The Greater Nashville Association of Realtors (GNAR) celebrated the wonderment of 2013 with its Award of Excellence Gala Saturday night at the Hilton. With an announced crowd of 575 in attendance and more than 175 award winners, the event was reminiscent of 2006 when 226 won awards and over 600 poured into the Renaissance Hotel.
GNAR president Hagan Stone presided over the event, which was highlighted when 2012 Realtor of the Year Lucy Smith of Fridrich and Clark announced the 2013 Realtor of the Year. The winner was Jay Lowenthal of Zeitlin Realtors.
Often misunderstood as a sales award, Realtor of the Year is given annually to the GNAR member who has made the greatest or most significant contribution to their clients, to the real estate profession and to the community.
After serving as president in 2004, Lowenthal has continued his involvement with GNAR, something not often seen. Even last year, he chaired the Realtor PAC and raised more than $100,000, surpassing the previous record by over $25,000.
Stone had this to say about Lowenthal: “Jay’s experience as a real estate professional is all encompassing, and he continues to provide leadership to the industry through his involvement in the association and in the community.”
Some of Lowenthal’s community activities include involvement with the Better Business Bureau of Nashville and the Peterson Foundation for Parkinson’s serving as a volunteer and on the board.
In addition, he is one heckuva good guy, always upbeat, flashing a marvelously toothy grin. He also has an interest in a peanut brittle company – Brittle Brothers – which is the best brittle ever baked.
Other award winners were Richard Bryan of Fridrich and Clark, who sold more listings than anyone and consequently the Top Individual Listing Agent Award. He also won the Top Individual Selling Award, as he represented more buyers than any other Realtor in 2013.
If they had a Verizon Award and a BP award, he would have won those for most minutes miles travelled between Davidson, Williamson, Sumner, Rutherford, Maury, Robertson, Cheatham and Montgomery counties.
Kendra Cooke of Bob Parks Realty won the Top Team Listing and Top Team Selling award.
The Rookie of the Year with 33 transactions was Brad Copeland, elder brother of the well-known Brian Copeland. The Copeland family is with Village Real Estate Services, and Brian presented his brother with his award in a moving moment.
Mark Deutschmann, founder of Village Real Estate Services, received the Community Services Award. Deutschmann has been a staunch advocate of sustainability, green building, parks and greenways, smart growth since about the time he was potty trained. Although he was raised in a commune, the training came at an early age.
In all of GNAR, there has never been a louder, albeit softer voice, for all things environmental than Deutschmann. There is no compromise with him on these issues, and the city is a greener place thanks to him.
Unofficially, Wagon Wheel Title won for Best After Party, and John Brittle of Village Real Estate won the philanthropy award for best wine donated to a bash.
The theme of the vent was The Great Gatsby, and there were numerous best costume winners. GNAR secretary/treasurer Denise Creswell looked as if she had stepped off of the set of the movie.
Sale of the Week
This week’s sale is in Germantown, future home of the new Sounds ballpark and current home of Germantown Café, Monell’s, The Mad Platter, Lazarroli Pasta, Silo, City House, Rolf and Daughters, the Cupcake Collection, Off the Bone BBQ and much more.
One of those additional wonders of the area is 1316 3rd Avenue North. This 2,534-square-foot home was listed by David Binkley of Village Real Estate Services for $449,000 and sold in a few days for $418,000.
Binkley described the home as “Germantown’s finest” with “covered porch, rooftop deck with a downtown view, 3Brs, a bonus, and an office. Lots of energy features…”
The schools are interesting as well, as the home is zoned for Buena Vista Enhanced Option for elementary. Buena is pronounced BEW-na for old-time Nashville residents. The middle school, Binkley says, is John Early Paideia Magnet, and the high school is Pearl Cohn Magnet.
Allen Perry of Benchmark Realty, one of the city’s finest, represented the buyer. This area was flourishing prior to the announcement and has become a hot spot, with 12South-like growth coming.
Richard Courtney is a partner with Christianson, Patterson, Courtney, and Associates can be reached at [email protected].