Where I Live

If you are a nature person, then this is an article that you will want to read. Knoxville has many parks to choose from. With that said, they will soon be adding a dog park to the list below. At the current time, there is anything from parks with lakes or ponds, to parks with nature trails or hiking. The World’s Fair Park might be one of the best known here in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Whatever it is that you are looking to do outdoors, these parks can definitely supply those outdoor needs. If you are planning on visiting Knoxville, then please take the time to check these out.

World’s Fair Park

Sam Hill Park

Caswell Park

Beverly Park

Ball Camp Community Park

Chilhowee Park

Ijams Nature Park

This coming Saturday, February 21, 2009 will mark the 2nd annual Mardi Growl Parade. The costume parade is designed for dogs and their owners. The parade will begin at the corner of Central Avenue and Summit Hill Drive. This is the site where the dog park will be built in the near future. The area is also known as “The Old City”. The parade route will end at Market Square. Pets and owners are encouraged to dress the part. 

This event is being put on by PetSafe Village and Invisible Fence Brand and being produced by by the City of Knoxville and Young-Williams Animal Center. Proceeds raised from the event support animal adoption efforts of the Young-Williams Animal Center. 

Please make sure to show up early.

One of the things that I get asked all the time is what is the quality of life in Knoxville, Tennessee. Well, to answer that, I guess the first thing that one has to understand is, what qualities are you looking for. If it is the hustle and bustle of the big city, and all the night life that you can enjoy, then this is not the city for you.

Knoxville is a college town. With the University of Tennessee positioned as the focal point, life here pretty much revolves around it and the churches. Now, that is not to say that there are not night clubs, dance clubs, gay bars, sports bar, and life such as this lingering here in town. Hell, if there were not, this would not even be much of a college town then. On top of the bar life, there is great entertainment in the form of malls and theaters. You can shop till you drop of catch one of the latest flicks in any of the 10+ cinemas in town.

So, if you get a chance, come visit our fair city.

After just 10 weeks of being the new head coach for the University of Tennessee, Lane Kiffin is already landing in hot water. Just over a week ago, Lane “mistakenly” accused University of Florida head coach Urban Meyer of committing an NCAA recruiting violation. After that incident, Kiffin himself was discovered by the UT officials to have committed 3 NCAA violations himself.

Now, mind you, these violations are of a secondary nature and not too severe, but the University of Tennessee officials are not happy with Lane’s miscues. With all these issues now popping up, I am wondering how many people are wishing that the Vols would have waited on Jon Gruden?

The Dogwood Arts House & Garden Show will be in Knoxville, Tennessee this coming weekend on Friday and Saturday. The dates will be 02/20/2009 and 02/21/2009 and the event will be held at the Knoxville Convention Center between the hours of 10 AM and 8 PM. If you have never attended one of these festivals, then I urge you to get out and enjoy this one.

This will be the largest house and garden show in all of Tennessee and promises to provide a ton of information. It will draw do-it-yourselfers, garden enthusiast, as well as interior decorators from all over. There will be many products and services available for people that are into gardening, building, remodeling, and decorating.

Are you a fan of dance? How about music? Now if we throw in a ton of Irish heritage you begin to see where we are headed. On February 17th and 18th the Knoxville Civic Auditorium welcomes the incredible Riverdance.

This spectacular is an incredible display of traditional Irish dance and music. Tapping their way into the hearts of thousands of spectators around the world this is an event unlike any other. This is a great event for the entire family to enjoy. Tickets are very affordable and are still available. There are group, senior, and students discounts available. Click HERE to view your ticket option.

The Dogwood Arts Festival is a popular and long running event in Knoxville. In 2001 as part of this festival, local artists donated their talents to raise money for the festival. They did this by painting a variety of fiberglass bears. These bears were then auctioned to raise money to help support the festival. Since that time these bears have become a fixture around the city. On display for all to enjoy these bears are a whimsical way for the city to express itself.

In that same sense of expressiveness, the bear which has greeted visitors outside the Knoxville Visitors Center since then. In recent months the original “Tourist Bear” has been repainted. In its new incarnation it shows the four season of Knoxville through the depiction of four Knoxville landmarks. Prior to the bear’s unveiling, the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation has sponsoring an event to name the bear! The contest runs through February 25th and is a fun way to get involved in Knoxville’s tourism!

The arts are important to the cultural and intellectual identity of any city or town. In east Tennessee where music, dance, and the culture of the Appalachian region plays such an important role in the people, it is no wonder that diverse outside influences co-exist. This can be seen in everything from the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s annual holiday concert to the majestic Bijou Theatre .

Tomorrow night will see such a grand event when the Knoxville Opera presents Rigoletto. In full costume and full voice, the Knoxville Opera will bring this magnificent Verdi opera to life. Filled with court intrigue, familial bonds, and a poignant jester, this opera is a masterpiece. It will be performed in Italian with English subtitles. Tickets range between $15-$88 dollars and are still available at the Tennessee Theatre. The doors open promptly at 7:00 pm so don’t miss out!

There has been a lot of talk about USDA loans not being available. Well, actually, that is not the case. If you are in the market to get a USDA loan and live in the Tennessee area, then email me and I will send you the information that you need to get a USDA home loan here in Tennessee.

Even though USDA is currently out of money, the government is working on rectifying that minor issue. With that said, there are lenders out there that are willing to front the money for the loan and then get it funded through USDA once the government gets the funds.

When I first moved to Knoxville, I had thought about buying a side of beef. I have a deep freezer and thought that it would be a great idea if we put the beef in it. This way, I can have it over time and not ever have to worry about running out of meat. So, for the last week, I have been spending 2 to 3 hours a day trying to find the side of a cow that I wanted.

I never really thought that this would be as difficult as it has been. With that said, today, my search finally ended. I made a purchase of entire cow for $200 more than what I found the best price on half a cow for. If you are in East Tennessee and need help with this, just email me and I will save you a ton of heart ache.

I have lived in Tennessee for almost a year now. This is my third stint here and each time, it has been with a different economy. Over the time that I have been here this round, I have been solely involved in the Real Estate Market. My position in the market is as a mortgage loan officer.

With that being said, I have kept a close eye on the market for this area as I do on markets all around the south east. I have to if I want to stay competative with other lenders. As the market is getting ready for the spring season, I am noticing homes appear on the selling market more than normal. I think that this is caused partially due to a lot of homes that were taken off the market during the colder months.

That said, I really think that people need to assess why they are selling their home. If it is to get from under the debt, then you need to get it done as quick as you can. If it is just because you want to move, maybe the time is not right and you should consider waiting to list that home. All in all, with a down market, properties are not going to fly off the inventory shelve as they would in a seller’s market. The times favor the buyer at this point and time.

Last week, Pat Summitt of the Lady Vols from the University of Tennessee accomplished a milestone that not a lot of people can claim. She has notched her 1000th victory. Actually, for the record, she is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history and the first NCAA Division I basketball coach to win one thousand games.  It took a few tries to get it in the book, but if finally happened. It was also more fitting in my opinion that the victory came at home.

Pat started coaching basketball in 1974 and has spent that entire time at the University of Tennessee. In that time, she has won 13 SEC Tournament Championships. The years were 1980, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2005, 2006, and 2008. She also holds 14 SEC Champions that were in the years of 1980, 1985, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2007. But, I think none of that compares to her 8 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championships that she won in 1987, 1989, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, and 2008.

She will forever be loved in the state of Tennessee.