Author Archives: knoxvillerob

Updated: This bill was killed by the legislature.

I was incorrect in the post here. I saw that it had happened and then was informed that it didn’t. By Rob Howard – KnoxvilleRob If you’ve ever looked at the empty side yard or the garage nobody parks in and thought “I could put a little house back there,” this is the year thatContinue reading “Updated: This bill was killed by the legislature.”

Big Ed’s Pizza: an Oak Ridge icon

I hadn’t set foot in Big Ed’s Pizza in at least five years, and I hadn’t planned to fix that on this particular Saturday either. I was driving back from a showing in Oak Ridge when I passed the place, neon OPEN sign in the window, that hand-painted cartoon of Big Ed picking his teethContinue reading “Big Ed’s Pizza: an Oak Ridge icon”

Knoxville in America 250: The Politician, the Paperboy, and the Rest of Knoxville’s Strange Gift to America

by Rob Howard – KnoxvilleRob.com Two hundred fifty years of America, and if you trace the wiring back far enough, an unreasonable amount of it runs through a town of roughly two hundred thousand people tucked into the foothills of the Smokies. I’ve lived in and around Knoxville my whole life, and I still catchContinue reading “Knoxville in America 250: The Politician, the Paperboy, and the Rest of Knoxville’s Strange Gift to America”

Somebody’s Moving to Knoxville Today. Probably Right Now.

Posted by Rob Howard | KnoxvilleRob.com Here’s a number that stopped me cold when I looked it up yesterday: more than 30 people move to the Knoxville area every single day. Not every month. Every day. The Knoxville metro added about 11,000 new residents in 2024 alone, reaching 796,000 people — a 1.53% increase over theContinue reading “Somebody’s Moving to Knoxville Today. Probably Right Now.”

From 2019 to 2026: How Seller Secrets Evolved with East Tennessee’s Real Estate Market

When I published the first edition of Seller Secrets back in 2019, the real estate world was a different place. We were still riding the wave of post-recession recovery, interest rates were hovering around 4%, and sellers could list almost anything and expect multiple offers within days. Fast forward to 2026, and I’ve completely rewrittenContinue reading “From 2019 to 2026: How Seller Secrets Evolved with East Tennessee’s Real Estate Market”

If You Don’t Like the Weather: An East Tennessee Winter Tale

by Rob Howard – Knoxvillerob.com There’s a saying around here that folks claim about a lot of places, but in East Tennessee, it actually holds true: if you don’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes. Right now, Knoxville sits under an icy glaze. The trees—mostly barren this time of year—glisten as much asContinue reading “If You Don’t Like the Weather: An East Tennessee Winter Tale”

New Year’s Eve in Knoxville!

Toss the egg nog and pass the champagne! One of my favorite clients just asked me for a suggestion of the greatest spots to ring in the New Year. I dug through my usually bag of sources and then dug a little deeper to curate this list of can’t miss date nights for that allContinue reading “New Year’s Eve in Knoxville!”

Christmas Through The Years in Knoxville and East TN

Christmas in East Tennessee just hits different.I was scrolling through old photos this week and found myself lost in decades of holiday memories—from growing up in Polk County to celebrating in Knoxville with friends who’ve become family. There’s something about Christmas in this part of the world. The lights on Market Square. The chill inContinue reading “Christmas Through The Years in Knoxville and East TN”

Principles of Real Estate and … Ice cream!

Earlier this year, I did a TikTok about one of my Knoxville real estate listings being “dangerously close” to the Cruze Farm flagship out in Strawberry Plains. I went full Dateline spoof—dramatic music, ominous voiceover, the works—warning potential buyers about the lethal proximity to Tennessee’s best ice cream. “The House That Came Too Close!” ThatContinue reading “Principles of Real Estate and … Ice cream!”