The number of homes sold in Robertson County in 1st 9 months of 2007 was down 1% below 1st 9 months of 2006 ending the string of record numbers of home sales and increases over prior year since 2001 (2002 +7%, 2003 +11%, 2004 +9%, 2005 +15%, 2006 +7%).  The median price of homes sold in 1st 9 months of 2007 in Robertson County was $154,500, up 7% over 1st 9 months of 2006.  Our median home sales prices that have seen year-to-year increases since 2002 (2003 +1%, 2004 +4%, 2005 +10%, 2006 +6%) may now be heading down.  The median price of homes sold in September was only $146,000 compared to $154,500 price Jan-Aug this year and there were only 77 homes sold, lowest level in 2 years.
Middle TN residential sales have fallen for 14 straight months when compared to the same month 1 year earlier.  Robertson Co., on the other hand, saw their home sales rise each of those months until we hit March '07.  So far this year our sales have been up 5 months & down 4 months when compared to 2006 sales.  Looks like the drop off we have been hearing about nationally and Middle-TN wise may have finally hit us in Robertson Co as the number of home sales in September dropped 26% below September 2006.

For 1st 9 months 2007 the number of residential building permits issued in Robertson County for new homes was 480, down 30% from the 1st 9 months 2006 of 673. The burst of new home starts in Robertson Co in 2006 (a record level 821) has now started to show up in the 'inventory' of homes on the market.  Normal for supply and demand to be in balance we need six months supply of homes actively listed for sale.  At the end of 2005 we only had 439 homes on the market (4 1/2 months supply) but by the end of December 2006 this number had grown to 520 homes on the market (a 5.1 months supply) and by end of 1st 9 months 2007 628 (8.2 months supply).  That's a record number of homes on market in Robertson Co. and is likely to cause prices to drop and require longer period to find buyer.

Heard Around Town
From time to time I include here some "heard around town" items that may or may not actually happen.  Use this info with caution.
I hear that Gerald Wakefield and Jerry Batson are teaming up to build a new mall at corner of Batson Parkway and Hwy 431S on 10 acres owned by Billy Batson. Already have 4 or 5 tenants signed up to lease store space.  Somebody named Ty Investments of Savannah, GA bought the old Taco Bell restaurant property on Memorial Blvd. in May '07 for $380,000 and surprise, surprise, another Cash Advance store.  That brings the total in our city of Cash Advance/Title Loan businesses to 19, far outnumbering the number of Mexican restaurants which stands at 9.  The lots just south of Eckerd/Rite Aid drug store that have been for sale for a good while are now combined so a new car wash can go there, supposedly.  Hear that Popeye's coming into the vacant Long John Silver building on Hwy 431S.  Hear someone inquiring about the old Ponderosa building for a new Chinese Buffet like one in Clarksville.