Vacant Land, Lots, and Acreage Sales- Buncombe County, NC - May 2009 Buncombe County includes the cities or areas of Asheville, Leicester, Weaverville, Black Mountain, Arden, Skyland, Candler, and Biltmore Forest.    86 parcels of vacant land have been Sold in 2009 in Buncombe County with an Average Sold Price of $86,525, up from last month. The first 5 months have started off with a a slower rate of sales, which is not unusual for the first 3 months of year, but by May sales should be increasing at a faster pace than we are currently experiencing. This would indicate that investors, builders and speculators are waiting for the market to stabilize and to plan for the future growth of the area. Of course, the risk of waiting to purchase is that once the Asheville market heats up, which i... 06/23/2009

These are uncertain times for everyone; yet at the same time, there are some great deals in Asheville area real estate.  Housing is more affordable than it has been since about 2005, and there are some really cool homes on the market.  In addition, the Obama administration made available an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers.  Interest rates remain at all time lows.  So what's the deal?  Why are buyers still slow to take action?  Fear, and a valid fear at that.  Many buyers are simply concerned that their job is not as secure as it once was.  With this in mind, Real Living created the Peace of Mind Mortgage Payment Protection plan.  It's simple, if you work with a Real Living buyer's agent, and use Real Living Mortgage to purchase the home, you get free one year coverage; if yo... 06/22/2009

  Flowers for instant curb appeal The experts all agree that curb appeal is one of the most important aspects to consider when selling your home in South Asheville.  When selling, it's the appearance from the street that will very often determine whether potential buyers come in to see the inside, or never get out of their cars.   Flowers are one of the easiest and least expensive ways to make the front of your house look inviting and instantly increase the curb appeal of your home. Without any real landscaping at all, flowers can transform a rather drab and dreary looking front yard into one that looks colorful and lush. Especially during spring and summer, you should take advantage of the season by planting pots and flower boxes.  A great local nursery in South Asheville that has a wo... 06/21/2009

Here is a good question for you. Think about your answer before you tell me your answer... WHEN was the last time you remember lace curtains flying at the window as a summer storm rolled in? the time when you last really felt  the thunderclaps, the lightning raising warnings of the clash, as if a battle were at hand, and all Nature had a way of letting go?  the time you last ran for shelter from the storm as the great trees trembled in the winds, and lace curtains counted the cycles? The last time for me was today.   ~^~ Talk about 'alternative energy" !________________________________________________________________ __~o -\_<,                                        (*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!.... 06/20/2009

In the last several weeks, loan rates have changed between .125 and .5% in a matter of hours.  The mortgage bond market has never been so volatile before, and rarely has anyone been able to predict the moves with any certainty.  Now, more than ever, I advise my clients to lock. When advising a borrower about locking or not locking, I have stopped trying to time the market, because it ends up causing heartache nearly every time.  Just ask the people who floated their loans on May 28 only to see rates skyrocket the very next day because the experts called it wrong on the jobs report. I now tell my clients, "You always save time and money if you lock.  If rates go up, you're protected.  If rates go down far enough prior to closing, most lenders will allow you some leeway to renegotiate the... 06/19/2009

In Asheville, N.C., with our population of about 80,000, currently 34 active,   standing boards and commissions serve in the capacity of addressing the complexities inherent in our vibrant city. There are any number of very viable pathways to sustainability. Even before relocating here, or if you are just interested in such things - as  I am- you can look at the culture, creativity, organic grower population, environmental conditions, and available technology. You can research the rankings try to get a handle on how people's quality of life and city economic and management preparedness are likely to fare in the near future... or simply ask a local expert, your real estate professional BUT FIRST you may choose to look in the mirror. Here is a link where you  can calculate your personal e... 06/12/2009

We launched our new website this month. Please let us know what you think.  Asheville Real Estate There is some good news. Pending numbers are up. In April ther were 83 pending sales, May 217 pending sales and just 11 days into the month of June we have 119.   Asheville Real Estate Market May 2009 May 2009 2008 Difference Homes Sold 345 530 -34.20% Dollar Volume $79,327,914 $133,383,597 -40.53% Avg. List Price $244,582 $263,355 -7.13% Avg. Sell Price $229,936 $251,667 -8.63% Med. List Price $213,900 $220,000 -2.78% Med. Sell Price $197,500 $212,000 -6.84% Days on Market 134 125 +.72% Numbers are from the WNCRMLS as of 6-11-09. Total Sales for: SingleFamilyResidential/Condo/Townhouse/Preconstruction May 2009 Asheville Real Estate Reports sales_history_report- 5 year Asheville residential... 06/11/2009

MAY - 2009 To have some idea of the health of the market, you must compare the current inventory to the number of sales that has taken place to project the actual number of months supply of homes. The repetitive question is: What is a Healthy Real Estate Market? That is not always an easy question to answer, but usually, inventory of unsold homes available should not equal more than a 5 to 7 month supply. Asking prices and inventory seem to set the theme. Five months into year, it was obvious that Asheville was not experiencing a "healthy" market. In 2008, Asheville and Buncombe County were continuing to hold steady at about 14 months supply, on average. As indicated below, we have 3.83 times more homes on the market than what a "healthy" market should have. In Asheville, we are still c... 06/11/2009

2009 is the year that GREEN has made an impact.   We all have been taught to conserve water, recycle, reuse, save the trees, etc.    I know that we all have not practiced what we know is right.  I believe that people are moving forward to becoming better stewards of the earth .  Green Building is making an impact on building a better house that has a tighter envelope, better air quality, water conservation and energy effecient.  Guidelines are being put in place right now and soon all houses will have to be energy effecient or energy star.  KC and I are building green these days.  KC has always built a good house, now its a better house with 3rd party certification.  KC has always tried to save the trees and now we are using any trees that have to be cut for mulch or lumber.  Putting ga... 06/10/2009

Folks have been talking real estate here in the mountains of Western North Carolina. The news is good. When it comes to home ownership, especially "green-built" homes,  and the economy both  state-wide, and in our home town of Asheville,  (see photo) North Carolina's real estate facts ( see below) support our intuition that things are moving in a positive direction.    Here are  a few of those facts:  1) Six N.C. cities - Raleigh, Durham, Asheville, Wilmington, Winston-Salem and Charlotte - were among the top 20 "Best Metros" in the country for business and careers, according to Forbes.  Asheville  is  #6     2) North Carolina recently was named the second best state in which to conduct business, according to Chief Executive magazine.   3) First-time homebuyer activity has surged. In Ma... 06/03/2009

MAPPING ASHEVILLE DEVELOPMENT --Asheville, NC-  June , 2009  I got an email from a dear friend and client this morning. She and her husband, conservation land stewards, live in South Carolina but hold land here in the Asheville area. It seems that news has traveled down her way.  "I hear that Asheville is becoming much more populated - that lots of people are moving there.  For good reason, of course., " she wrote. Looking at this from various perspectives (see photo of my pal  the "green muse of Asheville looking at future growth)I find  I have several answers for her. Here in the land of Cultural Creatives, what else would you expect? One answer has to do with the quality of life in Asheville and how attractive it is as a result. One has to do with the number of accolades Asheville ha... 06/02/2009

APRIL 2009 Buncombe County is the home of Asheville, NC. This statement is redundant from the past reports, but: Buncombe County and the surrounding areas of Asheville, Leicester, Black Mountain, Biltmore Forest, and Arden, like the rest of the country, have been experiencing many of the trends that have kept the real estate markets unsettled, higher than normal inventory and lower number of units sold. However, unlike most of the country, our prices have basically held fairly firm. For more on that story: The Asheville Citizen Times has the story at Holding Value  The Active listings inventory normally increase this time of year as expected. What we haven't needed is an EXCESS in the inventory numbers, which is beginning to develop. High inventory numbers will most likely mean prices m... 06/01/2009

Home Staging is a MUST these days. It has been my experience that it is usually the husband who doesn't want to spend the time or money decluttering or having the home staged. I would try my best to show them the difference in the time on market and better selling price but most of them still refused to stage their home. Well, I finally found the answer and it has convinced them EVERY time. I just look at them and say this:  Would you consider selling your vehicle (boat..whatever...you just need to speak their language) without taking the time to detail it? They finally get it! Sometimes they think we agents want them to do everything. Well..yes I do! I will be putting everything into the marketing so I do expect them to make their home look the best it possibly can and also to keep it ... 05/31/2009

Now and then, often when least you expect it, a photo arrives in your life that makes you just have to smile. Kids, and kittens and kites flying high in the sky can all have that effect. This sunny Asheville morning I had to put my coffee cup down to capture a conversation that got me grinning ear-to-ear .  I'm just not quite sure what they were saying...but could this be proof--positive that pet-friendly conversations do take place high in the mountains? And does anyone have a clue what they were saying" PET-FRIENDS in ASHEVILLE Wishing YOU a smile this Sunday morning. . . 05/30/2009

Has this ever happened to you? I was at a new listing taking pictures when a couple with a potential buyer drove up and asked if they could look at the house. The first words out of my mouth was.."Are you working with a real estate agent?" In unison they all three said no. I proceeded to explain WWREA brochure with them and told them that I would be their buyers agent and they said that would be great! After about an hour of looking and negotiating a price and also some furnishings the buyer said.."Oh...By the way...My brother in law is a real estate agent... What would you have done? 05/30/2009

Asheville Real Estate Market Overview Report 5-29-09 Number-active listings, number pending listings, pending ratio, closed listings, days on market, average list price, average sold price, ect. It is all broken down by price ranges. See the Greater Asheville Real Estate Report and additional reports for Fairview NC, Mars Hill NC, Waynesville NC, Arden NC, Swannanoa NC, Black Mountain NC, and Leicester NC. Click for more Asheville Home Sales Data. Short Sales in Asheville   Foreclosures in Asheville   Homes in Biltmore Park   Homes in Biltmore Forest   Search Green Built Homes   Search Hendersonville Real Estate   For information about Staging a Home in Asheville go to Staged Homes of Asheville. Check out my new Asheville Real Estate website and let me know what you think. Contact Me: j... 05/29/2009

Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, May, 2009 News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward   Here in the welcoming Asheville area mountainsit is time again for the annual one-day Mountain Green Sustainability Conference held on the campus of Warren Wilson College. It may be for  only one day, but it is packed with green possibilities.  The program itself is on-going and lasts throughout the year. (see the FREE L:lunch and Learn Series below.) Some of our favorite local experts (see photo)are on the conference steering committee including Equinox Environmental, Warren Wilson College where the conference will be held (we love their GREEN Dorm) the WNC Green Building Council, and our own Asheville Board of REALTORS®.    FREE LUNCH & LEARN SERIES: All are invited to e... 05/29/2009

TAKING FLIGHT     How we edit perceptions every day can leave the false impression, filtered through the screen of subjective assumption, that the world does not derive its existence beyond us. This photo reminds me to take flight with the resonating thrust of nature that  fuels the world. Looking at it I am reminded, too that we share in every aspect of being-and so we are , we must be, within and without, part of the magic. North Asheville. Spring ,2009 05/23/2009

First Time Home Buyers:Demand Green in Asheville   Asheville, NC- May, 2009- The First Time Home Buyer has a good advantage these days. There has always been a place for this special group of buyers, but the $8,000 Tax Creditadds impetus to the mix. As a real estate professional here in Asheville, I have always thought that finding a niche that "calls" to  you is one of the most important aspects of success in this business. Whether a property is commercial, residential or LAND/ acreage it is special in one way or another, and so are the clients who seek their first home, those buyers who depend on you for objective fiduciary counsel. And there are points beyond special. Looking at various market niches... the 1st Time Home Buyer, the Over 55...the Second and Vacation...the Hospitality.... 05/23/2009

Asheville, Buncombe County, NC Real Estate Market Statistics -  April 2009                      Active and Sold - April 2009 and 2008 Comparisons Our Active Residential Listings (Inventory) numbers are increasing and are up 4% over this same time last year.  The Average Asking Price had a decrease (4%), which the slower market influenced, and the Median Asking Price has decreased 5%. That is because of the higher priced homes taking "price reductions". April had a decrease of 42% over April 2008. March 2009 showed a slight increase from the Feb 09 numbers but April was still down, where normally, sales would be on the increase. That is the real problem we still face, the SOLD numbers are down for the year to date. This month the SOLD prices had a jump of 2% over the April 2008 Sold Pric... 05/21/2009