Asheville ECO-GREEN Real Estate

Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, July, 2009
News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward

PLAN Your Move to a Greener Home.

Step One: Spruce up your abode.

Paint. Use NO VOC paints, remove and replace old carpets with nontoxic flooring, consider replacing all the light bulbs with LEDs..

I love Asheville's locally-produced Earthpaint® which is NO VOC for sprucing up both interior and exterior surfaces. (Check the link. You can order it shipped if need be.)

This beginning plan will increase the value of the home and certainly makes it more attractive to today's buyers

Step Two: Replace old appliances with  energy efficient appliances.

Step Three: Update windows, insulate for energy efficiency, and go for daylighting. .

Step Four: Seek out a"green"  real estate professional with NAR's GREEN Designation or the EcoBroker or Eco Certified Real Estate Consultant Designation. (I'm smiling)

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 __~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL.

ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Asheville GREEN Home Buyers - "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

WHAT is THIS???

Hint:

R = (CH₂)₁₄CH₃ or
R = (CH₂)₇CH=CH(CH₂)₅CH₃ or
R = (CH₂)₇CH=CHCH₂CH=CH(CH₂)₂CH₃ or
R = (CH₂)₇CH=CHCH₂CH=CHCH=CHCH₃ or
R = (CH₂)₇CH=CHCH₂CH=CHCH₂CH=CH₂ and others

Sitting on my upper deck the other evening, I noticed a tree that seemed to have sprouted overnight.

I took this photo right away. I was amazed and curious.

I had a sense that this tree could even be "dangerous" to those who happened upon it unexpectedly.

The leaves on this "Tree" looked somehow familiar:  leaves alternating, with 3 leaflets, each smooth margined or shallowly lobed. 

Germination: We have had a lot of rain this year, I mused. Could that have made this tree grow so tall (over 10 feet!) when it was not there last year???

"YIKES! It may be a monster," one visitor laughed.

"Certainly not something I would like to encounter on a dark night," another remarked.

On my forays in the field as  a conservation land specialist I had to admit, I had never seen anything like this.

WHAT could it be? Shall I tell you right away or would you prefer to take a guess?

One more hint? OK. Take a look at this graphic. And maybe check out this word. "Urushiol"

I'll be back to let you know the name of the "TREE" in my back yard, so be sure to take a guess and check back later. And, in the meantime, watch where you walk. . .or ride...or picnic...or garden...

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL.. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Asheville: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009

News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward 

I'm sharing here Parts 1  and 2 of  a letter that one of our eco-friendly conservation land buyers'received from a member of the "Green Team" at our Firm.

 The reason why? Simple. Sometimes people are unaware of the research and energy that goes into the practice of real estate. Sometimes this can be distressing to folks like those seen in the photo ..real estate professionals who spend hours and days preparing for a meeting with clients.....

So here is a clue on just what goes on prior to a client's arrival here in Asheville, and I suspect elsewhere . LAZY? I don't think so!

The letter reads:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. (Smith) 

Just want to review with you what, in addition to the property we discussed in the previous email (far below) , we have  previewed since we walked this property for you...
 this is what has been accomplished....

 •1)      We have previewed  15 large acreages. In doing so, we have covered about a 300 mile area...we have walked and photographed those acreages that meet your specifications.

•2)      Unfortunately, the weather has been stormy and wet. Lots of rain makes some of the larger acreages where roads are old logging roads and tend to be muddy very hard to preview...BE SURE TO BRING GOOD HIKING SHOES!

•3)      Please note that most of the land adjacent to National Forest is at least 45 minutes out from Asheville Although it is in your price range, it is not in your specified driving range. Let me know what you think about this, please.

•4)       We have completed previewing all the land adjacent to the National Forest currently listed. In addition, we have been in touch with our local farm stewardship contacts to see if they know of parcels that were NOT listed.

•5)      We have spoken with and/or met with other conservation real estate Brokers and reviewed what they had to offer,  being all the while scrupulous about staying within the price point you specified. We have not gone over this price range, but have tried to stay within or below it.

•6)      In our previewing, we have found some very unattractive properties...one was burned out... ...one was just a steep cliff...so about 1,000 miles and 20 forays later, TODAY we finally finished the research ....(it takes about 5 or 6 hours to go out to these properties, walk them...and so forth...but we figure the many hours that  we spend in research saves our clients disappointment....)

•7)      As a result of this research, we have found a number of properties that could work for you. They meet your specifications. Here's why:

a) they are within the price range
b) they are adjacent to the National Forest and/or to a Conservation Land
c) they have a good water source
d) there are no deed restrictions preventing small organic farming
e) they can be farmed
f) they have workable solar orientation
g) they have privacy
h) they can be walked by your grandparents
i) there are numerous building sites on them
j) they have cascades and/or waterfalls
k) they actually ARE available for real estate transaction
m) they are large 80+ AC land tracts
n) they are at least fairly accessible ...and therefore our clients would not have to add another large sum of $$$ in additional costs just to bring power and improvements to them, and
o) one or two even have cabins that could be used by the family while you are building  

•8)      This has been quite a project, as you can imagine! We are very pleased to tell you that, having just TODAY completed this project, we can now prepare the tours.

•9)      We have set up three different tours for you. First...One to the EAST with the waterfall property you told me you wanted to see (this is not adjacent to the National Forest)...Second...One to the Northwest. ..and finally...One to the West... Each tour will take 5 to 6 hours...

•10)  We have poured over research details and have assembled maps, plats, surveys, topos, aerials and all the MLS information that could be found. This now is assembled in folders ready for us to review when we meet at our Asheville Office on  Monday morning at about 10:30 AM...

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL.

ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Asheville Conservation Land Buyers - "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009
News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward 

Here is Part  2 of a series on what goes in to preparing to introduce Asheville's land buyers to amazing properties in our area. Part 1 reviews a letter that one of our eco-friendly conservation land buyers' received from a member of the "Green Team" at our Firm.

Possibly you will be interested  in  checking out Part 1 to see details of just what goes on in preparation for the review of land and prior to our clients' arrival.

 Whether a land purchase is for the purpose of a family legacy, a private estate, an equestrian facility, or conservation easement ere in Asheville, there's lots to do . . .(see photo)

In addition, we are committed to evaluating each property in terms of appreciation, price per AC, seller motivation, and length of time on the market and create a touring schedule that may span several days to a week and cover many, many miles. 

We then prepare a list of properties that we have previewed that meet the criteria set out and reviewed in consults with our clients. The list (current, but severely abbreviated for the purpose of this post) looks something like this:  

MLS #                            $$                  Acreage                    LINK

 439035                       $1,280,000        128       http://www.wncrmls.com/wnc/maildoc/a000Yf2864.html 

406719                    1,968,000                 246                http://www.wncrmls.com/wnc/maildoc/i0038E5218.html   (this acreage- see waterfalls )             

P.S. We also provide our client with a list of properties that were eliminated and WHY 

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Asheville Conservation Land Buyers - "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009
News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward

The Greater Asheville area is full of potential for those seeking a welcoming atmosphere and quality of life. People want to be here. They arrive  from elsewhere with high hopes. Before investing in property however, we advise them to think about correctly structuring  the real estate transaction.

Getting it "right" means

1. Understanding  the topography, the geology, the aesthetic
2.. Asking good questions
3.. Utilizing  resources
4.. Asking local experts about the trends in the real estate market
5. Observing subtleties . . .all of this

while still taking into consideration their insights as well as the normal activities of categorizing, comparing, and measuring.

(photo shows one of our clients doing research on equestrian lands not too far from Asheville.)

Right now is an excellent time for buyers in a market where really good choices for people drawn to our area abound.

There are eco-friendly retrofitted bungalows and those ready for renovation (about 95)
There are green-built homes (about 600)
There are beautiful homes on 5+ Acres. (about 200)
There are alluring homes with vocal streams ( about 200)
There are homes and land for equestrians (about 200)
There are view lots and sizable acreage adjacent to the national forest. (about 175)
There are a few large acreages -over 100 AC (about 110)
There is lakefront property (about 165)
There are cottages close to Asheville in the 300-$500K range (about 75)

There is land and sustainable innovation to share with others in conservation neighborhoods. 

The questions are . . .1) do you really know which of these speaks to you, and 2) will you hear and answer it  when it calls?
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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Getting It "Right" Asheville-Style.  "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009
News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward  

The National Association of REALTORS® members group on LinkedIn rendered an interesting quote:   

"That notion of expertise is what will bring new customers to you.  It's what has ALWAYS brought new, and repeat, business to you.  It's why people refer their friends to you.  Online tools (BLOGS, twitter, facebook,) just allow you to share that expertise on the Web in a much more efficient way."
                                                 ~Michael Cutlip, IT Director,
                                                 Massachusetts Association of REALTORS®                         

Capitalizing on connections and creating authentic conversations of valueto those seeking what you have to offer makes sense to me. But not to many of my colleague, Dennis who has lots of friends at Facebook, but still does not have his picture up. I wondered what would prevent Dennis from taking advantage of online opportunities efficiently to share his expertise.    

Curious, my pal and I started "sniffing out" the facts.  Results are below- in no particular order.   

1) Being online means more time away from my real life.
2)  I will have to put in at least an hour or two each day to be effective.
3) I already work hard enough and this looks like more hard work to me.
4) I simply don't have the expertise to write in a public forum.
5) What would I say?
6)I am not sure that the supposed 87% of consumers now searching online  before ever contacting me wouldn't rather have a meeting in person and do business in the "old-fashioned" way.
7)There is just too much to learn and I don't have the time.
8)I really don't want a bunch of people reading what I write and then criticizing me.
9) I cannot even do the tasks I have at hand myself . I would need to hire an assistant.
10)That online stuff is for kids and goofy people.  

"Goofy people"? ( sniff, sniff, sniff)  Well! EX-Q-ZAY moi!

I might point out that online conversations are great for outreach. That they increase traffic to your web pages. That such conversations build business referrals and partnerships . And that, best of all, they bring you qualified leads. But ......  What would you say?  
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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL.
ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Online Connections Don't Make Sense to Dennis - "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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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" !

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Asheville - "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009
News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward 

As I mentioned in Part I of this series on short sales, after three (3) short sale  seminars from various experts, one (1) crowded learning session for REALTORS® by two (2) short sale experts/ real estate attorneys right here in Asheville, and  hours (countless, maybe 100) consulting with  CPA s, bookkeepers, lenders, support people, and so forth...

  I felt  compelled to continue my research on the short sale process.... 

Then, one of our clients came in. . .

I sat down with this client to take a peek at questions the client might want to ask an attorney about short sales and the entire process and the effects on a family's future.

Here is a list of 21 short sale questions that may intrigue you as much as they did me:  

1. Can you be like as fearsome as a Nordic troll (see photo) helping to find legal remedies to use as leverage with our bank-
   1. Predatory Lending? Was I given a new interest rate right before the closing? Is it OK for them to make $50K if we get out of the loan early?
   2. Can they produce the actual NOTE. Do they actually have it?
   3. Could there be a RESPA Violation? 
2. Can you get both a loan modification and a short sale packet from my bank? 
   
3. Might you be able to make connections at a decision-maker level so that we can move forward efficiently with a short sale if need be?
   
4. Have you see this article from the June 14, 2009 Chicago Tribune Business Section on the troubles around loan modifications? 
5.  Might you be able to get my bank to understand that a workout at the level they suggested  ($xxxxx/MO)is better than the one a court might force the bank to accept in a bankruptcy situation. 
6. Can you get  a FULL Pay-Off Letter so that I am not stuck with a 50,000 problem due to the short sale?  
7. Can you get a signed document by the banks waiving a 1099?  
8. Can you get a signed document saying I am NOT responsible for paying tax on the debt forgiven?  
9. Can you get the bank to agree and sign papers that the debt is paid in full by the proceeds from a sale? 
10. What if  I do not want to sell at this time,  and I can afford to stay in my home if bank will do loan modification at $xxxxx/MO, as they suggested,
    can you intercede with the decision makers (not the bill collectors) at the bank for me?
11. Can you show me how to prepare the documents (or can you prepare them) to show that I am in "financial hardship" but am trying to get out of it?  
12. Can you pinpoint the amount I could take a financial hit on if I decided to sign a promissory note?
    
13. Should I even sign a promissory note? 
14. Tell me truthfully, can you get a short sale approved in a reasonable period of time?
15. What would that "reasonable amount of time" be? 
16.  Will you look out for my interests when it comes to advising whether or not to sign the lender's approval and close?
17. Does the doctrine of merger apply in our State, and could that negatively affect me? 
18. Will you be especially attentive about charge off language that banks and collection agents use charge off in many different ways?  
19. What do you think of bankruptcy as an option for me? 
20. Should I request a loan modification on the Second even though I am not behind and stop payments for a month? 
21.  How much do you charge to provide this service?

I know that my client's attorney is going to listen carefully to these questions.
MY question is....How many  will that "fearsome Nordic troll" answer in the affirmative?

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL.
ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

21 SHORT SALE  QUESTIONS FOR YOUR ATTORNEY.- "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009
News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward 

Quite unexpectedly, I found myself fascinated with short sales this year.(2009)  Not the homeowners' challenging actuality, mind you- that I will cover in another post-  but intrigued with  the short sale process - in general- and then, how to get our  ducks in a row when it comes to the 2009 version of that very process. 

You might  think that a  specialist in conservation real estate and land would NOT be curious about short sales. But it is 2009, and I am.  Three (3) short sale  seminars from various experts, one crowded learning session for REALTORS by two short sale experts/ real estate attorneys right here in Asheville, and  hours consulting with  CPA s  find me compelled to continue my research.... 

I suspect there is a lot more to unearth about the nuances of short sales.    I plan to take at least one of our own Broker Bryant's short sales  webinars  (it is just $27 per session) and I continue to search out and read articles  on the subject. An article from Robert Freedman is a senior editor of REALTOR® magazine caught my attention today.  In it, Mr. Freedman talks  about the pitfalls, sticky wickets and legal consequences when REALTORS® work with short sales. 

He lists seven (7) short sale pitfalls, cautioning real estate professionals
  to get their ducks in a row ...

1. Misrepresenting tax consequences. 
2. Misrepresenting how secondary debt is treated.
3. Acting on inappropriate lender requests for seller contributions. 
4. Breaching fiduciary duty. 
5. Providing poor oversight of a loss mitigation company.
6. Lacking the required license to undertake loss mitigation. 
7. Facilitating transactions not listed on the HUD-1 form.

Resources: Links to Freedman's full article and a few others I found of interest:

Short Sales: The New Wild West
From pushy lenders to aggressive investors, there are many challenges that real estate practitioners must overcome in the new world of distressed sales.

Tips for Disclosing a Short Sale
Short sales present two disclosure challenges - finding a reliable source of correct information about the physical condition of the property and deciding how and when to make a situational disclosure about the owner's financial distress.

Short Sales: Sorting Out Commission Issues
Some MLSs have a rule requiring listing agents to let their colleagues know if a listing is, or is potentially, a short sale, and thus subject to a possible last-minute change in the commission by the lender.

About the "ducks in a row" photo: It was taken by janeAnne (c'est mois) on a recent local getaway for the afternoon at one of our excellent and obviously entertaining picnic spots along the French Broad River near Asheville.
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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Short Sales - Savvy & Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved.
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Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009
News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward

For many years, interest in monitoring and improving customer satisfaction in the practice of real estate has intensified. In 2006, Agent Evaluator launched a free web site that promises to help match you with the appropriate agent for you. I am not quite sure how that is possible. I question the reliability and objectivity of such reports.

Keep in mind: 1) Statistics are manipulated all the time.2)  Most people do not realize how complex the work of a professional real estate person is. 3) And customers rarely are aware of the level of fiduciary responsibility involved. 

Is it possible that each of my clients is as unique as I am?  My clients find me because they have interests in common with me. I love the idea of sustainable innovation.

I can hardly wait for they day when people live in healthy-built homes. I think land legacies and stewardship are intriguing.  I talk about this all the time on my blog here at Active Rain and elsewhere including real-time community meetings here in Asheville. Someone is bound to find me and want to know more, at least that has been my experience since hopping on board Active Rain,Localism, LinkedIn and Facebook.

There's a harvest for all of us that  has grown from meaningful conversation.  

In the past ten years or so, a great deal of time and effort has gone into research just  to understand the relationship between customer satisfaction and perceived service quality and consequences. All of this,  our own JT would say is , "...a heady experience..." (see photo). What do you think? Does the Code of Ethics which states: 

"Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization. REALTORS^® should recognize that the interests of the nation and its citizens require the highest and best use of the land and the widest distribution of land ownership. They require the creation of adequate housing, the building of functioning cities, the development of productive industries and farms, and the preservation of a healthful environment. "

 ...does the Code play a significant enough role in this research?

And do YOU?

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Asheville - "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009
News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward 

THREE CREEKS, CASCADES AND WATERFALLS- 

Take a deep breath and imagine yourself inspired by this waterfall. 

That's what happened for us on our recent picnic and photo shoot at Three Creeks Preserve. Here we discovered a conservation neighborhood beyond compare.

Less than an hour from Asheville, NC., and just 4 miles from Lake Lure, NC,  we also discovered the secret to eco-friendly living at Three Creeks Preserve. 

We had checked our map (see graphic)  and headed out in high anticipation. 

We had heard amazing reports on the Three Creeks conservation neighborhood, and could hardly wait to confirm this with our own experiences.   As real estate professionals, always with an eye out for a special find, we especially like to visit  eco communities so that we can tell our clients about building sites along a creek, beside a meadow, in the forest ,or on a hilltop. Three Creeks turned out to be unique among such communities. Established in 1994, it exudes an aura of subtle elegance inspired by nature.

Before we headed out, we also checked out the Three Creeks Community  web site. We learned that this eco development  "offers a retreat-like setting for families. Abundant water sources, prominent waterfalls, meadows, forest, swimming pond, trout fishing, trails and a community cabin." 

"It's conceptual uniqueness derives from deeding 70% of the land to the owners as common land which cannot be developed. The protected land encompasses waterfalls, trails and other outstanding or environmentally sensitive areas." 

 Arriving for our picnic and photo we meandered up the paved drive (see photo ) and into the woods drawn by the alluring sound of a distant waterfall. I said to my companion, " To live here must certainly be what aiming high is all about!" 

We took a foot bridge and connected to a trail system that winds from the eco community to about 278 acres of diverse terrain and up to the scenic mountain overlook. AWESOME! No wonder there are only a very few building sites remaining here. 

This is  a place where people can choose to live among caring neighbors, sharing their inspiration and enthusiasm,.Here is  a sustainable community that could power the homes by unleashing the renewable energy inherent in the land, the water, the wind and the sun, and a thoughtfully-planned neighborhood.

Here I can see green-built homes  designed with natural, non-toxic materials to be safe, healthy, and energy efficient, built to the highest green building standards. 

I can see myself  building my very own green-built dream home at Three Creeks Eco-community whose very foundation rests on maintaining a healthy, diverse ecosystem. How about you?

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL.

ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Asheville First Time Home Buyers - "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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If you appreciateheritage planes as much as I do, you will smile broadly when you take a peek at what my pal JEFF GEOGHAN offers in the post I am reBlogging here. These are Air Show photos to capture your attention.

Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009
News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward

Over 20 years ago I had the good fortune to meet and begin working with and learning from Dr. Mike Cohen.

But Dr. Mike Cohen had been an educator and leader in the field of sustainable innovation long before I met him. In fact,  this summer we celebrate 50 yearsof a program he founded and still directs, ECHN. UNESCO approved, this sensory art and science curriculum educating, counseling and healing with Nature (ECHN), from Project NatureConnect includes advanced degrees at Akamai and Portland State Universities .

In those 50 years, and in the 20 years I have known and respected Dr. Cohen, ECHN has conclusively demonstrated  three things:

1) that the process actually enables participants to interlace their thinking with nature's renewing and regenerative ways and that this produces very positive results

2) that, at the same time, this process successfully enlistis nature's grace to help support mindfulness so that participants again benefit in most positive ways

3) that those who work within the program are rewarded with wellness and peaceful balance

Pretty impressive wouldn't you say? Possibly something every real estate professional and our clients can appreciate...whether we are in Asheville, NC or Anchorage....  My hat is off to Dr. Michael Cohen. He created and continues to steward ECHN ...50 years of nature's self-correcting powers to address the source of personal and community challenges. 50 years of  energizing individuals and communities. This is sustainable innovation in action...

Resource: Website   www.ecopsych.com

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL.

ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Asheville First Time Home Buyers - "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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One of my favorite bloggers is JEFF DOWLER. Jeff has a way with words and images that compels me to read what he has to say. Here, for example, is what he has to say on the nature of communication in this medium... 

"When one considers the awesome power written words on-line, or other visuals, have to influence, and their enduring nature, it's essential to keep in mind that impression we may be conveying, for it is no simple manner to change it once negative, but far easier to destroy the positive."

Thinking about his words I realized they bear repeating....so I am reBlogging JEFF'S post here (below) and know that those who read what he has to say will appreciate this post as much as I do.

MIKE JONESis one of my favorite photographers. I love the mountains here in Asheville, and the GREEN vistas...but if ever I were to visit the desert, it would have to be with MIKE...he captures the beauty (see below) that made me smile all the way from North Carolina.

MARGARET ROME seems to have a sense of the poetry of real estate. You will see why when you read her post (below)....It  makes me wonder even more about the amazing choices Nature creates in our lives...including the choice to capture such moments and share them. Thanks MARGARET.

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 environmental impact
and discover ways of reducing that impact.

Take the Ecological Footprint Quiz

Let me know what YOU see in the mirror of your life on Earth. . .

__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Asheville ECO MIRROR- "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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 March, first-time homebuyers accounted for 53 percent of transactions. 

4)  In the latest quarter, North Carolina ranked 36th in the nation for foreclosure filings, and in recent months, foreclosure filings fell significantly when compared to the same period last year.

 5) Coming to Asheville,  (May, 2009) the Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites. This is exciting! it means $32 million and perhaps as many as 100 scientific jobs - a boost to Asheville's economy and the Asheville's quest to become a hub for jobs related to weather data collection, forecasting and research. 

So when our clients ask us, " How are things going in North Carolina, and in particular, how does the Asheville NC real estate market look these days? "  I am happy to answer, " Most Promising!"
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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL and ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's First Time  and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.

Asheville First Time Home Buyers - "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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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 has received from sources such as Fortune.  However, to respond in terms of numbers and statistics, I hopped on over to this site: http://gis.ashevillenc.gov/mapAsheville/developmentmapper/ 

The site provides  data and information this that can be used  as a guide for development activity with in the City of Asheville and looks at items such as:

• Conditional Use Permits, i.e. special permits requiring approval by City Council
• Residential developments with 20 or more units
• Subdivisions of land requiring extension of new infrastructure

Here too, real estate professionals and our clients can find pertinent web links and meeting dates of serious import to conservation land buyers and/or those seeking to create eco-communities ans GREEN infill projects in the Asheville area.

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL....consider one of  the ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.

Design your dream. Give us your checklist .

The ECO Certified ® Real Estate Consultants at The ECO Steward Real Estate Firm  specialize in working with eco-developers and LAND for sale in the Greater Asheville, North Carolina area. We are excited about value-added, ECO-friendly properties, and focus on positive futures. Our real estate practice inspires property investments for wealth of the generous kind.

Asheville "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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DAVE ROBERTS is one of my all-time favorite bloggers. That is because he has a lot to say, and it comes in his own voice...This time, Dave is talking about local governments and applying for stimulus funds... 

Dave advises: "If you want your town or county to take part in this smart spending of stimulus funding, get them to the Architecture2030 web site now."