"Hey Y'all"... Savannah's Own Paula Deen and "The Lady and Sons"

I guess there aren't many people who haven't heard of Paula Deen,  the emmy award winning food network star and owner of The Lady and Sons restaurant in Savannah, Georgia.  I've never driven by her restaurant in the historic district without a line outside, often extending around the corner and down the block.

Paula Deen fans love just can't get enough of her heavy southern accent saying "Hey Yall", her many cookbooks or her food network show "Cooking with Paula Deen" and "Paula's Party".  Seems like everyone in town either knows Paula, knows someone who knows Paula or just can't wait to meet Paula!

It's hard to think that there was ever a shy bone in her body to see her now but at one time Paula was actually agorophobic, suffered from panic attacks and was basically house bound. Originally from Albany, Georgia she moved to Savannah in 1989 she started a catering business called The Bag Lady which grew into the Lady and Sons with the help of her sons, Jamie and Bobby and the rest is history.

Here top ten favorites as chosen by Food Network

» Southern Fried Chicken

» Creamy Macaroni and Cheese*

» Gooey Butter Cake

» Baked French Toast Casserole*

» Hoecakes

» Chicken and Rice Casserole*

» Cheese Biscuits

» Grandmother Paul’s Sour Cream Pound Cake

» Italian Chicken and Vegetable Soup

» Hurry Up Chicken Pot Pie

So if you're hungry come on down to Savannah and take the Paula Deen Trolley Tour over to The Lady and Sons restaurant and say "Hey Y'all".

Thomas Tolbert

Keller Williams Realty

Office 912-232-8580

Direct (Best way to reach me) 912-308-6839

thomas.tolbert@me.com

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Some of the top Savannah Inns and Bed and Breakfasts in the Historic District

Considering a visit to Savannah?  Here are some places to consider staying
in the Historic District......



The "Gastonian Inn"



Voted "Savannah's Most Romantic Inn" in 2007 and recognized by Conde Nast as one of the finest places to stay in the world, this four diamond inn has 17 Guest rooms with working fireplaces all uniquely furnished. Close to Forsyth Park, The Gastonian consists of two adjoining Regency-Italianate style mansions built in 1868.  Personalized breakfast menus, silver tray service or family style breakfasts. Complimentary tea, hors d'oeuvres and wine served in the afternoons and desserts and cordials served in the evenings.
http://www.gastonian.com/


The "Marshall House"



Located on Broughton Street, Savannah's equivalent of "Main Street" is Savannah's first hotel, The Marshall House.  At one time it seved as a hospital for soldiers toward the end of the Civil War. In 1999 , 12 million dollar restoration returned the building to its origingal purpose.  Guest rooms feature a Southern-style decor and heart pine floors. 65 guest rooms and suites.
http://www.marshallhouse.com/


The "Eliza Thompson House"



Built in 1847, this award winning Inn is on historic Jones Street, within walking distance to shops, antique stores, museums and restaurants. 13 rooms as well as Eliza's own "Carriage House" which overlooks the courtyard. Amenities include a deluxe continental breakfast, Wine and hors d"oeuvres, turndown service and desserts and coffee in the evening.
http://www.elizathompsonhouse.com



The "Kehoe House"



Built in 1892 for William Kehoe, this Queen Anne style mansion is adorned with cast iron railings, Corinthian columns, porches, balconies and window moldings. The house was built back in 1892 for a whopping $25,000. There have been numerous reports of hauntings in the mansion so be on the lookout for ghosts!  Some interesting trivia is that the mansion was formerly owned by football great, Joe Namath. The Kehoe House features 13 guest rooms, each uniquesly furnished and named for figures in Savannah's History.
http://www.kehoehouse.com



The "East Bay Inn"


Built in 1852 as a home to cottom merchants and a cotton warehouse, the East Bay Inn is located just one block from Savannah's River Street in the Historic District.  Lots of amenities including flat screen televisions, high speed internet, robes, turndown service, hairdryers, coffee makers and irons and ironing boards. If you happen to be in Savannah for Thanksgiving they have an outstanding buffet on Thanksgiving Day.
http://www.eastbayinn.com

Hope you have a great time in Savannah!

Thomas Tolbert

Keller Williams Realty

Office 912-232-8580

Direct (Best way to reach me) 912-308-6839

thomas.tolbert@me.com

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The Savannah International Film Festival

Peter O'Toole after his lifetime achievement award at the Savannah Film Festival, flanked by critic Roger Ebert and actor Jason Patric. (Photo by Mark Von Holden)

Savannah has long been a favorite setting for movies from "Forrest Gump" to "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" the original "Cape Fear"..... the list goes on and on. But did you know that thanks to the Savannah College of Art and Design we have our very own film festival?

The Savannah International Film Festival is highly respected in the film community. The 2007 honored guests included Michael Douglas, Vanessa Redgrave and Milos Forman and the 2008 featured guest will be Malcolm McDowell.

We're used to celebrity here.... some of the Savannah area residents both full and part time include Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, Kevin Spacey, Cindy Lauper and Sandra Bullock. It's not uncommon to walk into Starbucks and see Sandra Bullock or run into Ben and Jennifer in Home Depot.

Having been in the film industry for many years in my former career I don't exactly get star struck but it is a little surreal having so many celebrities running around town. I guess it's the beautiful scenery, beaches and laid back "live and let live" attitude of Savannah that attracts them.

Thomas Tolbert

Keller Williams Realty

Office 912-232-8580

Direct (Best way to reach me) 912-308-6839

thomas.tolbert@me.com

SEARCH THE MLS

What Does A Buyer's Agent Cost?

The short answer is nothing.

When a seller lists a home with a broker they agree at the time of listing on the amount of commission that the seller pays to the listng broker at closing.  Let's say that you call the listing agent to see the property, you like the home, you make an offer and purchase the property. Great for the listing agent because they get the entire commission!  But if you as a buyer have a buyer's agent then they must share their commission with the cooperating broker (the buyer's agent).  It's that simple.  

Since the listing agent represents the seller they have an obligation to look out for the seller's best interest - not your's as the buyer.  If you were to go to court for example you surely would not want to use the same attorney as the guy who was suing you so why would you enter into a real estate transaction without being represented?  It's not that the listing agent is being greedy, it's just that they must represent their client, the seller, to the best of their ability.

On the other hand a buyer's agent can look at the property objectively.  Run a market analysis, pull the tax records, help you determine whether it's a good deal and what would be a fair asking price. As a buyer's agent I want my clients to have a clear picture of the market and help negotiate the best deal for them. The job of a buyer's agent is not to "sell" any particular property, but to represent the best interests of thebuyer/consumerthroughout the home buying process.A buyer's agent helps consumers make smart decisions as they buy the home they love.

Buying a home is a major investment and as a buyer you need someone on your side.  A good buyer's agent isn't just interested in a quick sale, we want to keep your business in the future, we want referrals from your friends, neighbors and business associates.  The best way to ensure that is to have happy clients.

So many of my out of town buyers relocating to the Greater Savannah Area start out searching on the internet and it's a great way to start but when you get serious about your move you really need to find a buyer's agent to assist you.

A while back I met a couple who had relocated to Savannah from out of state.  The called the listing agent on a home,  closed on the home, moved in and then started to explore the area.  They quickly realized that they much had made the wrong choice.  The listing agent had not shown them a clear picture of what was available in their price range and they found other neighborhoods that they much preferred. I showed them a variety of homes in those neighborhoods and they settled on a home.  I helped them to negotiate a great deal and they closed on and moved into their new home.  We put their first home that they purchased through the listing agent on the market but they had paid too much and the market was declining more and more with the mortgage crisis.  Eventually the home sold but they had to take a substantial loss.

If only they had used a good buyer's agent they would have avoided a costly mistake by having a clear picture of the local market and someone looking out for their needs and best interests.

If I can answer any questions about the benefits of a buyer's agent please don't hesitate to let me know.

Thomas Tolbert

Keller Williams Realty

Office 912-232-8580

Direct (Best way to reach me) 912-308-6839

thomas.tolbert@me.com

SEARCH THE MLS