Today you will hearing from Mayor Lee Harris about some positive programs and initiatives helping to make our Shelby County neighborhoods a better place to live. He introduces some brand new programs to bring value to our neighborhoods and to our school aged citizens. He talks about some economic strategies taking place too. Mayor Harris and appraiser, Tom King discuss the new Shelby County TN increase on our real estate tax assessment values and the efforts taking place to lower overall tax bill to homeowners.
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Host: #JoGarner #MortgageExpert #MortgageLoanOfficer 901 482-0354
Co-Host: #TomKing #memphisAppraiser 901 487-6989
Special Guest: #MayorLeeHarris Shelby County TN Mayor 901 222-2000
#memphisrealestate #shelbycountytn #shelbycountyprograms #
Good morning, Memphis! Welcome to our internet listeners and podcast listeners across the 50 states! You’re on Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe. I’m your host, Jo Garner, Mortgage Loan Officer. You can connect with me at www.JoGarner.com.. Our general topic is Mayor Lee Harris Shares Programs and Upcoming Initiatives Making Shelby County TN a Better Place to Live. Subscribe to get our weekly blogposts with podcasts at www.JoGarner.com. Today is April 26th, 2025 at 901 535 9732.
Thank you to real estate attorneys Rob Draughon and Shelley Rothman of Griffin Clift Everton and Maschmeyer for sponsoring this episode of Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe. For title work and closing on your home purchase or refinance, call Rob Draughon and Shelley Rothman at 901 752-1133.
Today you will hearing from Mayor Lee Harris about some positive programs and initiatives helping to make our Shelby County neighborhoods a better place to live.
Introducing Tom King of Bill King Appraisal Company
(JO) Tom King, our expert appraiser is in the studio. Tom, you have your eye on our MidSouth real estate market every day when you are out appraising homes in Shelby, Tipton, and Fayette Counties in Tennessee. You do mortgage appraisals, estate appraisals, divorce appraisals and appraisals on homes for cash buyers. How would you describe our real estate market in 2025?
(Tom King has a couple of minutes to offer his observations of our MidSouth real estate market for home buyers and home sellers. Tom talks about the better balance we are seeing between home buyers and home sellers, creating a stable market. He is seeing a normal 4 months or so for homes to list and sell -very normal market. People are hoping to see mortgage rates drop more, but today’s mortgage rates still are affordable for the better part of the buying market )
(Jo) From the mortgage desk, mortgage rates have been up and down but there are still some special lending programs and other opportunities in the MidSouth and around the country to help make homes affordable for first-time homebuyers, low-to-moderate income households and others who want to own their own home. We plan to cover some of the special lending programs available in the MidSouth later in the show.
For right now, let me introduce our special guest. Mayor Lee Harris, you are well-known around this part of the country. You grew up in Memphis, graduated from Overton High School, went to Morehouse College on a full scholarship, did a full course of study at the London School of Economics and later graduated from Yale Law School in 2003.
You started into the legal profession at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz. You are a tenured professor at University of Memphis. You have served on the Tennessee Senate and have been elected TWO times as Shelby County TN Mayor. Wow, and that’s just scratching the surface.
When you ran for Mayor the first time, you committed to reduce poverty and expand education opportunities in Shelby County. You have done that and so much more.
Mayor Harris, please share with us some of your accomplishments during your terms as Mayor of Shelby County.
(Mayor Lee Harris can start launching into some of his topics until the 9:15 am ad break. He can continue after the 9:15 break …)
Mayor Lee Harris Major goals to help the working citizens in the county. Lifted Shelby County employees income to $15/hour minimum and later to raise incomes to 40K per year.
Started Pre-k for All and improving the state of our schools. New Frayser High School being built and investing in rebuilding Regional One-largest public works project in our history.
Fighting Crime
Better Education
Economic Strategies
Initiatives hot on the market making Shelby County a better place to live
CulturePass program giving family with an elementary school age children free passes to our cultural events and places. Playhouse on the Square, National Civil Rights Museum, Childrens Museum, and more 901ArtForAll.com Rock and Soul Museum, Metal Museum and more Over 30 places and events participating
Summer Pass gives all school age children free passes to museums and other organizations multiple times during summer break May 26th through August 1st. Several participating places participating.
(Jo) You’re on Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe. I’m your host, Jo Garner, Mortgage Loan Officer. . What do YOU want to accomplish with your mortgage? I can help you find the right mortgage. We make your mortgage process EASY. When we come back we will be hearing more from Shelby County TN Mayor Lee Harris and appraiser Tom King of Bill King Company.
2nd Segment following 9:15 break (9:18 am to 9:30 am)
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TOPICS COVERED BY SHELBY COUNTY TN MAYOR LEE HARRIS
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Your focus, when you first became mayor of Shelby County, was to reduce poverty and improve education. In 2025, what are some other areas where you are focusing?
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What are the accomplishments during your term as mayor that make Shelby County a better place to rent or own a home?
Fighting Crime
Better Education
Economic strategies
Other topics you want to cover
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What are some programs or initiatives that you see coming on the horizon that will help Shelby County homeowners?
What are other headlines Mayor Harris feels we should discuss? (Bill to restrict number of homes an investor can own in Shelby County?) (Blight laws) (recent Shelby County real estate reappraisal from the tax assessors office)
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How would you like the people of Shelby County to remember your legacy as our Mayor?
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OTHER TOPICS MAYOR HARRIS WOULD LIKE TO COVER
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3rd Segment 9:35 am to 9:45 am
TOPICS BY JO GARNER, MORTGAGE LOAN OFFICER
Resources to make owning your home in Shelby County TN AFFORDABLE
Tennessee Housing Development Agency- Great Choice and Homeownership for Heroes These programs are for home purchases in the State of Tennessee.
City of Memphis Down Payment Assistance programs-several programs offering special assistance to our Policemen, Firemen and Memphis Shelby County School employees. Other special products for low-to-moderate income buyers and buyers in higher income brackets. (Some restrictions apply)
Here’s a shout out to Israel Henry, Darren Bortters Shelby County Down Payment Assistance for low-to-moderate income homebuyers.
Shelby County Home Rehabiliation loan. Talk with Pasley Pogue.
Shout to Trudie McClelland and the team at United Housing Homebuyers Education program, the Home repair loan program and other programs to support homeownership in our area.
To our listeners I ask, “Who do you know who wants to buy a home, says they can’t afford it ?” These examples may help you recognize the people in your life who might benefit from on of these special home purchase mortgage programs
Ruby was a single mom with a full-time job. She lived with the retired aunt who helped take care of Ruby’s children when Ruby was at work. The apartment where they lived was too cramped. Now that the children were old enough to go to school Ruby wanted to buy a house where they could settle into a good school, have more room in the house and in the back yard. The problem? Ruby did not have enough money to pay down to buy a home, and even if she did, lenders had already said her income was not enough to qualify for a mortgage.
One day Ruby was talking to her cousin who suggested that she AND her aunt go talk to a mortgage person about some special down payment assistance programs in her area and a special low-interest rate program through the state. Since Ruby and her aunt and the children planned to continue living under the same roof, this time the mortgage officer put both of them on the loan. The combined income was enough using the lower-than-market rate program through the State of Tennessee with the down payment assistance money through Shelby County. They could finally buy a house and enjoy more space, a good school and a neighborhood where they could settle down.
The Shelby County Housing Rehabilitation Program has grant money to help someone like homeowner, Moses Minden, who had a fixed income and had become disabled. He needed a some plumbing repaired and some modifications to his home to overcome mobility restrictions due to his disability. If you know someone who is on a low-to-moderate income and lives in Shelby County but outside Memphis city limits, give Ms. Pogue a call over at the Shelby County office 901 222-7600. This program can be a godsend for someone who wants to remain living safely and comfortably in their own home.
If you know someone like Moses who is a homeowner like Mr. Minden but lives in the city limits of Memphis and needs some home repairs to keep the home safe and habitable, call Trudie McClelland at United Housing 901 728-6936
United Housing in Memphis also has some excellent homebuyer education programs and other programs to support homeownership. Give them a call at 901 272-1122.
Whether you are a low-to-moderate income borrower or a higher end home buyer, let me be on your home buying or refinancing journey. Make your plan. Let’s work your plan. If the deal works for you today, do it today. Connect with me at www.JoGarner.com You can text me or call me the old fashion way. I want to hear your plan and roll up my sleeves with you to come up with a design to get your mortgage financing working for you. (901) 482-0354
Mayor Lee Harris and Tom King talk about our Shelby Farms outside opportunities and activities. They discussed the beauty and advantages of our green line. The AGRI Center has brought back Garden plots for citizens to keep a garden, so they can garden even if they live in an apartment with no area at their home to garden.
Returning investment back to neighborhoods to get vacant schools off their books and reappropriate resources like Vance School into a rugby field and hopefully bring the headquarters to that location
Mayor Harris talked with Tom about the recent Shelby County TN Real Estate Tax Assessment. Mayor Harris is trying to get the tax rate for Shelby County lowered to keep real estate taxes lower for homeowners who now have a higher home value assessment.
The Summer Camp programs and the new AwayCamps like the one where they sent 50 inner-city kids to the Naval Academy expense free an extraordinary experience around math and engineering.
For children and young people who have been in trouble, check out the Youth and Family Resource Center
4TH SEGMENT 9:48 AM TO 9:55AM
REAL ESTATE TIP OF THE WEEK (Tom King of Bill King Company gives a tip about 1 minute )
Since our real estate values have increased over the last 4 years, can we lower the tax RATE to keep the overall tax cost down? Mayor Lee Harris assures Tom and our listeners that he is making every effort to try to lower the rate of tax to keep costs down for homeowners.
Jo Garner’s tip If you have not picked up my book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble, today is the day to order it. “Choosing the Best Mortgage-The Quickest Way to the Life You Want” This book will help you prepare your credit and your finances so that you are positioned for the best financing options. Some of the customer stories in the book may spark some ideas of your own for strategies YOU may want to use.
If you want to buy a home or refinance right now, I am happy to talk with you today (901) 482-0354 JOGARNER.COM
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Talk Shoppe equips with education, engages by offering connection opportunities between business people and empowers businesses in a supportive community. Talk Shoppe meets every Wednesday 9A-10A CT at Independent Planning Group’s conference room 110 at Clark Tower 5100 Poplar Ave 1st floor Memphis, TN
(Thank you Manny Corless and Ben Hunter (615-601-0568) outstanding Financial Professionals at Independent Planning Group for being Talk Shoppe’s location sponsor)
Join in person or online by clicking www.TalkShoppe.com and click the Events tab for the link to get into the event online.
Talk Shoppe on Wednesday April 30th, come build some business relationships during our Mastermind Principle small group sessions.
Talk Shoppe’s free networking and education made possible to our community by sponsors like Lawren Bogard of Shelby Gardens Memory Care. 901-713-1681 lbogard@shelbygardens.com
Thank you to Clint Cooper and the awesome team of foundation repair specialist at Redeemers Group for supporting our business and real estate community with your sponsorship of Talk Shoppe. Do you think you have a problem with your home’s foundation or crawl space? Connect with RedeemersGroup.com They can help
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5. Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe reminds you to MAKE YOUR PLAN. LET’S WORK YOUR PLAN. IF THE DEAL WORKS FOR YOU TODAY, DO IT TODAY.
SPECIAL NOTE: REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE SHOPPE RECOMMENDS THAT YOU CONSULT WITH A FINANCIAL, LEGAL OR OTHER CERTIFIED, LICENSED PROFESSIONAL BEFORE ACTING OR INVESTING ON ANYTHING YOU HEAR OR SEE FROM THE CONTENT ON THIS SHOW OR BLOG POSTS. THE INFORMATION WE SHARE ON REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE SHOPPE IS GENERAL IN NATURE MEANT FOR GENERAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. ALL EXAMPLES GIVEN FOR ILLUSTRATION PURPOSES ON REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE SHOPPE AND ARE BASED ON TRUE STORIES BUT WE USE FICTIONAL CHARACTERS AND DO NOT DIRECTLY REFLECT REAL PEOPLE OR EXACT DETAILS IN ANY OF THE SITUATIONS.
QUOTE CORNER: Anonymous “If we wish to rebuild our cities, we must first rebuild our neighborhoods.”
FINAL WORDS FROM MAYOR LEE HARRIS BEFORE WE GO OFF THE AIR (about 1- 2 min)
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REJOINDERS:
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Pat Goldstein, Realtor with Crye-Leike Realtors in West TN and N Mississippi 901 606-2000
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Tim Flesner, MidSouth Home Helpers (non-medical assistance in the home) 901 414-9696
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Sherry Harbur, Realtor with HarburRealty.com in West TN and N Mississippi
Transitional Music: “Memphis” Chuck Berry; “Proud Mary by Tina Turner; “Memphis Soul Stew by King Curtis “Taking Care of Business” by BTO for the Talk Shoppe Business Tip for Real Estate Pros
Mayor Lee Harris Biography (Shelby County, Tennessee)
Mayor Lee Harris Biography (Shelby County, Tennessee) On September 1, 2018, Lee Harris was sworn in as the 6th Mayor of Shelby County, Tennessee, one of the largest counties in the South, with nearly one million residents. He was elected Mayor of Shelby County with 55% of the vote and re-elected in 2022 with 58% of the vote. Mayor Harris is the chief elected official in Shelby County Government, one of the largest government organizations in the South.
Shelby County Government has over 5,000 employees, and $1.6 billion operating budget. In addition to leading Shelby County Government, Mayor Harris also chairs Shelby County’s retirement system, which has over $1.3 billion currently under management. Prior to his election in 2018, Mayor Harris was a long-time Professor of Law at the University of Memphis.
As Mayor, he has led the effort to create dedicated investment in Pre-K education; paid family leave for Shelby County’s 5,000+ employees; a new law requiring that all County employees, both part-time and full-time, make at least $15 per hour; 901StudentPassport, a Shelby County initiative that makes museums and other cultural assets free to students; and a host of justice reforms, like Ban the Box and limits on the transfer of military equipment to local law enforcement agencies.
Additionally, he has won approval for the financing for two new high schools to be constructed in Memphis totaling nearly $200 million, the first time any new high school has been built in Memphis in over decade; and he led the campaign to rebuild Regional One, the only public hospital in Memphis and Shelby County. Once finished, the effort to rebuild Regional One will cost between $750m to $1 billion and it will represent one of the largest investments ever for Shelby County government.
Mayor Harris is a proud product of Memphis’ public schools. Mayor Harris majored in International Relations at Morehouse College on a full tuition scholarship. While an undergraduate, he was the top student in the department of Political Science and International Relations and he was awarded a fellowship by the United Negro College Fund to study for one year as a visiting student at the London School of Economics. After graduating from Morehouse, Mayor Harris earned his law degree from Yale Law School. He began his legal career as an associate at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, one of the largest law firms in the country.
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ABOUT TOM KING, APPRAISER WITH BILL KING COMPANY
Tom is a well- respected and sought after appraiser in Memphis, Tennessee. He is a second generation appraiser with 40 years of experience. He has been elected to the Memphis Area Association of Realtors Board of Directors three times.
Tom is a certified residential appraiser in Tennessee. He have appraised over 20,000 homes in his career. A graduate from the University of Tennessee with a degree in real estate, Tom is also a Certified Relocation Professional (CRP). Tom also has vast experience in dealing appraising real estate for pre-listing sales, cash buyers, divorce settlements, estate settlements. (901) 487-6989
ABOUT JO GARNER-MORTGAGE LOAN OFFICER:
www.JoGarner.com (901) 482 0354 jo@jogarner.com X @jogarner NMLS# 757308
(currently working with Everitt Financial dba Supreme Lending)
ONLINE LOAN APPLICATION : https://jogarner.supremelendingLO.com
“Whatever YOUR personal priorities are, my job is to help you get the mortgage terms that will give you bragging rights when you talk about it and help you score on hitting your goals .”
As a mortgage loan officer, my job is to help you get to the benefits you want from your financing terms. What is most important to you? I can help you find the financing terms that will help you get to what you want. What is your comfort level on a house payment? How much are you comfortable paying down,? What type of financing do you need to get the house you want to buy or refinance?
Different clients have different priorities in life—some are buying their first home with very little down payment funds. Some are recovering from medical challenges, divorces or preparing to send children to college and some are embarking on a long term goal of buying properties to build rental income.”
Jo Garner is a mortgage officer with extensive knowledge in helping her clients find the right mortgage program and making the refinance or home purchase mortgage process EASY. She offers conventional, FHA, VA or other loan programs for primary residences, second homes and investment properties.
Jo can help you look at rent vs buy, when it makes sense to refinance, how to get the best deal on your home purchase financing.
Jo Garner has been in the real estate/financing business for over 30 years. She grew up in West Tennessee and got her start in real estate in Portland, Maine where she first began her real estate career. She received her real estate education from the University of Southern Maine and was personally mentored in San Diego, California by Robert G. Allen, author of Nothing Down, Creating
*Wealth and The Challenge.
On moving back to West Tennessee in 1987, she went into business buying and selling discounted owner-financed notes secured on real estate. In 1990 Jo went to work for a residential mortgage company and has been a mortgage loan officer for over 30 years.
In addition to her work in the mortgage field, Jo Garner is the primary sponsor and founder of Talk Shoppe in Memphis. www.TalkShoppe.com Jo Garner also host the radio show Real Estate Mortgage Shoppe airing on News Radio AM 600 WREC and iHeart Radio with podcasts and show notes published on www.JoGarner.com Pick up Jo Garner’s book on Amazon or Barnes Noble “Choosing the Best Mortgage-The Quickest Way to the Life You Want”