Sylvan Park's 'The Green Wagon' To Close Its Doors

Posted on February 4, 2010 by Kenny Silva

The Green Wagon is a cool little organic store nestled in between the Local Taco and Cafe Nonna on Murphy Road in the Sylvan Park neighborhood of Nashville.

I’ve been picking up little tidbits about The Green Wagon from twitter updates and news articles by Nashvillest.

The Green Wagon was in the top 10 for Intuit’s Love a Local Business contest; a competition based solely on nominations from satisfied customers and fans.

Also see:
The Green Wagon: Nashville’s First General Store

Unfortunately, the latest clipping I saw on twitter had to do with The Green Wagon closing on its doors in February. They do have another location in East Nashville, so thankfully, The Green Wagon won’t be disappearing into nothingness. Still, Sylvan Park will be losing its little green general store.

Naturally, I had to get in and check it out before the place shut down.

Jennifer Casale - Founder

The shop was small and intimate with lots of your typical ‘green store’ offerings including assorted lotions, clothes, candles, and so on. I poked around for a bit and ended up finding an interesting greeting card that you can actually plant in the ground! No joke… it grows into wildflowers. With everything in the store deeply discounted, I had to pick it up. My mother’s in for a pleasant surprise next week.

Long story short, The Green Wagon is a great little general store if you’re into keeping your carbon footprint is small as possible. Hint: We should all probably be thinking about that…

Check out The Green Wagon if you can before they shut their doors in February. If you can’t make it in time, the East Nashville location is located in 5 points. That address is 1100 Forrest Ave. Let them know I sent ya!

For information on green home and business consulting, contact Jen at jennifer@thegreenwagon.com.

Help These Sylvan Heights Fire Victims Out, Nashville

Posted on January 30, 2010 by Kenny Silva

Heads up, folks. Some neighbors need our support.

I received this in my inbox this morning from Rob Robinson, President of the Sylvan Park Neighborhood Association:

As many of you are aware, a fire in Sylvan Heights claimed the lives of three adults and two children earlier this month. WSMV-TV covered this tragic development this past week. The surviving family members, which include two children, are having a very hard time and could use any help that neighbors are willing to provide. Most of the family’s personal property was destroyed in the fire.

The Sylvan Heights Neighborhood Association is organizing a collection for the family, and Joy Dexheimer with SHNA is leading this effort. Here are items the family can use:

* Gift cards for local grocery stores or fast food restaurants
* Pillows, sheets, covers, books, toys.
* Clothes, shoes and school supplies for the children, a 7 year-old girl and a 3 year-old boy.

If you would like to help in any way, please contact Joy at joyccollins@yahoo.com or (615) 481-1472.

Great Places to Work/Write/Procrastinate in Nashville

Posted on January 28, 2010 by Kenny Silva

I love being a REALTOR.

Why?Because, although I do have an office, I never have to be there!

If I’m going to be on the computer searching for houses, writing emails, designing marketing, or crafting these witty blog posts, what difference does it make where that computer is located.

Hooray for my 13-inch ultra-portable MacBook Pro…

Here’s where I like to park the ‘ol laptop and get down to the nitty gritty:

1. Frothy Monkey
@frothymonkey
http://www.frothymonkeynashville.com/
You may have guessed it. That’s where I am right now. I took this picture on the way in. I love the Frothy Monkey because it’s very relaxed and very homey (the warm,cozy homey… not that clown from In Living Color)
Damon Wayans shoutout.

The coffee’s great, the atmosphere is inviting, and there’s plenty of workspace. Excellent spot to get some things done and have a friendly conversation or two with your neighbor.

2. Ugly Mugs
@uglymugs
www.uglymugsnashville.com/

Tucked nicely into a corner of Eastland Avenue, Ugly Mugs has a cool charm to it that you can only experience if you stop on by. Large overhead garage doors and concrete floors give this cozy java hut a nifty industrial vibe that manages to stay friendly.

I’ve met some great East Nashvillians in Ugly Mugs. The shop’s vibe matches the hip, young, trendy flair of its surrounding neighborhood. If you want to feel what East Nashville is all about, spend an hour or two on one of the uber-comfortable couches in Ugly Mugs.

3. Provence Breads and Cafe

Not a whole lot to it. This is a simple little shop right at the corner of Hill Center across from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. They’ve got some great bread, as the name would imply. They’ve also got some tasty baked goodies and sandwiches. Little pricey, but I’m usually just in it for the coffee. If you can snag a spot in the back, it’s pretty quiet. The front is a little too open for my taste. On warmer days, the patio in front of Provence is perfect.

4. Panera
@panera
www.panerabread.com/
Who’s getting ready to shoot me for recommending a corporate joint? Well, fire away. I’m not a big fan of the 30-minute time limit during peak hours, but Panera’s always got room for me and it’s pretty convenient to both my home and office. I like the shops in Green Hills and Brentwood.

Panera’s also a great place to grab a quick and easy lunch. I love meeting friends and associates there to catch up because the environment is very unassuming. You can have a light, casual chat without the implied intimacy of a quiet, cozy coffee shop.

5. You Tell Me

Don’t call me lazy. I want to know where your favorite place to read, write, study, work, etc. is. I’ve left a few of Nashville’s gems off the list, because these are the ones I frequent the most. Tell me all about your favorite joint and I’ll be sure to check it out!

When Does Value Out-Weigh Cost?

Posted on January 19, 2010 by Kenny Silva

The other day I was on my way to host an open house and I stopped at Kroger to purchase my usual array of snacks for weary travelers; sodas, cookies, etc. On my way into the store, a representative of the Tennessean offered me a free newspaper. I declined, stating that I normally read my news online (which I do.)

Somehow, this sparked a soul-searching session that occupied my mind for the majority of the afternoon.

If you were on Twitter, you may have seen an introspective string of tweets from me on Saturday afternoon to this effect.
photo credit: vramak
My brain went here:

How do you create an equation (product) in which value vastly outweighs cost?

Obviously, when cost is low (or free), value is perceived to be high. Right? So, when the newspaper man offered me something for free, why would I pass on this infinitely valuable product?

There must be something else to it then.

Sure, the newspaper gives me news, but I have to physically flip through it to find the parts that are relevant to my life and my experience. Conversely, Google Reader brings me the news I subscribe to, tailored to my own interest.

Google meets my needs. The newspaper doesn’t. Even if I had to pay for it, Google wins.

What are you talking about? What does this have to do with real estate?

I often hear:

“That discount brokerage will list my home for half of what you charge!”

How do you compete with a service that makes cost the focal point of its value proposition?

Easy. You do what you’re hired and trusted to do while providing remarkable service.
(If you want to know what remarkable service is, ask two girls, a lemonade stand, and Seth Godin.)

Sure, that brokerage will place your house on MLS, put a sign in your yard, and pray that it sells. (The 3 P’s) Good luck hearing from them beyond that. Spend the next few months in quiet agony as no one comes to see your house.
Not a great way to get your house sold, in my humble opinion.

In this market, you need a consultant, not an agent. Someone to walk you through the process and include you along the way. Someone who’s willing to try every trick in the book and, if those don’t work, write a few new ones.

Do I do that? Yes. Talk to me and I’ll tell you exactly how I do that.
Will someone else do that? Maybe. Talk to them and let me know what you think.

Remember, it’s all about putting the client first, pushing to the nth degree, and getting the job done.

Would you consider that ‘value?’

Think about it.

Kenny Silva
Real Estate Consultant

Silva Real Estate Group
www.thesilvagroup.net

Cell:(615)336-6638
Office:(615)425-3600
Fax:(615)690-8721
Email:kenny@thesilvagroup.net
Facebook:http://bit.ly/7ZU3cI
Twitter:http://www.twitter.com/kennysilva
LinkedIn:http://www.linkedin.com/in/silvareg

Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215

Time to Get Cracking, First Time Home Buyers!

Posted on January 16, 2010 by Kenny Silva

You have to have your new home under contract by April 30th if you want to claim the $6500 or $8000 tax credit.

“Yea. Sure. Okay. They’ll just extend it again.”

Have you heard or thought that lately? Here’s the thing about that… It’s probably not getting extended.

“Fine, it’s not getting extended. I still have plenty of time before I need to even think about it.”

How much time did you spend shopping for your last car? If you’re like me, it took a few weeks. Now go ahead and multiply the gravity of that decision by about 10…

So, how long do you need before you find the right house?

Buying a house is no joke. It takes planning and careful consideration.You don’t want to rush it!

Before you know it, the first few months of the year will have slipped by and you’ll be clamoring to find the right house and get it under contract before the deadline arrives.

Those types of situations usually lead to a bad house, bought at a bad price with bad terms.
An $8000 tax credit is worthless if you overpay $10,000 for the house.

You want to find a great piece of real estate on your own time line and get it on your terms.

I’ll be happy to teach you all about what that looks like. All it takes is a phone call and a cup of coffee.

Think about it

Kenny Silva
Real Estate Consultant

Silva Real Estate Group
www.thesilvagroup.net

Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215

203k Loans – FHA's Dirty Little Secret

Posted on January 11, 2010 by Kenny Silva

No, FHA, isn’t hiding anything from you. It’s just that I don’t hear too many people talk about this program.

203k is a program offered by FHA that allows you to borrow extra money to make necessary repairs on your new home.

-> Think a few months ahead to the impending release of foreclosures onto the market.<-

Banks own so many properties right now that they don’t know what to do with them. When they finally decide to unload these properties, you’re going to see a ton of “fixer-uppers” on the market.

Foreclosures offer great opportunity to find some really killer deals. However, they are usually sold AS-IS. So, good luck getting the bank to repair anything.

Still, the great deals will be there.

Why pass up a superbly under-priced property just because it needs a little love?

Re-enter the 203k loan. Let’s look at this example: (we’ll use nice round numbers to keep it simple)

You find a home for sale that you’d like. It’s priced at $80,000 because it needs some work. In good condition, it could sell for $100,000 easily.

You determine that the house will need about $10,000 in repairs to get it up to speed.
You put in an offer on the house and get it under contract for $80,000.
You get two contractors to bid on the work as part of the process.
You apply for your loan to cover the purchase price and rehab costs. (Minus down payment and seller concessions.)
The bank will order an appraisal on the house. The appraiser will assess what the value will be AFTER repairs.
The lender works their magic. You get approved for a $90,000 loan.

Long-story short, you got yourself a home for $80,000, used a government sponsored loan program to get it up to good condition for $10,000 additional, and now you have a $100,000 valued home that you can move into and enjoy.

Ka-ching?… yes, ka-ching.

As with any government program, there are plenty of details that are case-dependent, so check out the link below.

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/203k/203kabou.cfm

This is a great program that is really under-utilized in my humble opinion. Check it out. Get some knowledge. Talk to me.

Think about it.

Kenny Silva
Real Estate Consultant

Silva Real Estate Group
www.thesilvagroup.net

Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215

Silva Real Estate Group Monthly Newsletter – January 2010

Posted on January 8, 2010 by Kenny Silva

Click below for a PDF copy of our monthly newsletter for January 2010:

Silva Real Estate Group Monthly Newsletter – January 2010

Nashville December Home Sales Increase over 13%!!

Posted on January 7, 2010 by Kenny Silva

The following information was provided by Don Klein at the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors:
My own interpretations will be in italics.

DECEMBER HOME SALES INCREASE OVER 13 PERCENT

4th Quarter Shows Significant Increase; Year-end Status Improves Dramatically From Mid-Year Conditions

There were 1,612 home closings in Greater Nashville during December, representing a 13.3 percent increase from the 1,422 closings reported during December of 2008. More people are buying houses! That’s great for buyers because it means that mortgage loans are becoming more accessible. It’s good for sellers because inventory is decreasing and putting a little more power back in their hands.

During the 4th quarter there were 5,730 closings in the region, which is a 29.8 percent increase over the 4,413 closings in the 4th quarter of 2008. More closings = less deals falling apart due to unavailability of financing and other contingency factors.

And, there were 21,183 closings at year-end for 2009, which is 12.6 percent lower than the 24,246 closings for 2008. Could be dismaying, but we have to account for the lack of activity at the beginning of 2009.

The median residential price in December of this year was $164,000 and for a condominium the median price was $149,900. That compares with median prices of $163,750 and $132,062 respectively in December of last year. And, there were 1,339 sales pending at the end of December 2009, compared with 1,250 at the end of December of 2008. Prices are stabilizing and more contracts are being written.

Inventory is down to 20,774, compared with 21,274 in December of 2008. Power is shifting back ever so slightly to the sellers.

From Kenny,

This information is encouraging to say the least.

Activity is being spurred, in part, by the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, as well as low interest rates.Both of those incentives are, however, on their way out much more quickly than you may realize. The time to act is now!

Let’s get together and talk about your options.

Think about it.

Kenny Silva
Real Estate Consultant

Silva Real Estate Group
www.thesilvagroup.net

Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215

What on Earth are you talking about??? – Real Estate Jargon Defined

Posted on January 6, 2010 by Kenny Silva

Welcome back!

Ever listen to people talk about real estate and have no clue what they’re saying?

It’s like they’re speaking another language, right?!?

Admit it… No one is going to judge you… I didn’t understand most of it until recently.

Maybe you have friends who are searching for a house and looooove to talk about it.
Maybe you’ve been watching stories on the news about the housing market.

Glaze over this list from the FTC for a few minutes and give yourself a little brush-up on the terms.

Federal Trade Commission – “Talking the Talk”

Now you’ll be better equipped the next time you find yourself in a real estate conversation.

If you want a little more information, I’m always available for a cup of coffee.

Think about it.

Kenny Silva
Real Estate Consultant

Silva Real Estate Group
www.thesilvagroup.net

Keller Williams Realty
30 Burton Hills Blvd Suite 175
Nashville, TN 37215

Each office independently owned and operated.

Renovating a Bathroom? Tile ideas from about.com

Posted on January 4, 2010 by Kenny Silva

Great tile ideas for your upcoming bathroom renovation!

Bathroom Tile Pictures

Posted using ShareThis

The Silva Group

Helping You Move Forward | East Nashville Real Estate

Tag Archives: sylvan park

Sylvan Park's 'The Green Wagon' To Close Its Doors

Help These Sylvan Heights Fire Victims Out, Nashville

When Does Value Out-Weigh Cost?

203k Loans – FHA's Dirty Little Secret

Silva Real Estate Group Monthly Newsletter – January 2010

Nashville December Home Sales Increase over 13%!!