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- New Movie Releases
- Recipe of the Month

April 2009

1 -- April Fool's Day
12 -- Easter
15 -- Tax Day
22 -- Earth Day

Springtime in Knoxville

The grass is so green the flowers so beautiful.  We do not know if there is a more beautiful time in Knoxville.  Here,  at The Hughes Properties, we have many new listings.  We also have many sellers that have made great price reductions and we want you to know about all of these.  Please forward this information to anyone that might be interested.  If you have a friend, relative or business associate that may be interested in Knoxville please send them our name!  Visit our website often to see ALL of our  listings. Our site will have new features very soon.  Feel free to see and share!  We have also invested more marketing dollars in our listings and they now appear on even more real estate sites. Our listings will be seen on Yahoo Real Estate, Oodle, Probot, Propsmart, Trulia, Vast, Zillow, Google Base, City List , CLR search.  This will update constantly as new sites are added via our syndication service.  We are providing cutting edge marketing for our clients and we also believe there is no substitute for top notch customer service and excellent communication.

RIVERBEND ON THE WATER A RARE OFFERING

This completely renovated 4BR/5B home sits majestically atop point overlooking 365 ft of private lakeshore on Ft Loudon Lake. Home is perfectly situated on 1.80 acres at back of cul-de-sac on Riverbriar Rd in highly desirable Lyon's Bend subdivision. The house was built to capture unparalleled lake views from every room. It boasts a large living room  with a stone fireplace, exposed beam ceiling, main level master suite with a sitting area, fireplace, and private glass enclosed office overlooking lake, an additional  main level bedroom and bath, dining room,  gourmet kitchen, dining room, and  laundry.  The lower level offers wet bar, large living space with an enormous stone fireplace and two additional bedrooms. Both levels offer fabulous built-ins and extra storage. Lush landscaping, newer boat dock and lift, security system, and  irrigation system are just a few of the MANY features offered in this close in,  waterfront estate!  *Owner is licensed realtor* Northshore to Lyons Bend Rd, 2 1/4 miles L Houser Rd 1 1/4 miles L Whitehorse R Hickory Hollow L Riverbriar, house at rear of cul-de-sac, there is no sign on the property. offered at $1,550,000. Please contact Tom Hughes (865)806-1886
 

5+ Acres A Madison Lane Estate

THIS AUTHENTIC REPRODUCTION OF A 200 YEAR OLD WILLIAMSBURG HOME OFFERS TRADITIONAL BEAUTY, SPACIOUS ROOMS, ELEGANT MOLDINGS AND FRIENDLY FUNCTION. 5BRS/6.5BAs AND 12 FIREPLACES! COMFORT AND PRIVACY ABOUND. PERFECTLY SITUATED ON OVER 5 ACRES W/A HORSE BARN AND INDOOR BASKETBALL COURT. THE MAIN LEVEL FEATURES A HUGE DINING ROOM, KEEPING ROOM OFF OF THE KITCHEN, NEW STAINLESS APPLIANCES, A FORMAL LIVING ROOM, PANELED STUDY, SUNROOM, AND GRAND ENTRANCE. THE BASEMENT REC ROOM IS ENORMOUS AND THE MASTER FEATURES A JACUZZI AND FIREPLACE. EACH BEDROOM HAS ITS OWN BATH, A VERY SPECIAL HOME PERFECT FOR YOUR LARGE FAMILY.  Offered at $1,550,000 Please contact Debaran (865)660-4411

The Gem of Treasured Forest Brook

THIS BEAUTIFUL HARD COAT STUCCO HOME IS OVER 5300 SQ. FT. AND THE GEM OF TREASURED FOREST BROOK. COMPLETELY REDONE AND ADDED TO IN 2003, EVERYTHING IS NEW WITH TRADITIONAL CHARM & UPDATED OPENNESS THAT YOU WON'T BELIEVE. THE GOURMET KITCHEN WITH CUSTOM CABINETRY FLOWS BEAUTIFULLY TO THE ENORMOUS GREAT ROOM THAT FEATURES ONE OF TWO STACKED STONE FIREPLACES, 4 TOTAL FIREPLACES, A WET BAR, TWO BONUS ROOMS,  4 BEDROOMS, 3.5 BATHS, A BILLARD ROOM, FORMAL LIVING ROOM,  MAIN LEVEL OFFICE AND TONS OF WALK-IN STORAGE, PLUS A THREE CAR GARAGE IN THIS FABULOUS HOME.CUSTOM EVERYTHING! HURRY & SPEND SUMMER IN FOREST BROOK. OFFERED AT $799,000 PLEASE CONTACT DEBARAN (865)660-4411.

TOBIAS A GREAT FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD IN ROCKY HILL!

WONDERFUL FAMILY HOME~VERY SPACIOUS WITH LOTS OF STORAGE. 5 BEDROOMS, 2.5 BATHS, HIGH CEILINGS AND A GREAT SCREENED IN PORCH WHICH IS THE PERFECT PLACE TO ENJOY YOUR HUGE FENCED IN BACK YARD, THE HOME IS STYLISH, BEAUTIFUL AND READY TO MOVE IN! COME SEE. OFFERED AT $284,000 PLEASE CONTACT DEBARAN (865)660-4411.

REDUCED IN KENSINGTON-OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY APRIL 19TH, 2:00-4:00

This beautiful home features a private backyard oasis, 4 bedrooms, plus a bonus, 4 full baths plenty of floored attic storage, new exterior paint, and a stylish interior that is a must see! The open floor plan features hardwoods, a huge master suite w/ sitting area and a fully renovated master bath. A main level bedroom and bath are an added feature of this home with sooo...many extras.   The renovated kitchen has granite, double ovens and a large walk in pantry! Hurry and relax on your fabulous screened in porch or sit by your beautiful pool. Excellent stucco report available on reguest!  Reduced and offered at $439,000 Please contact Debaran (865)660-4411

New Listing in Fox Den-OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY, APRIL 19TH 2:00-4:00

Wonderful 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath home perfectly situated on very private circle in desirable Fox Den subdvision. Well appointed kitchen featuring new Stainless Steel  Frigidaire appliances (refrigerator, microwave, cooktop, dishwasher and double ovens), GE Monogram wine cooler, granite tops and new cabinetry. A  large dining/den combo as well as large shower, dual showerheads, double granite vanity, beautiful cabinetry and walk in closet.  .A  finished walk-out basement with extra storage, full bath, and possible 5th bedroom with a plumbed area for a  wet bar. Home is moments away  from Fox Den Country Club and  minutes away from restaurants and shopping. Offered at only $299,000!  Please contact Tom (865)806-1886

New Listing in the heart of Sequoyah Hills

ELEGANT TWO STORY TRADITIONAL HOME IN ONE OF THE MOST PRISTINE AREAS OF SEQUOYAH HILLS. THIS HOME FEATURES MASTER ON THE MAIN, CUSTOM MOLDINGS, BUILT-INS, FORMAL DINING ROOM, OPEN KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM COMBINATION W/ FIREPLACE OVERLOOKING STONE PATIO AND FABULOUSLY LANDSCAPED YARD. VERY SHORT WALK TO TALAHI PARK, CHEROKEE BLVD., SEQUOYAH SCHOOL AND THE LIBRARY.  OFFERED AT $630,000 PLEASE CONTACT TOM (865)80-1886

Price Reductions....Please go to our site to read more about all of these wonderful properties

Sherwood Oakes-Bellingham Drive  Reduced $699,000

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.
-- Chinese Proverb

Existing-Home Sales Rise in February

Existing-home sales increased in February, reversing losses in January, according to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors®. Even so, sales activity remains relatively soft, reflecting additional layoffs and buyers waiting for housing provisions in the economic stimulus package to take effect.

Existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – rose 5.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.72 million units in February from a pace of 4.49 million units in January. Seasonal adjustment factors are more volatile in winter months, but sales rates over the past few months show dampened sales activity.

“Because entry-level buyers are shopping for bargains, distressed sales accounted for 40 to 45 percent of transactions in February,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, noting that most of the activity concentrated in lower price ranges. “Our analysis shows that distressed homes typically are selling for 20 percent less than the normal market price, and this naturally is drawing down the overall median price.”

The national median existing-home price for all housing types was $165,400 in February, down 15.5 percent from a year ago when the median was $195,800 and conditions were close to normal.

“Given the downward distortion in price comparisons due to distressed sales, it’s important for owners to keep in mind that this doesn't equate to a similar loss of value for traditional homes in good condition,” said Yun, adding that a recovery in the West was much stronger than expected. “Strong sales gains in the West are led by California, where the median listing price is beginning to rise for the first time in three years.”

According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage edged up to 5.13 percent in February from a record low 5.05 percent in January; the rate was 5.92 percent in February 2008.

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Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.
-- Peter Marshall

Making Family Unity a Priority

Life is busy! And sometimes it seems there's less time every day -- which makes it even more important than ever -- to prioritize your schedule so that family time is at the top of the list.

Family unity encourages families to create daily routines, as well as special traditions and celebrations which affirm members, connect them to family roots, and add creativity and fun to otherwise ordinary events. While this notion isn't new, the list of benefits continues to grow. Following are just a few:

• Helps family members feel important and needed.
• Helps family members recognize the benefits and pleasures to be gained from time and activities together.
• Helps build family pride and builds up a reserve of good feelings.
• Encourages communication between family members.
• Fosters creativity and provides a fun-filled environment.

Living under the same roof is not enough. Strong families are deeply committed to promoting the happiness and welfare of its members and make it a priority to spend time together. Some ways they demonstrate this commitment includes family dinners, playing games together, family outings, talking (and listening) to each other, treating each other with respect, and encouraging, loving and forgiving one another. It is this commitment that allows family members to feel they can depend on each other in good times and bad.

Note that the "family unit" doesn't have to be a mom, a dad, and two-and-a-half kids. It can consist of parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and even a close family friend. The important thing is that family members spend quality time together and strive to build a close-knit family in spite of a busy schedule.

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Put a grain of boldness into everything you do.
-- Baltasar Gracian

Items Needed to Secure a Home Loan

To make your loan application go smoothly, the following documents are generally needed to complete the loan application process. Keep in mind different lenders may require different documentation, but the following items are almost always necessary:

• Most recent two pay stubs
• Last two year's W-2's
• Information on long-term debts
• Most recent two to three months bank statements
• Two year's tax returns (if self employed)
• Home address(es) the past two years (and landlord contact information if applicable)
• Copy of sales contract and estimate of proceeds, or settlement sheet (if you have or will be selling a home)
• Proof of any other income
• Address and description of the property you wish to buy
• Copy of sales contract on home purchase (and disclosures)
• Copy of driver's license for all borrowers

During the application process, the lender will order a credit report and a professional appraisal of the property you want to purchase. The application process typically takes two to six weeks.

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The most pleasant and useful persons are those who leave some of the problems of the universe for God to worry about.
-- Don Marquis

6 Steps to Cleaning Your Furnace's Filter

You probably rarely, if ever, think about your furnace's filter. Who does? However, it is an important home maintenance task. A furnace filter helps keep the air in your home clean and your heating and cooling systems running efficiently.

If the filter is dirty, you're making your furnace work harder (costing you more money) and, more importantly, you're exposing yourself and others to unnecessary dust, pollen, mold spores and other particles that can cause respiratory infections and other types of allergies.

If you know how easy it is to clean or change the filter, you're likely to do it more frequently. Here's how you do it:

1. Sweep or vacuum the area around the furnace if it is really dirty; you want to keep the area as clean as possible.
2. Locate your filter (read the furnace manual if necessary). In a forced-air system, the filter will be in your air return. In a gas or electric furnace, it will be behind the service panel, usually on the furnace's lower front or side.
3. Most units will turn off when you remove the service panel; if yours doesn't, turn off the furnace.
4. Remove the filter from the unit and hold it up to the light. If you can't easily see light through the screen, it needs to be replaced or cleaned (depending on what kind you have).
5. You can use a hose or vacuum to rinse or suck away the dust particles. If you hose it down be sure to let it dry before putting it back into the furnace. If the filter is disposable, write down the size and go buy a new one; replace.
6. Make sure the arrows on the new filter are pointed in the right direction and slide it into the furnace. Replace the panel.

Many professionals recommend you clean or replace your furnace's filter every one to three months. Since you don't need any tools, and it's easy to do, you can do it as you seem fit -- just be sure to check it often and keep in mind it may need changing more frequently in colder months when your furnace is working harder.

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That which is striking and beautiful is not always good, but that which is good is always beautiful.
-- Ninon de L'Enclos

Wine Tasting Descriptor: Body

No doubt you've been at a dinner party or a wine bar and heard somebody talking about the "body" of a wine. Well, you knew some wines have legs, and others need to breathe, so it makes sense that they have a body too. So, just what are they talking about?

"Body" is a wine tasting descriptor that gives the taster a way to describe some of the characteristics they are experiencing while assessing the overall quality of wine. The body, or sense of alcohol in the wine and sense of feeling in the mouth, is basically describing how thick or thin the wine feels in your mouth. Just as a strawberry shake has a different feel than a hot cup of tea, wine has its own "mouth feel."

With that said, a "light-bodied" wine usually means it watery (and that's not necessarily bad, it's a matter of preference). If wine was milk, a light-bodied wine would be the equivalent of skim milk. There's a bit of substance there, but the wine has less presence on the palate.

Moving on, a "medium-bodied" wine has more substance, or mouth feel, than the light wine. It would be the regular milk in the comparison. Lastly, a "full-bodied" wine is dense with flavor and texture. It fills the mouth, has a winey taste, and you can usually sense alcohol. It has weight on the tongue and would be like a rich, thick glass of chocolate milk in the comparison.

This is a bit of a simplification, but I hope you get the idea. The best way to really understand this concept is to try three different wines and compare. Try a light riesling or a pinot grigio for the light-bodied wine; a quality chardonnay for the medium; and a sauvignon cabernet, or port, for the full-bodied wine. It will only take a few tastes of each for you to feel the difference and understand the role body plays in wine.

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The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it.
-- H.L. Mencken

Multivitamins: Good or Bad?

There's a lot of research out there on multivitamins, and believe it or not, the jury's still out on whether or not it is beneficial for everyone. One thing seems clear, however; the purpose of vitamins is as a supplement only. Since many vitamins are difficult to get from food, and because people don't necessarily eat a proper balanced diet every day, multivitamins may help bridge the nutrition gap.

However, most researchers agree it's best to get the nutrients you need from food. This is not only possible, it's also beneficial because when you eat food you obtain other vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients not included in a multivitamin.

A good multivitamin will contain vitamin A, B, all the B complex, C, D, and E, as well as calcium, potassium, magnesium and other minerals and elements like iodine, chromium, copper, selenium, and zinc. If you do take a multivitamin, it is important to find one that contains 100 percent DRI/RDA or less for each ingredient, as getting too much of a particular vitamin can be as bad as getting too little.

Since there is evidence both in favor and against the use of multivitamins, it is important for you to really evaluate your daily eating habits. And, because some groups of people may benefit from multivitamins more than others, it's advised that you talk to your doctor to discuss how it may affect your health.

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Laughter is an instant vacation.
-- Milton Berle

April Movie Releases

• April 3
  • Fast & Furious
  • Adventureland
• April 8
  • Dragonball Evolution
• April 10
  • Hannah Montana the Movie
  • Observe and Report
• April 17
  • 17 Again
  • Crank: High Voltage
  • State of Play
• April 22
  • Earth
• April 24
  • Fighting
  • Obsessed
  • The Soloist

I would rather trust a woman's instinct than a man's reason.
-- Stanley Baldwin

Upside-Down Sausage and Mushroom Pizza

Ingredients - 6

• 1 lb. sweet/hot turkey sausage -- no casing
• 1 cup sliced onion
• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup pasta sauce
• 1 cup pizza sauce
• 1/2 cup sliced black olives
• 16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tb sp. olive oil
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until soft (about 2 minutes). Add pasta and pizza sauce and olives and bring to a simmer (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and transfer sauce to the bottom of a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and oil until blended. Whisk in flour and salt until well blended. Pour mixture over sauce in pan. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until golden brown (about 25 minutes). Cool a few minutes and serve.

Wine Pairing

• Ottone I Barbera Piemonte DOC 2006

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Tom & Debaran Hughes
1200 Forest Brook Road
Knoxville, TN 37919

This eNewsletter contains information, facts and opinions from various individuals and organizations. This eNewsletter is provided on an "as-is" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. I/We are not responsible for any errors or omissions. Consult with your doctor, fitness consultant, attorney, accountant, or other professional advisor when necessary. © 2009 eNewsletterSolutions.