krista jameson

Why a GREAT looking listing is important!

2011-07-21T15:31:00.010-05:00

One of my biggest pet peeves in my industry is bad listing pictures. You know, the agents that take pictures of clutter, dirty dishes, animals, and even children in the background. When 90% of buyers start their home search online it is SO important to have a great listing presentation online. This is why I stress staging/decluttering/get your house lookin like a model..before we take pictures. I had a seller contact me that had their house on the market for a LONG time with few showings. I gave them some ideas of what to do on a budget or for FREE with items sitting in a closet unused (like the new bedspread in one of these pics!) Here is what a little work and creativity can do to get a listing looking top notch online...which hopefully leads to more showings and an offer! **And thanks to Joe King my photog extraordinaire!

Before Bedroom

After I took over! What a difference.

Dining Before

Dining After

Living Room Before -notice the faded purple door

Living Room After with freshly painted door!

Bedroom Before

Bedroom After

Bathroom Before

Bathroom After

Thinking of Selling? Know Someone Selling? Contact me! I LOVE listing houses!

krista jameson

kristasellshomes@gmail.com

300.3576

Does Moving Up Make Sense?

2010-08-30T15:07:00.001-05:00

These questions will help you decide whether you’re ready for a home that’s larger or in a more desirable location. If you answer yes to most of the questions, it’s a sign that you may be ready to move.

1. Have you built substantial equity in your current home? Look at your annual mortgage statement or call your lender to find out. Usually, you don’t build up much equity in the first few years of your mortgage, as monthly payments are mostly interest, but if you’ve owned your home for five or more years, you may have significant, unrealized gains.

2. Has your income or financial situation improved? If you’re making more money, you may be able to afford higher mortgage payments and cover the costs of moving.

3. Have you outgrown your neighborhood? The neighborhood you pick for your first home might not be the same neighborhood you want to settle down in for good. For example, you may have realized that you’d like to be closer to your job or live in a better school district.

4. Are there reasons why you can’t remodel or add on? Sometimes you can create a bigger home by adding a new room or building up. But if your property isn’t large enough, your municipality doesn’t allow it, or you’re simply not interested in remodeling, then moving to a bigger home may be your best option.

5. Are you comfortable moving in the current housing market? If your market is hot, your home may sell quickly and for top dollar, but the home you buy also will be more expensive. If your market is slow, finding a buyer may take longer, but you’ll have more selection and better pricing as you seek your new home.

6. Are interest rates attractive? A low rate not only helps you buy a larger home, but also makes it easier to find a buyer.

Take the Stress Out of Homebuying!

2010-08-13T10:25:00.004-05:00

Buying a home should be fun, not stressful. As you look for your dream home, keep in mind these tips for making the process as peaceful as possible.

1. Find a real estate agent who you connect with. Home buying is not only a big financial commitment, but also an emotional one. It’s critical that the REALTOR® you chose is both highly skilled and a good fit with your personality. This is where I of course say contact me, Krista Jameson!

2. Remember, there’s no “right” time to buy, just as there’s no perfect time to sell. If you find a home now, don’t try to second-guess interest rates or the housing market by waiting longer — you risk losing out on the home of your dreams. The housing market usually doesn’t change fast enough to make that much difference in price, and a good home won’t stay on the market long.

3. Don’t ask for too many opinions. It’s natural to want reassurance for such a big decision, but too many ideas from too many people will make it much harder to make a decision. Focus on the wants and needs of your immediate family — the people who will be living in the home.

4. Accept that no house is ever perfect. If it’s in the right location, the yard may be a bit smaller than you had hoped. The kitchen may be perfect, but the roof needs repair. Make a list of your top priorities and focus in on things that are most important to you. Let the minor ones go.

5. Don’t try to be a killer negotiator. Negotiation is definitely a part of the real estate process, but trying to “win” by getting an extra-low price or by refusing to budge on your offer may cost you the home you love. Negotiation is give and take.

6. Remember your home doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Don’t get so caught up in the physical aspects of the house itself — room size, kitchen, etc. — that you forget about important issues as noise level, location to amenities, and other aspects that also have a big impact on your quality of life.

7. Plan ahead. Don’t wait until you’ve found a home and made an offer to get approved for a mortgage, investigate home insurance, and consider a schedule for moving. Presenting an offer contingent on a lot of unresolved issues will make your bid much less attractive to sellers.

8. Factor in maintenance and repair costs in your post-home buying budget. Even if you buy a new home, there will be costs. Don’t leave yourself short and let your home deteriorate.

9. Accept that a little buyer’s remorse is inevitable and will probably pass. Buying a home, especially for the first time, is a big financial commitment. But it also yields big benefits. Don’t lose sight of why you wanted to buy a home and what made you fall in love with the property you purchased.

10. Choose a home first because you love it; then think about appreciation. While U.S. homes have appreciated an average of 5.4 percent annually over from 1998 to 2002, a home’s most important role is to serve as a comfortable, safe place to live.

Contact me today to begin house hunting!

Thanks Realtor magazine for great tips that will help my clients!

Krista's Tips to Selling a Home

2010-08-12T12:53:00.011-05:00

With lots of competition and a high inventory of houses on the market, here are just a couple suggestions I give to clients preparing to sell a home.

1. Contact me for a pre-listing package!

2. Clean, Organize & Stage!

-By far this is one of THE most important steps. I hire professional photographers for my listings and I want the home's pictures to look outstanding! If the interior of a home looks roomy and decluttered, the pictures will turn out much better! (Oh and better pictures will bring in more traffic since 9 out of 10 homebuyers preview homes online before ever going in one!) De-clutter the closets, bookshelves, nooks, desk, rooms, counters, etc. Clean the windows, floors, carpets, etc. Stage it to look show-worthy! I go very in-depth with my clients on this step.

3. If something is broken, have it fixed. Many times people can not see past your homes faults. For example, if a window or cabinet is visibly broken, have it fixed. If lightbulbs are burnt out, replace with new ones! The last thing you want is a potential buyer walking in and seeing the flaws that could have been easily fixed. Along this line is having a pre-inspection done to fix any problems you may be unaware of.

4. Curb Appeal! Most buyers will make a decision within just a few minutes about whether they want your house or not. Have the lawn and flower beds looking fabulous! Once again, remember this is a high competition market because of lots of inventory. Stand out! Make your home's exterior shine! Clean your steps, siding, driveway, windows, fix any paint chipping, etc.

5. Think about easy updates or upgrades that will give you a return. I will say this from personal experience. Most buyers do not like my personal taste of a very dark brown bedroom. It's almost cave-like. Well, when I go to sell my home eventually I know that the walls will have to be repainted with a neutral, light colored paint. It's an easy and cost effective change. Also, if you have bathrooms or a kitchen with old dirty linoleum, think about having them tiled. Contact this guy for tiling work! :) Replace dated fixtures with updated fixtures from the local Home Depot or Lowes.

* Have a friend that has thought about selling? Give me their info and I'd be happy to send over my personalized pre-listing package!

kristasellshomes@gmail.com

Final Before and After Flip Pictures!

2010-04-12T19:55:00.010-05:00

When I walked into 427 Edwin street on a steaming hot day last July I looked at the disaster in front of me. "NO WAY!" I said to Zach. He said "Oh Krista this is PERFECT!" I was 9 months pregnant and was getting eaten alive by the mosquitos outside in the unkept lawn that was 18 inches high. I was hot. I was overwhelmed. And for the first time in 5 years of fixing up houses I just couldn't see the final result in my head. Fast forward about 4 months and I had a little baby at that point. Zach persisted we put an offer on this little cottage that had been on the market for 2 years and sat vacant. I caved, offered 50% of what asking price was and surprisingly settled for just $2000 higher then that. I couldn't believe I bought a house for the price of a car! Well here we are 5 months later and we've just completed the house. There is nothing more exciting then seeing the final before+after pictures. People won't ever understand the blood (literally), pain, sweat, tears, and lots of marital fights when doing this kind of work. But man is it rewarding!

We replaced all the ceilings & insulation. This was old insulation that was everywhere!

We emptied out LOADS of trash and furniture left in the house.

The water heater is no longer in the bathroom.

The bedroom that we built out. Good job Zach!

I listed the home at $74,900 if you know of anyone!

Refinished Tub and Floor Pictures!

2010-03-06T21:31:00.003-06:00

I have been so excited to see this room come together. Because of the existing pipes and plumbing layout in the bathroom we didn't really have options to move the tub, vanity, toilet. We had to be creative with the space. The old bathroom had just a shower and no tub. I wanted a tub/shower so the most cost effective solution was to do a clawfoot tub and then do the shower attachment to it. I started looking for an antique clawfoot tub and found this beauty, ok ok not a beauty at first, but I knew it would be! I got it for a decent price and just refinished it.

Before of my rusty ol' tub that had to be sanded and sanded and sanded. Thanks Matt Owen for sanding it!

After!! I LOVE it!!!! (I have not installed the baseboards yet in the bathroom as seen in the picture.)

The feet had to be sanded too. I love the detail work.

The 'after'....although I loaded this picture on my computer and noticed the dust on them! I'll be sure to dust it off!

Nasty before bathroom floor

After ripping up linoleum and two subfloors. We had to patch concrete...oh and this was the room I used a jackhammer in!

The after shot, although once again when looking at the picture on my computer the floor looks so dusty and dirty. oops. Still have final touches like lights/mirror for the room but its almost complete.

Cost Effective Upgrades

2010-03-03T11:27:00.006-06:00

If you are looking for some cost effective ways to upgrade or give your home a fresh look I'll be sharing some of my tips on here! Now, I know not everyone can just whip out the tile saw and re-tile a room or shower. I'll start with this room, one of our bathrooms. I didn't need the extra counter space because of having the cupboard below to hold my stuff. The cabinet was an oak cabinet that had the varnish fading. It looked dated and old. The faucet as you can see also had a dated look to it. (Also, this was our go to bathroom during the renovations and we were not living there in this filth!!)

Something you may not know about me and Zach, but are probably aware of is that we are the most frugal people ever. (Possibly to a fault!) We NEVER pay full price for anything and always try to find the good deals. We often browse the clearance section at Lowe's and that is where we have found some great faucets for CHEAP. I believe this faucet was originally $250 or so and we got it for maybe $25. So for this vanity I sanded it and use a good furniture spray paint. The paint cost $5. The granite top was the most expensive of the project but I used a coupon from those smart card things so it was $20 off. The granite top ended up being right around $200. So for less then $250 we got this awesome fresh look that completely changed the bathroom's appearance!

This ugly tile was creamy/peach colored and just didn't capture the eye because it was only partially up the wall.

One of the things I do to keep tile jobs cheap is using the basic in-stock tile at Home Depot. It is usually 59 cents a sq foot. I put the tile way up the wall so it made the room look much taller then it really is. It also gave it that calming spa feel that I was going for! A new showerhead off the clearance rack at Lowes was $5 and in-stock Home Depot faucet completed the look! (I took the pic with the blue painters tape still on the top)

By far the cheapest and EASIEST upgrade/change is PAINT! You can get a gallon of paint for $15 and redo a whole bathroom. I love painting. It is that instant gratification when working on a project!
This is our bedroom where we took out carpet and put in engineered hardwood floors that we found on clearance at Home Depot. The walls were white so 2 cans of Olympic brand paint from Lowe's and we had a whole new bedroom! I stripped the popcorn ceiling too.

East Nashville Flip House

2010-02-28T10:51:00.006-06:00

Well as you can see I've taken a several month break from blogging! I have been too busy to blog and finally at a point where I have some 'before and after' pics of our latest flip house. This has been the most intensive flip we have ever done. The condition was horrible because it had been vacant for 2 years. There was a roof leak that went on for so long that parts of the ceilings inside had drywall caving in. No worries though as the first thing we did on day 1 of the remodel was ripping off the old roof and installing a new one. No more leaks!! The worst part was tearing down all the interior ceilings to put up new drywall and insulation going in the attic. The insulation was the blow in kind so it was little pieces of drywall everywhere...oh do I have pictures of that!! We pulled permits on this home as there was so much extensive work to be done. We have essentially rebuilt the home from the existing frame and foundation. Follow along as we finish up the home in the next few weeks!! Also, it is not too late to take advantage of home purchase tax credits by the end of April. If you have any questions or need a REALTOR this Spring, contact me at kjameson@realtracs.com

Before Picture

There was this awkward wall separation thing that we tore down to make it feel bigger and flow better.

Progress so far

The BATHROOM...oh my it was awkward and gross!! We ripped every thing out of it. The only thing left was the concrete slab floor. It felt so tiny because of the layout, but feels much bigger now.

That vanity/sink was only 16 inches wide. And the water heater is NOT in the bathroom anymore!

All new drywall

New Paint! The tile floor was put in late last night but I didn't get a picture yet. I'm so excited about the antique clawfoot tub that is going in the bathroom (it will have the shower connection installed too.)

Taste of Franklin!

2009-10-14T14:16:00.007-05:00

Friday, October 16th 6pm-9pm.
The Warehouse 1810 Columbia Ave. Franklin (home of RHCC)
Cost $5 at door

Food from Saffire, Puckett's, Shane's Rib Shack, Henpeck Market, Naticakes, Franklin Mercantile, Merridee's, Bishops, Stoveworks, Monell's and More!

Swing Dance Music by The Usual Suspects Orchestra

Contact RHCC for more info~ 861.3663 or go here

Great time to Upgrade!

2009-10-09T14:21:00.011-05:00

Are you living in a house that feels too small? Too cramped? Do you have what I call a '2-butt kitchen' (meaning only two people can fit in it at once!)? Too small to entertain? Maybe you work from home now and need more space?

Now is a GREAT time to think about 'upgrading' to a new home. Why? Because interest rates are LOW, there are LOTS of homes to choose from, and some sellers are very motivated, so finding a GOOD DEAL is possible!

Allow me to list your home and I'll use these steps to get it SOLD!
~home staging
~de-cluttering
~excellent pictures & MLS listing
~correctly pricing
~a FREE 800 number info line for those lookers driving around

Contact me and we can chat about your options! I'd love to hear from you!

Krista@inmanrealtygroup.com
615.300.3576
twitter.com/kjameson

Meet my little man!

2009-09-25T11:06:00.003-05:00

Where have the last two months gone? Oh yeah, to my new baby BOY!
Meet Tressel Ward Jameson!

It has been a fun two months, but I was back showing houses when Tressel was 10 days old! So, I am still working! Need a house? Want to sell a house? Contact me!

Rental Home Finder Services!

2009-07-20T16:22:00.006-05:00

Need to find a rental property? Don't do it alone! I can help!

Many agents don't like to spend the time helping people find a rental property. It can take hours to search available rental homes, schedule showings, show properties, and give you information on areas, schools, etc. It can be a lot of work and many agents don't want to bother with it. But, I do and so do the agents at Inman Realty Group! We search for properties, email you listings and will schedule and show you properties of interest! We do not charge you for this service, but usually get a 'finders fee' from the owner of the rental.

I have lived in Franklin for 11 years and know the area! I love real estate and meeting new people! If I can help you or any friends/family find a rental please let me know. Hopefully in the future you will think of me when ready to purchase a home too!

Krista Jameson
Inman Realty Group
Direct 615.300.3576
Office 615.591.5323

Affordable Franklin Living!

2009-05-21T14:17:00.008-05:00

Two Franklin Condos for lease or sale!
The L12 Unit
Offered at $785/month to rent or $112,500 for purchase
Hardwood floors throughout with tile in kitchen & bath. All appliances included plus washer & dryer! Rent includes water bill, trash, and community pool.

The L11 Unit
Offered at $750/month to rent or $107,500 for purchase
New carpet throughout with tile in kitchen & bath. All appliances included plus washer & dryer! Rent includes water bill, trash, and community pool.

Krista Jameson/Owner Agent
Keller Williams Realty
kjameson@realtracs.com
cell 615.300.3576
office 615.778.1818

Fabulous Westhaven Home!

2009-05-14T11:13:00.006-05:00

What a cute house! Great front porch overlooking common area.

Living Room

Office/Den

Dining Room

Master Suite with large bathroom and huge walk in closet!

4 Bedroom~3 Full Bathrooms~2671 sq ft (plus 420 sq ft of unfinished space above garage)

Listed at $435,000

Call me 615.300.3576 or email krista@inmanrealtygroup.com for additional info!

Real Estate Info!

2009-03-01T15:29:00.006-06:00

We closed on our latest flip property on Friday morning. I'm glad that house is gone, over, done with, and we have the money in the bank. My hubby and I are already realizing though how bored we get without projects to do. I've been staying busy with my real estate business. The market is starting to pick up for Spring and I have a few closing lined up for March already.

A few tidbits of Real Estate info for my readers:
If you are a 1st time home buyer (or haven't owned in the last 3 years) you can be eligible for the $8000 tax credit that Congress has passed. Here are some guidelines for it.

The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only.
The tax credit does not have to be repaid. (must be primary residence for 3 yrs)
The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.
Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

Pass along to your friends that need to get out of an apartment and buy their first home. Now is a great time.

Also, for a limited time and on a case by case basis, I will be offering some discounted listings. What does this mean?

Desperate to sell your house but can't afford the typical 6% agent commission costs? I'll discount my commission to list your house depending on what the need is.
This way you can either lower your asking price OR keep more money in your pocket so we can go find you a fabulous new house.

You can email me with any questions at krista@inmanrealtygroup.com

in case you haven't heard....

2008-12-15T10:24:00.004-06:00

We're having a baby!! Due date Aug 3. I'm 7 wks along, I've been to the doctor twice, saw a strong heartbeat, and everything is looking good.

And here is a note on wrote on Friday documenting our crazy day.

December 12...I've dreaded this day since last April. Today marked the due date of my first baby that we lost. For the last several months I kept thinking about this day. How will I feel? Will the pain go away? As the day approached the sadness overwhelmed me. That was going to be the day (or around it) that I should have met our baby. Well, the Lord had other plans and we just didn't know it.

A few weeks ago we were shocked to find out I was pregnant again! Fear just shook me. What if I lose this one too? I can't tell anyone because how embarrassing if I had another miscarriage. I've walked through a cloud of fear for weeks. When I called my dr to schedule my first appt they said "We can get you in on December 12 if that works". Ok, this is going to be a really really good thing I thought or possibly a heartbreaking day if we don't find a heartbeat or see a baby in there. "Yes the 12th works great I said" In this last week I've listened to the song 'Your Great Name' countless times. Casting out the fear and proclaiming God's name in spite of my circumstances or fear. I just needed PEACE.

This morning I woke up with a mix of emotions. The original birthdate of my first baby, and the confirmation of a healthy pregnancy was just hours away. Zach and I headed to my dr appt rather nervous. They did an ultrasound and as clear as anything there was the little peanut and a heart beating about 160 beats/minute. PRAISE GOD!!!

Today will always be a day I remember. The end of a valley of darkness and pain, and the beginning of a new journey- another LIFE! A God ordained life that has been created!

-krista

12 inches gone...

2008-12-07T16:23:00.003-06:00

I love my hair. It's the one part of me that I really like. Maybe that's self-centered but I have less than the ideal body for a 24 yr old. Seriously! Never had a flat stomach. I used to be called thunder thighs. And I've had birthin' hips since I was 13! But when I see my hair I really think it is beautiful. Ha! It's naturally curly so it takes a whopping 5 mins. to throw some gel in it and I'm ready to go! I have always wanted to donate my hair at some point in my life. I had been thinking about it and since I hadn't even trimmed it in 10 months I thought now would be a great time. I made the impulsive decision last Saturday. I got on the Locks of Love website and saw those cute little kids with their bald heads before and their wigs in the 'after' pictures. My heart melted. I closed my laptop, grabbed my keys, phone, and wallet and was off to find a salon. Since I usually just go to Great Clips for the 9.99 hair trim once every two years I figured I'd go a little more upscale. I ended up at Pink Mullet Salon in Franklin with a rockstar stylist. I didn't tell anyone I was doing it, not even my husband! So check out the before and after! I miss my hair but it'll grow back. And to think some little girl will have long blond wavy hair just makes me smile:)

Before Picture-this was taken a few months ago so it was actually longer then this.

After!

I'm Back!! And the FLIP IS DONE!

2008-11-11T15:47:00.003-06:00

Lovely Master Bedroom

Cozy Den with wood burning fireplace!

Living Room

Kitchen

Kitchen

Eat-in kitchen overlooking backyard

Dining Room (with dirty floors!)

I listed it for $300,000...pass along the info if you know of anyone looking in Franklin!

Bedrooms are Finished!!

2008-10-16T13:59:00.002-05:00

Master Bedroom

Bedroom

Bonus Room

And THIS is what I look like now. Flips wear me out and cause me to look like a real mess.

3 Years!!

2008-10-16T10:43:00.003-05:00

We are celebrating our 3 year anniversary today. I can't believe how time has flown in the last couple of years. I sure love my Zach.

Tiling a shower

2008-10-05T20:49:00.005-05:00

This shower had a dated look to it so we took it out.

We put in a new tub and Zach put up the backerboard.

I said "quick Zach, photo-op!" hehe...I do all our tiling and zach does the tile cutting.

The 'after'...but i haven't done the grout yet. I LOVE the look of tiled shower surrounds.

Landscaping!

2008-10-05T20:37:00.003-05:00

My brother helped me with the landscaping so I have to give him the credit! Cody did an awesome job and I have no idea what he planted but I love it and the before/after is very dramatic!

its been awhile

2008-10-03T11:21:00.003-05:00

Here are some more pictures of our flip. We have been so busy and I've had some major life issues going on. We are hoping the house gets done in the next few weeks.

Master bedroom ceiling before

Master bedroom ceiling after

Master bedroom before

Master bedroom after

Just a bedroom I redid...don't have a before picture though.

Before+After

2008-09-22T11:32:00.002-05:00

Before living room

After living room

Before Entry

After Entry

Before hallway

After hallway

we have floors so i can finally have bare feet while i'm working!

i forgot what day it is?!?!

2008-09-15T15:16:00.002-05:00

We had a busy weekend. Here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure...or boredom..either way you see it!

Prepping the counters for the granite tile.

Zach making a mess cutting out the backerboard for the new counters.

Z+K :)

My favorites...before + after!

Dining Room before any paint

Dining Room after paint! New chandelier will go up this week.

Formal Living room before

Formal living room after

You can see the new paint color on the left.

14 days!

2008-09-11T15:51:00.006-05:00

Wow, we have already owned this house for two weeks today! Crazy how much still needs to be done but how much we have also accomplished. Just to give you some stats, this house was built in 1991. The carpentry is amazing. For it being a little older there aren't cracks in the walls or woodwork. Even some newer homes start settling and have cracks after just 2 or 3 years. This house was amazingly built. It is 2250sq ft with 3 bedrooms plus a bonus room. There is a huge fenced in back yard and awesome deck. There are about 10 trees in the backyard so it feels secluded and quiet. I love it!

I personally ripped up all the carpet (about 1800 sq ft of it!) And pulled up all the nails and staples which took FOREVER. We are doing solid hardwoods throughout the downstairs with new carpet upstairs in the bedroom. Remodeling two bathrooms. The moulding all needs 3 coats of paint, 2 coats of ceiling paint, and 2 coats on the walls. LOTS of paint!! I was nearing a breakdown the other day when Zach said he would bring two friends over to help us out last night. Hey...I'll gladly write their checks if it means I stay sane!

Zach doing some late night tile cutting. FYI this is how you piss off neighbors. We reply with "hey we are just increasing the property values of the street!"

It's really hard to tell the color of the walls in this picture. Its a tan/light brown color. And yes Stephanie, the light fixture is definitely being replaced:)

We took out the holly bushes. Not as easy as it looks!

They could not get this one out so hooked up a chain and used the vehicle to pull it out. Notice it was dark outside and we were continuing to make a lot of noise!

Hard to see but no more bushes!

Ok ladies...give me some ideas for some new landscaping. I want to plant something very simple and as cheap as possible. Give me your ideas!

Weekend Update

2008-09-08T11:55:00.003-05:00

This weekend I started painting! I painted baseboards, moulding, the fireplace mantle, and ceilings. I love the bright shiny white! We purchased the hardwood flooring this weekend.

Painting ceilings always means I'll have paint in my hair!

day 5??

2008-09-03T10:35:00.005-05:00

Our wireless is down at our house so I'm a few days behind on posting. I'm covered in chigger bites too from hauling off the tree brush from the tree we cut down. It hasn't been the easiest few days...but here are some pictures of our progress.

This is what I did on Labor Day...ripped up hardwood with a crowbar...while everyone else had cookouts, went swimming, shopping, etc. It sucked.

Oh and I ripped up all that hardwood with flipflops on.

The only hardwood in the house was at the entry. Since we are during hardwood throughout the whole first floor it had to be ripped up to all match.

A little 'after' shot.

Before shot of the formal living room

After shot of the formal living room. This is what I like to call 'a clean slate' to work with.

And another shot of 'a clean slate'...can't wait to paint the trim bright white and put some color on the walls!

Day 1

2008-08-30T20:00:00.002-05:00

So, here are some pictures from our first day working on the new flip.

Can you spot Zach up in the tree?? If you look at yesterday's pictures you'll see the giant tree blocking the house.

No more tree! And zach isn't dead and has all his limbs still!

I realized I have a problem when I get giddy over my new shopvac! Check out the old one on the left that was a piece of crap. Now the new one on the right I bought on clearance today and could just hug it I love it so much!

Don't forget safety goggles! I learned a lesson about wearing goggles after cutting my eyeball with a nail a few months ago.

Keep checking back here. I'll have some new pictures tomorrow of the floors stripped of the old carpet.

Welcome to our next Flip Property...

2008-08-29T12:04:00.003-05:00

Watch the drama, blood, sweat, and tears unfold here at kristajameson.blogspot.com!

i miss him....

2008-08-26T17:35:00.002-05:00

Look at that precious face!! My nephew, John Paul, is 8 months and started to stand this week! He is stubborn and independent and loves to eat...just like his proud aunt krista! I get to see him at Thanksgiving. I can't wait to kiss his little chubby cheeks!

3 days....

2008-08-25T16:02:00.002-05:00

until we close on our next flip property. wooooohoooooo!!

not looking forward to the whole 16 hr work days for months but still excited!!
(fyi- i work full time at a church, then go and put in another 8 hrs on my real estate projects)

be looking for lots of pictures documenting this house. i would like to include my blog readers into this project...i thought about giving a few different options on paint colors, floor colors, decorating ideas and having you decide. how fun would that be?!

Before+After

2008-08-24T08:15:00.005-05:00

Pretty nasty huh?!

Sorry about the butt shot of Zach. As you can see this is the old tile that didn't go very high on the wall. I extended the new tile another 8 inches. It gives the appearance that the bathroom is higher then it really is. I'll put an extra long shower curtain in and it will appear even higher. The master bath is very small so doing these changes of making it appear higher and bigger then it is could bring us a bigger return.

Zach installed the new brushed nickle faucet and showerhead.

7 Things

2008-08-22T13:49:00.002-05:00

I have been tagged, by Stephanie, to complete the following.

7 things I want to do before I die

1) Have children! I want 4 of them...and would love a set of twins.
2) Go on more vacations
3) Be on an episode of a house flipping show
4) Run a marathon, or maybe a half marathon
5) Buy a luxury car
6) Continue to lead teenagers in their walks with Christ
7) Adopt an orphan

7 things I can do

1) spend way too much time online
2) Tile work
3) Make people laugh
4) Put a baby to sleep in record time
5) be too sarcastic
6) talk on the phone for hours
7) love my friends

7 things I cannot do

1) Drive a stick shift car
2) lift weights, i'm so very weak
3) stay at the same weight...i'm always going up and down every month
4) like cats. i hate them and i'm scared of them
5) stay up late
6) play video games
7) live a carefree/stressfree life. i'm too high-strung.

7 things that attract me to the opposite sex (changing this one to 'my spouse')

1) Zach's hottness
2) Zach's killer abs
3) Zach's hardworking way of life
4) Zach's love for me
5) Zach's heart for ministry
6) Zach's love for OSU football
7) Zach hopefully letting me name a son 'Tressel' one day (osu fb coach's name)

7 things I say most often

1) Oh my gosh
2) ZACH!!!!
3) I'm so overwhelmed
4) Thank you for calling The People's Church
5) My house is a wreck
6) I want a baby!!
7) I'm fat. (see, i'm honest!)

7 celebrity crushes (in no particular order)

1) Ty Pennington
2) Matthew McConaughey
3) The Jonas Brothers-ok the oldest one because I think he is over 18!) they are so cute!
4) Troy Smith
5) Vince Young
6) David Beckham
7) Michael Phelps (have you seen his abs?!)

Anti-Anxiety

2008-08-20T08:13:00.003-05:00

I'll admit it. I worry. I have major anxiety issues. I fret about the big things, the small things, and everything in between. I'm married to a man that is completely opposite. He never stresses, worries, ever. I have 3 closings next week. For any of you that have ever bought or sold a home its stressful. I have 3 closings at once...thats like triple the load of stress. I've been doing this for years but it still gets me all anxious. There are so many pieces that have to fall into place. I don't want to let anyone down or turn into crazy mean Realtor Krista that can say a swear word or two if someone at the finance company isn't doing their job fast enough. I woke up in the middle of the night all worried and anxious. I do the what if's game. What if this doesn't work. What if that isn't right. It was 3am this morning and I was wide awake about to have a panic attack during my 'what if's' game. I started crying out to the Lord and He gave me a scripture as I laid there.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Php 4:6

Maybe one of you is worried, stressed, or anxious about something. Family problems, relationship problems, finances, job stresses, hard economic times, etc. Maybe this scripture can help bring peace and serenity to your situation too.

Reflection

2008-08-17T23:02:00.005-05:00

I can't believe that we are half way through August. Seriously. I swear it was just May! I know we still have a few months left in this year but I thought it would be fun to do a year in review...so far. Some really happy times, some really sad times, some just plain ol' fun times. Here's to the past 8 months of a wild ride!

OSU was in the National Championship game. Of course we fell short AGAIN, but we still made it there. A little fun fact about me, I want to name one of our kids 'Tressel' after the OSU coach.

Jessica got married and I was able to be a part of the big day. I know her mom was looking down from heaven that day so proud of her baby girl!

I met my new little nephew John Paul. I love this kid to pieces!! He was 2 wks old in this picture.

Here is John Paul at 8 months spending a weekend with his Daddy (my brother) before Shawn leaves for Iraq.

Jess and I went to the Jimmy Eat World Show. It was a dream to see them live!

I got to meet Jadd Hampton. My best friend's baby boy. He was 2 weeks old in this picture.

Me and Jadd last weekend with him being 3.5 months. Seriously, how cute is he!!

My amazing, hot, hardworking, incredible husband who has helped carry me through this year. I don't know what I would ever do without him. It's true that I really do miss him when we leave our separate ways for work each day. I love his hugs, his kisses, his free access to blu-ray dvds:), his passion to work hard, the way he loves me, takes care of me, and always tells me I'm beautiful even when I don't feel it. We celebrate our 3 yr anniversary soon. I love him so so much.

Stress!

2008-08-16T20:14:00.002-05:00

Stress is something that I have carried around with me for years. I really don't know what it is like to sit and relax...To not always be doing something. Right now I feel like I have a million things going on. We are closing on a new property (our largest and most expensive) in less then two weeks. I have other things with my various jobs that have been lingering over my head and deadlines to hit. I was so weary two nights ago. I just couldn't get a break from all the deadlines, stress, to-do lists mounting over my head. Here I am tonight, sitting in a hotel room in Detroit for my cousins wedding. I laid in my bed here for about 4 hrs this afternoon doing nothing. Loving the cable tv (we have a good ol' antenna at our house!)..so i watched HGTV for hours and lounged around. Wow...some stress has already left...and it's only been 12 hrs since I left home.

confessions of a housewife

2008-08-12T12:08:00.002-05:00

I don't know if housewife is the right word because I'm not a stay at home housewife...but nevertheless this is a confessions of being a wife and it involves things around the house.

If there is one thing I HATE doing...its Laundry! Ok, i don't mind actually washing/drying the laundry. That is the easy part. It's folding and putting it away. I literally despise doing this!
Zach has been begging for clean socks for days but just the thought of having all our clean laundry piled on the bed to be sorted, folded, and put away keeps me procrastinating day after day. The poor guy...he's just wanting some clean matching socks. So, any of you other wives out there have a confession about what you hate to do around the house?!

Before+After

2008-08-10T21:53:00.003-05:00

The Master Bedroom is finally done! This room had quite the transformation!

Popcorn ceilings no more!!

A Landlord's Dream...

2008-08-08T21:45:00.002-05:00

What is a Landlord's Dream??? To have a renter pay rent every month, not call with problems, and renew a lease. That my friend, is a landlord's dream. It doesn't happen very often, but sometimes you get really lucky. One of our properties has the lease ending next month and I just found out tonight that they want to renew for another year! This is the renter that has paid every month and has called just ONCE in the last year! Ahhh...so nice.

House Flipping 101

2008-08-08T16:30:00.003-05:00

Zach and I are closing on our 5th property (in two years) at the end of the month. I'm so stinkin excited about this one! The house isn't in terrible condition but definitely needs updating. I have a few professional house flippers that I follow and have learned a lot from. These are some basic tips that I have learned from one of these successful people.

THAN MERRILL'S FLIP TIPS
-Knowledge + Business Systems + Action = Success!
-Marketing to find good real estate deals is the most IMPORTANT part of the business.
-Consistently educate yourself on the real estate business.
-The goal is to work in your business for a short time period and then hire someone to replace you so you can work on your business.
-Real Estate investing is a TEAM sport and the stronger your team the more successful you will be.
-Find someone who is successful in the real estate business and model what they do. Imitate then innovate.
-Failure is the first step towards real estate success.
-Don’t let fear stop you from living up to your true potential.
-Real Estate Investing is a business and should be treated as such.

before+after

2008-08-05T22:29:00.004-05:00

Here is what I did today after work. It is the FINAL room of the house we are stillllllll working on. Hey, life gets busy and projects get put on hold! This is our master bedroom. We have been living in a spare room until this is finished. I'm so excited that I finished painting the walls today. Now, just have to paint the ceiling and finish the floor. (We scraped popcorn ceilings off...I now despise popcorn ceilings.) For some reason, the 'after' pictures came out really bad. My camera must not do well in dust!

Last week I decided to do a little surprise for Zach. We have an outdoor storage closet off our patio. It had never been cleaned out from the prior owners...who had trashed the house that we bought as a foreclosure. So, I cleaned this closet out and had to use 409 cleaner because it smelled like something had died. I went to Home Depot, bought shelving, and then decided it needed a new locking doorknob. I figured out how to get it on and ta-da a new locking door. Zach was pretty impressed that I figured it out and didn't break the door or anything! Oh and it was pouring down rain!

ankle injuries and pimples!

2008-08-02T17:56:00.002-05:00

interesting title, huh?!

So that personal best run of 5.5 miles last week left me with an injury. After 8 days I'm finally able to walk on it without extreme pain. I started freaking out because the race is in one month and I haven't run since last week. Oh well, had to rest it up so I didn't cause more of an injury. I'll hopefully be back running Monday morning. Honestly, I've kinda enjoyed the break. It has been so hot (like 99 degrees and 50% humidity)!!

Also, pimples. yes. pimples. I had the clearest face all through my teenage years. Never had that pimple show up right before school pictures or that hot date. oh wait, i never went on a date in my teenage years. Anyway, my skin is breaking out! I'm convinced it is stress and not some delayed acne problem that my body decided to expose 10 yrs late. I don't really wear makeup so it kinda sucks.

I am excited that my readership is now up to around 4 people! A friend told me yesterday that she was facebook stalking me and came to read my blog off the link on my page. Come on you lurkers, come out of the closet and leave a comment every now and then;)

my brother. my hero.

2008-07-31T12:11:00.002-05:00

He leaves in a month for Iraq. I couldn't be more proud of him. As my little 4 yr old nephew says "Daddy, the angels will protect you and I'll take care of Momma."

i'm not creative, but i'm administrative!

2008-07-28T15:53:00.003-05:00

I'm one of those people that feels so ordinary. Let me explain. My older brother scored like a 30 on his ACT, didn't prepare at all for it...I scored a 21...twice...and prepared like crazy for it. He received several academic scholarships...I received none. My younger brother is crazy talented in art. He makes incredible sculptures, art pieces, drawings, paintings, etc. I can't draw anything more then a stick figure. My dad is a brains guy and has the most amazing memory and so much knowledge. My mom can design and sew the most beautiful wedding dress, install telephone systems, and other high tech things like that. Zach is an excellent Manager. He has been at his store for 6.5 years. His revenue was up 75% last month compared to a year ago. I can't do any of those things. I just always feel so ordinary, so average. I am surrounded by people that are creative, smart, successful, and feel like I don't measure up so many times.

While cleaning out one of our closets the other day I came across Zach's performance review from last Spring. His District Manager rates all the things he is good at, needs improvement on, etc. She had circled 1-5 on various areas. I noticed that all the things that were in the "organization, administrative, paperwork, deadline," categories he scored poorly on...like 1's. But, on his "manager, delegating, performance of store" categories he scored 5's. I sat there at 4:30am (i've had trouble sleeping recently and was up at that time cleaning out a closet!)...I started to think of the things I am good at. I realized all the things Zach scored low on were things I am really good at and love to do. The things I am not good at, he scored high on. It was one of those moments where I realized Zach and I are a team. We both come with our gifts, talents, abilities and just mesh together.

I can't imagine both of us being like me....or both of us being just like him.
-I file everything...i have an unhealthy love for manila folders
-I budget like CRAZY...I keep a spreadsheet of our budget and then sort into categories what was the in/out of our money that month.
-I pay every bill on the 1st of the month. It throws me off to do it any other day.
-I am obsessed with Microsoft Outlook Calendar and don't know what I would do without my calendar deadline reminders.
-I live by schedules, deadlines, structure, etc.

All this to say, in moments where I question how I was wired/gifted/talented/etc...I realize that I far exceed the normal person on the administrative and organizational giftings. So maybe I'm not so ordinary- average afterall:)

New Personal Best!!

2008-07-24T07:10:00.003-05:00

I reached a milestone. This morning I ran the farthest I've ever run in my life! Thanks to my Nike running chip I have it perfectly documented. I didn't have to take any walking breaks either...just a straight run and I did hills! I was so excited to share this with my 3 blog readers out there.

Distance 5.53 miles
Time 53.22
Pace: 9.37 min/mile
Calories: 604 (i really like that part;)

HOT!

2008-07-23T11:40:00.003-05:00

The weather has been SO HOT! I have about 5 weeks until the Franklin Classic 10K run. I had put a very big goal for myself of running the 10K and doing it with an average of 9 min/miles. I'm starting to think that is not an attainable goal! I have had a difficult time getting runs in because of the heat and even worse, the Tennessee Humidity. I'm sorry, but when I see it is 97 degrees out with 70% humidity, the last thing I feel like doing is running 5 miles. I'm also not an early morning person so I dread getting up early for a morning run before the heat kicks in. Oh and I can't run at night by myself when its dark. Woah, now I see why the hubby calls me high maintenance! At this point if I can get my butt out the door and get more runs in I could do the 9 min/miles if not, hey, at least I can say I ran 6.2 miles without stopping or passing out!

wedding fun

2008-07-21T16:02:00.002-05:00

me and the hubby:)

us jameson's.

the cute couple

the pretty bride and crazy single girls diving for the bouquet

yeah...more married friends!

2008-07-17T17:21:00.003-05:00

Zach and I got married young. Like 19 & 21. (he turned 20 on the last day of our honeymoon though!) We have been in an awkward place ever since. Because we got married young, we have been the only married couple in our group of friends for almost 3 yrs! If we were to hang out with all married people, most of them have kids and are about 5 yrs older then us.

Well, we are so excited that this weekend we will have another married couple in our circle of friends! Nate & Callie are getting hitched! I remember when they started dating 4.5 yrs ago! wow, thats a long time. Nate & Callie -can't wait for your wedding day in just 2 days...when we can finally say 'welcome to the married club'.

blu-ray + friends

2008-07-14T12:23:00.006-05:00

Who would ever think that a used big screen tv, a blue-ray player, free hi def movies, and friends would create such wonderful summer nights?!!

I never thought I would ever say this, but thank you to my husband who got the PS3 with built in blu-ray for a movie experience like no other and thank you for managing Blockbuster for 6.5 yrs and bringing home free movies every night...thank you lysol cleaning wipes for making a quick clean of the bathroom when friends come over on a whim...thank you Pillsbury dough for being so easy to bake fresh cookies in 9 minutes...

i love summer. i love friends. i love convenience.

thankful

2008-07-10T11:52:00.002-05:00

In a recent post I talked about how my heart had changed at youth camp. Typically I go to camp as a leader thinking I will help teach others, when in reality God uses those students to teach me! I hate to keep bringing this up in my life but obviously the miscarriage that I experienced 2.5 months ago still hurts some days. For the most part I have moved on and I'm embracing life again but there are those moments where I ask God what I am supposed to learn from that experience. So I'm standing in worship one night of camp and asking God to speak to me...to answer some questions. "Why did that happen on April 17th? What could I possibly learn from this Lord? Will you heal my heart completely? Will you make my life matter? Will you please use me, Lord?"

I had this moment where it was almost an audible voice. That peace that passed ALL human understanding of the last 2.5 months. I looked up and saw a few of my students. "Krista, you are HERE. You may not understand why you lost that baby, but trust me, I have brought you to this place to love these kids in this moment. Though you lost your own child, I've given you the opportunity to teach, mentor, love, and care for these kids. You are here at camp, with no distractions, not pregnant, completely vulnerable, with a broken heart, and I use you in those moments. Be thankful that you have this time in your life to pour out. This is your destiny for right now. You are exactly where I want you to be." It was very surreal. This peace came over me. I shared the story with my small group of girls that night.

I love how when I do cry out to Him he does answer. I've gone through a difficult trial but knew that it was creating perseverance and ultimately refining me as a believer.

James 1:2-4
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

Saturday

2008-07-08T20:27:00.003-05:00

Saturday is always our big remodeling day. Zach finished the hardwood floors in the kitchen. You can see from the pictures below that it had a bad linoleum floor before and now has some nice hardwood flooring.

Floor before:

Floor after:

I also finished scraping a popcorn ceiling in the last room downstairs. It's messy and a big pain but the end result is so worth it!

We are down to our final room which is the first floor master bedroom. We are putting hardwood floors in the bedroom so I was ripping up the old carpet nail strips that line the wall where the old carpet used to be. I was ripping these strips up with a pry bar while NOT wearing anything to protect my eyes. I was moving rather quickly and had a nail fly up into my eye and cut my eyeball! It hurt, I thought I was going to lose my sight but I didn't. It's been bloodshot for 4 days now but the pain has gone away. Lesson learned: always cover your eyes when using a prybar and removing nails from concrete.

My Brother

2008-07-03T17:03:00.002-05:00

This 4th of July will be different. As I reflect on those that have been fighting for our freedom, it hits close to home. This is my big brother Shawn who will leave in the early fall for Iraq. It is his first time to be deployed there. He did spend a year in Korea in 2005. I'm proud of my brother. He sacrifices each day as a Soldier to make all of our lives easier here in the US. He begins special training next week for the next three months before he leaves. He will leave behind a wife and two little sons, Parker 4.5 yrs old and John Paul 7 months.

Camp 08

2008-07-02T11:11:00.005-05:00

We just got back from camp yesterday. I got home at 5pm after unloading and went straight to the laundry room to start cleaning clothes. I was asleep by 6:30pm and woke up this morning at 7am. Guess I was maybe a little tired?! It was such a great weekend. I just LOVE our middle school kids. They are awesome and so much fun. It is such an impressionable age, so I take it very serious with the time we have to invest in their lives. Middle school worship rocks and I loved every minute of it. I didn't take my camera this year because I'm always afraid I'll lose it or break it! Hopefully I'll post more pictures soon. God did some amazing things in my own heart this weekend and I'm excited to see what else he wants to reveal.

The last night of camp the 8th graders had a big shaving cream/water balloon fight. Obviously the boys did this to me..I'm the 3rd one from the left! It was so fun and I'm sad they are moving to high school soon:(

I'm on the right on the zip line that goes 1000 ft. I'm always scared to do the initial jump but its so fun once I get going!

unplugged

2008-06-26T14:12:00.003-05:00

I look forward to this time every year. It's the weekend of our student ministry summer camp. The title of this entry is 'unplugged' because I love the break I get from cell phones, email, internet, facebook, blogs, etc. etc. I just love to have a true break and get away from the day to day routine.

Youth camp is such an amazing time for me. I have the honor of leading students, growing closer to the Lord, and having TONS of fun.

I pray the Lord works in a mighty way over the 5 days that we are gone.

First 10K!

2008-06-23T18:48:00.004-05:00

I must have a goal set for me to push myself...this especially is true in exercise and nutrition. After talking to this hardcore runner I was inspired to sign up for the 10K Labor Day race in Franklin. I have actually never run over 5 miles at once. My typical pace that I can't get rid of is around a 10 minute mile. I have two goals set for the Franklin Classic race.

1. To Finish
2. To average a 9 minute mile...finishing in under 56 minutes.

And I would still like to drop a few pounds too...but if I'm exercising regularly and feel good then its ok.

friends

2008-06-21T14:38:00.004-05:00

This is Angie and I at the bridal shower last night. We've been friends for 7 years. I don't know what I would do without her. We can talk for hours, we laugh, we cry, we get in trouble with our husbands for running up our cell phone bills, and we can lay out for 5 hrs straight:) I thank God that she is in my life....and her amazing little children!

summer fun

2008-06-19T14:04:00.007-05:00

Woah! This week has flown by. I'm so excited because I have the day off tomorrow. I'm spending it doing things I love.

-I love the early morning sunrise so I'll go for a run. I just thought this picture I found on the internet of a sunrise was pretty. Hopefully I can do around 3 miles in the morning.

-Going to Supperthyme to prepare some meals from a giftcard my mom gave me at Christmas! I'll be preparing these dinners which I'm excited about!
-Beef Bolognese & Pasta
-Balsamic Beef Kabobs
-Parmesan Pork Tenderloin

-I don't have time to layout since I work about 60+ hrs a week between my business ventures. So, I go to this place and get a glistening tan and relax for 20 mins:)

-Then I get to see these two friends for bekah's first wedding shower! I love them and it's weird that my little bekah who I've known since she was 14 is getting married.

Sunday has arrived.

2008-06-15T19:32:00.006-05:00

I couldn't wait for this evening all week. Why? Because I had NOTHING planned. I actually have lots to do around the house as laundry, dishes, and cleaning needs to be done...but oh well. Blogs come first:)

After reading Jen's post the other day I could really relate to loving children especially our sponsored compassion child. I had written the following on my facebook note/blog thing a few months ago so I'm posting it here too.

Those close to me know that I went through a huge loss February 21, 2007. My sweet Emma Grace passed away at 5 yrs old from a rare genetic disease. I cared for Emma for several years starting when she was just 2 months old. She was like my own child...I loved her so deeply and cared for her through the many surgeries, therapy sessions, endless diaper changes, etc. etc. I'll probably never feel a love towards a child like I did with Emma until I have my own kids one day. I've been thinking a lot about those final moments at her bedside, about the final goodbye, or about all the times I said "I love you Emma" and she would smile at me and say "Kista!" When I said the final goodbye to her I gave her a picture of me and her dancing. Emma was never able to walk but she loved to sit and 'dance'. So I said "Emma, you go dance for Jesus tonight!" I know she entered heaven that night running, jumping, dancing, and laughing at the feet of Jesus.

I have realized what an honor it was to love Emma as my job for so many years. Seriously, to get paid to love a child and care for them is probably the best job ever!

I wanted to love another child and 'provide' for their needs again. I am now sponsoring Apodi Ambrose, an adorable 3 yr old boy from Uganda. He is just precious! I had a stirring on my heart to step outside of my comfortable Williamson County life to use my resources to help a child. I'll probably never meet him but I pray his life is touched on the other side of the world, just as my life is touched here in Franklin, TN.
www.compassion.com

After rereading this it just reminds me of how much I long for a child of my very own to love and pray that God grants that request again soon.

Here are a few pictures!

Emma Grace

One of the last pictures taken together before she died.

Apodi Ambrose-Our sweet compassion child that loves to play soccer and color!

need endurance

2008-06-12T15:38:00.002-05:00

this week has been great. i've really used my organizational gifts to make the spring hill kids vbs week go smoothly. but, i'm just exhausted. last night i wrote up an offer for a client on a foreclosure. its a great deal but these kinds of contracts are a nightmare most of the time...its so stressful! i've been going to bed every night about two hours earlier than usual. i've been feeling pulled and stretched in every area-physically, emotionally, vocationally, relationally, spiritually, -hmm did i miss any?!! i left work early today and called my husband asking how i was going to make it through the next few days. i sat down and started asking the Lord for supernatural endurance to finish everything well. our bible study is meeting at pinkerton park tonight. i'm excited to be outside and with my friends. it's much needed.

dust dust dust

2008-06-10T17:12:00.004-05:00

dust is everywhere in our house. when you are remodeling it seems to just accumulate no matter how many times you wipe down the floors or walls. oh well...when we are finally finished with the house i'll be so excited for no more dust!

here are some recent pictures. the following projects are not totally done but here's a preview of the almost (not cleaned) finished project...

BEFORE living room floor

AFTER living room floor (its diiiirty)

BEFORE master bath shower

AFTER master bath shower

BEFORE master bath floor

AFTER master bath floor

VBS '08 Spring Hill style

2008-06-10T16:53:00.005-05:00

The TPC Spring Hill Campus is participating in VBS at the Franklin campus again this year. We had a record 63 kids today that we transported to Franklin for VBS. (Until we have a facility of our own this is what we have to do.) The kids are having a great time and so are us leaders! It's been a tiring few days already but I just have to think its so worth it! These kids will remember this week for a long time and I was able to be a part of it.

life is good 5K

2008-06-08T14:16:00.002-05:00

Saturday was a busy day for us. As we continue to finish up the renovations on our house, I worked all day on our master bath tile. I finished the tiled floor and shower surround. After working most of the day on it, I was tired. Zach went to work at 4 and I didn't have anything to do for the rest of the night. At 4:30 I decided to go run in the Life is Good 5K in Westhaven. I haven't run in a week and it was HOT!!! I crossed the finish line and thought about what an idiot I was to do this race! Later in the evening when I finally cooled down I decided that not many people would attempt at 5K race in 90+ degree heat. I did and I finished. I slept so good last night too!

i love him

2008-06-06T11:10:00.002-05:00

carson+jadd

2008-06-05T08:17:00.004-05:00

The two little joys of my life are Carson and Jadd. These are my best friend's children. Carson is silly and we have lots of fun together. Jadd is 5 weeks in picture below. He will grow to love his 'auntie' krista too:)

2 Months of Silence

2008-06-04T22:05:00.002-05:00

Wow...lots happened in two months. In this order...

-Found out I was pregnant
-Had a miscarriage 41 days into the pregnancy which landed me in the hospital
-Was in my dear friend Jess's wedding which was amazing
-Saw Jimmy Eat World Live!
-The birth of my best friend's baby boy
-Came back to reality of life...post miscarriage...with crazy hormones and emotions
-Ever so slow renovations happening on our house
-Ran a 5K in my goal time (28:31)
-Started having a weekly bible study at our house
-Planned a large community outreach in Spring Hill

Now...
-Enjoying the beginning of Summer in Franklin
-Looking forward to VBS next week at church
-Then the student ministry summer camp in a few weeks
-Trying to run more and lose pounds from the chocolate that I have consumed my emotions in..
-Pursuing another foreclosure property near us
-Walking day by day in this messy thing called life and learning to trust God even though its not easy

took a break from home renovations to watch these...

2008-04-02T11:53:00.005-05:00

The movie was dark, but the shots of Alaska were breathtaking. The best part of this movie was the Soundtrack. Seriously, Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam) put out one killer soundtrack.

Oh and I finally watched this movie the other night after it's been out for like 4 years! One of the best movies I have ever seen. Love Love Loved it!!

pictures tell a story....

2008-04-02T10:57:00.003-05:00

Pictures from the last few weeks...

Cutest Nephew ever!

John Paul and I -i heart him:)

Hannah and I at church

Bekah and I at the Cat's show...and a vanilla ice record

Hayley and Josh playing at Cat's

still workin!

2008-03-24T19:33:00.004-05:00

This is a before and after of the fireplace. We had to drywall a large ugly shelf that was built in above the fireplace. We ripped it out and covered the hole and painted it. I'm going to put a big mirror over the fireplace. Zach put the slate tiles on this weekend. They look pretty cool for our first time doing it!

As you can see below we are ripping out the old tile in the master bath shower. They are the small tiles that were cool about 10 years ago. I'm going to tile with large 12x12 tiles and take the tiling higher on the wall. I also just scraped the popcorn ceiling out of this bathroom too.

a few 'before and after' pics

2008-03-05T22:26:00.006-06:00

We are by no means done with the property. It keeps me motivated to see before and after pictures of projects. We are making progress, just not as fast as I'd like!

Baby Showers, Wedding, and Drama with Tenants

2008-02-29T12:04:00.005-06:00

Here is a recent picture of Zach and I from Leah's wedding last weekend. Three weekends in a row with a wedding/wedding shower/baby showers! Why does it seem like big life events of getting married and having babies always hit all at once?!

Recap:
Last week was the one year date of when sweet Emma passed away (the little 5 year old that I was a nanny for). Zach and I took in a friend that was in need that was living out of his car. And... I have also been through h-e-l-l with some tenants on a property I managed. And when I mean hell, I mean I was so stressed I lost 5 lbs in about 10 days. The busyness and stress has kept our house at a standstill. We had several plumbing leaks with our upstairs toilet that led to waking up a few morning with our kitchen floor soaked from the ceiling leaking. It's like we got to this place where we hit a wall. We've been living in the property for 3 weeks now and still don't have a kitchen sink, oven, dishwasher..hello McDonalds & Bleachers 3x a week!

It's been amazing to see how crazy life has been in the past few weeks, but to see how much the Lord has been working in my current circumstances. A verse that I've held to has been:

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior." Habakkuk 3:17-18

Basically when everything in my life feels like its falling apart or not working or I don't have control over my present circumstances, God is still faithful and Present and I can cling to Him in spite of it all.

Brockton Flip...what feels like day 528..only day 22

2008-01-24T22:44:00.000-06:00

Z and I always set goals & timelines that we never meet. We typically work really hard then slack off for a few days...and continue that in a cycle. Last night I was supposed to finish painting before the carpet is installed on Monday...but I slacked off and spent the evening with a friend watching a crappy movie that made us both depressed...but it was still fun to hang out before she leaves for several weeks. Since I fell behind last night I'm now looking at an extremely busy weekend to say the least.

-All trim work upstairs must be painted
-Finish all the walls along staircase
-800 sq ft of carpet is installed on Monday..woohoo! But that means all painting has to be done.
-Lay backerboard AND tile upstairs bath before Monday...yikes!
-Put up backsplash in kitchen
-Grout the kitchen countertop

Just looking at the list makes me stressed. Since my pictures have been erased off my memory card TWICE since this started, I took more pics tonight. Enjoy....

soon to have carpet!

slackin' on the job....

Our new carpet...which I got for 65% off..i love finding a good deal!

Newly laid granite tile countertop...(missing backsplash, grout, and a good cleaning)
This was a nightmare to do.

Upstairs bedroom...this room was DISGUSTING! If only my original picture hadn't been erased. I have never seen so much dog poop in my life...on carpet...in a bedroom! Yuck! The walls were terrible with close to 100 holes that had to be patched, sanded, sanded again, and 2 coats of wall paint, 3 coats of trim paint! Quite the job.

The condition of this room wasn't too bad. This will be 'Zach's Room'...with the big screen, surround sound, 200 dvd's, etc. I stopped him though when he wanted to 'sound proof' the room with foam or whatever.

Loft area which will be my new office...yay!!
Also, our new kickbutt tile saw.

Zach patching walls from the prior owner's terrible animals.

a look back- year twothousandseven

2008-01-21T21:37:00.000-06:00

I can't believe 2007 is over and we are almost a month into 2008 already! It's crazy! Last year was a very busy year for me and my boo, Zach. In 13 months we have personally bought 3 properties...renovating all 3. That's a lot to do...we do this in addition to working 50+ hrs a week (and Z is in school full time.) We love it though. There is something about seeing the instant change when you do a home improvement project. On a Saturday morning I would enter a room with disgusting foreclosure condition dog pooped on carpet and by the end of the long 14 hour work day I would see the masterpiece of new hardwood floors. I love instant gratification so going into a room with boring white walls and painting color just makes me excited. I know, I'm weird! I'm going to post some pictures of one of our projects from the Summer 2007. Probably the best part was selling it in 5 days from when I listed it!

New Windows installed by Z and 'friends'

Living Room

Dining Area

All new kitchen, I laid tile for what felt like days!

Bedroom-this room was DISGUSTING when we purchased it!
There was dog poop all over the carpet in the bedroom & closet, we had to wear masks it was so bad!

All new bathroom...more tile...

and more tile...

"Before" Pictures of Brockton Flip-Jan '08

2008-01-05T17:37:00.001-06:00

Master Bedroom

Demolition! My favorite part!

Living Room -looks like a construction site!

Kitchen-no appliances, no countertop!

Welcome to our flip...Jameson style

2008-01-04T22:54:00.001-06:00

After a long week of issues with the mortgage company & the holidays we finally did close this past Wednesday Jan. 2nd. I was so greatful to my favorite Loan Goddess, Betsy for all her work on this deal. She has done 3 loans for us and we won't use anyone else! I recommend her to all my clients as well. Jai is my other favorite-the escrow agent at Founders Title who worked a miracle to get this closed.

Wednesday night I took some pictures of the new place and we showed it to both of our parents for the first time. I was so excited to start working on it, but Zach decided that we needed to schedule and plan out what we were doing...Boring!! I got a little mad because I was ready to dive in, but we did get a lot planned out.

A snapshot of this deal:
It's our 4th property purchase and largest so far
1710 sq ft, 3 bed 2 bath in Franklin
I have a $10,000 budget on this project...which seems very low for this amount of space.
Timeline is around 5 weeks for the "big stuff" to be done so we can move in.