My friends Pat D and Pat K are crazy fisherwomen. Pat K has been known to be out on the lake catching bait at 3 am. Pat D is generally on the lake at the crack of dawn and is focused on fish. But both of these women have enough sense to come in out of the cold - you don't see them out on the lake in November-March.
The veterans are out there whenever the fish are biting, may be biting or could possibly bite.They don't care if it is January. I can see their bass boats chugging along in the winter when the thermometer barely reads 35 degrees while I'm sitting bundled up in front of my fire. When a huge hardwood tree fell into the lake, we just left it there. It provides shelter for the small fish which attracts the big fish which attracts the fishermen which gives my 3 dogs something to run down to the shoreline and bark at. Comes full circle. Good place to rest when swimming in the summer.
I'm a half-hearted fisherperson. Basically, I just like to go out on the lake. If I have a line in the water, then I am clearly being productive - so I don't feel so guilty about taking time off on the lake. I bait my hook, cast it in and wish it luck. Mostly all I accomplish is feeding the fish. Every once in awhile, by accident. one gets caught on the hook. LongSufferingHusbandBill and I have an agreement. I catch the fish and he will clean and cook it. Pretty good deal, huh? So far, he hasn't had to do much of either.
Pat D however is serious. She watches her fishfinder as if her life depends upon it, shout out "there are fish here!!" and throws a couple of lines in. I, however, am meticulously getting my rod, baiting my hook, organizing my area and my stuff and generally just as I stand up to cast my first line Pat will disgustedly announce "no fish here" and gun the motor. I haven't been tossed into the brink yet but that's only because of my superior sense of balance (not!). Fishing with Pat D is an adventure.
After a very brisk selling season last fall and a slow January and February, agents around the lake are reporting more appointment for April and many folks with plans to come to the lake in May and June. Most of my April is already booked with folks from VA, CO, OH and FL looking for homes and lots, both lake view and lake front.
There is a very nice availablilty of seasonal lakefront lots in several communities. For people who would like to have lakefront but it is simply priced out of their budget, seasonal lakefront is a nice compromise. Lakefront in the summer and lakeview in the winter!
Some sellers are planning on raising their asking price once the season gets into full swing. Right now, prices around the lake are as low as they have been in a long time and there are several good deals.
As I watch the news of mudslides, wildfires, earthquakes, tusnamis and other natural disasters, I feel blessed that we don't have those challenges in our lives here. While there have been earthquakes in TN, they are few and far between.
According the the US Geological Servuce, the western part of Tennessee (500 miles from Norris Lake) was shaken strongly by the New Madrid, Missouri, earthquake of 1811 - 1812 and by earthquakes in 1843 and 1895. The area has also experienced minor shocks. Additional activity has occurred in the eastern part of the State, near the North Carolina border. A strong shock centered at Knoxville on March 28, 1913, was felt over an area of 7,000 square kilometers in eastern Tennessee. Movable objects were overthrown, and bricks fell from chimneys. A number of false alarms were set off at fire stations.
I remember the earthquake sequence consisting of one foreshock, a magnitude 4.6 main shock, and more than 30 aftershocks occurring south of Knoxville during the latter part of 1973. I awoke early in the morning to a "boom" sound and then a shaking and then silence. No real damage.
We don't have the earth tremors of California and other areas; the heavy snow and cold of the northern and western climates; the traffic of Atlanta or NYC or Boston; the searing heat of the deserts; the short, short winter days of the northern states. Our cost of living is low, our lifestyle relaxed, we have no state income tax. After having lived in San Francisco, the NortheastByGodKingdom of Vermont and CT, I think I have the best of all worlds here on Norris Lake. 
Well, it has certainly been a very strange winter! We had one of the rainiest summer and fall that I can remember. The irrigation system that we installed to protect my precious plantings from shriveling up in summer heat was never turned on and the lake remained fuller this winter than it has before because of all the rain. And then we got snow. Not just once or twice, but several times over the winter. One accumulation was as much as 8 inches. Not a heck of a lot by Vermont or Colorado standards, but enough to slow things down considerably. We broke a 100-year old record by having the most consecutive days where it did not go above 20 degrees and, in fact, many many mornings when the thermometer read 20. I thought (hoped) it was stuck.
But NOW the daffodils are coming up, the temps are expected to be in the 50's and 60's, which means that the forsythia will be out in a couple of weeks. Which means that by the end of April, all the trees will be pretty much leafed out and the world will be green again. Wonderful views from raw land will be obscured, but the dreary gray days will be gone and the feeling of renewal, of spring, will be in the air. I love the longer days and the feeling of spring. Here's hoping it will be a good year for everyone.
The White Lightning Festival is a free, family-friendly event celebrating the history and heritage of all nine counties along Tennessee's White Lightning Trail, Thunder Road. Festival will be held in Cumberland Gap TN June 26, 2010 from 10 am to 9 pm.. For information, go to
www.WhiteLightningFestival.com or contact the friendly folks at the Claiborne Chamber of Commerce (423) 626-4149.
Never before have we had so many properties around the lake on the market at one time. The buyer today, whether looking for lakefront lots, lakeview homes or something in town a short drive from the lake, has a choice of properties. I can remember a few years ago that we seemed to have a shortage of quality properties, but that is not true now.
One of the best lakefront bargains is a level one-acre lakefront lot in Lone Mountain Shores for $136,500 with lovely lake and mountain views. Two years ago, this lot would have been on the market for over $200,000. Because there is a limited amount of lakefront on Norris Lake (remember that only about 20% of the shoreline can be developed) there is a very finite about of really good lakefrontage available. But ALL communities have lakeview lots - some have several hundred. So there is always a good supply of lakeview lots on the market. And, with the exception of a couple of communities, these prices have fallen as well. Some sellers have told me that they intend to RAISE the prices come summer.
If you had ever dreamed of retiring or vacationing in an area with a low cost of living, no state income tax, relaxed lifestyle, friendly people and an uncrowded, pristine lake - now is the time to look at Norris Lake!
As part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed new legislation that: - Extends the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers until April 30, 2010.
- Expands the credit to grant up to $6,500 credit to current home owners purchasing a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
Who Qualifies for the Extended Credit?
- First-time home buyers who purchase homes between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
- Current home owners purchasing a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, who have used the home being sold or vacated as a principal residence for five consecutive years within the last eight.
To qualify as a “first-time home buyer” the purchaser or his/her spouse may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.
If you purchased a home between January 1, 2009 and November 6, 2009, please see: 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.
Which Properties Are Eligible?
The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and co-ops.
How Much Is Available?
The maximum allowable credit for first-time home buyers is $8,000.
The maximum allowable credit for current homeowners is $6,500.
How is a Buyer's Credit Amount Determined?
Each home buyer’s tax credit is determined by two additional factors:
- The price of the home.
- The buyer's income.
Price
Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, credit may only be awarded on homes purchased for $800,000 or less.
Buyer Income
Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, which is effective on November 7, 2009, single buyers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000—may receive the maximum tax credit.
These income limits have changed from the 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit limits. If you purchased a home between January 1, 2009 and November 6, 2009, please see 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.
If the Buyer(s)’ Income Exceeds These Limits, Can He/She Still Get a Credit?
Yes, some buyers may still be eligible for the credit.
The credit decreases for buyers who earn between $125,000 and $145,000 for single buyers and between $225,000 and $245,000 for home buyers filing jointly. The amount of the tax credit decreases as his/her income approaches the maximum limit. Home buyers earning more than the maximum qualifying income—over $145,000 for singles and over $245,000 for couples are not eligible for the credit.
Can a Buyer Still Qualify If He/She Closes After April 30, 2010?
Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, as long as a written binding contract to purchase is in effect on April 30, 2010, the purchaser will have until July 1, 2010 to close.
Will the Tax Credit Need to Be Repaid?
No. The buyer does not need to repay the tax credit, if he/she occupies the home for three years or more. However, if the property is sold during this three-year period, the full amount credit will be recouped on the sale.
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First of all, know that we do not do snow well at all. Secondly, know that we generally don't have to. Which is one of the many reasons I live here and not in CT or VT. Thirdly, know that this has been a very weird year. We broke an almost 100-year record for the most consecutive days that we did not go above freezing (nine days, if you must know). We also do not do cold well.
Most winters, if we get snow at all, we'll get a couple of beautiful inches. It will disappear more quickly in the warmth of the city of Knoxville than it will up here in the in hinterlands of Norris Lake. And, when it snows, we generally rejoice! It is beautiful! It covers the trees, contrasts with the green of the cedars and few remaining pines. We run out and take photos. Our dogs first tentatively walk out onto this cold white stuff trying to remember what it represents, pick up and shake each paw as if they could get the cold off of the pads, and then joyfully play until they get too cold and need to come in and get feet wiped.
But it doesn't last. A couple of days later, the temos soar back up to 40 or 50 and the sun shines and the snow disappears. Generally, by now, early spring bulbs are poking their heads through the warming earth. NOT THIS YEAR! Snow, snow and more snow. Cold, cold and more cold. Dreary, dreary and more dreary. Until today! We have sunshine! There is a promise of spring and temps should be in the 40's and 50's in a couple of days. And you know what that means? Time to sow seeds. Time to ready the garden. Time to tune up the lawnmower and toys. Time to rejoice and live large on Norris!
You can download the form 5405 (in PDF format) by using the following link:
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5405.pdf
The IRS has also posted a brief YouTube video, explaining and promoting the new credit. You can view it online at:
http://www.youtube.com/IRSvideos#p/u/2/FEceiZW9e3w
If you are considering property on or near Norris Lake TN, then I would like to strongly encourage you to come to the lake now! Until the leaves start coming back in the spring, this is the PERFECT time to appreciate the view from any property as well as get an idea of which trees would need to be cut to open up that view. If you are looking at raw land, right now you can get a feeling for the slope of the land and can walk the boundaries. If you wait until the leaves are out and the raspberry canes are in full force in the spring, the property will most likely be impenetrable and the view completely obscured. Here are some of my favorite properties:
BARGAIN: Year-round deep water flat to gently sloping lakefront lot in Lone Mountain Shores for ‘way under the $200,000 market price: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?2781F6B94EF5 NEW ON MARKET!
LAKEFRONT home for under $100,000?? No way. WAY!! : http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?C267FBB9EE5B NEW ON MARKET
Bargain lakeview lot: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?25416C2863D0
Lakefront log cabin in the woods: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?AF11D42CC68E NEW ON MARKET
Interested in a family compound on 96 acres with LAKEFRONT? : http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?A0D30D25FFB7
Fabulous custom country 4000 sq ft home on 21+ gorgeous acres WITH a dock in a local community marina! First time on market: http://www.shirleegrabko.com/New_Tazewell/Tennessee/Homes/New_Tazewell/Agent/Listing_7813272.html
Custom log year round lakefront 2800 sq ft log home with dock in Lone Mountain Shores: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?8A488DE74C1F
Gorgeous lake and mountain view lots in the Deerfield Resort: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?4E5046486ADD
Gently sloping lot with big water view in gated Norris Crest: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?4B4E10D30D15
Log cabin on 3.2 acres for $259,000 (or with 10+ acres for $299,000) with lake access and boat dock in community marina: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?BC0827EE79D6
5000+ sq ft lakefront home on market by developer at his break-even cost! Well constructed. His loss = your gain: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?73206C391325
Cozy country home with 15 acres only 20 minutes from shopping and 5 minutes to lake: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?63453AFD8239
Secluded, private new construction custom cabin in the woods on 14+ acres with lakeview and free boat dock: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?D7DF2E8BBBCA
Knock-your-socks-off views of lake and mountains from these ridge lots!!: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?B023643CC68E
Rock Harbor: http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?F3BB36A2824A and http://realfocus.kaarmls.com/r?67BFAFBC400E
And so much more! On the average, properties are closing at about 10% less than asking price.
You can go to www.NorrisLakeResourceCenter.com to look for properties by individual community! Search all properties listed by all agents and all agencies that are on the Multiple Listing Service.
While several of my December weekends are already booked with folks taking advantage of the leafless season to see properties, right now I am free for most of January and February. And if you can only come when I am already scheduled with appointments, it may be possible for one of my knowledgeable, friendly teammates to show you the properties you are interested in. Just drop me a line and let me know exactly what you are looking for and your maximum budget, and I’ll try to find that perfect property for you. Once you decide which properties you’d like to see, I’ll make appointments and get an itinerary for your visit.
Come here, come now, come home!
• 4,000 sq. ft., 2 bath, 3 bdrm 2 story - $549,900
New Tazewell, Claiborne County - Level and elevated home site magnifies the beautiful mountain views & offers lots of privacy. Unique, cedar shake look siding-maintenance free! Tongue and Groove Cathedral ceilings. Kitchen has abundance of custom Hickory cabinets, stainless appliances, 10 ft. snack bar. 5x3 Pantry, Living room has 30 feet of windows to take in the views. Master Bath with whirlpool and 8x5 separate tiled shower. Huge walk in closets in all bedrooms.
Property information
In our age of fast-moving technology, it seems unlikely that thousands of audience members would spend a weekend mesmerized by the voices of storytellers. But that is exactly what happens in Jonesborough TN every year during the frist weekend of October. The range of music, stories and comedy is unlike anything you will experience anywhere else. Tickets sell out. Motels and Bed and Breakfasts in Jonesborough are often booked a year in advance. Travelocity will help you find accomodations in Johnson City or Greenville, and there are a couple of campgrounds as well. Go to www.StoryTellingCenter.com for more information and a synopsis of the tellers that will be there over the weekend.
The original purpose of damming up the Clinch and Powell Rivers to form Norris Lake was for flood control and economic development (inexpensive hydroelectric power). Recreation on Norris Lake was something that came years and years later - starting with fishermen and hunters and later adding boating, vacationers and retirees.
The TN Valley Authority (TVA) lowers the lake levels every fall to prepare for spring snow melt and rains from up north. In the summer, full pool is 1020 feet above sea level. Generally, TVA will open Norris Dam and llower the lake to 995 ft above sea level - starting after Labor Day and reaching winter pool sometime in October or November. Around March, the water starts coming back up and we are in full pool sometime in April. This all depends a whole lot on how much winter and spring rain we get. Full pool can take longer to arrive or, in the case of the drought of 2007, we may never reach full pool. Sometimes winter pool is higher or lower than 995 ft.
So.... properties on the main channels of the lake will have year round water. Parts of the main channel are over 100 ft deep. But properties on shallow coves or in the back of coves may not have winter water. A lot depends upon just how deep the cove is. If water in the cove is 10 ft deep, it will lose water first in the fall and get it last in the spring and what you will have is a dry lakebed in the winter. If, however, the cove is 35 ft deep, there may be a small amount of water out there all year. It is a good idea to ask your Realtor if your lakeview or lakefront lot is seasonal or year round water if it is not on the main channel.
Many folks I talk to on a weekly basis purchased a lakeview lot a couple of years ago and are now ready to turn that lot over for profit. They are often very surprised to hear from me that a profit on a lakeview lot is not typical. If you purchase a lakeview lot in one of the newer communities, you are most likely purchasing a lot at a higher price than buyers in old communities paid for theirs. Once you add annual homeowner's fees, taxes, any interest you may be paying for a loan, and other costs associated with purchasing the property and realtor commission, in most cases your property is now priced 'way above market price.
There are two other factors involved here as well. All communities have lake and/or mountain view properties - the majority of the property in any given community is going to be view and not lakefront. Which means that, today, there are well over 400 view lots on the market. Contractors I have spoken to tell me that, when people purchase view property they should do so with the intention of building on them.
We have over 800 miles of shoreline, of which only around 20% can be developed. And most of what can be developed has been. This makes lakefront property very finite. I am not an investment counselor only a lowly Realtor, but in terms of investment lakefront makes more sense to me.
Homes with fabulous lakeviews have, in the past, done well - although this year's market has been a little strange.
Many of the calls and emails I get lately have to do with marketing people have received about great deals on properties in Emerald Bay. Primarily, folks want to know where this community is located and what the back story is.
Several years ago, Steve Jones developed Hickory Point (also seen spelled as Hickory Pointe) off route 170 in Maynardville TN. In my opinion (and opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one), he did a nice job of preparing the sites. Most are roomy, trees have been thinned but not clear cut and views are fabulous. There is a small marina with limited space, a beautiful clubhouse and a small outdoor pool.
Once most of Hickory Point sold, he moved latterly to the cove off the main channel (which is very steep) and built custom homes on steep slopes with a tram for water access. He called this Vista Shores. Each home comes with a covered boat dock and view lots (also pretty steep) have access to a small community dock (with tram access).
Once he finished with Vista Shores, he backed up towards Route 170 and developed Emerald Bay. Some lots are level, some have wonderful lake and mountain views, some lots have no views and some lots are extremely steep. The lot prices for Emerald Bay are far less than they were for Hickory Pointe. But the lots are much steeper.
It is my understanding that owners of property in Vista Shores or Emerald Bay may choose whether or not to have access to the amenities. If they choose not to, then they have no homeowners fees but that choice - either way - remains with the property if it is resold.
There are two sets of gates. The lower gates admit you to all of the properties. Near the top of the hill, another gate admits you to the Hickory Point and Vista Shores sections. Gates are closed and locked at sundown and opened at sunrise. Property owners have key cards and codes to get in during the times the gates are locked.
These communities are closer to Knoxville than just about any other community on Norris Lake - 15-20 minutes from North Knoxville (depending upon your route and driving speed!). And, unlike the majority of communities around the lake, this one is right off a main road and not the typical 15-20 minute drive from a main road. Because Hickory Point is one of the newer communities, lakeview and lakefront property prices are higher than in some of the older communities such as Norris Shores or Lone Mountain Shores.