News - Friday, January 25, 2019

At more than 1,000 pages, the hardbound edition of “International Criminal Law and Its Enforcement: Cases and Materials” had been a daunting read for Whitney Standefer while she was a student at Vermont Law School.

But after her graduation in 2014, it was no match for a .50-caliber bullet.

Robert Backer of Coldwell Banker Pryor Realty is the 2018 Realtor of the Year. Greater Chattanooga Realtors presented the award during its recent leadership installment and awards reception at the Edwin Hotel.

The Realtor of the Year award is a peer-based honor given to an agent in recognition of his or her contributions to the real estate industry, the Chattanooga community, and the local and state Realtor associations.

Greater Chattanooga Realtors presented the George Kangles Community Citizenship Award to Realtor Becky Cope English during its recent leadership installment and awards reception at the Edwin Hotel.

GCR established the award in 2011 to remember the late George Kangles and his dedication to serving the community and the association.

Greater Chattanooga Realtors installed its officers and directors for 2019 during its recent leadership installment and awards reception at the Edwin Hotel.

Fifteen Realtors were sworn in, including Kim Bass as president. A Realtor with more than 13 years of experience in the real estate industry, Bass has served as secretary-treasurer of GCR and president of Women’s Council of Realtors Chattanooga.

Home prices were consistently up again in most markets in 2018 but at reduced levels compared with recent years. High demand for fewer homes for sale fueled price increases, but evidence is mounting that inventory will finally improve in 2019. This might apply some downward pressure on prices for beleaguered home buyers.

 If you’ve been making plans to buy a home, you’ve probably noticed the market is tight. With fewer existing houses to choose from, people around the country are having to work harder to find the right home.

Although housing prices in the Chattanooga area are still 30 percent lower than most other markets in the Mid-South, home inventory is trending downward nationwide.

I’d like to change one thing about Forrest Gump’s quote about life. Instead of saying life is like a box of chocolates, I’d like to say life is like an M. Night Shyamalan film.

The rest of the quote will remain intact: You never know what you’re going to get.

When interest rates rise, the value of your fixed-income investments, such as bonds, will typically fall. If this happens, how should you respond?

First of all, it’s important to understand this inverse correlation between interest rates and bond prices. Essentially, when interest rates rise, investors won’t pay you full price for your bonds because they can purchase newly issued ones that pay higher rates. So, if you sell your bonds before they mature, you could lose some of the principal value.

State Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) has been appointed to several committees in the Tennessee Senate, including reappointment to the Finance, Ways and Means Committee.

The Senate’s Finance, Ways and Means Committee considers all measures dealing with the appropriation of state funds and has oversight regarding legislation pertaining to bonds, pensions, investments, or indebtedness. Gardenhire has served on the committee since 2017.

Amber Smith has joined CHI Memorial Integrative Medicine Associates. Smith received an associate’s degree in nursing from Excelsior College in Albany, New York, and her master’s degree in nursing from Southern Adventist University in Collegedale. She is board certified as a nurse practitioner by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

The Chattanooga Film Festival has reworked its badges to create more options for people with limited budgets or availability.

“It’s with our audience in mind that we created new badges and ticket options for CFF 2019,” says executive director and lead programmer Chris Dortch II. “Whether fans want the fullest immersion into the world of CFF and a chance to break bread with our patron saint Joe Bob Briggs, or a simple chance to dip their toes in the weird waters of what we hope is becoming an unmissable celebrations of movies, there is truly something for everyone at CFF.”