Gatlinburg Real Estate Blog

I really do desire to post to this Gatlinburg real estate blog much more often, maybe 3 times a week or more, but it just doesn't seem to happen. Once again, I have about 20 transactions pending and my world is spinning nearly out of control. To make matters worse, our ace transaction coordinator Giulia Luzzana is enjoyed a much deserved vacation this week and next so we are short-handed to boot! The month of May is ending very soon however, and sadly my number of posts is again disappointing low. This lack of literary production is not for a want of available topics either. Here are some of the subjects I hope to write about very soon: The Shrinking of the Supply of Smoky Mountain Real Estate Continues May was a Great Month, at Least for Us! Great to Work with Nice Buyers - Please Welcome Our New Neighbors! One Less Bank Soon in Sevier County??

I really do desire to post to this Gatlinburg real estate blog much more often, maybe 3 times a week or more, but it just doesn't seem to happen. Once again, I have about 20 transactions pending and my world is spinning nearly out of control. To make matters worse, our ace transaction coordinator Giulia Luzzana is enjoyed a much deserved vacation this week and next so we are short-handed to boot! The month of May is ending very soon however, and sadly my number of posts is again disappointing low. This lack of literary production is not for a want of available topics either. Here are some of the subjects I hope to write about very soon: The Shrinking of the Supply of Smoky Mountain Real Estate Continues May was a Great Month, at Least for Us! Great to Work with Nice Buyers - Please Welcome Our New Neighbors! One Less Bank Soon in Sevier County??

We have recently been assigned three new foreclosure properties that are actually beautiful residences in the Douglas Lake and Wears Valley areas of Sevier County. These Sevierville homes are very large and attractive and will likely be priced very attractively by the good folks at Fannie Mae. Links to our very preliminary (and un-retouched) pictures (please ignore the uncut yards and the odd photo angles) are below and we hope to have the prices very soon. 1711 Gator Point - Douglas Lake View! 4029 Ridgeback Lane  - Great Mountain Views! 3522 Hiley Dr.  - Your own large pond AND National Park views! To  be added to our Foreclosure Alert Email List, just send us an email to Jeff@GatlinburgHomes.com .

We have recently been assigned three new foreclosure properties that are actually beautiful residences in the Douglas Lake and Wears Valley areas of Sevier County. These Sevierville homes are very large and attractive and will likely be priced very attractively by the good folks at Fannie Mae. Links to our very preliminary (and un-retouched) pictures (please ignore the uncut yards and the odd photo angles) are below and we hope to have the prices very soon. 1711 Gator Point - Douglas Lake View! 4029 Ridgeback Lane  - Great Mountain Views! 3522 Hiley Dr.  - Your own large pond AND National Park views! To  be added to our Foreclosure Alert Email List, just send us an email to Jeff@GatlinburgHomes.com .

Over the past several years, I have been blessed to have personally sold (with the help of the administrators on the Schoenfield Team) literally thousands of homes. Residential homes in the city, residences in the county, estates out in the country, and hundreds upon hundreds of cabins and chalets. Foreclosures and non-foreclosures, overnight rentals, condos, and even a few mobile homes. With sale prices from under $10,000 to properties that sold for over a million dollars the variety of properties is remarkable. With all of this variety, there really aren't many constants, but I have perceived a few. One of the interesting patterns is that homes that are on any road that has the word "hollow" in the name have been without exception nothing to brag about. In fact, the reality is that all of the homes on hollows have been pretty much abysmal! Each one of the homes that I have listed on a street with the word hollow in the name has been a absolutely marginal property of ver...

Over the past several years, I have been blessed to have personally sold (with the help of the administrators on the Schoenfield Team) literally thousands of homes. Residential homes in the city, residences in the county, estates out in the country, and hundreds upon hundreds of cabins and chalets. Foreclosures and non-foreclosures, overnight rentals, condos, and even a few mobile homes. With sale prices from under $10,000 to properties that sold for over a million dollars the variety of properties is remarkable. With all of this variety, there really aren't many constants, but I have perceived a few. One of the interesting patterns is that homes that are on any road that has the word "hollow" in the name have been without exception nothing to brag about. In fact, the reality is that all of the homes on hollows have been pretty much abysmal! Each one of the homes that I have listed on a street with the word hollow in the name has been a absolutely marginal property of v...

I would love to say that all of our listings are gorgeous homes that are picture perfect and in move-in-ready condition, but I don't like to lie. Truth is, some of our Gatlinburg area foreclosure listings are as far from perfect as the East is from the West, but that isn't always the case! During the past week, we have been assigned 3 new Smoky Mountain residential foreclosure properties that are in fact exceptionally attractive and in excellent condition!! While these properties are in fact brand new listings and are not yet priced, you can preview them here before they are even entered into the MLS. When we do get the prices from the seller for these bank owned homes, you can be assured that they will be priced to sell quickly. Please click on the address line below each photo below to see additional pictures of each home: Great Boyd's Creek Neighborhood - 2159 Bryson Court, Sevierville Lakefront Seclusion - 2151 Stillhouse Rd., Dandridge In the Sought After Glades Comm...

I would love to say that all of our listings are gorgeous homes that are picture perfect and in move-in-ready condition, but I don't like to lie. Truth is, some of our Gatlinburg area foreclosure listings are as far from perfect as the East is from the West, but that isn't always the case! During the past week, we have been assigned 3 new Smoky Mountain residential foreclosure properties that are in fact exceptionally attractive and in excellent condition!! While these properties are in fact brand new listings and are not yet priced, you can preview them here before they are even entered into the MLS. When we do get the prices from the seller for these bank owned homes, you can be assured that they will be priced to sell quickly. Please click on the address line below each photo below to see additional pictures of each home: Great Boyd's Creek Neighborhood - 2159 Bryson Court, Sevierville Lakefront Seclusion - 2151 Stillhouse Rd., Dandridge In the Sought Aft...

All too often the foreclosure properties that we see are smaller homes that can be pretty badly dilapidated. In fact, many Gatlinburg area foreclosures are homes that I can't really take any pride in listing. Some of them are almost embarrassing and make you wonder "Do people really live like this??". Fortunately, there are some exceedingly attractive Smoky Mountain foreclosures in the pipeline currently that should be available very soon. Consider these "Coming Attractions" which we were just assigned last week: In Sevierville's New Center community, a very attractive home at 3534 Walking Horse Lane . Between Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge, a great log cabin at 150 Sky View Drive . East of Gatlinburg in the Rocky Flats community, a large residence with acreage at 1035 Rocky Flats Rd . None of these properties are priced yet but we are expecting prices very soon - Please contact us for more information!!

All too often the foreclosure properties that we see are smaller homes that can be pretty badly dilapidated. In fact, many Gatlinburg area foreclosures are homes that I can't really take any pride in listing. Some of them are almost embarrassing and make you wonder "Do people really live like this??". Fortunately, there are some exceedingly attractive Smoky Mountain foreclosures in the pipeline currently that should be available very soon. Consider these "Coming Attractions" which we were just assigned last week: In Sevierville's New Center community, a very attractive home at 3534 Walking Horse Lane . Between Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge, a great log cabin at 150 Sky View Drive . East of Gatlinburg in the Rocky Flats community, a large residence with acreage at 1035 Rocky Flats Rd . None of these properties are priced yet but we are expecting prices very soon - Please contact us for more information!!

For many years here in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge areas, as well as the rest of Sevier County, real estate developers have carved a tremendous number of cabins ever deeper into the forests around these communities. Recently, I have witnessed the revenge that the wild side of Sevier County has exacted upon some of these developments. Bears in downtown Sevierville, trees crashing through roofs, and then the more subtle but potentially even more destructive attack of the insects... Boring bees, termites, and other insects are a part of God's recycling plan that takes dead trees and converts them into mulch for the forest. Unfortunately, the rather unintelligent insects sometimes confuse purpose built structures (made from dead trees) with every day ordinary dead trees and the results can be disastrous. Consider the foreclosure home in Wears Valley we were just assigned that I viewed for the first time today: Sadly, the exterior of this Sevierville (actually Wears Valley) cabin is...

For many years here in the Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge areas, as well as the rest of Sevier County, real estate developers have carved a tremendous number of cabins ever deeper into the forests around these communities. Recently, I have witnessed the revenge that the wild side of Sevier County has exacted upon some of these developments. Bears in downtown Sevierville, trees crashing through roofs, and then the more subtle but potentially even more destructive attack of the insects... Boring bees, termites, and other insects are a part of God's recycling plan that takes dead trees and converts them into mulch for the forest. Unfortunately, the rather unintelligent insects sometimes confuse purpose built structures (made from dead trees) with every day ordinary dead trees and the results can be disastrous. Consider the foreclosure home in Wears Valley we were just assigned that I viewed for the first time today: Sadly, the exterior of this Sevierville (actually Wears Valley)...

When building a home in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains, one of the first considerations is also one of the very most important.  That question is: How "buildable" is this particular lot or property? My latest Gatlinburg foreclosure assignment is a large (4 bedroom, 2 bath) log-look chalet here in one of Gatlinburg's most popular locations, Chalet Village.  Although it is on a VERY steep lot, the home is quite attractive except that it has an extremely curious feature - Spray-On Concrete Landscaping .  Hopefully this idea won't catch on but it was probably an engineer who came up with this.   Somebody said "We've got to do something to retain this steep mountain-side bank.  Grass won't stay, even hydro-seed won't work here...  I know, let's spray concrete on the dirt to build a shell that will hold the bank in place." Like so many ideas that might sound good on paper (but I'm not sure that this one ever did!), this didn't work so w...

When building a home in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains, one of the first considerations is also one of the very most important.  That question is: How "buildable" is this particular lot or property? My latest Gatlinburg foreclosure assignment is a large (4 bedroom, 2 bath) log-look chalet here in one of Gatlinburg's most popular locations, Chalet Village.  Although it is on a VERY steep lot, the home is quite attractive except that it has an extremely curious feature - Spray-On Concrete Landscaping .  Hopefully this idea won't catch on but it was probably an engineer who came up with this.   Somebody said "We've got to do something to retain this steep mountain-side bank.  Grass won't stay, even hydro-seed won't work here...  I know, let's spray concrete on the dirt to build a shell that will hold the bank in place." Like so many ideas that might sound good on paper (but I'm not sure that this one ever did!), this didn't work so...

Hate to say it, but "Good Riddance June!!", at least as far as the Gatlinburg real estate business is concerned.  June started out pretty good for our office but several transactions have been delayed and others have disappeared, at least for now.  The old saying seems to be coming true again: "In order to get a bank loan, you first must prove that you don't really need it!"...  People who have in the past borrowed money with no problem have had nothing but problems borrowing in our current environment.  Once again, cash is king! For other agencies in the Gatlinburg real estate market, June wasn't such an easy month either.  In fact, among all of the active agents in our market, a total of only 95 residential units have been reported as sold (although this number will certainly increase as agencies get around to reporting their June sales).  This compares negatively with last month in which there are now 124 residential sales being reported and with June 20...

Hate to say it, but "Good Riddance June!!", at least as far as the Gatlinburg real estate business is concerned.  June started out pretty good for our office but several transactions have been delayed and others have disappeared, at least for now.  The old saying seems to be coming true again: "In order to get a bank loan, you first must prove that you don't really need it!"...  People who have in the past borrowed money with no problem have had nothing but problems borrowing in our current environment.  Once again, cash is king! For other agencies in the Gatlinburg real estate market, June wasn't such an easy month either.  In fact, among all of the active agents in our market, a total of only 95 residential units have been reported as sold (although this number will certainly increase as agencies get around to reporting their June sales).  This compares negatively with last month in which there are now 124 residential sales being reported and with June 20...

Each week, like many newspapers do, our local Mountain Press, provides a list of all of the previous week's real estate transfers.  In yesterday's edition, there were 36 transfers which made me long for the good old days of a few years ago when the weekly transaction count for Gatlinburg area real estate was much higher.  Speaking of the good old days, remember when banks generally were involved only as lenders in real estate transactions?? Although the newspaper's list of real estate transfers doesn't provide the lender's name, the interesting fact is that in this week's list bank names were all over the page, both as buyers (generally meaning new foreclosures that have been completed) and as sellers (almost always a reflection of the disposal of property that they had foreclosed upon previously).  If fact, out of the 36 real estate transfers Sevier County had last week, 17 had a bank as either the buyer or the seller.  Of those 17 transactions that involve...

Each week, like many newspapers do, our local Mountain Press, provides a list of all of the previous week's real estate transfers.  In yesterday's edition, there were 36 transfers which made me long for the good old days of a few years ago when the weekly transaction count for Gatlinburg area real estate was much higher.  Speaking of the good old days, remember when banks generally were involved only as lenders in real estate transactions?? Although the newspaper's list of real estate transfers doesn't provide the lender's name, the interesting fact is that in this week's list bank names were all over the page, both as buyers (generally meaning new foreclosures that have been completed) and as sellers (almost always a reflection of the disposal of property that they had foreclosed upon previously).  If fact, out of the 36 real estate transfers Sevier County had last week, 17 had a bank as either the buyer or the seller.  Of those 17 transactions that involve...

Taking a look at the sales that have been reported by our Great Smoky Mountain Association of Realtors for the month of April, it is hard not to be just a little disappointed.  While it is very early on the first business day after the end of the month and more sales are sure to be reported in coming days, the total number of homes sold in April was only 102.  This is a significant drop from both March and from the April 2010 total.  Of course, last year we were enjoying the benefits of the government's first time home buyer incentive which certainly caused additional activity.  Here is the updated chart which you can click on to view the table in a clearer PDF format: While I expect the total be revised upward to around 125 this is still a decrease no matter how you measure it.  We will be providing additional analysis of the market and what is selling in a future post.  In a perverse, "bad news is good news" sort of way, additional foreclosures are coming...

Taking a look at the sales that have been reported by our Great Smoky Mountain Association of Realtors for the month of April, it is hard not to be just a little disappointed.  While it is very early on the first business day after the end of the month and more sales are sure to be reported in coming days, the total number of homes sold in April was only 102.  This is a significant drop from both March and from the April 2010 total.  Of course, last year we were enjoying the benefits of the government's first time home buyer incentive which certainly caused additional activity.  Here is the updated chart which you can click on to view the table in a clearer PDF format: While I expect the total be revised upward to around 125 this is still a decrease no matter how you measure it.  We will be providing additional analysis of the market and what is selling in a future post.  In a perverse, "bad news is good news" sort of way, additional foreclosures are coming...