The importance of a title company cannot be emphasized enough! I recently ran into an issue with a closing where the title company of the seller (not my client) did not have all of their ducks in a row. Without giving away details of the transaction, the title company did not get some very basic documents ready by the agreed closing date. Quite frankly, this company failed Title Company 101, because successful real estate transactions depend on timely document gathering.
This could have been disastrous. What if my clients had not been able to stay in their previous home for an additional night? Where would they have stayed? These are the types of things a good title company thinks about. People’s lives can be completely disrupted if the job is not performed meticulously. Documents like lien payoffs and death certificates are all things a title company worth it’s salt will have ready before the closing.
Without getting into too much technical jargon, a title company’s main function is to investigate the chain of title to insure that their are no possible claims on that property. Worst case scenario: a title company does not do it’s due diligence, and a long lost relative of a previous owner is found. If that relative decided to make a claim on the property, the new buyer would be in a heap of trouble. They could find themselves out a lot of money!
This is why you absolutely must choose a title company wisely. Check the reputation of the company. See if they have a history of being thorough. The last thing you want is to buy a home that you really love, only to find months later that their are problems with the title. At that point you could be out some serious money. Of course, therein lies the argument for title insurance, but that is a subject for another post.
Bellevue is a Nashville, TN suburb on the western edge of Davidson County. It has much to offer, and one of the reasons it holds a special place in my heart is that my daughter and son-in-law live there. This part of town was particularly hard hit during the flood of 2010. However, in the true Nashville spirit, it has risen back better than ever. Here are just a few of the reasons I love this area so much!
One of my favorite restaurants in all of Middle Tennessee, let alone Bellevue, is the Loveless Cafe. The biscuits there are made fresh daily, and you will swear you’ve never had any better. The shops that surround the restaurant are great for passing the time while you wait to be seated. It is a Saturday morning tradition to drive to the Loveless from all over the area to have breakfast.
Bellevue is also a very family friendly part of Nashville. The red caboose park is situated right next to the library, and is the home to the annual Bellevue community picnic. It is also home to several youth sports leagues, with the Harpeth Youth Soccer Association (HYSA) being one of the biggest. The league owns a large swath of fields right off I-40 at the Highway 70-Coley Davis Rd. intersection. It provides soccer to young children all the way up to pre-teens.
There are also a couple of nearby parks that are great for getting outdoors. Percy Warner and Edwin Warner parks have bike trails, hiking trails and a host of picnic shelters that are perfect for large group outings. Also, if you have a dog, the Percey Warner dog park is a great place for your furry friend to run around and have some fun.
I could go on, but I’ll let the area speak for itself. If you are looking to move soon and want a family friendly part of Nashville, this is the place to be. If you like open spaces and an area that is not right in the center of downtown, then Bellevue is the neighborhood for you.
I have recently run into a very common real estate rental scam. This time, a single mother found a property for rent on Craigslist that was quite a good deal. The price was $700 per month, and it included all utilities. There was only one issue. The house was not for rent. It was for sale…by my client. The young woman had fallen for a scam that has become all too common.
The scam basically goes like this. The scammer scours the MLS to find a nice property, and then scrapes the listing for pictures and information. Next, they go to websites like Craigslist.org and HotPads.com, and post the information they pulled from the MLS as a rental property. These listings don’t have any local contact information, and typically only have an email address as a form of contact. The people that fall victim to these scams lose out when they send a deposit to the supposed landlord. It is heartbreaking to tell the victims that they have been bamboozled. In some cases, the money lost is substantial, and really puts them in a bind.
I tell this story to serve as a warning. No matter how smart you may think you are, we can all be taken in during our most desperate times. With the economy in such bad shape, it is only natural that people are going to be vulnerable. In fact, it’s times like these when these types of scams thrive.
You do not have to be a victim, however. Avoid being scammed by following these simple rules:
- Never respond to a listing that does not have a local phone number and address.
- Insist on meeting the landlord or property management company in person.
- Never hand over money without a signed contract in hand.
- Beware of properties that are renting below market value. Remember this well-worn cliche: If it’s too good to be true, it most likely is.
Pass this story along to your friends and neighbors. The more people that are aware of this scam, the fewer people that will be defrauded.
I have always had a very special place in my heart for East Nashville. This historic section of Nashville is full of amazing people and places. It has become a hotbed for the artistically and musically inclined individual. I certainly won’t fail to mention the culinary choices in this part of town. In essence, this is an area of the city that you will want to look into when buying a new home.
I want to start with the cuisine that is readily available. Are you a vegetarian? If so, The Wild Cow is perfect for you. You will find vegan, gluten-free food that is delicious! Perhaps you prefer to have some meat in your diet. I Dream of Weenie is a local favorite that has long served up the most delicious hot dogs. One of my personal favorites is The Silly Goose. This recently expanded local eatery specializes in locally grown fruits, vegetables and meats. Their Citrus, Mint & Ginger Green Tea is heavenly.
Many of the homes in East Nashville were built in the early 1900′s. This makes it a very architecturally interesting section of the city. While many of these homes fell into disrepair years ago, the east side’s renaissance has made sure these historic home’s original luster and character have been restored. As an example, just check out the lovely bed and breakfasts that have popped up.
As you can see, the east side of Nashville has become a part of town in which I love to show homes. While other parts of town have newer neighborhoods with more modern layouts, they cannot come close to the character and spirit of East Nashville. If you would like me to show you around this part of town, give me a call or shoot me an email. We’ll have a lot of fun!
It all started in 2004 when a company in East Nashville, Art & Invention Gallery, put on a small festival to bring the East Nashville Community together. Today, it not only brings the community that is just east of downtown Nashville together but draws people in for all over Tennessee and beyond. That’s just one reason it has been voted the “Best Festival” in town in the Nashville Scene Reader’s Poll for the last 4 years!
The reason is simple; it’s all about tomato art and who doesn’t like that! They have combined a wonderful group of artists that have to be approved each year with some of the finest music around. (Hey, Nashville is called “Music City” for a reason) Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of some of the bands and artists, you will be pleased with the diversity and styles you will hear throughout the day.
Along with the great music there is an array of vendors that include crafts, food, services, artisans, along with neighborhood business and a whole bunch of tomato themed products. This years theme is; The Tomato – A Uniter, not a Divider – Bringing together Fruits and Vegetables.
With all this fun on the horizon I know you won’t want to miss it. Located in Historic East Nashville’s Five Points area, this FREE, costume-friendly event will be on Saturday, August 13th. The art and vendors are available from 10 am – 6 pm with the music playing until 9:30 pm.
Check out past years and read all about this year at http://tomatoartfest.com/. You will find out some interesting details such as Historic East Nashville’s Five Points area, has been coined by Budget Travel Magazine as “Nashville’s version of New York’s East Village” and that last year there was an estimated 18,000 people that enjoyed the wonder and beauty of the treasured tomato.
Remember, it is August and it’s HOT in Nashville, Tennessee in August so plan accordingly. Make sure you either bring lots of water or be prepared to purchase water while you are enjoying the festival. If you have children, make sure they have shade and are lathered in sun block. There are several places inside to look at art so plan to be in to cool down from the heat then back out to enjoy more music and fun. This festival will not disappoint!
