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Hiking Around Sevierville GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK The 'great' outdoors got their name from the Great Smoky Mountains. Well, maybe not really, but they should have. The Great Smoky Mountains are Sevierville’s backyard and America’s most visited national park. Come on over and play. With 800 miles of maintained trails, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers hikes for everyone from strenuous all day and overnight hikes to quick and scenic “stretch your legs” walks. Don’t like to hike? The Great Smoky Mountains offers ample opportunities for scenic auto tours, picnicking, fishing and horseback riding. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park also offers educational programs for children and adults that let you learn even more about the bio-diversity of this International Bio Sphere Reserve. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free to enter and enjoy. HIKING TIP: Pick up a hiking guide for the Great Smoky Mountains when you ente...

Millennials are the largest group of home buyers for the fourth consecutive year, according to the National Association of Realtors 2017 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report. Nearly 40% of home buyers were under 36 years old. So what’s driving the change in millennial home ownership? Forty-nine percent of millennial buyers had at least one child, also according to the report. That is up six percentage points from two years ago. Also, while millennials are not racing down the aisle, they are purchasing homes with their partners. Though marriage rates declined, the number of U.S. adults in cohabiting relationships reached nearly 18 million last year, up 29% since 2007. About half of those cohabiters (those living with an unmarried partner) are younger than 35. But most importantly, in a joint Real Estate Investment Survey with Harris Interactive, RealtyShares found that 55% of millennials are enthusiastic about home ownership as an inves...

According to Bankrate’s latest Financial Security Index Poll, Americans who have money to set aside for the next 10 years would rather invest in real estate than any other type of investment. Bankrate asked Americans to answer the following question: “What is the best way to invest money you wouldn’t need for 10 years or more?” Real Estate came in as the top choice with 28% of all respondents (3% higher than last year), while cash investments – such as savings accounts and CD’s – came in second with 23% (the same as last year). The chart below shows the full results: The article points out several reasons for these results: “After bottoming out at the end of 2011 following the worst housing collapse in generations, home prices have gone gangbusters recently, climbing back above their record pre-crisis levels. Prices jumped 6.6 percent during the 12 months that ended in May, according to CoreLogic. Toss in persiste...

In today’s housing market, where supply is very low and demand is very high, home values are increasing rapidly. Many experts are projecting that home values could appreciate by another 5%+ over the next twelve months. One major challenge in such a market is the bank appraisal. If prices are surging, it is difficult for appraisers to find adequate, comparable sales (similar houses in the neighborhood that recently closed) to defend the selling price when performing the appraisal for the bank. Every month in their Home Price Perception Index (HPPI), Quicken Loansmeasures the disparity between what a homeowner who is seeking to refinance their home believes their house is worth, as compared to an appraiser’s evaluation of that same home. Bill Banfield, VP of Capital Markets at Quicken Loans urges anyone looking to buy or sell in today’s market to remember the impact of this challenge:  “While a 1 or 2 percent differ...

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The media has extensively covered the rise in mortgage interest rates since last fall (from 3.42% last September to the current 4.1% according to Freddie Mac). However, a less covered aspect of the mortgage market is that requirements to get a mortgage have eased while rates have risen. The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) quantifies the availability of mortgage credit each month with theirMortgage Credit Availability Index (MCAI). According to theMBA, the MCAI is: “A summary measure which indicates the availability of mortgage credit at a point in time.” The higher the index, the easier it is to get a mortgage. Here is a chart showing the MCAI over the last several months as rates have increased. Have requirements for attaining a mortgage actually eased? Yes. Here are two examples: FICO® Score – the credit score which helps determine a buyer’s eligibility. The score required to attain a mortgage has been falling over the ...

Tip #1: Wash Your House’s Face Before you scrape any paint or plant more azaleas, wash the dirt, mildew, and general grunge off the outside of your house. REALTORS® say washing a house can add $10,000 to $15,000 to the sale prices of some houses.  A bucket of soapy water and a long-handled, soft-bristled brush can remove the dust and dirt that have splashed onto your wood, vinyl, metal, stucco, brick, and fiber cement siding. Power washers (rental: $75 per day) can reveal the true color of your flagstone walkways. Wash your windows inside and out, swipe cobwebs from eaves, and hose down downspouts. Don’t forget your garage door, which was once bright white. If you can’t spray off the dirt, scrub it off with a solution of 1/2 cup trisodium phosphate — TSP, available at grocery stores, hardware stores, and home improvement centers — dissolved in 1 gallon of water.  You and a friend can make your house sparkle in a few we...

http://www.countryliving.com /home-design/decorating-ideas/advice/g1536/fall-decorating-ideas/

http://www.hgtv.com/shows/designed-to-sell/15-secrets-of-home-staging-pictures these are some of the homes that Mountain Realty Group have for sale..  contact Neva Waite at neva@lovewhereyoulive.com these are some of the homes that Mountain Realty Group have for sale.. contact Neva Waite at  neva@lovewhereyoulive.com