The Derosia Team

                                               In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.Thanksgiving Day did not become an official holiday until 1941. The Derosia Team would like to wish you and your families the happiest of Thanksgivings. May you be surrounded by friends and family. May love, joy, laughter, and happiness surround you in abundance through the holidays.  Interesting fact: According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest pumpkin pie ever baked weighed 2,020 pounds and measured just over 12 feet long. It was baked on October 8, 2005 by the New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers in Ohio, and included 900 pounds of pumpkin, 62 gallons of evaporated milk, 155 dozen eggs, 300 pounds of sugar, 3.5 pounds o...

Fall is the perfect time for hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The weather is mild and the colors are vibrant. There are tons of hikes for all ages and skill levels. The fall leaves are quickly moving past their peak, but there are several trails that still provide some great opportunities for leaf viewing. These hikes are in the lowest elevations of the park, where leaf color remains exceptional.                                                        Meigs Mountain Trail is found in the Elkmont area. It is a moderate, 4.6 round-trip mile hike. This trail will offer some great opportunities to view the leaf colors along Jakes Creek. You will pass a small 2 foot waterfall and remains of former inhabitants. The trail ends with an opportunity to view remains of an old dam.                 ...

Sevier County, Tennessee was established September 18, 1794 and covers about 6,000 square miles.  There are three distinct regions in Sevier County, Appalachian Mountain region to the north, Foothills region in the central portion, and the Great Valley of East Tennessee, which stretches 9,200 square miles across Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee. Since the counties establishment, the county seat has been situated at Sevierville, the eighth oldest city in Tennessee.  As with an old county throughout the world, their is always historic buildings and places that still remain today.  Sevier County is no exception.  There are many historic buildings that make up part of the history of Sevier County that are still standing today.  Some of these buildings/places have made their way to the United States National Registry of Historic Places.  Because their are so many important buildings/places within Sevier County it is near impossible to hit on all of these in o...

WOW, 2012 is in the books.  The question is: How did the Smoky Mountains Real Estate Market end the year?  The Derosia Team has put together some statistics and visual aids to share with our readers. The first category we compared was residential units sold with the residential units listed in the year of 2012. As you can see there were 117 more units sold in 2012 than in 2010.  There were 131 more units sold in 2012 than in 2011. The total units sold are up 10% from 2010 and 12% from 2011. Total volume sold in 2012 compared to the previous years is also showing some positive trends.  While 2012 is down .2% from 2010, it is up 4.91% from 2011. The last category we have compared average list price with average sale price. Average sale price is down, as well as average list price, from the previous years.  This often means it is a buyers market rather than a sellers market. In 2010 the residential units sold for 92.40% of their list price.  In ...

The city of Pigeon Forge has rounded up some fine talent for the 13th annual Saddle Up.  If you are in the area stop by for all of the outstanding cowboy entertainment and activities. Our award-winning Stories & Strings returns for a second season, joining three other concerts, a chuck wagon cook off  Cowboy Dance and Cowboy Church. “Capturing the Old West,” a special photography exhibit and video presentation by award-winning photographer Ken Jenkins, is a new addition for 2013. Saddle Up guests will hear an all-star lineup of performers including award-winning poets and singers, fancy fiddlers, amazing yodelers and hall-of-fame musicians. Pigeon Forge is proud to welcome Brenn Hill, Chris Isaacs, Waddie Mitchell, The Quebe Sisters Band, Dave Stamey, Sourdough Slim, T. Scot Wilburn and the Shut Up -N- Playboys, and Wylie & the Wild West. Saddle Up takes place on February 20-24 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.   Here is the schedule for the duration o...

Tourist destinations are packed full of restaurants; most of them being the well known chain restaurants that can be dined in all over the country.  However, every city has the smaller restaurants that are usually out of the hustle and bustle of the city life.  These restaurants are  local favorites and mom and pop establishments that don't make it into the guidebooks and vacation brochures.  Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and the other surrounding areas of the Smoky Mountains have several well-kept secrets that the locals love.   These establishments in the Smoky Mountains are often a great place to go and learn about the local culture, as well as eat some of the best local food.  Most of the establishments have more reasonable prices than the chain restaurants in town.  The service is above and beyond in these family owned establishments and the food is worth coming back for over and over again. Because there are so m...

Have you considered buying a vacation home as an invest?  What better way to go on vacation than to go out of town and stay at your on home? Then when you are not visiting you can rent it out throughout the year to cover your cost.  Sounds good, right? Let's consider a couple things and you can make your own decision. Gross Income Depending on where you plan to buy a vacation make sure to take into consideration that must vacation destinations are seasonal.  In other words you will not have a renter everyday of the year.  For example, in the Great Smoky Mountains the season runs from mid-March through December.  January and February can often be dead months but are starting to pickup. Management Fees If you plan on using a management company to rent your vacation home you will need to factor in the percentage the rental company takes for each rental plus any other hidden fees.  Do your research and know what you are getting yourself into. Ano...