Posts by Rick Chantry
Honor America’s war dead by remembering all veterans
Fifty-one years ago, Memorial Day became an official national holiday. But it had been around much longer. Originally known as Decoration Day, its origins were in the wake of the…
Read MoreCommercial real estate reports rate local economy’s performance
Last week’s National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Commercial Real Estate Market Conditions Index affirmed local reports and added some high-level context about our market. The first bit of news wasn’t…
Read MoreOdds are home price increase rate will slow but not decline
For five years, local home prices have been increasing faster than our historical average. It has been and still is a great time to be a homeowner, even though there’s…
Read MoreLike home prices, closing costs have also gone up
Competition for the right house, at the right price, at the best possible mortgage rate too often pushes planning for what happens at closing to the background. And it typically…
Read MoreReal estate has big area small business footprint
The first week of May is the only time when one of the most important pieces of the U.S. and local economies is formally recognized. Small Business Week’s goal is…
Read MoreIs there a limit to sellers’ pricing power?
Mortgage rates increased to an 11-year high last month. Inflation was at a 40-year high. And the typical existing home sales price topped out at an all-time high. March’s median…
Read MoreHousing market transitioning, affordability top challenge
Just when you thought the housing market couldn’t get any crazier, it did. March’s Home Sales Report is a marsh up of more contradictions than local real estate professionals have…
Read MoreBe wary if housing rental deals are too good to be true
Last year the Northeast Tennessee Association of REALTORS® (NETAR) devoted this space to warning consumers about rental scams. Since then, demand for apartments has continued increasing. Landlords continue jacking up…
Read MoreRent or buy? Ownership is best long-term economic option
Rent or buy? The question keeps coming up because home prices have increased so much and there’s so little inventory. But rents are also rising. There are ample local examples…
Read MoreREALTORS® celebrate Fair Housing Because That’s Who We R®
Every April Realtors commemorate the passage of the Fair Housing Act with events and education programs that focus on housing discrimination and segregation. Fair Housing Month signifies an annual recommitment…
Read More