Kroger and the Vet

Kroger is BACK and I love it! 

Ok….I can dispell the “rumor” about Kroger pulling out. It’s just that….a rumor. I spoke with my contact at Kroger (he’s actually the project manager). He stated that equipment will be on site April 1. They are ready to break ground as soon as possible.

Thank you, Angie B.!!! 

Sad news from the morning.  Our almost-20-year old cat had to be put down this morning after sufferng a massive seizure.  I wouldn’t normally share something so intensely personal and sad here, but I wanted to publicly thank the doctors and staff at the LaVergne Veterinary Clinic for their kindness, compassion, and for being so gentle.  They were incredibly professional this morning and I really appreciate it.

Goodbye, Pootster.  It was a good 20 years.

Scary Road, Scary Experience

I hadn’t read my friend Chip’s blog today, but found his post through Music City Bloggers.  You may know that he’s only the best school bus driver in LaVergne (okay, we have a lot of good ones but since he’s my friend I’m going to say his the best!).  Chip had a close-call today:

As I topped the hill an eighteen wheeler came around the curve heading toward me.

The truck itself was on its side of the road but the trailer was not. The rear of the trailer was heading straight towards my mirror and me. With barely a piece of shoulder I took the bus off the side and nearly flipped.

Thankfully, noone was injured, the bus wasn’t damaged, I was able to get back up on the road and finish my route.

If you work for the city in any type of capacity that controls roads and planning, etc. you MUST READ HIS ENTIRE POST.  Remember, that could’ve been your child on the bus and next time he may not be so lucky.

Shameless Self Promotion in Which She Throws Modesty Out the Window

“I’d like to thank Shamu.  And all the other mammals and the U.S. Americans.”

That would’ve been my thank you speech, but someone was smart enough to not give me a microphone.  I won our company-wide “Whale Done” Award today!   Named after Ken Blanchard‘s Whale Done: The Power of Positive Relationships, the people who’ve been elected by their colleagues in our offices from around Middle Tennessee are then “nominees” for the company award.  I’m not sure who makes the final selection of the winner, but my guess is it’s Mr. Bob Parks, our general manager Sharon Langford, and possibly the brokers from the offices.  It was exciting!!

And during the state-of-the-company address, I was reminded that Bob Parks Realty, LLC is an official sponsor of the Tennessee Titans. 

There were some pretty interesting statistics discussed today.  It is still a “sellers” market when it comes to homes in the range up to $150,000.  BUT, if you list your home right now you’ll only have a 50-50 chance of selling it the first go-round.  The Feds are considering legislation that will raise the limit of a home loan to $650,000 before it’s considered a “jumbo” loan which would mean higher interest rates.  I think that limit is now in the low 400-thousands. 

Mr. Parks is optimistic like I am that by summer we’ll see the market start to take off again.  I think people paid to be economists are saying 2009, though.  However, if my ringing phone is any indication, I think it’ll be this spring!!

Anyway, it was kind of an exciting day today for me.  Thank you for being patient while I bragged.

Today’s News: Sunday

Someone who I think might’ve been from the Auto Zone commented that they were robbed last night.  Thankfully no one was hurt.  Here’s the comment:

Just wanted to pass on , Last night about 9:00 pm the La Vergne Auto Zone next to McDonalds got robbed at gun point.  No one got hurt. Robbers were 2 males. The store is opening today sun. at about 10:00. Phones were disabled.So we are repairing. Thanks

I’m relieved everyone was okay, but cripey.  I’ve just never understood how ANYONE could grow up thinking it’s okay to point a gun at someone else, to take things by force, or to kill someone.  Is TV to blame?  Or bad parenting?  Or can someone just be that bad at the core of their being.  My mom would say it’s the devil at work.  In any case, again I’m glad to hear no one was hurt.

More bad news… word has it that Kroger has decided NOT to come to LaVergne because there was no place to put a gas station at the store.  I think where there’s a will there’s a way, so if this news is true then Kroger I’m very disappointed in you.

Who needs Kroger, anyway?  Let’s end with some really good news.  Did you know an African market has opened in LaVergne?  It looks really neat… I wonder if they’ll have some cooking classes?

In 2005, 11,099, or about 13 percent, of the foreign-born population in the Nashville-Murfreesboro Metro Statistical Area were natives of Africa, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.  The couple said they listen to their customers when selecting what foods to carry.

Music City Bloggers

I was asked a couple of weeks ago to take the position of Real Estate and Neighborhood Editor at Music City Bloggers.  Today was my first day to post there.   It’s interesting how quickly a place becomes home.

… when we moved here I was incredibly disappointed in the agent we had chosen to guide us through our real estate transaction.  Always the pretentious one, I thought I could do a better job than she did and enrolled in the required classes to get my license.  In all honesty, my first year was very difficult because in real estate, it’s all about who you know in order to gain referrals.  This new transplant didn’t know anyone… the nicest person I sort of knew was my daughter’s bus driver because he always smiled and waved at me in the morning. 

Bookmark Music City Bloggers, put them in your Feed Reader, or click on their link over in the right hand “friend” column so you can keep up with what’s going on.  If you like This is LaVergne, you’ll like the Music City blog!

Knit Happens

It was with great excitement and enthusiasm that I saw this article in today’s Daily News Journal about how a caring group of women from LaVergne have a knitting group that make sweaters for the needy.

“Every crocheted and knitted stitch is surrounded by love,” the La Vergne resident said. “They are also life-saving devices.”  Since the group began, more than 3,400 sweaters have been made by the Heartwarmers, which now includes Protestants, Catholics and knitters of other faiths.

I think the work these women do is fantastic.  What wonderful hearts they have to show this kind of love for strangers in need!

Total Number of Properties, by Neighborhood

Someone asked in the last “by neighborhood” for the total number of houses.  I have searched the tax database provided to REALTORs(tm) to come up with these numbers.  There are some disclaimers, though:

1. These may not just be houses, but also LOTS that are free of homes.  The tax records show who owns the lots and houses and I just can’t go through every lot in LaVergne one-by-one to verify there is a house located on it. 
2. The houses located in the neighborhood could be single-family residences, mobile homes, zero lot home (like a duplex but you own), etc.  Or – again – there may not be a house at all.
3. The search I conducted is very informal.  I just typed in a neighborhood name and the report churned out how many PROPERTIES were found.
4. If I make a mistake, please let me know so I can fix it!

Let’s get started.

Akin Heights:  40
Akins Ridge: 36
Arbor Heights: 88
Ben Franklin: 108
Brookside:  37
Cedar Grove:  155
Cedar Lake:  259
Center Hill:  94
Chaney Woods:  122
Deer Park:  75
Dove Creek:  99
Eastwood:  221
Farmingdale:  249
Fergus Woods:  25
Greenwood:  140
Hailey Hills:  261
Hampton Roads:  44
Heritage Valley:  413
Ivy Pointe:  65
Jefferson Place:  45
Jones Mill:  9
Lake Forest:  2,206
Lakepointe:  59
Madison Square:  232
McFarlin Pointe:  232*
Morgans Retreat:  52
Morningside:  103
Park Villa:  39
Pinnacle Pointe:  24**
Poplar Creek:  66
Ridgemont:  80
Stonehenge:  206
Stonemark:  72
Sunrise:  4***
Summit View:  110
Watersedge:  215
Woodland Hills:  356
Woodsong:  21

*McFarlin Pointe is actually listed as a Nolensville address, so I’m thinking LaVergne can’t really claim it.  However, I included the numbers here since I had included them in the previous neighborhood search.

**The MLS online tax records did not show that Pinnacle Point exists.  However, I did a regular MLS search on what is currently listed, pending, or sold and that showed 24 homes.

***What?  That can’t be right!

Just for kicks, I looked at the Evergreen Farms subdivision in Murfreesboro because I know it’s big big big.  They have 1,125 properties.  I wonder if the new homes in Lake Forest have a different subdivision name… if you know, please comment and I’ll look it/them up.  Peace.