News - Friday, July 19, 2019

Everyone loves Grandma’s mahogany-inlaid sideboard. Stories were told of the horrors of moving it when she wanted to polish the floor. Its underbelly was a favored hide-and-seek spot.

Once upon a time, those memories would have sparked a battle amongst the heirs over who would get the piece with Grandma’s passing. Now, chances are the hulking beast will go to a stranger on the cheap.

There’s not always gold in them thar hills, and finding an original copy of the U.S. Constitution behind a thrift store painting is more the stuff of legend than reality.

Still, estate sales professionals do unearth hidden gems from time to time:

There are some variables in how estate sales come to be, but for the most part they are commission-based. A seller will come into the home, assess the contents, work up a general value and then sit with the client to settle on a commission.

That can range from 25% to 50%, depending on the size and estimated worth of the estate, but a general figure is about 35%, those in the business say.

In the world of estates and antiques, there are always niche markets. Costume jewelry, particular types of furniture and appliances and collectibles of all kinds can always find a home.

For several decades, Nashville-based antiques dealer Carl Zehner has capitalized on being in Music City to tap into a different group: phonograph enthusiasts.

Growing up the oldest of five siblings gave Jed Roebuck plenty of opportunities to cultivate his debate skills. But instead of becoming a litigator, he’s developed an award-winning transactional practice.

On any given day, the 35-year-old Roebuck could be elbow-deep in a merger, acquisition or joint venture involving a health care entity – the legal arena that became his bread and butter after he moved from a small local firm to Chambliss Law in 2013.

Realtor Paige Batten is a horrible salesperson – or so she says.

“Horrible,” she reiterates, pronouncing the word like it tastes bad. “I don’t like salespeople, so I try to not be like them.”

Salespeople, she says, are focused on making a sale and collecting the paycheck that follows. Batten, 50, concentrates on building relationships with her clients and lets the houses sell themselves.

The relationship between our nation’s economy and the housing market is complicated. On one hand, residential real estate markets across the country are performing well within an economic expansion that in July will become the longest in U.S. history. On the other hand, there are signs of a slowing economy.

If you’re thinking about buying a newly built home in Chattanooga or one of our many surrounding communities, you’ll first have to find a quality homebuilder. Working with an experienced, professional builder can make a difference when it comes to creating your dream home.

The first time I heard people cheer during a movie was at the end of “Lethal Weapon 2,” when Detective Murtaugh shoots a bad guy who’s claiming diplomatic immunity and then quips, “It’s been revoked.”

The “Lethal Weapon” films offered the classic pairing of the nearly retired Murtaugh (Danny Glover) and the unhinged Detective Riggs (Mel Gibson), polar opposites who eventually became friends as they took down criminals and saved the day.

Tennessee legislators may have dodged a bullet. Mississippi legislators definitely did not.

Maybe you’ve seen some of the resulting headlines lately. They’re intended to attract attention, and they do a good job. They sure got mine.

The word “estate” conjures images of great wealth, which may be one of the reasons so many people don’t develop estate plans – they’re not rich, so why make the effort?

In reality, though, if you have a family, you can probably benefit from estate planning, whatever your asset level. And you may well find that a comprehensive estate plan can help you answer some questions you may find unsettling – or even worrisome.

In one 24-hour period in June, at least five people in the Hamilton County area suffered an overdose, pushing the number of overdose calls to the Chattanooga Police Department this year to more than 150.

Since then, the Hamilton County Coalition has given more than 300 people overdose reversal training centered on the medication naloxone.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga has kicked off its 2019 Home Builders Blitz by ceremonially breaking ground on a new home. The event will culminate in September and is sponsored by Pratt Home Builders.

Pratt Home Builders will build for future homeowner Micheala Borngne at the Villages at Alton Park. Borngne has a teenage daughter, disabled son and 1-year old grandson.

First US Bancshares is opening a loan production office in the Chattanooga area through its banking subsidiary, First US Bank.

The bank has received regulatory approval to open the new office at Cambridge Square, 6011 Chesterton Way, Ooltewah.

Nokian Tyres has produced the first test tire at its factory in Dayton, the largest milestone yet at the global tire company’s first production facility in North America.

The first tire, a Nokian eNTYRE 2.0 in size 205/55R16, marks the beginning of trial production, as Nokian Tyres remains on schedule to start building tires for commercial sale in the early part of next year.

East Brainerd Oral Surgery, a provider of oral and maxillofacial surgery, has opened Hixson Implant and Oral Surgery, 4513 Hixson Pike, to serve patients in Hixson, Soddy Daisy, Red Bank and Dayton.

Hixson Implant and Oral Surgery and East Brainerd Oral Surgery offer wisdom teeth extraction, dental implants, bone grafting, pre-prosthetic surgery, oral pathology and surgical care for facial trauma. The staff is trained in IV sedation and outpatient IV general anesthesia.

Amie Bowden, Kelly Parks and Shari Pilgrim have joined Pinnacle Financial Partners’ Chattanooga office at 801 Broad St.

Bowden joins Pinnacle as a financial adviser assistant. She comes from Synovus Bank, where she was a senior commercial assistant. Prior roles were with Signature Bank of Georgia, where she was a commercial lending process manager, Bank of North Georgia (a division of Synovus Bank), where she served as a senior commercial assistant, and Legacy Wealth Management Group, where she was director of client services.

The Chattanooga Zoo will host its annual Q ‘n Brew event Saturday, July 20, 6-9 p.m. Tickets include zoo admission during the event, a signature Q ‘n Brew cup, two beverage tickets, animal encounters, live art, live music, games and the opportunity to purchase dinner plates from vendors. The proceeds will support the zoo and its animals. Tickets

Genesis is a new but growing luxury automotive brand that’s been winning over consumers with great value and high quality.

Leading the charge is the 2019 Genesis G70, the brand’s all-new small sedan that it hopes will appeal to shoppers looking for sporty and invigorating performance.

The Hamilton County Herald has won five first-place awards in the annual University of Tennessee/Tennessee Press Association newspaper competition.

The Nashville Ledger and Knoxville Ledger, both sister publications, won four and five first-place awards, respectively. The three publications had a combined 30 top-five commendations.