Visit Knoxville unveils the all-new 2013 City Guide & Visitor Handbook. The
72-page, magazine-style guide covers the attractions, events and other important
information about things to see and experience on a trip to Knoxville.
"The 2013 Guide is an important resource for visitors when planning their
trip to Knoxville, and we are very thrilled to release the information they will
need to prepare for a trip to our city,” said Kim Bumpas, President of Visit
Knoxville. “We are also excited to feature new editorial content from local
writers and personalities that give visitors an insider’s perspective to
Knoxville.”
Knoxville
metro area is one of only three in the United States whose economy has fully
recovered from the impact of the recession. Employment grew by 2.1 percent,
which exceeded the national figure. In recent years the city has landed on
numerous best-of lists, but recognition from the Brookings Institution is
particularly significant.
Retailers moving into old downtown buildings, an abundance of freshly planted
greenspaces, and a stream of new jobs in Knoxville,
The Brookings Institution says the Knoxville metro economy is one of three in
the U.S. that has fully recovered from the recession. Here's the tale of the
tape for the metro area's economy in 2012. GDP — $33.8 billion Population —
711,296 GDP per capita — $47,468 Employment — 344,328
"You can work here, be close to the city, the Great Smoky Mountain National
Park, or one of the seven lake, enjoy the four seasons, and still feel like
they're on vacation year around, you can travel by boat from Tennessee to the
Atlantic Ocean," said Steve Albin in an interview.
This is Steve Albin and Tina Mounger for almost a decade now, every time we talked about real estate we immediately discussed money. We didn’t talk about the value of a home but instead about the price of the house. We didn’t worry about a roof over our heads but instead the ceiling on our interest rate. We didn’t care as much about where we raised our family as we cared about how much we increased our family’s net worth.
That will change in 2013. The JustListedKnoxville.com real estate group believes very strongly that real estate will return to what it has been for the 200+ year history of this country: a place for us and our families to live comfortably. It will also prove to be a great long term investment as it always has been.
Our parents and our grandparents didn’t buy their homes as a short term financial investment. They bought it so they had a place of their own to come home to at the end of the day; a place to raise their family; a place they could feel safe.
Sure they dreamed of a ‘mortgage-burning’ party. They realized it was a form of forced savings. They were taught that, if they paid their mortgage every month, they would wind up with a little retirement account decades later.
And, they realized that wouldn’t happen if they rented.
However, in the last decade, we somehow forgot that the financial aspect was the serendipity not the major reason to buy. We believe that 2013 will be the year that people return to the historic reasons families purchased a home. This is the year when we again remember that homeownership is a major part of the American Dream.
What about the challenges to a housing recovery? Let’s look at them.
The Economy: Most reports are showing that the economy is doing better than expected. This shopping season provided additional proof of this point. As the economy recovers, so will consumer confidence. This will be great news for housing.
Unemployment: There is much talk about a ‘jobless recovery’. We agree that unemployment will continue to be a challenge. However, when you talk about housing, it is not the unemployment rate that is all telling. Instead, it is the change in the rate. As unemployment skyrocketed, people started to worry about their own job. Any change creates concern. Unabated concern turns to fear. Fear causes paralysis. The spike in unemployment has plateaued. People no longer have the feeling that ‘they are next’. The fear will diminish and people will start moving on with their lives. This too will be great news for housing.
Interest Rates: It seems the bottomless pit in which rates have been falling does have a floor after all. And it seems we have found it. Those purchasers who had been waiting for the best interest rate may have already missed it.
Prices: Economists are projecting that prices will see any appreciation in 2013. Sellers who had been waiting for 2006 to return will come to the realization that waiting any longer makes little sense. They will instead decide to get on with their lives and sell this year. Prices probably will soften further. However, the possible savings to potential buyers will be minimized by a rise in interest rates.
Bottom Line: This is the year that normalcy returns to real estate. People will buy and sell based on the desire for a better life for themselves and their families. They will realize that is the true value of homeownership and they will be willing to pay for that value.
P.S. Steve if you know anyone who might be interested in Tennessee Real Estate please feel free to contact me or forward this email to them. http://justlistedknoxville.com/
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