Deployments, Mid-terms and The Market

       We live in a town where almost everybody is here for one of two reasons, either Fort Campbell or Austin Peay State University (APSU). That being said, there is a vital link between these two and the local economy, including real estate. Personally, my link here is through Fort Campbell, and I am by no means alone.
       As far as the military is concerned, there are two variables that control its side of the market. On the 10th of every month, replacements trickle onto post to replenish the Soldiers that have left in the previous months. This would constitute the constant influx. Then you have the deployment cycle. This is a mass exodus of Soldiers to wherever needs saving, usually by the Brigade, which can number upwards of 3,500 Soldiers. Add families to about half of these Soldiers and you are talking about 8,000-10,000 people affected by each Brigade deployed. This wreaks havoc on the rental markets, but it also plays an important part in the sales market too. Ask any land developer around Tiny Town Rd. if the military has an impact on homeownership. Markets go down when the Soldiers leave, and it rebounds about a month before they return. Families are coming back to the area to see their loved ones and reestablish a house. Since there are many Brigades on Fort Campbell, these effects stack and counteract with each other, creating an interesting market.
       APSU also has two variables, although they are mostly separate. Each semester, students come in and soak up the rentals. These are generally confined to the areas around campus and the business districts (mall, bars, etc.) The majority of these come in the fall semester since APSU is a more traditional university. The second variable with APSU is graduates, mostly coming at the end of Spring. Many of these graduates find jobs right after (preferably before) graduation, and will need a place to live. These graduates will move away from the campus and closer to work. This creates a market for rentals and purchases away from Fort Campbell and APSU to sustain the rest of the town.
       These two forces constantly pull and push the market, and a good real estate agent will know how the market is moving at any given time. If you have any questions about how the market is moving now, please call me at (931)920-6873.
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The Difference Between a House and a Home

My name is Dakota, and I'm a new agent at Coldwell Banker Conroy, Marable & Holleman (CBCMH) in Clarksville, TN. I've been doing real estate for a short time now, and I have come to realize something... This industry is dominated by an older generation... a much older generation. So I have decided to make a blog for the younger generation by one of their own. Now I'm 26, which is practically in a cradle as far as real estate agents are concerned, but I have been through the buying process a few times before I became an agent. Bottom line is I know what goes through the mind when buying a home. Selling houses are a little different and not so emotional, but I will get to them at a later time.

Today I will discuss the difference between a house and a home. A home is mostly connected with buyers. Homes have emotional attachments. Buying a home is like buying a memory bank set on a concrete foundation. It is (supposedly) the biggest investment you wil ever make. Excitement and anxiety come and go with every new potential home that gets looked at. When you finally sit down to make an offer in writing, shivers go down your spine when you consider just how much money you are offering. Then you come under contract and the remorse sets in for some and relief for others. The problem with homes is that people shop for them when they should be shopping for houses. Homes are reserved for the places you plan on staying for at least 10 years.

Now a house, on the other hand, is something that invokes very little emotional appeal. Sellers generally try to sell houses. They have packed up their memories as best they could and are hitting the road. The only reason sellers get rid of homes usually involves a bank and the F-word of real estate. Houses are much easier to buy than homes. You realize that you are looking more for functionality than a place to "live in forever". Most homeowners look to upgrade as lifestyles change for the better. Your final upgrade is to a home. The first place you buy because you are looking to get out of your old, smelly apartment is gonna be a house.

Basically, houses are generally short term investments, while homes are something you will be happy growing old and dying in. Tweet