Brentwood, TN 2011 Parade of Homes in Annandale

It’s been several years since the last Parade of Homes tour, but it’s finally back this week! In 2006, the tour featured multi-million dollar estates in Brentwood’s Annandale subdivision. This year, it’s back in Annandale in the new phase of the same development right in the heart of Brentwood.

So get your Parade fix fast because we are already into day 3.  It runs from Saturday, September 24 - Sunday, October 9th from 11 am to 8 pm, daily. Tickets are $12 at the gate.

Four homes and builders are featured this year.

Hidden Valley Homes

Hidden Valley builds in Annandale, Glenellen and Valle Verde neighborhoods in Brentwood. Their submission this year is a 5,233 square feet Colonial and French Normandy style. It was listed for $1,090,000 and is currently under contract. Some of the highlights include: limestone floor entry, antiqued mirror glass niches, LED uplighting from the floor and on the ceiling, ipad/iphone docking stations, small wine closet, double barrel vault ceilings and archways, study, a child’s suite with a hidden room, outdoor living and a media room. The covered porch sports a limestone countertop bar with grill and beer dispenser as well as a lounging area around the fireplace and TV. The media room has a 5:1 surround system, plasma tv, nook window seating, and my favorite, the black crocodile countertops. Another nice touch was the covering of the sub-wolfers. Media continues to be a focus in the…master bath, where the tv is see-through from the shower to the tub and viewable from both sides. Complimented by the usual granite countertops, the color sage makes its splash all over the kitchen cabinets.

Grove Park Construction

This French style 6,400 square foot home has a few extra and unexpected touches from Grove Park Construction. First is basement with the 1,000 bottle wine storage room with stone walls, custom racks and cabinetry, wrought iron gate, and travertine floors. Nearby is a small tornado room. On the main floor, the dining room features damask wallpaper panels and a ceiling medallion above the iron and crystal chandelier. The entry is 20 feet where you view the staircase to the remaining floors, 12″ baseboards, 3-piece crown molding, and the spacious butler’s pantry. Up just a few stairs the study displays dark wood paneling and a granite fireplace with built-in bookshelves and a hidden door that leads to the “his” master closet with a hidden safe. This area leads to the master bath, breakfast bar, and bedroom. The master bedroom features a hidden light source around the crown molding. His bath has a tv. Her bath has two linen closets and a tv near the jacuzzi. The marble shower has computer controls. The family room includes a limestone mantle for the fireplace and built-in cabinetry. Cream is the color of the kitchen cabinetry and paneled appliances (which includes a sub-zero refrigerator) with marble countertops. Panels hide the pantry, and there’s even an overflow pantry around the corner in the nearby hallway. The laundry room fits multiple purposes with a large built in desk and storage. Upstairs the bedrooms include built-ins and window seats. One larger media room displays four panel tvs and a bar. A smaller theater room includes a 110 inch screen with 7.1 surround sound.

The outdoor living in this home is the most extravagant of the four, by far. It begins with a travertine-floored covered porch centered around a large stone fireplace. The simple touch of the repurposed bed posts and headboard swing adds comfort to the space. Out where the sun shines there is a massive outdoor kitchen with a bar that extends for miles, a hottub with an infiniti-edged waterfall, a fire pit, and a putting green.

Legend Homes

Legend Homes might be remembered from the last Parade of Homes in 2007. This year’s Traditional-style Parade home, also built with European influence, was listed for $1,100,000 and has already sold and closed for that $1,100,000. It is 5,360 square feet. Do you think having thousands of people walk through their home make the new owners nervous? The dining room includes a crystal chandelier and ceiling medallion, wall sconces, and rich crown molding. A music room is large enough for plenty of seating and the Baby Grand piano. In the family room a large granite fireplace is the focal point. It also includes a wet-bar area tucked away in the corner of the room that’s great for entertaining in the open family room and kitchen. Diagonal beadboard on the sage kitchen cabinets makes quite the bold statement. A multi-level long center island allows for prep work and bar stool seating. It also contains two dishwashers. Also highlighted is the kitchen’s coffered ceiling and the marble slab countertops and backsplash. In the hallways, tons of built-in cubbies and storage is placed right in the path from the garage door. The butler’s pantry provides a considerable amount of storage. The laundry is another multi-purpose room with desk space, storage, and another refrigerator. Outdoor living includes a covered porch with stained concrete flooring, a stone fireplace, and grill. This home also features an electric car charging station in the garage.

At the top of the second level is the “Family Life Center” as they call it. Built-in shelves, desk space, and cabinetry provide a centralized place to get organized and manage family affairs. The media room is multi-level with a general bonus room stepping down into a spacious media room with projection TV and surround sound.

Carbine & Associates

Another French Eclectic style home, this 5,703 square foot home from Carbine & Associates also features a music room for the Baby Grand Piano and seating off the foyer. The dining room, just across from it, includes an iron chandelier. The hardwood floors have a rustic appeal to them that is repeated throughout the space with the wood beams, iron or metal chandeliers and fixtures, and other rustic touches throughout the home. In the kitchen, you find an island with a copper sink, a dark brown base with a rustic wooden countertop. The kitchen also highlights cream colored cabinetry with a very eye-catching range hood over the 48″ range. The breakfast nook is a room to itself with windows on three sides. The home also has a pass-through butler’s pantry. The family room features a limestone mantle and surround fireplace. Another comparable room to the family room is the keeping room with a brick fireplace. The media room is located upstairs on a separate staircase in the back of the home. it features a wet bar and large viewing area with dark panels and wall sconces to enhance the theater feel. While the other homes have covered porches, this one gets cozy with a screened porch and a brick fireplace. We also see more barrel-vault ceilings in bathrooms in this home. This home also includes a bricked-floor utility room including storage and workspace with the laundry and extra refrigerator.The kids den is an interesting concept with room to play, a nook to work or craft, media and storage. The hanging repurposed couch as a swing in one of the children’s rooms is simple but brilliant.

Which one was your favorite? What did you like and dislike about each home? What decorating tips were you seeking this year?

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, offers many home buyers great buying opportunities of HUD foreclosures. However, there is one program with specific requirements where an amazing discount is offered. The Good Neighborhood Next Door Program was created to assist certain individuals purchase a home for a 50% discount from list price of the HUD home. What do you have to do to qualify for HUD housing, specifically the GNND program? What are the requirements?

Teachers

Full-time teachers of a state accredited school (public or private) with students pre-kindergarten through grade 12 are eligible if they purchase a home in the area of which their students are served.

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement officers, employed full-time by a law enforcement agency, are eligible whether they are employed by the federal government, a state, a unit of local government, or an Indian tribal government.

Firefighters / Emergency Medical Technicians

Participants are eligible as a full-time firefighter or emergency medical technician employed by a fire department or emergency medical services responder unit of the federal government, a state, unit of local government or an Indian tribal government that serves the area in which you purchase a home.

General Requirements

• It must be a HUD home in a designated revitalization area.
• Participants must occupy the home as their primary residence for a minimum of 36 months.
• Participants must use a buyer’s agent to submit bids.
• GNND designated homes are available online for bidding for 5 days.
• No negotiation will take place on the list price. You must offer list price, and then you’ll receive the discount if qualifications are met.
• You must sign a 2nd mortgage and note on the discounted amount with no payments or interest on this silent second as long as you fulfill the 36 month occupancy requirement.
• No warranties will be offered. All homes are sold “as is”.
• Properties that qualify are single unit homes, townhouses, and condominiums.
• You may not own a home at the time of offer or during one year prior to making an offer on a qualifying home.
• Earnest money is required with the offer for 1% of the list price - but no less than $500, no more than $2,000.

Financing

Obtaining an FHA-insured mortgage through this specific GNND program allows participants to pay as little as $100 for their down payment. They can even finance closing costs, if so desired. You may use FHA, VA or conventional mortgages or cash for financing the purchase.  Talk to your lender about the best option for you. You may also ask your lender about the FHA Rehabilitation Mortgage - 203(k) where buyers buy a home and have enough money to make the extra repairs needed on the home. Repairs must exceed $5,000 to qualify. Both the cost of repairs and the mortgage are included in one payment.

See a free listing of foreclosed HUD homes available for purchase in your area, including those that qualify for this GNND program and those that are available to the general public. Go to your state, and perform a search. Remember, not all HUD homes on the list will be available for the 50% discount. It must have a blue “R” for revitalization area. If you’re not eligible for the 50% discount, take a look at the HUD homes available at regular list price in your area for great deals available to anyone. Don’t forget you must also use a buyer’s agent to submit bids. If you need an agent in Tennessee, contact me at denawilliams@me.com or 615-739-2944; 615-778-1818. If you’re not in the Nashville area, I’d be happy to help you find an agent to assist you in your state.

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For your next move or relocation instate or across the country, try it out. It works like this. You post your job by type: labor only, xx size truck, number of movers for labor you need, etc. You can even let the mover decide if you are not sure. Then you select whether you want hourly (you give the size of your home) or flat rate bids (you list your stuff), if there is a preference, where movers will then bid on your project/move.  You can even get as detailed as loading pictures of your things, detailing what sized boxes you have and how many. Then of course the basics are needed: when, where, what conditions and how much you’re budgeting to spend.

It’s a very user friendly interface that makes the process quick and easy. Once setup,  just watch the bids roll in and pick the best!

One beneficial requirement in using the service is users must post a review of the company chosen. This allows people to check their reviews as movers start to bid on their relocation or move.

If you have an upcoming Nashville relocation or if you are getting relocated elsewhere from Nashville, I’d love to see if I can help. At least check it out and let me know how it goes. For more information about relocating to Nashville area, contact Dena Williams, Keller Williams - 615-739-2944 or 615-778-1818. If your plans do not include Nashville, I still might be able to help. Call me, and I’ll see what I can do!

Harpeth Trace is set high in the heavily wooded hills of West Nashville right across from Percy Warner Park. The neighborhood includes flats, condos and single family homes in a wonderfully serene setting.

How do you plan for surprise in the home buying process? You don’t…because then it wouldn’t be a surprise, now would it? But somehow you do need to “plan to be surprised” during the home buying process. Expectations…throw them out the window.

The process, while it has predictable general steps, has unexpected twists and turns that may occur. Unfortunately, it can be a frustrating process for those who are used to knowing everything that is expected and being fully prepared upfront so nothing comes up later. There are limitless scenarios that may rear their head, that none of the professionals know will come. So there’s no way to say…this is “here’s all I’ll ever need throughout the process” or “we can count on this or that”.

The answer to your question may be, “I don’t know, but I’ll let you know ‘when’ I do.”

It might take longer to process the loan that you expected. They may ask for more information after they should have had everything they need.

The inspection report might reveal some costly issues. The seller may or may not agree to fix them.

The seller may or may not agree to your terms or price.

The appraisal may not come back as high as the purchase price.

Closing may or may not be on time as you scheduled. There may or not be some off the wall scramble at the last minute.

The termite letter might reveal that there are termites.

The house you just have to have may be owned by a real….well, fill in the blank with something that represents nightmare negotiation.

Multiply these scenarios by infinity, and you’re completely prepared.

You can do it. Tell yourself you can’t always be “proactive” enough to avoid everything unexpected or to take care of everything….It’s certainly not always gloom and doom, but it’s never perfect. The best scenario is that if you expect surprises, the process has the “opportunity”, certainly not the guarantee, to go surprisingly well. Let your agent guide you through the process and help relieve some of the pressure or stress. It will all work out for the best in the end!