Branson Area Appreciation Time Platters Review       Springtime heralds the arrival of new shows in Branson, Missouri.  For Shell Knob and Table Rock Lake residents, that means discounted ticket prices.  Discounted prices are called Area Appreciation shows and are offered to locals to make up for residents experiencing additional traffic and congestion during the height of tourist season, which I, as a realtor in Shell Knob appreciate. The window of opportunity to see shows at reduced prices is short, usually less than a week, but various offerings are spread out for most of the month of March.    It is a little like seeing a dress rehearsal .  It gives the shows a chance to perfect new acts, etc.  Prices can range from bringing two cans of food for a charity event, to paying between $5... 03/17/2007

Sharing the WealthLiving in Shell Knob for almost 18 years, I realize I have become accustomed to the natural beauty that surrounds us.  My eyes see it, but the excitement I once knew isn't there anymore.  Kind of like a marriage, I guess.  You are so thrilled with each other in the early years, but grow into a comfortable 'knowing' after some time passes.  That's why I enjoy sharing this knowledge with newcomers.  It reawakens that joy.  Springtime is  never ending color, sights and sounds and  I was  able to pass some on this week to a client who moved here last year from Iowa.  As a realtor in Shell Knob, I wish more sellers would realize how much flowers attract buyers to their property.  Street appeal can make the difference in getting them to come in the front door.   There is a s... 03/15/2007

 What in the world is a Paddlefish? Paddlefishing season is almost upon us.  The Missouri Department of Conservation has stocked over half a million fingerlings (baby fish) over the past 15 years for the enjoyment of sportsmen.  These huge creatures normally are denizens of the deep, but in the spring they come to warm shallow waters in search of spawning habitat.On Table Rock Lake they concentrate in the lakes' narrow upper arms and have been caught frequently around the Shell Knob bridge.    What Are Those Things?Modern paddlefish (Polyodon Spathula)  are possibly the oldest surviving animal species in North America.  There are fossil records showing that they are older than the dinosauers and perhaps are the oldest big-game animal surviving in North America!Paddlefish skin is tough, ... 03/09/2007

SMALL TOWN LIFE IN SHELL KNOBThere was a recent incident that brought a smile to my face.  Smiles are good, right?First, I should explain,  Having spent most of my life in big cities, I realized when we relocated to the Ozarks, that although the  usa was a 'melting pot' , we still have some cultural differences in the States.  Missouri is in the center of the country, but it is also the border between North and South.  Life tends to be slower here, and once I adjusted to it, I decided that slow is not bad.  Slower doesn't mean inefficient, but it may mean a difference in values.  The value in question might be time.  How do we want to spend our time?  Nose to the grindstone, or going fishing?  I am a realtor living in the Shell Knob  area in the southwest part of Missouri.  I say 'area'... 03/08/2007

 EMERGENCY CARE I know that health care systems are confusing today, but  it is a definite factor to consider in buying a vacation cottage or retirement home. " If I move to the boonies, will I be able to get help if I need it? " The answer is YES.  So let me try to tackle this concern and explain how it is covered here in Southwest Missouri, specifically, Shell Knob.   The first thing I would recommend a new area resident do is to become a member of the Air Evac Lifeteam.  For a small fee of $55.00/year, a couple can receive free emergency helicopter transport to a major hospital.  There are several helicopter pads maintained in the area for this emergency care.   I know of two people personally , whose lives were saved by being airlifted to get the care  required.  Membership includes... 02/28/2007

 SHELL KNOB BOAT DEALERSTwo boat dealers in Shell Knob are  offering an excellent variety of boats and equipment.SPORT BOATS U.S.A. has their offices and home showroom in Ozark, Missouri.  They have been in boat sales since 1988.  Their satellite in Shell Knob is on Hwy 39, south of the bridge over Table Rock Lake.The 'Hot' boat for the 2007 season has got to be the Cobalt 252.  It's a real beauty and  shares the spotlight with the new luxurius Bentley Pontoon.   Their line-up also includes Monterey, Polar-Kraft, Parti-Kraft and Charger Bass Boats.Sport Boats services what they sell, as well as offers out of season boat storage, both indoors and out. WILLIAMS BROS. SKI AND SPORTS is the locally owned Mastercraft dealer.  Dave and April Williams have been involved in boat sales for 23 ye... 02/27/2007

   PIZZA HUT'S DOCK   The popular pizza provider, Pizza Hut,  is located at the Hwy 39 bridge in Shell Knob.  They also have their own dock for pizza lovers to be able to fill their appetites easily.   Customers get a great view of the bridge and watch boats and water skiers on Table Rock Lake as they wait for their order.    The Pizza Hut dock, located just below the restaurant, is provided for the convenience of local boating residents and vacationers alike.  Call ahead and the order may be ready for pick-up and consumption on your boat, or make the climb up the hill to eat and enjoy in the comfort of air-conditioning, or on the deck, enjoying summer breezes and boat watching.   02/26/2007

Table Rock at Shell Knob, Missouri Table Rock Lake is like none I've ever known.  Lake levels flucuate,  go up and down as if  we had an ocean tide, except they don't do it twice daily.    From a distance, going by boat, the shoreline  of this clean clear water ,looks sandy, but the only sandy beaches are where the sand has been imported for one specific location.  What appears to be sand from a distance, is really small rocks.  This is  a lake where you need swim shoes to protect  toes because instead of sand, there is rock and stone.  Therefore the name:  TABLE ROCK LAKE.  At most  lakes I have been around,  lakefront cottages typically had  screened-in porchs to be able to enjoy the evening breezes without being eaten alive by mosquitos.  TABLE ROCK LAKE has NO mosquitos!   Let me re... 02/25/2007

CHOW TIMESTUMPY BURGER is the new kid on the block in Shell Knob restaurants, and is already getting a reputation for one of the best hamburgers in town.  They are located on The Plaza and easily assessible, with lots of parking.Just as their name implies, their speciality is hamburgers - small, medium and large, but with more imaginative names. A bowl of their Corn Chip Chili will fill most lunchtime munchies.  For a BIG appetite, they offer a Double Patty Cheezie Burger that will challenge the largest appetite.  If someone still has room for dessert, Stumpcake, Ice Cream or Frozen Banana is available.  Birthday Parties can be accommodated in the 'Stumpy Hollow' room.  An Arcade with video games and a pool table is under construction and will be available soon.Stumpy Burger is a 'must ... 02/24/2007

                                                                                                 Listing Unsellable In Shell Knob, MO I received a call last week from an individual who I had contacted A year ago.  I was quite pleased when he said he was ready to sell his waterfront lot.  We discussed details of current market values, commission,legal description, etc.  He lives out of state, so I emailed him the listing contract.  Called our County Assessor's office and had a copy of the lot map faxed, this was not in a platted subdivision.Receipt of the map showed me that I had a problem.  There was an old runway which ran parallel to the road in front of this lot, blocking access into the lot.  Conversation with the owner confirmed, that yes, he knew about the runway and it had been a... 02/24/2007

TABLEROCK BASS ARE BITING  Time to get the fishing tackle out the fish are calling. March 1st kicked off the Trout Fishing season.  And in this neck of the woods, that almost qualifies as a national holiday.  Cassville, Missouri, just west of Shell Knob declares a school holiday on the first.  That is so that all the natives and visitors can stand knee deep in freezing waters at the Roaring River State Park  to fish when the  hatchery opens for the first time of the season in hopes of getting a record making trout.March is also the beginning of fishing on Table Rock Lake.  Avid enthusiasts come from all over to partake of the many Bass Tournaments in the spring.  Each participant hopeing to catch that elusive 'big' one.  Located almost in the center of the country, this huge 745 mile sh... 02/15/2007

City Mouse or Country Mouse?  When working with a client who wants to move to the Shell Knob area, I try to determine what their "Want to's and Got To's" are.  We all have such a list in our minds, but may not have actually sorted it out completely.  You know what I mean:  Must have at least 3 bedrooms and 2+ baths, plus be on the water with a  GREAT VIEW and  BOAT DOCK.............and we want to stay price-wise, under $150,000, (I'm smiling.)In this area of Table Rock Lake,  there is also the decision of living in a housing development, or being out  of town and away from immediate neighbors.  Being close to town, or having to drive for 15 minutes to get to the grocery or pharmacy?  Shell Knob has several developments, in all price ranges, and locations.  Most of the developments have ... 02/12/2007

The Spring Real Estate Market in Shell KnobYou have decided that you want to buy a lake house in Shell Knob this year.  You've heard about a drop in home sales, the over inflated real estate  market is in a slump, and it sounds like bargains to be had, or so all the news  media people would have us believe.   Dollar signs flash before your eyes.  People will be begging you to take their property off their hands, right?    Wellllll ....maybe,  and then again,  maybe not.  Early springtime is a good time to look at lake property here at Table Rock Lake in Shell Knob.  When the Boat shows end and spring fishing begins, a lot of people are not thinking about hot summer weather and cool refreshing lake water.   There is not as much competition from other buyers looking at the same house with... 02/09/2007

Shell Knob, Missouri IS known as the quiet end of Table Rock Lake, but it has the advantage of being close to many interesting attractions and towns.  Two of these are Branson, MO and Eureka Springs, Arkansas.   Whenever we get visitors, ( the first year someone relocates here they will get alot of company)  we take a break from boating and sunburns to play tourist.  A favorite with us, and our visitors,  is Eureka Springs , only a pleasant 40 minute drive SW of Shell Knob.  Read more about Shell Knob   Eureka Springs is a unique and colorful town, founded in 1879 when the Basin Spring was discovered to have purported healing powers.  The historic Crescent Hotel was completed in 1886, providing a gracious hostel for the elite of the Gay 90's period to travel from Little Rock for the bat... 02/08/2007

SHELL KNOB - 65747-QUIET END?Why is Shell Knob called the 'quiet' end of Table Rock Lake?  Shell Knob is a family destination for vacations or retirement.  It's the place you go to to relax, lay back and enjoy the tranquility of open waters, peaceful nights with a sky full of stars.  The town sits past  the mid-way part of the lake, which travels from Branson, MO at the Corps of Engineers dam, past Kimblering City, then branches in one direction to Cape Fair, but continuing on and taking alot of turns, finally reaches Shell Knob.  It's 745 miles of shoreline, twisting snakelike through the gentle hills offers a vast amount of water - clear, clean water.   After completion of the dam in 1958, development tended to stay in the Branson area.  It has remained a big vacation destination  due... 02/02/2007

 Recent Bear Sighting in Shell Knob    Black bears are starting to return to Missouri, which I can personally testify to.  I  knew that they were in the State, but never anticipated seeing them just down the road from my house near Shell Knob, Missouri.The day before Thanksgiving was bright and sunny shirtsleeve weather.  Driving into town, I noticed three dark objects on the road in the distance, but presumed they were large dogs.  Getting closer I was shocked to see a full grown bear and two large cubs!  They were checking out a vacated deer hunters' campsite.  Hearing my car, they ambled back into the Mark Twain National Forest, but later in the day were seen three different times about a mile  from my sighting.Seeing the bears, led me to do some research.  One of the things I did, b... 01/30/2007

NUISANCE WILDLIFE IN SHELL KNOBSpring is coming and with it comes gardening and nuisance critters eating Shell Knob gardens.  White -tailed deer are delightful, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation,  unless they are munching your prized azalea bushes.  Opossums are appealing, until they set up housekeeping in your attic.  Beavers are facinating, but their industry can be inconvenient when one of their dams backs up water over your driveway. Squirrels can be so cute to watch, as they use a powerline for a tightrope, or eat some corn you've put out for them, but let them have access to your attic and they can do tremendous damage.  Then there is the southern flying squirrel.  They are likely to be the most abundant type of squirrel found in this part of the country.  They ... 01/30/2007

 OZARK MOUNTAINS or HILLS? The Missouri Ozarks is a beautiful area.  Cross the Mississippi (love spelling that word) and just west of St. Louis on I-44, you know you've left the plains of Illinois.  The highway cuts through massive rock and you are into rolling hills. Up and down, low hills and high hills, but......HILLs.   First time visitors should not expect to see impressive heights like the Rocky's or Blue Ridge Mountains.  The Ozarks are part of what is known as the Springfield Plateau.  There are no spectacular Mt. Hood's to be seen.  Rather, as some sage explained it, look at it like a cake that fell. Think of Springfield as the edge of the cake As you go south out of Springfield, you start to go down (this is the part of the cake that fell). Continue south and you are into rock... 01/20/2007