NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — As more people move to Nashville, developers have raced to keep up with demand. That means many longtime homeowners have been caught in the middle, fielding calls and texts from developers looking to cash in.
However, a new bill could reshape the process.
“No-obligation offer on your house — it’s easy! We buy houses as is, in any condition, and in any situation,” homeowner Kim Tucker said, reading one of the latest postcards that landed in her mailbox. “If you’re interested, please give me a call or text.”
On a near-perfect night, Tucker takes the time to acknowledge the things that make her house a home.
“[I’ve] been out here in East Nashville basically my whole life and what I like about it is, it’s just family,” she said.
However, she’s constantly reminded of the way how others take notice of her home.
“This is what they do: they put your house on there,” Tucker said, holding up a postcard from a developer.
On the front of the postcard was a photo of her home, but she’s still working to figure out hen the picture was taken. Tucker said she’s called East Nashville home for over 16 years, but she’s lost a sense of family and community. Instead, she feels constant pressure from developers.
“It was really terrible — the amount of calls you would get. People would stop by and they would see you outside,” Tucker said.
She isn’t the only one. There’s a near-constant stream of messages that go out to many residents, including some here at News 2. I’ve personally received numerous texts asking me if I am interested in selling property that doesn’t even belong to me.
Relief from the constant calls could come soon. A new bill has been introduced by Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville), and it’s been dubbed the “Tennessee Homebuyer Harassment Protection Act.” The bill would limit the number of times real estate developers or some businesses could contact a property owner with unsolicited offers.
“People who have lived in their homes for decades are now being harassed by out-of-state developers to purchase their property for a quick buck,” Oliver said.
The bill would also allow property owners to report developers to the Attorney General’s Office. If a developer doesn’t back off, they could be fined up to $2,000.
“You should not be able to come to Tennessee and disrupt the charming characters of our neighborhood and the livelihoods that people have worked so hard for just to make a quick buck off of a house,” Oliver said. “I’m hoping this will send a message to developers that you need to be a bit more responsible with how you come to Tennessee.”
Oliver told News 2 she’s hopeful the bill will have bipartisan support.
