Janie's Blog Clarksville,TN Real Estate Marketing Expert

I have read so many great posts here on Active Rain.  You guys are so smart and you seem to be having so much fun too!  Have you ever thought of working part time or full time even for Google or another company?

I  recently read an article about Google and it's workplace.  Seems the employees have lots of freedom and fun...on the job.  Early employees were rewarded with stock options that turned quite a lot of them into multimillionaires. How does Google keep them coming to work? By making working for Google as nearly as possible to the job those people would choose if they didn't have to work for a living--because they don't.

There have always been people who put their passion into play rather than work, but most of them were rich. This is not the case for me though.  They include many of the people that companies like Google most want. They are productive enough when they work, so that they can afford, if they wish, to spend most of their time playing.

For a more extreme example, assume, as I think quite possible, that sometime in the next few decades we solve the aging problem. Having retired at 65 with a modest but adequate pension, what do you do for the next 50 or a 100 years? The answer may depend a lot on what looks like fun.

If this view of the future is correct, quite a lot of companies ought to be emulating Google's approach. It is hard for work to compete with play, but it's not always impossible. Human beings want to have fun, but they also want to accomplish something, and in that dimension working for Google has some real advantages.

It is with great respect and honor that I welcome Kim James to Active Rain.  Kim and I work together here in Clarksville, TN and she is just a great person and a terrific Realtor.  Active Rain is going to provide Kim with the vehicle that she has been searching for....a great place to socialize with other Realtors and Associates of Real Estate, while learning everything she can about the business.  Kim brings with her a wealth of knowledge and she is always sharing her information with others.  She is just a doll, and I know you all are going to get to know her real soon.

Kim, concentrate on the Newbie group and you won't go wrong.  Read, read, read, and watch those training videos....they are the best.

Take Care,

Realtors spend a lot of time in, on, and leading automobiles around town.  With the prices of gasoline going up, up, and out of sight, where should we turn?  Should we all go out a buy a new fuel efficient car?  If you are like me, you probably don't know the differences in the new "Green Cars."  I can't tell an EV from an FCV?  I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one.  I have been researching these new fuel efficent autos for a while now trying to decide which type and brand to buy.  I am all for the Green Thing these days, and I want to do my part, plus save a ton of money and the world!  What are these things? What happened to the cylinders, like 4,6 or 8?  Do we still have those?  Leather or cloth seats?  Now I know what that means.  Why make things so complicated?

Here are the definitions that I found:

Alternative Fuels:  Generally nonpetroleum fuels, including ethanol, synthetic diesel, compressed natural gas, and hydrogen. 

Clean Diesel:  New Technolody-often using the additive urea-to sharply reduce emissions.  New diesels also are smoother, faster, and quieter than previous generations.

Electric Vehicle: A car, truck, or crossover running, solely on electric power.  EVs are the only true zero-emissions vehicles, but they suffer from limited range, long charging times, and high costs.

Flexible Fuel Vehicles: Vehicles designed to run on more than one type of fuel, most commonly gasoline, ethanol, or a blend of the two.

Fuel Cell: A device that combines hydrogen and oxygen to form water vapor and electric current.  That energy can be used to run an electric vehicle's motore: hence fuel cells are sometimes called "refillable batteries."

Hybrids: Hybrid-electric vehicles, or HEVs, combine two forms of power to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions.  The most common approach combines gasoline and electric motors.  The batteries are charged when the vehicle brakes or coasts.

Plug-In Hybrid:  Similar to a conventional hybrid, but uses advanced batteries that also can be charged from an electric outlet.  The goal is to provide enough energy to handle daily commutes on batteries alone but still offer unlimited range on gasoline power.

PZEV: Partial-zero-emissions vehicles are some of the cleanest vehicles on the road.  They produce less hydrocarbon emissions driving cross-country than a car of the 1970s would emit while parked.

Okay, so enough with the definitions, now what does all of this really mean?  Would anyone care to comment?  How are we suppose to make a decision when it's so complicated?? 

Clarksville TN Ranks 10th in nation in growth

MARKETING A NEW IMAGE MAKEOVER GETS CREDIT FOR CLARKSVILLE, TN SUCCESS

More soldiers at Fort Campbell and a rising number of retirees moving a little closer to home have helped make Clarksville the nation's 10th-fastest-growing metropolitan area.

The four counties in Tennessee and Kentucky that surround Fort Campbell grew nearly 4 percent from 2006 to 2007 and have shown a steady population increase over the past seven years, according to U.S. Census figures released today.

The growth outpaced that of the Nashville metropolitan area, which includes the booming counties of Rutherford, Williamson, Wilson and Sumner. Nashville grew 2.34 percent, to rank 42nd.

Clarksville economic officials are using the numbers to their advantage as they try to diversify the job base by attracting more white-collar jobs.

"Places with government bases or a diverse economy, where it's not totally at the whim of one or two sectors that may have fallen out of favor for the time being," tend to thrive, even in an uncertain economy, said William Frey, a demographer with The Brookings Institution, an independent think tank in Washington.

Joining the Clarksville area in the top 10 are several other Southern cities, including Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C.; Austin, Texas; and New Orleans.

While Clarksville's place on the list may be surprising at first glance, a closer look at how the area has marketed itself and changed in recent years reveals the reason for its success, said James Chavez, president of the Clarksville Montgomery County Economic Development Council.

Local leaders continue working to change the perception of Clarksville as a strictly military town and as a city in the middle of nowhere.

The area is no farther from downtown Nashville than other surrounding cities.

"The perception when I moved here three and a half years ago was that we're predominantly military, predominantly blue-collar, but that's not the case," Chavez said. "Our economy has grown to a point that that's one facet of who we are, not who we are."

After a tornado ripped through the city seven years ago, city officials began to rebuild and refocus on attracting white-collar jobs and big corporations. A new $250 million Gateway Medical Center will open this summer, for example, bringing a significant number of jobs and specialties not present in the area before, Chavez said.

"We've got projects in the works, and if any one of them hits, it would bring a large scale of newcomers to our community," Chavez said.

After following growth trends, executives with Nashville-based Alley-Cassetty Companies Inc. decided to set up a brick supply office in Clarksville.

"It was a logical step," manager Jeff Jeries said. "They kept seeing growth up this way with the housing industry and Fort Campbell growth and wanted to be in a better position to capitalize."

FAMILIIES TEND TO STAY

The ebb and flow of military deployment has also benefited the area.

About 6,000 more soldiers are stationed at Fort Campbell, the headquarters of the Army's 101st Airborne Division, than in 2002, said Kelly Tyler, a post spokeswoman.

Fort Campbell is the third-largest army post in the country, behind North Carolina's Fort Bragg and Texas' Fort Hood. Recent numbers put Fort Campbell's total military population at 30,865, plus 16,546 family members on post. An additional 46,000 live off the post, Tyler said, and often decide to stay in the Clarksville area after their duty has ended.

"Clarksville, TN is so supportive of the installation that it becomes easier to stay a part of the community," Tyler said.

Most of those 46,000 have settled in Clarksville or other northern Tennessee communities, but city leaders in Hopkinsville, Ky., say they're also working to draw those families north to Christian County. Christian and Trigg counties in Kentucky are part of the Clarksville, TN-KY Metropolitan Statistical Area, along the Montgomery and Stewart counties in Tennessee.

The share of soldiers and their families who have settled in the Hopkinsville area has risen to 18 percent over the past couple of years, said Mayor Dan Kemp. The city is now working to move a bill through the Kentucky legislature that would exempt active-duty military families from the state's income tax to attract more potential residents from the post.

HOME PRICES ARE LOWER

Also responsible for the spike in growth are retirees who have moved from the North in search of warmer climates and who are now fleeing high home prices and turbulent weather. Many have landed in the Clarksville area, where home prices are lower and a large city is nearby, Chavez said. 

"It's been an up-and-down decade for home buying. It's been a continued move away from pricey coastal areas which has fueled a lot of movement into the Southeast," Frey said. That's one reason the Southeast has faired better than other regions during the recent real estate slump and credit crisis, he said.  Contact an Experienced Realtor who can assist you in your home search.

Now, local leaders are trying to bring the necessary amenities to the area to match the rising population. Clarksville is underserved in retail, for example, and economic development leaders are scouting options in Nashville, Chavez said.

"The more alliances we make, the easier it becomes," Chavez said.

Article Compliments of The Tennessean 

Clarksville, Tennessee Real Estate Is Strong!

Clarksville is a beautiful city in Northwest Middle Tennessee.  I know you've heard of it, that is if you've been listening to the news lately.  Of course, the media likes to paint the terrible picture of the housing markets, but Clarksville is one to brag about.  Or at least I do.  Just this week, Clarksville was on the news again!  Did you know it's the 10th fastest growing city in the U.S.  The entire United States of America, and Clarksville is number 10.  Well, I want to take a moment and let you know what is contributing to this growth. And, to say thank you to everyone that reads this blog.  Without you, we would not be here.

 According to the MLS in 2006, Clarksville-Montgomery County had a record setting year.

• There were 4,127 closed residential homes
• With an average sales price of $137,083
• This is coming from an estimated population of 144,000 plus

Comparing 2006 to 2007.

• In 2007, Clarksville-Montgomery County had 4,226 closed residential homes
• With an average sales price of $144,078

Steady growth in Clarksville is also reflected in other categories, such as condominium, multi-family, land, and commercial sales, which are also all trending upwards. There are other contributing counties not reflected herein, for instance Stewart, Houston, parts of Robertson, & Cheatham Counties, and bordering counties in Kentucky. Numbers drawn from RealTracs Solutions (the local MLS) show these counties are growing, as well.

Others have taken notice of this growth.

A report from Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine projected Clarksville, Tennessee to have the largest increase in the nation, with a 6.4% gain through 2009. (Fivser, a provider of technology solutions to the financial world, was Kiplinger's source.) Other media, such as News Channel 5, The Tennessean, The Nashville Business Journal, and The Leaf Chronicle also picked up this report, as did every news media in the country.  Including Fox News.

Why is Clarksville Growing? The Major Reason - Fort Campbell Army Post.

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Clarksville-Montgomery County attributes a large part of its growth to Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Fort Campbell is a major United States Army Post.  The addess for the post is Kentucky, but the majority of the land mass of the post is in Clarksville, TN.  The current population of the Post is approximately 30,000 soldiers, with 55,000 family members, and 4,000 civil service employees.  Clarksville, TN is honored to be a part of Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

The Post is home to:

• The honored 101st Airborne Division
• The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment
• The 5th Special Forces Group
• The 101st Corps Support Group

Fort Campbell is the largest employer in both Kentucky and Tennessee. Recognizing that approximately 75% of the real estate of the Post is located in Montgomery County, Tennessee.

Why is Clarksville Growing? Another Reason - Austin Peay State University.

Austin Peay State University (APSU) is another contributing force.

• Austin Peay employees approximately 600 people.
• Current enrollment is over 9,000 students.
• Graduates approximately 1,000 students per year, a large number of which choose to stay in Clarksville to contribute to the economy and community.

These decisions alone are a great tribute to any college town, when their alumni would choose to settle. As we say, "Let's Go Peay!"

Why is Clarksville Growing? More Reasons...

Retail. Clarksville has a thriving retail market, as well. There are three main arteries heading out of the centrally located downtown, Cumberland River district. Each area is completely self-contained, with retail, businesses, and housing.

Retirement Communities. Clarksville-Montgomery County is also an attractive city for retirees for several reasons. To start with, 75% of the continental United States can be reached in a days travel. Next, veteran retirees need to live within 40-miles of a military installation to take full advantage of benefits. Inadditon, Nashville is only 40-miles away. 

Business & Economic Development. Clarksville-Montgomery County is a stable home for many international businesses. The Corporate Business Park is loaded with more than 20 major companies. The Industrial Development Board has designated approximately 3,000 acres for the business park adjacent to Interstate-24. Clarksville-Montgomery County is actively searching for new companies.

There are other well-deserved mentions for Clarksville-Montgomery County's growth.

• The new Clarksville Memorial Hospital is a 200-million dollar project.
• Clarksville-Montgomery County Home Builders Association has a very experienced group of contractors/developers and they are an extremely strong part of the economy.

Article compliments of Janie Masterson, Crye-Leike, Realtors   Welcome to Clarksville, TN

www.janiemasterson.com