Buying a home can be stressful, emotional, time-consuming, and expensive, especially if it's your first time! Between the realtor commission, [closing costs](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/a-definitive-guide-to-closing-costs), and moving costs it's no wonder why most people fear the process of buying or selling a home. Believe it or not, some of the most common questions we get asked center around real estate agent commission rates both for the home buyer and seller. For instance, many of our clients ask us - [are commission rates negotiable](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/are-realtor-commissions-negotiable), who pays the [buyer agent commission](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/how-does-a-buyers-agent-get-paid), and is a home buyer rebate legal? There's a lot of misinformation on these topics, but we're here to clear the air.

## What Does A Buyer's Agent Do?

As unconventional as this may sound, the reality is, when it comes to being a real estate agent, buyer agents don't do all that much these days.

### What did a buyer's agent do before the internet?

Rewind the clock 15 or 20 years, and yes, these agents had their hands full working on behalf of the home buyer. They would literally have a big binder filled with properties listed for sale. Nothing was online so if a home buyer wanted to see what inventory was available, they would first call up a realtor who would manually look through their binder and pick a few properties that met the buyer's needs. 

If the potential home buyer was then interested in making an offer on the property, doing a [comparable market analysis](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/comparative-market-analysis) wasn't as easy as it is today. The same agent would have to seek out all of the recent comps in their binder to manually compute their opinion of the home's value. These old-school agents didn't even have electronic signature software so every time a document needed to be signed by the home buyer meant hopping in their car and driving over to their client. With all this work, buyer agent commission rebates were never brought up until the advent of technology caused a huge shift in the industry.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### What did a buyer's agent do after the internet?

In today's technological age, so much of these manual buyer agent tasks can be accomplished with the click of a mouse, or simply by scrolling on your phone. The internet and apps allow the home buyer to do most of the work! Buyers are able to preselect their 'requirements', and the [home-search website](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/nashville) will automatically show them homes in their desired area that meet these requirements.

If you want 4 bedrooms, there's a filter for that. If you need a two-car garage, there is a filter for that. All you need to do is ask your realtor to unlock the front door so you can see if the pictures live up to the hype! If you're interested in making an offer on a home, your agent can easily do a comparable market analysis to determine what a fair price for the home should be. There is no longer the need to manually compute these critical numbers! No wonder it's fairly typical for a buyer's agent to rebate a portion of their commission.

## Should I Use A Buyer Agent Or Represent Myself?

Don't get us wrong, a buyer's agent is still helpful, and we encourage you to work with one. After all, purchasing a home may be the largest investment you make. It's good to have a professional in your corner to help answer any of the questions you may have and help you negotiate the purchase. But the reality is, in today's technology-driven world, buyer's agents are just not worth 3% of the final sales price. This is why many folks are starting to ask for a home buyer rebate from real estate agents.

## What Is The Buyer Agent Commission?

The buyer agent commission is the fee the agent charges who helps their client (the buyer) with the process of buying a home. In the state of Tennessee, the buyer agent commission is typically 3%. Considering how the internet has allowed the homebuyer to do much of the home searching themselves, the 3% commission seems drastically inflated, right?

## Who Pays The Buyer Agent Commission?

Any rational person would suggest that the seller would pay for the listing agent commission, and the buyer pays the buyer agent commission. This is a big misconception. **As the home seller, you are responsible for paying the agent commission for both the buyer and seller**!

On average, this is a total of 6% of the purchase price in commission fees the seller ends up paying. The buyer's agent gets a 3% fee, and the listing agent would get a 3% fee. On a $400,000 home, that is $24,000 in realtor commission fees. That's a lot of money by any standards.

Just because the buyer does not have to pay out of pocket to use the services of a buyer's agent doesn't mean they are free. A simple economics course would teach you that the buyer's agent commission is factored into the sales price. This is why so many buyers attempt to bypass the services of an agent to get a better price. Luckily, with a home buyer rebate, home buyers can have their cake and eat it too by both saving money thanks to the commission rebate and also benefitting from the experience of a licensed agent.

## What Is A Home Buyer Rebate?

A home buyer rebate is when a buyer's agent gives their client back a portion of their commission they receive from the seller. For first time home buyers, think of a commission rebate like cash back on a credit card. For instance, if a buyer's agent collected a 3% commission, or $12,000, they may elect to keep $6,000 of that commission and give their client a commission rebate of $6,000. A realtor may decide to do this as a token of appreciation, a simple thank you, or as a way to get more clients! Commission rebates allow agents to compete for a buyer's business, not just on the level of service they provide but also the price they charge for that service. It's a win-win! 

The concept of a buyer's commission rebate has become increasingly popular in recent years as buyers understand that they take on more of the legwork in the home search process. Buyers also understand that as home prices continue to appreciate, especially in the Nashville area, a 3% commission on a $100,000 home in 1980 is a lot less than a 3% commission on a $400,000 home today.

## Can Real Estate Agents Give Part Of Their Commission To Buyers?

In the vast majority of the country (currently 40 of the 50 states), rebates are legal meaning agents are able to give any amount of their commission back to their clients. This unique business model can save home buyers save thousands. Many buyers ask for a commission rebate as they realize there isn't a great deal of work that goes into representing them in this modern era. They also understand that the job of a buyer's agent has gotten more efficient through technology and the internet.

### What are the rules in Tennessee?

<p>
Tennessee is one of 10 states that makes it illegal for an agent to give a buyer rebate. As crazy as this sounds, it's the absolute truth. According to the <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.tn.gov/commerce/regboards/trec.html">Tennessee Real Estate Commission (TREC)</a> and the <a rel="nofollow" href="https://tnrealtors.com/">Tennessee Association of Realtors</a>, an agent is not allowed to give a commission rebate to their client nor are they allowed to directly pay for their client's closing costs. At Felix Homes, we are actively working on fighting for a change to this outdated law by starting a <a rel="nofollow" href="http://chng.it/mQLpfG5tDV">petition</a> that we encourage you to sign.
</p>

### In what other states is it illegal for a buyer's agent to refund their commission?

There are just 10 states that do not allow a buyer rebate. These states are:

- Alaska
- Alabama
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Tennessee

<div class="infogram-embed" data-id="76b746bd-4296-46cb-9721-24d5f2a6f183" data-type="interactive" data-title="Buyer Agent Commission Rebate"></div>

Although it's not legal for an agent to give part of their commission to the buyer, the commission rate can still be negotiated. There is no law mandating that the buyer's agent must take 3% of the purchase price as their commission. As a buyer, you should certainly ask your agent to take a lower commission which can make your offer look more appealing to a home seller. While it's not exactly the same as getting cash back on your home purchase, asking your buyer's agent to reduce their commission is in effect the same as a commission rebate.

## Does Felix Homes Offer A Rebate?

Our real estate brokerage believes the Tennessee law making it illegal to give a commission rebate is absolutely crazy. The real estate transaction process is expensive, and many clients save up for years just to have enough money to afford a home. Not only that, commission rebates are legal in 40 out of 50 states.

In Tennessee, instead of offering a cash back style rebate, our process looks a little different. **Instead of requiring the seller to pay a full 3% commission fee when we represent a buyer, we ask for just 1.5%**. Since we are reducing our commission in half, we include language in all of our offers stating that 1.5% must be paid by the seller towards the buyer's closing costs. In practice, this achieves the same thing as a traditional commission rebate. If you plan on purchasing a home for $400,000, you'll end up saving $6,000 off your closing costs. I don't know about you, but that's a meaningful saving. This is a loophole in the law that is completely legal and **we're the only brokerage in Tennessee that does it**!

## How Can Felix Homes Help?

Felix Homes is a Nashville-based [low-commission](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/low-commission-real-estate-agents-nashville) real estate brokerage. We work with both buyers and sellers and help keep more profit in your pocket on each real estate transaction.

Not only do we charge half the rate on the buy side, we charge a flat [1% commission fee](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/one-percent-commission-realtor-nashville) when we sell a home for our clients. On average, we help our clients save $8,100 when they choose to list their home with Felix. Our clients are able to save on commissions and use that cash for other important expenses such as a home renovation, family vacation, or downpayment on their dream home!

## Why Do We Charge 1%?

This is such a common question, and we love answering it! The fact of the matter is, we believe technology changed the real estate industry, but traditional realtors are holding onto a higher commission fee for obvious reasons. Many years ago, paying a 6% commission fee may have been appropriate, but in today's world with all the real estate apps, online photos, home search websites, and virtual tours, that fee is no longer needed.

In addition, the average home price in Nashville has skyrocketed. Commissions on a $400,000 are a lot more than what they would be on a $100,000 home. The 6% commission rate has stayed relatively unchanged, but all the variables that make up the rate (effort and price) have changed!

## Above And Beyond

You can expect to pay less when you choose to work with [Felix Homes](https://www.felixhomes.com/), but don't expect any degradation of service. We are a complete, full-service realtor that leverages a talented role-based team to help buy the home that's just right or help you sell your existing home. We have a team of employees, not independent contractors, that handle all of our marketing, photography, social media, and technology, which enables our agents to be 100% focused on you.

If you're in Tennessee and you're looking to buy a home, or interested in selling your current home, contact us. We represent both the buyer and the seller and would be more than happy to help answer any of your real estate questions or needs, provide you with more information, and assist you with any real estate transaction. Drop us a line at [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277) or send us an email at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com).

Tennessee's 1 of 10 states that makes it illegal for a buyer's agent to refund their client any part of their commission. But, now there's a way around the law.

large_Buyers Agent Commission Rebate Tennessee.jpg

medium_Buyers Agent Commission Rebate Tennessee.jpg

small_Buyers Agent Commission Rebate Tennessee.jpg

thumbnail_Buyers Agent Commission Rebate Tennessee.jpg

Buyers Agent Commission Rebate Tennessee.jpg

What Is A Home Buyers Rebate And Is It Legal?

Buying a home may be the single greatest investment you make. There's a lot that goes into this transaction, which is why many homebuyers choose to purchase title insurance in case there are any issues with the home's title such as an unknown lien or forged document. There are many checks and balances that go on behind the scenes of a real estate transaction that will be foreign to someone who isn't a licensed professional. Title insurance is just one, of many, areas a top real estate agent will help you navigate.

## What Is Title Insurance And Why Should You Care?

A title insurance policy is simply an insurance policy that protects you, the buyer, from any unknown variables that could threaten your ability or right to occupy the property. Unlike car insurance or health insurance, title insurance is a one-time payment that occurs when ownership of a property is transferred. A title insurance policy is a form of indemnity insurance that is designed to protect the lender and buyer from a financial loss resulting from an issue with the home's title.

**Common issues with title include:**

- The former owner owed back taxes
- The home has an unforeseen or unknown lien
- The real estate transaction documents had a flaw or intentional fraud.

In the event, these variables were present with the seller, as the new homeowner, you may lose your home, or owe money, due to issues with the previous homeowner's title or background.

Before buying a home, a title search will be completed on the property by your title company. However, title searches are not bulletproof. In many cases, they are not able to pull all the property records, and all the history, on a particular home. Mistakes do happen, things are missed, and when they are - that's when title insurance saves the day. If there are any issues that were not found during the title search, an insurance claim is made to step in and bridge the gap.

## What Kind Of Title Insurance Should I Buy?

**There are two types of title insurance:**

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### Lender's title insurance

This is title insurance that will protect your lender. In all real estate transactions financed using a mortgage, the lender will require you to obtain title insurance to satisfy the loan. Therefore, if anything happens with the title after the purchase is complete, the lender will not lose money.

### Owner's title insurance

Now that the lender is covered, it's time to worry about you, the new owner of the property. The owner's insurance policy does the same thing, but instead of protecting the lender, it protects you from any liens or mistakes preventing clear title.

## What Does Title Insurance Protect Buyers From?

Title insurance is designed to protect a buyer from losing their home or owing money due to actions the seller took. Homeowner's insurance will protect your home against fire, theft, flood, or various damages to your home due to an act of God. Title insurance on the other hand won't cover those things, but it will cover a wide range of variables that could jeopardize your home.

A homeowner who elects to purchase title insurance will receive protection in a lot of areas. Most commonly, folks are looking for protection from:

- Forgery and fraud of documents
- Coverage against any document that was not properly created, witnessed, sealed, documented, or executed
- Any document that was created or executed under a falsified or expired power of attorney
- Errors in tax records
- Undisclosed heirs
- False impersonation of the true landowner
- Probate matters
- Adverse possession

The full list is rather compressive. If you're interested in understanding the full scope of coverage, be sure to check with the insurer.

## Who Pays For Title Insurance In Tennessee?

Considering title insurance is just one of many closing costs in a real estate transaction, is the buyer or seller responsible for paying it in Tennessee? In Tennessee, it's most common for the seller to pay for title insurance. Call it tradition but there is no rhyme or reason why the seller typically pays for it in our state. For example, in some states, the buyer pays for title insurance, or the cost is split evenly.

Here in Tennessee, in about 5% of real estate transactions, the buyer will offer to pay for title insurance. While this is fairly rare, it occurs when a home is listed and receives a ton of interest from multiple buyers. In a bidding war, some buyers may elect to offer a higher sales price while others may sweeten their offer by choosing to pay for title insurance.

## Is Title Insurance Required In Tennessee?

While not required by law, if you are planning to finance the purchase of your home with a mortgage, a bank or lender will require title insurance on their behalf when purchasing a home in Tennessee. However, as the new homeowner, you can elect if you personally want to have the protection of title insurance for yourself. This is referred to as an owner's policy. Although the owner's title insurance policy is optional in Tennessee, it's crucial and something you don't want to be without.

## How Much Does Title Insurance Cost In Tennessee?

We've already clarified that in Tennessee, the seller in a real estate transaction is typically the one who pays for title insurance. What can they expect to pay as a title insurance premium? Unfortunately, this isn't a one size fits all approach. There are a few variables that must be factored into the equation. For example, the sales price of the home will be a major variable in determining how much the insurance premium is. The county in which the home is located may also play a factor. Additionally, each title company can charge their own rates. Therefore, the costs may vary between different insurance companies. 

A common example would be a **0.70% charge for every $1,000 your home cost.** Therefore, if the price of the home was $360,000, and your mortgage is $300,000, your title insurance would cost $2,100. The $60,000 down payment would be deducted from the total price of the home, reducing how much insurance you need to carry.

## Should You Elect For Owner's Title Insurance?

An owner's title insurance policy is something we'd recommend you ask the seller to purchase on your behalf. The risk of having anything happen to your property just isn't worth it. You don't want to lose your home due to bad decisions made by the previous owner. Make sure you protect this great purchase you've worked so hard for and ensure it is properly insured. After all, having the seller pay for this upfront will likely be cheaper than the various attorney fees if there were any issues and you were uninsured.

## What Is A Lien On A Home?

The definition of a lien is - the legal right or claim from a creditor to obtain access to the property if debts are not paid. But beyond that, we'll break liens into two categories; good and bad liens. We'll keep it high level and dive into both.

### A good lien

Also known as a 'normal lien', a good lien is a home equity line of credit or mortgage. Whenever you're buying or selling a home, you'll likely be dealing with these common liens. In the event, the existing homeowner fails to pay their mortgage on time, or in full, the lender has a lien on your home. This means if you defaulted on your loan for a given period of time, the lender will have the right to assume ownership of the home. You may have heard the term foreclosure before. That is when a bank or lender will try to sell a home they've taken over due to a lien, or someone not paying the bills.

### A bad lien

Or an undesirable lien would be when the previous homeowner has outstanding bills with various companies or institutions. For instance, there can be a city tax lien for back taxes, a water bill lien for unpaid water bills, utility liens, etc. If you were to buy a house with these liens attached to them, you can be responsible for paying the unpaid bills in full. You'll certainly want to discover this before buying the house.

## How To Determine If There Is A Lien On A House?

A simple title search can typically uncover any liens on a home. Luckily as a homebuyer, you do not need to worry about conducting the title search yourself. During the closing period, the real estate attorney or closing company you hire will be in charge of running a title search, resolving any outstanding liens, and ordering title insurance on the property. Most closing companies charge a one-time fee of $300-$500 for this service.

## Is Title Insurance A Scam?

There is an ongoing sentiment among home buyers and sellers that title insurance is a ripoff. Title insurance has a bad reputation because, like most insurance products, it is a waste of money until you need it. Unlike other insurance products like car insurance or health insurance, title insurance is historical. For example, you may not know if your car will be in an accident in the future which is why it's important to have auto insurance. With title insurance, a title company can run a search to see if there are any liens on a home before issuing a policy. This has caused the claims rate in the title insurance industry to be extremely low, around 5%. With such a low claims rate, you would expect the cost of title insurance to be relatively low. Unfortunately, title insurance costs have been on the rise thanks to industry consolidation. There are only two primary title insurance underwriters, Fidelity National Title, and First American Title who set the price of these policies.

## Need Help Buying Or Selling In Tennessee?

There's a lot that goes into buying or selling your home. Some folks choose to take on this challenge themselves, but like most things in life, it pays to hire a professional. You want to be sure all your bases are covered and you aren't missing anything important. Having the right licensed real estate agent in your corner, who is local to your market, can be incredibly helpful.

As a seller, you may be stuck with the bill for title insurance but that doesn't mean there aren't other ways to save on closing costs. At Felix Homes, we charge a 1% listing fee compared to the 3% listing fee most agents charge. We're a [low commission real estate agent](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/low-commission-real-estate-agents-nashville), [also known as a 1% realtor](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/one-percent-commission-realtor-nashville), and we've been saving our clients roughly $8,100 in commissions on average. We understand how important it is for homeowners to walk away with as much equity as possible, and our goal is to help you keep more of it.

Whether your buying or selling a home in Tennessee, our agents will be happy to help you. We want to make your transaction as easy and seamless as possible, and we're able to do so given our experience. We're happy to discuss title insurance or any other closing cost you'll be expected to pay when you buy or sell a home. Email us at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com) or give us a call today and [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277).

Title insurance is the thing people love to hate. Is it worth it? What does it protect? Does the buyer or seller pay for title insurance in Tennessee?

large_Does-The-Buyer-Or-Seller-Pay-For-Title-Insurance-In-Tennessee-1200x801.jpg

medium_Does-The-Buyer-Or-Seller-Pay-For-Title-Insurance-In-Tennessee-1200x801.jpg

small_Does-The-Buyer-Or-Seller-Pay-For-Title-Insurance-In-Tennessee-1200x801.jpg

thumbnail_Does-The-Buyer-Or-Seller-Pay-For-Title-Insurance-In-Tennessee-1200x801.jpg

Does-The-Buyer-Or-Seller-Pay-For-Title-Insurance-In-Tennessee-1200x801.jpg

Who Pays For Title Insurance In Tennessee?

If you're thinking about selling your home, you'll have to make many decisions. Not only do you need to figure out what town/state you're moving to, how much you'd like to sell the home for, and the timeline of selling your home - you'll also have to choose how you want to sell your home.

Believe it or not, there are many options out there. Some people elect to sell their home themselves, also known as a [for sale by owner](https://www.felixhomes.com/resources/sell-without-an-agent-nashville) transaction. However, more commonly, people choose to work with a real estate agent to oversee the entire transaction. After all, with most things in life, it pays to higher a professional.

Working with a real estate agent can be expensive, as **many realtors charge a 6% commission rate**. In Nashville, the average home price is $300,000, and the average realtor commission 5.8%. This means on your average home sale, the homeowner pays **$17,400 in commission fees**. We agree, it pays to work with a professional, but why should you pay that much? You shouldn’t, you should work with a low commission real estate agent.

A low commission real estate agent is a real estate agent, or brokerage, that helps you list your home and charges you a discounted agent commission structure. And yes, this is completely legal! Realtors are allowed to discount their commission - although many agents won't advertise that for obvious reasons. Your average realtor will charge a 6% commission.

## Unwilling To Pay 6%? Then Choose A Discount Real Estate Model

If you're unwilling to pay a 6% commission fee on your home, we don't blame you. There are lower-cost options on the market, which will help keep more profit in your wallet when the transaction settles. The two most common low commission real estate options are:

### Flat-fee MLS

For a flat-fee, you can pay a company, typically $300 - $1,000 in the Nashville area, to list your home on the MLS. This is all you'll get. These companies typically do not provide any listing agent support or assist in facilitating the transaction. [Flat fee MLS companies](https://www.felixhomes.com/resources/low-commission-realtor-or-flat-fee-mls) also will not assist with helping you determine a list price or other crucial aspects of the home selling process. Most sellers that choose the flat-fee MLS option do so solely for the reduced commission fee. Keep in mind that with the flat fee MLS option, you are still expected to offer a buyers agent a competitive commission of between 2.5% - 3%.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### You can work with a full-service low commission realtor

Also known as discount brokers, these are real estate companies that in many cases offer the same full-service support a traditional realtor would, but charge a reduced commission. Felix Homes is a low commission realtor or discount broker who is a top white-glove, full service, real estate company. At Felix Homes, our services go beyond that of a flat-fee MLS company as we provide the same services any traditional agent would such as assistance in determining a list price to hosting an open house and so much more.

## Commonly Asked Questions About Real Estate Commissions In Nashville

### How much do low commission real estate agents charge as a listing fee?

Discount brokers all charge different rates, but they are all less than the typical 3% listing agent commission rate a traditional real estate agent charges. For example, Redfin charges 1.5%, whereas Homie and Trelora charge a flat dollar fee. We keep it simple at Felix Homes, with a low commission rate of just [1% for our services](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/one-percent-commission-realtor-nashville).

### How can these low commission real estate agents charge sellers less?

In almost every case, a low commission brokerage will leverage employees instead of contractors. This creates efficiencies, and greater efficiency leads to these top real estate agents or brokers being able to sell more homes. This is a different business model when comparing it to the typical franchise/contractor model of some of the well known real estate groups.

### What are some of the pros of having an employee-based business model as a discount real estate brokerage?

At Felix Homes, we have an employee-based business model. Here's why this model works for us. We embrace the concept of specialized roles. Our in-house team is the aggregated sum of highly talented individuals in their own respective areas. We are not trying to be the jack of all trades like a traditional realtor. Instead, we have employees that lead our marketing team, manage our technology, take care of prospecting, and even shoot professional photos for the home. This allows us to keep our agents focused on what they do best, selling a house!

Considering an agent doesn't need to spend time running their finances or creating a new social media post, our agents are able to spend more time focused on selling a home. Our top agents at Felix Home's sell 3x more homes than the typical agent in the Nashville area.

Felix Homes' agents don't pay outrageous brokerage fees either. A traditional agent typically needs to pay their brokerage 50% of their agent commission, which is part of the reason why they refuse to operate on a low commission structure. Our agents don't have to pay this fee most brokers charge.

We leverage better technology for a quicker sale. Because we actually employ technology experts, we leverage the top tools to help us sell your home more quickly. Whether we use this technology to improve your home's position online or when we take a beautiful aerial view photo of your home, we're leveraging the best in class tools, software, and equipment to get your house in front of more buyers.

Our agents pride themselves on providing the full white-glove service for all of our clients. Our level of service is what we're known for, and frankly, the top marketing tool we could ask for. By simply providing an over-the-top customer experience, our sellers and buyers become our biggest advocates. Word of mouth is a free form of marketing, so we have a very low customer acquisition cost! Despite being a discount real estate brokerage, you will not be getting a discounted service level!

### What are the cons of the independent contractor model?

Quite candidly, the independent contractor model most brokers employ is too expensive. These contractors are required to pay 50% of their commission to the broker, despite the broker having little to no involvement with the sale. Therefore, these contractors aren't willing or able to discount the commission they charge on their services, because the broker is already taking a large cut.

Most traditional agents in the Nashville area only do one sale per month. This is because these agents are essentially their own business. They have to do everything from; their own marketing, their bookkeeping, prospecting, and selling. They aren't just focused on the sale, but instead, have to adapt the jack of all trades approaches just to run their business. There are only so many hours in a day and your agent should spend their time focused on activities that will lead to a successful sale for you, the seller.

Most real estate brokers lack sophisticated marketing techniques. This complements the above point, but if the seller's agent is focused on all other aspects of running a business, how can they possibly dedicate enough time to properly market their homes? Unless you have a dedicated marketing team, you can't leverage the best, most sophisticated marketing tools, or technology, in the business.

There is nothing that differentiates one 6% broker from others. Traditional real estate agents are the most common as many feel like being a traditional agent has the most upside potential. Instead of following the herd, we step to the side and go in our own direction as a discount broker.

### What kind of homes do low commission agents specialize in selling?

Most low commission real estate agents are focused on listing homes from $175,000 - $1,500,000. This includes single-family homes or condos. Home's that are unique, such as properties priced above $1.5M, homes with 10+ acres, homes located in rural areas, or homes in disrepair are better managed through a traditional real estate agent.

### Are low commission agents licensed?

Absolutely! Just because we are a discount real estate agent doesn't mean we can skip out on our education. We go through the same state licensing requirements as any other realtor. We became a low commission agent by choice, to help you save money. But our education and licensing is the same.

### Do low commission realtors provide less service to sellers?

This is a complicated answer, as every low commission agency has its own set of practices and service levels. Some low commission realtors, such as Homie - a Utah based company - focuses on a digital-agent experience. They will not meet with you in person, nor will they visit your home or host open houses. Their listing agent services are done electronically.

On the other hand, other low commission realtors, such as Felix Homes, provide you with a full list of agent services. In fact, because we have a dedicated team that specializes in specific roles within our company, we believe we can provide a better service and experience to our sellers. This may include; listing your home, running multiple open houses, leveraging [top-notch marketing](https://www.felixhomes.com/marketing), and providing prompt customer service, you can count on us to sell your home.

## Introduction To Felix Homes

Our company, Felix Homes, started in 2018. Our objective is to create the best, full-service real estate experience for our clients and simultaneously provide the most financially responsible way to sell a home. We're a local real estate company serving Nashville and neighboring communities.

Our objective is to help sellers get the highest price while charging them a lower commission. That said, just because our listing commission fees are lower than typical agents doesn't mean we offer a lower level of service to sellers. We are still a full-service real estate firm committed to our clients. Our discount real estate business is not the cheapest way to go, folks can certainly list their home as a for sale by owner transaction - but if you're looking for a professional, we're the agents that can help.

Our lower commission approach allows us to sell more homes. On average, our agents sell 3x more homes than the Nashville average. More and more people in the Nashville market are looking for a listing agent who won't charge the full 6% commission fee to sell your home.

## The Possibilities We Provide Each Home Seller

We're on a mission to sell your house for less commission because we truly want to help more and more Americans live a more financially responsible life. The debt crisis is weighing heavily on many Americans, and many of us can benefit from having a bit more money in our bank account each month.

On average, when we sell your home, the homeowner keeps $8,100 more profit in their pocket. Imagine what you could do with an extra $8,100.

Some of our sellers; paid off a large chunk of their student loans, took a family vacation, or got rid of a credit card expense that was costing them a few hundred dollars per month! If you're looking to sell a home just to buy a new home, think about how much money you can save per the lifetime of that loan if you put down an additional $8,100.

## The Unspoken Reality

When technology is done right, it makes life easier. The same is true for real estate. Most buyers find their own homes these days. The days of driving up and down streets for hours on the weekend are long gone. Zillow, Realtor.com, and Felix Homes' [search tool](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale) can help you find your perfect home all from the comfort of your living room couch. The job of a real estate, in today's modern world, is so much easier than it was many years ago. The same can be said for the life of a real estate agent. All of the technology tools from customer relationship management software to electronic signature platforms make the job of an agent easier.

Yet the 6% commission rate hasn't changed. Most agents are afraid to admit the truth, that the job is easier today. The more the public realizes this, the less accepting they'll be of paying a high fee just to sell. The public will look for either flat fees, or discounted fees, as they realize the traditional realtor is [getting too much money](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/how-much-commission-does-a-realtor-make).

Additionally, home prices are surging. A higher commission rate made sense when you could buy a home for $100,000. But those days are also long gone, especially in Middle Tennessee and now your average Nashville home is roughly $300,000. A 6% commission on $300,000 is a lot of money!

## The Felix Homes Approach

In addition to saving you money, we believe in offering sellers an increased level of transparency. We're proud of our proven system and would love to give you a glimpse into our process and the services we provide to help a home seller get the best price for your home.

### Step 1 - The fact find

Our in-person home valuation is when a Felix Agent conducts their initial fact find of your home. We get a sense of your home's most appealing selling features, inform you of the target price we should shoot for, and even help you identify minor home improvements to complete before listing your home on the MLS.

### Step 2 - Professional photos

Our professional photographers will come to your home and capture the best photos possible. We provide props for stagings, such as artwork, flowers, and accent pieces to really make these photo's pop for the photoshoot. We'll take roughly 40 HD photos, including photo's taken from the sky with our drone. Our editing team edits the photos accordingly, and in under 48 hours, these photos are ready to be shared with the world.

### Step 3 - Your home is now on the market

Roughly 48 hours after the photoshoot, the actual home selling process can begin by getting it listed on the MLS. This syndicates with over 70+ real estate websites, allowing a buyer easy access to finding your home. We'll take to social media and run various Facebook and Instagram ads. We're no stranger to hosting an open house event, providing you with a professional yard sign, or listing your home in our weekly email newsletter. Each home gets a custom marketing approach because each home is different. We do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. We want to help the seller get the best offer possible. The only way to do that is to make sure the right buyer can find the home through a [custom marketing campaign](https://www.felixhomes.com/marketing).

### Step 4 - The offers will begin flowing in

Not long after your house goes on the MLS, your agent will begin to get various offers. We're not just a listing agent with the goal of selling a home, we're also educators. There are various types of offers we will receive from a buyer. These offers can include a full cash offer, conventional loan, FHA loan, or a VA loan to name a few. We'll review each offer together and help you understand the pros/cons of each. There are many variables to take into consideration. For instance, will there be a financing contingency, appraisal contingency, or inspection contingency? As a seller, these waters are difficult to navigate alone, but with our experience, we'll help you get through them as efficiently as possible.

### Step 5 - Accepting an offer

Once we accept an offer, the closing process starts. During this time, many clients have questions. Have no fear, your dedicated agent will always be just a phone call away. We'll help you get the price you want from your home, and ensure the offer you accepted was the right one from the pool of offers received.

### Step 6 - Closing day

Congratulations! You've officially sold your house! A new owner will move in and create many fond memories in that beautiful home.

## Why Do 6% Agents Love To Hate On Discount Real Estate Agents?

That's it, that's our process. It's straightforward, comprehensive, and complete. Why would a traditional realtor throw shade at a model which saves the buyer and seller thousands in commission fees?

A traditional realtor may throw shade at our process because they feel threatened by the way our industry is changing. Discount real estate brokers are disrupting the real estate industry, reducing the agent commission, listing fee, and working with sellers. Most folks are scared of change, we embrace it. We realize the fee you pay to work with a traditional realtor is too much, and we're not going to tolerate it anymore. After all, you work day after day to pay your mortgage in an attempt to build home equity as an investment for your future. When it comes time to sell, why should this hard-earned equity go to the realtor?

Not only do we have a lower commission, but we also provide superior service. You can fact check our data. Our average sales to list price is 100.04%, which is industry-leading and well above the [Nashville average](https://www.felixhomes.com/real-estate-agents/nashville). Additionally, most of our homes stay on the market for just 33 days, another industry-leading statistics.

## Let's Meet

If you're in the Nashville area and have more questions about selling your home or just general questions about low commission real estate agents, we'll be happy to chat! Our passion is real estate, we can talk about it at any time of the day.

Felix Homes has full-service agents who will help you sell your home for the best price possible. We only get paid after your home sells, and we'll keep more profit in your pocket. If we act as both the seller and buyers agent, you'll keep a **windfall of profits** as our all in **commission fee will be just 2.5% instead of the standard 6%**. That's right, we also represent buyers and when we combine both the buy and sale in one transaction, everyone wins!

Discount brokers are here to stay. The real estate industry was positioned for change, and we're proud to be part of it.

Please contact us today for any support you may need at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com) or [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277).

If you're thinking about selling your home, you'll have to make many decisions. Not only do you need to figure out what town/state you're moving to, how much you'd like to sell the home for, and the timeline of selling your home - you'll also have to choose how you want to sell your home.

large_Nashvilles-Low-Commission-Real-Estate-Agents-1200x800.jpg

medium_Nashvilles-Low-Commission-Real-Estate-Agents-1200x800.jpg

small_Nashvilles-Low-Commission-Real-Estate-Agents-1200x800.jpg

thumbnail_Nashvilles-Low-Commission-Real-Estate-Agents-1200x800.jpg

Nashvilles-Low-Commission-Real-Estate-Agents-1200x800.jpg

Nashville Low Commission Real Estate Agents

Deciding when to list your home for sale is no easy decision. For financial, and sentimental reasons, it can be tough to say goodbye to your home. But, you’ve decided the timing is right and you’re ready to sell. What’s next?

## You Have Several Options When Selling Your Home

Home sellers have more options than ever from ‘For Sale By Owner’, to full service methods such as using a traditional 3 percent commission real estate broker, or reaping the financial benefits of a 1% commission realtor.  Most sellers typically have two goals in mind; **keep as much home equity as possible and sell quickly**, as no one wants to buy a stale listing. As a seller, it’s important you know all the options when it comes to listing your home so you can maximize both of these goals.

### Selling your own home without a real estate agent

The [For Sale By Owner](https://www.felixhomes.com/resources/sell-without-an-agent-nashville) route is certainly a possibility and a small percentage of homeowners decide to take on the role of being their own real estate agent. Typically, a seller would choose the FSBO route to save on real estate agent commission fees however they give up a full service expert to guide them through the sales process. If you have the time and know-how to deal with the sales process, are comfortable with real estate jargon, and have the courage to take on the legal aspects necessary to sell your home - this may be worth considering. Keep in mind that even if you decide to sell yourself, you are still expected to offer buyers agents a commission. As with most things, it may pay to hire a top professional! The real estate business isn’t easy and any little mistake can expect to cost you a lot of money and legal headache but not to worry, there are many listing agents to choose from if you should decide to work with a local agent! 

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### Working with a 3 percent commission realtor

This is likely the option you’re most familiar with. But did you know using a [traditional real estate agent ](https://www.felixhomes.com/resources/traditional-vs-low-commission-agent)typically comes with a 6% commission rate when you sell your home? Of which, 3% will be offered to buyers agents, and 3% would go to the listing agent commission. In Nashville, the typical sales price is $344,000, which means the homeowner would expect to pay $20,640 in real estate commissions when they choose this path.

Additionally, a 3 percent commission real estate agent tries to juggle so many tasks, many of which are unrelated to the listing. This often leads to poor service stemming from a lack of communication and a less-than-favorable outcome for the seller. This is because traditional real estate agents are independent contractors and they work for local independently owned franchises. All of the marketing, bookkeeping, social media, prospecting, and customer service falls solely on a traditional real estate agent's shoulders. This is certainly a lot of work and can pull these agents away from their customers as the other core functions of running a business cannot be neglected. For that reason, not only is a traditional 3 percent rate expensive, the service sellers receive can be subpar and it can take longer for the home to sell.

### Using a 1 percent commission realtor

You probably think about ways to save money or get a discount in other areas of your life, why not when it comes time to sell your home? Using a top 1% commission realtor will certainly help keep more cash in your pocket when the deal is over, but can you expect these discount realtors to provide a full service? A 1% commission realtor, or 1 percent realtor, is when the real estate agent agrees to list your house for a discounted 1% commission fee instead of the national average 3% commission that listing agents typically charge. 

Using the same Nashville example as above, with a one percent listing fee the homeowner keeps an additional $6,880 when the sale closes (3% is paid to the buyer's agent, 1% is paid to the listing agent).

[Felix Homes](https://www.felixhomes.com/) has a 1 percent commission fee and serves the greater Nashville area but, helping clients save isn’t the only thing we like to do. 

## Felix Homes Is Nashville’s 1% Commission Realtor

Felix Homes is a Nashville based 1 percent commission realty company that entered the market in 2018. Our company was founded with two goals in mind; create the best, full service real estate experience for our clients while simultaneously providing the most financially responsible way to sell a home. After all, parting with your home is no easy choice - we want to be sure our clients make as much money as possible. Commission rates have gotten out of hand and using a traditional 3 percent commission realtor can wipe this profit away! 

Everything about Felix Homes is focused on providing an efficient, full service client experience. Our 1 percent commission business model is fundamentally different from a traditional real estate company most sellers are accustom to. To start, we do not hire independent contractors. Everyone at our company is an employee. Each employee has their own skill that they specialize in, allowing them to focus on the services they do best.

Our staff is made up of; experienced real estate agents, photographers, marketers, bookkeepers, and the best technology team. Instead of being a jack of all trades, we are the greater sum of specialized masters, resulting in our clients getting the most bang for their buck and superior customer service. Our agents have one focus - you the customer and we do it all for just one percent. 

## The Benefits Of Using Our 1 Percent Realtors In Nashville

Our clients receive numerous benefits when they partner with our 1 percent realty firm. Below are the most commonly talked about.

### An efficient and hassle-free selling process

As mentioned, we only charge a 1% commission fee, which means we need to sell 3 times as many homes just to make up our discount compared a traditional 3 percent commission realtor. What does this mean? Our agents simply sell more homes. Our role based team allows our real estate agents to focus on selling homes in a more efficient manner. In fact, our realtors transact 5 times more often than a traditional agent. Our experience allows us to cut through the noise to get offers more quickly, all while making fewer mistakes than a traditional realtor would.

### A fair and financially responsible discount fee structure

If you decide to list with our 1% listing service, you’ll save 2% on the realtor commission fees. Since 2018, our clients have saved $8,100 in fees on our typical sale. Not to mention, if we happen to find the buyer and facilitate the entire transaction, we only charge a 2.5 percent agent commission rate in total! Think about that, less than half of what 6% listing agents charge for a superior full service experience. What will you do with all the extra money this can save you!

### Always available via better communication

Since our agents' sole focus is the customer relationship, the customer has complete access to their dedicated agent day or night. Your call will never be ignored so the agent can create a new social media post, record expenses, or troubleshoot a technology problem. Our support team will handle that, while your dedicated real estate agent works to get an offer on your home!

### Nashville based and independently owned

We're local and we are not governed by a larger corporation or franchise. We were the first local company to offer a 1% commission plus we specialize in listing homes in the greater Nashville area and know these neighborhoods inside and out. Our agents understand why Nashville is a great place to live and most importantly, we can place a value on what makes each neighborhood unique.

### Great reviews from happy customers

If there’s one thing we’re proud of, it’s our stellar customer reviews! As a young company, we rely on providing a great home buying and home selling experience. After all, word of mouth, our reputation, and customer reviews are the lifeline of our business. It’s our goal to provide you with an outstanding full service experience, no matter the size of the transaction. As a result, most of our business is driven through word of mouth, and we couldn’t be more thankful for that! Once you use Felix Homes, we’re confident you will not only tell your family and friends of the great experience you had, but you’ll never be able to pay 3% in realtor fees again. 

## Our Bullet Proof Process For Selling A Home

First and foremost, we encourage you to make [some easy and inexpensive home repairs.](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/home-selling-tip-home-repairs-before-you-list) These repairs can be completed over a few weekends and will allow us to get top dollar once the listing is active. Don’t worry if you’re not handy, these improvements just require a little patience, but can help provide tremendous upside. If you’re not sure what repairs are worth your effort, ask us and we'll be happy to help! We’ll provide you with expert advice, and keep you informed about what trends buyers are currently looking for in the Nashville area! 

Once those repairs are taken care of, the next step is to determine exactly how much your property is worth. Many sellers check [online valuation tools](https://valuations.felixhomes.com/). However, these tools can only serve as a general estimate as they do a poor job of accounting for current market trends and buyer demand. At Felix Homes, we will not only use our online tools to get a general idea of your home's value, but one of our top agents will also come to your house and provide an in-person valuation. This in-person approach is proven to be the best way to determine the value, and will help us get the price correct right from the beginning. Once the market analysis is complete, we’ll give you an estimate of how long it will take to receive an offer from that lucky buyer.

It’s now time to market your home to potential buyers, and that starts with scheduling listing photos with one of our professional photographers. Professional photos are one of the best ways to help sell quickly. At Felix Homes, our team of professional photographers know how to get the most flattering shots of your home's interior and exterior. We leverage the best technology, and we’ll also capture aerial views to show off your beautiful property and neighborhood. Our goal is to provide clear, detailed, and beautiful photos that will impress buyers and force them to schedule a showing.

We’re able to get these photos online, and your house officially for sale within 48 hours of the photoshoot. This is now where our marketing muscle begins to shine. Our marketing experts will post your home on the MLS, but it doesn’t stop there. We’ll craft a custom social media campaign to market your home to buyers on Facebook and Instagram. In addition to marketing your home online, our realtors will provide you with a beautiful yard sign and will be happy to host open houses if you so choose. 

Once the offers start rolling in, your dedicated agent will explain each one in great detail. We'll guide you through the pros and cons of each offer, and explain any questions you may have about the closing process. While the price is an important factor, there are other factors worth noting. For instance; buyer’s financing, contingencies, and closing costs are all variables to consider. These may sound foreign, that’s okay. We’ll answer your questions at any time of the day. We’re not only selling homes, we’re educating our clients each step of the way. 

After an offer has been officially accepted, we now enter the closing period. This period typically takes about 30 days. During this time, the buyer will pay for an inspection and a home appraisal. Both parties will finalize the remaining terms of the agreement. Again, there is no need to worry. Just because you’ve accepted an offer doesn’t mean your agent's job is complete. Your Felix agent will be by your side walking you through each step of the process up to closing day. 

## Do Discount Realtors Under Price And Sell For A Lower Amount?

Like many things in life, the saying “you get what you pay for” holds weight and can prove true. However, just because a realtor is willing to offer a discounted real estate commission doesn’t mean you’re getting the short end of the stick! That said, it is important to look under the hood and get the full picture.

On average, our agents at Felix Homes will sell your home within 33 days! [The Nashville average](https://www.felixhomes.com/real-estate-agents/nashville) is currently 54 days. Our success in selling homes more quickly and for a higher price is attributed to our sophisticated [marketing approach](https://www.felixhomes.com/marketing). Instead of just listing on the MLS like so many 3% real estate agents do, we run targeted marketing campaigns on social media, putting your house in front of the right people! 

Additionally, we help our clients get the highest sales price. In the past twelve months, our final sales price comes in at 100.04% of the original listing price, meaning if we valued your home at $300,000, we tend to get $300,120 for it. This is far superior than the Nashville average, which has a sale to list price of just 98.39%. Unfortunately, many 3 percent real estate agents who have less experience and charge higher commission fees tend to under or over price homes which can have a lasting impact on your net proceeds. If a home is underpriced, you risk leaving tens of thousands of dollars on the table. Alternatively, an overpriced home will sit on the market for months on end with potential home buyers asking what is wrong with your listing.

## Grab Coffee With One Of Our Local Nashville Agents

If you live in the Nashville area and you’re looking to sell your home with a top realtor, you’ll sell quicker, and keep more profit, when you choose to list your home with our 1 percent commission model.

We understand buying or selling your home can be stressful. Afterall, this is one of life's biggest decisions. We’re here to support you every step of the way and alleviate that stress. 

If you have any questions about using a 1% commission realtor, or would like to pick our brain on the Nashville real estate market, let’s grab a coffee! We’ll be happy to answer your questions and provide assistance anyway possible. 


Deciding when to list your home for sale is no easy decision. For financial, and sentimental reasons, it can be tough to say goodbye to your home. But, you’ve decided the timing is right and you’re ready to sell. What’s next?

large_nashville-home-1200x800.jpg

medium_nashville-home-1200x800.jpg

small_nashville-home-1200x800.jpg

thumbnail_nashville-home-1200x800.jpg

nashville-home-1200x800.jpg

One Percent Commission Realtor

You’ve finally made it. You’ve hired a real estate agent, finished home improvements, staged your living space, and now it’s time to sell your home...right? Not necessarily. Just because you’re ready for the market doesn’t mean it’s the right time to sell. Nashville homes, for instance, can command a higher price if sold at the optimal time of year.  If you have the option (and can stand to wait a little longer), here’s how to make the calendar work for your listing.

<div class="infogram-embed" data-id="1072c8c2-019a-4f3f-a367-807975bee96d" data-type="interactive" data-title="Best Time To Sell"></div>

## Sell When You Have The Most Buyers

You’ll want to sell when demand exceeds supply—when there are more buyers than there are quality homes on the market. The logic is that more buyers lead to more competition for homes. The result, ideally, is higher offers and way more of them. Across almost all U.S. locales there are a couple of times of the year when you can count on the market to have plenty of buyers.

### May and June: 

As the world thaws, especially in the country’s northern latitudes, so does buyer activity. You can chalk up this general trend to a number of factors. First, the school year is almost over, so those families looking to move over the summer flood the market. These buyers tend to be on a time crunch, and are therefore likely to make high-quality offers. 

Also, as those pesky commercials say, “It’s refund season!”.  Many ride the good vibes of their tax refunds all the way to the doorstep of a new home. This is especially helpful to you because when people are feeling cash-rich, they’ll usually put more money on the table.

Not all buyers are on a mission, however. Many use spring housing searches as a way to get out and stretch their legs after a long and isolated winter. This does mean more frivolous browsers than any other time of year, but the right property can turn a browser into a buyer. Even if these snoopers never get serious, more general activity at events like open houses drives offers way up as earnest buyers sense competition.

For all these reasons, the May-June window is consistently lucrative for sellers. According to Zillow, the best time to sell a house last year was May 1 to May 15, when homes sold for almost $2,000 more than the average and spent about a week less on the market. In Nashville, a consummate seller’s market, these trends are even stronger. In May 2019, Nashville homes sold for 4.43% more than the average listing. This number nearly doubled to over 8% in June. These numbers may not seem eye-popping, but in an area where the average home value is about $300,000, a sale during these months can be worth an extra tens of thousands of dollars.

Convinced this is the sales window for you? You should know it’s not always easy money. You’re not the only seller who thinks the best time to fish is when the most fish are biting, and buyers are not easily hooked. With more homes on the market than any other time of year, your property better be set to impress. That means making those modern updates and cosmetic restylings that buyers desire. Also, be ready to hit the marketing trail hard, because you’ll be one of many properties trying to make a splash on the real estate scene. If this sounds a little too intense, you might want to ...

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

## Sell When Inventory Is Low

The last few months of the year can be a seller’s sweet spot. People are still moving, but the supply of suitable homes has dwindled since the spring and summer boom; and more buyers for fewer homes means—you guessed it—higher prices. In Nashville, October and November are usually favorable, but even those months might yield lower returns on an off-year. December, however, keeps coming up aces.

One reason for the December boost is that both buyers and real estate agents have more time on their hands. People who have been working all fall use the holidays to peruse properties, while agents with fewer homes to show can spend more time selling each one. 

Corporate hubs like Nashville drive December prices even higher. The first quarter of the year means job opportunities and relocations. Taking those steps often includes settling into a new home. This influx of motivated buyers keeps prices high enough that, last December, Nashville homes sold for 8.54% more than the average listing, barely edging out June for the most seller-friendly month of 2019.

## Avoid Times With Low Buyer Demand

Anticipating buyer demand can feel like a crapshoot. Especially in a market as active as Nashville, things can get hot quickly and unexpectedly. Traditionally quiet months, like August or April, can go rogue with surges in demand and ballooning prices. Not even the best real estate mavens can anticipate every spike, but there are a few stretches in the calendar when it’s tougher to maximize profit.

### September:

This isn’t a disastrous time to be selling, but the competition might not drive offers through the roof. Families have settled into their digs for the school year, and the holidays are around the corner: people just aren’t as prone to move. That being said, demand for less family-oriented residences, like downtown condos or trendy townhouses, may not be as school-year dependent.

### January and February: 

It’s not unheard of to sell a home during these months. As we’ve covered, corporate job openings keep people in the market for new places to live, and your home might benefit from the low inventory at this time of year. Don’t be surprised, though, if you struggle to close the deal of your dreams. Many buyers just don’t want to brave the cold, and those who do venture out find that shorter days allow for fewer showings. That being said, for the right buyer your home might just be the late Christmas present they can’t resist.

## Prepare For Your Selling Window

The early home gets the offer, at least we think that’s how the saying goes. Take care of maintenance and repairs well in advance, so that you can list your property at least a month before demand peaks. This gives potential buyers time to view your tantalizing photos and to contact your real estate agent so that when the rat race begins, your property is on everyone’s wish list.

Homes that don’t get that early marketing bump may still see plenty of action, but they rarely have buyers falling over one another to submit an offer.

These guidelines will help you decide when to sell your home, but they don't have all the answers. Every property has its own optimal selling window based on its unique situation. To discuss what your home’s window might be, feel free to give Felix Homes a call at [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277), or send us an email at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com). We’re open all year round.

Nashville homes can command a higher price if sold at the optimal time of year. Here’s how to make the calendar work for your listing.

large_best-time-to-sell-nashville-1200x800.jpg

medium_best-time-to-sell-nashville-1200x800.jpg

small_best-time-to-sell-nashville-1200x800.jpg

thumbnail_best-time-to-sell-nashville-1200x800.jpg

best-time-to-sell-nashville-1200x800.jpg

What Is The Best Time Of Year To Sell Your House?

Hey Nashville, thinking about selling your home? Luckily, there are more options here in Nashville for homeowners than ever before. After all, most people move because of a life event such as a new job, new addition to the family, death in the family or divorce. One thing to keep in mind is that there is no ‘one size fits all’ way to sell your home. Like most things in life, your decision depends on your priorities and goals.

## Option 1: The Traditional Way Of Selling A Home

For most Nashville residents looking to sell their home, they’ll likely contact their local Nashville Realtor. Local Realtors can offer a good experience, however, there tends to be a wide range in the level of service you’ll receive depending on which firm you choose as well as the individual agent in charge of listing your home.

This is because most traditional real estate brokerages operate as a franchise model which means each one is individually owned and operated. For example, if you previously sold your house using Keller Williams in Chicago, it doesn’t mean you will receive the same level of service if you decide to list your home with a Keller Williams franchise in East Nashville.

### Advantages of listing with a traditional agent

The benefit of listing your home with a traditional realty company in Nashville like Village, Keller Williams, Remax, or Parks Realty is that you will be assigned a listing agent who will walk you through the process.

Your agent will help determine a list price and should schedule and pay for professional listing photos. Once the photos are taken, your Realtor will put your home on the market (MLS), help you negotiate when you receive an offer, and guide you through the closing process.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### Disadvantages of listing with a traditional agent

The main disadvantage of listing with a traditional agent comes down to the fees they charge. While all real estate commissions are negotiable by law, most traditional agents here in Nashville charge a 6% commission. That’s 6% of the sales price of your home! Of this 6% fee, 3% goes to the listing agent and 3% is offered to a Buyer’s Agent to incentivize them to bring their clients to your home. These fees are paid at closing and only if your home sells.

Another disadvantage of using a traditional agent is the varying level of service you receive. Each agent and office does things a little differently when it comes to marketing and selling your home. For example, some offices or agents may offer professional listing photos with drone footage and 3D virtual tours while others may opt for the cheapest photographer they can find.

## Is There An Alternative To The 6% Model?

An alternative to the traditional model that is gaining a lot of popularity is the model we offer at Felix Homes!

At Felix, our main goal is to lower the fees you pay when you sell your home all while providing a better level of service than traditional agents offer. We do this by leveraging the latest technology to make the process more efficient plus we only hire the most experienced agents who know how to close a deal successfully. This is what we mean by “First Class Service at Economy Prices.”

Instead of charging a 6% commission, we simply charge a 1% commission as our listing fee. We still recommend that you offer a buyer’s agent a 3% commission to incentivize them to bring their clients to your listing. Overall, this means you are paying a total of 4% instead of the traditional 6%.

## What About The Level Of Service With The 1% Model?

Contrary to what most traditional Realtors may tell you, just because you’re paying less in Realtor commissions with Felix Homes doesn’t mean you should expect a sub-par service when you choose Felix to list your home.

At Felix Homes, we’ll provide you with a dedicated Realtor who will be your primary point of contact throughout the process. In fact, many of our Felix Agents previously worked at traditional realty companies here in Nashville such as Benchmark Realty and Compass Real Estate.

When you list your home in Nashville with Felix, your dedicated agent start out by helping price your home using recent sales data. You can request an [instant online value report](https://valuations.felixhomes.com/) or schedule a free [in-person home valuation](https://calendly.com/felixhomes/seller-consultation).

Once your home’s value is determined, we’ll provide a free staging consultation where we hire an interior design consultant to arrange your furniture optimally to prepare for the all-important listings photos. At Felix Homes, we can’t stress how important it is to take great listings photos which is why we do not spare any expense when it comes to photography. All of our listing photos are taken by professional photographers and are enhanced to make sure your house is looking its best. After all, over 90% of home buyers start their home search online.

Once your photos are taken, we’ll list your home on the MLS and develop a custom digital marketing strategy specific to your listing. Your listing will be featured on Zillow, Realtor.com, and over 70+ other real estate websites.

At Felix, we understand the importance of social media marketing which is why we’ll promote your listing on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/152095538812767/posts/501811840507800/?d=n), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/B84N39phvo8/?igshid=znb50x6hmg5q), and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/felixhomes_new-listing-1325-fairbanks-st-franklin-activity-6637052109852332032-XrFp/) to reach the estimated 52% of first-time homebuyers. These first-time homebuyers in Nashville are between the ages of 27-35 and spend most of their free time on social media which is why we emphasize this advertising channel in our [marketing strategy](https://www.felixhomes.com/marketing). Your home will also be featured in our weekly email newsletter which is sent to thousands of interested buyers.

Once we receive an offer, we’ll negotiate the best deal and we’ll be by your side throughout the closing process. This is where you will really see the main difference of working with Felix Homes as opposed to a traditional realty company as your net proceeds will be $15,000 higher on average due to our 1% commission business model.

## Are There Options That Don’t Involve An Agent?

Another option for families in need of moving quickly is Opendoor, a company that conveniently offers to buy your home directly, albeit at a hefty discount. As a homeowner, you can fill out the information about your home on Opendoor’s website and assuming they are interested in buying your house, you can start the closing process in as little as seven days. The disadvantage of selling to Opendoor is that it is a very costly option. On average, Opendoor offers to buy your house at a 15%-17% discount to fair market value which is why we only recommend this option for people who need to move in a hurry.

Finally, a third option is selling your home “For Sale By Owner”, which allows you to avoid paying listing agent commission fees altogether, but makes you navigate the home selling process without the guidance of an experienced Realtor. Additionally, homes that are listed FSBO still typically offer a buyer’s agent a 3% commission so they are not at a disadvantage compared to other homes on the market.

Thinking about selling your home? Luckily, there are more options here in Nashville for homeowners than ever before. 

large_options-to-sell-1200x686.jpg

medium_options-to-sell-1200x686.jpg

small_options-to-sell-1200x686.jpg

thumbnail_options-to-sell-1200x686.jpg

options-to-sell-1200x686.jpg

Top Options For Selling Your Home In Nashville

Welcome to part two of Felix Homes’ Guide To Selling! Would you go to the dentist without brushing your teeth? Would you go to a waterpark without bringing a bathing suit? So, why would you try to sell your home without completing the necessary prep work?

Preparing your home for sale is a key step in making sure you get the highest price. I’m not talking about major renovations but small, weekend projects or minor repairs are a quick and easy way to ensure your home will get multiple high-priced offers. Here are eight easy fixes to boost your home’s appeal:

## Repainting Dirty Or Dark Walls

Walls scuffed or dirty? Are they painted a ‘unique’ or dark color? Painting certain rooms that need a little TLC is one of the easiest ways to ensure prospective buyers leave with a good first impression. Make sure it appears professionally painted (even if it wasn’t.) Choose light, neutral colors that will brighten your interior and make the house appear larger.

## Front Door And Entrance

When a prospective buyer comes to tour your home, one of the first things they notice is the front door and entrance. The entrance is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of your home so, now that you’re a painting pro, consider repainting the front door while you’re at it.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

## New Carpet

Carpet stained or dirty? That’s no way to make a good first impression. Consider renting a heavy-duty carpet cleaner or, if your carpet is too far gone, you should replace it altogether. The carpet should look new, clean, and shouldn’t contain any stinky odors. If you’re going to purchase new carpet, be sure to choose a light color as it will help brighten up the interior.

## Hardwood Floors

Now that the carpet is fixed, take a look at your hardwood floors. What condition are then in? Hardwood floors are one of the most popular flooring selections in a home and can be a major selling point. Make sure your hardwood floors are looking their best. Refinishing your hardwoods when they need it can totally change how a buyer views your property. There is nothing like entering a home where the hardwood looks spectacular. The great thing about refinishing hardwood floors is the return on investment which is very high.

## Kitchen And Bathroom Fixtures

Does your kitchen or bathroom look outdated? Now, I promised there wouldn’t be any major renovations so a completely new kitchen or bathroom is out of the question. That said, there are a number of tricks you can do to update your kitchen or bathroom on a budget. Consider repainting the cabinet doors or replacing the handles for an updated look. You may even want to replace sink fixtures for that brand-new look.

## Brighten Up Your Home

I can not stress how important a bright home is. An easy way to add some much needed light is to replace all of your light bulbs with modern LEDs. Also, ditch the heavy drapes for light colored curtains that let the sun in.

## Yard And Exterior

Don’t forget the exterior. Your yard can be a big selling point and is not something that should be overlooked. So, replace missing fence boards, add sod if your grass is looking a little bare and clean up any junk that may have accumulated in the yard or on the outside of any storage sheds. Your lawn should be mowed before someone comes to view the home. Also, feel free to plant some flowers to add color and make the yard more attractive.

## Minor Repairs

Complete any minor repairs that need to be taken care of. I’m talking about leaky faucets, loose doorknobs, clean windows. Everything doesn’t have to be brand new for a home to be desirable to buyers, but all the functional aspects of the home must be in good working order to fetch the best price. A few broken components are all it takes to start driving the price down, so get them fixed.



Don't even think about selling your home without completing the necessary prep work if you are trying to get the highest price.

large_repairs-1200x686.jpg

medium_repairs-1200x686.jpg

small_repairs-1200x686.jpg

thumbnail_repairs-1200x686.jpg

repairs-1200x686.jpg

Top Home Repairs Before You List

If you’re like most home sellers, then your yard could probably use a little TLC…or a lot. In preparation for your all-important listing photos, it’s important to make sure your home has propper curb appeal. Now, you’ll hear me mention curb appeal a lot throughout this article but what does it actually mean? Curb appeal is simply the attractiveness of a property for sale and its surroundings when viewed from the street. So, what should you do to increase your curb appeal?

### Step 1: Take the lawnmower out of your shed.

I don’t have to tell you that your landscaping and lawn plays a big role in your curb appeal. There’s nothing more inviting than a freshly cut, well-manicured lawn. Here’s a tip, the day before your listing photos are scheduled to take place, mow the lawn! This trick of the trade is easy and it’s sure to make a great first impression on potential buyers. If you still have a few months before listing your home on the market, even better. Take this opportunity to plant some grass seed in any bare spots and put down some fertilizer for that extra green look.

### Step 2: Weeds don’t belong in your garden.

If you’ve spent the time and money to plant a nice garden, a buyer will take note of that and reward you when it comes to putting your home on the market. Make sure to spend some time pulling the weeds out of the ground and invest in a fresh layer of mulch so they don’t come back. Plant a few inexpensive flowers around the walkways, purchase some potted plants for the front door and get some hanging baskets for the porch and patio.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### Step 3: Trim your hedges.

The last thing a potential buyer wants to see is overgrown hedges making it look like the home is vacant. If this is the case at your home, you’re in luck because this is an easy fix. All it takes is a trimmer and about 20–30 minutes and you and your hedges will be in good shape.

### Step 4: Pressure-washing is so underrated.

If part of your home doesn’t receive much sun, then there’s a good chance you may have some ‘green stuff’ growing on the side of your house. Do yourself a favor and invest in a pressure washer to clean your home’s siding. While you’re at it, pressure wash the walkways, the deck, the patio and anything else that needs a little TLC. With a $200-$300 pressure washer, you can make your home’s exterior look brand new which will pay dividends when it’s on the market.

### Step 5: All the little things

Okay, by now you’ve mowed the lawn, planted nice flowers in your garden, trimmed the hedges and pressure washed the siding. All that’s left is the little things. This could be anything from replacing the exterior light bulbs to putting away the kids’ toys. You’ve come this far so why stop there. Think about putting a fresh coat of paint on the front door or a cool accent piece to put in the garden.

If you’ve followed these steps, then you’re off to a great start. As real estate experts, we can’t stress enough the importance of making a good first impression and curb appeal is one way to make your home stand out from the rest.

Curb appeal is a must if you want to make the best first impression? Learn the top tips to boost curb appeal on a budget.

large_curb-appeal-1200x686.jpg

medium_curb-appeal-1200x686.jpg

small_curb-appeal-1200x686.jpg

thumbnail_curb-appeal-1200x686.jpg

curb-appeal-1200x686.jpg

Want To Sell Your Home Fast? It’s All About Curb Appeal!

If you’re thinking about selling your home, you’ve come to the right place. At [Felix Homes](https://www.felixhomes.com/), we’re here to cover everything you need to know before you put it on the market. The goal of this series is to let you in on trade secrets with the goal of empowering you, the home seller so that you can get the highest price in the shortest amount of time.

One of the most common questions we get at Felix Homes is how much are closing costs and who pays for them? Before we dive into who pays what, it’s important to go over what closing costs are. Closing costs are simply the upfront fees that are associated with closing a real estate transaction.

## What Closing Costs Do Sellers Typically Pay

Let’s say you just sold your house for $500,000. We all know that you won’t necessarily walk away with that amount and in most cases, nothing even close to it. Here is a list of closing fees that a seller typically pays:

### 1.   State Property Taxes (Prorated)
The seller is responsible for any state property taxes that were accumulated between their last payment and the closing day.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### 2.   HOA Fees and Transfer Fees (Prorated) 
The seller is responsible for any HOA Fees that were accumulated up to the closing day. Additionally, depending on the details of the purchase contract and the HOA, the seller may also need to pay a fee to their HOA to transfer the property to the buyer.

### 3.   Title Fees 
The seller typically pays a title company to do a comprehensive title search and transfer the title over to the buyer. Additionally, Sellers will also handle the new owner’s title insurance, which protects them in case there are any issues with leans against the property. Many title companies also handle the escrow account for the transaction, which they’ll include in their fee to the seller.

### 4.   Realtors’ commission 
This is where you’ll be able to save mega-$$$ with Felix Homes. The home seller is responsible for any fees charged by the real estate agents involved in the home sale. This includes both the listing agent and the buyer’s agent. In most cases, this is usually around 6% of the sales price (3% to the listing agent and 3% to the buyer’s agent) which for a $500,000 home is $30,000! At Felix Homes, we’ve done away with the 6% commission. Instead, we charge a 1% commission on the listing side and we still encourage our clients to offer a buyer’s agent a 3% commission so they are incentivized to bring their clients to your listing. Our 1% model saves the average homeowner over $15,000 in Realtor commissions!

### 5.   Real Estate Transfer Tax 
This varies from state to state but in Tennessee, the current deed transfer tax is $0.37 per every $100 of the sales price. So for a $500,000 home, the transfer tax would cost the seller $1,850.

## About Felix Homes
As real estate experts, we know the process of selling your home can be stressful, especially if you don’t know exactly how much it can cost. In addition, at Felix Homes, we are doing our part to decrease the cost of selling a home by lowering the fees we charge compared to other agents all while providing a better home-selling experience. If you’re interested in other home selling tips, head over to our blog and if you’re interested in selling your home, feel free to get a [free home value report](https://valuations.felixhomes.com/) on our website.





How much are closing costs when buying a selling a home and who pays what? What are the top ways to save on closing costs?

large_home-valuation.jpeg

medium_home-valuation.jpeg

small_home-valuation.jpeg

thumbnail_home-valuation.jpeg

home-valuation.jpeg

A Definitive Guide To Closing Costs

There are a lot of costs associated with buying or selling a home. In particular, closing costs like title insurance and home inspection fees get a lot of attention, and for good reason. The [average homebuyer](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/closingcosts.asp) in the U.S pays $4,876 in closing costs. While it’s important to be aware of closing costs, the largest cost associated with any real estate transaction is the commissions paid to the real estate agents. Many people believe realtor commissions are set in stone. What your realtor does not want you to know is that these commissions are negotiable.

## What Is The Standard Real Estate Commission?

Real estate agents get paid a commission when the sale of a home is finalized. Typically, this commission is **6% of the sale price** of the home. This commission is paid to the agent representing the seller, who then splits the commission with the agent representing the buyer.

The realtor commissions on the sale of a $500,000 house would typically be $30,000. This $30,000 comes off the $500,000 sale price leaving the seller with $470,000 after commissions are accounted for.

Since the commission is taken from the sale price of the home there is a common belief that the seller pays the full cost. However, realtor commissions are factored into the sale price of a home. This drives up the price that the buyer must pay for the home. In this way, buyers indirectly pay for realtor fees even if it is the seller who signs the check.

[PRO TIP: Learn about buyers agent commission rebate in Tennessee](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/buyers-agent-commission-rebate-tennessee)

## Realtor Fees Rise With Home Prices

Since most realtors collect a 6% commission, their compensation rises and falls with the price of real estate. As you are probably aware real estate prices have been rising dramatically over the past 10 years in Middle Tennessee. The hotter the market, the more you pay in realtor fees.

If you bought a house in Nashville in 2012 you would have paid about $10,000 in realtor commissions. If you sold that same house today, you would pay nearly $21,000 in realtor commissions. The realtor does the **same amount of work** on the deal today as they did in 2012, but they collect over twice the commission.

If you are happy paying that amount of commission when you buy or sell a house, then read no further. If you want to discover an easy way to save thousands of dollars in realtor commissions, keep reading.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

## Real Estate Commissions Are Negotiable

The standard 6% commission has become so ingrained in society that many people believe that there is some sort of law mandating a 6% commission fee. This is not true! No law says that real estate commissions need to be 6% of the selling price. All real estate commissions are negotiable.

Just because realtor fees are negotiable does not mean realtors are compelled to lower their commission below 6%. It is your legal right to **ask** a real estate agent to lower their commission. The realtor is free to refuse your request–which most do.

## Are there any other options?

A model that is quickly gaining popularity is the [1% commission](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/one-percent-commission-realtor-nashville). Under this model, the listing agent only charges a 1% commission fee instead of the typical 3%. With the 1% model, it is still recommended that you offer a buyer’s agent a 3% commission to incentivize them to show your home to their clients.

This model is made possible due to technology which has made the job of a real estate agent much easier and more efficient. Since technology has made the listing process more efficient, many real estate firms are passing their savings onto the consumer. The firms that offer these discounted rates are commonly revered to as [low commission real estate agents](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/low-commission-real-estate-agents-nashville).

## How Much Can You Save With The 1% Model?

Let’s say you wanted to sell your house for $500,000. If you used a real estate agent at a traditional brokerage, you would pay $30,000 ($500,000 X 6%). This $30,000 would then be split between the listing agent and the buyer’s agent.

If instead, you decided to use Felix Homes, you would pay $20,000 ($500,000 X 4%). Of this $20,000, $5,000 would be paid to Felix Homes and $15,000 would be offered to a buyer’s agent. **By using Felix Homes, you would save $10,000.**

[PRO TIP: Compare services - 1% agent vs 3% agent](https://www.felixhomes.com/resources/traditional-vs-low-commission-agent)

## What Could You Buy With $10,000?

If you want to have your mind blown, consider this. **If you took $10,000 and invested it, after 30 years you would have more than $100,000** assuming an 8% average rate of return on your investment. If you don’t think that is a life-changing amount of money, consider the fact that the [average 401k balance](https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/010616/whats-average-401k-balance-age.asp) of Americans between the ages of 60-69 is $195,000. If a 35-year-old invested their $10,000 in savings and never saved another dime, they could have more than half the amount of money in retirement savings than the average American.

When it comes down to deciding whether to use a Traditional agent or Felix Homes, think about the true cost of those commissions and ask yourself if your realtor is providing enough value to justify those commissions. If they aren’t perhaps it’s time to consider another option.

## About Felix Homes

[Felix Homes](https://www.felixhomes.com/) is a 1% commission real estate brokerage in the Nashville area. Our goal is to help maximize your home equity by getting you the highest price for your home while charging the lowest commission fees. How can we offer a full-service real estate experience for just 1%? We leverage the power of technology to make our licensed real estate agents more efficient. We also employ top [property marketing](https://www.felixhomes.com/marketing) techniques to sell homes quicker than the competition. To learn more about selling your home with Felix, give us a call at [615-422-4277](tel:615-422-4277) or email us at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com).

The largest cost associated with any real estate transaction is the commissions paid to the real estate agents. Learn how to negotiate a lower commission.

medium_hero-bg.png

small_hero-bg.png

thumbnail_hero-bg.png

hero-bg.png

Are Realtor Commissions Negotiable?

The Tennessee real estate market is booming! So much so, [builders are struggling to keep up with the increasing demand](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/nashville-new-construction-report). The [U.S. Census](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/TN) suggests the population for the entire state is just shy of 7 million people and is positioned to grow rapidly over the next decade. Between the natural beauty of the state, the low cost of living, and the unparalleled culture, Tennessee is welcoming an increasing number of residents each year. Tennessee is not only known for being one of the [best places to retire](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/best-places-to-retire-in-tennessee) but it's also a great place to raise a family!

More families with children are calling Tennessee home. The mild climate, outdoor amenities, low crime rate, and fantastic school system make this state a great place to raise a family. We've canvased the entire state and compiled a list of our top places families with children should considering living. Whether you're looking to move to Tennessee, or simply relocate within the state, this list is for you! 

[PRO TIP: Check out our top 10 list of best Nashville suburbs in 2021](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/best-suburbs-of-nashville-real-estate)

## #10 - Murfreesboro 

[Murfreesboro](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/murfreesboro) may be known as the home of Middle Tennessee State University but the city has so much more to offer. Murfreesboro's population is quickly approaching 140,000 residents and is among the fastest-growing cities in all of Tennessee. Why's that? There's so much to love about Murfreesboro from its rich Civil War history to the affordable cost of living. 

Additionally, the city has a fantastic school system, plenty of outdoor parks, and a diverse culture. If you're a foodie, you're in luck. Murfreesboro has many delicious restaurants to choose from, a cute downtown, and is located less than 40 minutes outside of Music City.

The real estate market is diverse and very competitive. The median home price is just over $300,000.  But make no mistake, you get a lot of value for your buck. 

## #9 - Green Hills 

If you're looking to live in Nashville proper, [Green Hills](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/green-hills) may be the right neighborhood for you! Located just 13 miles from the international airport, folks here love the convenience this area has to offer. High-end new construction is popping up all over, and it's causing housing prices to surge! It's not uncommon to pay close to one million dollars for a home in Green Hills.

With that said, families who live here agree it is well worth the investment. The value really comes from everything this neighborhood has to offer. Between the notorious Bluebird Cafe, various music venues, Lipscomb University, and an endless amount of restaurants, there's so much to like about Green Hills. That being said, many families who live in Green Hills decide to send their children to private schools. If a strong public school district is important to you and your family, we would recommend looking for homes in Williamson County.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

## #8 - Signal Mountain 

Signal Mountain is a suburb of Chattanooga located in Hamilton County. Signal Mountain is without a doubt a fantastic place to live! Residents here enjoy picturesque views year-round, but autumn is arguably the most beautiful time of year.  

If you love the outdoors, this may be the perfect place for your family. Rainbow lake trail is a popular hiking trail, with plenty of beautiful waterfalls to admire along the trail.  Not only does Signal Mountain glow with natural beauty, but it is also one of the safest towns in Tennessee with low crime rates. 

Most people who live in Signal Mountain commute less than 25 minutes to work, and housing will likely run you less than $400,000. The school system is top-rated, and the median household income is above the national average. 

## #7 - Nolensville 

[Nolensville](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/nolensville) is located about 30 minutes southeast of downtown Nashville and is split between Williamson and Davidson counties. It's well known for its beautiful landscapes and rolling hills. The average household income is roughly $130,000 and the folks who live in this town enjoy some of the lowest unemployment numbers in the entire state. 

Make no mistake, this is a small town with a population of fewer than 8,500 people. Residents living here enjoy the beautiful view nature provides, and some of the best school systems in middle Tennessee. The vast majority of residents in this town own their homes and have children. 

Housing costs generally range between $450,000 - $650,000 for a single-family home, many of which were built within the past five years. Considering the school district, low crime rate, and location, Nolensville is one of the most popular places for families to settle down. Many people have said that Nolensville is the next Spring Hill and we're anticipating the population to continue to increase in the coming years. 

## #6 - Hendersonville

![Old-hickory-lake.jpg](https://felix-homes-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Old_hickory_lake_06297d5579.jpg)

When you think about what it's like to live in Tennessee, [waterfront property](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/hendersonville/waterfront-homes) may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But that dream is possible for the folks who live in [Hendersonville](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/hendersonville). Just 20 miles north of Nashville sits this gorgeous family orientated community. Hendersonville is situated on Old Hickory Lake, and offers plenty of lakefront homes, activities, and views! 

Families with children love to call this place home. There are plenty of small businesses and shops which really compliment the community's southern charm. The school district is excellent and, all things considered, Hendersonville has a rather affordable cost of living. There are not many places in Tennessee where you can combine lakefront living, a strong school system, low crime rates, and affordable housing costs. It's no wonder why so many people choose to raise their children here. 

## #5 - Franklin

![Franklin-1.jpg](https://felix-homes-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Franklin_1_de2fbbd28b.jpg)

Just south of Nashville is [Franklin, Tennessee](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/franklin). This town has a population of close to 80,000 residents and while it can sometimes be overshadowed by downtown Nashville, make no mistake that Franklin is one of the premier cities in the south. The vast majority of residents own their homes and there is certainly a strong suburban vibe. There are plenty of restaurants, entertainment, parks, and cafes sprinkled throughout. Families do not only enjoy a lively town with great entertainment, but the school system is also one of the best in Tennessee.

The median house will cost you north of $400,000 and it's not uncommon to see [luxury homes in Franklin](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/franklin/luxury-homes) listed for $700,000 or more. Franklin is a young city in the sense of the average resident is 37 years old according to the [U.S. Census](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/franklincitytennessee/PST045219). However, Franklin also has a deep history with ties to the Civil War, creating the perfect blend of modern and historic culture - making it one of the best places to live in Tennessee. 

## #4 - Germantown 

Germantown is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee with a population just shy of 40,000 people. Germantown's economy is primarily retail or the commercial industry. The average working professional commutes roughly 22 minutes to their job. 

Convenience isn't the only selling point to Germantown. Housing is extremely desirable and you can expect to spend between $375,000 - $450,000 on a nice single-family home. The public schools are award-winning and some of the best in West Tennessee.

Families not only appreciate the fantastic schools, but they also have some of the best healthcare facilities in the Memphis area. This Memphis suburb has plenty of restaurants, parks, and gorgeous neighborhoods - making it undoubtedly one of the best places to live. Route 72 is filled with countless shopping centers, restaurants, and grocery stores. 

## #3 - Mount Juliet

You'll find the "City Between the Lakes" just 20 miles east of Nashville. [Mount Juliet](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/mount-juliet) of course needed to make our list! Families from all over want to live in Mount Juliet, which is causing the local housing market to quickly rise. Homes in Mount Juliet typically range from $400,000-$600,000, and for good reason.

Mt. Juliet has fantastic schools, low crime rates, delicious restaurants, and an endless amount of activities on the lake. With Old Hickory Lake to the north and Percy Priest Lake to the south, residents can enjoy boating, fishing, and swimming right in their own backyard. Could you imagine a better quality of life?

It's common for many Mt. Juliet residents to commute to downtown Nashville, which typically takes 20-25 minutes. Household income is around $85,000 making this an affordable place to live for the time being. But as more people decide to move to Tennessee, we anticipate the housing market to continue to rise in this area. 

## #2 - Spring Hill 

Less than 40 miles south of the capital is the city of [Spring Hill](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/spring-hill). This suburb, much of which used to be farmland was primarily developed within the past 10 years. If you're looking to take a break from city life, look no further! Spring Hill is made up of roughly 45,000 friendly residents, most of which are young professionals or families who own single-family homes. 

Spring Hill has it all! The location is beautiful and convenient, the school system is excellent, and the town attracts a lot of educated young professionals with families. Not to mention, the cost of living is still favorable! The vast majority of homes were built after 2000, and homes are generally priced between $320,000 and $550,000. If you're looking to buy a home in Spring Hill, pay close attention to which county you are in. Spring Hill is split between Williamson and Maury Counties. Homes in Williamson County can command a steep premium due to the stellar school district.

We're predicting the Spring Hill real estate market to rise for the years to come. Its location, low crime rates, and strong school system make this the perfect community to live and raise children.

## #1 - Brentwood

Just 15 minutes from downtown Nashville, [Brentwood](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/brentwood) is arguably Nashville's preeminent neighborhood. Known not only for its convenience in and out of Nashville but also for its luxury. The town is made up of roughly 42,000 residents and young families love Brentwood for its school system, which is consistently ranked the best in the entire state.

Everything about Brentwood is absolutely stunning. The town center is lively and well maintained. The homes are big and gorgeous and the school system is top-notch. The vast majority of residents own single-family homes and their average commute to work is less than 30 minutes. Families who live here enjoy all the luxuries the location has to offer, while still maintaining a small-town community feel. Families aren't concerned about the crime rates, as Brentwood is considered one of the safest communities in Tennessee. 

With that said, entry into this suburb [doesn't come cheap](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/brentwood/luxury-homes). It's difficult to find a quality home for less than $800,000 and, the cost of living is nearly 25% above the national average. Home prices are high for a reason as many people rate Brentwood as one of the best places to live in the south.

## You Can't Go Wrong With Our Top 10

It's not easy limiting our list to just 10 suburbs. The state of Tennessee is certainly large and diverse. Between the metropolitan cities like Nashville and Memphis, lakefront living, or beautiful country views of the smoky mountains, you can have it all. Our list is centered around suburbs or communities that families consider a great place to live. No matter where you end up on this list, you will not be disappointed! 

## What Makes Tennessee A Great Place To Live

Now that we've identified the best places to raise a family in all of Tennessee, let's briefly review why so many folks want to live in Tennessee. 

### No state income tax

Taxes, a small word that ignites so much anxiety in countless families.  It seems like everyone is looking to pay fewer taxes, and if you live in Tennessee, that's possible! Tennessee does not have a state income tax. That's part of the reason why so many people from the North East, or even the West Coast are flocking to Tennessee in busloads. You're able to keep more of your paycheck and spend it on what matters to you and your family. Taxes are not the only financial incentive the state offers. The overall cost of living is favorable, and families are able to get a lot of bang for their buck. 

### A lively culture of food, history, and music

If you love music, southern charm, and fantastic food, look no further. Tennessee's culture is second to none. That said, Tennessee has quite a few desirable cities to live in, all with their own history, unique culture, and southern charm twist. 

### The local economy and the job market

The overall economy is booming in Tennessee and for good reason. Many corporations are choosing to call Nashville, Knoxville, or Memphis home. Not only are companies able to save money with the tax laws in the state, but these corporations also realize they can attract top talent considering the universities and colleges within the state. Tennessee's population continues to rise as more companies park their headquarters in the Volunteer State. 

### The convenience of living in Tennessee

Tennessee has numerous international airports, which makes international or domestic travel a breeze. In just a short flight you can visit your friends in the North East, or dip your toes in the beautiful clear water off the coast of Florida. 

Between the favorable cost of living, great schools, mild climate, culture, economy, and healthcare system, it's no wonder why Tennessee is considered one of the best places to live, not only for families but for [retirees as well](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/best-retirement-communities-tennessee)! 

## How Can Felix Homes Help?

[Felix Homes](https://www.felixhomes.com/) is a Nashville-based real estate brokerage servicing middle Tennessee. We have one simple mission - to be the most financially responsible way to buy or sell a home.

We make our mission possible by not only charging a low commission fee on both the [buy](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/buyers-agent-commission-rebate-tennessee) and [sell-side](https://www.felixhomes.com/sell) of the transaction, but our brokerage also has a fundamentally different business model when compared to traditional brokerages. We are a tech-enabled real estate firm and instead of having independent contractors agents, we have full-time employees who specialize in specific tasks such as marketing, finance, photography, technology, and of course, being a real estate agent.

Don’t be mistaken, a discounted price doesn’t mean a discounted service. We are a full-service brokerage! Our agents' only job is to focus on you, the client. Our average client keeps an additional $8,100 in their pocket after they sell their home using our low commission model. If you’re interested in hearing more or need any support on any real estate matter, we can be reached at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com) or [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277).

More families are calling Tennessee home. The mild climate, outdoor amenities, low crime rate, and fantastic schools make it a great place to raise a family.

large_Top 10 List Of Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee.jpg

medium_Top 10 List Of Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee.jpg

small_Top 10 List Of Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee.jpg

thumbnail_Top 10 List Of Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee.jpg

Top 10 List Of Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee.jpg

Top 10 List Of Best Places To Raise A Family In Tennessee

Those looking to buy a home in Nashville have plenty of incredible suburban options. We're here to break down the top 10 best Nashville suburbs of 2021.

large_Top Nashville Neighborhoods.jpg

medium_Top Nashville Neighborhoods.jpg

small_Top Nashville Neighborhoods.jpg

thumbnail_Top Nashville Neighborhoods.jpg

Top Nashville Neighborhoods.jpg

2021 Top 10 List Of The Best Suburbs Of Nashville To Live In

Stick around Nashville long enough, and you’ll find it goes by many names. Of course, most know it as “Music City”, being the seat of all things country music, but that just scratches the surface of this crazy town. Some call it “The Athens of the South” for its renowned collection of colleges. Partiers love “Nashvegas”, hockey fans yell “Smashville”, but whatever you choose to call it, there’s no question that Nashville is everybody’s destination city—at least, almost everybody’s.

Nashville has added around half a million residents in the last decade, and over 15 million visitors walk its streets every year. Basically, it’s in the middle of an unprecedented boom, and while the town’s incomparable music scene, sports teams, and nightlife keep the social calendars full, there’s still one attraction that Nashville would be happy to make room for: a Major League Baseball team. Plans are already in the works to bring Nashville its fourth major sports franchise, The Nashville Stars. Adding this baseball team would be an impressive sign of Nashville’s recent prosperity, but the city isn’t looking for a status symbol. Rather, it’s the logical next step for a baseball-crazed town with deep and meaningful roots in the game.

![nashville-stars-2.jpg](https://felix-homes-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/nashville_stars_2_365e66ac44.jpg)

## Nashville Baseball: Then And Now

The MLB may have been founded in 1869, but Nashville was playing ball well before then. The [first official game](https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/baseball/2015/04/15/nashville-professional-baseball-history/25854311/) was reportedly played in the [Historic Edgefield neighborhood](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/historic-edgefield) (when it was just called Edgefield), in 1860. This started a groundswell of enthusiasm for the game, and, unlike the South at the time, baseball was for everyone. Soon Nashville was a destination for the Negro Leagues, with the Standard Giants representing the city in the famed Capitol City League. Some of the country’s greatest baseball players made stops in Nashville, to play the Giants, the Vols (Nashville’s top non-Negro League team), and even—you guessed it—the Stars. This Negro League team that called Nashville home from the 1930s through the 1950s was an important piece of the city’s baseball tradition; repurposing the “Stars” name for the town’s newest franchise serves as an homage to Nashville’s rich and diverse baseball heritage.

[PRO TIP: check out the newest homes listed for sale in Nashville](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/nashville)

## Why Does A Nashville MLB Team Make Sense?

Indeed, these diverse baseball roots are part of what makes the city so perfect for MLB’s current expansion plans. The Stars would be the [first MLB team named after a Negro League franchise](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2020/07/07/nashville-stars-mlb-expansion-baseball/5391425002/), and in the last few weeks, Major League Baseball made the long-overdue decision to include Negro League statistics in the MLB record books. Including the Stars would be another way for the league to honor the game’s neglected past while expanding for its future.

The name, however, doesn’t just pay tribute to the past, it’s also an indication of the kind of people who are passionate about bringing a Major League team to Nashville. We can’t verify this, but we have a feeling it’s the only prospective franchise whose roster of supporters looks like a [CMA after-party guest list](https://www.mlbmusiccity.com/leadership-roster/). The likes of Justin Timberlake, Maren Morris, Darius Rucker, and Eric Church headline a rolodex of celebrity representatives and advisers to the franchise. Tony La Russa, manager of three World Series teams, is at the helm of a star-studded baseball advisory committee, and the Executive Board is chaired by none other than former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Between that all-star leadership and a city that already boasts the third-highest minor league attendance in the country, the Major League has no choice but to take notice.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

## Is An Expansion Team The Only Avenue For Nashville To Become Host To An MLB Franchise?

MLB expansion is still not a foregone conclusion, but all signs indicate that it’s just a matter of time before Nashville has its own franchise. Although the trials and tribulations of 2020 have gotten in the way of expansion momentum, Nashville still hopes to have a team in town by 2025, and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has [repeatedly made it clear](https://theathletic.com/2315404/2021/01/11/rosenthal-mlb-expansion-on-hold/) that he thinks it’s time for growth. Even if the league owners don’t vote to expand, franchises like the Oakland As and Tampa Bay Rays could soon be looking for a new home. Either way, Nashville tops the list of potential franchise destinations. The question is, once a team is secured, where will they play, and what will it mean for Nashville’s flourishing real estate market?

## Where Will The Nashville Stars' Stadium Complex Be Built?

Franchise leadership is currently evaluating multiple locations that could house the ballpark complex. The leader in the clubhouse, though, is the parcel of land just across the Cumberland River from downtown, right next to Nissan Stadium. This centrally-located spot would be another boon to the already surging [East Nashville neighborhood](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/east-nashville).

Plans indicate that construction would involve much more than just a baseball field. Surrounding the [42,000-seat stadium](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2020/07/07/nashville-stars-mlb-expansion-baseball/5391425002/), a transformative entertainment and commercial complex would be the crown jewel of Nashville’s recent real estate developments. Swanky office space, upscale condos, a hotel, and shops are all [part of the proposal](https://www.mlbmusiccity.com/), with new parking garages to accommodate the activity. There’s even a plan to transform the stretch of river into Cumberland Cove, a marina and greenway development—think UT’s Vol Navy with a Nashville twist. It would be perhaps Downtown Nashville’s most ambitious real estate project to date and could have dramatic implications for the surrounding neighborhoods.

## How Will A New Sports Complex Impact The Surrounding Real Estate Values?

East Nashville, just across the river from [Downtown](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/downtown), is a mostly residential district that has historically provided convenient inner-city residential options. Lately, East Nashville real estate has been on a historic rise. Homes in the district are currently fetching an average of $243 per square foot, making it one of the city’s most expensive areas. Redevelopment efforts usually update or raze older construction, often replace them with large, modern homes carrying million dollar price tags. All signs suggest that a new East Nashville ballpark would only raise these home values even higher.

### A case-study from our neighbors to the south: Atlanta

When the Atlanta Braves, the Southeast’s preeminent baseball franchise, announced plans to relocate to a new ballpark just outside of town in Cobb County, [home values quickly responded positively](https://patch.com/georgia/smyrna/suntrust-park-spark-cobb-homes-rise-value-braves-move). Before the park was even built, homes within a two-mile radius of the stadium started selling for an average of 7% more. Once the Braves started playing in their new home, that number jumped to 8.5%. We know, we know, it’s a bit of a stretch to compare real estate trends along a beltway in Northwest Atlanta to those in the heart of Nashville. However, the complex built by the Braves’ development team, complete with chic shops, restaurants, and hotels, mirrors the multi-use super-site envisioned by the Stars’ top brass. With any luck, home values in East Nashville will get something like the “Suntrust Park Spark” enjoyed by surrounding properties in Atlanta.

The Atlanta stadium real estate bump may not be enough to suggest how a new stadium will affect home values. After all, the Braves are an established franchise relocating to the suburbs—not exactly across the river from Broadway. Fortunately, a recent local example suggests that the same spike in property values will occur. Nashville is currently in the midst of a development frenzy surrounding the construction of Nashville’s new Major League Soccer stadium at the Fairgrounds. Even though the new home for Nashville SC is still under construction, the property gains are already in full swing. 

### How did the Nashville SC stadium impact the local real estate market?

The [Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/wedgewood-houston), just north of the Fairgrounds toward downtown, has seen its average home sale price jump by 13.4% over the past 12 months, to around $590k. The price per square foot on these homes is steep, usually between $260 and $280. Even though the area has some older homes, newer [horizontal property regime](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/buying-an-hpr-real-estate) developments, some constructed as a response to the soccer stadium news, are helping to drive prices higher. The Nashville SC complex is relatively close to downtown, in an older residential district, just like the potential East Nashville Stadium. Therefore, it’s likely that the new ballpark would inspire a similar spike in the residential real estate market.

## What Are The Skeptics Saying?

Skeptics of the Stars stadium project argue that East Nashville is so close to the downtown action that a new ballpark won’t make much of a difference in home values. This is a reasonable, but probably unfounded concern. Just because East Nashville is close to downtown doesn’t mean its home values are anywhere near maxed out. Having a baseball stadium close only adds buyer interest, and would likely accelerate the residential property transformations already taking place in the neighborhood. In all likelihood, property values would reach unprecedented heights as people snatched up homes with easy access to 81 Major League baseball games a year.

Still, nothing is written in stone. The Titans have indicated that [they aren’t thrilled](https://ballparkdigest.com/2020/09/21/stars-titans-disagree-on-potential-ballpark-location/) about these new stadium plans, and alternative building sites are being explored near Tennessee State University and around [Franklin](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/franklin). No matter where the stadium ends up, though, look for the area to become Nashville’s hottest real estate destination.

## Our Conclusion: Nashville Is Built For The MLB

There’s no question that Nashville deserves a Major League baseball team. It has the history, the leadership, the brand, and the enthusiasm. Sure there are a few things to work out, but as Stars supporter, Maren Morris says, “When the bones are good, the rest don’t matter”. Nashville is built for Major League Baseball, it’s just a matter of time before a team moves in.

Plans are in the works to bring Nashville its fourth major sports franchise, The Nashville Stars. What does another sports team mean for Nashville real estate?

large_nashville-stars-1.jpg

medium_nashville-stars-1.jpg

small_nashville-stars-1.jpg

thumbnail_nashville-stars-1.jpg

nashville-stars-1.jpg

Nashville Stars Baseball Team Is Good News For The Local Real Estate Market

Most home sellers have two goals in mind. The first goal is to sell their home for as much money as possible, ultimately maximizing their profit. Their second goal is to sell the home as quickly as possible, so they can close the previous chapter in their life and move onto the next. These are great goals to have, and as a [one percent commission realtor](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/one-percent-commission-realtor-nashville) with a mission of being the most financially responsible way to buy or sell a home, we're here to teach you our top tips for staging a house on a budget.

Home staging isn't difficult and you shouldn't overthink it. There are many budget-friendly tips and tricks we've learned as real estate agents that can help you get your home ready for the market without breaking the bank. While not all of these goals are specifically related to home staging, they are all recommendations we think every seller should consider before listing their house for sale.

## Why Is It Important To Get Your Home Ready For The Market?

Every top real estate agent will tell you that the trick to selling any home quickly and for the highest price comes down to taking amazing listing photos. After all, a joint study conducted by the [National Association of Realtors and Google](https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/Study-Digital-House-Hunt-2013-01_1.pdf) found that 90% of home buyers searched online during their home buying process. The average buyer is scanning through hundreds of online listings on sites like Zillow, Realtor.com, and our very own [home search platform](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/nashville) so it's important to make sure your listing stands out from the crowd. A nicely staged home free of any clutter combined with professional photography is a foolproof way to ensure your online listing receives hundreds of views.

![9.jpg](https://felix-homes-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/9_b65541d8ac.jpg)

## Tip 1: Spend time decluttering every room

Cluttered homes not only make rooms feel small, it also makes it challenging for buyers to think beyond the clutter and visualize living in the space. If you have a cluttered house, before putting your home on the market, you'll want to spend time organizing. When you're getting ready to move, you may want to consider getting rid of, donating, or selling any items you haven't used in a while.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### When it comes to decluttering your house on a budget:

- There's no need to pay for expensive storage options. Instead, consider using your garage, attic, or basement as temporary storage. You'll want to make sure to keep everything organized by using moving boxes. This will not only help you find things more easily when you go to unpack but it will keep all of your belongings in good condition while they're being stored. 
- Post in local Facebook groups to see if any neighbors have extra cardboard moving boxes you could have. Neighbors may have these boxes lying around and taking up space. You'll help them declutter their home, and you'll save some money.
- Host a yard sale to get rid of any items you do not use frequently. This is a great way to kill two birds with one stone. You'll get rid of things you no longer need and add a few bucks to your wallet. 

## Tip 2: Complete any home repairs that cost less than $100

In almost all cases we would advise against completing major renovations before selling a home. There are plenty of budget-friendly DIY projects you can do to make your house look great. If the repair costs less than $100, we encourage our clients to do it. 

### Here are a few of the most common repairs we recommend:

- Ensure all doorknobs match throughout the house. If the bedrooms have steel doorknobs, and the bathrooms have gold, that will certainly stand out. 
-  Fix the sink that drips or the toilet that continuously runs. While you're at it, buy a chlorine tablet for the toilet to make sure it is not discolored.
- Make sure the shower curtain and shower mat are new. Bathrooms are a major attraction for any buyer, and a dirty shower curtain sticks out like a sore thumb.
- Consider changing out old outdated light fixtures for a more modern design. Not only will this make any room look updated for under $150, but it will also make the lighting in the room more attractive.
- Replace any broken window blinds that are no longer working properly.
- Consider repainting the interior doors. We don't recommend you repaint your entire house (more on this later) but it is a good idea to give the doors a fresh coat.
- If your kitchen or bathroom is looking dated, consider changing out the cabinet hardware to something more modern.

## Tip 3: Leave it to the pros

Undoubtedly, there are some jobs that are better left for the pros. Just because you're hiring a professional doesn't mean you'll need to break the bank! There are various small upgrades you can ask a professional to complete which won't turn your house into a construction zone. To find local handymen, we recommend making a post in a local Facebook group. Within hours you should get several DMs.

### Here are some of the things buyers appreciate when looking at homes:

- Get the carpets professionally steam cleaned. Not only will this remove unwanted stains and odors, but it will bring life back into an older carpet that can make it look half its actual age. In our experience, professional steam cleaning will cost about $75 per room. Remember to ask the company if they have any discounts or promotions they are currently running.
- Replacing the front door if it looks outdated or dinged up. A potential buyer will quickly identify if your front door is old, squeaky, drafty, or dented. First impressions go a long way. If your front door is in good condition, consider putting a fresh coat of paint on it.
- Consider giving your kitchen cabinets new life. Let's face it, white kitchen cabinets are all the rage. New cabinets cost a small fortune and are not built nearly as well as those built prior to the early 2000s. Instead of replacing your old oak cabinets, hire a handyman to sand them down and paint them white. This may sound expensive but it should only cost around $1,000 and take less than a few days.
- Painting your kitchen cabinets is also the perfect time to add a simple backsplash if you do not already have one. There are tons of videos on YouTube that will show you how to install a backsplash and if you're feeling handy, there is no need to hire a pro for this job. We recommend choosing a timeless backsplash like a simple white subway tile. After these minor updates, you'll be so surprised at how updated your home looks that you may not want to move after all.

![12.jpg](https://felix-homes-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/12_2826af9736.jpg)

## Tip 4: Replace all burnt-out lightbulbs

Real estate agents always stress that a home has proper lighting. After all, it's a major selling point, yet is often overlooked. Most buyers want to see a bright, open home. Keep in mind, not all potential buyers will be touring your home in the daylight, some will be coming to your home in the evening after work hours.

### To make sure your lighting is on point:

- Replace all light bulbs with soft-white LED bulbs in every room. It looks awkward when the lighting tone changes between rooms or light fixtures. 
- Again, consider purchasing new, modern light fixtures online if yours are looking a bit dated. This is by far one of the cheapest ways to update your home.
- Buy an LED light-strip on Amazon for a budget-friendly way to have lighting under your kitchen cabinets.

## Tip 5: If you're staging a house on a budget, Walmart's return policy will be your best friend

While we are not a fan of professional stagers whose cost may run $5,000 or more, we are huge proponents of the concept of light-staging. We don't think you should move-in any new furniture but an accent piece, new rug, or artwork can go a long way. If you want to stage your home but don't want to foot the bill, consider staging your home courtesy of a big-box retailer's return policy. This is a trick of the trade, and the home decor section at Walmart or Target has cute accessories that can make the perfect accent piece for any home. Go on a shopping spree but just remember to save the receipt.

![2165693-5.jpg](https://felix-homes-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/2165693_5_aff54ffc93.jpg)

## Tip 6: Fake flowers are a home staging secret weapon

Flowers add a pop of color to any room and will ensure the listing photos pop. However, fresh flowers are expensive and don't last very long. Considering buying fake flowers from Michaels or Homegoods. They will certainly help bring color to the professional photos we take. 

![2185057-29.jpg](https://felix-homes-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/2185057_29_2c2b10f48b.jpg)

## Tip 7: Landscaping to boost curb appeal

A potential buyer sees the outside of your property before they even step foot inside your home. If you're selling your house, you don't need to go nuts with a backyard or front yard renovation. However, you can't neglect the exterior of your home either. 

### Here are our tips for enhancing the appeal of your exterior without breaking the bank:

- Mulch loses its color over time. Be sure to lay new mulch in flower gardens, and keep the color of the mulch uniform.
- Keep the grass mowed and neatly edged, or considering hiring a professional landscaper to cut the grass while your house is on the market. Every two weeks should do the trick.
- Remove clutter from the yard that is out of place. If you have a pool, make sure there isn't a pool noodle hanging out in the middle of the backyard. Keep all of the outdoor toys and lawn equipment neatly organized and out of sight. 

## Tip 8: Dust light fixtures and ceiling fans

Buyers genuinely care about the overall cleanliness of a home. Any seller should give their home a proper deep cleaning before putting it home on the market. A clean home doesn't cost any money, just a bit of time and elbow grease! If you do decide to hire a professional cleaner, it should cost roughly $150 depending on the size of the house. If you don't have a cleaner already, we'd recommend posting in local Facebook groups to find one.

### Listen up sellers, these are commonly missed places that buyers take notice of:

- Clean all ceiling fans. Ceiling fans are a great accessory, but trap dust and cobweb magnet! 
- Light fixtures. As mentioned above, you should replace your lightbulbs. While you're replacing the bulb, take the time to make sure to give your light fixtures a proper cleaning! 
- Replace the HVAC air filters which will help your home smell better. More on this below.
- Clean the shower and bathtub to make sure they are sparkling. If the caulking around the edge of the shower or bath looks discolored, consider scrapping it off and reapplying. 

## Tip 9: Give the home a fresh scent

By this point, you've done so much to ensure your home looks its best. There is one very important sense that you may be forgetting: smell. In fact, most buyers can be turned off just as easily by the smell of your home as they can by the look of it so make sure your home smells nice. Let's face it, sometimes we become accustomed to the smell of our own home, so we recommend inviting a friend over and asking them to provide you with their honest opinion. You may not feel like your home smells bad, but your friend will quickly call you out if it does (assuming you have a good friend). 

### How do you make your house smell clean and fresh? Simple, here are a few cheap ways to do so:

- Visit the candle section at Walmart or Target. Stay away from overpowering scents like apple pie or Hawaiian sunset. Instead, opt for something neutral like lavender or fresh laundry.
- Be sure to replace the cat litter frequently, and make sure your animals are kept clean. A dirty cat or dog has an unpleasant smell, especially on rainy days. 
- If possible, lightly spray the couch with Febreze before a potential buyer comes to tour your home. 

## Tip 10: Pressure wash the exterior

We've spent a lot of time cleaning the inside of the house and making it smell great but don't forget about the outside. If your deck or siding is dirty, you should definitely power wash them. If you don't own a pressure washer, ask a neighbor or rent one from Home Depot. This is another budget-friendly way to boost your curb appeal. If you notice any wood boards that are rotten while you're pressure washing the deck, we recommend replacing them.

## What Home Repairs Should You Avoid

Whereas major renovations should be avoided, what about renovating the 'bones' of the house, or the noncosmetic aspects? Our advice remains steady, we recommend you do not complete any major noncosmetic upgrades unless they pose a risk or hazard to the home. 

### Should I replace my old HVAC unit?

We would not recommend replacing the HVAC before selling your home unless it is not working. The cost to replace a unit can easily reach $6,000 - $12,000+. If the machine is working without any major problems, don't stress it even if it's 15 years old. 

### Should I replace my old hot water heater?

Very similar to the HVAC situation, if it's not broke don't fix it. If the hot water works every time, it doesn't need to be a modern energy-efficient piece of equipment. These can be replaced by the new homeowner if/when it finally breaks. 

### Should I put a new roof on the house?

A new roof will certainly make your house look great, but if it's not leaking water or damaged, there is no need to replace it. We've had clients whose roofs were 20+ years old and while it will probably need to be replaced in the next 5 years, it should be up to the new homeowner to do it.

### Should I install new energy-efficient windows?

Broken windows clearly won't sell, and windows with a bad draft may detour some buyers. But if the windows are just old, and still work just fine, let them be. 

Keep in mind, if it's not broken, don't fix it. If you currently own a home and plan on selling in a few years, start to collect and keep maintenance records of your property. A well-maintained HVAC is what a buyer looks for. Don't let the concept of new force you to overspend.

### Repainting the interior

Repainting your home's interior can be a big undertaking. Not only is this time consuming and expensive, but it's also risky. You may choose a color that's not in demand or one that doesn't appeal to many buyers. If your current paint job has a lot of scuffs, try using a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (this works like a charm). Our rule of thumb is unless your current paint color is an offensive highlighter yellow or fluorescent green, it will not deter buyers.

### Buying new appliances

We've seen far too many clients spend a lot of money on buying new appliances with the expectation it will help sell their house. That is simply not true. You want to make sure your appliances are working, but they do not need to be brand new just to sell the home. 

### You don't need to pay for a professional stager

If your furniture is dated, it may be tempting to hire a professional stager. This can get expensive, often costing a few thousand dollars. Keep in mind the 10 tips we listed above are a great way to 'stage' your home while on a budget.

With today's technology, it's also possible to virtually stage your home. This saves clients thousands of dollars and still provides buyers with a sense of what the property could look like with furniture.

## How Can Felix Homes Help?

[Felix Homes](https://www.felixhomes.com/) is a Nashville-based real estate brokerage servicing middle Tennessee. We have one simple mission - to be the most financially responsible way to buy or sell a home.

We make our mission possible by not only charging a low commission fee on both the [buy](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/buyers-agent-commission-rebate-tennessee) and [sell side](https://www.felixhomes.com/sell) of the transaction, but our brokerage also has a fundamentally different business model when compared to traditional brokerages. We are a tech-enabled real estate firm and instead of having independent contractors agents, we have full-time employees who specialize in specific tasks such as marketing, finance, photography, technology, and of course, being a real estate agent.

Don’t be mistaken, a discounted price doesn’t mean a discounted service. We are a full-service brokerage! Our agents' only job is to focus on you, the client. Our average client keeps an additional $8,100 in their pocket after they sell their home using our low commission model. If you’re interested in hearing more or need any support on any real estate matter, we can be reached at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com) or [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277).

There are many budget-friendly tips and tricks we've learned as real estate agents that can help you get your home ready for the market without breaking the bank.

large_7.jpg

medium_7.jpg

small_7.jpg

thumbnail_7.jpg

7.jpg

Top 10 Tips For Staging A House On A Budget

One of the most polarizing topics in real estate is the 'should unmarried couples buy a house together' debate.  There are two different opinions here, and for good reason. This answer isn't black and white, but we'll dive into some of the commonly asked questions and review a pros and cons list below!

## Can You Buy A House With Someone You Aren't Married Too?

An unmarried couple can certainly buy a home together, and people do it all the time. It's not uncommon for unmarried couples to buy a home together, as there are many benefits of homeownership. In fact, you don't even need to be a 'couple' to buy a home. Often times, friends will purchase a house together as an investment property.

## Why Would An Unmarried Couple Consider Buying A Home Together?

There are many reasons why a couple may want to buy a home together. Here are a few of the most common reasons:

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### Rent can be expensive

If two partners are renting their own home/apartment, this can get rather expensive quickly. Keep in mind, many couples choose to spend the night at one another's home most days of the week, so one may find themselves paying for rent on an apartment they don't spend much time in. This may seem wasteful, and combining incomes/forces may appear to be the smart financial move.

### Smart financial decision

Couples believe buying a house together is a smart financial decision. After all, the sooner a home is purchased, the quicker you start establishing equity in the home and begin laying a financial foundation for your long term future. 

### Sense of independence

Couples are getting married later in life, but there is still a desire to move out of their parent's house as quickly as possible. Many people believe renting is simply throwing money out the window, and as a result, they want to purchase a house as quickly as possible. 

### Mortgage pre-approval

One partner may be interested in buying a house but may not have a great credit score. A mortgage lender may be more willing to lend money to an individual if they have a co-signer. The significant other may be the most logical co-signer option. By using a co-signer, the bank will feel more comfortable lending money despite the initially low credit score. 

Whether for financial reasons, social reasons, or to begin laying a foundation early, more and more people are electing to purchase a home before marriage in today's age than ever before. 

## What To Consider Before Buying A Home Together?

If you're not married, and you're thinking about buying a home with your partner, there is a lot to consider. 

### Spend time living together first

First and foremost, you will want to be sure you can live together as a couple. If you're currently only spending 2-3 nights together per week, consider ramping that up before you purchase property together. Living with someone full-time is certainly an adjustment and you should get acclimated to this before making a major financial decision such as buying a house together. 

### Consider why you're looking to buy a house together 

If it is to save money, you can still do this while renting. Instead of both parties paying rent for their own apartment, considering moving into a larger apartment together as a middle ground between your current state and homeownership. This doesn't need to be long term, but a year or two under your belt certainly won't hurt. 

### Consider your long-term goals 

If you're looking to buy a home to live in for the next year or two before moving onto something else, you may want to hold off and continue renting. Owning a house for less than two years typically isn't a great financial investment.

### Understand the responsibilities of homeownership

Buying a house is often more than just a financial decision. Homeownership is a lifestyle, there's a lot that goes into owning a home. There are legal ramifications that could become present, additional responsibility, and significantly more work. 

## Who Claims The House If We're Not Married?

Unmarried couples may have concerns when it comes to taxes. If one person owns the property and is the only name on the mortgage, they are the one that can [claim the house on their yearly tax return](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/mortgage-interest-tax-deduction-tennessee). It doesn't matter if the house is being paid via a joint bank account that both partners contribute to. 

If both people own the home equally, the unmarried couples or individuals can only claim the portion of property taxes, or interest, they actually paid. The full interest expense deduction can not be received by both parties. 

A married couple tends to file jointly, which would eliminate any confusion when it comes to claiming this benefit. 

## Can You Get A Mortgage With Someone You're Not Married Too?

Yes, you absolutely can and it is completely legal. This does not only apply to couples who are in a relationship together. Business partners, friends, and colleagues may choose to purchase a home together for various reasons. 

The bank's primary concern is to ensure their loan is safe and the borrowers will repay the balance plus the interest expense. Banks are designed to view things through a financial lens and are not designed to judge your relationship or marital status.  The reality is, married couples can also get divorced, which is a risk a bank takes all the time. 

## Can Someone Be On The Title And Not The Mortgage? 

Understanding the title and mortgage breakdown is critical. There are various ways/reasons why someone may be paying for the mortgage, but not on the actual title of the property. 

For example, imagine if John purchases a home before meeting Susan. The title and mortgage would be in John's name entirely. However, once the relationship gets serious and the couple decides to use a joint bank account, they both may be contributing to the mortgage equally each month. Just because one partner is paying a portion of the mortgage does not mean they have ownership rights to the home. If their name is not on the title, they do not own the home. 

Following the above example, if John and Susan break up, Susan can technically be homeless despite all her contributions to the mortgage over a period of time because she does not legally own any portion of the home. John has sole ownership of the home. 

If the above example concerns you, and you're not willing to contribute to the mortgage unless your name is on the title, you and your partner should consider various other refinancing options to get your name added to the title. 

Alternatively, your name can be on the title but not the mortgage. A couple may decide it's easier to just have one name listed on the actual mortgage, but both names may in fact be represented on the title. In this case, the person who signed the mortgage is obligated to pay the mortgage lender, but both parties can legally have joint ownership of the property. 

## What Happens If You Own A House With Someone And You Break Up?

The risk of break up is one major deterrent an unmarried couple must consider. If the couple was simply renting separate apartments, it would be pretty straight forward. Each partner would return to their apartment, and carry on with life post break up. 

However, when you own a home together, things get a bit more complicated. After all, if you're both on the mortgage and title, it is both of your responsibility to continue paying for the home. The two most common outcomes of this situation are:

### One partner buys out the other partner

If homeownership is split 50/50, one partner could buy out the other partner through a refinancing deal. Generally speaking, to successfully buy out the other party, one would need to buy out the other party's equity accordingly. For example, if $300,000 is owed on the mortgage, but the house is worth $350,000, there is $50,000 of equity in the home. If each party owns an equal share of the home, each party would have $25,000 of equity in the home. The home can be refinanced into one person's name, but the party parting ways with the home will want to make sure they get their fair cut of the profit! 

### Sell the property and split the proceeds

Both parties choose to sell the property entirely and walk away from the home. Again, the same principles apply here where each party will want to make sure they get their fair share of equity after the sale of the home. 

The above options are the most common ways to manage a property owned by an unmarried couple that just broke up, but both options certainly present their fair share of challenges. Breakups can be ugly, and people can be selfish and stubborn. Often times, each partner will need to be represented by legal counsel to ensure they are getting their fair share of the money, and one is not taking financial advantage of another. This can make the sales process a bit more time-consuming, and often more expensive considering the legal cost. 

## What Does Tenants In Common Mean?

Tenants in common is often referred to as TIC. Tenants in common is when two or more parties share ownership rights on a particular property.  Tenants in common does not mean the property is split equally. Each owner may own an equal, or different percentage of the home. For instance, person A may own 60% of the property, whereas person B owns 40% of the property. When an owner dies, the ownership percentage is passed onto the deceased tenant's estate. One owner may choose to buy out the ownership percentage from the estate, or they may continue to keep their share of ownership the exact same. 

No one person can claim full ownership of the property or parcel of land in a TIC agreement. All areas of the property are owned equally -  in other words, no specific owner can claim ownership over any specific part of the property or piece of land. The ownership or interest in the property may change between parties, but it does not provide anyone with exclusive or favorable rights to any part of the home or property. 

## Thinking About Buying A Home?

If you're thinking about buying a home, whether you're a married or unmarried couple, there are a few things you may want to consider before even getting started with the experience. 

### Work on your credit

Work to pay off your debt, and credit cards, as quickly as you can. The more debt you have, the higher your debt-to-income ratio will be which can impact your ability to qualify for a mortgage. At Felix Homes, we would recommend setting a strict monthly budget and using your savings to pay down any high-interest debt such as credit card bills, car loans, and student loans.

### Save up for a downpayment

Make sure you have enough money to cover your down payment. Depending on which financing option you choose, you will typically be required to put down at least 3%. If you want to own a home in the near future, the sooner you can start saving for a downpayment, the better. 

### Figure out the details

Consider whose name the home will be under. Will the home be jointly owned, or will there be a co-owner? Start thinking about these options now even if you are married. 

### Set a budget

Determine what your comfort level is with mortgage payments. Just because a bank approves you for a $2,000 monthly mortgage does not mean you need to take it. Perhaps your comfort level is $1,400. 

### Come up with a plan
Consider using a legal written agreement with your partner if you're not married. Lawyers have experience crafting such agreements and although it seems like a pessimistic step, it can be a financial lifesaver. 

## How Can Felix Homes Help?

[Felix Homes](https://www.felixhomes.com/) is a Nashville-based real estate brokerage servicing middle Tennessee. We have one simple mission - to be the most financially responsible way to buy or sell a home. 

We make our mission possible by not only charging a low commission fee on both the [buy](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/buyers-agent-commission-rebate-tennessee) and [sell side](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/one-percent-commission-realtor-nashville) of the transaction, but our brokerage also has a fundamentally different business model when compared to traditional brokerages. We are a tech-enabled real estate firm and instead of having independent contractors agents, we have full-time employees who specialize in specific tasks such as marketing, finance, photography, technology, and of course, being a real estate agent. 

Don’t be mistaken, a discounted price doesn’t mean a discounted service. We are a full-service brokerage! Our agents' only job is to focus on you, the client. Our average client keeps an additional $8,100 in their pocket after they sell their home using our low commission model. If you’re interested in hearing more or need any support on any real estate matter, we can be reached at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com) or [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277).

Should unmarried couples buy a house together? We'll dive into some of the most commonly asked questions and review a pros and cons list in this article!

large_What Unmarried Couples Should Consider Before Buying A House Together.jpg

medium_What Unmarried Couples Should Consider Before Buying A House Together.jpg

small_What Unmarried Couples Should Consider Before Buying A House Together.jpg

thumbnail_What Unmarried Couples Should Consider Before Buying A House Together.jpg

What Unmarried Couples Should Consider Before Buying A House Together.jpg

What Unmarried Couples Should Consider Before Buying A House Together

## What Is An HPR In Real Estate?
A Horizontal Property Regimes, or HPR, is a type of zoning policy that **allows for two houses to be built on land that was formally only zoned for just one house**. The end result is, instead of being short and wide, the houses are constructed to be tall and skinny. This is a newer type of construction/building strategy. These homes are most commonly found in up and coming areas where land is at a premium.

## Is A Horizontal Property Regime (HPR) The Same As A Planned Urban Development (PUD)?
A horizontal property regime is not the same as a planned urban development or PUD. A PUD is a large community that typically shares a common area and amenities. Typically a PUD will have 100+ individual properties and there will be a community pool, tennis court, outdoor entertainment space, and even a clubhouse. 

Whereas, an HPR is typically just two homes, that are both individually owned, on a lot that once accommodated a single-family home. There are limited common amenities, and the properties are governed by an HOA.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

## What Are The Types Of HPR Real Estate?

### HPR attached
An attached horizontal property regime is when two or more homes are connected, wall to wall, without any green separating the home.

![HPR Attached.jpg](https://felix-homes-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/HPR_Attached_ef2a3563a0.jpg)

### HPR detached
A detached horizontal property regime is when a bit of green space separates each home. It's standard for there to be a minimum of 6 feet of green space separating each home. Each home is individually owned, and any common ground is typically maintained according to the homeowners association bylaws. 

![HPR Detached.jpg](https://felix-homes-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/HPR_Detached_800f864c7e.jpg)

### HPR zero lot line
A zero lot line isn't a common way to deed a property, but there are certainly some on the market. Simply put, a zero lot line is when the home's structure goes right up the property line, leaving no room or property between neighbors.

![HPR zero lot line.jpg](https://felix-homes-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/HPR_zero_lot_line_4b7a6f581a.jpg)

## What Are The Pros To Owning Horizontal Property Regimes?
In Nashville, these properties are becoming increasingly more popular in neighborhoods such as [The Nations](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/urbandale-nations), [East Nashville](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/east-nashville), [Charlotte Park](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/charlotte-park), and [Wedgewood Houston](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/wedgewood-houston). There are many reasons/benefits why someone would be interested in owning an HPR property. These most commonly include:

### You'll live in a vibrant community
Many HPRs are built by tearing down a single-family home to make room for two separate HPRs. This is common in areas where there isn't a great deal of space and it's not uncommon to find them near downtown Nashville. If you want to own your own place, but still live in the hustle of the city, considering purchasing a conveniently located horizontal property regime.

### Lower maintenance
Unlike owning a single-family home on half an acre, you'll have low maintenance in an HPR property. The owners won't need to dedicate an entire weekend to mowing and mulching their lawn, as the homeowners association will help maintain the various units.

## What Are The Cons To Owning An HPR?

### Numerous levels of living
HPRs are typically tall and skinny houses, meaning they cannot have everything all on one level. It's not uncommon for an HPR to be 3 stories high. If you aren't comfortable doing a lot of stairs, or, if you want a typical floor plan, you'll have a tough time finding that in an HPR.

### Homeowners association (HOA)
Once a master deed is recorded, it establishes an HOA. Every HOA has rules/regulations each owner will need to follow. Part of the joys of owning your own home is being able to do whatever you want to it. Although HPR homeowners associations typically are not as strict as the HOA in a new construction community or condominium complex, it is important to read all of the HOA bylaws before purchasing a property.

## Are Horizontal Property Regimes A Good Investment?
Without a doubt, horizontal property regimes are a niche type of property. It doesn't attract as many potential buyers, but those who are interested in purchasing one are willing to pay top dollar for it. 

<div class="infogram-embed" data-id="910a061a-44f2-4cc1-b9c4-aaf5fc70168f" data-type="interactive" data-title="2020 Single-Family Homes"></div>

As shown below, the site built - or single-family home saw a 34% increase when looking at the average sales price per square foot. During the same time period, an attached horizontal property regime saw an increase of 22%, whereas a detached HPR appreciated by 18.5%. 

It's clear, single-family homes have appreciated slightly faster over the past five years, but HPRs are typically more expensive when looking at the price per square foot.

<div class="infogram-embed" data-id="1cb1e9ca-bbf3-4996-a24d-f3587291225d" data-type="interactive" data-title="Avg. Sales Price/Sqft."></div>

As cliche as it sounds, real estate is all about location! More often than not, an HPR is built in a desirable area of town where many folks want to live. There may be a limited amount of space to build single-family homes, but a builder can maximize their profit if they are able to build two or more houses on a property that was previously zoned for a single-family house. 

Most commonly, a builder will build two houses on a property, and each unit will have its own owner.

## Why Do Builders Like Horizontal Property Regimes?

Builders love horizontal property regimes because it allows them to maximize the profit they make on any particular lot size. For example, if a builder purchases land for $150,000, they may be able to put a single-family home on that lot and sell the property for $400,000. However, if they use various zoning laws in their favor, they could build two or more HRPs. By doing so, two or more houses will now live on this given property, and the builder will be able to sell each unit to two separate owners and generate a greater profit. 

The builder may choose to develop two homes and sell each unit for $375,000. Now, instead of having made a $250,000 profit, the builder now makes a $600,000 profit before you add in the construction costs. 

As the Nashville area becomes increasingly more popular, builders need to get creative with how they use the land given to accommodate the city's rapid growth. Even when using an HPR, [builders are struggling to keep up](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/nashville-new-construction-report) with the rapid expansion Nashville is experiencing.

## How Can Felix Homes Help?
[Felix Homes](https://www.felixhomes.com/) is a local Nashville Tennessee real estate brokerage servicing Nashville and the neighboring communities. We have one simple mission - to be the most financially responsible way to buy or sell a home. 

We make our mission possible by not only charging a low commission fee on both the [buy](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/buyers-agent-commission-rebate-tennessee) and [sell-side](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/one-percent-commission-realtor-nashville) of the transaction, but our brokerage also has a fundamentally different business model when compared against the vast majority of brokerages. We are a tech-enabled firm and instead of having independent contractors, we have full-time employees who specialize in specific tasks such as marketing, finance, photography, technology, and of course, being a real estate agent. 

Don’t be mistaken, a discounted price doesn’t mean a discounted service. We are a complete and full-service brokerage. Our agent's only job is to focus on you, the client. Our average client keeps an additional $8,100 in their pocket after they sell their home using our brokerage. If you’re interested in hearing more or need any support on any real estate matter, we can be reached at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com) or [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277).

Horizontal Property Regimes (HPRs) are popping up all over Nashville. We'll examine the different types, if they're a good investment, and why they're so popular.

large_HPR Attached.jpg

medium_HPR Attached.jpg

small_HPR Attached.jpg

thumbnail_HPR Attached.jpg

HPR Attached.jpg

What Is A Horizontal Property Regime (HPR) Real Estate?

- **Roughly 40% of American workers are operating completely from home.**
- **To qualify for a deduction, home offices must be consistently and exclusively used as a principal place of business.**
- **Both direct and indirect expenses qualify as tax-deductible.**
- **Taxpayers can choose between the Regular and the Simplified methods for calculating their final home office deduction.**

It’s safe to say that the pandemic has been a bit of an adjustment for American workers. As 40% of the country works from home, bored kids, ill-timed delivery drivers, and noisy neighbors threaten to derail key stretches of productivity. Fortunately, many professionals have a dedicated in-home workspace that keeps household disturbances at bay. What many of these people don’t realize, though, is that their home office can also mean a significant break on their taxes. We’re here to help you determine whether your home office qualifies for a tax deduction, and exactly how much it could save you.

## What Is The Home Office Deduction?
This is a tax break that allows you to take the cost of creating, improving, and/or maintaining your home office as a deduction on your yearly returns. If you’re employed by a business, then it’s a Schedule A deduction; so you’ll have to forfeit the standard tax deduction and itemize, instead. If you’re self-employed, this counts as a Schedule C deduction, which preserves the standard tax deduction. As long as the revenue from your business exceeds your deductions, then all business expenses qualify as tax-deductible.

## How Do I Know If My Work-From-Home Situation Qualifies For A Deduction?
All types of homes are eligible for the break, whether you rent or buy. The question is, does your particular in-home workspace—and the way you use it—meet the criteria to make it a true home office? First, eligible home offices must be used **exclusively** and **consistently** for professional activities. This means that the space cannot serve anything but business ends and that it fulfills this function on a constant basis.

Second, although there are a couple of exceptions (we’ll get to those), the home office must be your **principal** place of business. This means it’s the main hub from which you conduct your professional activities. Not everything has to occur in your home office, but there can be no other fixed location for your business activities where you spend a significant amount of time. It’s also fine to work in other places, as long as you reserve administrative and management duties for your office space. There are, however, a few convenient exceptions to these rules:

- If your main workstation is not at home, but you have a dedicated place in your house where you receive clients, patients, or customers.
- If you technically have a workspace in an office, like a cubicle with your name on it that could theoretically serve as your principal place of business, but you choose to conduct your business activities in your home.
- If you have a free-standing structure, like a shed or a studio, that’s completely devoted to your work, even if you don’t spend the majority of your workday inside that structure.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

## How Do I Calculate My Home Office Deduction?
There are two avenues for arriving at your home office tax break: The Regular Method and the Simplified Option.

### The regular method
Before 2013, everyone used the Regular Method, which requires that you specifically determine the “actual expenses” related to one’s home office. Deductible expenses fall into one of two categories: direct or indirect.

<p>
Direct expenses are those that pertain only to the business section of your home. These could include the building materials you used to create your home office (labor costs are not deductible), paint for your office, lighting improvements, etc. These expenses are easy to identify and compute (as long as you saved your receipts!) because they relate only to the workplace itself. And they are particularly pertinent in 2020, as many have spent <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/05/18/coronavirus-remote-work-home-office/5182645002/">over $600</a> hurriedly transforming a part of their home into a workstation.
</p>

Indirect expenses are those general repairs and maintenance efforts that apply to the entire home but keep your office running by extension. Roof repairs, heating improvements, insurance, and utilities all count as tax-deductible indirect expenses. However, you can only apply a fraction of what you pay for them as part of your home office deduction. 

Whatever percentage of your home the office occupies is the percentage that you can deduct for indirect expenses. For instance, if your home office takes up 20% of your home, then you can only take 20% of your utility bill as a deduction. In order to calculate this percentage, you’ll need to know exactly how much square footage your office occupies within your home’s overall floor plan. If your office takes up 300 sq ft. of a 3,000 sq. foot home, then it comprises 10% of the overall square footage. 

<p>
Probably the most convoluted of these indirect expenses is depreciation. Depreciation allows for deductions that cover a home office’s normal wear and tear. Calculating these deductions requires that you know the time you started using your home for business, your home’s fair market value, its adjusted basis, and improvement costs (before and after using it for business).  Basically, you multiply the percentage of your home occupied by your office by either the adjusted basis or fair market value (whichever is lowest). Then you multiply that by the depreciation percentage that corresponds with the month you started using your home as a business hub. Those depreciation percentages can be found <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p587.pdf">here</a>. It’s important to note that from year to year, your property’s adjusted basis needs to reflect the depreciation experienced the previous year. Otherwise, you won’t be using an accurate representation of your property’s value over time.
</p>

Once you’ve added up all these expenses, they form your actual home office expenses; and while computing them can feel like a hassle, the tax write-off is often worth a little extra math.

### The simplified option
This relatively new approach to securing the home office deduction streamlines the method for calculating your final home office write-off. It works like this: for every square foot of your dedicated office space, you receive a $5 tax deduction. For example, a 200 square foot office space, at $5 per square foot, garners a deduction of $1000. In exchange for this simplicity, you’ll have to make a few sacrifices. Even self-employed individuals who choose this option must itemize on their tax returns. The simplified option also doesn’t include a depreciation deduction, nor the option to recoup a home’s depreciation upon its sale. Many still choose it, however, because it’s an easy path to a considerable deduction.

Thankfully, choosing one of these options only locks you into a calculation method for that year of taxes. You can switch back the next cycle, just remember when switching from simplified to regular that you need to recalculate depreciation using the most current values for your property.

Now that you know what qualifies as a home office, which expenses are tax-deductible, and how to calculate your write-off, you’re equipped to take on your taxes, and one step closer to making your work-from-home environment work for you.

Many people don’t realize that their home office can mean a significant break on their taxes. We’re here to help you determine if your home office qualifies.

large_How To Write Off Home Office Expenses On Your Taxes?.jpg

medium_How To Write Off Home Office Expenses On Your Taxes?.jpg

small_How To Write Off Home Office Expenses On Your Taxes?.jpg

thumbnail_How To Write Off Home Office Expenses On Your Taxes?.jpg

How To Write Off Home Office Expenses On Your Taxes?.jpg

How To Write Off Home Office Expenses On Your Taxes?

- **People often spend around $600 outfitting their homes to meet their ‘home-office’ needs.**
- **An estimated 56% of jobs can be completed without ever leaving one’s home, most of which are higher-paying, white-collar professions.**
- **35.5% of Americans believe they’ll be allowed to work from home after the pandemic is over.**
- **65% of today’s home buyers are looking for a dedicated office in their new home.**
- **20% of remote workers report communication as an issue, and 19% say that loneliness is their biggest complaint.**
- **Of those who will not continue working from home, the majority think they will be back in the office between April - June 2021.**

<p>
Faulty connections, endless Zoom meetings, children screaming in the background—welcome to working remotely in 2020. When the pandemic hit, the percentage of American workers who operated primarily from home jumped from <a rel="nofollow" href="https://review42.com/remote-work-statistics/">3.4%</a> to <a rel="nofollow" href="https://news.stanford.edu/2020/06/29/snapshot-new-working-home-economy/">around 40%</a>. Right now it looks like working from home is here to stay. The pandemic isn’t going anywhere for a while, and over 3 in every 10 Americans believe they’ll be allowed to work remotely even after they’re through this difficult period. Whether you can’t wait to get back to the office or hope to never see it again, your work-from-home experience could always be better; which is why we’re offering a few tips to help you get the most out of your telecommuting.
</p>

## Tip #1: Keep Regular Hours
<p>
With work always at their fingertips, it can be tempting for telecommuters to pick and choose their times to be productive. There’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of your work situation’s flexibility, but this approach usually ends in frustration. Designate specific, consistent work blocks to avoid the constant sensation of being on-call, otherwise, you’ll find yourself working way more hours than you would at the office. Once you’ve established your schedule, then you can better take advantage of work-from-home flexibility without spreading yourself too thin. If one day’s project goes a little long, take an extended lunch the next day. Just remember that if you don’t control your work schedule, then your work will end up controlling you.
</p>

## Tip # 2: Have a Dedicated Workspace
<p>
Another way to separate your work-from-home life from your home life is to designate a workspace within your house. Outfitting an area often <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/05/18/coronavirus-remote-work-home-office/5182645002/">costs around $600</a>, and can be as involved as creating an entire office, or as simple as sectioning off part of your kitchen or living room. The main idea is to reserve an area for work so that the rest of your home doesn’t start to feel like a big office. This will help you separate mentally and practically from your at-home professional life. Today’s home buyers take this separation seriously, with <a rel="nofollow" href="https://eyeonhousing.org/2020/05/most-home-buyers-want-a-home-office/">65% of them</a> placing a home office on their residential wish list. As the pandemic lengthens, this number is only going to rise, so it’s a good thing properties in Nashville, Tennessee are increasingly meeting their needs. It’s not unusual for newly-constructed houses and condos to include work nooks and home offices. Sellers are also finding ways to turn dated dens and bonus rooms into suitable spaces for work. Whatever space you find, just make sure to stick to it while performing your job, otherwise, you’ll never get away from your work.
</p>

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

## Tip #3: Always Overcommunicate
<p>
<a rel="nofollow" href="https://review42.com/remote-work-statistics/">20% of telecommuters</a> cite communication as a major obstacle to successfully completing their work, and the other 80% probably just didn’t understand the question. Without other employees around, face-to-face meetings, and a hovering boss, messages just don’t seem to get through as consistently. The best way to combat this dilemma is simple: communicate much more than you feel necessary. Repeat directions four or five times over Zoom meetings, and respond more often to emails to confirm your understanding. Maybe even create a timeline of your week’s activities and expectations so that others know exactly what you’re working on. This is especially helpful for managers, who made up 16% of the pre-pandemic remote worker population and are constantly giving orders. A good rule of thumb is, if you don’t feel like you’ve said something too much, then you probably haven’t said it enough.
</p>

## Tip #4: Try to Simulate Authentic Workplace Interaction
<p>
It’s not surprising that one of the top long-term dissatisfactions for remote workers is that <a rel="nofollow" href="https://review42.com/remote-work-statistics/">nagging sense of loneliness</a> that stems from the lack of immediate human contact. Let’s face it: work is more than a place to make a living, it’s a place to make connections, and many telecommuters feel like they’re missing out. As a telecommuter, your best option is to find interactions that simulate the work-place environment. Get to Zoom meetings early, and make small-talk about the latest show you’ve been watching. If you’re working on a project, host a virtual hangout with your partners that offers critical face-to-face contact, or use a messaging app to keep you in the flow of conversation. You don’t always have to live through your technology, though. If you’re in the same city as your company, meet up for a socially-distanced lunch with colleagues at a spot that’s equidistant between your work and home. Most importantly, find a way to meet up with your boss to shore up that critical workplace relationship. All of these actions will humanize you to your colleagues, make your presence felt, and save you from those work-from-home blues.
</p>

## Tip #5: Get Out of the House
<p>
Being out of the office doesn’t mean you have to be at home. Ironically enough, one of the best ways to work from home is to find somewhere else to work, entirely. A new environment, even for a morning, can refresh your spirit and increase productivity. Local libraries offer quiet spaces with reliable internet connections, but there are also plenty of restaurants and coffee shops with free WiFi and pandemic-friendly seating options. Especially in Nashville, where neighborhoods often come with tempting local cafes or brunch spots, an alternate location can be an alluring, accessible option for your entire workday. Neighborhoods like East Nashville or 12 South feature flexible restaurant districts just a stroll away, while residents of closer-to-downtown neighborhoods, like Germantown or The Gulch, often have coffee shops and cafes right beneath their cosmopolitan condos. Even Nashville suburbs, like Franklin, feature commercial districts with plenty of work-from-home alternatives. You’ll be amazed at how much more you’ll get done when someone else is making the coffee!
</p>

## Tip #6: Set Clear Expectations With Those Who Share Your Environment
<p>
Family and roommates are usually the biggest obstacles to your work-from-home efficiency, but as long as they don’t happen to be small children, it’s usually possible to keep them from ruining your workday. The trick is to set clear expectations of what you need to be successful. Establish when and where you’ll be working, and tell them what you’re going to be doing. That way they can avoid you, as well as activities that might undermine your work. Make it clear that, unless there’s an emergency situation, you need this time for your productivity and peace of mind. If you make this negotiable, people will take advantage of you. Significant others will start to see you as on-call childcare, and badgering neighbors will enlist you for their every favor. Establish that your time is meant for work, or you’ll find yourself spending it on everything else.
</p>

## Tip #7: Take your full, regularly-scheduled breaks
<p>
As long as you’re keeping within the confines of your company’s policies, breaks are just as important to the remote worker as they are to the office employee. Unlike those regular office employees though, telecommuters struggle to allow themselves the full break time. Your life may be more convenient, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t working just as hard. Take the full lunch hour to recharge those batteries and maybe even take a walk around your neighborhood for a little while. In places like Nashville, which are full of accessible restaurants and beautiful parks, you can really make the work-from-home lunch window work for you. After a quick sandwich, go for a hike at the acclaimed Percy Warner Park. If you’re downtown, descend from your loft to roam around the Statehouse grounds.
</p>

## Tip #8: Have a routine for starting and finishing work
<p>
This may seem like a bit of a hassle at first, but having a system for entering and leaving your at-home workplace can help define your workday and make sure you’re prepared to start the job with momentum. The most particular among us can make a production out of this, with coffee, hair, make-up, and dressing to impress—even for a Zoom. For those who are less type-A, it’s still a good idea to eat something for breakfast, organize your work materials, and change out of the pjs before you dedicate yourself to another day at ‘the office’. Besides making sure you look like a professional who has everything in order, this helps simulate the process of mental preparation that a morning commute enables. The result is a more organized space and mind. When you’re finished, retrace your steps. Have specific places to put materials, then change from your work clothes into something more casual. This will help serve as a symbolic disconnect between your work and home life.
</p>

## Tip #9: Always Be On Time
<p>
An occupational hazard of telecommuting is that co-workers tend to be a little jealous of your situation. After all, <a rel="nofollow" href="https://review42.com/remote-work-statistics/">99% of workers</a> want to continue working from home to some extent after the pandemic is long gone. Because most of your co-workers would rather be at home, they’re likely to hold you to a higher standard. When you don’t answer emails promptly, or show up a little late for a conference call, fellow employees might not give you the benefit of the doubt. To make sure they don’t start to think that you’re binge-watching Netflix or always playing with your dog, try to be prompt in your interactions with others. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to chain yourself to your email or deny yourself bathroom breaks; just be aware that it’s best to make a habit of showing up early, and announcing your presence. That way, when you do have to miss or show up late to a meeting, your colleagues are likely to forgive and forget.
</p>

## Tip #10: Don’t Forget to Treat Yourself
<p>
Many people overcompensate for their privileged circumstances by stretching themselves too thin and not making the most of their work situation. The fact is, there’s nothing wrong with embracing the advantages of working from home. Get a luxurious chair that wouldn’t fit in a cubicle (we suggest a papasan or a barrel chair), install the most comfortable lighting, and turn your music up. When the weather is nice, work from the chaise lounge out on the deck. As long as you aren’t running afoul of your company’s policies, there’s no shame in living the indulgent work-from-home life that you deserve.

Global Workplace Analytics estimates that 56% of jobs can be performed at home, and if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that the work still gets done even when we’re not at the office. As your own professional life moves closer to home, these tips will help keep that work situation as sustainable as possible. If you’re looking to find a place in the Nashville area to serve your home and work life, give Felix Homes a call at [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277), or send us an email at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com). 
</p>

Faulty connections, endless Zoom meetings, children screaming in the background—welcome to working remotely in 2020. Get our top 10 tips for working from home.

large_10 Tips For Working From Home.jpg

medium_10 Tips For Working From Home.jpg

small_10 Tips For Working From Home.jpg

thumbnail_10 Tips For Working From Home.jpg

10 Tips For Working From Home.jpg

10 Tips For Working From Home

The word taxes could be the most hated 5 letter word in the English language. Many Americans feel as though they are taxed too much on their hard-earned money. More and more people are calling Tennessee home because it is a tax-friendly state, making it a great place to raise a family or retire. With that said, many of our clients ask us about the various real estate related tax breaks offered to homeowners. Anyone who owns real estate should be aware of the mortgage interest tax deduction, especially first time home buyers who may not be aware of this money-saving tip.

We understand - income tax, deductions, interest expense, can all be confusing topics. We're going to break everything down and start from the top.

## What Goes Into Your Mortgage Expense?

Before we can dive into how interest deductions can assist you, let's start high-level by covering what goes into the monthly mortgage payments on your home. 

### Principal Balance

Your home mortgage payment is typically an aggregate of numerous expenses. First and foremost, you have to pay the loan back, which is called the principal balance. If you borrowed $300,000 from the bank to buy a home, the bank will request the full amount to be paid back plus interest.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### Insurance

Insurance is also lumped into your mortgage expense. This includes homeowners insurance and private mortgage insurance (PMI) if your downpayment is less than 20 percent. 

### Property taxes

More often than not, property taxes are also included in the monthly mortgage payment. However, some property taxes are paid either once or twice per year and are not part of your recurring monthly mortgage payment. 

[PRO TIP: See what Davidson County's 34% tax hike means for Nashville](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/davidson-county-real-estate-tax-hike)

### Interest

Last but not least, the interest expense. The interest expense is simply the rate the bank charges you to borrow their money. Using the same example as above, if a borrower had a $300,000 mortgage, and the interest rate was 4%, that 4% rate would be the interest expense the borrower pays on the loan. The bank would be collecting a principal and interest expense with each mortgage payment. At the beginning of your loan, the majority of your monthly payment will go towards interest and over time, a larger percentage of your monthly payment will go towards the principal. This is what's known as mortgage amortization.

## What Is A Mortgage Interest Deduction?

A mortgage interest deduction is an itemized deduction that enables the homeowner to subtract the interest expense they pay on a real estate loan from their taxable income. These loans can be used to purchase, build, or improve their primary home, secondary home, rental property, or even a vacation home in another state. Interest is a large portion of the home loan and itemizing this expense can yield a greater tax return for the individual, ultimately helping the homeowner keep more of their income in their pocket at the end of the year. 

## Is Mortgage Interest Still Deductible On Taxes?

Tax law can be tricky. There's a lot of information on the internet about this topic, and it's only right if we cover both the old law which was in place until 2017 and the new law, which began in 2018. 

### The old law

Up until 2017, homeowners could write off the mortgage interest on loans up to $1,000,000. This applied to your primary residence, second home, vacation home, home equity line of credit, or even a rental property, it didn't matter! Overall, this law resulted in greater tax deductions for homeowners with mortgages, which means fewer taxes and more money in their wallets each year. 

### The new law

The new tax law started in 2018 after the tax cuts and jobs act went into effect, and will be rewritten in 2025.  This law allows homeowners to deduct the interest they pay on loans up to $750,000 in value. This itemized deduction can only be used on your primary home or second home. This does not apply to a vacation property. If your mortgage debt exceeds $750,000, you won't be able to deduct the full amount either. 

The new law also does not allow the homeowner to deduct the interest paid on debt they have via a home equity loan, whereas that was possible with the old law. For example, If your primary mortgage is $400,000 and your HELOC is $200,000, you may only deduct interest on the $400,000 mortgage loan. 

## How Does This Deduction Work?

The mortgage interest tax deduction works by enabling homeowners to itemize the interest expense they pay on their home, permitting the mortgage loan amount does not exceed $750,000. The more deductions you have within your tax return, the more money you're likely to get back as you reduce your overall taxable income.

For instance, if you pay income tax on a salary of $125,000, and deduct $15,000 interest write-offs on your tax return, you'll be taxed as though you made $110,000 ($125,000 salary - $15,000 interest paid =$110,000). 

## Who Qualifies For This Tax Deduction 

To qualify for mortgage interest tax deduction, a homeowner must meet the following requirements. 
- The homeowner files an IRS form 1040 and itemizes their deduction
- The mortgage must be a secured debt for a qualified home 
What is a qualified home? The residence must be your primary or secondary home. 

## Can I Deduct My Mortgage Interest If I Take The Standard Deduction?

There is a tax crossroads many people face each year. Should they itemize their deduction or should they go with the standard deduction? 

When you choose to itemize your deduction, you can write off many other expenses. These expenses can include; property taxes, income or sales taxes, vehicle fees, charitable donations, and even job-related expenses. It's important to note, all expenses are not eligible to be itemized, and you must have thorough documentation of each expense including the receipt from the transaction. 

The standard deduction does not allow the homeowner to writeoff as many expenses, but the interest you pay on your mortgage is still eligible. In the 2019 tax year, the standard deduction amount was:
- $12,200 if you were single or married filing separately
- $18,350 if you were the head of household
- $24,400 if you were married filing jointly 
The short answer is, yes, you can deduct mortgage interest if you take a standard deduction. However, the actual amount that is eligible to be deducted may not be what you actually paid. It's best to discuss your tax strategy with a CPA to make sure you are doing everything correctly and maximizing your deductions.

## How Do Tax Deductions For Home Mortgage Interest Affect the Economy?

### This law helps the economy 

There are some economists that believe the mortgage interest tax deduction promotes more positive economic activity. Americans who utilize this deduction can see a greater tax return, resulting in more money in their pocket. As shown time and time again, the more money Americans have in their pockets, the more they'll spend. Spending is the foundational piece to economic activity and many local and national businesses benefit from an increase in consumer spending - think about how the stimulus deal enacted for the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the economy. 

### This law hurts the economy 

The other point of view is, homeowners will continue to count on this interest deduction and as a result, purchase more expensive homes by way of larger loans. This isn't always good because tax laws change, and a benefit you once counted on may not be available in the future. As a result, this could cause more people to default on their loans. Additionally, the mortgage interest deduction can be viewed as offering an incentive to take on a greater mortgage payment/debt, which can be seen as counterintuitive to boosting the economy. 

### What do we think?

If you were to buy a home that is well within your budget, you'll appreciate having greater deductions each year to help you save some money.  You'd be free to spend this money on whatever your heart desires, for example, a bathroom upgrade or a new deck. However, the main argument for the opposing view is, deductions can lead to excess debt spending. Just because you are qualified for a more expensive mortgage doesn't mean you should take on that financial obligation. Your annual mortgage payments should typically be no more than 25-30% of your annual income. 

## Tennessee, A Tax-Friendly State

Tennessee is a great place to live. Not only do the residents enjoy our culturally rich cities, the endless amount of outdoor activities, professional and college sports teams, and a thriving local economy, but Tennessee residents also benefit from the laws on state and local taxes. 

First and foremost, Tennessee residents do not pay state income taxes. When you compare that to our friends in the North East or West Coast, this is unheard of! Imagine how much more money you'd have in your pocket if you didn't have to pay state income tax. 

Additionally, state and local taxes are favorable. Property taxes are low when you compare them to other parts of the country, and you certainly get a lot of bang for your buck with our less expensive cost of housing! 

Retirees that live in Tennessee do not pay tax on the income they receive from their pensions or 401-k's. Combine the benefits of no income tax on your retirement money, with a world-class healthcare system, and it's evident why more and more retirees are flocking to the Volunteer State to live out their golden years. 

[PRO TIP: See the top 10 places to retire in Tennessee](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/best-places-to-retire-in-tennessee)

Tennessee is also one of just 9 states that do not tax [capital gains](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/capital-gains-tax-when-selling-a-home-in-tennessee). That doesn't mean Tennessee residents can avoid paying the IRS federal tax on capital gains, but on a state level, there is no capital gain tax! Whether you're selling your home or stocks, enjoy the freedom of no state income tax on your capital gains, but be sure to put some profit aside for our friends at the IRS on a federal tax level. 

## Closing Tax Remarks 

Although homeowners cannot write-off the interest expense on loans of 1 million dollars, there is still a lucrative tax law enabling homeowners to keep more of their hard-earned money. As long as your loan does not exceed $750,000, the interest expense you pay can be used to reduce your taxable income. 

Taxes are never enjoyable, and they bring a great deal of fear, anxiety, and emotion to millions of Americans. There are a few powerful tax laws that Americans can use to benefit their overall financial picture.

## Felix Homes, We Can Help 

[Felix Homes](https://www.felixhomes.com/) is a local [low commission real estate brokerage](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/low-commission-real-estate-agents-nashville). We service the greater Nashville area, and on average, help our clients keep thousands of dollars in home equity with each transaction. Whether you're moving to Tennessee for business, personal reasons, or to enjoy your retirement years, we'd be happy to help.

It doesn't matter if you're selling your home, or if you're a first time home buyer, we'll be sure to save you a lot of money in real estate commission fees. We charge a [1% commission](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/one-percent-commission-realtor-nashville) to sell your home and offer a savings of 1.5% when we help you buy a home. On average, or lower fees help our clients keep an extra $8,100 on each transaction. 

Our low-cost model does not mean you'll be getting a lower quality of service. We are a full-service real estate brokerage, we just don't believe in the high-cost commission fees other brokerages charge. The real estate market is booming, home prices are skyrocketing, yet most commission fees remain at 3%! That just doesn't make sense in our eyes, and we pledge to be your low cost, high service realtor. 

If you'd like to tour a property, request more information, or just pick our brains on the real estate market, please drop us a line! You can contact us any time by emailing [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com) or by calling [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277).

Mortgage interest deduction enables homeowners to subtract the interest expense they pay on a real estate loan from their taxable income.

large_Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction Tennessee.jpg

medium_Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction Tennessee.jpg

small_Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction Tennessee.jpg

thumbnail_Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction Tennessee.jpg

Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction Tennessee.jpg

Mortgage Interest Tax Deduction Tennessee

- **New housing sales have remained nearly flat at roughly 1,467 new homes per year, even as the demand for homes has skyrocketed.**
- **The median sales price of a new home in Davidson County has increased by 27% since 2015 from $339,000 to $430,920.**
- **The median price of a new home in Davidson County to cost $550,000 by 2025.**
- **The most affordable new homes in Davidson County are located in Antioch with a median sales price in 2020 of $304,400.**
- **Ryan Homes has been the most active home builder in Davidson County with 566 new home sales since 2015.**

It’s no secret, Nashville is a booming city! Each year, more and more out-of-state residents flock to Nashville looking to establish roots and call this great city home. The desire to move to Nashville is mainly driven by how unreasonably priced other major cities are, such as; New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Nashville is also experiencing tremendous economic growth. The mature healthcare industry, and it’s gaining popularity as a tourism destination, help fuel the expansion. Coupled with a mild climate, and a favorable tax system, Nashville is positioned well for more years of growth and expansion. 

All of this economic growth may lead one to believe new home construction is growing at an equal rate. That simply isn’t the case. Over the past five years, the number of new homes being built has remained constant at around 1,450 per year. The lack of supply, and an increasing amount of demand, has caused house prices to rise at a record pace - and there are no signs of this slowing down any time soon.

## What’s Leading To Growth In Nashville?

### A lower cost of living

Compared to New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago, $430,920 for a brand new home seems like a downright steal. Not to mention for that price, you can enjoy being just 15 minutes away from Downtown Nashville while still enjoying the advantages and luxuries of suburban life. Your money will certainly go further in Nashville in part due to the local tax environment which we will touch on in just a bit.

The trend of moving from more expensive cities to more affordable cities is nothing new although we’ve seen this trend accelerate in part due to more flexible working conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic has further accelerated the desire for millions of Americans to leave packed cities in search of single-family homes, with backyards, in a suburban environment. More and more companies are becoming more flexible with working from home, which in return, has people looking to leave their small bungalows or apartments in San Francisco for spacious [single-family homes in Nashville](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/nashville).

### A favorable tax environment 

Taxes. Emotions run through your mind when you hear that word. If you feel like you pay too much money in taxes, you’re not alone. Our friends to the north, west, and south of us all feel the same way. 

For many reasons, the tax environment is favorable throughout all of Tennessee. The vast majority of clients we take on from out of state mention they moved to Tennessee because:
1. There is no state income tax. If you’re from New York, this can really hit home! 
2. There is no state tax on retirement accounts, such as; pensions, or 401-k’s. 

These reasons not only make Nashville a great place to kick your career off and start a family, but it makes it equally as popular with [retirees](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/best-places-to-retire-in-tennessee).

Property taxes in Davidson county [increased by 34%](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/davidson-county-real-estate-tax-hike) recently from $3.155 to $4.221 per $100 of a property’s assessed value. While this may seem like a large increase, Nashville’s property taxes are still lower than similar cities such as Charlotte and Atlanta.

<div class="blog-banner"></div>

### Thriving economy

Nashville’s local economy is thriving! It seems like every other month, another fortune 500 company announces plans to move their headquarters to Nashville. Just in the past couple of years, Nashville has welcomed AllianceBernstein, iHeartMedia, The Daily Wire, and many other large companies. Nashville will also be home to a new Amazon Operations Center located in [The Gulch](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/the-gulch) that promises nearly 5,000 six-figure jobs. 
<p>
Nashville is known as a tourist destination and bachelorette hotspot. The downtown broadway strip welcomes <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2020/01/27/a-record-16-m-visitors-came-to-nashville-in-2019/4589033002/">16 million</a> tourists per year and it’s professional football, hockey, and soccer teams continue to gain national appeal.
</p>


## How Many New Homes Are Built Each Year?

Davidson County has averaged 1,467 new homes per year over the last five years. While this may sound like a lot, it pales in comparison to the demand for housing in the county. By the last measure, over 100 people were moving to Nashville each day. The city certainly does have a robust makeup of older homes, it’s still important to note new home sales make up a shockingly small percentage of total sales.

<div class="infogram-embed" data-id="5f5ea7cb-c128-43bf-8d45-cdcff0677480" data-type="interactive" data-title="New vs Existing Home Sales  Davidson County"></div>


As alluded to above, new home construction isn’t keeping up with the demand Davidson County continues to experience. Dating back to 2015, new construction has remained relatively stagnant.

<div class="infogram-embed" data-id="c29b2a5b-4808-4359-a9a5-1e713d410cef" data-type="interactive" data-title="Number of New Homes Built Davidson County"></div>


As basic economics tells us; when supply doesn’t match demand, expect the price to increase. That holds true to the prices of homes, as new home prices have jumped 27% over the past five years.

<div class="infogram-embed" data-id="e9345099-2007-44ca-91ac-cbfce4510acb" data-type="interactive" data-title="Median Sales Price for   New Homes  Davidson County"></div>


## What’s The Most Affordable Neighborhood To Buy A New Home In Davidson County?

Luckily for home buyers, the most affordable neighborhood in Davidson County, [Antioch](https://www.felixhomes.com/homes-for-sale/antioch) also happens to be the place most builders are focused on. In the past 5 years, over 1,150 new homes have been built in this up and coming neighborhood and the median sales price for a new home in 2020 was a reasonable $254,267. 

## Who Are The Most Active Home Builders In Davidson County?

The most active home builders in Davidson County made up 18.5% of all new homes built in the past 5 years. They typically prefer to build 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathroom homes which appeal mostly to growing families.The most active builders over the past five years are:

<div class="infogram-embed" data-id="1156a057-5aab-4700-81d1-2e648474cfd8" data-type="interactive" data-title="Most Active New Homes Builders Davidson County"></div>


## What Was The Most Expensive New Home Sold In Davidson County?

The most expensive new home in Davidson County closed in August 2020 and brought in $4,500,000. This custom home was built by Cates Builders and includes features such as an inground pool, French reclaimed oak floors, and sits on nearly an acre of land.

<ol>
<li><a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.realtracs.com/0DqowDl">4416 Sheppard Pl, Nashville, TN 37205</a> ($4,500,000)</li>
<li><a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.realtracs.com/0DqosFX">869 Battery Ln, Nashville, TN 37220</a> ($3,320,000)</li>
<li><a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.realtracs.com/0DqoqEW">725 Westview Ave, Nashville, TN 37205</a> ($3,250,000)</li>
<li><a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.realtracs.com/0Dqok0y">2232 Chickering Ln, Nashville, TN 37215</a> ($3,000,000)</li>
<li><a rel="nofollow" href="https://go.realtracs.com/0Dqok0y">2232 Chickering Ln, Nashville, TN 37215</a> ($3,000,000)</li>
</ol>

## What Should We Expect In 2021?

If history is any predictor, we should expect the number of new homes constructed in Davidson County in 2021 to remain fairly constant at just over 1,400. Given the small number of new home sales, it is likely home prices will continue to rise as the housing supply is further squeezed. At this rate, by 2025 the median price of a new home in Davidson County could reach almost $550,000. At that rate, would Nashville lose some of its appeal for being an affordable city? Or, would the climate, culture, convenience, and tax incentives continue to attract more and more Americans? 

## About Felix Homes

[Felix Homes](https://www.felixhomes.com/) is a local [low-commission](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/low-commission-real-estate-agents-nashville) real estate brokerage. What does that mean? For home sellers, we charge a 1% commission compared to the 3% the vast majority of agents charge. This low fee, on average, keeps $8,100 of profit in the home seller's pocket! 

Not only do we save our clients money when we sell their homes, but we also save them money when they choose to buy a home. [We believe a 3% buyers commission is ridiculous](https://www.felixhomes.com/blog/buyers-agent-commission-rebate-tennessee), and only charge 1.5%. 

## Less Expensive Doesn’t Mean Less Attention

Just because we offer to buy and sell homes for a lower commission doesn’t mean you, as our client, will receive a lower quality of service. At Felix Homes, our dedicated real estate agents will walk you through the entire process from start to finish. Our business model is different, and all our agents do is focus on you, the client. Behind the scenes, we have a marketing, writing, finance, and technology team that focuses on running the business. 

Our unique business model allows us to maximize efficiency, ultimately enabling us to sell more homes than the average real estate agent in the area. If you’re looking to buy or sell a home in the Nashville area, contact us at [contact@felixhomes.com](mailto:contact@felixhomes.com) or [615-422-4277](tel:6154224277).

The lack of supply, and an increasing amount of demand, has caused house prices to rise at a record pace - and there are no signs of this slowing down any time soon.

The Felix Homes Blog

Featured Reads

SELL

MORE

CONTACT