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Welcome to the October edition of THE BRUCE BEAT, my monthly real estate newsletter!
Right now in Chattanooga, we’re in what’s called a buyer’s market. I mentioned that last month and you have probably heard that in the news as well. Simply put, there are more homes available than there are buyers, which gives you, if you’re looking to buy, more options and more leverage. But more choices don’t always make the process easier, and that’s where the right guidance matters.
One piece of advice I always share: never let anyone rush you into a decision this important. Buying a home is one of the biggest financial and personal decisions you’ll ever make. Just because the market favors buyers today doesn’t mean your perfect home is on the market today. Sometimes it takes patience.
For me, that’s the best part of what I do—taking the time to understand your preferences, your quirks, and your personality, and then helping you find a place that truly feels like home. Whether that means we go visit 2 properties or 20, I don’t mind. I enjoy the process, and I want you to feel 100% confident when you finally say, “This is the one.”
If you’re thinking about buying, don’t settle or feel rushed. Take your time, enjoy the process, and when the right home comes along, you’ll know. And if you do not have the real estate agent that takes that approach to your buying decision, then please reach out to me. I would be honored to help you in anyway that I can.
Creepy Legends from Chattanooga’s Shadows
October brings Halloween to us at the end of the month, and in the spirit of the season, I would like to share three of the creepiest stories I’ve come across from my time of living in the Chattanooga area. Now, before I start, I realize our region is full of ghost stories, especially those passed down from the Civil War era. But these three particular tales I am sharing are lesser-known, and in my opinion, all the more chilling because of it.
- The Pitty Pat of Shipley Hollow
In the quiet hills of Sale Creek, there’s a stretch of road locals call Pitty Pat Hollow, named for the eerie “pit, pat, pit, pat” footsteps some say follow you through the woods at night. Legend tells of a mother and her children whose buggy overturned on a curve long ago, the children vanishing into the forest, possibly taken by a creature still said to roam the area. Some claim to hear small feet chasing them from the treeline, but nothing is ever there when they look back.
- The Corpsewood Manor Murders
Just south of the Tennessee border in the woods of Northwest Georgia, two men built a stone manor by hand in the 1970s and lived peacefully, if eccentrically, until a brutal double murder brought the story to national headlines. Locals whispered about devil worship, secret rooms, and occult symbols, though much was exaggerated in the aftermath. Today, the ruins of Corpsewood Manor still sit hidden in the woods, and visitors report strange noises, bad luck, and the feeling of being watched.
- The Long Snake of White Oak Mountain
Back in the 1800s, stories spread of a creature seen slithering through the Tennessee River near Chattanooga — a 25-foot “river serpent” with a dog-like head and a black fin along its back. Dubbed The Dakwa in some Cherokee tellings, this creature was said to be a harbinger of death. Many of those who claimed to see it died mysteriously within the year. The sightings eventually faded, but who knows what still stirs in the deep waters below?
These stories may just be folklore. Or maybe not. But whatever you choose to believe, they remind us how even the most beautiful places can carry whispers of the strange and unexplained.
Happy Halloween.
The sounds of bluegrass continue this month.
We have a lot of great events and concerts coming our way again in October, but it’s hard not to notice that bluegrass isn’t going anywhere. In September, the International Bluegrass Music Association celebrated for an entire week in downtown Chattanooga, and now October brings a few annual events that keep that spirit ringing throughout the area. The 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival kicks off the first weekend of the month at Ross’s Landing on the riverfront. Then, the following weekend brings the return of Cavefest at The Caverns in Pelham, TN. With both festivals featuring heavy hitters like The Brothers Comatose, The Travelin’ McCourys, Leftover Salmon and Sam Bush, we’re sure to have banjos ringing in our ears for a while longer!
October 2025:
Friday 10/3 – Mary Chapin Carpenter w/ Brandy Clark @ The Walker Theatre
Friday 10/3 – Blackberry Smoke @ Memorial Auditorium
Friday 10/3 & Saturday 10/4 – 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival (featuring The Brothers Comatose, The Travelin’ McCourys, Shadwograss, Randy Steele and High Cold Wind, and many more) @ Ross’s Landing
Saturday 10/4 – Racket at the Boneyard (featuring Floating Action, T. Hardy Morris, Andrew Combs & many more) @ The Boneyard
Saturday 10/4 & Sunday 10/5 – Ketner’s Mill Fair
Wednesday 10/8 – Rainbow Kitten Surprise @ Memorial Auditorium
Thursday 10/9 – Whiskey Myers @ Memorial Auditorium
Thursday 10/9 – North Mississippi Allstars @ Barrelhouse Ballroom
Thursday 10/9 – Boy Named Banjo @ Songbirds
Saturday 10/11 & Sunday 10/12 – Cavefest (featuring Leftover Salmon, Sam Bush, Arlo McKinley, Linsay Lou, and many more) @ The Caverns
Saturday 10/18 – Nick Lutsko & The 100K Band @ Barrelhouse Ballroom
Sunday 10/19 – 7 Bridges Marathon
Tuesday 10/21 – Tall Tall Trees @ Songbirds
Thursday 10/23 – Tennessee Jet @ The Woodshop
Friday 10/24 – Andy Frasco & The U.N. w/ Randy Steele and the High Cold Wind @ Barrelhouse Ballroom
Friday 10/24 – Travis Tritt @ Memorial Auditorium
Saturday 10/25 – ChattaJack
Saturday 10/25 – John Crist @ Memorial Auditorium
Saturday 10/25 – Call Me Spinster w/ Alva Leigh @ Songbirds
Sunday 10/26 – Chattanooga Jazz Fest @ Chattanooga Choo Choo
Tuesday 10/28 – Macy Gray @ The Walker Theatre
Wednesday 10/29 – Jeff Tweedy w/ Liam Kazar @ The Caverns
Wednesday 10/29 – Nick Shoulders w/ Chris Acker @ Barrelhouse Ballroom
Wednesday 10/29 – Chatham Rabbits @ Songbirds
And in case you may not be familiar with any of these artists I’ve highlighted above, I created a Spotify playlist of some of my favorite songs from most of them for you to enjoy:
