Let me first mention that soon there will be four Team Kipper’s! During 2012 our daughter-in-law, Christy, returned to the team and our son, Jon (and Christy’s husband) will join us full time this month.

2012 will get high marks in all major categories. Health, Career and Leisure….

I hit a milestone, having survived ten years since the stem cell transplant. Christy celebrated one year cancer free, an outcome hard to envision at the time of her initial diagnosis. She has also been given a second chance. We said good-bye to a few relatives and friends in 2012… As we get older, we seem to experience more of those good-byes.

My Mom celebrated her 90th birthday. Sharon and I hosted her party at our home. She “Skyped” with her twin sister in MIchigan from the party. She may not remember much of it, but we will.

In April we went to Peru. Machu Picchu was the target destination, a place Sharon had wanted to visit for forty years. We visited Cusco, Lima, the Sacred Valley and Lake Titicaca as well. It was quite a surprise. Peru is very diverse. The largest minority group there are the Chinese who came there to work in the mines. Restaurants called “Chifas” serve dishes that fuse native Peruvian and Chinese cuisine. Women wear bolder hats like those worn by Charlie Chaplin. Men do the knitting. At Puno, on the shore of Lake Titicaca, we had wild, vivid dreams at night from lack of oxygen (altitude 12,400 ft.). We love adventure.

In the summer we went to Florida for a few days to explore a part of the panhandle we had never visited. In the fall, now a tradition, we returned to the Cumberland mountains. Some of our extended family and friends joined us for our mountain weekend. We have posted a few photo highlights from 2012, in the right column of this blog, which we hope you will enjoy.

Megan was asked to be a bridesmaid in a wedding to take place in Southern France in May. She saved her money and extended the trip to visit friends there, and in The Netherlands, Germany and Spain. From school here and in Italy, Spain and India, she has built a world wide network of friends offering free lodgings!

This year, our business was great. Nashville’s Real Estate market is vibrant with new development everywhere. Our son, Jon, completed the transition from his old job to Real Estate Affiliate Broker, and has already been doing some marketing for us. We’re expecting his technological knowledge and marketing background to contribute immediately to Team Kipp.

Sharon and I bought another distressed property and rehabilitated it. In times past, we did much of the work ourselves, but this time we decided to hire a contractor to do all the work. We learned a lot from this experience and we’re sharing the knowledge with our investor clients. We leased it quickly.. the rental market is very strong. This purchase was part of an overall retirement strategy… but we’re not ready to do that just yet, and may never want to. So don’t worry. We’re still around to handle your Real Estate needs.

My second term as commissioner on the Metro Nashville Property Standards Board expired. Shortly thereafter I was elected to our neighborhood Homeowners Association. Sharon organized her sixth annual team in the Susan Komen Race for the Cure; co-chaired the local American Cancer Society Relay for Life; became involved in the Nashville Greenways organization; and was re-elected to the Board of Directors for our local Chamber of Commerce. She was recognized and honored for her years of community service at the 2012 Star Spangled Salute. She also made a television commercial for the Volunteers of America (www.VOATN.org). I think it is still running.

Our three grandsons are getting to be more and more fun. Jonathon is now twelve and is a wonderful big brother to the four year old twins, Jackson and Joshua. The twins are very different in mood and interests. Jackson can name the make of most cars on the street… no one really taught him (the power of advertising?) Joshua is musical.

Several people told us that their Christmas cards to us were returned this year. We did move four years ago. Let us know if you need our home address and please let us know if any of your contact information has changed.

In closing, we hope you will try to stay in touch with us in 2013. Until then,

Happy New Year

David & Sharon Kipp

For all your real estate needs – http://www.TeamKipp.com
email or call David@TeamKipp.com
email or call Sharon@TeamKipp.com

Photo Highlights of 2012 @ http://www.GreetingsFromNashville.com
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