Tims Ford Lake Homes for Sale  

Tims Ford Lake resides 90 minutes south of Nashville, and about 90 minutes north of Chattanooga.  Its 250 miles of shoreline is bordered by 5 cities and 3 counties.  Considered one of the most scenic lakes in Tennessee, Tims Ford Lake consists of over 10,000 acres of water flowing almost 30 miles from one end to the other.  Multiple beautiful homes overlook the lake interspersed with open space owned by the state or TVA.  The demand for Tims Ford Lake homes for sale remains strong.

The perfect storm began with Covid.  Like many other "we haven't seen this before" isms Covid began to drive an exodus out of the bigger cities into more suburban and rural areas.  Some people were getting stir crazy by working at home (bigger cities = smaller homes, apartments, etc) and maybe they were working at home with kids, other family members, etc ... limiting the personal space we all need.  We began to see this on Tims Ford Lake Homes for sale.

The pandemic migration out of big cities began to change what people value, and wanted to focus on.  Maybe big cities wasn't all it was originally cracked up to be.  Fortune magazine wrote, "An “emerging tier” of “livable, affordable” cities were growing before the pandemic ... that growth sky-rocketed during the pandemic"... Additionally, "it’s looking more and more like it’s going to be a long-term trend, encouraging people to live where they want to live—not just because that’s where they have a job." People tend to be more ok with working from home. And businesses are also.

Tims Ford Lake Homes For Sale

There are hundreds of homes that have sold in the area though there always tend to be at least a few Tims Ford Lake homes for sale at any particular time today.  

Pre-covid it would take Tims Ford Lake Homes for Sale to sell somewhere between a few months to a year.  Narrowing it down, we saw those homes that were priced below $600,000 sell in just a few months.  While homes priced above $600,000 would sell in approximately 6 months.  All homes typically would sell below their asking prices.

This all changed with Covid for the reasons above.  Any lake home would typically sell as soon as it went on the market (no matter the price).  With the lower priced homes selling faster.  Homes would sell for asking price or higher.  Often with multiple bidders, and some with "cash" prices versus using a mortgage.

Low interest rates (around 3%) allowed the dollar to buy more.  Now with interest rates around 6% (as of Nov 2022), the dollar doesn't go as far, limiting many people's ability to pay top dollar for a home.  

Choosing a Realtor for Tims Ford Lake Home for Sale

From Time Magazine's article on how to choose a real estate agent ....

1. Be Prepared
   1. As a buyer, get pre-approved for a mortgage.  This allows you to know what you can afford and what lenders will lend you.
   2. Understanding what segment your home falls into (such as investment property, starter home, etc) can help you find the right realtor who has experience buying or selling this type of home.
      
      
      
2. Ask friends and family for recommendations
   1. Interview multiple people when you’re looking for an agent, and a good place to start your search is with your existing network
   2. Also look at online reviews HOWEVER, almost all of those reviews are generated indirectly by the agents themselves, so there’s a positive bias there.  Realtors may only provide a link to review them if the customer had a positive experience.
      
      
      
3.  Find someone who is active and experienced in your area.
   1. When interviewing the agent, learn how long they have been in the industry and in the area.  How well they know it.  Also if they are doing this full time or part time.
   2. Having someone who knows the nuances of the area you're looking in is helpful.
      
      
      
4. Find someone who meets your needs and fits your personality
   1. "There’s an advantage to interviewing the person personally and not over the phone,” Stephen Brobeck says ( a senior fellow with the Consumer Federation of America, a non-profit consumer advocacy organization" . “You’re going to be paying them a lot of money. If they won’t take the time to do a personal interview, they may not be for you.
   2. Set your expectations with them and understand their expectations as well.  Is there a good fit?
      
      
      
5. Know what you're giving and getting
   1. Are you required to sign a commitment - in writing.  Some require a 6 month commitment for selling and 3 months for buying.
   2. Agents typically work on commission with the typical fee being 5-6%.  Though this fee is usually paid for by the seller.  Fees can be negotiated especially with higher value homes.