365 Things To Do In Chattanooga, TN - ChattanoogaAndBeyond.com If the King loves music, it is well with the land. - Mencius From behind the stage looking out on the crowd Sitting on the banks of the river and listening to music helps clean the dust from the day and what better way! This will be the fourth year for the Riverfront Nights Summer Music Series at Ross's Landing. Telluride from Nashville on July 31 With Nightfall on Friday nights in the center of town at Miller Plaza, it would be great to be able to "pitch a tent" and stake out your spot for Saturday evening at Riverfront Nights! Dirty Dozen Brass Band on August 7 Kicking off on Saturday, July 31st at 7:30 PM, Riverfront Nights is a series of free summer evening concerts featuring a variety of music on the Chattanooga Waterfr... 08/15/2010

365 Things To Do In Chattanooga, TN - ChattanoogaAndBeyond.com The Thursday Plaza Party is a great way to wind down after work and stock up on some locally grown produce. Another good reason to come downtown Chattanooga It’s a smaller version of the very popular Sunday Market just for the downtown crowd. Held at the centrally-located Miller Plaza, the Thursday Plaza Party is a family-friendly marketplace featuring fresh produce, local arts & crafts, live music, fresh-squeezed lemonade and even an ice-cold beverage. Vendors setting up for Plaza Party The Thursday Plaza Party starts at 4 p.m. and lasts until 7, with entertainment by street performer musicians as well as bands that play on the stage from spring through the end of September. Some of the upcoming entertainment include the... 08/15/2010

365 Things To Do In Chattanooga, TN - ChattanoogaAndBeyond.com Not just for the golf course anymore! Steve Ray's Midnite Oil As I was leaving a home inspection in Ooltewah, I discovered that Dan Mayfield had left his "Housemasters" hat behind. I called and Dan asked that I drop it off at Steve Ray's Midnight Oil Neighborhood Service Station. All roads lead from Steve Ray's in Ooltewah! This worked out well as I was driving right by and needed gas. In addition to gas and an oil change, Steve Ray sells golf carts, predicts the weather, has directional signs and will welcome you to the south with his hospitality. Admit it, we would all like to have our own golf cart sitting in the driveway of our new home! Steve Ray's Golf Carts sells electric and gas golf carts, either new or used with mo... 08/15/2010

Day 81 of 365 Things To Do In Chattanooga, TN - ChattanoogaAndBeyond.comYou will get wet! Did You Know? Wildwater Rafting is hosting their 4th Annual “Raft for the Cure” on Saturday, August 28th. The trip down the Ocoee starts at 2 p.m. with a reception at 6 p.m. in honor of breast cancer survivors. For more information, contact Jan Beck at (423) 496-2557 or to make reservations call the reservations office at 800-451-9972. The money raised goes to the Susan G. Komen Chattanooga affiliate. Did you know? Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassr... 08/15/2010

Here's your semi-annual monthly market report for St. Elmo (sorry St. Elmites, I'll do better next time!). All St. Elmo Real Estate Sales through the Chattanooga MLS All current homes for sale: 27 Pending or contingent listings (under contract): 4 Residential listings closed (sold) during the last month: 1 Number of months to sell current actives at last month's sales pace: ummm, 27? And because everybody is a nosy neighbor, here's what actually sold in July or is currently pending:     (Click to embiggen) DOM= Days on Market Want to know more about this charming little community? Click here for a recent blog post or see what's for sale right now. 08/07/2010

Everything you see here is reliable but not guaranteed. These reports are almost as boring as the title implies. This one covers ZIP code 37405 as reported to the Chattanooga MLS. North Chattanooga Real Estate Sales (All prices) All active listings: 134 Pending or contingent listings (under contract): 16 Residential listings closed (sold) during the past month: 15 Number of months to sell current actives at last month's sales pace: 8.9   Under $100,000 Active, residential listings: 21 Pending or contingent listings: 3 Residential listings closed last month: 3 Number of months to sell current actives at last month's sales pace: 7.0 $100,000-200,000 Active, residential listings: 37 Pending or contingent listings: 4 Residential listings closed during the last month: 5 Number of months to s... 08/07/2010

That's kinda what The Pinnacle is. Except these are DE-Luxe apartments you can own. The Pinnacle sits right around Stringer's Ridge between North Chattanooga & Red Bank. It's a high rise building that used to be rented apartments. A few years ago the owner decided to renovate and sell. And they went all out, turning The Pinnacle into, well, the pinnacle of hip urban style. Granite counter tops in both kitchens and baths, stainless steel appliances, real wood floors, tiled balconies, and did I mention the view? Most units have either a mountain or downtown Chattanooga city view. A new parking garage being built on the site will block the view from the 3 lowest floors on the mountain side which means that the remaining unit for sale on the 2nd floor is being offered at a fire sale price.... 07/30/2010

I showed a home in The Reunion to an out of town couple this weekend. I've always been a fan of Pratt Homes but I hadn't ever been to The Reunion before. The homes have a similar feel to other Pratt developments which often have larger homes on the periphery of the subdivision and smaller, back loading garage homes in the center. Having many of the garages in the back, homes being close together and sited near the street, give The Reunion the feeling of a close-knit community. Wide sidewalks invite you to stroll around and meet the neighbors. Of course requirements that cars be kept garaged, and prohibitions against airing your laundry (clean OR dirty) keep things looking picture perfect, sometimes to the point of sterility. You can see the full covenants & restrictions here. Living in ... 07/25/2010

ChattanoogaAndBeyond.com When in nature...always leave it better than you found it! Chattanooga Nature Center 30 years young Here in Chattanooga we are so fortunate to have The Chattanooga Nature Center with a  broad display of 30 native species including some that are endangered and/or threatened. Red Wolf This includes the Red Wolf, one of North America's most endangered animals. There are only ~300 left in the world and CNC has two breeding pair of Red Wolves that are part of the Species Survival Plan. Common Green Tree Frog Many different species of Reptiles, Amphibians, mammals and birds make up the residents at the CNC. Some of these animal ambassadors have been impacted in such a way that they are unable to return to the wild, i.e., injured or abandoned and thus help teach the pu... 07/10/2010

ChattanoogaAndBeyond.com - Chattanooga Real Estate and Relocation Guide and the Heartbeat of the Scenic City! Chattanooga's growth since 2000 was the fastest in three decades, edging it closer to Knoxville as Tennessee's third-biggest city, according to new census estimates. After losing residents in the 1980s and growing a modest 2.5 percent in the 1990s, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Chattanooga grew nearly 10.2 percent from 2000 to 2009. But the Census Bureau estimates the region's fastest-growing cities were in nearby suburbs to the north and south of Chattanooga, while Chattanooga's oldest neighboring suburbs lost population during the decade. In its final population estimate before the 2010 census is tabulated, the bureau estimated last week that Chattanooga added 15,795 r... 07/09/2010

ChattanoogaAndBeyond.com No surprises here, we have always known it! Chattanooga is an affordable city in which to buy a home, according to Forbes.com. An article published on Forbes.com last week says Chattanooga is No. 3 on a list of 10 affordable American cities. Other Southern cities on the list are Louisville, Ky., and Columbia, S.C. "Only 18 percent of the average Chattanoogan's salary is devoted to housing costs, and in ... Columbia that number is only 19 percent," Forbes writes. In Louisville, the percentage is about 20 percent, according to the story. The article notes that the national slide in housing prices has hindered economic recovery, but it says the cities on its list are a great place to look if you're in a position to buy. Forbes determined the ranking by looking at t... 07/09/2010

ChattanoogaAndBeyond.com "Our beers are liquid food" - Chattanooga Brewing Company 1901 Consider this your formal invitation to Chattanooga Brewing beer tasting event July 14 at Tremont Tavern One day early in the spring, I was walking on Frazier snapping some pictures when I noticed something happening in one of the storefronts.   Front door to the new location on Frazier Chattanooga Brewing Company is resurrecting! One of the labels from days gone by! Chattanooga Brewing Company was a prominent local brewery from 1890 to 1915. It was shuttered just before Prohibition, which lasted into the 1930s. Mark Marcum, a longtime North Chattanooga resident and brewer at Chattanooga Brewing Company and partner Jonathan Clark, both engineers by trade are reopening Chattanooga Brewing Company on t... 07/09/2010

ChattanoogaAndBeyond.com ... Pete Dye design. I had the Privilege of getting on this course, and was blown away.. what an amazing course. Water, Trees, Bunkers, FAST greens (STAY BELOW THE HOLE!), and immaculate conditions. -- Jeff Priz, a user of Golf Review.com Mist Rising on The Honors Course The Honors Course opened on July 2, 1983 and was created to honor the game of amateur golf. This special golf course course is located in in the community of Ooltewah, just north of the City of Chattanooga. In keeping with its philosophy, the course has hosted many amateur tournaments including the USGA Men’s Amateur and Mid-Amateur Championships, the Curtis Cup Matches, and the NCAA Men’s Div. I Championship most recently this past spring of 2010. Challenges throughout The Honors Course Located... 07/09/2010

...and you wouldn't have had to stand in line at Clumpies for an hour to go to the bathroom tonight! All you have to do is buy this place 07/03/2010

ChattanoogaAndBeyond.com "The best brunch I have ever had! I was very impressed with this restaurant." Miranda J. 212 Market Street Restaurant Chattanooga, TN divine,  scrumptious,  excellent,  the best,  delicious,  fresh,  out of this world,  fantastic,  yummy,  creative,  memorable, worth the 50 mile drive... these were all comments I gleaned from the restaurant review site,  Yelp.com about 212 Market Street Several of the "specials" on the board caught our eye! Patrice and I were set on 212 Market Street as we headed out to pick up mom for an early dinner but we always ask her where she would like to go. It was unanimous when she told us a friend had recommended 212 to her that afternoon. It was a drag that I didn't have my camera and would have to rely on my phone! 212 Market Stree... 06/27/2010

"The Suck", "The Skillet", "The Frying Pan" and "The Pot" The River Gorge Catamaran caught in a 360º spin! First, some quick points about the boat! Will stop from 55 mph to 0 in 10 seconds or less? You may experience 60° spins, 90° turns at cruise speeds and sudden stops while cruising the Tennessee River all in a safe experience. At top speed the boat will draw less than 18" of water This is no ordinary boat, able to come from cruising speed to a dead stop with zero wake in less than 3 boat lengths. The 70-foot catamaran is powered by four Caterpillar diesel engines driving water jets that propel craft smoothly and swiftly downstream. Rendering showing the profile The boat has been designed for the Tennessee River Gorge experience. In fact, this catamaran is the first to be commissione... 06/27/2010

I'll take back what I said before. Forbes.com has regained my good graces by again naming Chattanooga as one of the most affordable cities in which, not just to buy, but also to continue to own your own home. Using a combination of home prices, job stability, property taxes and expected future price gains, the Scenic City was number three on the list this time (but without the backhanded compliment they gave us the last time!).   Oh, but wait, what's that at the bottom down there? Oh yeah, I almost forgot, they gave me a credit for the use of a photo I took of a St. Elmo historic home (and then used in a blog post). I have to admit, that made me a lot more forgiving of their earlier offense. But don't tell them that, it'll be our secret. 06/25/2010

ChattanoogaAndBeyond Always exceeding expectations! The Glass Enclosed Wine Room at Hennen' s - ChattanoogaAndBeyond Located near the Aquarium and all things downtown Chattanooga, Hennen' s is a restaurant we enjoy taking friends, family or real estate clients to when they are visiting from out of town. With Riverbend happening it was our choice tonight. Wonderful dining atmosphere at Hennen's “The staff is wonderfully trained, the ambiance is second to none in the city, they have a tremendous wine selection, and one of the highlights of the decor is the wine room, which is a large glass enclosed, climate controlled room that can be seen throughout the restaurant. Our server Ivan Thomas sharing the wine room with us We had called ahead for a reservation and were seated promptly in a ver... 06/22/2010

The boundaries I'm using for this report are the river on the north and east, I-24 on the south & Central Avenue to the west. All Downtown & Southside Chattanooga Real Estate Sales through the Chattanooga MLS All active listings: 127 Pending or contingent listings (under contract): 10 Residential listings closed (sold) during the month: 10 Number of months to sell current actives at last month's sales pace: 12.7 Downtown & Southside Chattanooga Real Estate, Under $150,000 Active, residential listings: 10 Pending or contingent listings: 3 Residential listings closed last month: 3 Number of months to sell current actives at last month's sales pace: 3.3 Downtown & Southside Chattanooga Real Estate, $150,000-350,000 Active, residential listings: 79 Pending or contingent listings: 5 Residen... 06/06/2010

ChattanoogaAndBeyond.com A shuttle service back and forth would be great! Gregg Allman and His Band With Gregg Allman and His Band playing at The First Tennessee Pavilion and Big Sam's Funky Nation at Nightfall...it's decision time. Handwritten words to Midnight Rider by Gregg Allman To benefit "Kids on the Block", the Jamie McLean Band will be opening the show for Gregg Allman and His Band tonight. Tickets may be purchased at Memorial Auditorium or call 642-TIXS (8497), there are no online ticket sales. As someone who grew up listening to the Allman Brothers in the very early 70's this is a gentle reminder of age! or choose to take in Big Sam's Funky Nation at Nightfall tonight. Sammie "Big Sam" Williams is a trombonist and band leader from New Orleans. In 2006, he played with Elvis Co... 06/01/2010