Battleground Realty » Ideas and Trends

Professional photography is becoming a must-have!

admin — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 22:28:16 +0000

The growing importance of the Internet as a marketplace for real estate has come to mean that a single photograph on a listing sheet just doesn’t cut it anymore.
A study by a Seattle real estate agency, reported in REALTOR, an association magazine, found that professional photos and videos are increasingly necessary in the marketing of houses in the $300,000 and up range.
If that’s true, it might explain why more and more agents in the Williamson County market are having their listings professionally photographed.
“I think if I didn’t do it, it would be like shooting myself in the foot,” said Fran Harmon of Bob Parks Realty, who has been using professional photographic services for about three years.
Harmon is convinced that professional photo galleries, virtual tours and videos have helped her sell houses, including one she recently had in the Franklin Green subdivision. Priced in the $200,000s, the owners received multiple offers within three days after she posted the photos on the Web.
She said she usually buys all of the pictures she needs for a listing for less than $100. She recently used HomePixMedia service to photograph her listing at 445 Beauchamp Circle in Franklin. The Spring Hill company will take dozens of photos, create a property website, a mobile property website and a Craigslist ad flier all for $70 if the home is no bigger than 3,000 square feet. For bigger houses, the company adds $10 per 1,000 square feet; for an additional $20, the agent can get a video of the house.
“It’s just what the market here will bear at this time,” said Jay Winter, who started up HomePixMedia from a home office nearly four years ago. For Winter, who also works for a Christian music publisher, his company is a part-time endeavor.
For her Beauchamp Circle listing, a four-bedroom house priced at $469,900, Harmon has 22 photographs that are posted in connection with the listing page for the house at www.realtracs.com. Also on the page is a link to HomePixMedia’s website, where there’s a more detailed photo gallery and a video with a music overlay. At that site, there’s also a link to Harmon’s website as well as a link to YouTube, where the video of her house is available, along with lots of others.

YouTube is popular
Someone who has the time and inclination can watch all kinds of real estate videos from Williamson County on YouTube.
Some of them are surprisingly entertaining, such as the one ShowcasePhotographers.com, a Franklin company, created for a Mediterranean-style mansion for sale at 371 Jones Parkway in Brentwood. While the camera lovingly meanders through the opulent interiors of the 6,591-square-foot house, a recording of Diana Krall crooning “S’ Wonderful” sets the mood.
The company set another of its videos, one of a log cabin for sale at 4379 Arno Road, to “Wild Horses” — the Susan Boyle version.
Formerly known as ShowcaseByAgent, Showcase Photographers was established five years ago by Dan Raper, who is now expanding into the Houston and Dallas markets as well as the Gulf Coast area. “The YouTube videos are relatively new for us,” said Raper, who used to work in product development for BP Oil. “I think the videos are popular if you have already kind of fallen in love with the house and you just want to see it again or show it to someone else.” They also are a boon for “lookie loos” and real estate junkies. Raper said his video of Alan Jackson’s massive former home on Moran Road that was for sale last year received so many hits, the server nearly crashed.
One of Raper’s personal favorites is the video he created for a log cabin that was for sale at 6134 Fire Tower Road in Nashville that was owned by the author of the Willie Nelson hit “Mama Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.” The song was used to perfectly accompany the video, which can still be seen on YouTube.

A matter of perspective
One of the most sophisticated services available to agents or sellers is an interactive floor plan, which allows the viewer or potential buyer to see every room, bathroom and hallway from multiple perspectives, providing the most-complete version of an online tour possible.
The interactive floor plans offered by Showcase cost $119.
It’s an expense that an agent may judge worthwhile on more expensive listings, such as the $869,900 house that Nancy and Marty Warren recently listed at 10 Portrush Circle in Governors Club. The interior of the house is photogenic, having been professionally decorated from top to bottom, so the photos look more like a spread in House Beautiful than a real estate advertisement.
Warren said that particular house was not staged specifically for the Internet, where most of the buyers are browsing, though most of her listings are. “I think the professional photographs are one of the most important things that we do,” Nancy Warren said.
The Warrens, who are with Fridrich and Clark Realty, have been using professional photographers for five years and have been buying the interactive floor plans for almost all of their listings for the past three years. “It’s a little bit more expensive, but we think it’s worth it,” Nancy Warren said.

The story of the house
“This market is so wide open, it’s like picking ripe apples off a tree,” said Raper, whose wife’s real estate business inspired him to create his real estate photography business.
It’s all about using the visual nature of the Web to “tell the beautiful story of the house, and to entice those buyers to come in and see it,” he said.
Grown by word of mouth, Raper said his company averages from 30 to 40 photo shoots a day in summer, at the height of the real estate season. Winter estimated he has photographed about 150 houses since he started his business, most of them in Brentwood. The weak economy hasn’t stood in his way, either. “It seems like I’ve been getting busier as the market has gotten worse,” he said.

Strategy Shift Keeps Construction Alive

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:18:18 +0000

There are several examples of new subdivisions in Williamson County that were stalled by the recession, but 2-year old Sunset Park isn’t one of them.
There are now 17 families living in this Nolensville neighborhood on Sunset Road, and there are seven active home construction sites, which almost seems like a building boom.
Of those seven homes under construction, four are under contract, according to sales agent McClain Holloway of Battle Ground Realty.
Getting this far with the project in a weak economy has taken some ingenuity on the part of the main builders, brothers Jimmy Franks of Tennessee Valley Homes and Justin Franks of Encore Construction.
“When everything began to slow down, we were just beginning here and we had no momentum to carry us through when it got really slow, in the fall of ‘08,” said Chris Franks, Jimmy’s son and construction manager at Sunset Park.
“We were lucky enough to time it right with some inventory homes at the beginning,” he said, “so we could get a start.”
In fact, a house that was built as a model home for the neighborhood sold rather quickly, and the sales operation was moved into a modified trailer across the street.
As the economy slowed down even more in 2008, the builders adjusted their business plan to fit the times.
The original plan for Sunset Park called for homes with prices starting in the $500,000s, with home sizes up to 4,500 square feet.
To offer a more affordable product, the builders went to smaller floor plans in the spec homes in a range that is now from 2,800 to 3,500 square feet. Buyers can now get into Sunset Park for $450,000 if they buy one of the smaller homes.
Most of the homes are priced in the high $400,000s and the $500,000s, but the builders are willing to customize homes, and the half-acre lots provide enough space to build bigger if the customer wants.
Variety is part of plan
Determined to avoid curbside sameness, the Sunset Park homes have varied elevations. It’s a plan that the builders are sticking to.
Many of the homes are stone and brick, with covered front porches and traditional architectural details. Toni Morgan just moved from Grand Rapids, Mich., into a 4,100-square-foot house in Sunset Park with her husband and children. She said they had anticipated buying a resale home here but ended up buying in this new neighborhood because they liked the look and size of it, the location within Ravenwood High School’s attendance zone, the completed swimming pool and cabana amenity, and the open interior floor plan of the house. “I think the biggest draw was the style of the house and the open feel of it on the inside,” she said. “I liked the fact that the styles of the houses were different, too.”

One-stories find market
There are a lot of single-story or 1½-story floor plans, with big bonus rooms over the garages.
“Not that many builders are building one stories right now. We’ve branded ourselves as a one-story neighborhood,” Holloway said. “We can’t build them fast enough, which is a good thing.”
The entrance to Sunset Park is a stone’s throw from the Brentwood city line, but because it is in Nolensville, Brentwood’s one-acre lot requirements do not apply. That’s another factor permitting the builders to sell a more affordable product here.
While adjusting the housing product and the prices, the builders also went ahead and put in the neighborhood swimming pool and cabana.
They also stayed with a plan to fill their homes with high-quality interior finishes. The kitchens, in particular, are fully loaded and feature raised-panel maple cabinets, granite countertops, tile backsplashes and professional stainless steel appliances, including gas cooktops and double ovens.
The homes have true sand-and-finish white oak hardwood floors in the foyers, dining rooms, kitchens, breakfast rooms, great rooms and first floor powder rooms and 7¼-inch baseboards throughout.
The homes are also being built to meet Energy Star program standards and the National Association of Home Builders Green Building program.
Warranty covers job loss
To keep the ball rolling, the builders began offering an additional perk to buyers this month: a job-loss protection warranty that provides the homeowner with up to six months of payments up to $2,500 per month if the homeowner loses his or her job.
Franks said the builders are paying for that warranty to give “a little peace of mind” to people considering buying a home in Sunset Park.
“It’s going to be part of our builder’s warranty,” he said.
Sunset Park will have 93 homes in it when it is finished. As of this week, there were four homes listed for sale in Sunset Park on Realtracs.com.
The most expensive is a 3,328-square-foot English country, two-story design with four bedrooms listed for $519,900. The least expensive is a one-story French country type with 2,982 square feet and four bedrooms, for $469,900.

Make A Wish Holiday Home Show

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:56:05 +0000

From exotic granite and leopard faux to dry-erase paint and organic draperies, wonderful home design and holiday decorating ideas await at the Make-A-Wish Holiday Home Show at Kings’ Chapel in Arrington with five, fully-furnished homes open daily November 28-December 6. With free, on-site parking, tickets are $10 and 100 percent of the gate benefits the worthy children’s charity. Each home has a Dreams Come True Child’s Bedroom based on critically ill children’s wishes including: “Night On The Predators’ Bench,” “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Diamonds and Tiaras,” “Dancing Girl,” and “Titans Teen Room.” “Meet The Designers Night” is being held on Tuesday, December 1 from 4 p.m. until closing where designers from the homes will be on-site to answer decorating questions. Saturdays, November 28 and December 1, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m., there will be an Arrington Vineyards wine tasting included in the ticket price. Realtors presenting a business card are half price throughout the event. For more information and directions, visit www.kingschapellife.com .
The Make-A-Wish Building and Design Team includes: Kris Blalock, Blalock Homes working with Branan White, Revival Home Inspirations on interiors and holiday decor; Chip Walker, Arrington Builders working with Teena Bivings, Dream Home Designs with Trees ‘N Trends and J.J. Ashley’s holiday decor; Bob Sloan, Artistic Builders working with Donna Henninger, Brentwood Staging with ReCreations’ holiday decor; Chris Franks, Tennessee Valley Homes working with in-house TN Valley designer and Battle Ground Realty agent McClain Holloway and designer Michael Pleasant with Harpeth True Value holiday decor; and Ken Staley working with designer Kristen Finney, Finney Interiors, with Bagbey House holiday decor.

A Time for Change

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:55:34 +0000

Bank failures, stock market crashes and government bailouts have changed the landscape of real estate transactions. What we are seeing is a trend toward less house with the same level of craftsmanship as the larger homes usually convey, says Jimmy Franks, local builder and developer of Tennessee Valley Homes. With the changing values of the real estate market it will make it even harder for real estate agents to sell homes, says Mary Lane Everett, managing broker of Battle Ground Realty. “Staging a home is ever more important as is realistic goals in this current housing market,” says Everett. “Find your homes most unique feature and play it up. That and decluttering makes a huge difference in the appeal of your home in today’s market. When buying do your research and know what area best suits your lifestyle and your families needs. In real estate it is still about location, location, location.”

Research supports what most realtors already know — that most buyers start their home searches on the internet, and one reason Battle Ground Realty has completely redesigned their website. “Visual websites with complete home information and virtual tours are very relevant especially to out-of-state buyers,” says Everett. “Homeowners buying or selling will have to take a realistic view of what is possible, and realize it may take longer to sell their property or find the right home. But there are a lot of interesting possibilities out there now. In a way, it is a very exciting time for change,” says Everett.

Good Design, Durable Products, & Craftmanship

admin — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:52:01 +0000

A constant topic at the National Association of Home Builders is what homebuyers are looking for in their environment. NAHB, in association with Better Homes & Gardens magazine, compiled an annual survey of homeowner trends and here is an excerpt of what they report. Homeowners don’t care as much about granite counters and stainless steel appliances as much as efficient and maintenance-free living. Easy to clean areas and surfaces are more important than style. Also, flexible spaces are becoming more important to expanding and changing family dynamics, and an aging population who requires more universal design. Healthy and green homes are taking root across America with more homeowners wanting green options to choose from: choice being the key. “People don’t want assembly line houses,” Joan McCloskey, editor of Better Homes & Gardens, reports. Interior colors are leaning toward earth tones and McCloskey predicts bronze and copper appliances will be a future trend. Home offices and smart home technology continue to be in demand and reflects the fact that many Americans work from home. Uncluttered restful master bedrooms and large informal dining rooms that are open to the kitchen are also a continuing trend demonstrate a change in American living habits. Formal dining areas are becoming more negotiable when it comes to redefining living space and how much space is really needed. One of the biggest trends is a smaller home with high end finishes when possible. Home buying trends are driven by three major factors: home buyer lifestyles, homes that are on the market and evolving technologies in the marketplace, says NAHB economist Gopal Ahluwalia. The percentage of home buying couples with children has dropped significantly over the past 20 years, resulting in a greater number of empty nesters with different needs for amenities and locations. Smart home technology will be in greater demand, as will houses nearby the workplace and cultural amenities. What homebuyers really want is something totally different from everybody else, McCloskey said. Better Homes & Gardens readers want to live in a neighborhood with a mix of home styles and prices, not one in which all homes look and cost the same, says the magazine editor. What sells is no surprise. Good design, durable products and good craftsmanship are key aspects to homeowner satisfaction.

How to Keep Your Yard Beautiful

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:20:29 +0000

Fall lawn care may not require quite as much effort as in the spring or summer, but if you want to keep your grass looking healthy and beautiful now is not the time to slack off. The first autumn I spent in my current home I made that mistake and ended up regretting it so learn from me and take a few steps during this season to save you time and effort in the future.
Fall Lawn Care Fertilizing
For starters, you’ll want to apply your fall fertilizer. Remember you should be applying fertilizer to your lawn twice a year: once in the spring and once in the fall. The fertilizer will give your grass the nutrition it needs, particularly during the winter. Just follow the instructions on the fertilizer you choose (I’m a strong believer in organic lawn care so I prefer organic fertilizer but the choice is yours) for your type of grass and the size of your yard.
Before you start applying that fertilizer, you may want to check out your weed situation. If your yard contains a lot of weeds, you might find it easier to use a weed and feed type of fertilizer this time around. With weed and feed, you end up giving nutrients to the grass while killing the unwanted weeds – it does double duty. However, if you don’t have that many weeds just pull them out by hand.
Other Steps to Fall Lawn Care
After the summer ends, you’ll also notice your grass starts to grow slower so you need to rely less on your lawn mowers. Obviously, you’ll still want to keep it trimmed nicely, but you definitely want to do at least one good mowing before winter hits. Focus on cutting only the higher grass though – you don’t need to go as low as you do in spring or summer.
Another important step is to make sure you keep those falling leaves raked up. When your yard is covered in piles of dead leaves, those leaves can bury your grass and prevent it from getting the nutrients it needs to be healthy. If you have a smaller yard, you can use an ordinary rake to take care of the leaves manually. If you have a larger yard, you might want to consider buying a leaf vacuum or leaf blower to help you. What you definitely don’t want is for those leaves to end up piling up on your grass all winter long.
Of course, you’ll also need a way to get rid of those dead leaves. You can turn them into compost that can be used for fertilizer/mulch next spring and summer. We tried this one year and had good luck by carting garbage-bag size piles behind our shed, then sprinkling the piles with lime to encourage decomposition. Then you just have to turn the pile over once a month. I don’t use this method anymore just because it takes too much time, but I would definitely recommend it as a good choice for organic lawn care.
Otherwise, you’ll need to bag all of those leaves in heavy duty garbage bags. Many garbage companies have specific days when they will pick up lawn debris, especially during the autumn. You may want to check with your sanitation provider for more information.