Sellers in Murphy North Carolina and Cherokee County saw a huge increase in activity in May.  Pending home sales rose 68% over April's figures as buyers entered the market after the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians announced plans to buy 800 acres of land and build a new Class II gaming facility between Murphy and Marble, North Carolina. News that the Tribe will spend $6.4 million purchasing land in Cherokee County was announced early in May.  Although the Federal tax credit expired on April 30, buyers seemed more motivated by the casino news and mortgage rates that moved even lower than they have been in recent months.                     In May, 37 homes went under contract, the largest number in months.  April's pending sales totaled 22. Here are the statistics for May 1 -31, 2010: ... 06/03/2010

    Now that Grand Vista Subdivision has been abandoned by the developers, lot owners in the Murphy, North Carolina mountain community are asking themselves "How much is that lot I bought worth today?" The answer is "Not much, if you HAVE to sell it now." There are 85 lots in Phase 1 of Grand Vista.  All of them were under contract within a few months after the subdivision began taking lot reservations in the summer of 2006.  Lot prices ranged from $45,000 for a lot near the clubhouse to $130,000 for lots at the top of the mountain with stunning long range views.  With a tempting list of amenities including the community pool with a rock waterfall, tennis courts, horse stables and clubhouse offering a two bedroom apartment available to lot owners visiting their property, many buyers pur... 06/02/2010

Murphy, NC has a couple very nice nail salons, but I just found the newest salon to open up in our little town. Nail 1 Salon and Spa offers professional nail care for ladies and gentlemen. They not only have excellent nail services, but also offer waxing, facials, massage and eyelash extensions. How did I find them? Nail 1 is located just a few doors down from the Mountain & Lakes Board of Realtors office. I stopped in one day after dropping off some listing information at the board office and met Andy and Zanna Do, the wonderful and friendly managers of Nail 1 Salon & Spa. The atmosphere and décor was so relaxing that I had to go back later that week for a spa deluxe pedicure. I’ll definitely be back for more of their services.   So if you’re looking for a great relaxing environment f... 06/02/2010

     Grand Vista Subdivision in Murphy, North Carolina brought a new concept to mountain land development in Cherokee County.  Four years ago, Grand Vista was touted as "One of the hot new  mountain communities" by Pinnacle magazine.  With its wide, paved roads lined with street lights and a list of amenities that included tennis courts and horse stables, the developers offered Florida-style extra features along with the typical mountain view lots.  While sales of mountain property overall in Murphy were slowing down, the lots in Phase 1 of Grand Vista were snapped up in just a few months.  But today, Grand Vista's website is down.  The clubhouse is locked.  The pool is empty.  And many of the first 85 lots sold are in foreclosure. I've been contacted by a number of lot owners over the ... 06/01/2010

Looking for some affordable family fun in Murphy, NC? Then you’ll want to make sure to head on out to WagonMaster Adventure Ranch located in the Smoky Mountains of Murphy, NC. You’ve got so many choices… Mini Golf, Bounce Castle, Paintball Gallery, Target Airsoft Mini Car Track or our Gem Mining. They always have some great combo- package rates too. Fun for all ages and they just keep adding more fun things to do all the time! In addition to all the activities, WagonMaster has free picnic areas with grills, playground and inspirational nature paths to enjoy.   Canopy and Pavilion rentals available. Group tent camping and you can also reserve a party package with campfire and wagon rides. If you’re not the camping type, then pull that RV on in to one of the sites on the creek or stay in ... 05/31/2010

                        One of the neighbors stopped by my Murphy, North Carolina mountain garden this morning to check on the progress of my latest landscaping project.  I've been hard at work turning a steep slope along the driveway into an easy-care garden area with color all year long.  The challenges?   Digging planting holes in a steep, solid shale slope with no topsoil  Keeping plants and soil in place till they are rooted  Moving tons of rock to create terraces and keep the slope from eroding  Not falling down the hill while doing all of the above  On the left is where I picked up after getting a few plants in the ground late last fall.  We had a few large boulders moved in with a track hoe. And here's the work in progress as of this morning -      I've lined the edge of the dri... 05/30/2010

Looking to start off the weekend a little early? This FREE Celtic Music Concert Thursday night at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC would make the perfect start to another great weekend in the North Carolina mountains. May 27, 2010 7:00pm (Thursday night!) Keith House Community Room Admission: Free, donations welcome Lorinda Jones grew up in a musical family in a small town in South Central Kentucky. She began performing at an early age, and has pursued music through a wide range of instruments including piano, oboe, dulcimer, tin whistle, psaltery, zither, autoharp, and guitar, as well as Celtic harp. In Lorinda's performance, her audience gains an appreciation for the historical development of the harp and for the Celtic music she presents. With five CD's and five boo... 05/26/2010

    Our new FREE Brochure of over 680 Properties in the Murphy, NC and surrounding GA and TN Mountains has just arrived! Appalachian Land Company is proud to present the 32 page color brochure filled with great homes, land and commercial properties. To request your FREE copy, visit Lee & Carol Barbour at www.LeeAndCarol.com or email us at info@mountainlivingteam.com and we’ll get one right out in the mail to you!       05/25/2010

The real estate market here in Murphy, NC is slowly, but steadily climbing - the phone is ringing, sellers are selling and buyers are buying.  Price reductions have leveled off and the buyers are back, along with the great spring weather ready to invest in these western North Carolina Mountains. Home sales are up and the days on the market are down so far compared to 2009 and we will continue to see those numbers only get better as summer arrives. Even though most of the country saw the worst winter weather in quite some time, Murphy NC was still a get-away for many looking for great deals and the opportunity to not only enjoy the season, but it is also the perfect time to see the true “lay of the land” here in the mountains. Our area has always been a destination for mountain living an... 05/23/2010

If you’re looking for a nature walk while visiting Murphy, NC, save some time to visit the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest - just a short drive over to neighboring Robbinsville, NC. When the Veterans of the Foreign Wars asked the government to set aside a fitting stand of trees to serve as a living memorial to Joyce Kilmer, who was killed in action during World War I, this magnificent Memorial Park was established. Although Kilmer was both a soldier and a poet, he is most remembered for his poetry about common, beautiful things in nature. Kilmer's best known poem is “Trees.” Joyce Kilmer is a nature trail and is great for novices or families with small children. The combined trail is a 2 mile figure eight loop and is very easy to follow. It is rated as an easy hiking trail with steps built... 05/22/2010

Murphy NC, Friday May 21st will be the annual Cherokee County Relay For Life event. The event begins at 7:00pm and closing ceremonies begin on Saturday at 7:30am Cherokee County Relay Team raised $114,500 for research last year, earning them an award from the American Cancer Society. The event begins with a Survivors Lap around the park's track, there will be entertainment, games, food, activities and will culminate with a luminary ceremony at dusk. Awards will be presented to top team and individual fund-raisers. Teams will be challenging each other to spend the night at the park and they can setup tents along the Hiwassee River. I am a breast cancer survivor and this event is always emotional for those who have lost loved ones and those who have survived. This year I purchased 2 lumin... 05/19/2010

Welcome to Murphy, NC! As you’re driving through town you’ll want to park and stretch your legs as you check out Konehete Park. Located on the north edge of the old historic downtown district, the park runs along the Valley River as it makes its way through the town of Murphy. Konehete is the Cherokee word for "valley." The Hiawassee Valley Pool & Wellness Center, Baseball fields, Kids playground, tennis courts and the Valley River Walk are all located in and around the park and make this downtown area of Murphy, NC a great place for relaxation and exercise for residents and visitors alike. For more information on living in the western NC, north GA and eastern TN mountains visit www.MountainLivingTeam.com   05/18/2010

There is nothing better than waking up and having a view like this. It looks like you’re floating in the clouds looking out over all the mountain layers beyond you. Cool and crisp is the morning air as all the wild birds are out singing the glory of this new day. Yep, there is nothing better than living in these Mountains! If you’re interested in visiting or living in the western NC, north GA or eastern TN Mountains visit Lee & Carol Barbour at www.MountainLivingTeam.com   05/16/2010

Now that the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has released the news that they have approved funding to acquire 800 acres of land in the mountains near Murphy, North Carolina to build their new casino facility in Cherokee County, every local property owner is wondering two things: 1.  Just HOW MUCH are they paying per acre for 800 acres of land, including some with frontage on the highway? 2.  Is any of it near MY property...and will the value of my Murphy property increase? I'll answer #2 first: Is any of it near MY property... The 800 acre parcel is located along Tomotla Road in the Marble area, near Old Peachtree Road.  It includes the old sawmill that is visible from Hwy 19/74 and runs all the way back to US Forest Service land. ...will the value of my Murphy property increase? The ... 05/13/2010

According to a news release today, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians approved a resolution to fund the purchase of approximately 800 acres in the Marble area of Cherokee County.  The Tribe will spend $6.4 million for a total of 7 parcels of land including frontage on Hwy 19/74 just west of Murphy, North Carolina.  A new Class II gaming facility could be up and running in the Western North Carolina mountains as early as next year. "There is still a great deal of work to do, but I anticipate we will move ahead in 2010," said Michell Hicks, principal chief of the Eastern Band in a front page story in today's Cherokee Scout.  The overall scope of the project is not yet finalized, but Hicks was quoted as saying that "it will definitely result in a few hundred jobs."  The land to be purch... 05/12/2010

Blackberry Winter in Murphy, NC...time to start planting! Old-timers in the Appalachians know there are several named "winters" following winter, and Dogwood and Blackberry Winter are perhaps the best known. It’s a term used by Southerners to describe a period of cold weather that coincides with the blooming of the local dogwoods and blackberries, occurring in the mid April to May months. With the possibility of frost happening during Dogwood and Blackberry winters, us Southerners here in Murphy, NC also know to wait until after these winters have passed to plant tender vegetables and annuals. The Native Americans also watched for the dogwood blooms as the sign to begin planting corn and other crops. For more information on living in the western NC, north GA and eastern TN mountains vis... 05/10/2010

We had the best time Friday evening! After a hard and long week we headed down to Atlanta, GA for the Chris Botti concert; got there with no problems or traffic jams, too. This year we we’re able to get really great seats – in the orchestra pit, third row and right in the middle of the stage! It just couldn’t have been any better. Chris Botti is a contemporary jazz performer, trumpeter and was a featured soloist touring with Sting that really got him noticed. Touring with Botti are bassist Michael Valerio, drummer Billy Kilson (best drummer according to Sting), guitarist Mark Whitfield and the 2009 Guggenheim- and two-time-Grammy-winning (and eight-time-nominated) pianist Billy Childs...Not to mention the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra that night in Atlanta, GA. We love living in Murphy, NC... 05/09/2010

                Spring seemed to take FOREVER to get to the mountains of Murphy, North Carolina this year, but I'm finally seeing the garden come to life again now that May is here! As you can see from the photos above, my container garden from last fall made it through the winter and the pansies have flourished in spite of all the freezing weather we had.  The warm weather came on so quickly that I never did get a chance to get a photo of the daffodils in full bloom! (You can see the foliage in the upper right corner of the pot.) My azalea bushes in the front yard are in full bloom and the irises are ready to open.  We're hoping for a few apples from the apple tree in the front border this year.  The "lawn" out front is mostly clover, but it's green and the rabbits love it.  I'm findi... 05/07/2010

Once again, April home sales are up over those of a year ago in the mountains of Murphy, North Carolina and Cherokee County, continuing the trend that began here last fall.  The combination of low prices and historically low interest rates continues to entice buyers to make the move to our mountains.                               There were 24 sales and 22 pending contracts written in April.  Inventory remained constant, with 99 homes sold, pending, withdrawn or expired, while 99 new listings were posted for the month.  Homes in the lower price range continue to outsell the more expensive listings, with 20 of the 24 homes selling for $175,000 or less.  Here is the current breakdown of listing activity for the month of April:                        On market - 602 New listings - 99 Pendi... 05/07/2010

  Come join us for a stroll along the River Walk located in downtown Murphy, NC along the Hiwassee River.Starting at Konehete Park all the way to the Old L&N Depot in town; an approximate 3-mile walking trail following the Hiwassee River and the Valley River, which meet and surround the historic town center of Murphy, the Cherokee County seat. There are plenty of places to stop along the way for site seeing and feeding the geese or to just rest a spell and take in the peacefulness of the river and mountains surround you. Visit Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team www.MurphyMountainLiving.com for more information on western NC, north GA and the eastern TN Mountains. 05/03/2010