8 Open Houses Sunday May 22nd 2-4 pmCome by our 8 Open Houses Sunday, view some great homs, register for a $50 savings bond and enjoy refreshments.    16 Evans Drive Five Points 2888 Hwy 43 South Loretto 342 Land Rd Leoma
  
107 W. Augustine Loretto 197 Gimlet Rd Lawrenceburg 36 Aldridge Rd Lawrenceburg
  121 Dave O' Lane Leoma 1619 Deer Hollow Dr Lawrenceburg
Rural Housing Funding Restored(July 28, 2010) The long anticipated restoration of the Section 502 single-family rural housing program is headed to President Obama's desk for signature into law. NAR has been working on restoring funding since March. Although the legislation increases the guarantee fee for borrowers, the fee can still be financed. This change will make the program completely self-sufficient. The legislation also increases the Rural Housing Service (RHS) commitment authority allowing guaranteed loans. Previously RHS had been providing conditional commitments. RHS will announce new guidelines shortly after the President
03/09/2010
200 New Jobs Announced by Modine Manufacturing
 Current Chamber Newsletter
02/19/2010
04/29/2009 Lawrence County Chamber Sponsors 2009 Business & Industry Expo Posted on April 29, 2009
Exhibitors ranging from our local industrial base to retail shops will be featured at the Chamber's Business and Industry Expo next Wednesday, May 6 from 10:00a.m. until 6:00p.m.at the Lawrenceburg Rotary Park. The Expo is designed to give Lawrence County citizens a chance to see and experience the wide range of services available and products being manufactured in Lawrence County, all in one place, with one visit.
"I think this is a wonderful opportunity for our public to experience what our local economy is all about," said Chad Chancellor, Executive Director, Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce. "I moved here a little over a year ago and frankly did not know what to expect in terms of economic activity in Lawrence County. What I found totally impressed me! Take Acu-Cast for example, any community would be proud to have a company as highly technical as Acu-Cast, yet many of our citizens probably know little about them. Graphic Packaging is as technologically advanced manufacturing facility as I've seen. Dura and Modine are both hanging in during the worst automotive times ever. I could go on and on, but the point is this workforce, and this community manufactures some pretty awesome products, and I hope this Expo gives the community a small chance to see, feel, and touch Lawrence County products. In addition to manufacturing operations, service and retail businesses will be featured as well. The Chamber is about ringing the cash registers of Lawrence County businesses, by supporting our Expo, the public can help us meet our goal of making Lawrence County prosperous."
The 2009 Business and Industry Expo is sponsored by Precision Laser & Manufacturing, Airgas, Brad Slater Construction, Coldwell Banker Counce-Hooper Realty, and the Lawrenceburg Utility Systems. Sponsorships are for sale for $500 and $250, Sponsors will be entitled to select booth locations and will be listed in print and radio advertising. Booths will be free to Chamber members and will cost $135 for Non-Chamber members. The Chamber will provide participants with a table and cloth, two chairs, and name badges. Drawings for door prizes will be held throughout the day and Small Business Workshops will be conducted at 1:00 and 4:00. There will be no cost of admission for the public attending the event. Food will be for sale during the lunch hours, prepared by Coldwell Banker Counce-Hooper Reatly. Barbeque platters will be available for eat-in or carry-out. For more information call Beth Keaton at 931-762-4911 or visit the Chamber at www.selectlawrence.com.
03/19/09
Eagles - to the FINAL 4 ! MURFREESBORO - The 2009 Summertown Eagles basketball team have accomplished something that has eluded past 15 Summertown Eagles teams – they have advanced to the Final 4 of the TSSAA State Basketball Class A Championships. After reaching the Quarter-final round for the first time since the 2003 squad, the Eagles (26-9) made some noise in the ‘Boro, posting a 53-50 victory over the Clarksville Academy Cougars (27-6) here Wednesday afternoon. The 2009 teamis the first Eagle squad to reach that level since then-Coach Phil Willard’s 1994 Eagle team, and the first Summertown team, and the first team from Lawrence County, to reach the Semi-Finals since the Lady Eagles did it in 2006. Although the Eagles would struggle to get some of their shots to fall, including several at the charity stripe late in the game, the Eagles simply out-hustled their opponents in the second half to take the win and advance in the tournament. The Eagles hustled after every loose ball, made numerous deflections and steals and fought for every rebound. It would be the Eagle Seniors Wes Long, Logan Harville and Frank Campbell, with the help of wiry and elusive Sophomore point guard Bubba Clifton, that would lead the team to the quarter-final victory. The Eagles were aided by playing in front of a large, rowdy and raucous Eagle Nation – who filled the seats and made their voices heard in the cavernous Murphy Center. The Cougars scored first, but the Eagles then answered with an 8-0 run to go up 8-2 with 3:33 to play in the opening period. Following a Clarksville Academy timeout, the Cougars would put together a 12-0 run of their own and led 14-8 at the end of the first period. However, the game was far from over. The Eagles would come alive in the second period, as Wes Long would sink a pair of 3-pointers, sandwiched around a Cougar trey, cutting the lead to 17-14 with 5:37 to play in the first half. Then, the Eagles were able to force some turnovers and Logan Harville would sink a pair of treys, the second coming at the 3:35 mark and putting the Eagles up 20-17 – a lead that would hold-up the remainder of the contest. Summertown outscored the Cougars 16-7 in the second period and led 24-21 at the intermission. The opening minutes of the second half would be a defensive struggle, as neither team would get a basket in the opening 4 minutes of the third period. Summertown’s Bubba Clifton would sink 1 of 2 free throws with 3:20 to play, then on the ensuing Cougar possession, Harville would get a steal and break-away lay-up for a basket – and the Cougar defender would be whistled for an intentional foul. Harville would get the basket and sink both free throws (1 for the foul, one for the technical), and the Eagles were up 29-21 with 3:10 to play in the third. The Cougars would then get back to back baskets, cutting the lead to 29-25, but the Eagles responded again with back to back treys by Harville and Long, putting Summertown up 35-25 with 1:25 remaining in the third and forcing another Cougar timeout. Clarksville Academy would again cut the lead to 35-29 with 45 seconds remaining in the third, but the Eagles would get an NBA-distance trey by Long at the quarter-ending buzzer (plus he was fouled hard – and knocked to the floor - but no call by the officials), putting the Eagles up 38-29 going into the final stanza. The Eagles held a 14-8 scoring advantage in the third period. In the final period, the Cougars would open with a trey, but Harville would answer with a trey of his own. Clarksville Academy would cut the lead to 43-37 with 5:22 to play, then to 44-39 with 4:45 remaining. A pair of free throws by Harville would extend the lead back to 46-39 with 3:43 to play, then the Eagles looked to put the ball in the deep-freeze. A pair of free throws by Clifton would extend the lead to 48-39 with 2:43 to play, but the Eagles would struggle from the free throw line, allowing the Cougars to cut it to 50-45 with 1:21 to play. Following another pair of missed Eagle free throws, the Cougars would cut it to 50-47 with 56 seconds to play. Clifton would sink a pair of free throws with 53 ticks remaining to extend it to 52-47, but a Cougar trey would cut it to 52-50 with 44 seconds remaining. The Eagles then held the ball until Frank Campbell was fouled with 18 seconds to play. Campbell sank 1-of-2, putting the Eagles up 53-50. A Cougar timeout with 9.5 seconds to play set-up a last-ditch effort, but they were unable to get a shot to fall, and were unable to get a foul before time expired. The Eagles were led by Logan Harville with 21 points (4 treys), Wes Long with 16 (4 treys), Bubba Clifton with 13 (1 trey) and Frank Campbell with 3. Clarksville Academy was led by Malcolm Smith with a game-high 24 points and Martin Smith with 9. The Eagles advance to the Final 4 / Semi-Finals and will play on Friday, March 20th, where their opponent will be the Crusaders from Chattanooga’s Tennessee Temple. Temple defeated Cloudland in their quarterfinal match-up. The Class A Final 4 is set, with Manassas (Memphis) squaring off with Chattanooga’s Grace Baptist in the 10:00 AM game on Friday, followed by the Summertown/Temple game at 11:45 AM. The winners of each game advance to the State Championship game on Saturday. For those unable to attend the games, you can listen to Summertown Eagle basketball live on Mix 106 WDXE (106.7 FM). 02/13/2008 Summertown - DISTRICT TOURNAMENT Information – By finishing in the top 4 in the District in the regular season, both the Lady Eagles and Eagles will host their first-round games in the District 12-A tournament. The Eagles (2nd place team) will host Zion (7th place team), while the Lady Eagles (4th place team) will host either Zion or Hampshire, who tied for 5th place in the regular season. A coin-toss will be held at the District meeting on Saturday morning to determine which team will face the Lady Eagles. The District schedule calls for the girls’ teams to host on Monday, Feb. 16th and the boys teams to host on Tuesday, Feb. 17th. However, if both Summertown teams end up playing both Zion teams, the current plan is to have both games played at Summertown on Monday the 16th. This will not be known until after the District meeting on Saturday morning. As soon as I get word on Saturday, I will send that information out to the Eagle Nation. 11/11/2008 
Veterans Day We wish to salute all the Veterans for their dedication, service an sacrifice. If not for our Veterans sacrifice we would have no Freedom. Thanks to those currently serving, those that have served and those that gave the ultimate sacrifice. Every day should be Veterans Day. Join us at the Veteran's Day Parade to show our appreciation at 11:00 Down Town.
2010 Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit.
A Great Deal in Real Estate is Now Better
Note: This is intended to provide an overview only - for specific information or individual concerns, please contact your lawyer, accountant and/or financial advisor.
The federal income tax credit for homebuyers has been extended and expanded to now include homeowners who wish to "move on" after 5 years of living in their current property, as well as first-time homebuyers. - First-time homebuyers, or those who have not owned in the last three years, can receive up to an $8,000 tax credit
- Homeowners who have lived in a current home consecutively for 5 of the past 8 years can receive up to a $6,500 tax credit
- There may be no future extensions, so all qualified homebuyers are urged to act and have a written, binding contract by April 30, 2010 (close by June 30, 2010)
- Income limits are now $125,000 for singles, $225,000 for married couples with a $20,000 phase-out of the credit for both.
According to The National Association of Realtors News Release, dated 11/5/09, an estimated $22 billion has already been added to the general economy resulting from the bill and approximately 2 million people will utilize the tax credit in 2009.
Modine Manufacturing Company announced today it plans to expand its Lawrenceburg operation by 200 jobs over the next 3 years. They are locating the expansion in the North portion of the Murray building. Work on modifications and plans for relocating equipment are well underway. This expansion will double the current workforce Modine currently has at its Lawrenceburg facility. We are very excited about this good news and feel it will help our community greatly. This has been made possible with the leadership of the County and City of Lawrenceburg along with our Industrial Recruiters and the Chamber of Commerce. This is a testimate to our dedicated work force here in Lawrence County. Carl Counce 03/09/2010 11/06/2008
NEW INDUSTRIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: BERTOLINI CORPORATION TO CREATE 150 NEW JOBS IN LAWRENCE COUNTY Lawrenceburg, TN – November 6, 2008 – Bertolini Corporation, Inc. based in Chino, California is opening a manufacturing operation in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. The manufacturing operation will create approximately 150 new jobs within 3 years of the operation’s start-up. This facility is in addition to Bertolini’s California facility and will serve primarily in producing stackable seating for Churches and religious organizations. Like Bertolini’s California Plant, the Lawrenceburg Plant will run on lean manufacturing principles with strong vertical integration and just-in-time raw materials processing to produce both stock and built to order inventories. The Bertolini family has been in the chair business for over 50 years and today Bertolini Corporation is a leading manufacturer of chairs in the worship market. Bertolini’s Lawrence County facility will feature injection molding, blow foaming, and powder coating processes. The facility will be located at 101 Motivation Drive in Lawrenceburg. “It is with great pleasure that Bertolini Inc announces, on behalf of Jim Bertolini and Charles Bertolini, its plans to expand East coast operations into the Lawrenceburg, Tennessee area” said Chuck Horn, Bertolini Corporation Chief Operating Officer. “Bertolini Inc. is thrilled to partner with the City of Lawrenceburg and Lawrence County in the creation of over 150 jobs in the Lawrenceburg area through this expansion; this partnership shows both Bertolini’s and Lawrence County’s commitment towards American workers and the creation of local jobs. While maintaining profitability for Bertolini Inc. is a deciding factor in securing the Lawrenceburg plant, of greater importance to the Bertolini family and Bertolini Inc. is their continued support of missions (Bertolini strongly believes in, and supports giving of our resources to meet the needs of others), family (Bertolini supports family values and recognizes these as MOST important) and organizational learning (Bertolini believes in investing in the development of its people). These values were not only key in deciding to partner with Lawrence County in the selection of the Lawrenceburg facility, they will also guide Bertolini in continued development of the facility and in its relationship with the people of Lawrenceburg and the surrounding area. “We are delighted Bertolini Corporation has chosen Lawrenceburg to create 150 jobs,” said Keith Durham, Lawrenceburg Mayor. “This announcement further reinforces our efforts to recruit jobs to our area. There is a team approach to everything we do, especially in recruiting new industry to Lawrenceburg. We are dedicated to creating a competitive community that is going after companies we want here in Lawrenceburg. Once again it has served us well. The city stands ready to assist Bertolini with any issues during their growth and start-up process.” “Today we are not only adding to our record of successful industrial recruitment, we are doing something more important,” said Paul Rosson, Lawrence County Executive. “We are making an announcement that signifies Lawrence County as a true player in economic development in the Tennessee Valley region. What a pleasure it has been to work with Bertolini and our local partners in creating these jobs.” Bertolini Inc. is the leading factory direct manufacturer of premium stackable seating provided to you through service, integrity and relationship. Their church chair division, Bertolini Sanctuary® Seating, is the number one choice for Church Seating! Their Hospitality Division, Bertolini Hospitality & Design, provides leading edge technologies in stackable banquet seating to the hotel and conference industries. The Bertolini family started building premium seating nearly 50 years ago for such household names as Denny's Restaurants, Radisson Hotels and Disneyland. Today Bertolini Inc. provides that same tradition of world-class quality in the most elegant, comfortable and durable stackable seating available. Combine such quality with a commitment to be the industry leader in innovation, unrivaled service, steadfast integrity, ongoing customer relationships and first class value, and it's easy to see why Bertolini stackable seating is found in such places as the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles, California, Without Walls International Ministries in Tampa, Florida, the Hyatt Regency in Deerfield, Illinois, the Seventh Day Adventist Conference Grounds in South Carolina, Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, California, and the Sheraton Hotel in Brownsville, Texas. “Today is a great day for the business community of Lawrence County,” said Chad Chancellor, Executive Director, Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce. “To welcome an industry leader is such a pleasure. Interestingly, Bertolini services the worship market which fits so naturally in our community due to our strong faith base. What better spot to service the worship market than from a community driven by faith and morals! Lawrence County can take pride in being a community that is taking advantage of opportunities for success and a place we are proud to call home. This announcement would not have been possible without the following most valuable team members: Lawrenceburg Utility System, Lawrence County, City of Lawrenceburg, and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.” Production in the facility will begin in the first quarter of 2009. Applications will not be accepted until December. ****************************************************************************** Contact: Chuck Horn, Chief Operations Officer, Bertolini Inc., 1-800-647-7755 or Chad Chancellor, Executive Director, Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, 931-629-3939.
Precision Laser Comes to Lawrenceburg | Precision Laser, Inc. of Manitoba, Canada has chosen Lawrenceburg for its U.S. headquarters, creating 153 new jobs. Precision Laser will manufacture heat furnaces and other heat transfer equipment and will also perform custom laser cutting operations. The company will have the capability to custom cut steel and other metals. Precision Laser does work for the heat, oil, farming, and mass transit industries. The company will invest between $6-8 million in new, state-of-the-art equipment for this facility. "On behalf of the City of Lawrenceburg, we excitedly welcome Precision Laser and these 153 jobs to our area," said Mayor Keith Durham. "I believe our finest hour is ahead of us and with announcements such as this we may be rapidly approaching that hour! The entire city stands ready to assist Precision Laser in their start-up process and looks forward to working with them to grow their business in the years to come." In addition to wages, the jobs are expected to pump more than $2.4 million in retail spending and more than $239,000 in sales taxes into the local economy each year.
by City of Lawrenceburg www.cityoflawrenceburgtn.com |
Hunting & Fishing Paradise | Out doorLife Magazine has named Lawrenceburg as one of the Top 200 towns for hunting and fishing in America for 2008. "We've all visited those towns, the ones with the river running through them, the woodlands nudging the outskirts, and the cafe that's crowded at 5 A.M. with duck hunters and trout guides," said Andrew McKean, Contributing Author to OutdoorLife Magazine. "These places exist in every state and town - areas with decent weather and accessible public land and gun laws that don't criminalize hunters. Places where you can wear fishing waders or a camouflage hunting jacket in public and not call attention to yourself. "Demographers say America's small towns are disappearing as youngsters migrate to cities for work or college, then move to suburbs to raise families. But our research indicates that small towns are thriving, especially those trade centers with populations between 5,000 and 15,000. These are the places where rural landscapes abut the city limits and where you can always find a 'hunter's breakfast' on the cafe menu." "Some of the factors we considered were growth rate of the local economy, unemployment rate, degree of taxation, th e time it takes to commute to work, crime rate, housing prices, median household income, and even the variety of cultural opportunities within easy driving distance," said John B. Snow, Contributing Editor. "Then we looked at how the towns stacked up purely from a sporting perspective. We rated them on the fishing and hunting opportunities each town offers, the trophy quality of the sporting opportunities, proximity to land, the restrictiveness of the gun laws, and whether fishing and hunting is good year-round." |
by City of Lawrenceburg www.cityoflawrenceburgtn.com
Existing-Home Sales Rise on Improved AffordabilityWASHINGTON, October 24, 2008 Existing-home sales increased last month as buyers responded to improved housing affordability conditions, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – rose 5.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate¹ of 5.18 million units in September from a level of 4.91 million in August, and are 1.4 percent higher than the 5.11 million-unit pace in September 2007. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said more markets are seeing year-over-year gains. “The sales turnaround which began in California several months ago is broadening now to Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Rhode Island,” he said. “The South was hampered by much lower home sales in Houston in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.” NAR President Richard F. Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif., said low home prices and low interest rates have been attracting buyers. “This is the first time since November 2005 that home sales have been above year-ago levels,” he said. “Credit tightened at the end of September, but the improvement demonstrates that buyers who’ve been on the sidelines want to get into the market to make a long-term investment in their future.” According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage fell to 6.04 percent in September from 6.48 percent in August; the rate was 6.38 percent in September 2007. Yun said there may be market disruptions. “The credit markets are not settled yet, although the mortgage market stabilized with the government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Inventory remains high, and price declines are pressuring owners,” he said. “Additional housing stimulus would stabilize prices more quickly, which in turn would bring faster stability to Wall Street. Removing the repayment feature on the first-time buyer tax credit and permanently raising loan limits would bring more buyers into the market and further reduce inventory.” Total housing inventory at the end of September fell 1.6 percent to 4.27 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 9.9-month supply² at the current sales pace, down from a 10.6-month supply in August. This marks two consecutive monthly declines since inventories peaked in July. The national median existing-home price3 for all housing types was $191,600 in September, down 9.0 percent from a year ago when the median was $210,500. “Compared to a fairly small share of foreclosures or short sales a year ago, distressed sales are currently 35 to 40 percent of transactions. These are pulling the median price down because many are being sold at discounted prices,” Yun explained. “The current market is not being dominated by speculative investors. Rather, 80 percent of current buyers are purchasing a primary residence, which is a bit higher than historic norms.” Single-family home sales increased 6.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.62 million in September from a pace of 4.35 million in August, and are 3.8 percent above the 4.45 million-unit level a year ago. The median existing single-family home price was $190,600 in September, which is 8.6 percent below September 2007. Existing condominium and co-op sales were unchanged at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 560,000 units in September, but are 15.7 percent below the 664,000-unit pace in September 2007. The median existing condo price4 was $199,400 in September, down 10.2 percent from a year ago. Regionally, existing-home sales in the West jumped 16.8 percent to an annual rate of 1.25 million in September, and are 34.4 percent higher than September 2007. The median price in the West was $253,600, down 18.5 percent from a year ago. In the Midwest, existing-home sales increased 4.4 percent to an annual pace of 1.19 million in September, but are 2.5 percent below a year ago. The median price in the Midwest was $152,500, which is 7.9 percent lower than September 2007. Existing-home sales in the South rose 2.2 percent in September to a pace of 1.90 million but remain 7.8 percent below September 2007. The median price in the South was $167,200, down 4.1 percent from a year ago. In the Northeast, existing-home sales slipped 1.2 percent to an annual pace of 840,000 in September, and are 7.7 percent lower than a year ago. The median price in the Northeast was $246,800, down 5.4 percent from September 2007. The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. # # # NOTE: References to performance in states or metro areas are from unpublished raw data used to analyze regional trends; please contact your local association of Realtors® for more information. ¹The annual rate for a particular month represents what the total number of actual sales for a year would be if the relative pace for that month were maintained for 12 consecutive months. Seasonally adjusted annual rates are used in reporting monthly data to factor out seasonal variations in resale activity. For example, home sales volume is normally higher in the summer than in the winter, primarily because of differences in the weather and family buying patterns. However, seasonal factors cannot compensate for abnormal weather patterns. Existing-home sales, which include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, are based on transaction closings. This differs from the U.S. Census Bureau’s series on new single-family home sales, which are based on contracts or the acceptance of a deposit. Because of these differences, it is not uncommon for each series to move in different directions in the same month. In addition, existing-home sales, which generally account for 85 percent of total home sales, are based on a much larger sample – more than 40 percent of multiple listing service data each month – and typically are not subject to large prior-month revisions. ²Total inventory and month’s supply data are available back through 1999, while single-family inventory and month’s supply are available back to 1982. Condos were tracked quarterly prior to 1999 when single-family homes accounted for more than nine out of 10 purchases. ³The only valid comparisons for median prices are with the same period a year earlier due to the seasonality in buying patterns. Month-to-month comparisons do not compensate for seasonal changes, especially for the timing of family buying patterns. Changes in the composition of sales can distort median price data. Year-ago median and mean prices sometimes are revised in an automated process if more data is received than was originally reported. 4Because there is a concentration of condos in high-cost metro areas, the national median condo price can be higher than the median single-family price. In a given market area, condos typically cost less than single-family homes. Existing-home sales for October will be released November 24, and the next Pending Home Sales Index & Forecast is scheduled for release at 11:30 a.m. EST November 7 at NAR’s annual convention in Orlando, Fla. For more information visit: www.realtor.org/research/research/ehsdata | Coldwell Banker® Named #1 - Again! |  | | 10/21/2008 |  | Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC was once again named the #1 Real Estate brand by Franchise Times, making this the 9th straight year in a row!
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Counce-Hooper Realty 102 Weakley Creek Rd Lawrenceburg, TN 38464 DO YOUR DUE DILIGENCE: COLDWELL BANKER COUNCE-HOOPER REALTY ADVISES USE OF HOME INSPECTOR PRIOR TO TAKING OWNERSHIP OF A HOME Lawrenceburg, TN 10/23/2008 — The purchase of a home is considered to be one of the most significant investments a person can make. As with any sizeable purchase, due diligence ensures the quality of the product. In the case of buying a home, having the property inspected before closing serves as a final, critical step in the process. Home inspection ensures the worthiness of the investment and can help avoid the possibility of purchasing a property with major structural or other serious problems that may lead to significant unforeseen costs for the new owner. Coldwell Banker Counce Hooper Realty real estate professionals advise homebuyers to do their homework before finalizing the deal on their new home. The following tips are a good starting point: Hire a Certified Home Inspector: Rely on theobjectiveexpertise of a qualified home inspector. A certified home inspector is knowledgeable about construction practices in the area, will spot problems not apparent to an untrained eye and will provide a report on the condition of the property. An inspection normally takes place after the parties have agreed on a selling price. Typically, real estate contracts contain a provision giving homebuyers a set number of days in which to have a home inspection completed. Homebuyers should get referrals from their real estate sales associate, family, friends or neighbors of a reputable inspector before they go to contract. The American Society of Home Inspectors (www.ashi.org) is also a good source Areas That Need to be Reviewed: It is important to examine all areas of the home, including the exterior, interior, kitchen and bathrooms, attic, basement, electric, plumbing and HVAC. Faulty construction, improper electrical wiring, inefficient insulation, old heating, building permit violations and other unseen pitfalls can lead to very expensive home repairs. Search for Hidden Defects: Examples of hidden defects include missing roof shingles, chimney deterioration or leaks. It is also important to check behind walls. Mold, growing fungus or faulty wiring are often discovered in older homes. Make certain the home inspector looks in crawl spaces. Even small plumbing leaks can cause major problems and costs if not identified and corrected. Review Visible Defects: Homebuyers should be aware of possible water damage, such as noticeable water stains on the ceiling, damp basement walls or musty odors. They should look for cracks in the walls, particularly around fireplaces or in foundation walls. Uneven floors and tilted stairways could indicate there has been movement in the foundation. Also, notice doors that are not perfectly vertical. If there is more space between a door and its frame at one end than at the other, the door is likely installed incorrectly. Look for Minor Problems: Items such as doors or windows that are difficult to open or bad paint jobs may not be serious defects but could be signs of bad maintenance. Kitchen appliances should also be in good working order. Minor problems make for good negotiating points and can lead to the possibility of some concessions or a slightly reduced price from the seller. Steps to Take After a Negative Inspection: If the purchase contract is contingent on inspection of the home, negotiate a price adjustment or ask the sellers to make repairs. If the problems are so significant that the home is no longer a worthwhile investment, get out of the deal and have all deposits refunded. Always have a lawyer review any agreements to make sure that there is adequate legal protection prior to the inspection process. Coldwell Banker Counce-Hooper Realty located at 102 Weakley Rd Lawrenceburg TN 38464, can be reached at 931-762-3399 or cbcounce@bellsouth.net Coldwell Banker Counce-Hooper Realty has been serving the Lawrence County for 20 years.
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Coldwell Banker Counce-Hooper Realty
Phone: 931-762-3399 800-283-4737
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