A Neighborhood Spotlight ◆ 12 South, Nashville

The Half-Mile
Nashville Walks To

A former streetcar suburb built around 1900, twelve blocks of craftsman bungalows and dry-goods storefronts turned into one of Nashville's most walked, most photographed neighborhoods. The porches still face the sidewalk. The sidewalk still gets used.

Home to The Henry ◆ Steps From the "I Believe in Nashville" Mural
82
Walk Score
$1.38M
Median Home Price
12 Days
Median Time on Market
Est. 1900
Streetcar Suburb Era
Your Guide

Twenty Years of Daily Life Here

Manjiri Rao-Kostas
Manjiri Rao-Kostas · ABR, LRS

I moved to the Greater Franklin area as a corporate relocation client — three separate times, with no nearby family, two young children, and a husband who traveled four days a week. I know precisely what breaks down in this process because I lived every version of it. That experience does not live in a brochure. It lives in how I show up for you.

Before real estate, I was the Administrator of the Division of Cardiology at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan. That world trained me to treat every detail as if something critical depended on it. I brought that same standard back to real estate when I returned full time in 2021.

I am a solo practitioner by deliberate choice. One expert. One relationship. One phone number from first conversation to closing table. No handoffs. No assistants who do not know your file. 12 South is a neighborhood I walk regularly — and if it is where you are considering putting down roots, I would genuinely be honored to walk it with you.

ABR Certified · LRS Certified · 3× Relocated · 20+ Yrs in Market

"Educate. Advocate. Navigate. ◆ Cream always rises. It always does." — Manjiri Rao-Kostas, ABR, LRS
Why 12 South

Twelve Blocks, A Century in the Making

82
Walk Score

Restaurants, coffee, boutiques, and Sevier Park are all reachable on foot. The original streetcar-era grid keeps blocks short and the sidewalks busy.

~0.5 Mi
Commercial Corridor

The entire 12th Avenue South business district runs about half a mile. Nothing on this stretch requires a car.

Est. 1900
Streetcar Suburb

Laid out as the Waverly-Belmont streetcar suburb, with bungalows and Folk Victorians built for a walkable, front-porch way of life.

50+
Independent Businesses

Restaurants, boutiques, and galleries — almost entirely local and independent, the legacy of a 1990s revitalization led by neighborhood investors.

$1.38M
Median Home Price

Entry points vary block by block, from renovated bungalows to new construction infill on the neighborhood's edges.

12 Days
Median Days on Market

Well-priced homes move quickly. Inventory is limited by the neighborhood's small footprint and enduring demand.

12 South's Gathering Place

The Henry

There are restaurants, and then there are places that become the neighborhood's living room. The Henry is the latter. Opened by Fox Restaurant Concepts in September 2024 inside the new 12 South Collection building, it is the brand's first Tennessee location — and it has already become one of the corridor's anchor addresses.

Where You Will Live

Twelve South's Housing Stock

01 · Historic Core

Craftsman Bungalows & Folk Victorians

The original housing stock from the neighborhood's streetcar-suburb era. Small lots, deep front porches, and a walk to everything — the homes that gave 12 South its character before the character became a selling point.

Renovated bungalows typically range from the high $900Ks into the $1.5M range, depending on lot size and finish level.

02 · New Construction Infill

Modern Farmhouse & Tall-and-Skinny Builds

Older lots subdivided or rebuilt into new construction over the past decade. Higher price points, larger floor plans, and finishes built for buyers who want the location without the renovation project.

New builds typically start near $1.4M and can extend well past $2M on double lots.

03 · Sevier Park Adjacent

Quiet Streets, One Block Off the Corridor

Residential blocks bordering Sevier Park offer the walkability of 12 South with less foot traffic. A common landing spot for buyers who want proximity without living directly on the retail strip.

A short list of homes changes hands here each year. I track this pocket closely for buyers who ask about it first.

Daily Life in 12 South

What You Would Actually Do Here

Frothy Monkey & Five Daughters Bakery

Espresso and breakfast at Frothy Monkey's original location, then the neighborhood's famous 100-layer donuts a few doors down. Both fill up on weekend mornings, and both are worth the wait.

Draper James, White's Mercantile & imogene + willie

Reese Witherspoon's Draper James flagship, White's Mercantile's curated general store, and imogene + willie's made-in-Nashville denim — three of the corridor's most-visited storefronts.

Josephine, Edley's & Urban Grub

Farm-to-table at Josephine, classic Southern barbecue at Edley's, and fresh seafood with house-made charcuterie at Urban Grub. The corridor covers every kind of dinner without leaving the neighborhood.

"I Believe in Nashville" Mural

Painted in red, white, and blue on the side of Draper James, it has become one of the most photographed walls in the city and a genuine point of neighborhood pride.

Sevier Park & the 12 South Farmers Market

Green space, a playground, and a weekly farmers market that turns into a community gathering from spring through fall.

A Walk Score of 82

Coffee, dinner, a haircut, and a gift for a friend — all reachable on foot, on sidewalks that were built for exactly that purpose over a century ago.

Rates Change. Markets Move. Be Informed.

The 12 South Market, Honestly

$1.38M
Median Sale Price

12 South median, recent closed sales. Entry points vary meaningfully between historic bungalows and new construction.

12 Days
Median Days on Market

Well-priced homes in this footprint move quickly relative to broader Nashville averages.

$505
Price Per Sq. Ft.

Among the highest per-square-foot figures in Metro Nashville, reflecting land scarcity and walkability demand.

All market data should be independently verified through current MLS sources before any transaction decision. Statistics reflect available market information and are subject to change. Confirm with your advisor.

Let's Begin the Conversation

Curious About 12 South?

Whether you are looking to buy on this corridor, sell a home here, or simply want an honest read on what a property is worth in this market, I would be glad to walk it with you.

Direct
615.584.5485
Email
manjiri@onwardre.com
Website
manjiriRao-Kostas.com
Office
5000 Meridian Blvd, Ste 300, Franklin, TN 37067
Start the Conversation
Manjiri Rao-Kostas · Affiliate Broker · ABR, LRS · TN Lic# 366387 · Educate · Advocate · Navigate