Archive for the 'Flavors of Chattanooga' Category
Chattanooga: No. 3 City to Live in the U.S.!
Categories: Chattanooga Real Estate News, Flavors of Chattanooga, For Home Buyers
By David Israel, Business Manager
Every year around this time, Relocate America comes out with their top 100 list of the best places to live. This year Chattanooga, Tennessee, yes our great Scenic City, was chosen third, only behind Charlotte, NC (1) and San Antonio, TX (2). Notably, this is the only list that bases their decision on statistical data and feedback from the people who live, work and play in each communitiy.
Throughout the calendar year, Relocate America accepts nominations for cities and towns throughout the country to be considered as a “great place to live”. The nominating parties must include their own reasons why they feel their city should make the list. The nominations, along with key data regarding education, employment, economy, crime, parks, recreation and housing are reviewed, rated and judged by an editorial team. Special consideration is taken on the Top 10 Cities as they are listed in a ranked order of America’s Top 10 Places to Live.
To those of us whom have chosen to move to the “Scenic City,” this is no surprise to us. Chattanooga has everything a large city has, just on a smaller scale. A beautiful downtown area, minutes from the mountains, great biking trails and a wonderful arts community, among other great options.
The rankings were as follows:
Top 10 Cities
1. Charlotte, NC
2. San Antonio, TX
3. Chattanooga
, TN
4. Greenville, SC
5. Tulsa, OK
6. Stevens Point, WI
7. Ashville, NC
8. Albuquerque, NM
9. Huntsville, AL
10. Seattle, WA
We hope you will read the article on the Top 100 Cities and consider a move to the Scenic City where you will find great views, fun people and outstanding home values. We’ll even invite you over for a real “home cooked” dinner.
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Riverbend ‘08: Chattanooga’s “Best Week Ever”
Categories: Chattanooga Community Events, Flavors of Chattanooga, Things to Do in Chattanooga
By David Israel, Business Manager
I have now been living in Chattanooga, Tennessee for almost 4 years, and my “Best Week Ever” is less than 30 days 
away. Riverbend ‘08 is almost here. For those of you who are reading about this festival for the first time you are certainly in for a great treat. The festival began in 1981 on a small strip at Ross’s Landing and it has grown to a nine day event with over 100 performers on 6 stages. In fact Andy attended the very first Riverbend festival.
This year’s three biggest headliners will be ZZ Top, The Black Crowes and America (who will perform with the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera).
The festival organizers have pretty much mastered this event. You do not need to purchase individual tickets, instead you purchase a pin. This pin gets you into the festival. So, if you buy the pin today through June 5th at our local Favorite Markets the cost is $28 (a $9 savings). Imagine all the entertainment you can gather up in an evening, for nine evenings, for only $28, talk about a bargain.
If you go, and you should, you will be amazed at how incredible the performances are. From the headliners on the Coca Cola Main stage to the performers on the other 5 stages. Last year we went and watched a Pink Floyd Cover Band play at one of the smaller stages. It was standing room only. We, and I say we because we were in the thick of it, were totally blown away by the performance and the crowds were huge. This was the first time the festival had a cover band play and from the success I witnessed, they will be doing it again. There is a great mix of performers throughout the week, from country, rock and everything in between.
You have to visit the Riverbend ‘08 to see a full lineup of performers for this year. The fun begins Friday night June 6th through Saturday night June 14th.
Riverbend is a festival on the Tennessee River, they actually bring in a huge barge for the Main Stage that pulls up along the bank of the river in downtown. The festival is a family friendly week of performance by national and local performers. There are also local talent shows, clowns, and so much more. Many people travel to Chattanooga for Riverbend, so if you live here and you’ve never been before, consider putting Riverbend 2008 on your schedule.
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Telling a Story: An Art That is Not Lost in Chattanooga
Categories: Chattanooga Community Events, Chattanooga Real Estate News, Flavors of Chattanooga
By David Israel, Business Manager
Don’t miss an incredible weekend at Talespin.
Talespin which is put on by the Chattanooga Downtown Partnership, is designed to bring in storytellers from various walks of life to Chattanooga. The main objective is to tell stories with many themes that include youth stories, cultural stories, humorous stories, historical stories and so much more. This weekend event is for all ages! Not only is this a fun event for the kids, but adults will enjoy these unique stories told by professional storytellers. Many of the storytellers and themes will connect generations, traditions and lessons for living.
On Thursday night, May 8, a kickoff event featuring six national storytellers will be held at the historic Tivoli Theatre.
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Honesty is the Best Policy: Chattanooga filled with Great People
Categories: Chattanooga Community Events, Flavors of Chattanooga, Things to Do in Chattanooga
By David Israel, Business Manager - Andy Hodes & The Scenic City Team
This week as I was deciding on what tips to share with you, our audience, I was reminded of an incident that happen to my wife and I this weekend, and it just reinforces why we moved to Chattanooga.
Last Thursday we were heading down to South Florida on Allegiant Air (non stop from Chattanooga to Ft. Lauderdale); $49 each way, I highly recommend it. Anyway we arrived at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport and we boarded the plane on time; then my wife noticed that her diamond tennis bracelet was not on her wrist. She started to freak out and wanted to get off the plane. If you have ever tried to get off a plane once you have boarded, it is impossible unless you are dragged off by the FAA or are deatlhy ill. So, we filed a report on a napkin with the airline and the airport. The entire flight down my wife was, well lets say she was crying. It wasn’t the cost of the bracelet, but the fact that I had designed it and given it to her on our 5th Wedding Anniversary ten years ago.
When we got into Ft. Lauderdale, I called Andy who drive into long term parking to make a visual check of my van, just in case it fallen off her wrist in our vehicle. No luck!
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Chattanooga - Fun for Tourists and Locals Alike!
Categories: Chattanooga Real Estate News, Flavors of Chattanooga, Things to Do in Chattanooga
By David Israel, Business Manager - Andy Hodes & The Scenic City Team
As Spring Break comes closer and school is out for the kids, have you planned your time wisely and economically? There are several things to do in the Chattanooga area with your kids, rather than taking a vacation out of town. It is more economical and the whole family might learn something new about your own hometown.
“Below you will find 6 great things to do that can fill an entire w
eekend on less than 1/3 of a tank of gas.”
With gas averaging almost $3.18 per gallon, why drive out-of-town, there are great local places and attractions. These are only suggestions, use your imagination to discover more of Chattanooga.
1. Go to a local restaurant that you have not been to before. There are so many choices here in Chattanooga from your local BBQ joint like Sticky Fingers to 212 Market Street, which by the way I have eaten at 3 times this week during several committee meetings.
2. Go see a local attraction, park your car in St. Elmo and take a ride up Lookout Mountain on the Incline Railway. See the view from the top of the mountain. Walk over to Point Park, one of the great U.S. National Parks. Take a stroll with the family and enjoy the rich history that surrounds the Chattanooga area. Walk back and take the Incline back down. If you have never done it, you will love it. If you have, I am sure it has been a while and you will get a kick out of the experience.
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Chattanooga Market Saved - Arts and Entertainment community relieved
Categories: Chattanooga Real Estate News, Flavors of Chattanooga, Things to Do in Chattanooga
By David Israel, Business Manager - Andy Hodes & The Scenic City Team
When I first came to visit Andy in Chattanooga, one of the first places our families visited was the Chattanooga Market at the First Tennessee Pavilion. We were so enamored with the open air market (that is actually under shelter), and the variety of artists, produce vendors and other great activities that were going on. I will be honest, back in 2003 it was pretty small, but the past couple years have been incredible. All this enthusiasm was almost dead and buried when it was announced last week that the Chattanooga Market was not going to re open for 2008 because it was not turning a big enough profit.
The next day, it was sold to Chris Thomas, founder of Palo Duro Records based in Ooltewah, TN. Now Mr. Thomas has set up a non-profit organization to run the market. He told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that he will have limited involvement, it will be a stand-alone operation with a separate board. He wants to keep the 2008 market as close to what was happening in 2007.
“This my friends is exciting news!”
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A Real Estate Blog - Entering a new frontier
Categories: Chattanooga Real Estate News, Flavors of Chattanooga
By David Israel, Business Manager - Andy Hodes and The Scenic City Team
Today there seems to be so many blogs out in the cyber world, why would Andy Hodes & The Scenic Team start a new real estate blog? A blog site is an incredible interactive tool in which a Realtor can share information, and invite others to participate through comments. The site is also not dependent upon a third party to make all the changes to a website, plus the information is updated daily, with valuable and useful information.
“Blogging is the new frontier” and Andy Hodes & The Scenic City Team feel that we need to be in front of the pack as leaders of this new technology, and not followers trying to catch up.
This technology tool is a wonderful way to communicate helpful information and tips to buyers, sellers, investors and friends on the changing real estate market and fun things to do in Chattanooga.
Blogging is a commitment, just as working as a Realtor. It is not something that you can do once in a while, it takes discipline and focus to achieve the goal of giving information that is current and up-to-date. There is so much information out in the cyber world and we believe that this information needs to be more clear to our audience.
We are asking you to comment on our blog, ask questions and be able to attain valuable information on the Chattanooga Real Estate Market.
Thank you to all our friends, family, clients and peers for your constructive criticism and continued support. We are working with you and for you so you may be better informed on the market conditions, changes to the market or what is going on in the Chattanooga community.
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