May 2007

Nashville Weather

Those who enjoy a milder climate yet still appreciate four distinct seasons will be right at home in the Nashville area. You can appreciate the seasons by playing in the winter snow, watching leaves change colors in the fall, and swimming in the lakes during the summer. Lush green lawns and colorful flowers bloom in spring – but don’t forget your umbrella – because you may find yourself amidst one of Nashville’s frequent and sudden rain showers.

The busiest tourist season in Nashville is in the summer where days can bring both sunshine and showers. July and August can be quite muggy with close to 100% humidity and temperatures around 100 degrees.

While weather in middle Tennessee is relatively calm most days, the skies can sometimes fill with ominous clouds, lightning, and hail – often with little warning.

Tornado season in the Nashville area typically runs from March through May and again in November; the middle Tennessee area is located in the Dixie Alley region of tornado alley. Tornadoes hit most often in the evening hours, although as we all know how unpredictable weather can be, a tornado can touch down at any time during the year.

Historically famous and dangerous tornadoes touched down in Nashville in 1988 and again several times in 1998. The storm from April of 1998 is still considered one of the worst tornado outbreaks in the history of the Nashville area.

Most winters in middle Tennessee are mild with a manageable snowfall. However, this winter wonderland can occasionally wreak havoc on residents. The “Great Blizzard” of 1951 is considered one of the worst ice storms in Nashville history. The cold, icy conditions completely shut down all transportation for 2 days, and Nashville residents were burdened with power failures, telephone outages, collapsed roofs, downed trees, auto accidents, and more. Folks in Nashville were stuck inside their homes for days – once the weather cleared enough for travel, the resulting traffic jams are still considered to be the worst in Nashville’s history.

Average Temperatures for the Nashville, Tennessee area

	Average	Average High	Average Low
Annual	59.2	69.8	48.5
Spring (March-May)	58.9	70.0	47.7
Summer (June-August)	78.0	88.7	67.3
Fall (September-November)	60.3	71.5	49.1
Winter (December-February)	39.4	49.1	29.7

Nashville Facts

The State Flag of Tennessee

The three stars in the state flag represent the three “grand divisions” of the state known as East Tennessee, West Tennessee, and Middle Tennessee – where our great city of Nashville is located. The red, white, and blue in the flag echo the same colors in our U.S. national flag. In the Tennessee flag colors, white symbolizes purity, blue symbolizes the love that Tennesseans feel for their state, and red symbolizes that in times of war and peace, Tennesseans are true-blooded Americans.

Interesting Nashville Facts:
• Founded in 1779
• Incorporated in 1806
• Topography ranges from 385 ft to 1160 ft above sea level
• 533 square miles of land mass – the 2nd highest major metropolitan area in the U.S.
• Estimated 2005 population for entire 13-county Nashville area was over 1.4 million people
• A resident of Nashville is called a “Nashvillian”

Here are some little known “official state” symbols for Tennessee – these ought to be good brain teasers for all you trivia buffs:
• Flower: Iris
• Bird: Mockingbird
• Gem: Tennessee Pearl
• Insects: Firefly and Honeybee
• Tree: Tulip Poplar
• Butterfly: Zebra Swallowtail
• Folk Dance: Square Dance
• Rock: Limestone
• Reptile: Eastern Box Turtle
• Fruit: Tomato

Living in Nashville

Affordable housing, low cost of living and an unending supply of attractions and amenities makes Nashville a great place to live. Residents enjoy a diverse choice in housing options from a downtown high-rise, to an urban community, to planned developments in the suburbs, to rural farm land. Nashville residents benefit from low property taxes and no state income tax.

A low tax base combined with a plentiful and educated workforce proves Nashville to be an attractive area for businesses. So it’s no surprise that Nashville has been recognized as America’s Hottest City for business expansions and relocations for two years in a row (2005, 2006). Major companies that have recently expanded or relocated to the Nashville area include Nissan, Caremark, Louisiana Pacific, Clarcor, and Big Idea.

Nashville is also a major center for health care companies and services with excellent access to many doctors and hospitals. Residents will find shopping convenient with access to shopping malls throughout the city as well as specialty shops and thrift stores. The Green Hills and Brentwood area offer some of the finest upscale shopping districts.

Relax outdoors in Nashville with scores of amenities, recreation opportunities, and attractions sure to please every taste. State parks, botanical gardens, plantation grounds, golf courses, bike trails, and more abound throughout the metro area. Add some friendly people and a laid-back lifestyle, and it’s easy to see why more people every day are calling the Nashville area home.

Nashville Tennessee

Nashville is the capitol of Tennessee, although it is best known as the Country Music capitol of the world. But Nashville is not just for country music fans. Music City USA also hosts a diverse variety of musical genres including folk, blues, pop, jazz, classical, and more. Nashville’s thriving music industry is evident in the vast number of recording studios, production companies, and music-related shows and museums.

The rich musical heritage in Nashville began with Anglo-American folk music that evolved into country and blues by the 1920s. By the middle of the 20th century, every major record company had built office or studios in Nashville. The growing popularity of live broadcasting of the Grand Ole Opry intensified the attention on Nashville – a tradition that began in 1925 and has remained constant over the decades.

Referred to as the “Athens of the South” because of its strong arts and cultural base, Nashville is home to the amazing Parthenon replica and 42-foot statue of the ancient Greek goddess, Athena. These attractions as well as an art museum can be seen at the city’s urban Centennial Park.

Many public school districts boast high ratings in desirable communities. Residents have over 71 choices in public, private, and religious schools in the area. Higher education is plentiful with over 19 colleges and universities. The most well-known include Vanderbilt University, Middle Tennessee State University, and Tennessee State University. All offer an excellent array of degree programs.

Sports fans can cheer for their favorite teams whether for one of the professional teams or a local little league. Professional teams include Tennessee Titans football, Nashville Predators ice hockey, Nashville Sounds baseball, and the Nashville Kats arena football team.

Spanning 533 square miles, the Nashville area is the 2nd highest land mass in the U.S. for a major metropolitan area. It is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the state.

The Cumberland River meanders through the east side of the Nashville metro area; its waters are still traveled today for commercial purposes, and its dams have created recreational lakes for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Brentwood Tennessee

Just a short distance south of Nashville sits the rolling hills and safe neighborhoods of Brentwood – a desirable city known for its affluent standard of living. This reputation is also rooted in history as Brentwood was considered one of the richest areas in Tennessee prior to the Civil War. Some of these Civil War era estates and plantations were rediscovered in the 1920s and lovingly restored.

There is a wide variety of real estate in Brentwood. Today, you’ll find a pleasant mix of new homes, older homes, and historic estates with over 60 residential subdivisions to choose from.

Families with children are drawn to Brentwood because it boasts one of the top public school systems in the state. Brentwood is also home to many professionals and executives. Approximately 70% of Brentwood’s adult residents hold an associates degree or higher. The average household income is close to $165,000.

Pride of home ownership is apparent in Brentwood since the owner-occupied housing rate is over 95%. Although Brentwood is often referred to as one of the wealthiest suburbs in Tennessee, there is a wide range of housing choices ranging from moderately affordable to extravagantly priced. In fact, the city’s nearly 23,000 acres is primarily residential with only about 10% zoned for commercial and other uses. It’s no wonder that Brentwood real estate continues to see healthy appreciation returns year after year.

The city of Brentwood offers residents a vast array of recreational amenities including parks, sports fields, trails for walking or biking, playgrounds, and more. In 1998, the city opened an $8 million state-of-the-art public library located in the 40-acre Concord Park. This part also features beautiful landscape with paved walking and biking paths.

Just 5 miles south of Brentwood off I-65 is the Cool Springs area, which is the largest retail area in middle Tennessee. Brentwood residents also enjoy close proximity to two large shopping malls and several factory outlet stores. When it comes to dining out, Brentwood offers over 60 restaurants to please a wide variety of palettes. And travelers can benefit from the proximity to the Nashville International Airport at only 16 miles away.

With the close proximity to Nashville, quiet streets, charming neighborhoods, natural beauty, top schools, and wonderful amenities, it’s no wonder Brentwood was chosen as one of the Best Places to Live in 2005, and it continues to be a desirable choice for those moving into the Nashville area.

Here are some quick links to search homes for sale in Brentwood now (you can always tweak these results from the next page):

$0 – $300,000

$300,000 – $400,000

$400,000 – $500,000

$500,000 – $600,000

$600,000 – $700,000

$700,000 – $800,000

$800,000 – $1,000,000

$1,000,000 – $1,500,000

$1,500,000 – $2,000,000

$2,000,000 +

Nashville Attractions (Things To Do)

It is practically impossible to be bored in Nashville! We have a never-ending supply of shops, restaurants, parks, attractions, landmarks, and more. Not to mention sports games, car races, antique shows, museums, Civil War sites, theaters, and – of course – music, music, music! From concerts to shows to museums to tours, Music City USA can’t be beat.

You can take a tour through the city either on your own by bus, trolley, or car – or by foot on the Downtown Historical Walking Tour. There are many guided tours available as well including horse-drawn carriage rides and Barge or Showboat excursions on the river.

While we could go on forever about all the area attractions, here is the dirt for some of our favorites:

• NashTrash Tours – Leave the youngin’s at home and get ready to laugh ‘til yer gut rips out yer side! This 90 minute musical-comedy tour on the big pink bus is hosted by the Jugg Sisters. They are more than willing to dish out the trash on your favorite country music legends. You’ll learn all about the Music Row gossip, get some trashy make-up tips, and yes, you ARE allowed to drink some spirits on the way. Don’t forget to ask about their famous recipe for Mama’s Knock-Ya-Nekkid Margaritas.
• Grand Ole Opry – This is the world’s longest running radio show. Live broadcasting began in 1925 with legendary country music and continues today with country, bluegrass, and other musical venues.
• Country Music Hall of Fame – Enjoy 40,000 square feet of exhibits that display the chronological history of country music. The tour lasts about 3 hours.
• Ryman Auditorium – Often referred to as the “Mother Church” of country music, the Ryman Auditorium has memorabilia on display for your viewing pleasure. This is Nashville’s premier performance hall and offers nightly shows in a multitude of music genres, musical theatre, and an occasional comedian or other performer. This hall was home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 until 1974 when the Opry moved to its current location at Opryland USA.
• Nashville Symphony – Presents year-round shows of world-class symphony performances.
• Adventure Science Center – Kids and adults will both enjoy the hands-on exhibits, science-related displays, simulated flights, and planetarium.
• Belle Meade Plantation – A restored mid-1800s mansion surrounded by 30 acres of lush, green grass and shade trees. The home is furnished with 19th century antiques and guided tours are available.
• Nashville Toy Museum – No matter how old you are, the child in you will come out here. On display, you’ll find antique toys, early 1900s teddy bears, lead soldiers in battle set-up, and a special area dedicated to both toy and model trains.
• Music City Raceway – Feel the need for speed? Have fun with drag-racing between March and October.
• Wildhorse Saloon – Likely one of the hottest country dance halls around. Don’t worry if you aren’t a pro because free dance lessons are offered.
• Jack Daniels Distillery – Learn the story of the famous whiskey at the distillery located about 26 miles south of the quaint town of Lynchburg. Founded in 1866, it is the oldest registered distillery in the United States.
• Nashville Zoo – Plan for a day of fun with the animals. Don’t miss the special exhibits like the Alligator Cove, Critter Encounters, and the Giraffe Savannah.
• Hermitage House – This was President Andrew Jackson’s home, a stunning Ante-bellum plantation originally built in 1819. After it was severely damaged by fire, Jackson rebuilt it in 1837 when he also painted it white to conceal the smoke-stained bricks.

Nashville Area Awards and Recognition

Looking for a reason to move to the Nashville area? Aside from our mild climate and friendly atmosphere, Nashville and the surrounding cities have won numerous awards in recent years. Others are recognizing our great area… shouldn’t you?

Here is just a sampling of the recent awards and recognitions for the Nashville area:

• #1 Smart Place to Live based on cost of living, cost of housing, quality healthcare, and low crime rate (Kiplinger’s, 2006)
• America’s Friendliest City (Travel & Leisure Magazine, 2004)
• Franklin named one of the Best Places to Live in America (CNN Money Magazine, 2005)
• Murfreesboro named one of the Best Places to Live in America (CNN Money Magazine, 2006)
• #6 City in U.S. for volume of non-profit cultural arts organizations (American Arts Association)
• Brentwood named one of the Best Places to Live (Money Magazine, 2005)
• America’s Hottest City for business relocations and expansions – two years in a row (Expansions Management Magazine, 2005 & 2006)
• Mt. Juliet named #2 Business Friendly City two years in a row (2006, 2007) by the Tennessee Center for Policy Research – Ironically, in the same report, the Nashville area cities to also be named in the top 10 for 2007 are: Spring Hill #1, Franklin #3, Brentwood #5, and Murfreesboro #8
• Franklin made the list in the book “Best Places to Raise Your Family: The Top 100 Affordable Communities in the U.S.” (2006)
• Murfreesboro named Most Livable Town in Tennessee
• Franklin one of 30 cities noted for the “Preserve America Community Designation” by the Washington DC based Advisory Council on Historic Preservation
• Franklin received a AAA rating from Moody’s Investor Services
• Franklin voted one of the “Top Ten Hot Destinations for 2007” by TripAdvisor
• Brentwood and Nashville earned the status as Relocate-America’s Top 100 Places to Live in 2007

What are you waiting for? Call Holly at 615-349-1060 and get started with your move to Nashville today!

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