The recent snow storm in Atlanta GA had more than just a local impact.

One of our TAREG agents, Brian Swain, had a closing scheduled for Friday and the mortgage was being funded by Brand Bank. Everything went smoothly until the snow hit in Atlanta and apparently everything just ground to a halt! Brand Bank is based in Atlanta and unfortunately the weather and snow meant that the loan couldn't be processed as communication lines were down!

Thankfully this is just a temporary set back and the home will close on Monday..but I'm sure the snow in Atlanta had an impact around the rest of the country too! 

The good news is that the real estate investors that have been buying and rehabing or renovating FHA property can now turn around and sell the property as soon as it is ready for the market. In the past they have had to wait 90 days. There are some restrictions on the lifting of the ban. See the release below.

Here is the actual release from the FHA:

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"FHA borrowers, because of the restrictions we are now lifting, have often been shut out from buying affordable properties," said FHA Commissioner David H. Stevens. "This action will enable our borrowers, especially first-time buyers, to take advantage of this opportunity."

The waiver will take effect on February 1, 2010 and is effective for one year, unless otherwise extended or

Well...not quite a standstill..but CNN just announced that Dulles airport is going to be closed for 24 hrs due to the snow blizzard.

That really is a sign that the weather is in effect starting to really slow down the machinary of everyday life in the US. It's like the cogs of the machine are starting to get covered in glue instead of oil...and that just slows everything down.

It's interesting to think of the implications of one airport being closed for just a day. The number of people that would be leaving for other parts of the country to do business now starts impacting business on all levels. The number of missed meetings and appointments must be staggering. I guarantee that in the midst of all this chaos there are a number of realtors who have had

Here is some new sales data release by the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors that shows that the new year has got off to a good start in terms of property being slold in Nashville. The figures show another increase which all points to the slow and steady revival of the real estate market in Nashville. The tax incentives for first time homebuyers, and now existing homewoners, has helped fuel the interest in buying real estate again as well as the historically low interest rates.

Hopefully this growth in consumer confidence will be reflected across the entire Unites States real estate market which will inturn lead to the increased demand for consumer goods, leading to a reduction in the unemployement rate and consquently increaseing the ublics

Just released!! The housing statistics from Williamson county which includes Brentwood and Franklin TN. Overall the figures show a positive growth in sales and a reduction in the average sales price compared to last year. Still a great time to be a buyers in Williamson County!

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January 2010 Housing Sales

Here's some good news from NPR regarding the unemployment rate.

Another sign that the economy is heading back in the right direction. More people with jobs feeds the demand for consumer goods, which in turns creates demand for the big ticket items such as the home appliances.

Once we start seeing consumer confidence coming back even more than the real estate market and the automaobile industry should really pick up and really fuel the economic recovery of the United States.

Unemployment Rate Drops Unexpectedly To 9.7 Percent

Employers cut 20,000 jobs in January, according to a government report on Friday that hinted at some labor market improvement starting to take root.

Soure www.NPR.org

Franklin TN has long been one of the boom areas for real estate in the Greater Nashville area. It's historic downtown area, rolling scenic hills, the equestrian influence, fantastic shopping and well developed infrastructure have all added to the appeal of the Franklin area. Combine that with the allure of a well recognised public school system and you can really appreciate why Franklin is a big attraction for homeowner and developers alike.

The condo market in Franklin is somethng that doesn't immeadiately spring to mind when considering the housing market in Williamson county but this is one area that is proving to be ofering some fantastic value, especially in the resale of some the developments from the mid 2000's.

The townhome development in

The Tennessean today reported that an area of The Gulch that was previously bought by a developer in 2006 and 2008 for $3.45M sold for about half the original sales price for $1.75M

The original developer bought the 1.23 acre property on the east side of 12th Avenue South between Pine and Laurel streets as part of the property boom in 2006 when the potential for building and selling condos was in full swing. Now that there has been a downturn in the real estate market in general, the price developers are willing to pay has seen a significant reduction.

The good news is that this purchase shows another sign of the recovery of the real estate market in Nashville. Investors who are willing to speculate on buying property that would still require