What type of material are you using for your driveways and sidewalks. Each type has their advantages.  Sometimes one is required by the community. Ever wonder how exposed aggregate is done?

It's going to be another fantastic year with celebration in Brentwood.  Here's info directly from Brentwood about the events:

July 4th Music and Fireworks in Crockett Park. The City of Brentwood invites you to attend the 34th Annual Independence Day Celebration at the Eddy Arnold Amphitheater in Crockett Park from 5pm to 10 pm on Monday July 4, 2022.  The celebration, “Red, White and Boom in Brentwood” will feature The Smoking Section as the evening’s live music.  Food trucks will begin serving food at 5pm, with music starting at 7pm and fireworks at 9pm.  Admission is free thanks to our 2022 sponsors which include platinum sponsors Brentwood Academy, First Bank, Franklin Financial Advisors, and Tractor Supply Company.  We also appreciate our gold and silver supporting sponsorships which include, Core Civic, TMPartners, State Farm Agent Marti Loftis, Orangetheory Fitness, the Middle Tennessee YMCA, Southern Oak Wealth Group, Gresham Smith, Trustcore, Zeitlin Sotheby’s, The Parent Company, Huntington Learning Center, TrustCore, Avenue Construction and our media sponsor Mix 92.9.  

Brentwood Mayor Rhea Little said, “we thank all our sponsors, the local business community, residents, musicians, and City staff who make the summer concerts a success year after year. We had a record-breaking attendance of more than twelve-thousand last year and hope to see as many residents as possible again this year.”

Last year’s July 4th event brought Tim Akers and the Smoking Section to the stage to rock the crowd. Unfortunately, Tim Akers passed away in 2021, due to a lengthy battle with leukemia. While he will be missed, the musicians of The Smoking Section will return to the amphitheater this Independence Day. 

July 4th Lineup

• 5 pm Food Trucks
• 7 pm The Smoking Section Band
• 9 pm Fireworks
• 9:25pm  Music resumes

Several food trucks will be lined up around the park to serve food beginning at 5pm.  Savory trucks include Zanders Woodfired Pizza, Hoss Loaded Burgers, We Soul Roll (The Love Bus), Chick'n Cones, Nashville Chicken and Waffles, Smokin Butz, Roadhouse Grille, Nash Kebab, Grandmas Kitchen "La Patisia", and The Rolling Recipe.  Sweet trucks include Bradley's Curbside Creamery, Rolled 4 Ever, Blue Monkey Shaved Ice, and the TN Cobbler Company.  A twenty to twenty-five-minute firework show will begin at 9pm.  The band will resume playing afterwards to help allow some of the crowd to disperse.  If there is lightning, strong wind or continuous rain between 7– 9pm, the fireworks, and possibly the entire event will be canceled or postponed.  We encourage anyone planning to attend the event to text “Fourth” to 888-777 to receive event specific alerts about traffic, weather, or other safety information.

The summer concert series doesn’t stop with July 4th.  Continuing the summer jams, Rubik’s Groove will take the stage on July 23rd at BrentFest.  You can learn more about this summer festival here: BrentFest 

https://www.brentwoodtn.gov/departments/summer-concert-series

Traffic Plan

Beginning around 8pm, all roads into Crockett Park will be closed and drop offs will not be allowed. The following roads will be open for one-way traffic, exciting the park only until the completion of the firework show: 

• Wilson Pike – northbound from Crockett Road to Concord Road

• Wilson Pike – southbound from Crockett Road to Moores Lane

• Crockett Road – eastbound from the rear park exit to Arrowhead Drive

• Crockett Road – westbound from Volunteer Pkwy to Wilson Pike

Home sales continue to be strong in the Middle Tennessee, but inflation is beginning to creep up causing a rise in interest rates that will start to deter some home buyers as costs rise and affordability of their plans fades.  Remember though that traditionally home pricing rises, so those who decide to wait will most likely only pay more later.  Let's take a look at how the home and real estate sales shaped up for May of 2022 in the counties of Davidson (Nashville), Williamson, Maury, Wilson, Sumner, and Rutherford.  

It's been an absolutely wild 24 months or so in the real estate world for many markets including Middle Tennessee.  Change is in the air though which is to be expected.  Nashville (Davidson County) and the surrounding areas including the counties of Willamson, Sumner, Wilson, Rutherford, and Maury are generally a strong market for sales and withstand a lot of what hits other areas of the country, and so far the changes starting to take place are still allowing home sales in the Nashville area to remain strong.

Okay, for those of you who love numbers... you'll like this! I'm sure you've seen on the news or hear from friends how the home market is around here right now (it's on fire). Biddings wars, days on market is often hours on market, homes going under contract before they actually go active, and more. That being said, not all homes fall into that category. The demand is real. The low inventory is real, but here's a snapshot that shows not everything is selling over list price. A lot of info that floats around is often generic in nature, but here are some specifics on how the last 250 homes have closed in relation to their original list prices. I've gone one step further and broken it down according to home price brackets, because I know we all wonder where each of our properties may fit into the mix. You'll be able to quickly see how homes sold for: the original listing price, below the original listing price, or above the original listing price. There are many more ways this data can be analyzed, but this will give you an idea on how properties are closing. Check it out - it's great info!

Shaun J. Larson - HomeSellingNinja.com - 615-513-1577

#homesellingninja #realestate #nolensvilletn #homesalestats #lovenumbers #movingtonashville #realtorintheknow #realtor #williamsoncounty

Okay, for those of you who love numbers... you'll like this! I'm sure you've seen on the news or hear from friends how the home market is around here right now (it's on fire). Biddings wars, days on market is often hours on market, homes going under contract before they actually go active, and more. That being said, not all homes fall into that category. The demand is real. The low inventory is real, but here's a snapshot that shows not everything is selling over list price. A lot of info that floats around is often generic in nature, but here are some specifics on how the last 250 homes have closed in relation to their original list prices. I've gone one step further and broken it down according to home price brackets, because I know we all wonder where each of our properties may fit into the mix. You'll be able to quickly see how homes sold for: the original listing price, below the original listing price, or above the original listing price. There are many more ways this data can be analyzed, but this will give you an idea on how properties are closing. Check it out - it's great info!

Irrigation Leak?  Plumbing Leak?  High Water Bill?

Many of us have been there.  You may either receive an abnormally HIGH water bill or a notice from your water company about a suspected leak.  The main reason a water supplier may alert you is because your measured numbers were abnormally high (per the meter) and/or the timing/duration of use is abnormal - all of which means they are suspect a leak is on your side of the meter.  You may want to simply call a plumber or irrigation service now which is perfectly fine, but if you're the investigative type, here are some tips on how to proceed with possibly discovering the leak source prior to calling a service company.  Fixing it may still require calling someone, but this may help determine who to call.  Your situation may vary if you have multiple water meters (1 for irrigation and 1 for your home, or one for a pool set-up) but this will apply to most set-ups.  NOTE:  Traditionally, if a leak is on the supply/street side of a meter, it's the responsibility of the water supply company/municipality to resolve.  If a leak is on the property owner's side of the meter, it's their responsibility to resolve.  It should also be noted that some water suppliers will work with property owners on adjustments to a high bill if an affidavit is supplied stating a leak was discovered and repaired.

Let's take a few steps to see if you can discover the source of your leak.  Keep in mind that a leak will only "run" when it has water supplied to it, so if a valve of any sort turns water on and off to the leak location, it could only leak when the valve is on, so if anything is on timers or inside appliances the leak may vary with timing making it more difficult to find.  We'll attempt to find it regardless.

• Locate Your Water Meter:  Prior to the following, ensure nobody else in your home is using water for anything.  Your water meter is usually in a concrete or metal valve box in your yard (or even within concrete surfaces in some locations) and is flush with your lawn.  This will most often be in a front yard close to the street, but can occur elsewhere.  Once found, you can usually either flip open the top door (sometimes metal) or remove the lid (it's heavy but just lifts off).  Now, look inside at your valve to see if you can see any sort of gauge.  It may have a flip-up cover over it.  Once discovered, you'll see either see digital numbers or rolling analog dials like older car odometers.  These numbers show your water consumption for billing purposes.  When water flows through the meter, the numbers change.  If the numbers are not moving at all... not even slightly... then there is no water flowing through the meter at that time which would indicate no full-time leak.  If they are moving, water is flowing through the meter.  A leak can make them move very slowly for slight leaks and very quickly for substantial leaks, so watch for enough time to be sure you can see evidence for even a slow leak.  There are different types of meters out there, so yours may have additional flow indicators that will assist in determining if there is flow and the rate.  Assuming you discovered moving numbers or an active flow indicator, let's proceed.  If you did not discover moving numbers, water is not leaking at a detectable rate at that time.

Now, let's see if we can separate your home from your irrigation system (this is assuming you're running everything through 1 water meter).

• Locate Home's Main Shut-Off Valve:  The main shut off for your home is a valve that opens/closes the pipe that allows ALL water to come into your home for showers, sinks, toilets, etc.  Every homeowner should know where this is in the case of emergency.  If you don't know where yours is, now's a great time to find it.  It's often near a water heater because the supply line coming into your home directly feeds your water heater (plus more).  This valve could be one that you have to twist/turn/screw in (like your garden hose bib), or the more modern type which is a lever that simply turns 90 degrees.  If this type, you simply turn the valve handle so it's perpendicular to the pipe and the water is shut off.  What this does is isolates your entire home (assuming you only have 1 supply line) from your water supply line coming from the street.  Why is it important to use this valve method?  Because we want to be 100% sure that no water is running in your home.  It's easy to think none is, but with faucets, tubs, dishwashers, clothes washers, leaking toilets, ice makers, etc... it's hard to guarantee it, so this valve shuts off the entire home at once.  Now, that we're sure no water is running in your home, on to the next step.
• Revisit Your Water Meter:  With the entire home turned off, let's return to your water meter out in the yard to take another look at the numbers.  If the numbers are still moving (and we're assuming nothing outside is running), then the leak is between the meter and your home because by shutting off your main valve for the home, we've eliminated areas actually IN your home, so water must be leaking elsewhere.  If the numbers have stopped moving, then the leak is most likely within your home and by turning off the main supply valve you essentially shut off the leak by not allowing water into your home.  You can confirm this by turning your main valve back on and returning to the meter yet again to check the numbers again to see that they're moving again.  Now, keep in mind that while doing this you will need to ensure that nothing automated or on timers is running (or not) because that could corrupt your test with things coming on and off automatically.  Here are some additional steps that depend on what you discovered.

If the meter numbers kept moving after you shut off the home's valve and you've concluded that the leak is OUTSIDE of your home, then here are some things to consider for leak sources:

• A main supply line is routed from the meter to your home, so it is possible this is leaking.  This is the main supply line that provides all water to your home for all uses and was installed during the building of your home.  Most of this length is underground, but then will enter your crawl space (if you have one), or is routed under your slab if that's your construction type.  In most cases, this is a job for a plumber.
• If you have an irrigation system, this too could be the possible source for the leak.  There are many ways for an irrigation system to be set up.  It will include a line that connects to your main water supply line and ends at your back-flow preventer (the large brass valve above ground) and a continuation of the supply line from the back-flow preventer to the rest of your irrigation system.  From this point, irrigation systems may have all your zone valves in one location (called a manifold), OR you may have a series of valve boxes (green tops) that are in-ground around your yard.  Each valve turns on/off to open the pipe allowing water to feed that zone of your yard/landscaping.  Your leak can occur in any of these pressured lines or from a failed valve not properly closing which allows a little water to flow through but not enough to engage the heads.  Some systems allow you to manually open/close valves, so it is possible that you can close each one to ensure it's closing properly and discontinuing the flow to help determine which one may be faulty.  In most cases and for most people, these scenarios are going to require a service person... and possibly one that has sonic equipment to "listen" for leaks using special equipment to minimize how much yard to dig up during repair.  You may even look for soft wet spots in your yard or other evidence of water running that may help direct you to the general area.

If the meter's numbers stopped moving when you shut off the home and you've concluded that the leak is INSIDE of your home, then here are some things to consider. 

• First, there are a LOT of possible leak sources in your home.  Everything in your home that is connected to a water source has some sort of valve that turns it on/off.  This includes all faucets, shower valves, ice makers, clothes washers, dishwashers.  A failure of any seal or actual device can cause leaking.
• Running toilets are one of the most common sources.  The seals in the bottom of the tanks often degrade.  The refill valves often degrade as well.  In most cases, you can hear the water running to refill the tank (because the leak is allowing tank water to run down the drain and not keep the proper level).  The good news is that these are easily and inexpensively repaired.  Cracked tanks are also possible, but less common than seal failure.  If you suspect a toilet, you can always turn off the supply line to the toilet (under the tank near the floor or wall) and then check your water meter again to see that the numbers have stopped moving (assuming you've turned the main supply to the home back on).
• Ice makers and dishwashers also have small valves that can leak.  When in the proximity of hardwood floors, they can often result in water flowing under the hardwood causing it to swell and buckle (cup). Although some people may say that damage may relax back down, in my experience it usually does not fully and will require hardwood repair/replacement.
• Clothes washer supply lines route from your wall to the back of your washer.  These occasionally can burst or include a small hole.  This is usually quickly evident with water on your floor, but in the event your washer sits in a pan (which may or may not be connected to a drain) be sure to check your pan for moisture.
• General plumbing is also something to consider.  You may have a leak anywhere in your plumbing, so it could come down to a plumber examining your entire home for drips or signs of water having run over a period of time.  This could include anything in your crawl space, or under your slab if your home is built on a concrete slab.  Plumbing in a crawl space is usually easily resolved.  Plumbing under a slab will require floor removal and cutting the concrete for access and a repour as part of the repair.
• Faucets and shower valves are also components to consider.  Usually faucets have voids under them (cabinets) where you can see leaking.  Shower valves are another story.  It is possible for these to leak and drip within a wall where they go unnoticed until something calls attention to it (like a bill or water damage).

Some of the home leaks can be fixed by an ambitious DYIer.  Toilet tank seals and valves are easily resolved with a trip to the home improvement store.  Some seals are even available in a higher grade than what originally ships, so that may be something to investigate to provide longevity.

Multiple Water Meters

This is going to be more the exception than the rule.  If you by chance have multiple water meters, then a similar approach will be used for each meter to isolate the area of the leak.  You' want to isolate each area while checking the meter's gauge for movement.  Why multiple meters?  In some areas, property owners are billed for water in and sewage out.  Sewage out is partially calculated on the water in.  They figure if water came into your home, then it went back out for processing too, so they charge accordingly and that may be about 50% of your bill.  As we all know, not all water goes back out the sewer line.  We water lawns, wash cars, kids may play in the sprinklers, but the water company cannot account for all of that for every single property owner, so their system simply assumes water in is sewer out, but they often offer an alternative.  That is to install a second water meter for purposes where the water is NOT going back out the sewer line such as in irrigation system.  When you run an irrigation system through a second dedicated meter, you are not billed for those gallons as sewer out.  It's not free though.  You'll pay a substantial connection fee (often a few thousand dollars) for the ability to connect.  Once done though, and if you're at that property for the long haul, the expense can wash out and result in a long term savings.

No mater which set-up you have, isolation of areas is the key to finding a leak's location.  By properly utilizing valves, you can narrow the location of your leak and better know which service person to contact for a repair.  As mentioned, be sure to ask your water supplier about options for adjustments to high water bills.  It should also be noted that if a home is new, the irrigation was set up by the installer, and a homeowner is new to using irrigation that homeowner may be initially surprised at their water bill... even if it is actually correct (leading them to believe they have a leak).  It's astonishing how much a properly watered lawn consumes, so irrigation systems are often dialed back to stay on budget.  Having a point of reference (like previous years' use) is a great way to determine if consumption is off the norm and if you possibly have a leak... which is what the water company is doing if they send you a notice.

All the luck with resolving any water issues.

It's that time of year again where you're starting to talk about where you'll watch fireworks for July 4th.  If you've never been to the display that Nashville puts on downtown at the waterfront, then you're missing one of the great visual displays (of anything) that you'll ever witness.  It is simply unbelievable, and that's the popular opinion... not just mine.  I recall decades ago when the fireworks display was "okay" for a town the size of Nashville, but then a turn of events occurred and the plan was reworked (and I believe privately funded), and the entire situation changed.  Nashville rocketed upward to one of the of the top displays in the country.  Since then, it's often claimed to be THE #1 display, but that's of course going to be subjective.  Despite any rankings, it is something not to be missed at least once in your lifetime. 

If going downtown isn't on the plan for this year (but hopefully another), then there are some additional great displays in the areas surrounding Nashville that will fill your heart with the spirit of July 4th.  Here's a guide where you can find some great displays this year in Middle Tennessee:

• Downtown Nashville waterfront - Concerts start at 4pm and fireworks start around 9:30pm  Click for Details
• Clarksville Independence Day Celebration - 5:00-9:30 Click for Details
• Franklin has several events going on.  Click for Calendar list
• Gallatin - Triple Creek Park - starts at 2pm
• Goodlettsville - Moss-Wright Park - starts at 4pm - Click for Details
• Hendersonville - July 3rd - Drakes Creek Park - starts at 5pm Click for Details
• Nolensville - July 3rd - Nolensville Park - 6-9pm Click for Details

April 2-8: Mule Day

Downtown Columbia | Columbia

If you aren’t from Middle Tennessee you may not know it, but Mule Day is a favorite with all the locals! Over 100,000 visitors head to Columbia to see the parade, mule shows, and enjoy southern food! This has been a local tradition for the last 170 years and has awarded Columbia the title, “Mule Capital,” of the world. You really just have to see it in person!

April 7: East Nashville Beer Festival

700 Woodland Street | Nashville

The 8th Annual East Nashville Beer Festival is a must-attend event for beer lovers! All samples are included in the price of admission and you have the choice of everything you can think of: traditional Belgian, German, imported beers, and local breweries!

Note: This event is 21 and up.

April 7: Ragin’ Cajun Crawfish Boil

Cumberland Park | Nashville

Make sure to save your appetite because this festival is all-you-can-eat crawfish! Enjoy live music along with your Cajun food. Alaina Cross, Three Star Revival, Dew Pendelton, and more will all be playing music for visitors!

Note: This event is 21 and up.

April 13-14: Spring Fling Market

Briar Rose Hill Event Venue | Bethpage

The Spring Fling Market is a great place to snag some clothing, pottery, leader goods, and more unique goods! Tickets are only $5 on Friday night (which also comes with free wine and appetizers!) and $3 on Saturday. On Saturday, you can also enjoy food from various food trucks, including, The Mac Attack Food Truck, Dan’s Gourmet, and more!

When you finish shopping, you can also see the 1850s plantation house and carriage barn at Briar Rose Hill!

April 14: Cherry Blossom Festival

1 Public Square | Nashville

Come celebrate Japenese culture and enjoy the gorgeous cherry blossoms! The day starts off at 9:45 am with a Cherry Blossom Walk that follows 2.5 miles of Nashville’s beautiful parks. When you are finished walking, enjoy the day with a variety of children’s activities, try your hand at sumo wrestling, or participate in the Pups in Pink Parade benefiting the Nashville Humane Association!

April 16-22: Nashville Comedy Festival

Various Locations | Nashville

If you love to laugh, then this festival is going to give you plenty of opportunities! This festival is jam-packed with well-renowned names in comedy including, Jeff Dunham, Tim Allen, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and Brad Paisley! Tickets range in price as do venues so make sure to buy your tickets early!

April 21: Boro Adventure Fest

Barfield Park | Murfreesboro

It’s time to run away to the woods for an adventure-packed day in the ‘Boro! Murfreesboro Parks and Recreation Department has partnered with Candle Wishes Foundation, which provides birthday wishes and essential supplies for homeless and needy children, to put on this festival.

The only way to get to this fest is to hike through the woods. This journey leads to live music, campfires, food, slack lines, rock climbing, and fun activities for kids! There’s even a free campout with dinner! At only $10 to pre-register, this is an amazing and cheap activity for your weekend!

April 28-29: Main Street Festival

Historic Downtown Franklin | Franklin

This free event draws crowds of thousands to celebrate spring in downtown Franklin! Known for its live music, local artisans, and amazing food options, you’ll find plenty of entertainment at Main Street Festival! Proceeds from the event will go to the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County. Parking is free at Church of the CIty and Harlinsdale Farm so make sure to avoid the traffic! Shuttles will run from each location and charge $1 each way and per person.

April 29: Nash Spring Bash

Public Square Park | Nashville

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, we love food trucks! This fun festival is a huge food truck meetup! Over 40 business vendors are going to be joining some of the cities favorite trucks to raise money for Project 615, a local philanthropic apparel company. Come enjoy amazing eats while raising money for a great cause!

The warmer seasons are here and OPEN HOUSE signs are popping up all over the place on the weekends.  Reports for the weekend's open houses are being pulled by buyers all across the country using their favorite app or site.  They're mapping out the locations, driving out to them, but.... maybe not actually going in.  Hmmm....

Now, this may seem humorous, but my first tip is to actually go into the home.  Yes, I  know... it sounds crazy and funny, but you would be amazed at how many people take their time to map out all the open houses, drive to them, but don't go in.  Sometimes, they'll even stop, open the car door, grab a flyer from the box, but still not go in.  You would be AMAZED at how often the home that a buyer eventually decides on is one they judged by the inside.... not the outside.  For that reason, I always encourage home buyers to definitely go inside even if you're not sure about the outside.

One reason that home buyers may be reluctant to go inside is that they feel they'll be pressured, over-sold to, and the agent will come on too strongly.  My suggestion would be to simply express to the hosting agent your preference on how you like to view homes.  Some people like to self-tour while others like to be given a tour.  The host wants you to be comfortable, so feel free to communicate to them your preference.  The host will always be on hand to provide additional information about the home that you will not get by simply viewing it, so take advantage of that by asking questions throughout your visit.

If you already have a signed buyer's agent agreement with a Realtor, go ahead and share that info with the hosting agent during the introduction.  It's most helpful for everyone to know that in the beginning to make communications more efficient should you want to move forward on the home.  Some agents supply their clients with cards to hand out should the buyer go exploring homes on their own. This is great because it instantly supplies the host agent all the contact info of the buyer's agent.

So, as you embark on your home searching adventure, be sure to include open houses into the plan, and as funny as it may sound... yes... actually go in even if you may not be initially confident with the exterior.  If you have any questions about visiting open houses, and if you would like me to join you (assuming you're not working with another agent), I would be thrilled to show you some homes.  Contact me and we'll get you rolling.