Home sellers today must convince a new era of buyers returning to the market that their homes stand for value and quality.

The time-honored open house event remains a terrific way to expose your property to many consumers and gain distinction from the competition. While your real estate professional will advertise and manage the event, it is up to you to ensure that your home is seen in the best light possible. Remember, you only have one chance to make a first impression, so approach your open house event as your property’s showcase. Here are several ways to make your property shine, inside and out.

Start with the outside. Do a visual check of the front of the house from across the street. Does your property have curb appeal? It should look inviting, with a trimmed lawn and flowerbed and a freshly painted front door. Polish door handles and knockers and replace worn items such as a rusty doorbell. Consider adding a new doormat and flowering plants at the entrance. Don’t forget to wash your windows and clean any oil or rust spots from the driveway.

Be sure to inspect the side and back yards. Add some flowering plants to the back as well. Clean and rearrange the outdoor furniture to look inviting. Put away gardening tools, and tidy around the grill area.

Now focus on the inside of the home where cleanliness, space, smell and lighting are vital. First get your house in tip-top condition by cleaning and clearing away clutter. Steam clean and vacuum the carpet. Make sure your floors are waxed and shiny. Touch up nicks on walls and make sure the porcelain sinks and tubs and metallic fixtures shine.

Be conscious of any lingering odors such as smoke, pets or strong-smelling foods. You may need to air out your home prior to your open house event. Consider grinding fresh lemons in the garbage disposal. And don’t forget to empty all trash containers.

Look at your countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms and the tops of your bureaus. Do they seem cluttered? Clear away and store as much as possible. You want your home to seem spacious.

Next, set the mood. Let your prospective buyers picture your home as their own. Rearrange the furniture so that rooms look more spacious, or consider removing furniture and accessories.

Lighting is also important to creating a desirable atmosphere. Bright lights provide a cheerful environment and make a small space appear larger. Pull back all the drapes and open the blinds. Turn on all the lights. Make sure all light sockets have fresh bulbs. Use softer lights for rooms in which you want a warm, cozy feeling.

Don’t forget little touches such as fresh flowers, lighted candles in the bathrooms, new logs in the fireplace, or a bowl of fresh fruit on the kitchen counter. You may even want to set your dining-room table with color-coordinated table settings.

Home buying is steeped in emotion. Sellers shouldn’t rely on buyers to use their imagination; they must capture buyers’ imagination. Remember that buyers may see seven or eight homes in a single day. The most memorable home will be the one that seemed the brightest, the most spacious and the most cheerful.

The national real estate market is still a little gloomy, but that is not the case for us in Clarksville, TN. If you’ve picked up recent copies of CNN money, Business Week, or US News then you’ve heard about Clarksville’s “booming growth”. With so many “booming” job opportunities… why are so many choosing to start a career in real estate?

With the upcoming additions of Clarksville’s new marina and the Hemlock Semiconductor Plant, Clarksville’s growth is showing no signs of stopping. This means it is a great time to start building a career as a real estate agent. The majority of real estate agents are Independent Contractors, which means that you get to set your schedule. Many agents in our company have found real estate to be the perfect solution to having a flexible career while raising children or a second career after retirement.

So, what does being a real estate agent mean? Realtors® help people buy, sell, lease, or rent homes, buildings, and land. Some agents choose to work specifically with homeowners in Residential Real Estate, while others like to work with office spaces and other commercial buildings. Real estate agents help to make sure that their clients have all of the information they need to navigate a great deal. They are paid a commission, or a percentage of the sale price of each transaction, so their earning potential is unlimited. Our REALTORS® love working with and helping people, which is what makes this career so rewarding. They receive enormous satisfaction from finding their clients their dream home, or helping them sell their current home with as little hassle as possible.

One important decision to consider is which real estate company fits your needs best. You should give thought to what matters to you most, whether it is on-going training, a supportive staff, or advancing technological tools. Some companies charge a “desk fee”, which means that they charge you to have an office in the Broker’s office… other companies don’t. You should also decide how important a company’s reputation is to you. In Clarksville we have seen a rising trend of small start-up real estate companies, while other companies may have years of experience and a solid reputation in town.

Prudential Professionals Realty has a “Rock Solid” reputation, a full-time manager/broker and support staff, on-going training free of charge, and absolutely no desk fees. We strive to stay on the cutting edge of today’s real estate tools, and are constantly exploring new technologies.

If you are going to succeed in a real estate career, it’s vital that you find a company invested in your success… backing you all of the way.

For more information on careers in Real Estate visit our website. You can also give us a call anytime at 931-920-6772.

A few of our agents sat down and told us why they loved working in real estate, and why they loved it at Prudential. Watch their interviews here:

Lately there has been alot of buzz in our area of Clarksville TN about foreclosure properties. If you’ve been wondering whether investing in a foreclosure home is right for you or not, here are a few things to consider.

The Price of Foreclosed Homes

You often hear advertised that you can buy foreclosed homes for pennies on the dollar, but that depends on what stage of foreclosure the home is in.

If you are looking for homes in pre-foreclosure, which is when the homeowner hasn’t paid their mortgage for ninety days and the bank that owns the mortgage has filed a “lis pendens” or “suit pending”, then investing will be very competitive. When the bank files the “lis pendens” the notice is made public, often listed in the classified ad legal section of the newspaper. However, if the home is in pre-foreclosure you are still negotiating and buying directly from the homeowner, which is why it can be so sompetitive. Often homeowners are overwhelmed with offers.

If you are considering buying from a foreclosure auction then the banks are usually prepared to let the foreclosure property go for eighty to ninety percent of its market value. If you bid on a home at a forclosure auction you typically need to register the day before and you are expected to pay the full amount with a cashier’s check within twenty four hours.

REO, or real estate owned properties, are owned by the bank. Usually bank owned homes are sold at competitive prices for a quick sale. REOs are cash only deals meaning that you will need to be pre-qualified and need to show a “proof of funds” such as a bank statement. Buying bank owned properties is not as competitive as pre-foreclosure but it is more competitive than buying at a foreclosure auction. This is because all REO properties are listed on the MLS, or Multiple Listing Service, so anybody can access the property information through our home search. Since banks need to liquidate these properties quickly, you will get the best deal by making a cash offer.

The Quality of Foreclosed Homes

Similar to the price, the quality of foreclosure homes depends on what stage of the proccess a home is in.

If you are looking at pre-foreclosure homes then the condition of the property is dependent on the homeowner, since you will be buying directly from them.

Homes at a foreclosure auction are a little riskier than homes in pre-foreclosure. When you buy a property at a foreclosure auction you get the property “as-is”, which means if there are leins, judgements or code violations recorded they stay with the property. You also face the risk of having to evict “squatters” or unwanted tenants. It is important to do your homework thoroughly on every foreclosure home you wish to bid on.

Bank owned properties are often cleaned out and cleaned up to increase salability. However, they are often sold “as-is”, meaning the banks won’t be willing to make repairs to the foreclosure property.

Minimizing the Risks of Foreclosure Properties

The profits from buying foreclosure properties in Clarksville TN can be big, especially for long-term investors. These attractive profits can make you want to jump head first into investing, but there are a few things you need to do first.

Start by enlisting the help and advice of one of our Realtors who is experienced in Clarksville TN foreclosures. They can help you learn where to start, help you negotiate with banks and homeowners, and provide moral support. You can also study up on properties in your area – learn which neighborhoods have bad soil, which subdivisions are poorly constructed, etc. You should study up on foreclosure laws for Tennessee. It is best not to start buying foreclosures until you fully understand them, or until you are working with a Realtor® who does.

Want more information on foreclosures in Clarksville TN and Ft Campbell KY? You can sign up for our Foreclosure Finder Service, an automated email list (that’s completely free and requires no obligation). Email us at ldupont@prudentialclarksville.com to get signed up!

Real estate, even through the market downturn, has long been considered a conservative, long-term strategy to growing wealth. In fact, that very downturn has created a historic buying opportunity for potential home buyers and investors alike. The combination of lower home prices across American and historically low mortgage rates, two essential factors that usually don’t trend in the same direction, have triggered a buyer’s market in many areas of the country. Clarksville TN is one of these areas. For real estate investors who want to rent their properties, this can make the difference in achieving positive cash flow sooner or right off the bat.

While some seasoned real estate investors make it look easy, to be successful, beginners should follow some basic principles.

• Learn all you can. Before committing your cash, you should have a fundamental understanding of real estate. For example, be aware that, in general, investment properties are not liquid investments. Barring exceptional circumstances, real estate does not sell at a moment’s notice. It could take days or months to sell a property, depending on the strength of the market in a particular region.
• Consider cash flow. You’ll need to have enough capital on hand to cover any short-term losses due to vacancies between tenants.
• Start small. Look into buying a condominium, single-family home or a duplex. Leave large apartment buildings and commercial properties to the pros.
• Inquire at the local Chamber of Commerce about companies relocating into or out of the area. Company movement is one indicator of demand for rental and/or office space.
• Find a property that will be in demand. Look for a moderately priced home with three or four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a garage that sits on a quiet street.
• Research the property. The most common way first-time investors lose is by failing to investigate a property thoroughly. Look beyond the front door. Investigate the reputation of the school district, the crime rate, and plans for expanding a nearby highway or developing vacant land. Ask a Prudential Professionals real estate professional about the area, its history, and how fast (or slow) properties are moving.
• Inspect the home you’re considering for signs of water damage, such as stains on the ceiling and crinkling or gathering wallpaper; open and close every door and window; and check all electrical sockets by plugging in an appliance. Get an independent home inspection, roof inspection and termite inspection. Unexpected repair costs can eat away your cash flow. Because even the best inspection can’t always predict problems, try to set aside some of the rental income for unexpected repairs.
• Spend time driving the streets of the neighborhood noting the condition of other properties. Are lawns maintained? Are roofs in good shape? Are homes kept up?
• Be ready to make fixes quickly and respond to the renter’s needs. If you’re not prepared to be a hands-on landlord, consider hiring a property management firm.
• See your tax advisor for related planning and laws that can affect your investment decisions.

Remember, investing in a property is much different than living in one, and while emotion and attachment can be prime motivators when it comes to homes, it is return on investment that counts when investing in real estate.

If you are thinking about buying a home a for sale in Clarksville TN you are probably wondering how the market is, especially if you are not from Clarksville . I’m going to give you several good reasons to support my argument that now is the best time to buy a home in Clarksville TN. You may think I’m a little biased, and I appreciate your concern, but I’m going to give you simple facts about the real estate market in Clarksville TN rather than my personal opinions or feelings.

First of all the housing inventory currently stands at 1634 Active homes on the market, down from a peak of 1911 in June. In December 2009 there were 260 single family homes sold in Clarksville TN. This leaves us with six months of inventory currently on the market, which is considered a balanced market (less than six months of inventory is a sellers market…more than six months inventory is a buyers market).

Clarksville Tennessee has enjoyed major growth and exciting news events over the past few years. Gateway Medical Center, our new state of the art 270 bed hospital is now open. We are seeing better quality of life with projects such as Rails to Trails and the new marina currently under construction and scheduled to open in 2010. Clarksville TN was recently selected as the new site for Dow Corning and Hemlock Semiconductors new polysilicon plant, an initial investment of $1.2 which brings with it 500-900 high paying jobs to the Clarksville TN market. Clarksville TN real estate also gets a major boost from the local Ft. Campbell Army Base which boasts the third largest military population in the country.

The $8,000 first time home buyer tax credit has been extended and expanded. This is a true tax credit (not a deduction), money in your pocket…$8,000 to be exact. Current buyers must contract on a property by the end of April 2010 and close on it no later than the end of June 2010. First time home buyers are anyone that has not OWNED a home in the last 3 years. The expansion is a $6,500 tax credit for move up buyers that currently own a home and have lived there for 5 of the last 8 years.

Interest rates for home mortgages are at historic lows. Rates have been at and sometimes below 5% for almost a year. These rates are almost guaranteed to go up at least 1-2% through 2010. To give you an idea of how this will affect someone who waits to buy a home take a look at these numbers.

$150,000 sales price (An average for homes in Clarksville TN )

• For a 30-year mortgage at 5% your monthly payment would be $805.23 (Principal and Interest)
• For a 30-year mortgage at 6% your monthly payment would be $899.33 (Principal and Interest), or a difference of $33,876 over the life of the loan.
• For a 30-year mortgage at 7% your monthly payment would be $997.95 (Principal and Interest). Or a difference of $69,380.55 over the life of the loan.

These are some great reasons to encourage you to buy a home for sale in Clarksville Tn. The Clarksville TN real estate market is strong. You can start your search online at http://www.HomeClarksville.com

Christian Black

Prudential Professionals Realty

931-801-8660

Whenever we hear of a natural disaster on the news – whether a tropical storm along the Atlantic Ocean, wildfires in California, or the recent devastating earthquake in Haiti – it serves as a reminder of how hazardous the elements can be to your home. Your home is most often your largest investment and most cherished investment, so with Tennessee’s tornado season approaching you will likely want to take steps to protect it from these elements now. There are many slight modifications that you can make to ward off wind damage, and depending on the age of your home these improvements might already be in place.

The most important things to check when tornado-proofing a home are the doors and windows. Your entry doors should all have at least 3 hinges and a dead bolt security lock at least one inch long. Make sure that door frames are anchored securely to the wall framing. Garage doors are another area to look for weakness in. Garage doors that are more than eight feet wide are especially susceptible to wind damage. You can install stiffeners on these doors, whether they be permanent or supports that you can attach when severe weather threatens.

You can replace your existing windows with impact-resistant window systems, which have a much better chance of surviving a major windstorm or debris. As an alternative to new windows you could also install impact-resistant shutters. These will close over window openings to prevent flying debris from breaking your window panes. Living in a tornado area, I’m sure that we have all heard the old wives tale that opening all of the windows will equalize the pressure in a tornado and save your house from collapsing. Instead this actually makes you vulnerable to injury from broken glass and allows flying debris to enter your house.

Outside your home you should be sure to keep your trees trimmed of dead limbs, as these can be propelled into the house during a tornado. Another thing to keep in mind is that it is never a good idea to ride out a tornado in a manufactured home. The construction of these types of homes makes them easily picked up by a tornado, whether they are strapped down or not.

In addition to preparing your home, you should prepare your family for a tornado. Have a ‘safe shelter plan’, a plan that outlines where you will go during the tornado, and make sure everyone knows the plan. It is also a good idea to prepare an emergency kit with blankets, bottled water, canned food and a can opener, flashlights… etc. Keep this in a safe place, preferably a basement, so that it will be easy to get to.

Of course, there may be times when no amount of prepping can protect your home. That is when the protection of Homeowners Insurance can come into play. Most standard Homeowners Insurance policies include structural coverage and personal property coverage. You should periodically review this policy to make sure that you are adequately covered to rebuild your home and replace its contents.

If there is ever damage to your personal property, having a home inventory can make it easier when filing an insurance claim. Start with a sheet of paper for each room in the house, then go around the room and list every item. Taking photos or videos of each room is also a great way to document the contents of your home.

Anytime weather-related disasters strike, what’s most important is your safety and that of your family. However, by taking precautions now you can possibly keep damage to a minimum; or in the case of severe damage, make sure that you have the financial means to rebuild.

Muchos de nosotros llegamos a esta bella ciudad a través de la milicia. Otros a través de familiares que están o estuvieron en la milicia. Clarksville es una ciudad que atrae a muchos Hispanos y no Hispanos como lugar de retiro. El tener la operación de Asalto Aéreo o “Air Assault” hace la base militar de Ft. Campbell una de las bases con mayor probabilidad de NO ser cerrada como a ocurrido con otras. Por este hecho el invertir en esta ciudad es muy atractivo. El flujo de personal militar a esta base es constante. La calidad y el costo de vida es muy cómodo. Estudios realizados por Kiplinger han demostrado a Clarksville como unos de los mejores lugares para invertir en Bienes Raíces y un reportaje en “Business Week” cataloga a Clarksville como el mejor lugar para criar nuestros hijos. Yo vivo en Clarksville desde 1993 y he criado a mis hijos aquí. El mayor es Oficial de Policía con la ciudad y el mas pequeño se acaba de graduar de la Escuela Superior. Este ultimo trabaja a tiempo completo y se esta entrenando como bombero mientras espera cumplir sus 21 años para entrar a la academia de policía. Mi primer contacto con Bienes Raíces fue al comprar mi casa en el 1993, nos mudamos del “hotel de la base “Guess House” a nuestra propia casa. Pasaron 11 años cuando vendí mi primera casa doblando lo que había pagado por ella. Yo ejerzo como corredora de Bienes Raíces por los últimos 10 años y trabajo con compradores, vendedores e inversionistas por igual. Esta experiencia me ha ayudado a desarrollar una destreza mas amplia al momento de ayudar mis clientes a tomar una decisión. Bienes Raíces es una de las inversiones mas seguras. Si necesitas a alguien con la experiencia necesaria para tomar tan importante decisión yo estaré aquí para ayudarte. Cuenta conmigo.

Many of us arrived at this beautiful city because of the military. Others have come because of relatives who are OR were in the military. Clarksville is a city that attracts many Hispanic and non Hispanics as a retirement place. Having the Air Assault School makes Ft. Campbell the base with great probability of NOT being closed. For this reason investing in this city is very attractive. The military flow of personnel to this base is constant. The quality and the cost of life are very comfortable. Studies that have been made by Kiplinger demonstrate Clarksville as one of the best places to invest in Real
Estate. According to a news article in Business Week magazine Clarksville is one of the best places to raise our children. I have lived in Clarksville since 1993 and have raised my two sons here. The oldest one is police officer with the city and the youngest just graduated from High School. He works full time and is in training to be a volunteer Fireman while waiting to turn 21 to enter the Police Academy. My first contact with Real Estate was when I bought my house in the 1993, we moved from the Guest House to our own home. I kept my house for 11years and when I sold it doubled what I paid for it. I works as a Real Estate Agent for the last the 10 years and work with buyers, sellers and investors equally.
This experience has helped to develop an ample skill to help my clients to make such an important decision. Real estate is one of the safer investments. If you need somebody with the experience necessary to take such an important decision I will be more than happy to help you. Feel free to contact me at anytime.

Maria Spears
Prudential Professionals Realty
931-320-1436
mariaspears@realtracs.com

Ringgold is community in the northern part of Clarksville, adjacent to Ft. Campbell. This community has grown to house a major percentage of Clarksville residents in subdivisions around the Post. This neighborhood represents a commercial and residential link between Clarksville and Ft. Campbell, and originally grew around Ringgold Mill on the Little West Fork  of the Red River.

Just to the east of Ringgold Bridge, which spans Little West Fork of the Red River, is Ringgold Mill Dam. The mill operated until 1971 and ground about 60,000 bushels of wheat a year. The dam is often used as a neighborhood swimming hole, however several people have died in the Mill’s churning waters. The dam is on private property.

Also located in the Ringgold community is our Ft. Campbell office. We have 23 agents working in our North office. It is also the home of our Rental Department. Prudential Professionals Realty is located at 101 Ringgold Rd Clarksville, TN. The office phone number is 931-647-8342 and you can reach the Rental Department at 931-920-6808.

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First-time home buyers dominated the U.S. real estate market in 2009, accounting for roughly half of all residential transaction, according to the National Association of REALTORS®.

That trend is likely to continue well into the new year. That’s because interest rates are hovering near all-time lows, home-price affordability is near all-time highs and a third factor – Congress’ extension of the first-time home buyer tax credit until April 30, 2010 – make conditions quite favorable for those considering home-ownership for the first time.

Still, with the prospect of making one of the largest investments you’ll ever make in your life, you can easily become overwhelmed. Some of the questions you may be asking are: Will I be able to afford the home of my dreams? Do I have enough money for a down payment? Will I qualify for the tax credit? Will I make smart home buying decisions? If you go into the process prepared, your first purchase – like the current timing – can be just right.

Resources–Before starting out, educate yourself on the process. Attend a home buyer seminar in your market, and check out myriad real estate resources online. Among those helpful online resources is www.prudentialprofessionalsrealty.com, through which you can access all property listings in the area and gain environmental reports, property profiles and value-range estimates for just about any residence in America.
Your real estate professional also is a great resource. Don’t hesitate to let him or her know that you are new to the process. Your real estate professional will expect you to have questions at each step, from house hunting to making an offer through closing.
The costs involved in the purchase of a home can seem overwhelming to first-time home buyers. There are mortgage costs, the down payment, and closing costs to think about.

Affordability–By looking at your income and debt ratio, your sales professional can help you calculate how much you can afford each month in mortgage payments. But before determining your price range, you should also take into consideration other factors that will affect your monthly budget once you are a homeowner, such as property taxes, insurance, homeowner association dues, utilities and maintenance. And if your down payment is less than 20 percent of the cost of the home, you will be responsible for private mortgage insurance, more commonly referred to as PMI.

Mortgage payment–Fear of being rejected for a home loan is one of the main concerns for first-time home buyers. To lessen the stress, you may want to get pre-approved for a loan before looking at prospective homes. This will not only help you feel more confident, it will also give you an advantage where there are multiple offers for a specific property. In addition, the fact that your loan has already been approved is of great value to the seller because it shortens the purchase process, and there is less of a chance that the buyer will back out of the sale. If you don’t have a specific mortgage lender in mind, ask your sales professional for a recommendation.

Down payment–The down payment amount varies depending on the value of the home you choose and your mortgage lender. Your real estate professional will be able to explain the different options available to you.

Tax credit–The first-time home buyer tax credit, a key component of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, equates to as much as $8,000, or 10% of a principal residence’s purchase price, and is available to those who have not owned a principal residence in the past three years. You can use the tax credit to help purchase your home or help pay for its closing costs, or the credit can be used to remodel, refurnish and repair your property. See your tax advisor for details about the tax-credit program and how you may benefit.

Making offers–Don’t feel pressured into making an offer on the first home you see. This is a common mistake of many first-time home buyers. Make sure you view different homes to get a feel for the marketplace. When you decide on a home to make a bid on, work with your real estate professional to get all of your questions answered before making an offer. But don’t wait too long to make an offer. The longer you wait, the greater the chance other prospective buyers may place offers, making it harder for you to negotiate a good deal.

Above all, remember there are no silly questions. Make sure you understand and are comfortable with every aspect of the transaction. Your real estate professional can be an invaluable asset in helping you make educated decisions so that your first home purchase is a rewarding experience.

For more information on buying a home in the Clarksville TN/Ft Campbell KY area, whether it is your first or third, give us a call at 931-920-6753 or email relo@prudentialclarksville.com.

Southside is a rural community in between Clarksville and Cumberland City Tennessee.  It sits on the southeast corner of Montgomery County.

Southside is most well known to locals for giving us a window into Clarksville’s history through Historic Collinsville. This living history museum features restored buildings dating from 1830 to 1870 that feature furnishings, textiles, and other daily essentials from the period. The settlement sits on 40 acres and features 18 buildings. You can make a reservation to take a tour with a guide dressed in period clothing, or you can enjoy the beautiful scenery at a slower pace with a self-guided tour. Group tours are also available and Historic Collinsville is especially popular with school groups.

Historic Collinsville recently added a new exhibit, the Irby-Bumpus Wildlife and Native American Center, which features a collection of prehistoric Native American artifacts, as well as a display of creatures that have in the past roamed the forests of the Cumberland River Valley.

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