OPINIONS NEEDED IN SHELL KNOB, MOThe Mark Twain National Forest will participate in the U.S. Forest Service's National Visitor Use Monitoring program.Running through September 2008, the Cassville unit will be doing the surveys at the Piney Creek Wilderness and Big Bay Campground near Shell Knob.  Hikers, hunters, bicyclists, equestrians, campers, canoeists and other visitors to Mark Twain National Forest's trails and facilities may see people wearing bright orange vests near a sign that says "Traffic Survey Ahead". Nancy Feakes, Mark Twain National Forest's Recreation Manager, says: "The information collected will tell us locally how many visitors come to Mark Twain National Forest, how long they stay, where they come from, what activities they participate in, how much money they spend ... 02/04/2008

 JANUARY UP FOR SHELL KNOB January was a good month for listing homes in the Shell Knob, Eagle Rock and Golden areas around Table Rock Lake.  There were 22 much welcomed new homes added to the inventory,  doubling what was listed in December.  Sales are normally slow in the off-season of lakeside properties, with January being the slowest.  That being said, there were still 7 homes closed and 6 lots.  Average sales price of these homes was $252,271.    There were 5 homes sold the previous month.Activity would appear to be increasing as spring and lake life gets into the buying public's mind.  CALL JOAN FOR INFORMATION ON TABLE ROCK LAKE AND SHELL KNOB:  417-858-2209,   02/02/2008

ICE DAMS DAMAGE HOMESAs January-February weather brings snow and ice, even Shell Knob  homeowners can find icicles hanging from their roof.  This may look lovely on Christmas cards, but can be damaging to your home.  Severe winter weather isn't the norm in the Ozarks, but it can occur.  If there are icicles hanging, there are probably ice dams building up and they can damage a house.  Non-uniform roof surface temperatures cause ice dams, according to the University of Missouri Extension."In the winter, when warm air inside the house leaks into the unheated attic, it creates warm area on the roof, which causes snow on the exterior of the roof to melt.  The melting snow moves down the roof slope until it reaches the cold overhang, where it refreezes.  The process continues, causing ice to... 01/29/2008

 EMAIL NOTICES Emailing has become a way of life, but I was  surprised to receive an email this morning from the Shell Knob library.  This is a first. It caught my attention, but I didn't recall any books being past due. Not to fear!   Our little branch of the Barry County Library system has gone high tech.  This email was to give me advance notice that I would have a book due in three days.  Did I want to renew it on line?  How did we manage to remember when books come due without an electronic reminder? Shell Knob is blessed with a great library that continues to stay updated with many services available to the reading public, while still maintaining friendly, personal service.    CALL JOAN FOR REAL ESTATE INFORMATION ON TABLE ROCK LAKE - 417-888-823-4125  01/29/2008

DO THE PICTURES IN YOUR LISTINGS ENTICE BUYERS? Home owners are often too busy getting ready to move to a new location to notice the pictures that are taken to support the listing of their house in the Multiple Listing Service.  These photos can have a huge impact on the sale of the property.Location, price and condition are extremely important to a successful sale, but pictures are what a potential buyer looks at closely.  With over 80% of buyers today shopping on the web before calling a REALTOR,  pictures accompanying the property information sheet can make the difference between exciting a buyer's interest or passing it by. My favorite gripe  as a Shell Knob, MO agent, is a listing for a waterfront property with no picture supporting this information.  SHOW ME THE WATER VIEW!Another... 01/26/2008

PICTURES SELL Are you ready to sell your house?  You want to get top price for it, and you've heard all the bad news about the real estate market, so you've cleaned and painted and polished anything that didn't move.And, if you watch any of the shows on Home and Garden channel, you know that you must depersonalize your home.  Pack up most of the adorable grandchildren's pictures.  Remove  notes and magnets from the refrigerator door.  Clean off the kitchen counter clutter . Pack the knick-knacks in the dining room.Interview and pick a Shell Knob real estate agent you feel comfortable with;  who helps you establish the sales price.  As you do some necessary paperwork, the agent measures your rooms, notes the amenities and takes pictures. PICTURES These pictures, which will go with your l... 01/25/2008

DO SHELL KNOB SELLERS NEED WARRANTIES?Call me a skeptic,  but I've never put much faith in buying extended warranties for a new stove or dishwasher, etc.  And from what I've read they're often a waste of money.  However - Home Warranties are a different breed of cat.  A Home Warranty can be purchased by either a buyer or seller of a property. If you are putting your home on the market, a Home Warranty can do several things for you:   You are protected on mechanical system failures during the listing period for one year.A Home Warranty can help you sell your home faster and enhances your home's value to prospects.If an unexpected problem or mechanical failure occurs after sale, the buyer is covered on repairs.Warranties cost $400 - $500  They are often paid for at the closing.  As a Shel... 01/13/2008

NEW PROGRAM FOR SHELL KNOB SENIORS A new program is being made available to senior citizens who are over 60 years of age and live in Barry County, including the portion of Shell Knob in the county.   The Barry County Council On Aging wants to inform seniors that funding was granted to lease thirty medical alert systems for seniors needing this kind of help.  The Senior Citizens' Services Tax Fund Board has been working with the County Council On Aging to find a way to assist seniors who need emergency services at home, but are unable to reach their telephone.  The medic alert system will automatically contact an emergency dispatch center whenever the neck pendulant worn in the home by the user is depressed.  This system can be essential to safety and well-being  of a senior who needs as... 01/13/2008

Shell Knob Home Show Coming In April April 11-12,2008 will kick-off the 21st year that Shell Knob has been hosting the Home Show.    Sponsored by the Shell Knob Chamber of Commerce, it is a quality, professional event that attracts hundreds of people from southwest Missouri and northwest Arkansas. Businesses return to participate in the show every year to promote their products and services to the Table Rock Lake area market.  Admission is free to the public for this popular event. 01/12/2008

SHELL KNOB CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAS RELEASED NEW VACATION GUIDE The colorful 48 page Vacation/Relocation Guide for 2008 is now available.  The booklet is full of useful information for visitors to the Shell Knob area. It will be distributed locally, regionally and nationally to promote Shell Knob and the Table Rock Lake area. The Visitor's Guide is responsible for many people noticing Shell Knob as a quality vacation, relocation and retirement destination.  Thousands of copies of the 2008 Guide will be distributed at several regional boat, sport and travel shows.  Missouri Tourism Centers also have Guides available.  Free copies can be picked up at many Shell Knob businesses or at the Shell Knob Chamber of Commerce office. Call or email me and I will be pleased to send you a copy.  Toll ... 01/12/2008

SHELL KNOB'S NEWEST DEVELOPMENT - CEDAR FALLS ON TABLE ROCK LAKE  The newest gated water front development in Shell Knob, Missouri, is Cedar Falls On Table Rock Lake.  It features main channel lakefront and lake view lots.The generous lot sizes will be 1 acre to 2-1/2 acres in size, with water sewer and electric to each lot, as well as chip and seal roads.  Buyers will need to install septic/grinder pumps on their property. Lake front lots start at $95,500, with lake view lots atarting at $37,500.  Cedar Falls is south of Shell Knob bridge  Get additional real estate and area information by calling JOAN at 888-823-4125  01/08/2008

END OF YEAR THOUGHTS AND PROJECTIONS FOR SHELL KNOB MOShell Knob, Missouri is growing.  There are several new developments either started or planned.  Traffic on Hwy 39 is  heavier, although we are a long way from needing a traffic or stop light yet. We have had a growth in population.  Signs of growth are everywhere.  Looking east as you cross the Shell Knob bridge, there are many more large boat docks.  The Thrifty Closet on the Plaza has  more donations than  room to hang them - a fringe benefit of growth. Three new restaurants were added.    The 2000 census showed the population at 1,393 full time residents, for both Stone and Barry County in the Shell Knob area.  Six of the past seven years have shown good growth,  so that number is much higher now.   Will the growth stall here wit... 01/01/2008

 Happy anniversary to me.  It has been one year  and 86,283 points since I joined The Rain.If I recall correctly, last year at this time, as a real estate agent who knows how dead business can be in Shell Knob, Missouri in winter,  I decided to check out some Real Estate web sites.  I did a Google search and came across The Real Estate Tomato, which in turn led me to Active Rain.  Little did I know when I tentatively signed up, what an interesting year I had ahead of me.  It was addicting.  Reading posts from other AR'ers all over the country and Canada. Learning how much we had in common; how different our markets were; seeking and getting advice on our individual needs and concerns. Membership numbers have about tripled since I came on board in Shell Knob, Missouri, making it impossib... 12/31/2007

 END OF AN ERA ON TABLE ROCKFor a good number of years, Shell Knob has been treated to a weekly fishing report from local historian, Tom Koob.  I was sorry to read in our weekly paper "The Rattler", that last week was his last column.  Here are some highlights from his last excellent musings.    "I've tried to write a report that would actually help people catch fish on Table Rock and supply information about this great fishery and resource.Not long after I started these reports, Table Rock's bass fishery experienced serious problems with a bacterialinfection and Largemouth Bass Virus. There is no doubt that these diseases negatively impacted the largemouth population, particularly the larger fish. Since that time, Table Rock has rebounded with an improved quantity and quality of bass.T... 12/28/2007

UNDOCUMENTED ELK DETAINED Somehow, when I think of the Ozarks, I don't connect the area with wild Elk.  Do you?  The above headline got my attention when I saw it in a small local paper.   Seems an Oklahoma wildlife officer pulled over three stock trailers headed for a game farm in Barry County, Missouri, not far from Shell Knob, where I live.  The trailers contained five adult bull elk (think BIG), three young elk bulls and two elk cows. The men transporting the elk had no documents indicating the animals had come from a facility that monitors animal health.The drivers said the animals were part of a shipment of 32 elk to be delivered to a game farm.  They didn't think they would need health certification  because the elk were slated to be shot by clients who would pay to do so, in wha... 12/27/2007

 SHELL KNOB PARTICIPATES IN BOAT SHOWSIf Christmas is gone, then we must be close to Boat Show Time.  According to the Shell Knob Chamber of Commerce, they will be representing the "quiet side of Table Rock Lake" at 7 regional boat, sport and travel shows this winter.One of the reasons Shell Knob has become such a popular spot for tourists and vacationers is the publicity generated by the Chamber attending these shows for many years.Last year, the Shell Knob Chamber purchased a new professional trade show display.  It has a large panoramic view of Table Rock Lake and the Central Crossing Bridge as a backdrop.  This draws favorable attention to visitors to come see what we have to offer.Boat Show season will be kicked off in Kansas City, January 9-13; followed by Quad Cities, January 18-... 12/27/2007

Half Full - Half Empty?How was your year?  Did you make more than in 2006,  or less?  According to the national media, it was a drastic reversal of fortunes, with most real estate agents going into the red.  Listening to the media, we are headed into a recession, if we aren't there already.  So how did you fare sales-wise in 2007?I was pleasantly surprised to find that I did better in Shell Knob, MO in 2007 than 2006!    I actually had MORE sales on Table Rock Lake this past year than the year before.  It took more volume of lower priced properties to make up the difference of selling  a few of the more expensive homes.Rather than residential, my market in 2007 has been waterfront lake lots.  I didn't set out to be the "Lot Lady", but it served me well this year.  What's that old saying... 12/26/2007

 OK TO SHOOT HOGS Can you imagine a 400+ pound razorback - not the phone - hog bearing down on you as you walk through the woods?I can, after seeing one of these monsters in the bed of a pick-up in Shell Knob, MO. They will chase humans!  They seem to thrive in the protection of the Mark Twain National Forest, where they have access to Table Rock Lake for their water needs.  The Missouri Department of Conservation has advised that hunters can take hogs this time of year(between deer and turkey seasons) without  hunting permits.  These pigs are more commonly called Feral Hogs - feral - meaning they are wild creatures descended from domestic stock.  A few feral hogs have been around in part of Missouri  for generations.  The problem has become worse in  southwest Missouri in recent times ... 12/22/2007

 SHELL KNOB GETS REBATEEnergy costs are on everyone's mind.  Oil prices, gas prices, heating costs have gone up, and that results in everything we eat, drink or wear going up. As a Real Estate agent in Shell Knob, MO, I am always happy to brag about the Electric Co-op that services a great part of the Ozarks.  Carroll Electric Co-op has been rated A-1 by their members in most of the area they service. This time of year, my electric bill normally goes down.  No need for the air conditioning, nor are there the usual summer lake time visitors. Everything except for our heating is electric.   It is not uncommon to have a monthly electric bill under $100, however, I was shocked to read the total on my December bill of $46.75!  Due to some lawsuit being concluded, we received a $41.30 credit.... 12/19/2007

A DREAM SALEI had a closing yesterday in Shell Knob, MO  that can only be attributed to Active Rain's presence on the web.  Neither the buyer or seller was present.  In fact, I have never met the buyers.  This is the second sale I have had like this.The buyers found me on Localism.  They saw the waterfront lots I had listed there.  They called me.  We discussed their concerns, got acquainted,  they saw the land on Table Rock Lake and made an offer.  Offer was accepted contingent on  passing a perc test.  Buyers would pay cash.  Getting a good perc test can be a challenge in this rocky territory.  These lots failed the normal perc, but would be approved for a low pressure pump system, which is more expensive than a normal septic with laterals, but not as high priced as the next type of s... 12/13/2007