Spring break presents problems for real estate on several levels. Many parents pack the children and leave town, while others must deal with children who are no longer in school and running about the house.

Additionally, especially this spring break, the weather is cold or wet, and the vegetation is usually in the dormant state awaiting warmer days.

Real estate is slow in that setting, and many brokers recommend their selling clients await the blossoms and blooms and for the grass to grow in its resplendent greenery.

For that reason, there are opportunities for buyers to deal with properties that have rested on the market for several weeks. Spring break is murder for sellers, as things slow considerably. Buyers want it to end so that they can get a peek at the new listings being held until the break ends.

This year provides a unique circumstance with spring break spanning four weeks, with many private schools out of school last week, Williamson County schools out this week and Metro Nashville Public schools out next week.

Nashville Christian and a few public schools were the week before last, as were Wilson County schools.

At least the traffic was better.

Yet, while buyers that have survived the fall and winter markets will be joyful in the number of listings appearing, they will bemoan pricing, which will soar into the shining sun.

Look for a 5 to 10 percent increase in prices for the months of April through June.

If anything is left after that, the buying buzzards might be able to swoop down upon some homes that no one else wanted. Next week is the last chance for bargains until then.

Sale of the Week

Those who drive south on Interstate 65 and depart the highway at the Brentwood exit may opt to go east or west. Those choosing the road more traveled will head east.

Eventually they will learn that there is a street in Brentwood known as Chadwick Lane. Most would assume that this home is in Williamson County, the home of most of Brentwood. Alas, the homes on Chadwick lay upon Davidson County soil.

While there is a sense of pride in a Brentwood address, others would rather venture a mile or two south and reap some of the rewards of Brentwood residency, including the lower tax base, the perception of better public schools and a Peter’s Sushi.

This tale of the two cities of Brentwood can be confusing, as Nashville Brentwood is Brentwood purely for the postal service.

Yet, the home prices in the Davidson County side are often more appealing, and the public schools are quite good with Granbery Elementary, William Henry Oliver Middle and John Overton High School servicing this area.

Access to the interstate is easier, and Peter’s is around the corner.

Originally Tonna Heath of her eponymous company slapped a Williamson County Brentwood number on the brick home while listing it for $529,000.

This what not a bad strategy, as there are so many people relocating to the area that some might not be aware of the nuance of the location.

Tonna Heath is that way, always fighting for the underdog.

Unfortunately, the buyer had strong representation in the form of the veteran Joyce Gambill of Synergy Realty Network, who knows a Williamson County parcel when she sees it. She negotiated the price to a Davidsonian $477,500.

It was the best of times for the buyer to get $51,500 off the original list price and the best of times for the seller, who had paid only $300,000 for the home in 2004.

Not only was the price reduced, the house is a loaded with 3,943 square feet that includes five bedrooms, three full baths and one half bath on about a third of an acre.

In Heath’s description she notes two master bedrooms, one on each floor, a three-car garage and a partially finished basement that could house an in-law, or not.

There is a screened porch, some prefer screened-in porch, but those people like to say “hot water heater” rather than “water heater.”

If the water is hot, there is no need for a machine to heat it. If a porch is screened, those inside are screened in, while those on the outside are screened out. But no one says, screened out porch. Tonna Heath said “screened porch.”

With all these amenities, good schools and low prices, Williamson County can wait.

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