Will You Do An Open House? This is just one in a series of posts that I will share where I attempt to answer frequently asked Real Estate questions that I receive in emails from clients and Internet leads. I hope you find this informative and of value if you have the same concerns. On the question..."Will You Do An Open House?" My answer is simple... I do not do open houses anymore. I think open houses are great for the agent that is having the open house because they can come in contact with prospective buyers that may actually purchase a home in the future. But I truly believe that it does very little for the seller. I hope you realize that if someone really wants to see your property..I promise you they will not wait until there is an open house to come see it. This is simply just an... 12/27/2010

Is That Home In A Good Neighborhood? This is just one in a series of posts that I will share where I attempt to answer frequently asked Real Estate questions that I receive in emails from clients and Internet leads. This is a question I get almost monthly when it comes to my listings. The first thing a lot of people want to know is "Is That Home In A Good Neighborhood"? I begin by telling them that our Bristol Tn Va region has a lot of really neat areas and that all areas and subdivisions might possibly have their positives and negatives and if you are concerned about a particular subdivision or area then you need to drive by that property at different times of the day and different days of the week. I always tell them that Friday and Saturday nights are a good time to check out neighbo... 12/27/2010

Is a Red Sky at Night....Really a Sailors Delight? I grew up on a farm in Bristol Tn and one way we always judged the weather was by the sky. I was taught an old saying..."A red sky at night is a sailors delight" and "A red sky at morn is a sailors warn". It seems to have always been accurate until Christmas Eve 2010 when the sky was as red as I've ever seen it. But we awoke on Christmas morning to find the snow beginning to fall and by lunch we definitely had a White Christmas and as I write this post it is still snowing! So maybe...just maybe if it happens on Christmas Eve night it means that the Sailors delight would be to have a White Christmas! I hope everyone everywhere had a Great Christmas! Remember...For All Of Your Real Estate Needs....GoWithRobThomas.com 12/26/2010

Lights Of Christmas At Bristol Motor Speedway The following shots are from Fantasy in Lights that takes place each year at the worlds fastest half mile track! Enjoy! These are just a few of the amazing displays you will find here...if you ever have a chance to go you'll be glad you did! I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! 12/24/2010

Christmas Spirit There's nothing like the spirit of Christmas coming out in a Black Stallion! This photo was taken on my way to show property yesterday and I couldn't resist taking it. Seemed like he had been posing for this shot for hours. The Bristol Tn Va area is a great place to live and we do have a lot of Christmas spirit. We have so many neat things to offer. We have hiking, beautiful lakes, rivers, mountains, golf and just about any other thing you would want to do. For more information about our area give me a call today! And remember... For all of your Real Estate Needs....GoWithRobThomas.com    View Larger Map 12/21/2010

I have a humor theme going today.  Tuesday humor?  I don't know, but I was looking through videos in Bristol Tennessee and Virginia, focusing on fun and different  things to do.  I love the creative side of Bristol, it is such an "artsy" town.  They have a flare for music, art, just anything that gets your creative juices flowing.  Bristol is a very eclectic city, I enjoy spending time here.   I came a cross this video that just got me laughing.  I kept thinking, "stop, it hurts!"  It asks the question, "does it hurt to get hit with an airsoft gun?"  Well, after watching this video, I'll stick to paintball! Enjoy.   12/21/2010

Speedway in Lights Bristol Tn Sullivan Co Christmas in Bristol Tn Va begins every year with the kick off of Speedway in Lights at The worlds fastest half mile track....Bristol Motor Speedway! All proceeds go to the Speedway Childrens Charities across the region. So check out just a few of the many displays at this years Speedway in Lights! This looks like a gift factory! A Christmas Village! Food City Shopping cart! Another awesome display! This is what you are if you take the time out of your busy schedule and check out the Speedway in Lights! I think the 2010-2011 displays are the best ever! On a normal night it takes about an hour just to drive through...and there's a Santa's village inside the main track where your kids can enjoy different "carnival-like" rides and yummy snacks!  Th... 12/20/2010

Images Of Time Gone By Bristol Tn Sullivan Co This is just another in a series of Images Of Time Gone By that I try and capture as I travel around the Bristol Tn Va area! You have to wonder certain things here...was it a School or was it a Church? I wonder what the bell sounded like as someone pulled down on the bell rope? You can see only part of the chimney so I bet you they had some awesome fires on those cold winter nights! Can you see the kids playing up in the woods during recess or the people coming to Church on Sunday mornings? There are so many Images Of Time Gone By to offer in our area. We also have great weather year round if you like having all four seasons....check it out at current conditions in Bristol Tn Va. For more information about our area and for all your REAL ESTA... 12/20/2010

Philadelphia Grill in Bristol Tn A Great Place To Eat The Philadelphia Grill in Bristol Tn is located at 725 Bluff City Hwy and can be reached at 423-764-6632. They are just minutes from the Downtown Bristol Tn Va area where there is always something special taking place somewhere on State Street! They offer daily specials and even have a meeting rooms to accommodate those larger gatherings. I can tell you from experience that the Philadelphia Grill in Bristol Tn is a great place to eat! My personal favorite is the Chopped Steak Dinner with Fries and a Salad! My fantasy football league would meet here for our drafts at the beginning of each season before our league starting drafting our teams on line. Next time you're near.... Check them out....You'll be glad you did! And remember for a... 12/20/2010

Wrong Way? You have to ask yourself this one simple question....If all indications are for travel to follow forward....why is the pig going against the grain. Maybe that's why he was turned into Bronze! This photo was captured on a recent trip to Ashville, NC which is only about an hour from the Bristol Tn-Va area! It's a great place to go for a weekend getaway! 12/17/2010

Photo of Bristol Tn Sullivan Co This is a photo of Bristol Tn and is what can be when someone puts their mind to it. This property photo of Bristol Tn is located just outside the Bristol Tn-Va State line. It's also the farm that I grew up on. This was once pasture and a huge sink hole that cattle and sheep trod through each and every day. When my parents retired they built a new home where I am standing taking this photo. For a couple of years they wondered what to do with this sink hole and then one day my dad decided to build a man made lake. It took over a year to finally build it. there are three waterfalls that feed from the lake back down. They drilled a well that maintains the proper water level at all times. So always remember...The most awesome things can come from nothing! 12/17/2010

Wordless Wednesday-Christmas Tree The tradition of decorating evergreen trees at Christmas began in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century and they originally used candles instead of lights as we do today. An angel or star is usually placed on the top of the tree to represent the Star of Bethlehem or the Nativity. No matter how you decorate there just seems to be nothing like a lit tree at night! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT! 12/15/2010

Curb Appeal Bristol Tn Va This is a house a client of mine purchased back in 2008 in Bristol Virginia. It is located just off of Euclid Ave and is within walking distance to downtown State Street.  A convenient location to shops and downtown festivals and activities such as Rhythm and Roots, Border Bash and the Bristol Farmer's Market!  She wanted to do something special to this 1917 bungalow style home. Curb appeal can make a huge difference in the value of a home - even if it's a small area that seems insignificant!  As you will see below... Originally there was regular gravel and only a narrow path to the garage which was replaced with brown pea gravel to give it a warm and upscale look.  This can be just a small project to add curb appeal... The small section of grass here was a pai... 12/14/2010

Childhood Memories Brought To Life By Kodak Moment This happens to be a photo I took back on February 21, 2010 but you have to understand the significance of its meaning otherwise you just see a beautiful scene. This is the farm that I grew up on, my father grew up on and his father grew up on. You have to realize that when growing up on a farm it seems like all of your family is always around...I mean you could throw a rock and hit my grandparents home which is to the left of this pond and in front of the barn. I can still see my Maw-Maw and Paw-Paw in a little boat in the rain fishing on this pond so many years ago. I even trapped Muskrat and Mink in this pond back in the 70's for extra money and there was nothing better than eating a Bass or Blue Gill that we would catch out of here ... 12/12/2010

Unique Cake And Catering Bristol Tn Sullivan Co Tn There is a quaint little place off of State Street (on 17th Street) that bakes up the neatest and most "Unique Cakes And Catering"!  It may be off the beaten path, but the bakers inside sure do know how to capture any occasion with sweet sensations that LOOK and TASTE marvelous! This Hokie Bird cake is just one example of the "Unique" talents of the bakers from this one-of-a-kind business. This Hokie Bird is made from butter cream frosting and has an almond taste that is out of this world! This University of Tennessee cake was made with yummy cream cheese frosting and had a moist chocolate center.  Needless to say, it didn't last long...and the birthday boy was pleasantly surprised!!! Unique Cake And Catering is located at 103 17th Stre... 12/12/2010

Tennessee Highs Christmas Madrigal Feast Bristol Tn Sullivan Co The Tennessee High Choral Department had an amazing performance during the 2ND weekend of December 2010 called Tennessee Highs Christmas Madrigal Feaste. Tennessee High is located in Bristol, Tn. The event is held at Avoca Christian Church, Volunteer Parkway in Bristol. To fully understand the hard work of these talented teenagers, you have to understand the origins of Madrigal music.  Madrigal music was a genre of music (much like country or pop is well-known today), that was extremely popular during the 1500's in Europe. The music accompanying the lyrics was written to best express the feeling of each lyrical line in a song.  This elite group of teens was singing Christmas songs with strong feeling and emotion as well as ... 12/11/2010

PARAMOUNT Center For The Arts in Bristol Tennessee and Virginia, also known as being, "Showplace of the Mountain Empire" is proud of it's Christmas performance by the Bristol Ballet this week-end.  Kelly Barnette, from our team SELLabrate Real Estate Team will be performing with his wife Beth in this week-end event.    Saturday, December 11th at 7:30pm Sunday, December 12th at 2:30pm                  Bristol Ballet presents "Christmas Illuminations"  It is a ballet in two acts.  It is a charming show highlighting skaters in an afternoon in an outdoor park in the 1900's. The second act is a collection of dances to Christmas music. The production includes local dancers from Bristol Ballet (and our own Kelly!) and special guest dancer Fernando Moraga, originally from Santiago, Chile.  Mr. ... 12/10/2010

Tri-State Signs Bristol Tn Sullivan Co If you are in the need for a sign of any kind then you need to check out Tri-State Signs. They are located at 113 17TH Street in Bristol,Tn 37620 I am a Real Estate agent and have used Tri-State Signs and their services for many years......from riders for my signs to large signs for land and commercial. They are very helpful in designing everything to your specifications. They will even put the sign up and take it down pretty much anywhere in the Bristol Tn-Va area! This service works really good for those Realtors who are very busy or say someone who doesn't have a truck or big vehicle to haul them around in. So in my opinion if you need a sign go by Tri-State Signs today and tell them Rob Thomas sent you! Check 'em out........You'll be Glad You D... 12/09/2010

Santa Clause in Bristol Tn Sullivan Co It's official.... Santa has been spotted in Bristol Tn-Va by area Santa Clause watchers! It's been rumored for years that Santa was a Volunteer and now we have the proof! The best part about it is that he was seen practicing for UT'S upcomming BOWL GAME! The good thing about Santa Clause in Bristol Tn being one of us is that at this time we need all the GIFTS we can get!!! GO VOLS!!!View Larger Map 12/08/2010

This is the twelfth season of Bristol's Speedway in Lights. More then 1.5 millions lights will illuminate the skies from November 14th through January 3rd. It is a four mile route which includes a chance to drive through legendary Thunder Valley before driving on "The World's Fastest Half Mile" itself. At the end of the route, Christmas Village is open for spectators to get out and visit shops, food venues and roast marsh mellows on an open fire.  if that's not enough, visit Bristol Ice Skating rink and Chill Hill for a daring end to your evening.  Open 6-10pm Cars $10 Sunday through Thursday and $12 Friday and Saturday. It's BRISTOL BABY! 12/08/2010