865 Real Estate

East Tennessee Real Estate & Neighborhood Source

3 Reasons Why The Current Housing Market Will Improve in 2015

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Word on the street, and by the street I mean housing economists, is that 2015 is going to see an improvement on the current housing market.  While many are citing encouraging market trends which no doubt are good indicators, there have been some significant government actions of late that could have a meaningful effect on home buyers this year.  Three actions in particular are worth noting.  House Icon Showing House Price Going Up

Here are 3 reasons why the current housing market will improve this year:

  1. The FHA (Federal Housing Administration) recently announced that it will lower mortgage insurance premiums to .85% annually.  Lowering the premiums should make it easier for first time homebuyers to qualify for a loan and also afford more home as it directly effects the amount of their monthly mortgage payment.
  2. The Federal Housing Finance Agency in December announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two largest lending entities, will offer loans with down payments as low as 3% to qualified homebuyers.  This will open up the ability to purchase a home to a much larger buyer pool who didn’t have the ability to save 20% for a downpayment.
  3. We’ve seen fuel prices cut nearly in half of late.  This decline in gas prices will leave many people with more disposable income.  For those worried about commuting it could expand their home options not only from a standpoint of distance to work, but monthly payment as well.

Have any questions about the market?  Interested in learning more about buying or selling a home in Knoxville?  Contact me, Troy Stavros with Gables & Gates, REALTORS today.  I look forward to sitting down and talking with you!

Is Winter A Good Time To Sell A Home In Knoxville?

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While everyone thinks Spring is the best season of the year to sell a home, the question arises.  Is Winter a good time to sell a home in Knoxville?  The answer may be, it’s the best time.  If you judge by the amount of competition you have, the motivation of the buyers, the time on the market and proximity of the sales price to the listing price, winter stacks up pretty well.  Check out the infographic below produced by Redfin to see how selling a home stacks up in the different seasons.

Best season to sell a home in Knoxville

Things to do in Knoxville around Christmas

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It’s Christmas time in Knoxville!  So what are some things you can do around town during this holiday season?

Here are a list of some of the more popular things to do in Knoxville around Christmas:

Christmas in the City is a yearly Christmas season festival that is highly anticipated by locals and visitors alike.  Events surrounding the festival are favorites such as: Knoxville Holiday on Ice (see the video above), Regal Celebration of Lights, WIVK Christmas Parade, Xfinity Christmas at Chilhowee Park,  Tour De Lights Bike Ride, New Year’s on the Square, plus many more activities put on by our local arts community (i.e. Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, University of Tennessee, Tennessee Theatre, Clarence Brown Theatre, and more).

Here are some other family friendly things to do in Knoxville around Christmas:

Thinking of finding a new home for the holidays?  Or would you like Santa to bring you a buyer for your home?  Contact me, Troy Stavros today and let’s sit down over a cup of hot chocolate and talk about how we can make your Christmas wishes come true!

I’ve Seen Some Unexpected Things in Knoxville Real Estate

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As a REALTOR, I’ve seen some pretty unexpected things while showing Knoxville real estate, but nothing like this.  I wish I could have been present to see this incredible, unexpected, joyous flash mob put on by the United States Air Force Band at the National Air and Space Museum.   Enjoy!

Looking at buying or selling a home in Knoxville? Contact me, Troy Stavros with Gables & Gates, REALTORS. I promise, you’ll be surprised by the level of service you get 🙂

VIDEO: Why Knoxville Is Such A Great Place To Live

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I may be a bit biased when it comes to talking about how great it is to live in Knoxville, but I am definitely not alone.  The video can’t sum up all of Knoxville but comes close by describing it: FUN, MUSICAL, CREATIVE, CULTURAL, FRIENDLY, TASTY, BEAUTIFUL, HISTORIC, ENTERTAINING, and SMART. Here are just a few comments from others that think Knoxville is a great place to call home.

  • “Knoxville, cheerfully ensconced in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and banked against the Tennessee River, has an intrinsically soulful feel” – Allison Glock, The New York Times
  • “Trendy, cool, interesting, packed with good restaurants… this is how I would describe Market Square.  I love it…” – Trip Advisor
  • “Knoxville, this is amazing!… Saturday Markets in downtown Knoxville beat the pants off any similar urban market” – Paul Robertson, Google Review regarding the Market Square Farmer’s Market
  • There are always people and families out walking, biking, and playing…this is truly a friendly community.” – Street Advisor
  • “Gay Street received a wonderful honor today by being named one of 10 Great Streets in America for 2012″ – Mayor Rogero
  • Loved being part of the Rhythm N Blooms Festival and sharing in the weather, scenery, dee-lish food trucks and beautiful people!!” -Mike Farris
  • “Boomsday was amazing.  The fireworks were beautiful!”
  • “The people of east Tennessee have the chance to say they saw the next big thing in baseball… You might just catch a glimpse of the next World Series MVP…” – Tennessee Smokies
  • “I ran through the T with my Dad. Wow I’m speechless.  This is Rocky Top. #VFL” – Shane Reveiz
  • “Hundreds will show up to play a game of golf.  But we’re not talking about traditional golf; we’re talking about disc golf.” – Whitney Kent, WVLT
  • “As spring approaches the numerous parks, Greenways, and trails throughout Knoxville become filled with outdoor enthusiasts” – Christine McInerney
  • “Fans packed the shores of Volunteer Landing in Knoxville, TN today, as the MasterCraft Pro Wakeboard Tour rolled into town.” – dewtour.com
  • “Knoxville is very blessed to have this fantastic zoo.  We’ve visited many zoos all over the country, and this is definitely one of the best!” – jenbroyles, Trip Advisor
  • “Smoky Mountains National Park was voted 2014 #1 National Park and Preserve for kid friendly activity vacations” – Family Fun Magazine
  • “Pssssst. The USRowing Southeast Districts Junior Championship Regatta is this weekend on Melton Hill Lake.  Come…” – Oak Ridge Rowing
  • “About to zip around some bowls at Knoxville Skatepark” – Joel Barnett
  • “Big Ears 2014 is the most ambitious avant-garde festival to emerge in America in more than a decade…” – Rolling Stone
  • “Checkout the WDVX Blue Plate Special Music Show.  A free hour of top notch up and coming musical acts..” -865rambler
  • “Making Knoxville and Tennessee the focal point of our global operations is a logical step in the company’s ongoing evolution.” – Kenneth W. Lowe, Scripps Networks Interactive
  • “ORNL is the largest science and energy national laboratory in the Department of Energy System.” – Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • “ORNL operates nine user facilities that draw thousands of research scientists and visitors each year.” – Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • “Knoxville is a great place to live, raise a family and certainly a great place for high-skilled jobs.” – Mayor Tim Burchett

If you are thinking about calling Knoxville home, or looking for a new home in Knoxville, contact me, Troy Stavros with Gables & Gates, REALTORS to sit down and talk about your goals.