You're Invited...Christmas Cheer & Manger Ingathering for Graceworks

Please join me,
a few of my fellow Bob Parks Realty agents
and their friends, family and special clients
for some early "Christmas Cheer"...

We will officially kick-off the Christmas season with some warm cider, Christmas cookies and a heartfelt outpouring of compassion and support for those struggling to provide Holiday gifts for their loved ones this season.

Please plan to stop by the Bob Parks Realty Brentwood Office
between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 1
(8119 Isabella Lane, Brentwood, 37027)

And, please bring an unwrapped gift item for infants to seniors in the $15-$20range, (or Wal Mart gift cards) to help stock The Manger,
Graceworks Ministries' Community Christmas Store for citizens in Williamson County who are struggling this season.

Do you know about the Manger?

Williamson County is so fortunate to be served by Gracworks Ministries.

Their Mission: "To share the Grace of God by providing comprehensive services to residents in need in Williamson County, Tennessee"

Someone from Brentwood United Methodist Church submitted the following to include in our church newsletter this week about The Manger:

"Why The Manger?"

"It was in the chaotic time before the shopping started, one night at The Manger. The volunteers were gathering, the shoppers were registering and hearing the Good News of the Gospel, when the Director of Graceworks Ministries took me aside and said that Sharon was here, that she didn't have much stamina and maybe we should let her go ahead and start shopping. I looked toward the door and there was Sharon -- wheel chair, oxygen tank, end-stage cancer. She had come to The Manger to Christmas shop for her family.
Why? Why would she, being so sick, use maybe the last strength she had, to come to The Manger? Surely there was a Sunday school class that would adopt her kids and get them whatever they wanted. Surely there was an angel tree somewhere that would provide the gifts. Why would she put herself through the effort? Why?
Because she wanted these gifts to be about her love, and not be about her illness. She wanted to provide, she wanted to select. She wanted the presents her kids unwrapped on Christmas morning to have come from her because she loved them, and not to have come from strangers because she was sick. That's why we ask you to give your time, to write a check, to donate gift items to participate in The manger.
If we're not there for The Manger, then The Manger won't be there for Sharon."

I couldn't have said it better myself and I sincerely hope you will stop by Tuesday to say Merry Christmas and to support this most incredible ministry for our community!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

BEING THANKFUL

Thanksgiving Blessings...Here's one that my client shared with me. It is a great message, and one I am vowing to keep in my heart throughout the year:


Happy Thanks-Giving!!!


Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

Author unknown.

Virtual Real Estate Bar Camp - NOV 17, 2009

Have you heard about the virtual Real Estate Bar Camp? This FREE online "conference" will provide Real Estate professionals great information on utilizing technology and social media to improve their business.

Check out the sessions at: www.VirtualREBARCAMP.com

Have I Got News For You...

Brentwood Home Page is a fantastic new online newspaper and community resource for "all things Brentwood". Susan Leathers (formerly of the Williamson AM) and her partner Kelly Gilfillan have co-founded Brentwood Home Page, which, once you subscribe, doesn't even require you to put on your slippers and robe before you "get the newspaper". Each morning, I just fire up my laptop, log in, and I'm connected right to the pulse of Brentwood.

Brentwood Home Page provides news about Community Events, Government, Schools, Obituaries and Columns written by local authorities on parenting, community history, and perspective and life inside and outside the "Brentwood Bubble".

There are also great links to schools, calendars of events, civic organizations, athletics, and many other resources to keep you "in the loop". Happy reading!

http://www.brentwoodhomepage.com/

Another "New Homebuyer" Success Story...How To Buy a House and Make $12,000?

One of my clients just purchased a new home today and is a "First Time Homebuyer" (which means he has not owned a home within the past 3 years)!

The details:

Almost new, partial brick home, listed for $150,000 under contract for $148,000.

The sellers agreed to pay $3,000 toward his closing costs (net sales price is $145,000).

He was approved for a FHA loan at a 5.25% interest rate, which only required 3.5% as his down payment (today, he brought a little over $5,000 to closing, which were partially gifted funds.)

The property appraised for $157,000 (he already has $9,000 in equity!)

And.... He will get $8,000 back on his taxes from the New Homebuyer Tax Credit, when he files his taxes...

a net gain of about $12,000 for him! CONGRATULATIONS!

Do you know someone who should be taking advantage of this opportunity before the November 30th deadline?

Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure 2009

Two years ago, I ran my first 5K. For someone who HATED running (didn't like to get sweaty, and out of breath back when I was a size 6 and didn't have to excercise!) that was a really big deal.

This year I turn 45. I'm not "middle aged yet as I plan to live to be at least 99, and have promised myself that I will compelete a 10K this year! I've been running (up to 4.5 miles on a long run) several mornings a week to train.

Next Saturday, October 10 I am running in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, in Brentwood. I have many friends and family members I am running for (both those who have been touched by Breast cancer and those who will be in the future). I hope you will take a moment to click the link to sponsor me! I hope to raise over $250.00 this week and need your help to meet that goal.

I actually am turning 45 on Wednesday, October 7th. So, instead of lavishing me with gifts or expensive lunches, just click and contribute to my goal, please!

http://2009greaternashvilleraceforthecure.kintera.org/dawnedavisrealtor4life

Newsweek Magazine's Top Public Schools Report

Newsweek Magazine has released their 2008 list of the top 1300 public high schools in America. Tennessee represents with 12 schools making the cut, 8 of which are either in Williamson or Davidson County, right here in the greater Nashville area.

Scores are based upon a formula that accounts for the number of Advanced Placement, Cambridge and International Bacculaureate exams taken by the class of 2007 and the number of graduating seniors for the same year.

Nashville Metro's Martin Luther King Academic Magnet and Hume-Fogg Academic are ranked among the top 30 nationally. Williamson County's Brentwood High and Ravenwood High made the top 400. Metro's Hillsboro High and Williamson County's Fairview, Franklin and Centennial High Schools round out the middle Tennessee list-makers.

To view the top public schools state-wide check out this link: http://www.newsweek.com/id/201160/?s=tennessee&q=2009/rank/1

To search for homes in one of these school zones, click this link: http://bobparks.com/properties/search/advanced/

I'm celebrating my clients' "perfect" new homebuyer story. Robyn and Allen Robertson just closed on a brand new home (priced well below market value at $73.00 per sqft!) and actually netted $8000 in the process. The builder, in an effort to get inventory sold, offered an incentive that paid $10,000 of their closing expenses, AND they received their $1,000 earnest funds back at closing, so they got into the house for $0!
Now that they have closed, they are filing ammended tax returns and will be getting their $8,000 check within 6-8 weeks! This is truly a great time for new homebuyers to buy a house! Congratulations Robyn, Allen and Sabrina on your wonderful NEW HOME SWEET HOME!

"Staycationing" in Tennessee this year? This is a great resource: http://ping.fm/xiBgp

National Cornbread Festival

Calling all Cornbread lovers!!!!

This weekend, April 25-26, 2009 marks the 13th National Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburg, TN.

It's just a short drive away from Nashville, but promises tasty cornbread a world away from the common "jiffy mix" variety!

The National Cornbread Cook-off finalists hail from as far away as Utah. There will be a cornbread and buttermilk eating contest...lots of bluegrass music, a historic homes/places tour, cornbread tastings, delicious concessions, and a chance to meet Miss National Cornbread Festival 2009, if you get lucky!

One of the great perks of living in the south is our ability to glorify and celebrate even the most basic staples of our "traditional" food groups with a "festival". It's a great excuse to eat, drink and be merry while celebrating your roots! Of all the southern food festivals (moon pie, soybean, fried fish) coming up this year, this one promises to be extra special... cornbread is one of the most prevalent "southern" foods you will find (my mother in law, Blanche Davis makes the very best, however).

Hope to see you there!

For more information: http://www.nationalcornbread.com/

Give a little bit...

Only $95.00 left to go... Calling out to all of you Tenneessee Bloggers and blog readers to make this Tennessee teacher's "wish come true".

http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=250319&zone=302

Donorschoose.org is an online clearing house that matches teachers' requests for needed materials, equipment and supplies that are not covered through their classroom budgets. The schools are all located in "high poverty" areas in Tennessee, where funds from outside sources (PTO, parent booster clubs, etc.) are scarce.

I learned about this website from Social Media Strategist and client, Dave Delaney, http://www.davemadethat.com/ who is also a donor.

Please take a minute to make a difference! Your contribution, no matter how much, will help.

just linked my social networks with Ping.fm

http://www.ping.fm

The Spin On Tornadoes

Springtime in Middle Tennessee is a mixed blessing. While we are thrilled to see the flowers blooming and the trees blossoming, we also see our fair share of "April Showers" manifest as severe thunderstorms.
I'm a strong believer in the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared. In severe weather a tornado can pop up almost anywhere in our area. Knowing what to do or not do in such circumstances can mean the difference of life or death. Please take a moment to click this link to FEMA's tornado preparedness web page and read about what you should do to protect yourself..
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/index.shtm .

Spring is Here! Time To Do Some Home Maintenance

Spring has sprung and I am so excited (more so than usual) that the vernal equinox has finally come. We have been in "perpetual January" since November, it seems. After logging 4 months of record high utility bills, I am officially turning off the heat. Finally, we are enjoying some warmer weather!

In Middle Tennesse, the grass is greening, trees are blooming and flowers are popping up! That's not the only thing popping up - like a few home maintenance issues that got ignored over the long cold winter. I found this "top 5" list on Realtor.com. Time to get out and get going on the fixing up! In this economy, why wouldn't you protect what is probably your most valuable investment?

http://www.realtor.com/home-garden/home-maintenance/spring-maintenance/five-spring-fix-it-projects.aspx

Moving?...Free is Better Than Cheap!

Check out FreeCycle.org if you are doing some spring cleaning in preparation for a house move and thinking about tossing out some unneeded items? Why not offer them for the taking to someone who might find them useful?

Or perhaps you have a need for something? You can post your "wants" directly on the site and they will allow others to email you (securely) if they have it to give away...

Postings for Nashville today included free moving boxes, firewood, a DVD player, furniture, appliances and much more.

FreeCycle.org is a great network for "recycling" your junk! You can log in to the city where you live or follow the link to be directed to Nashville's site. If you find what you want in another city, the "taker" pays the shipping.

http://www.freecycle.org/group/United%2520States/Tennessee/Nashville/message/all?showall=on&page=7

Watching Movies This Weekend?

Before you head to the theater or rent a DVD you may find this link helpful for reviews and other info about the film:

RottenTomatoes.com: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/?intcmp=topnav_home

Have fun!

Finally Something Positive on the News: Was Daily P.E. Really So Bad?

Looks like there is something to be said for allowing the kiddies to have daily recess and PE after all.

This was an interesting story I saw on CBS Evening News tonight. Click the title above or this link to see the details about this interesting experiment going on in the Texas public schools.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/11/eveningnews/main4860345.shtml

$75 Bil Home Affordability Modification Program

Having trouble making the mortgage payment?

Many Americans, due to the global economic situation, may have a difficult time paying their house note this year. The US Government has just realeased a "shared effort with lenders to reduce mortgage payments" for homeowners who qualify.

To find out more about this effort click this link for the fact sheet: http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/reports/housing_fact_sheet.pdf

Click the title above or follow this link for the main website of the Home Affordability Modification Program: http://www.financialstability.gov/

I'm a DJ!

Just ran across this cool network called Blip.fm where you can "DJ" your own playlist and share via Twitter, your blog, etc. Check out my songs by clicking the link: http://blip.fm/invite/DawneDavisMusicToBuyAHouseTo

Have fun!

New Mortgage Calculation/Amortization Link

Several times over the last few days I found myself needing to estimate how much the balance was on a mortgage.

Google search http://www.google.com/ is such a cool tool -- I stumbled upon this mortgage calculator website with no-frills and few advertisements. It's just easy to use and exactly what I needed. Don't you love it when that happens?

Try it for yourself -- it even amortizes the loan for you:

http://www.bretwhissel.net/amortization/amortize.html

Just thought I'd pass it along.

What's in the New Home Buyer Tax Credit for Me?

Well...if you have not owned a home in three years (aka "first time homebuyer") and you purchase a home that closes between January and December 1, 2009, and you make $75,000 or less (single) or $150,000 or less (married couple), then you get up to an $8,000 credit on your 2009 income tax!

This is great news for folks wanting to purchase a home for the first time!

Click on the link http://www.bobparks.com/resources/tax-credit/ to check out the details for yourself.

With rates as low as 4.875% for a 30 year mortgage, this would be an awesome time to start considering a home purchase if you are a "first timer", and can qualify for a loan. FHA loans require 3% down payment and conventional loans, typically 10-20% down, so start stashing away and let's start looking at a home!

Contact me at Dawne@bobparks.com for more information.

Mortgage Refinancing Tips

REFINANCING?

Don’t believe everything you hear on TV, radio or the internet about low rates. Each situation is unique. Before lenders can effectively quote rates, they need to know a lot of individualized information such as your credit score, how much your home is worth and how much you will be borrowing.

The Whole Picture: There’s more to consider when refinancing than just a lower monthly payment. A lender may quote you a lower payment, but refinancing still may not make sense when you factor in your up-front costs such as application, appraisal and credit report fees, and your back-end costs such as extending the length of the loan again to 30 years, title insurance, private mortgage insurance (PMI) and closing fees. A qualified mortgage professional will help you assess these costs so you can make an educated decision about refinancing.

Longer Time Frame: The mortgage industry is operating with much smaller infrastructure and fewer people than just a year ago. With historically low interest rates, and many customers refinancing their loans, this extra strain will slow the process down. Be patient and lock your interest rate for the longest period you can (without paying any fees) so potential delays don’t affect your lower rate. Stay in touch frequently with your lender to monitor the progress toward closing and cooperate by providing requested records quickly.

New Set of Rules: Understand the rules are different now. Many loan products that were available before and customers may be accustomed to, are no longer available. Lenders now ask for a lot more information on applications, and not everyone will qualify. Institutions are reviewing policies frequently and it is not unheard of for loan guidelines to change “mid-stream”. New regulations are being put in place which could affect loans in process as well.

For a qualified mortgage professional, click on my Mortgage Professionals link below.

Check it Out! Guide to What's Happening in Nashville...

http://www.nowplayingnashville.com/

NowPlayingNashville.com is a great resource for area visitors and residents who want to know what's going on in town.

A project of The Community Foundation, it is a one-stop source for all things happening in and around "Music City, USA".

This website features "information about all the performances, venues, exhibitions, sports, recreation and community events that are happening year-round. You can search by venue, date, category of interest, artist, location and more. NowPlayingNashville.com provides dates, times, maps and direct links for purchasing tickets."

Also helpful are the links to communities in surrounding counties, http://www.nowplayingnashville.com/county
as well as a community bulletin board for posting ads, jobs, audition information and other arts-related services.

No Money?...No Problem! Check out this list of FREE Events and Attractions:
http://www.nowplayingnashville.com/event/cat/free

Next time you are wondering "what to do" or have an out of town guest to show around, check it out!

Kudos to the organizers of and contributors to this very cool public service!

New Family Member

We recently added a new member to the Davis family. The day before she was probably going to be put to sleep, we were lucky enough to grant a "Stay of Execution" for Gracie, our new Beagle mix!

Gracie was dropped off at the Rutherford County Animal Shelter by her previous owner "because of another pet". We can't imagine how anyone could give up such a sweet loving girl who fit right in to our "pack" here at the farm. She was already leash and house trained, and loves to snuggle on the couch, in the chair and in bed with whomever is willing to let her jump up. She reminds us every day how grateful she is to be part of our family with lots of kisses, tail wagging and looks of adoration.

Adopting is absolutely the very best way to add a new pet to your family. We found Gracie on PetHarbor.Com http://petharbor.com/

Isn't she cute?