March 10 was a big night for Greater Nashville Realtors as a record 750 members, family and friends gathered at the Omni Hotel Ballroom to celebrate the 268 members who received Awards of Excellence.

The theme of the event was “Walking the Runway to Success,” and, by all accounts, it was the most memorable in the association’s storied history. Featuring a full-length runway, the presentations were interspersed with models walking the runway and award recipients being given the opportunity to walk the lighted pathway upon receiving their awards.

Needless to say, not all 268 recipients hit the runway, but all were recognized on the big screens and mentioned from the podium as Shane Tallant, a Realtor and television star, served as Master of Ceremonies and moved the night along with his wit and wisdom.

Realtor of the Year, an award bestowed upon a member who has exhibited service to the organization as well as its members and the community, also is announced at this celebration each year, and few were surprised when last year’s Realtor of the Year, Cindy Stanton, announced Amy Cannon had been selected for this year’s prize.

Cannon’s contributions are unsurpassed. She has been in the industry for 23 years as both an agent and a managing broker, has served on the board of directors and is a graduate of the 2009 Leadership Academy, and she chaired the Convention Committee for Tennessee Realtors in 2017. In the community, Cannon supports Room in the Inn, Preston Taylor and Front Porch Ministries.

Cannon has achieved tremendous success in building community and “encouraging others to network and has been a connector for many long-term collaborations and friendships,” said Greater Nashville Realtors President Sher Powers.

One of the evening’s top prizes, the Community Service Award, went to Christie Wilson, who is a past president of Greater Nashville Association of Realtors. She is a past GNAR Realtor of the Year and later was dubbed the Realtor of the Year for the Tennessee Association of Realtors.

She serves on the boards for Habitat for Humanity, Leadership Nashville alumni Board, and has served on the board for the YWCA, the Sports Authority of Metro Government, THDA, the Housing Fund, Realtracs and the Board of Equalization, among others.

She can put this award on a shelf along with her other awards, which include Women of Influence in 2015, Athena Nominee Best In Business, Woman of the Year for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society and Women’s Political Collaborative.

She is a shining light in the community.

Others taking home impressive hardware included Nina Lampley, the top individual selling agent, who juggled hundreds of buyers and sellers while bringing order to the chaos. She, too, is involved in the community and has served the association well between closings, showings and negotiations.

Sam Anto was presented with the Rising Star award, an award given to the Realtor with less than three years’ experience, a precursor to the Realtor of the Year. Look for Sam to be bringing that award home soon.

The excitable Sam Little with Regions Bank won the affiliate of the year, an award for non-Realtors who help Realtors and who have enough sense to stay out of the business while supporting those in the business. His trip down the runway was the best.

Sale of the Week

The Historic Richland-West End neighborhood is protected by a conservation overlay and the homes in the area fall under the watchful eye of the Metropolitan Historic Zoning Commission. There are few teardowns in the area, and those are limited to “non-contributing” properties. Or those that have no historical significance.

While each case is evaluated and scrutinized, the commission has, for the most part, rejected building proposals that alter the exterior front elevations and appearances of the homes and restrict adding second floors that would be apparent from the street. The Commission is strict, feared by many, loathed by some, and appreciated by most, especially those residents who live in there.

Although the overlays protect houses from demolition and mutilation, it does not restrict expansion as long as the additional construction meets with the Commission’s approval. The home located at 3812 Central Avenue was zoned as a duplex when it was constructed in 1939 and sold in 2016 for $540,000 with its 2,099 square feet.

Last week, that house sold for $1.2 million after Britt Development, a company specializing in the restoration, renovation and construction of historic homes, finished its makeover. Kyle Mullicane was listed as the buyers’ agent when the property was purchased. He listed the house along with Zach Goodyear for $1.25 million in January.

They described the home as a “charming Dutch Colonial renovation along coveted Central Avenue” and noted that there is a “main level master retreat.” As is the case with any property listed in any Multiple Listing Service, there is a space for directions, a feature that is virtually obsolete, but remains in place for those that need it.

Of interest are the directions Goodyear wrote: “From downtown, take West End and turn right on Bowling,” a description very similar to what everyone writes, but he then added “enjoy the beautiful scenery and imagine what it looks like on Halloween (one of the best holidays in the neighborhood when everyone can feel like a kid again). The home will be on your right.”

Goodyear and Mullicane were able to team with Monica Veal of RE/MAX Elite, who delivered the buyer. Veal regularly finds herself in the upper echelon of the Elite group and has assisted buyers all over the Nashville with their homes.

Richard Courtney is a licensed real estate broker with Christianson, Patterson, Courtney, and Associates and can be reached at [email protected]