The Williamson County office of Economic Development has launched a new website specifically for new entrepreneurs in Williamson County.  The site, www.WilliamsonInnovates.com, targets entrepreneurs wanting to start businesses in Williamson County and celebrates those who have.  The launch coincides with Global Entrepreneurship Week.  Additionally, the Williamson County Office of Economic Development is partnering with Franklin Tomorrow to hold “Breakfast with the Mayors,” presented by First Farmers Bank, that will feature a panel of entrepreneurs including Mark Cleveland, CEO of Swiftwick, CeCe Moore, CEO of SweetCeCe’s Frozen Yogurt, and Michael Burcham, director of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center on November16, beginning at 7:30 a.m., on the first floor of the Corporate Centre 9 building, 6550 Carothers Parkway in Franklin. This event is free and open to the public.

The news release from the Williamson Herald stated in part, “In 2009, Business Week named Franklin “one of the Top 50 U.S. Small Cities to Start a Business and, citing 4.49 startups per 1,000 people, which ranks in the top 10 nationally ahead of the Raleigh, NC suburb Cary and the Seattle, WA suburb Bellevue. In fact, 52% of Williamson County residents over the age of 25 have at least a bachelor’s degree, 21% of the workforce is classified as entrepreneurs, and so far 1,070 business licenses have been filed in Williamson County this year.”

Wow, no wonder that Williamson County is such a great place to live, work and raise a family!

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This weekend has been unbelievable in the Williamson County area.  Friday was a beautiful, perfect spring day.  Saturday and Sunday were dark days punctuated by the piercing sounds of tornado sirens.  Cute babbling creeks quickly became raging rivers and raging rivers became strange, swirling, muddy lakes.  Many of our clients, neighbors and friends who lived in relative security above the 100 year flood plain suddenly found their homes, cars, and themselves quite literally underwater.   This week, many will spend their week trying to determine what to do next.  Here are some things you may want to consider:

1.  Before You Enter Your Home

Gather supplies – Pen, notebook, cell phone, thick rubber gloves, boots, waterproof cover-alls, camera or video camera, tools, plastic tarps

Call your insurance company.  Be patient, remember that they will be inundated with phone calls.  You will be given a claim number.  Write it down and keep it.

Take your camera or your video camera and walk completely around your home taking pictures from every angle. 

Look closely at the electrical service.  Make sure there are no downed wires anywhere around your home. 

Look closely at your foundation.  Make sure the foundation has not shifted or looks unstable in any way.

Find the main utility supplies for your home.  Turn off the water service, Turn off the electrical service, Turn off the gas service to your home. 

2.  Enter Your Home

Before you enter your home, put on your protective garments.  Flood water may have been contaminated with raw sewage, gasoline from mowers, etc.

Carefully enter your home with a friend.  Look around and make photos and notes in each area.  Remember water may have brought aquatic creatures into your home along with mud and debris.

Secure your home and remove valuables.  Look for broken windows or doors and secure with plywood sheeting.

3.  Beginnning the Restoration Process

Don’t hire the first person who shows up.  Unfortunately, there may be unscrupulous contractors who are drawn to your tragedy.  Ask your insurance company, your Realtor, your friends for recommendations.

Try to remove as much water soaked materials from your home as quickly as possible.  Many types of furniture can be saved if placed on a plastic tarp outside to dry.

Remove as much standing water as possible.

Place fans and dehumidifiers inside your home as quickly as possible.  Keep the house well ventilated when you are running sump pumps or any gasoline powered machinery.  Remember they may produce carbon monoxide.  

Act as quickly as you can to prevent further damage from water.   

This will be a very stressful time for you and your family.  Remember to take frequent breaks, find some stress relievers -laugh at the antics of children, keep yourself well hydrated, and eat nutritious meals.  Most of all, take comfort in the thoughts and prayers of your friends and neighbors.  There will be many moments of gratitude amidst the sorrow.  Relish them!

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Mid Tennessee Market Statistics November 2009

I find that a lot of my clients like to know the real estate sales statistics for the Middle Tennessee sales area. We update this sales statistics information on a monthly basis and it covers the whole Mid-Tennessee MLS area, BUT if you would like have local information for your area (or even neighborhood), I am always happy to help!

For the month of November 2009, there were 238 residential and condominium closings reported for the month of November, according to figures provided by RealTracs Solutions, the multiple listing service used by REALTORS® in the Middle-Tennessee area.

Compared to November of 2008, the single family residential closings increased by 62 percent and the median price decreased by 12 percent. Condominiums closings have increased by 87 percent and the median price increased by 27 percent. The average days on the market (DOM) for residential homes have increased by 2 days and condominiums have increased by 38 days. The median is a typical market price where half of the homes sold for more and half sold for less.

November has been traditionally a very slow month for real estate transactions. This November has been much more active than usual. With the extension and expansion of the Homebuyers Tax credit, I believe that the winter closings will be higher than in the past few years as existing homeowners and new buyers rush to take advantage of the credit before April. The recent announcement of the Home Buyer’s Tax Credit extension and the expansion to include existing homeowners who have owned their homes for five or more years will fuel sales for the next few months. Move-up homeowners can receive a $6500 tax credit on the purchase of a home if they have lived in the home for five consecutive years out of the past eight years. This tax credit requires a contract date of April 30th; call me today to begin the process 615-351-4736!

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I find that a lot of my clients like to know the real estate sales statistics for the Middle Tennessee sales area. We update this sales statistics information on a monthly basis and it covers the whole Mid-Tennessee MLS area, BUT if you would like have local information for your area (or even neighborhood), I am always happy to help!

For the month of October 2009, there were 351 residential and condominium closings reported for the month of October, according to figures provided by RealTracs Solutions, the multiple listing service used by REALTORS® in the Middle-Tennessee area.

If you would like to see the whole report, please click to download the Market Facts Report for Middle Tennessee Real Estate 2009.

Call me today if you would like to learn more! 615-351-4736

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