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Midtown, Downtown, East Memphis Real Estate, Midtown homes for sale - Joe Spake, Realtor 901-870-3440

Shocking! New tax appraisal for my Midtown house

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 I suggest being seated when you check your new tax appraisal.  I was shocked at my new tax appriasal. Even though I haven’t received mine in the mail, the 2009 tax appraisals for Shelby County, including areas withing the Memphis City limits are now on line at County Assessor Cheyenne Johnson’s site. The media has been saying that Midtown would receive a modest increase, like 2% across the board, but I was hit with a 23.5% increase over 2008. A friend reported a 50% increase, and I have not heard from a Midtowner yet who wasn’t at least in double digits.

Is Ms. Johnson’s office using stable in-city properties to make up for huge value decreases in other parts of the county? Hopefully our local media will look into this, because, if this level of increase is pervasive, the Assessors office will be more than swamped with appeals.

Check the site or check your mail Monday (in city appraisals were mailed Friday 3/27), and let me know how you fared. I will be doing a followup to this post so please feel free to leave comments here, email me, or send a tweet.

Better be sitting down when you check your new appraisal

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I was shocked at my new tax appriasal. Even though I haven’t received mine in the mail, the 2009 tax appraisals for Shelby County, including areas withing the Memphis City limits are now on line at County Assessor Cheyenne Johnson’s site. The media has been saying that Midtown would receive a…

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Why we get Buyers Pre-Approved

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Missy Caulk is much more eloquent than I. If the agent you are talking to about looking for a home is “nagging” you about getting to a loan officer and getting pre-approved, there IS a reason. Only a mortgage person can tell you for sure if you will be financially able to purchase a home…..JS

Via Missy Caulk-Ann Arbor- Realtor(R)- Ann Arbor Real Estate (Keller Williams-Ann Arbor):

Many times buyers have the idea that we want them pre-approved for a loan for us.

We don’t care just for us but to help them Search for homes in the correct price range in Ann Arbor Area.

This buyer had emailed me to see if I knew of any homes that could be bought on land contract. I emailed back and ask her why she would want a land contract when you can get a FHA loan, with 3.5% down and sellers concessions at a LOW interest rate.

Here is an email I got today:

Broken HeartsWell I am asking, because we just tried getting a FHA loan, and we were denied for two reason, My husband had back childsupport and his tax return is paying it off but we are waiting for it to pay it off, and the other reason is he has a Federal loan out from when we was in school, and he didn’t pay on it for a period. so in June it will have been 12 months that we have been consistantly paying on it. 

So… I guess that was why i am asking.  I have two little girls, and a sick of apartment life, and want a house to call my own, which I am sure you understand! So…  That is where we are at to catch you up. I am not sure how much you can help us.  

We had a house picked out and everything and went to go put a offer in and found out we weren’t qualified! So my heart has been broken!  

Any suggestions?  Jen my sister told me to ask you, or your daughter and i happened to pass by something by you today!  so I thought i would ask!

  • Buyer wanted to make an offer.
  • Fell in LOVE with a house
  • Heart was broken

It is not about us, but about them

Don’t be afraid to get a Buyer qualified before their heart is broken.

Yes, I know we waste gas and time. But……………………

I don’t like to see hearts broken and folks not qualified to purchase

 

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KW LogoMissy Caulk & Team can be reached at 734-216-2822 or email: Missy@MissyCaulk.com

Our TEAM of 6 buyer associates are available to help you relocate to Ann Arbor, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea, Milan, Ypsilanti Township, Clinton, Manchester, Whitmore Lake, or throughout Washtenaw County, MI.

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Memphis chopped pork Bar-B-Q Sandwich or Social Object?

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Memphis chopped pork Bar-B-Q Sandwich, originally uploaded by joespake.
At last week’s RETech South Conference, Real Estate Social Media Guru, Andy Kaufman presented on “Social Objects”. Somehow this one seemed very relevant to me.
Masterpiece prepared by Payne’s Bar-B-Que, Memphis.Facebook …

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Photo Contest – A picture is worth 1000 words and $200.00

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There are definitely plenty of photo-ops for this contest.

 

Via Teresa Boardman (Keller Williams):

 

Inman news is having a photo contest.

“Send us your best single photo that captures the state of the residential real estate market, for a chance to win a   $200 gift card from Amazon.com. Your photo submission should be in digital form and must be sent via e-mail or available for viewing on the Web. The photo can be color or black and white. The photo should tell a story about the housing market and it should not be a marketing or promotional photo for a particular property, company, business model or individual. The contest deadline is March 31, 2009.”

See the complete rules here: Inman News Photo contest

I can’t enter because I am one of the judges.

I got the picture of the power lines in Central Illinois. It was a very lucky shot as it was taken from the car window.  I wasn’t driving but we were going about 70 at the time. I focused and put my camera in burst mode. Burst mode comes in handy.  It works for capturing sporting events and some times in low light situations, or when taking photos from a moving car.

Midtown Security Community Celebrates 1st Anniversary

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MSC03-2009 (6)A, originally uploaded by joespake.
The highly successful Midtown Security Community, a crime awareness group consisting of citizens, businesses and the Memphis Police Department Union Avenue Precinct, celebrated its first anniversary 3/24/2009.
In photo, Union Avenue Precinct…

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DISCLAIMER: All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Some or all of the listings displayed may not belong to the firm whose website is being visited and may not represent all properties offered for sale through the MAAR Multiple Listing Service. The opinions expressed on this site are intended to supplement opinions on real estate expressed by local and national media, local real estate agents and other expert sources. You should not treat any opinion expressed on this site as a specific inducement to make a particular investment or follow a particular strategy, but only as an expression of opinion. All information presented herein is intended and should be used for educational purposes only. (c) 1998-2024- Joe Spake/spake.com
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