As buyers are considering purchasing properties, they often ask the owners to provide utility bills so they can budget for their life in their new abodes. Often, sellers are flabbergasted to learn what they are paying for their water.

Many have had the water bills paid automatically and drafted from financial institutions, giving little attention to the charges. Only recently have these waterlogged homeowners learned that the Metro Water Services instituted a new rate for water consumption Jan. 1.

While it might seem like old news, it has raised the ire of numerous customers of late. The old rate was $2.35 per 100 cubic feet (CCF) of water, approximately 748 gallons, slightly more than the amount it takes to fill a 52-gallon water heater 14 times.

Under the new program, the first two CCF are absolutely free of charge. CCFs 3-6 are billed at $3.50, and the charge hits $4.20 from 7-10. The charge levels at $5.25 per CCF for every drop in excess of 11 CCF.

Sewer charges mirror water charges for the most part, yet for the months of April through November, residential bills are adjusted and given a “sprinkler credit” for the sewage.

In correspondence sent to its customers, the water department noted that the average American family uses 320 gallons of water per day with 30% of that devoted to outdoor uses. Based on these numbers, nationwide, “landscape irrigation is estimated to account for nearly one-third of residential water use totaling nearly 9 billion gallons per day.”

Metro water cited WaterSense: Outdoor Use in the United States as its source.

What they did not mention was that the 9 billion gallons in 2019 is up from zero in the year 1776.

Sale of the Week

Westview Avenue is one of more prestigious streets in all of Belle Meade. Running north and south for the most part, only half the houses actually face west while the others have a western view from the verandas dangling off the rear of the homes.

Last week, 504 Westview sold for $2.45 million, a mere $401 per square feet for the 6,111-square-foot home with four bedrooms, four bathrooms and two half-baths.

Eve Stuart, a veteran Realtor who has been with Zeitlin since the Battle of the Little Big Horn, it seems, was the listing agent. She was in the business when I broke in and, as I recall, the Custer family was still in mourning.

Eve co-listed the house with her managing broker, one Jenny Telwar, who does battle on behalf of her agents in the Zeitlin Sotheby’s International Realty on a day-to-day basis. Interestingly, this was the eighth time that Eve had represented the sellers in real estate transactions.

She did well on this one as she sold them the house in 2018 for $2 million and helped them gather $450,000 more last week. The owner before this seller did not fare as well, having paid $2.3 million and selling for $2 million. Timing is everything.

A Michael Marchetti build, it has withstood the test of time, as is the case with all of his work over the past 35 years. Marchetti bought the house formerly known as 504 Westview Avenue for $350,000 and demolished it in in 2002. He then sold the new construction for $1.675 million in 2004.

Marchetti is the founder and owner of the Marchetti Company and is one of the few in the area who is licensed in architecture and has a contractor’s license. Even more perplexing is that he is a Sewanee grad. He has been designing and building upper-end homes and massive renovations since 1992.

This house was particularly challenging as it is on a corner lot. It is further complicated by its Belle Meade address.

This lot is 111 feet by 200 feet, and corner lots have setbacks of both streets that they face. In today’s world, many spending big bucks are expecting a swimming pool. Belle Meade restrictions will only allow a pool that is 60 feet from the property line.

Pool or not, this house had been updated to include all the amenities embraced by those shopping in the current market.

Stuart says the house includes a “dream kitchen, integrated smart home automation, wine room, hardwood and stone floors, an elevator to all floors, screened porch overlooking a private yard and a fire pit.” The structure was beautifully designed to surround the outdoor landscaping features, allowing for outdoor architectural and botanical rooms and spaces.

Andy Beasley, the renowned owner of Brentview Realty, represented the buyer of this exquisite property. Beasley is no stranger to high-end homes and delivered once again.

Richard Courtney is licensed real estate broker with Fridrich and Clark Realty, LLC and can be reached at [email protected].