Chattanooga Real Estate Blog

Just in case you ever want your coffee table to shoot flames:)  Comes with Walnut, Ash or Oak legs.

April 27
Brad Vice reading and signing, 7 p.m. Rock Point Books. Author of the Bear Bryant Funeral Train. Free and open to the public. 401 Broad St. (423) 756-2855.

April 28
The 6th Annual First Things First Ride for Families. Start at Max Finley Stadium to begin a 120-mile ride through the scenic Tennessee Valley. 10 a.m. Pre-registration fee is $20 for a one-person bike or $30 for a two-person bike before the day of the ride. The registration fee includes breakfast and dinner as well as a T-shirt and admission to the National Cornbread Festival. www.firstthings.org, 267-5383.

April 28
Eric Kast Memorial Great Strides fundraising walk for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Event begins at the Riverpark’s Hubert Fry Center Porch, registration at 9 a.m., walk begins at 10 a.m. http://www.cff.org, or call (800) FIGHT CF.

April 28
AAA Women’s Services will hold its 15th annual Walk for Life at 10 a.m. at the Tennessee Riverpark. Contact Cindy Pare at 892-0803 or via e-mail at cindy@aaawomen.org. Registrations and donations can be accepted online by visiting http://www.friendsofaaa.org

April 29 - May 27
Art on the Pier, every Sunday. Chattanooga Pier. 11:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. “Art on the Pier” artists will display and sell their works with some artists sketching live portraits. Solo musicians (non-amplified) will provide music throughout the afternoon at the event.

This is the scenario:

I have a home under contract and I represent the seller.  The buyer has a home inspection performed and the inspector says there are 2 gas leaks.  One on the gas pipe before it gets to the meter and one inside the house above the water heater.

Of course, we immediately contact the Chattanooga Gas Company (a subsidiary of Atlanta Gas and Light) and report a leak.  The local tech is there quickly and finds no leaks but is unable to give anything in writing while in the field.  He gives the seller an 800 number in Atlanta to call for the "verbal report".

I contact them and am told that they will not release a report on their findings to me or to the owner without a court order.  What?!?!?!  Over the next three days I speak with many different people at the gas company to no avail. 

Finally I arrange to have the gas company, the inspector, the buyers agent and myself meet at the house yesterday morning.  Surprise, surprise, there are 2 leaks right where the inspector said they were. 

Now, my issue is what if the house exploded due to the gas leak that the gas company said wasn’t there the first time they went to investigate?  I think this is why you can’t get anything in writing from them.  They don’t want to own liability of their incompetance.  If anything had happened, my guess is that the gas company would have denied they ever investigated a leak there.  The public is in grave danger and are being lied to by the gas company! 

What do we do as customers?  I, personally, will never trust the gas company again.  If I suspect a leak I’m calling a plumber.

RealtyTrac has released it’s market report on March foreclosures.  The report shows 149,150 properties nationwide entered some stage of foreclosure during the month, a increase of 6.6 percent from the previous month and an increase of a wopping 46.81 percent from March 2006.  That’s 1 in every 775 households! 

We saw some improvement in Tennessee in March.  Yee Haa!!  We had the 14th highest rate in the nation.  Not good you say?  Well, I agree but it’s a huge improvement over last month and even last year.  1 in 772 households for a decrease over last month of 17% and 6.5% over last March.  At least March was a step in the right direction and hopefully the trend will continue.

The 10 highest were:

10  Illinois
  9  Indiana
  8  Ohio
  7  Florida
  6  Michigan
  5  Arizona
  4  Georgia
  3  California
  2  Colorado
  1  Nevada

Chattanooga was named one of the Top 11 Southern Retirement Towns in the February/March 2007 issue of Retirement Lifestyles, a 10-year-old magazine that highlights locations, communities and lifestyles for prospective retirees across the U.S.  Of course, I have always known this

Well, I’ve spent the last 4 days in class finishing up my education requirements to finally sit for my real estate brokers exam.  I made it!!  Passed the final with a score of 93.  First thing Monday I’ll apply to take the state test and hopefully by the end of next week I’ll officially be a Real Estate Broker.

April 20
Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays reading and signing, 7 p.m. Rock Point Books. Co-authors of Somebody is Going to Die if Lilly Beth Doesn’t Catch That Bouquet. 401 Broad St. (423) 756-2855.

April 21
Rocky the Recycling Raccoon visits Rock Point Books for Earth Day, 11 a.m. Free and open to the public. 401 Broad St. (423) 756-2855.

April 21
Volunteer Work Day at the East Ridge Pool. Work will begin at 9 a.m. at the pool located at 4150 Monroe St.

April 21
The BlueCross Market Street Mile and Mystery History Quest. Both events kick off with registration at 8:30 a.m. at the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza in downtown Chattanooga. The BlueCross Market Street Mile races begin at 9 a.m. Registration fees range from $4 to $12 per person, depending on age and date of registration.

April 21
Beer on the Bridge. 4-7 p.m. Tickets $25 in advance, $30 at the gate.
Enjoy over 100 imported, craft and micro-brewed beers.

April 21
Market Basket 2007 – A Birthday Bash. 6 p.m., Chattanoogan. Dinner, dance, and auction benefiting the Partnership for Families, Children and Adults as it celebrates its 130th anniversary. Call 697-3807 for tickets or information.

April 21
Gold Leaf Designs & Gallery hosts an open house in honor of Hubert Shuptrine ~ The Early Works. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. 266-4453

April 21
MotorSports Show and Swap Meet, Chattanooga State. Setup at 8 a.m., judging at noon. 697-3178.

April 21-22 (My Pick!!)
4 Bridges Arts Festival. Combines fine visual art, food, and music in a family-friendly atmosphere. First Tennessee Pavilion.

April 21-22
Women’s Day will be observed at Greater Tucker Baptist Church, 1115 N. Moore Road on Sunday, April 22. The service will begin at 10:45 a.m. Evangelist Lisa Wigfall will be the speaker, Shirley Tipton is the Chairperson, and Rev. M.T. Billingsley, is the pastor. Call 423-510-9684 for more information.

April 22
In celebration of Earth Day, Rocky the Recycling Raccoon and Team Recycle will educate visitors to Warner Park Zoo about the importance of recycling in Chattanooga and recycling the right way. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.