solutions, spoke at the Hampton Inn Suites in the Green Hills area of Nashville, TN.

Several entrepreneurs who were serious about taking their businesses to the next level attended this special Business Mastery's seminar. Mark expanded on how to grow your business based on how to address your potential clients needs based on their personality. How to create raving fans for life through the warm belly rub principle. Three questions you need to be asking if you want to close the sale, was a hot topic of discussion.

During the working lunch segment, 3 time business owner and entrepreneur, Joyce Jackson, discussed how to use the social media to convert clicks into clients. This powerful one hour presentation showed what many entrepreneurs miss or fail to do on their social media sites or blogs.

Joyce Jackson, will be the keynote speaker for the Woman's Empowerment League, to be held this Monday at 9:00 AM at the Cool Springs Marriott.

Mark and Joyce, will be back in Nashville in January of 2010 to continue these sessions on Business Mastery's. Dates to be announced. Both these series will be available soon on audio and DVD. Trailers will be posted in the near future complements of Complete Video Promotions.


© 2009 michael thornton | complete home inspections, inc. | brentwood, tn | 615.661.0297 | www.completehomeinspectionsonline.com
Helping YOU Live YOUR American Dream...

This article entitled "Terrazzo auction will impact condo prices across Nashville" appeared in the Nashville Business Journal on November the 6th, 2009. The author is Eric Snyder:

Velocity, the last new condo project that will come to the downtown Nashville market for several years, has officially opened its doors. Meanwhile, Terrazzo, one of downtown's more luxurious condo towers, is poised to slash its prices by as much as half at an upcoming auction.

The stage appears set to at least create momentum to move units. What's less clear is whether that momentum will come as a result of severely discounted prices - not just at Terrazzo, which is selling 30 of its 117 units for up to 50 percent off original asking prices, but across the market.

Grant Hammond, a buyer's broker who specializes in condos, said the Nov. 21 auction will serve as a "crystal ball."

"This should tell everyone exactly where the market is for downtown living," said Hammond, who will represent two potential buyers at the auction. Hammond said the auction will determine whether the downtown market is viable, or whether it's moving toward or away from viability.

Hammond will set his compass by final sales prices, adding that auction prices of $250 a square foot will represent a viable market. Read Eric Snyder's full Nashville Business Journal article.

When you break down the available condo inventory in downtown, you find that the numbers aren't as bad as you may have been led to believe. What does appear to be at odds however, are the wishes of current condo owners and condo developers who want to build again. Owners are hoping for prices to remain stable during the next 1-3 years of inventory burn-off whereas developers would rather see prices fall to the point where 100% of the inventory burns off in one year.

I see the arguments from both sides and each has a valid point, what I have not determined is the perfect solution for both owners and developers. What I am sure off is the fact that the Gulch does have legs. The Icon has been selling very well during a recession and once Velocity gets a little more serious about their prices, it will be the most affordable entry property in the downtown market. The Gulch is quickly becoming a ‘see and be seen' neighborhood in Nashville as certain celebrities tend to slink in and out of 2 restaurants in particular.

Recently closed for my buyers....A Quaint English Country Cottage in Oak Hill. The new owners are very excited about their future plans for their new home.

1.66 Acres

contact me: briantsmith@realtracs.com or 615.975.0578

Click Here to read more of my blogs

Home Buyer's Tax Credit Extended and Expanded: It's Official!

I just received an email explaining all of the details on the Homebuyer's Tax Credit, which has been extended and expanded to current homeowners.

According to Me, this is good news for current homeowners, who were previously left out of this tax credit. Perhaps this will encourage the middle part of the housing market to start moving! This is also good news for first time homebuyers, as they now have another five months to seal the deal on their first home (that is, if they can actually get approved for a mortgage and are disciplined enough to save).

For our economy, though, this seems like bad news. Where exactly are we getting all of this money from? Oh, wait, it's from people like me. And if I have any children, this money will come from them also.

And another gripe I have: If the government really wants to try to help out the American people and not just the banks, then why such steep regulations on who and how one can receive this money? For example, you have to make less than $125K (if you're single/less than $225K if you're married), you must have lived in your primary residence for 5+ years, and you can't buy a house for more than $800K. Oh, and there are SEVEN more stipulations concerning the home itself. I just don't get it.

The following is an email report from Tonya Esquibel, a mortgage broker here in Nashville that I like working with. The following email report came with instructions to "Copy and Paste as You Wish". So here goes:

Tax Credit for Homebuyers

First-Time Homebuyers (FTHBs): First-time homebuyers (that is, people who have not owned a home within the last three years) may be eligible for the tax credit. The credit for FTHBs is 10% of the purchase price of the home, with a maximum available credit of $8,000.

Single taxpayers and married couples filing a joint return may qualify for the full tax credit amount.

Current Owners: The tax credit program now gives those who already own a residence some additional reasons to move to a new home. This incentive comes in the form of a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified purchasers who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years.

Single taxpayers and married couples filing a joint return may qualify for the full tax credit amount.

What are the New Deadlines?

In order to qualify for the credit, all contracts need to be in effect no later than April 30, 2010 and close no later than June 30, 2010.

Tax Credit Versus Tax Deduction

It's important to remember that the tax credit is just that... a tax credit. The benefit of a tax credit is that it's a dollar-for-dollar tax reduction, rather than a reduction in a tax liability that would only save you $1,000 to $1,500 when all was said and done. So, if a first-time homebuyer were to owe $8,000 in income taxes and would qualify for a tax credit of $8,000, she would owe nothing.

Better still, the tax credit is refundable, which means the homebuyer can receive a check for the credit if he or she has little income tax liability. For example, if a first-time homebuyer is eligible for a tax credit of $8,000 but is liable for $4,000 in income tax, she can still receive a check for the remaining $4,000!

Higher Income Caps

The amount of income someone can earn and qualify for the full amount of the credit has been increased.

Single tax filers who earn up to $125,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, single filers who earn $145,000 and above are ineligible

Joint filers who earn up to $225,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, joint filers who earn $245,000 and above are ineligible.

Maximum Purchase Price

Qualifying buyers may purchase a property with a maximum sale price of $800,000.

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Remember, the new tax credit program includes a number of details and qualifications. For more information or answers to specific questions, please call or email me today.

In addition, you may be able to benefit from additional housing related provisions, including the following:

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Tax Incentives to Spur Energy Savings and Green Jobs

This provision is designed to help promote energy-efficient investments in homes by extending and expanding tax credits through 2010 for purchases such as new furnaces, energy-efficient windows and doors, or insulation.

Landmark Energy Savings

This provision provides $5 Billion for energy efficient improvements for more than one million modest-income homes through weatherization. According to some estimates, this can help modest-income families save an average of $350 a year on heating and air conditioning bills.

Repairing Public Housing and Making Key Energy Efficiency Retrofits To HUD-Assisted Housing

This provision provides a total of $6.3 Billion for increasing energy efficiency in federally supported housing programs. Specifically, it establishes a new program to upgrade HUD-sponsored low-income housing (for elderly, disabled, and Section 8) to increase energy efficiency, including new insulation, windows, and frames.

Expanding Housing Assistance

This provision increases support for several critical housing programs. It includes $2 Billion for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to help communities purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed, vacant properties.

As always, if you have any questions about your specific situation or would like to discuss how you may benefit from this program, please call or email me. I'll be happy to sit down with you.

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If you are interested in finding a home in Green Hills, Downtown, 12th South, or Oak Hill area of Nashville, or would like to look at other real estate for sale in the Middle Tennessee area, please search the MLS HERE. Please note: You will have to register with my site to be able to search the MLS. I will contact you initially and all requests thereafter for privacy will be respected.

Looking to move? Wanting to Invest? Need help as a First Time Buyer? Please feel free to call me, Emily Lowe (yes, I'm a Realtor, with The Lipman Group Sotheby's International Realty) at 615.509.1753

NO ONE Succeeds alone!

Every business relies on LEADS to bring new "Listings" (Customers/Clients) and must develop appropriate LEVERAGE in order to sufficiently navigate the intricacies of the business and serve the needs of the clients.

We build LEVERAGE through:

- adoption of sound MODELS (Success Leads Clues - follow a business model that is working for other professionals in your field - MREA)

- Innovative creation of SYSTEMS which enable EFFICIENCY and FLOW so that the mechanical aspects of our business happen automatically in a uniform and consistent manner

- Our relationships with and THROUGH PEOPLE

Many folks understand LEVERAGE in theory, but have great difficulty when it comes to implementation because of those darned LIMITING BELIEFS swimming around in their heads and coming from other people in their environment.

A few of those limiting beliefs might be:

"It's costly and I don't have enough MONEY to sufficiently leverage my business."

"If I have to HIRE someone, I'll have to TRAIN & MANAGE them, I don't have TIME for that!"

"I don't know HOW!"

Done right, Leveraging your business does not have to cost a bunch of money or time and is not all that difficult.

Consider the power of BARTERING . . . Wikipedia defines Bartering as:

"Bartering is a medium in which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods and/or services without a common unit of exchange (without the use of money).^[1] It can be bilateral or multilateral, and usually exists parallel to monetary systems in most developed countries, though to a very limited extent. Barter usually replaces money as the method of exchange in times of monetary crisis, when the currency is unstable and devalued by hyperinflation. Bartering is still common in the present, usually used within the Internet on sites like Craigslist.^{[2] "}

You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

My favorite termite inspector leverages my time by handling the termite inspection without me having to meet him by dealing directly with my Sellers . . . He gets a LOT of business from me because I tell ALL of my REALTOR friends how great he is. He's leveraging my time while I leverage his Lead generation.

My favorite home inspector does the same . . . and is a very reliable resource when I need home maintenance advice and/or referrals for sub-contractors.

My favorite home maintenance company bids any work I might need within 24 hours of my call ALWAYS and has NEVER failed to complete the work on time . . .and he handles the details directly with the client.

My favorite Title Company handles virtually ALL of my contract to close details by maintaining contact with all parties to the transaction and solving issues as they arrise . . . They call me weekly to up-date me.

A tech savvy newly licensed agent can barter with a seasoned veteran . . . "I'll spool you on the current technology and set up your leverage SYSTEMS while you MENTOR me to develop my business"

NONE of this costs extra MONEY or TIME!

Where do YOU need leverage?

What do you have in your "bag of tricks" that you can trade for what you need?

"Get this" bartering/leverage thingie, and you'll find yourself with plenty of time for generating ample leads to fuel an extremely lucrative career.

I'm just sayin'

Best,

b

Barry Owen
Principal Real Estate Broker
Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215 - Green Hills

Call me: 615-568-2123
Text me: http://www.mycricket.com/sendtextmessage/ 6155682123
email me: barryowen@kw.com
Visit The Owen Group http://www.theowengroup.net
http://www.owengroupnashvillehomes.com
Barry Owen's Internet Portal to all blogsites, websites, and social networks
http://tnrealestatetribalhub.wordpress.com/2009/06/02/barry-owens-web-portal/

Simply & BOLDLY Living the FourFold Way in Open Space!

Quintessentially connected to the real estate industry to offer the ultimate experience for Home Buyers and Sellers in Middle Tennessee . . . Inquire within!