With an increasingly aging population, Americans are understandably assuming a greater interest in prolonging their longevity. But a longer life is no assurance that you’ll enjoy the quality lifestyle that you hope for.

With all the advances in medicine, it is now more possible than ever before to experience not only a longer life, but just as importantly a quality of life that will make your life more fulfilling.

People are encouraged to take a much more proactive role in their overall wellness rather than to be a spectator as was often the case in the past. People are searching for information and resources that will better assist them in the health care decisions that they make.

One challenge that persists, however, is that the information that they search for rarely exists as a single resource, and if it does, it is often inaccessible, often available only in larger metropolitan areas.

When I first envisioned Smiley Family Chiropractic & Wellness Center, I saw it as a total wellness and well-being resource that could help to not only diagnose and treat injuries and disease, but also would be devoted to helping those who are already healthy to lead and experience an even healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.

Today, with my vision achieved, the Smiley Family Chiropractic & Wellness Center is a 6,000 square foot, state-of-the-art medical facility representing one of the most comprehensive health care resource centers available in the area.

To discover how to experience a fuller, longer, and more enjoyable life by putting the resources of Smiley Family Chiropractic & Wellness Center to work for you and your family, contact me today.

Smiley Family Chiropractic & Wellness Center
4793 New Highway 68, Suite 1
Madisonville, TN 37354
(423) 442-2100
www.smileyfamilychiro.com

MV: The residential real estate industry nationally has experienced significant declines over the last several years. How have areas like Tellico Village faired?

Jim: Real estate is a national industry, but is a local market. The sale of homes, or lack thereof throughout the country, has affected our local Tellico Village market. However, the affects have been much less severe than in many markets throughout the country. According to the Knoxville Area Association of Realtors’ Multiple Listing Service information, ten years ago, in 2002, there were 77 home sales with an average sale price of $262,477 in Tellico Village. Last year there were 79 home sales with an average sale price of $336,443.

Many areas of the country are experiencing the same number of home sales as they did in the boom years of 2005–2007, but at about 50% of the sale price. We are experiencing about half the number of home sales for that same time period, but the average sale price for 2011 was higher than the average sale price in 2005 for home sales in Tellico Village. As a business owner and resident I prefer the latter, an increase in property value.

MV: What is the most significant change that you have observed in this changing marketplace?

Jim: The most significant change is the ability to have current information available immediately from our MLS to provide to the consumer. When I began my career in real estate, I received a book of current listings from the local MLS every Monday morning. It was about four inches thick and was no longer current by about noon the same day. Also, I knew the location of every pay telephone in the community and had a pocket full of dimes.

Today, as a result of technology, I have the ability to provide my customer with current information in real time. With a smartphone, iPad, laptop, etc. I have current information available immediately wherever I am; in the customer’s house, in the car or while having lunch in the clubhouse.

MV: What role does the internet play in today’s residential real estate market?

Jim: According to the National Association of Realtors, of which all Re/Max at the Lakes in Tellico Village real estate professionals are members, 80+% of buyers begin their search for their next home on the internet. Today, we communicate with prospective buyers via email, Facebook, and other social media prior to ever meeting them face to face. Most prospective buyers have selected a number of properties to visit prior to arriving in Tellico Village. They found the information about the properties on any one of our many internet-based marketing sites. Today, to properly serve our sellers, it is absolutely essential to have both a national and local presence on the internet. There’s simply no alternative.

According to Hitwise, a national statistical gathering firm, Re/Max.com had 49,521,504 hits on their website in 2011. This is almost 17 million more than the second ranked real estate firm’s website. That is a lot of buyers looking for their next home. When those buyers are looking for a home in our area, we at Re/Max at the Lakes in Tellico Village receive their contact information immediately while they are on the website. We can contact them while they are looking at properties on the website and direct them to a property that fits the profile of the next home. Some buyers have a short term need while other buyers begin their search months or years in advance of their planned move. The sooner that we establish a relationship with them, the better opportunity for success we have to help them when they arrive in Tellico Village in person.

MV: How are you and Re/Max at the Lakes in Tellico Village adapting to this new online phenomenon?

Jim: In the past, it was important for a real estate firm to have a large office facility for all of the real estate agents to have a place to gather. With today’s technology, our office is with us 24/7 wherever we may be; on the lake, the golf course, at your house or ours. We feel that since buyers are searching the internet for their next home, we can better serve our sellers reinvesting in internet-based marketing sites rather than a large, conventional, brick and mortar facility as in the past.

Most of today’s buyers are very internet savvy. When they are requesting information on a property, they expect to receive that information NOW. If they have to wait an hour or two for a response, they move on the next internet-based marketing site. In the current market with fewer buyers, it is important to respond to a buyer’s request immediately.

We are very pleased to have the technology and the training to market our sellers’ property locally, nationally, and internationally through the Re/Max.com website and many other websites.

MV: Re/Max International was recently awarded the J.D. Powers award for customer satisfaction. Can you tell our readers more?

Jim: Recently, for the VERY FIRST TIME, a National Real Estate Franchise was awarded the #1 ranking in customer satisfaction by BOTH buyers and sellers by J.D. Powers. Re/Max International has received the #1 J.D. Powers award in the past for buyer customer satisfaction OR seller customer satisfaction. This is a first for any real estate company to receive the #1 award for both buyer and seller in the same year.

MV: What other advantages does Re/Max at the Lakes in Tellico Village offer buyers and sellers?

Jim: ALL Re/Max at the Lakes in Tellico Village Real Estate Professionals are FULL TIME and ALL live in Tellico Village. We feel that no one knows the Tellico Lake communities better than a Tellico Village resident.

MV: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Jim: We feel very blessed to have some of the most respected, best trained, and most knowledgeable real estate professionals at Re/Max at the Lakes in Tellico Village. Obviously, both buyers and sellers in this area feel the same. In the first quarter of 2012, there were 20 residential sales in Tellico Village. The real estate professionals at Re/Max at the Lakes in Tellico Village either represented the buyer or the seller in 10 of those sales; that is in 50% of the total sales.

If you would like to review the statistics of the Home Sales Trends in Tellico Village by year for each year beginning in the year 2000, call or text me at (865) 414-3601 or email RETV@charter.net and I’ll forward that information on to you at no cost.

Finally, as a former U.S. Army veteran, in recognition of Memorial Day, I would like to personally thank all current and former veterans for their service to our nation on behalf of all of us at Re/Max at the Lakes in Tellico Village.

Jim Davis, Owner
Re/Max at the Lakes in Tellico Village
(865) 414-3601
RETV@charter.net

Discover everything you want from the brands that you enjoy. Sunset Wine & Spirits offers you the right selection for every individual preference and taste at a cost less than what you might expect to pay elsewhere.

Take advantage of senior and military discounts on Mondays. “Two for Tuesday” 10% discounts on the purchase of two or more of the same item. (5% on all 1.75 liters and box wines.) And “Thursday Tastings” each Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Discover what’s new in domestic and imported wine and spirits.

Browse the area’s widest selection of wine and spirits from around the world at Sunset Wine & Spirits and start saving.

Sunset Wine & Spirits
4435 Highway 411
Madisonville, TN 37354
(423) 420-5225

Is it possible to save tens of thousands of dollars legally and tax free in the time it would take you to watch your favorite TV show? You bet it is. A retired couple I met with recently was able to do just that. Let me explain.

My retired clients were in their 60’s with three grown children and had worked hard for many years to build an estate worth $2 million (which includes all of their assets whether real estate, cash, investments, life insurance, retirement accounts, etc.). They were enjoying this stage of life and the lifestyle that they had worked so hard to achieve, as they should have been. They had also been diligent with building their savings and investment accounts so that they had plenty of money for their golden years. However, they had neglected an extremely important aspect of their life plan and wealth preservation plan. They had never created a last will and testament. Thankfully they had taken the advice of a friend and had decided to be proactive about their estate planning. It is a good thing that they did, because failing to plan could have cost their family $83,400.

In Tennessee, all estates over $1 million are subject to the Tennessee Inheritance Tax with graduated tax rates of 5.5% to 9.5%. Each person who dies in Tennessee has a $1 million exemption from this tax; therefore, a husband and wife each have a combined exemption of $2 million. However, without proper estate planning, a deceased spouse’s exemption essentially dies with them, leaving the surviving spouse with only their own $1 million exemption. If my clients would have failed to plan their estate, two things would have happened. First, the state of Tennessee would have decided what would happen to their property based upon pre-determined estate succession laws. Secondly, their children would have owed the Tennessee Department of Revenue $83,400 payable within nine months of their parent’s death.

My clients were able to utilize both of their estate tax exemptions by creating Last Will and Testaments that contained Discretionary Credit Shelter Trust language. Having a Credit Shelter Trust Will plan will allow my clients to fund a Credit Shelter Trust upon the first spouse’s death with the surviving spouse benefiting from the trust during their lifetime. Furthermore, upon the death of the second spouse, their children will be able to claim both of their parent’s $1 million exemptions and legally shield $2 million from taxes. This plan will ultimately save my client’s children a total of $83,400. In a little over an hour’s worth of their time, my clients were able to save what amounts to an average yearly salary for an upper middle class American family. But, with a little more procrastinating, my clients might have lost the ability to preserve this wealth for their loved ones.

So again, I will ask the question: “Want to save $83,400 in an hour?” If so, I would be glad to help you take the first step towards peace of mind for you and your family.

About the Author
Michael L. Smith provides customized legal solutions for the citizens of Farragut, Knoxville, Knox County, Maryville, Blount County, Loudon County, Anderson County, Sevier County, Monroe County, and the East Tennessee region. Mr. Smith holds a B.S. in Business Management from Carson-Newman College, an M.S. in Sport Management from The University of Tennessee, and a J.D. from Liberty University School of Law. During law school, Mr. Smith served as the Student Bar Association President of his class. Additionally, Mr. Smith served in the Bush White House as an intern in the Presidential Personnel Office. While at the White House, Mr. Smith assisted in recruiting executives to serve the President in the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the U.S. Department of Transportation. Mr. Smith’s practice areas include Estate Planning, Estate Administration, and Business Law. Mr. Smith is a member of the Tennessee Bar Association and the Christian Legal Society. Michael is married to his high school sweetheart, Kari, and they have four boys: Lukens (10), Kensley (9), Caleb (5), and Jake (3).

Michael L. Smith, Esq.
www.MichaelLSmithLaw.com
michael@michaellsmithlaw.com
(865) 777-WILL (9455)

The estate-wide event celebrates the beauty of George Vanderbilt’s 8,000-acre property and the original gardens created by Frederick Law Olmsted, considered the father of American landscape architecture. Besides Biltmore’s magnificent gardens, Olmsted’s picturesque work is enjoyed in his design of New York’s Central Park and the U.S. Capitol grounds, among other urban parks and private estates. Olmsted brought a lifetime of experience to Biltmore’s gardens, which were his final project and now in their 122nd year.

The first burst of spring color will come in April with more than 100,000 tulips in hues of red, pink, yellow, orange, purple, and white. An expansive bed of tulips will welcome guests at the estate entrance and a colorful display in the Walled Garden will reawaken Biltmore’s gardens. Mid-festival, the flower show continues with poppies, pansies, snapdragons, and acres of azaleas. Roses in the estate’s historic rose garden, native mountain laurels, and vertical gardens of succulents continue long into summer. Cascades of native and exotic blooms grow in natural gardens and along walking trails throughout the growing season.

Designer and Expert Presentations
Guests can see how green their thumbs can be as Biltmore’s gardening experts lend tips, tricks, and techniques. Weekend “Ask a Gardener” stations in the Walled Garden allow guests to talk with Biltmore’s horticulture experts. Daily seminars will be held in A Gardener’s Place at the Conservatory on the following topics: “Houseplant Know-How,” 1 pm; “Wreaths: Spring Blossoms All Around,” 2 pm; and “Asian Inspired Arranging,” 3 pm.

Entertainment
Live music will be offered daily in the Conservatory and Biltmore House’s Winter Garden. Weekends will feature bands in Antler Hill Village and Grape Stomps for children at the Winery. The Winery will offer daily tastings of a commemorative Festival of Flowers wine and wine seminars. A new exhibition, “The Vanderbilts At Home and Abroad,” featuring rarely seen objects in the Vanderbilt collection opens April 7 in the Biltmore Legacy Building in Antler Hill Village. Spring is the perfect time to take advantage of Biltmore’s mountain surroundings with outdoor activities such as sport clay shooting, Segway tours, horseback riding, carriage rides, fly-fishing, biking, float trips along the French Broad River, and the Land Rover Driving Experience.

Annual Easter Egg Hunt
The opening weekend of Festival of Flowers coincides with the estate’s annual Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday, April 8, on the front lawn of Biltmore House. Hunts begin at 11 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. Registration begins two hours before each hunt and closes 15 minutes before each hunt. Enjoy children’s music and stories, magic shows, games, and take photos with the Easter Rabbit. Activities at Antler Hill Village will include music and a Grape Stomp at the Winery from 2 to 5 pm.

Spring Savings
The four-star Inn on Biltmore Estate is offering a “Stay Three Nights for the Price of Two” package on select dates this spring, including Easter weekend.

Throughout Festival of Flowers, youth estate admission is half the price of adult admission. Purchase estate admission tickets seven days in advance of your visit and receive $10 off. In addition to Biltmore House and gardens, estate admission includes entry to the Winery, Antler Hill Village, specialty gift shops, and restaurants.

About Biltmore
Located in Asheville, N.C., Biltmore was the vision of George W. Vanderbilt. Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, America’s largest home is a 250-room French Renaissance chateau, exhibiting the Vanderbilt family’s original collection of furnishings, art, and antiques. Biltmore estate encompasses more than 8,000 acres including renowned gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture. Today, Biltmore includes Antler Hill Village, which features the award-winning Winery and Antler Hill Farm; the four-star Inn on Biltmore Estate; Equestrian Center; numerous restaurants; event and meeting venues; Biltmore For Your Home, the company’s licensed products division; and Biltmore Inspirations, Biltmore’s home party business. To learn more about Biltmore, call 877-BILTMORE or visit www.biltmore.com.

But what about the environment that surrounds you indoors every day? Don’t you deserve a new, stimulating bit of color inside? Shouldn’t your surroundings be as fresh and sparkling as the blossoms after a cool, revitalizing rain? Paint is an inexpensive way to jazz up your atmosphere and add excitement to your life. Sometimes just one wall is all it takes to spice things up. Perhaps only the wall behind the bookshelves needs color so the items you display there are enriched. Computer renderings can help you see the results of color ideas without having even bought the paint, taking the guesswork out of the process!

Now is the time to replace, recover or reupholster that tired furniture, to add those springy accents, and put away the winter colors and accessories. Add an area rug to your room arrangement to splash color into your life, softness underfoot, delineate the space, and help the room’s acoustics by absorbing some of the echo in spaces with a lot of windows and high ceilings. Rugs are easy items to change with the seasons and greatly alter the room’s mood and yours!

Heavy, formal draperies may seem too overpowering for the light, airy atmosphere of the season. Lighten up in fabric, weight, and color. What? No window treatments? I know that many of you don’t want to cover up the view of those beautiful trees, mountains, or lake, but window treatments can enhance the view by calling attention to the windows that now blend into the wall. Framing the view is important to bring your eyes forward. It’s hard to visualize the results of the proposed style and fabric and that’s where the computer and new software programs come in to help. Now you can see it even before you spend a cent on the fabric or fabrication!

Permanent floral arrangements don’t last forever – they will fade in time, droop, break apart, and get dirty. Start fresh with new spring blooms and greenery inside as well as out. Size and shape is important to complement the adjacent space or surface that it rests on and color should not be taken lightly – customize for a professional aura.

Don’t forget that layering is essential. The new soft throw for the sofa for cool nights, a luxurious table topper, and stylish throw pillows can really change an ordinary place into a well dressed space. It’s like adding your jewelry to an outfit before going out.

How about your outdoor living spaces? You’ll soon be spending time on the deck or the dock or in the screened porch. Look at the appearance of your furniture cushions in case the all-weather fabric has weathered with age. There are more options than ever in the outdoor fabric lines. If your iron pieces show signs of rust, they may need a simple can of spray paint or a more thorough sand blasting and powder coating. Wood should be oiled. Wicker catches a lot of dust which can be blown off, and a fresh coat of paint will have it gleaming like new.

Think rebirth, rejuvenation, and renewal – think spring!!!!

Margaret Boyes at Interior Motives can help with your decorating in a creative way. Call today for an appointment to start your project and spring into spring!

Margaret Boyes, IDS Associate
119 Quapaw Circle
Loudon, TN 37774
(865) 408-0220
2interiormotives@bellsouth.net

Feast on sumptuous BBQ smoked over aromatic hand-selected hickory logs on location, gourmet-inspired burgers, and signature sandwiches including yellow fin tuna and grilled chicken. You’ll also discover rockin’ appetizers, all-beef hotdogs prepared your way, homemade brownies and “A Lighter Side” menu for those who are watching the calories. And enjoy your favorite beverage, from domestic beers, Corona, ice tea, soft drinks, and new this year, malt screwdrivers and margaritas.

River Rock Bar & Grill, managed by Manny Bohn, enjoys a totally unique setting with picturesque views of Lake Tellico, the adjacent marina, and Fort Loudoun State Park. The restaurant has nearly 1,700 square feet of heat space and a total of 3,000 square feet including the surrounding outside dining area. And unlike other marina restaurant settings, at the River Rock Bar & Grill, you’re on the water.

So whether you drive or boat over, you’ll find abundant parking and dock space.

Again this year, you’ll enjoy live entertainment on Saturday evenings and DJ and karaoke on Fridays.

And to ensure that your dining event can never be rained out, the River Rock Bar & Grill recently installed roll down sides that will protect you from wind and rain, but that still permits you to enjoy your beautiful lakeside view. These same sides will protect you from the cold in the late and early season, at a comfortable 70 degrees.

The River Rock Bar & Grill will introduce their summer menu on May 1st. Make sure you watch for their special seafood and steak nights which will begin in May.

Hours
April:
Wed-Thur 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11 a.m. – midnight
Sunday noon – 6 p.m.

Starting in May:
Mon-Thur 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11 a.m. – midnight
Sunday noon – 8 p.m.

For more information, visit them on Facebook, online at www.river-rock-bar-and-grill.com or phone (423) 884-2829. See you at the lake and we’ll chill at the grill!

River Rock Bar & Grill
110 Sequoyah Resort Drive
Vonore, TN 37885
(423) 884-2829
www.river-rock-bar-and-grill.com

My years of experience in the automobile industry have taught me one important lesson, and that is that your selection of an automobile salesperson might be just as important as your selection of a new or quality pre-owned vehicle. Great salespeople exhibit common characteristics that ensure that your auto buying experience is a pleasant one and that you find just the right vehicle for your unique needs and at the very best price. Great salespeople also exhibit professionalism, a genuine interest in you as the buyer, industry experience, underscored by excellent listening skills.

Auto buyers today are confronted with a myriad of decisions and emotions when purchasing a new or quality pre-owned vehicle. Safety, fuel economy, and comfort are just a few of the many factors that you will need to consider when purchasing or leasing a vehicle in the future. Picking the right salesman to facilitate your transaction is just as important as selecting the perfect vehicle.

If you are currently in the market for either a new or quality pre-owned automobile, I would like to invite you to contact me. I assure you that you will be treated with respect and in a professional manner. I will listen carefully to all of your wishes and respond thoroughly to each of your questions to your complete satisfaction. Finally, I will recommend the automobile that most closely meets your individual needs and budget.

In the future I will be writing this column in East Tennessee’s Mountain Views monthly to answer any questions that you might wish to ask as well as to discuss a variety of automobile industry related subjects that I am confident will help you when selecting your next automobile.

Please call me direct with any questions that you might have or to request my assistance in purchasing a vehicle at (865) 680-9870. Special consideration and pricing for Tellico Village residents and Mountain Views recipients. Contact me for a private and personal vehicle presentation.

About the Author
Rob Vaughn is a resident of Tellico Village where his parents, Jim and Pauline Vaughn, have resided for 17 years. Rob is married to Jan Tucker-Vaughn of Lakeside Real Estate Group, who has been one of the real estate industry’s top producers for nearly 20 years.

Rob worked for many years in the automotive industry in his home state of Michigan where he pursued a very successful career in automotive sales, gaining valuable experience that he shares with his clients today.

Rob is employed at Grayson Hyundai–Subaru on Kingston Pike in Knoxville. Having the opportunity to basically work at any dealer group in Knoxville, he decided to work for Grayson Hyundai, mainly for the reasons listed below:

• Award-winning vehicles with America’s Best Warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles.
• No high-pressure sales tactics – stress-free buying environment, no back and forth!
• Focus and attention towards customer satisfaction.
• Able to sell BMW and Mini-Cooper as well as Hyundai and Subaru.
• Always a hundred plus pre-owned domestic and imported choices.

Grayson Hyundai–Subaru
8729 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37923
Hyundai/Subaru: (865) 693-4550
Rob’s cell: (865) 680-9870
Rob’s email: rvaughn@graysonsales.com

“The ‘40 Best Builders Under 40’ represent the next generation of leadership and innovation in home building and are among the nation’s superstars to be singled out in 2012,” says Professional Builder Magazine.

Immigrating from Belarus in 2001 at the age of 21 with $123 in his pocket and no English language skills, Andrew went on to found Bystry Development Investments & Construction Inc three years later. The Madisonville, Tennessee design-build company has experienced sales revenue growth of 30% or more annually since launching and has also been voted “Best Builder” in Monroe County.

What most people may not know, however, is that Andrew and his family survived the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986. Andrew played professional basketball for two years in his native Belarus and is also a mixed martial arts fighter.

Andrew is a graduate of Belarusian State Academy where he earned a Design degree. He also earned degrees in Engineering and International Marketing from Belarus State Technological University.

Andrew, his wife, and two children reside in Monroe County and are active in their church as well as other community activities.

To learn more about Andrew and Bystry Development Investments & Construction Inc, contact him at (865) 408-8315 or visit www.ConstructionTN.com.

Bystry Development Investments & Construction Inc
(865) 408-8315
www.ConstructionTN.com

Just AHOP Away

Now with two locations, casual dining featuring American-style breakfasts and delicious comfort food is more convenient than ever.

Family owned and operated since 2007, American House of Pancakes has just recently opened its second restaurant at 222 Lakeside Plaza in Tellico Village.  Hours of operation are from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

AHOP’s other location is in nearby Madisonville at 4915 New Highway 68.  Hours of operation are Sunday through Thursday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.  They are open 24 hours on Friday and Saturday.

At American House of Pancakes they do more than just pancakes, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner – all day long.  You’re encouraged to come hungry and enjoy their no-fuss, just-plain-good food.  At AHOP you’ll discover a menu that’s packed to perfection with tasty breakfast items including, yes, pancakes, in addition to juicy burgers, cooked-to-perfection steaks, grilled chicken entrees, salads, appetizers, delicious sides and, of course, sumptuous desserts and shakes.

American House of Pancakes promises to have something for everyone.  You can check out AHOP’s full menu at www.americanhouseofpancakes.com.  You’ll also want to check out their daily specials including meatloaf & mashed potatoes, fried pork chops, chicken ‘n dumplings, turkey ‘n dressing, fish fry, fried chicken paprika, and pot roast dinner, all starting at $6.99 per person.

Take a break from cooking and washing the dishes and hop on over to AHOP where you’ll enjoy great food, smiling faces, and prices that will please.

American House of Pancakes

222 Lakeside Plaza in Tellico Village
(865) 458-2110

4915 New Highway 68 in Madisonville
(423) 545-9540

www.americanhouseofpancakes.com