Everything you see here is reliable but not guaranteed. I figure all these myself and I am, after all, only human. These numbers cover everything within the 37343 ZIP code as reported to the Chattanooga MLS.

Hixson Real Estate Sales (All prices)

All Hixson Homes for Sale: 317
Pending or contingent listings (under contract): 53
Residential listings closed (sold) during the past month: 29

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 10.9

Hixson, under $100,000

Active, residential homes for sale: 31
Pending or contingent listings: 11
Residential listings closed last month: 6

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 5.2

Hixson, $100,000-200,000

Active, residential homes for sale: 171
Pending or contingent listings: 27
Residential listings closed during the last month: 12

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 14.25

Hixson, $200,000-400,000

Active, residential homes for sale: 93
Pending or contingent listings: 15
Residential listings closed during the last month: 11

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 8.5

Hixson, over $400,000

Active, residential homes for sale: 22
Pending or contingent listings: 0
Residential listings closed during the last month: 0

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: Priceless

The bright spot here for Hixson sales numbers is in that $200-400k range. In most areas, the absorption rate (months to sell a home at the current sales pace) in that price range is similar to or even a LOT higher than the $100-200k range. But in Hixson – at least for now – it’s almost half. Part of that is because of the lower level of inventory, 93 homes for sale compared to 171 but I suspect it’s also a reflection of the fact that people are willing to spend a little more to buy a house in Hixson.

Click to get a taste of the Hixson homes for sale right now.

That was the last straw. I’m packing up my crystal ball, because it clearly is not functioning properly.

I’ve been telling people for the last couple of years that I didn’t think rates were going any lower. They couldn’t right? I mean when you are staring a 5.5% interest rate in the face, and you have a father (hi, Dad!) who is constantly reminding you that back in his day in the real estate business you were ecstatic when rates dipped below 10%, it just seems too good to be true. And the thought that they might go lower? Well, that’s just drunk talk.

And then back in the spring when the Fed stopped buying mortgages, everyone (and I mean everyone that expressed an opinion) said there was no way that rates weren’t going to spike upwards. Personally, I didn’t think the sky was falling but I was prepared for rates to go up to 6 or even 7%.

Obviously, that hasn’t happened.

So I’m throwing the blasted piece of glass away. I am no longer going to tell anyone that I can’t see rates going any lower.

And that’s a sure way to make them go up.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s perfectly charming whizzing by at 45 but you don’t really appreciate it unless you make the turn and take a little Sunday drive through its winding streets.

Brainerd gets a bad rap sometimes as a not-so-happening place to live but it really has a lot to offer. Leafy streets plus good proximity to I-24 and downtown as well as newer shopping areas like Hamilton Place. What’s not to love?

Especially when you’ve got A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E houses like these. Make no mistake, some of these are older homes that probably need some updating and sweat equity, but really, what would you give to live in a house this cute?

Check out Chattanooga homes for sale in Glendon Place. And don’t be surprised if there isn’t much. This isn’t a big place and when something comes on the market, well, have you SEEN these houses?

Homes pictured are not necessarily for sale.

Chattanooga is already known as a destination for art and artists, and these neighborhood art projects will only enhance that reputation. Whether you like the big blue rhino or not.

CARTA operates a good number of electric shuttles to whisk you from the Choo Choo to the Aquarium in relative style. The best part? They’re FREE! Hop on or hop off wherever you want to go. The route mostly runs up and down Broad Street but there is also a connector that will take you across the river to the North Shore area. Paid parking is available at either end of the route or find yourself a free spot and hop on close by.

Shuttles come by about every 5 minutes or so seven days a week on the downtown side, the Northshore route runs about every 15 minutes (Mon-Sat)

Click to see a bigger view of the electric shuttle route below.

Ooltewah Real Estate Sales (All prices)

All active listings: 393
Pending or contingent listings (under contract): 57
Residential listings closed (sold) during the past month: 31

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 12.7

Under $200,000

Active, residential listings: 140
Pending or contingent listings: 25
Residential listings closed during the last month: 19

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 7.37

$200,000-400,000

Active, residential listings: 190
Pending or contingent listings: 26
Residential listings closed during the last month: 12

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 15.8

Over $400,000

Active, residential listings: 63
Pending or contingent listings: 6
Residential listings closed during the last month: A big ‘ol goose egg

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: Infinity (and beyond?)

Like the rest of the upper end real estate market around Chattanooga, Ooltewah is still hurting. The fact that, if you can find something for less than $200k, you can sell it pretty quickly is a reflection that people want to live in Ooltewah. With the biggest part of the buying public these days being first time buyers, that huge house in Hampton Creek or Windstone just isn’t attracting buyers very quickly. I think it’s going to be a while before we see the upper end market improving. Until it does, Ooltewah is going to keep hurting. Of course, that means that if you are looking to buy in the $350,000 and up range, you’ll have lots of choices and perhaps more negotiating room than in days gone by.

Check out Ooltewah homes for sale if you think you might want to live here.

]]> http://www.juliaodom.com/2010/ooltewah-real-estate-market-report-for-july-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.juliaodom.com/2010/crimes-against-gravity-2/ http://www.juliaodom.com/2010/crimes-against-gravity-2/#comments Sat, 14 Aug 2010 22:51:20 +0000 Julia Odom http://www.juliaodom.com/2010/crimes-against-gravity-2/ Just because you put a picket fence across it don’t make it right.

Nine times out of ten, it’s the first time I’ve been there. That means that I don’t know that you have to pull the knob toward you not too hard, while turning the key a quarter turn to the left, followed by a half turn to the right, then pushing hard but not too hard, without making the foyer rug bunch up and stop the door from opening.

Why am I telling you this?

Have you ever heard of curb appeal? There’s also such a thing as ‘getting into the house’ appeal. And I have to say that not being able to get into a house is a serious impediment to my ability to get any given buyer to, well, buy it. I can’t tell you how many times I have fiddled with a lock, praying that it would open, praying that it wouldn’t make me look like an idiot, cursing the person who thinks it’s OK to have a lock that won’t &^%$& unlock!

Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, I’ll fiddle it into opening on the twelfth try. But by then, I’m annoyed. The buyer is really, really hot (or cold as the season may be). And I look like I can’t operate something as simple as a deadbolt. Neither of us are in a good mood.

And what do you want, as a seller? A buyer, and a buyer’s agent, who are in a good mood, having a good time.  I fancy myself to be a fun person to be around. I try to entertain my buyers, show them a good time, not just show them houses. We’re usually laughing about something as we walk up the front sidewalk. If I have to fiddle with the lock, my nature is to snark about maintenance issues. I’ve tried not to. Really, I have. But I just can’t help myself.

If the very first thing you walk up to doesn’t work, how many other things that you might not notice, also don’t work? You want people enjoying the moments they spend at your home. Picturing themselves coming home to a lovely meal in a lovely house. A house that doesn’t take 12 tries to get into. So, for the love of all that is holy, change the locks to something that opens smoothly. Something that doesn’t draw attention to itself and the fact that it needs replacement. Install a door knob and deadbolt that A. use the same key, B. use that key efficiently (i.e. work on the first try!) & 3. don’t have an unpainted (or alternately colored) surface around them.

There’s curb appeal. And then there’s three-people-staring-at-the-front-door-willing-it-to-open appeal. Make sure you have both.

Try explaining the concept of “summer’s over, it’s time to go back to school but summer’s not over it keeps going well into September.”  My son pretty much thinks that either all the back to school ads are big fat liars, or I am.

To help you out, here’s the actual school calendar for all Hamilton County, TN public schools.

Now do your homework!

Soddy Daisy Real Estate Sales (All prices)

All active homes for sale: 204
Pending or contingent listings (under contract): 26
Residential listings closed (sold) during the past month: 28

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 7.3

Under $100,000

Active homes for sale: 34
Pending or contingent listings: 9
Residential listings closed last month: 7

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 4.9

$100,000-200,000

Active homes for sale: 79
Pending or contingent listings: 6
Residential listings closed during the last month: 12

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 6.6

$200,000-400,000

Active homes for sale: 51
Pending or contingent listings: 8
Residential listings closed during the last month: 7

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 7.3

Over $400,000

Homes for sale: 40
Pending or contingent listings: 3
Residential listings closed during the last month: 2

Number of months to sell current actives at last month’s sales pace: 20

Since I haven’t ever done a Soddy Daisy real estate report before I was a little surprised by these numbers. Overall absorption rate (number of months to sell current homes for sale) of 7.3? Compare that to the Hamilton County rate of 11.8. And that holds true even for the not-so-rosy $200-400k market. Just looking at the numbers it seems like Soddy Daisy needs more houses on the market. Who knew?

Click to see current Soddy Daisy homes for sale.

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