Asheville ECO-GREEN Real Estate

Things aren't the same as they were back in the 1950s, when hula hoops,  wearing poodle skirts to sock hops, listening to 45s, and cruising Woodward Avenue were the pastimes. Certainly people had money to spend. Bought homes. Bought  the  latest  "pink" appliances ...but those appliances weren't  energy efficient.

Things were different then. Some people say they wish that things were so simple as they seemed back then. But in the year 2007 and beyond, when emissions of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel combustion and the resulting warming of the planet   have serious  implications for all of us, we are in a different place.

It is  comforting to know that you and I can be part of the solution right now, today. We can take a few simple steps and make our homes more comfortable-while saving money. And money isn't all we can save. These are Earth-friendly solutions as well.

Here are five (5) of 10 Earth-friendly  remedies that have the added benefit of cost savings for savvy homeowners.. ..check back for the ever-expanding list.

ECO-Friendly Cost (and Earth) Saving Tips   #1-5


Tip 1:  Take the Do-It-Yourself  Home-Energy Audit . . .Most homes can save 25% to 50% or more energy. A home energy audit points to savings by looking at general condition of heating and air conditioning systems,  insulation, the degree of outside air infiltration, the operation and condition of lighting, and reviewing the efficiency of water heating systems and appliances. You may choose to ask  professional auditors to come on over to do the audit. They might bring some handy instruments with them like blower doors  ...to measure the extent of leaks in the building envelope... and/or infrared cameras   ...to reveal hard-to-detect areas of air infiltration and missing insulation. But sometimes it takes a while before the auditor can get to your home, So in the meantime, you can start right away with a do-it-yourself home energy audit found right here: .

Tip 2.  Get Your 10 ECO-Friendly  Plan Together . . .Use this   instant access to free tools and resources. You can start saving on monthly electricity bill right away.  The average family can save $600+ a year on electricity by taking a few simple steps. In my home town of Asheville, North Carolina, the Average Home energy bill is $1594 while the bill for an energy-efficient home is $1003 with a potential  Savings of $591.   What are the figures in your area?

Tip 3.   Find Leaks.. .Use a spray mist bottle for this one. Get the gang together for the indoor mist test. Spray your arms and hands. They will become the  fast and ready tools to tell you where air leaks may be found in your living spaces.  Hint: look around electrical outlets ,switch plates, window frames, baseboards, weather stripping around doors ,fireplace dampers, attic hatches, wall- or window-mounted air conditioners, dog doors , pipes and wires, electrical outlets, foundation seals, and mail slots.

Tip 4. Find More Leaks. . .Teamwork pays off on this one, too. You may want to wait for a nice sunny day then venture outside to inspect all the places where two different building materials meet...like the  exterior corners, the places where siding and chimneys meet and the places where the foundation and the bottom of exterior brick or siding meet. You don't have to be a professional to notice where you need to  caulk holes or penetrations for faucets, pipes, electric outlets, and wiring. Look for cracks and holes in the mortar, foundation, and siding, and seal them up neatly.

Tip 5. Change Your Lights, Sparky.. .Energy for lighting accounts for about 10% of your electric bill. So it's always a good idea to check out the wattage on your light bulbs in your house. 100-watt bulbs use more energy than 75 watt bulbs do and you may not need all that wattage. I like the idea of replacing incandescent light bulbs with efficient  compact fluorescent lamps for areas where lights are on for hours at a time. Don't worry, the new fluorescents don't moan and flicker like the old ones did. ... give it a try. Start with your five most frequently used lights. Annual Savings: $60 (for upgrading your five most frequently used lights) 662 pounds of coal. Imagine what would happen if  you  upgraded your entire home!

Resources:
Find the best ways to save energy in YOUR home with this calculator!
 http://hes.lbl.gov/

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf
/content/ClimateScienceFAQ.html

The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center
http://cdiac.esd.ornl.gov/pns/faq.html

The United Nations Environment Programme/World Meteorological Organization:
http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/cover.html

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In a recent rambling, Bryant  had  PUDs on his mind. His "condition" must be contagious! I've been sitting under a green umbrellaever since with PUDs on my mind, too. . . E-PUDsthat is!       Bryant did a great job of explaining all about PUDs so I'll  not tarry there, but instead shall sally forth from into the realm of green building  in communities with renewable energy systems that have both creature comforts and quality of life components.    

 I can see it right now...a green umbrella,a café, a neighborhood organic market, a local artisans' shop, a bakery, office and live-work spacejust off the road, and further up the hill,  small, yet elegant abodes, townhomes and single-family residences all in a mixed-use eco-development designed for sustainability  and human-scale  living.

This ecovillage is environmentally-sensitive. It thrives on state-of-the-art strategies: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, material selection, and indoor environmental quality that works with the natural setting. It offers quality space and surroundings to people who choose to live there. People who live in this village can conduct business there, or simply choose to relax in a pleasant environment.

But wait! This all is a reality, not just my Imagineering. In fact, REALTORS® and real property investors take note... "E-PUDs" could well be the next trend on the housing horizon. Ecovillages can be found all across the globe. Many years of ecovillage projects in Denmark led to the formation in 1990 of the Global Eco-Village Network. 

GEN's  aim is to support and encourage the evolution of sustainable settlements across the world. GEN defines ecovillages  as " urban or rural communities of people, who strive to integrate a supportive social environment with a low-impact way of life. To achieve this, they integrate various aspects of ecological design,  permaculture,  ecological building, green production, alternative energy, community building practices,and much more."      Ecovillages such as Findhorn. serve as models. Almost ten years ago (1998) the Findhorn Foundation Ecovillage Project received Best Practice designation from the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat).

Another flourishing ecovillage is right here in the Greater Asheville area. This is Earthhaven   " an aspiring ecovillage settlement nestled in the forested slopes of the Southern Appalachians."   I visited Earthhaven a couple  summers ago...had the very attractive experience of listening to the murmur of cascading streams and birdsong,  the sounds of human activity, of people building a positive future together, of children at play...

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Capture Asheville's relax and rejuvenate spirit ....

THE PORCH. It's a wrap-around invitation to "set-a-spell" 
   ...be shaded from the heat of the day
beneath trellises laden with Jasmine
...be sheltered from the elements by that huge,
overhanging roof! It keeps
even  the worst rainstorms at bay. 
Here in Asheville, we like to take time to rock back-and-forth
watching the neighbors, waving hello, then gathering with our family to see lightning flash around us in the darkening night. 

   In my mind's eye, the porch  is the welcoming expression that signifies Home. Screened or unscreened, it matters not. It's purpose is clear...It's the living space created for family and  neighbors to enjoy good company.  

If asked, I could imagine a porch where one may not even yet be...
first I see  steps where the kids hang out, then the narrow columns,
 rail and balusters ... all painted in ivory, and a shining floor with bottle green,
terra cotta and amber woven rugs placed here and there, and a ceiling of  beadboard from which hang rattan fans to help catch the breeze. And the furniture, ottomans that double as tables when graced with a tray and hors d'oeuvres, rocking chairs, loveseats and swings all handcrafted of natural materials and brightly be-pillowed in sturdy fabrics. 
                                        

Porches have been an American tradition,  but they  didn't originate here.  
The word "porch" comes from the Greek "portico" and the Latin "porticus,"  a columned space at the entrance to a temple . ..a shelter from the heat, perhaps.

The porch as we know it came into favor in  American residential design  sometime in the 1840's. Most homes had porches, some even one in the back and one in the front, until about 1945.After World War II  front porches seemed  to vanish.
Possibly the growing popularity of backyard  sports, barbequing and gardening had something to do with it, or maybe the draw, in the 1940s, of that  new-fangled invention, the  television.

So by 1950, families made living rooms the place to gather,
but I predict a change.

The Romans and Greeks had a great idea and I think there
we can expect a revival of their way of thinking.

 I predict a new trend toward porches is in our near future.           
The "New Urbanism" with its emphasis on the benefits of living and interacting in a community will encourage
the re-discovery of the joys of the porch.
Just standing in the path outside your neighbors' porch
at pumpkin time, for example can be a delight. Here in Asheville, North Carolina where clients are asking us about eco-friendly homes, new, sustainable developments already are in vogue, we are seeing a resurgence of The Porch. 

I was invited over to one such neighborhood in the early evening not long ago. There, gathered on the porch neighbors enjoyed a feast from a state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen  while they found comfort on traditional white wicker furniture. Friends entertained friends, laughter and the talk of  visiting kinfolk filled the air...A  sense of belonging permeated the whole.

Nothing beats the appeal of a porch.

Here is one of my favorite porches. You may want to pull up a rocking chair here when you come to Asheville  and "set-a-spell" on the grand porch at the Grove Park Inn

Resource: Residential Design Glossary

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Guaxule

This year in the valley near our home in Guaxule (the  Cherokee name for Asheville) a black bear raised three, yes three! cubs, Mom and Pop Wild Turkey and their eleven chicks roamed undisturbed, rabbits scooted here and there, and at least one coyote howled loud enough to wake visiting grandkids. Life outdid itself right out our back door.  It's easy to get close to nature here, it's easy to be IN nature just by looking out the window. Hiking, horseback riding, sharing celebrations by fireside under the stars with family and friends seems to be a "given" in  the Grater Asheville area of Western North Carolina. Rivers, streams, waterfalls, mountains and the land, connect all of us who are lucky enough to live here to this  "little piece of heaven and earth"...

And so I continue with the story of this incredible place I call Home. Earlier I wrote that  this is a  land of refined mystery and beauty. As we journey through time and territory the magic of this area will reveal itself to you. ...a sense of place so magnetic that few who visit or are lucky enough to live here are untouched... . Magic happens here ...The world can look different through green glasses, so find a pair to don and we're on our way! I said that along the way, I'd share the story of the original mystical inhabitants who (it is said )lived here long, long, long ago...even before the Cherokee ... how our mountains were formed, what rocks and minerals you can find along the  trail, the types of soils in the mountains, what causes them to erode, and what you can do about this  I'll tell you about  the water systems and water routes and how they affect our habitats. I'll point out the grand and lovely trees that grow here (more species of trees grow in the Blue Ridge than all of Europe!) ...and what happens to ecosystems when we don't play by the rules of  sustainable forestry.  And I promised tol take you to some of my favorite places, powerful spots with awesome vantage points including the following (and maybe a few more!)..including The French Broad River. So I hope you will join me again today as we continue our journey and look for Part 3 in the next little while. 

Gauxule (Asheville) is situated in the sheltering embrace of the southern Appalachian Mountains  and among many vocal streams. An amazing fact  is that unlike all other rivers except the Nile,  
the source for our streams in the mountains that surround Asheville all flow northward from there as the French Broad River. Here's a photo I took of this mighty River not long ago.  

According to Hernando De Soto's 1540 chronicles, "In these mountains we found the source of the Great (Mississippi) River, by which we (eventually departed North America; the French Broad River is the head of the "Great River," the Mississippi River, upon which the army would make its escape three years later)..."

Today the people who live here are dedicated to revitalizing this great River. RiverLink, a regional non-profit spearheads the economic and environmental stewardship of the French Broad and its tributaries. Since 1987 this organization has engaged in simultaneous efforts to address water quality concerns throughout the French Broad River basin, expand public opportunities for access and recreation, and encourage the economic revitalization of Asheville's recovering riverfront district.  Here's a summary of River volunteer projects you could be part of if you lived in Asheville.

The Eastern Continental Divide, impacts the French Broad making it flow northwest through the Appalachian Mountains. As it comes to Asheville, and Buncombe County, it picks up the Swannanoa River. Downstream of Asheville, the river proceeds north through Madison County, where it flows through the county seat of Marshall. Marshall Elementary School used to be situated on an island in the River as did many real estate-related offices until 2004 when Charleyand Ivan blustered in to the Greater Asheville area creating a mad-dash for the old and empty Ingles supermarket and safe harbor  from the hurricanes. We still go to the old Ingles when we are searching for deeds and plat maps and surveys in Madison County.

Leading Edge. Smart. Involved. That's You.You would never crawl on toxin-laden surfaces-like the carpet you  might find in #5 below.
Your living spaces are healthy from the ultimate gourmet kitchen,  sumptuous sauna-master bath,  vast solar room that breathes warm, fresh air into your surroundings while at the same time  offering you spectacular views of native landscape with a backdrop of distant mountains. YOU live in a veritable mini-biosphere... the next step in eco-logically sound living... up-to-the-minute style combined with advanced environmental sensitivity....

Highly efficient, with practical amenities and quality finishes.YAY, Baby! Your your home is generous.  With such laudable features and benefits for home dwellers, no wonder some industry experts are predicting sustainable building    will be the norm by 2010 just about the time you are just starting to school.

Can you tell which of the living spaces below could be unhealthy for you?

1. (to the right)          South-facing glass...vertical glazing ...                                  
Appropriate overhangs on all south-facing windows ...
Minimal west and north windows...Bamboo flooring ..
radiant floor heat...Natural light for  passive solar heating opportunities    

2.  (below) Active solar /radiant floor heating system... 
fiber cement siding offering high R value, smaller square footage, passive solar design, with heat absorbed
on west, east, and south.Native landscaping
and human-scale design. 

.   3. The kitchen and the entire first floor have sustainable flooring. A large range hood uses automatically activated air ducting. .. huge mountain view, a large pantry and extensive social and work space around a curving island invite family, guests and nature in.

4.   Optimal natural setting with a terraced, organic garden. Outside colors and materials blend with natural landscape. Inside special attention and foaming of joints during framing and with Icynene insulation ...active circulation of heat flows from the second floor to the first floor

                                             5.    . Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), a  plastic used in 70% of all building materials including the vinyl siding on portions of this house. PVC is difficult to recycle and contains harmful constituents that can be released during use or when disposed in landfills. It is considered the plastic with the greatest potential health and environmental impacts. People who are sensitive to toxic substances might hesitate to live here since it was constructed using chipboard filled with formaldehyde.

6 Here is a 1923 retrofit with bright, attractive, non-toxic true linoleum  made from linseed oil, cork, or jute. 
This floor is highly durableand made from  renewable materials.  Notice the energy efficient fluorescent lighting.

7.    This is an example of a home that has been masterfully restored and updated with energy efficient features and appliances. Consideration has been given to maximize thermal efficiency, too. This brick bungalow is a proud member of and Asheville area sustainable community.

Here are examples of interiors/exteriors that either areor are NOT eco-friendly. The home just above is a Craftsman Bungalow built in 1923.It is typical of homes in the Asheville, North Carolina area of that era.  The  new homes are also typical of those to be found here. When you come to Asheville, you will find REALTORS from various companies who are working together to advance the notion of sustainability in real estate in Western North Carolina.  A number of us are Eco Agent Certified or are in the process of becoming Eco Agent Certified  through a program that the Asheville Board of Realtors and the Clean Air Community Trust started in 2005. The Eco Agent Certification process is a 36-hour classroom program that educates REALTORS about a variety of green building a development issues from indoor air quality to sustainable site design.  

Eco agents help buyers determine what features of green real estate are most important to them, find real estate that best suits their needs.and point them in a direction for obtaining financing for green real estate. Eco agents help sellers communicate the value of "green" real estate to buyers, other real estate agents, and to the general market and market to the niche pool of "green" buyers.

Resources

Copyright © 2007 All Rights Reserved  Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina

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Healthy-built Homes and Living Spaces...What are both the eco-friendly and the traditional  buyer after? Possibly a quality experience found in "green" homes. What's it like actually to live in a "green" home AKA an environmentally-conscious  dwelling?  ...in the early morning hours, to bounce out of bed on to floors that are warm to your feet, radiant floor heating, comfortably amble over bamboo flooring, shower in a gorgeous solar-heated spa,  and deeply inhale pure, toxin-free air? "Wonderful!"  investors here in the Asheville real estate market tell us.

You, too might yearn to look at the azure sky as your low-e passive-solar windows  bring light and warmth to your home. You might have to smile as your wind turbine churns away like a giant mobile catching energy  that soon will convert to your delightfully shrinking utility bill.

No wonder energy-efficient, low-impact  eco-built homes are so popular here in Asheville, North Carolina's real estate market. We've been watching green building flourishin the area for the past several years and expect the trend to continue. Right now there are 25 such homes (such as the one to the left that we showed to an eco-investor this week) on the market and over 300 in various stages of completion.

 They range in price  from about $200K to in the millions, and include single family residences and penthouse lofts in our newest green built multi-unit development within walking distance to downtown Asheville.

"Back in the day," people thought of eco-friendly habitats        
as places only "earth-muffins"  lived.Not any more.

Today's contemporary finishes, bamboo and cork flooring, poured concrete and/or granite  counters, stainless, stone, steel and  glass accents speak to savvy eco-investors who know the value added in such features. 

Here, for example is an interior shot we took of the kitchen in a home we previewed recently for a client who will be relocating to Asheville after the holidays.

Notice the colorful granite and energy efficient stainless
appliances as well as the hardwood floor.

Value-added: 30 percent to 60 percent less energy than a conventional home, using renewable, recycled and least-toxic building materials, located to minimize its environmental impact, highly efficient with low operational costs and uses renewable energy, resource-efficient, conserves water and produces little construction waste, durable, low-maintenance and high quality, gives a healthy indoor environment for you and your family, and for many, best of all, featuring easy-to-care for, sustainable landscaping that also protects the ecosystem.

Resource: "Answering the question 'Why am I choosing to build green' is an important FIRST detail to consider in your conceptual design process or renovation plan of your home."   

Resource: For interesting information about Healthy Built Homes including the Gold, Silver and Bronze Ratings Scale click here.

Et Voila! The Eco-Wise Investing Plan!

ECO investing is an art form...part magic, part rolling out the red carpet, and part intuition.

As a wise person once said, " It might look easy, but it takes lots of planning and artistic vision to lay out that red carpet."

So what special understanding is required? What motivates and attracts people to sustainable, value-added properties? Such properties are unique . But so are eco-wise investors. Like many other clients,  they have "done their home work" however,  they often expect a certain level of environmental awareness and interest. Maybe that's why it seems to me that locating and securing properties with environmentally-sensitive qualities, as well as marketing "green" properties is charged with the excitement of the  treasure hunt...

I love a challenge, so over the years I have figured out a formula that just seems to work to put the pieces of the eco-investing puzzle together . It matters not where you are located--whether that be in North Carolina or Texas, if a guy in a big hat and red carpet tells you that it's simple to collect the picture-pieces with  all the colorful "hues" people tend to present, don't listen. First of all, the subtle shades of true may hide, or at the very least, are not immediately apparent.

Everyone involved has to engage in conversation. There has to be a Plan...trust has to be earned, a sustainable relationship has to have a chance to grow. All of this has to evolve over time...and come full circle, like the seasons do. In the Joy of ECO Investing Plan, the seasons present themselves this way....

Winter: Let's Talk about What's Most Important to You
No better time to be heard, to talk, to gather insights,to get clarity, perspective, and movement in a direction that fits the ECOinvesting strategy. 


Spring: Let's Look at Details
The aspects that bloom ...Sense of Place, Community, Energy Efficiency, value in terms of Conservation, Stewardship, Land Trusts and  Legacies...and all in terms of relationship...to family and friends and neighbors and communities and the larger community we all share.

Summer: GREEN is HOT! We Go for Intuitive Leaps 
I always carry photos with me. When you look at a photo (as per the one to the right here) you get an immediate sense of place.
Add to the mix details in written form and clearly in mind.The combination of image and written word gels into connections that work.

Autumn: Treasure Enjoyed
Whether real property is transferred to a new steward, or held out as an opportunity, ECO investing is an art form. You envision happy outcomes, work the Plan and then, at last, come to the part where that treasure is found or shared. Then you know the joy of eco-investing. There's the satisfaction in securing what is most important to the people with whom you take a journey.There is the  monetary value for all...yes...but there also is an expanded reward. In the seasons of eco-investing, though they may take place over a very short period of time, maybe only 45 days if the investor is a 1031 client, there is the knowing that each of us is contributing to positive futures.

In the end, that may be the real treasure.

Resource: Edens Lost and Found

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Talk about lucky! That's me and my team at our real estate firm. Lucky because we get to meet amazing people almost every day,including here at Active Rain.  Lucky because we get to see amazing places and properties almost every day. Lucky because of the riches... in challenge... in  good company... and in wealth of the generous kind..

At this season of the year, we have so much for which to be thankful.

This is a cameo of a family who gave me a focused definition of the word, "appreciation"... 
Barb and  Tom, our  real estate investment clients, and their  16-year old son, Connor. Connor is in a  continuing conversation about "smart growth." Barb and Tom kid  him..."Maybe we should buy your shoes a size too big."  Connor laughs...and they all know he is serious about "Smart Growth." He's been volunteering on a couple community projects, and invited them to come along.

One of the projects involves walkable and bikable neighborhoods.
Down by the River, where the railway and warehouses are,
a group of people have been working on a portion of a greenway.
That particular corridor is protected open space for conservation and recreation. 

"Smart Growth"  is a term that Asheville and other communities are using to articulate their goal for a relatively compact  pattern of development that accommodates a diversity of people, housing types and jobs. "It works well for everybody," Connor will tell you, " and makes efficient use of public investments." Asheville's growing greenway system will offer a minimum of 14 corridors and 29 miles of trails connecting the places where people work, live and play. Connor inspires me and makes me feel grateful. He's excited about being a part of the greenways group. There are all ages an "sorts" of folks involved, including a group of ECO certified REALTORS. The broad-based citizen participation is a real selling point to Connor, as it is to many of the families who are searching for excellent value in Asheville real estate and then are relocating to Asheville for quality of life, a sense of place and community. Connor's even considering going in to new urbanism as a career. Hands-on experience will serve him well.

Hearing Connor's story makes me smile. Today I am grateful for the promise of  Positive Futures Connor and his parents represent. I'm all for that. Often I speak to my real estate investors on how this plan adds value. I point to Connor's project as an example of how design for future reuse and adaptability means the possibility of a strong return on investment.

Grandma was a teacher. As a young woman she and Grandpa invested in property (land) on a tropical island where they began their life as husband and wife.  Grandma's place of employment was a one-room schoolhouse in the middle of the island.

 Each morning Grandma took off for school via mule. Well, she tried to, anyway. Only problem was the beast totally refused to let her ride through the palmettos to her destination. So Grandma followed along on foot, ...at least she would end up where she wanted to be and not get lost..(a good-thing I learned from her and that my real estate clients sure appreciate.) 

 Grandma used to laugh out loud when she told me how "Old Clyde" that ornery mule repeatedly looked back over his shoulder the entire half-mile down the sandy path to the schoolhouse, as if to bate her. It never failed, too  an odd assortment of kids and islanders joyfully waited for the day's entertainment... the sight of a lady in a long dress, hat askew, arriving slightly miffed, yet obviously ready for that next attempt. This is the kind of tale that is passed down in a sustainable community.

Now I am thinking that this tale sort of parallels a few of my experiences as a land and horse farm specialist of late...

 Yesterday, for example, my 1031 investor client and I piled in the car  and headed out to a remote 500+ AC parcel that he was really excited to see. It was farther out than I remembered. I had forgotten to gas up. I was really holding my breath especially when we took an unplanned ten-mile detour because a road sign playfully been "adjusted" by a local.

It pointed in the opposite direction of where it should have been pointed. The road was tortuous. I mean if there had been road signs out there, they would have looked like a pig's tail.  When we finally got to our destination, despite the obstacles, my investor was car sick beyond belief , but managed to find the horse property of his dreams despite the challenges.

Experiences  like this are totally about good will, determination, and a sense of humor ...

I call them "Old Cydes." There are a hundred "Old Clydes" each of us have, I am sure. I look at them in the same way Grandma did...as a kind of remedy...a way to keep a wholesome perspective in the very challenging business of real estate....  I like to think that we have the option, through our stories, to discover more of what we and our clients are made, and what is most important to us and to them.

Our stories are treasures that help us to do well in our transactions. And when we tell them to each other, as Grandma did, they take on a new life. They become an avenue to positive outcomes for the benefit of all who hear them now, and a hundred years from now.

SO I would love to read yours!

Tonight I'm writing about  the communicating for results world. And I am thinking that maybe I have figured out what it takes to navigate "slippery slopes" to get  to a Happy Closing...

oh yes...
real estate savvy, patience, hard work, intuition, product and territory knowledge

---and possibly, most of all,
it takes getting to a mutually beneficial relationship right from the get-go. 

This applies in all kinds of situations. And, when you are dealing on a personal level in the listing and sale of property and with  other parties, about twenty (20) of them, each with a sensitive agenda,  in the interim between signing of contract and closing, it's kind of like flying down a slippery slope on old cross-country skis with trees all around.  

Case in point:The other day, feeling frazzled to a footnote and wearier than my old woolly ski socks because of a challenging "slope" and grumpy client, I  thought about that slippery slope, and hit upon a plan.

I had taken a photo of a  "challenging" client in a happy moment. I grabbed that photo and secured it with a gentle pat  on top of all the assorted items in his thickening folder. There he was. ...smiling! I tested it out. Sure enough, looking at his photo got me to a place of common sense right away. Now, I could just take a deep breath and keep on "skiing".....

We REALTORS® are the catalysts in a transaction. The way in which we choose to interact with all the characters involved during that period between signing and closing definitely affects the final outcome.  I don't want to end up "in the trees" if you know what I mean, so, I have found very reliable "equipment" for the "trail". My three essentials for a smooth landing at the closing table are

1. keen awareness of deadlines and follow-through during the due diligence period
2. lots of energy for the process, and
3. unabashed personal responsibility in terms of communication.

I'd say there are at least  a thousand "trees" to steer clear of during that slide to a happy closing. I'd say  too that we can and do create a win-win-win situations. We deserve kudos....

Copyright © 2007 All Rights Reserved  Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina

Residential Sales Trends/ Existing Homes  Asheville, N.C.

As of November 2006, the average sale price for an existing home in the Asheville area is about $290,000. The price has increased about 10% percent since this time last year. Home Appreciation ...Annual appreciation rate for homes in the Greater  Asheville area is up 12.5 percent as of the second quarter of 2006. The data reflects same-home sales information collected by the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO). The Asheville appreciation rate tops the nationwide pace of 10 percent  and our area's appreciation rate ranks 83 among 275 metros across the USA.

November 2006 Real Estate Market Stats
Buncombe County (Asheville area), North Carolina                  

Residential Properties on the Market: 2278
Residential Properties Pending: 795
Priced Over $1M: 102
Priced Under $50K :  2

Farms & Land on the Market:  1420
Pending: 265                      
Priced Over $1M: 10
Priced Under $50K : 179

NC Healthy Built Homes: 24...DUE in 2007: 375

                                                                               "Up, Up and AWAY!"

I awoke this morning to the call of a mockingbird. Then a cardinal pair sang the sun up. As the days shorten and cold weather gets ready to descend upon the mountains, the Dance of the Princely Paw Paws  begins. And I too begin this series of adventures in the Appalachian mountains told by "fireside"...stories of our bioregion , the Dazzling Provinces of the Blue Ridge Mountains .

Possibly better known as the  Greater Asheville (Buncombe County) North Carolina area, this is a  land of refined mystery and beauty. As we journey through time and territory the magic of this area will reveal itself to you. ...a sense of place so magnetic that few who visit or are lucky enough to live here are untouched... . Magic happens here ...The world can look different through green glasses, so find a pair to don and we're on our way! I'll take you to some of my favorite places, powerful spots with awesome vantage points including the following (and maybe a few more!):

•A.      Appalachian Trail - Big Bald  •B.      Bartram Trail - Franklin,. N.C.  •C.      Grandfather Mountain 
•D.      The French Broad River  •E.       Blue Ridge Parkway- Greater Asheville
•F.      Where North America and Africa Meet     •G.      And maybe a few more

Along the way, I'll tell the story of the original mystical inhabitants who (it is said )lived here long, long, long ago...even before the Cherokee ... how our mountains were formed, what rocks and minerals you can find along the  trail, the types of soils in the mountains, what causes them to erode, and what you can do about this  I'll tell you about  the water systems and water routes and how they affect our habitats. I'll point out the grand and lovely trees that grow here (more species of trees grow in the Blue Ridge than all of Europe!) ...and what happens to ecosystems when we don't play by the rules of  sustainable forestry.  I'll even tell you about the bear paths and migration routes of animals you may see and later tell your own stories about... And, I'll tell you about our weather patterns and how elevation  plays a role in the weather in Western North Carolina.

But first a little folk history  ...  Mysteries abound in Guaxule (the Cherokee name for Asheville) where I make my home and help others to settle. Legend has it that the Cherokee who have lived in this area for a very, very long time, certainly for hundreds of years before the Scots-Irish and other European settlers first arrived,
were still not the first to grace our mountains and valleys. LEGEND has it that....in this land beyond time,
tiny-tiny-tiny people with 'almond shaped eyes'  played in the streams around what is now Asheville.  Seems like everyone prizes this land. (I'm smiling.)

• Take a look at this link. If YOU  spot any tiny-tiny wee people, let me know.
• Live-Photo.com  Asheville Downtown  
  - Live Image of Asheville Updated every minute.  

Here in the Southern Appalachians, an area of incredible beauty, diversity of life, and culture, I feel fortunate to be a real estate professional because in my daily travels, every day I learn more about our land and peoples and about the natural world ...Should you choose to live here,  maybe you will also fall in love with this place and care about providing it with a sustainable future.  This series is just a jumping off place for beginning to understand the complex community of plants and animals inhabiting this ancient land and the role we all play in shaping the present and future natural communities of the Blue Ridge bioregion.

Fiction or Fact? Lungless salamanders are found in abundance in Western North Carolina.

####

Various and charmingly interwoven cultural threads  make up the communities in which we offer our expertise as REALTORS®. As real estate professionals we are in the lucky position to be part of the design team for the future in such communities.Here's an example: Our small college town, Mars Hill , N.C. can only grow so much before it ceases to be a town and becomes a small city.

Our small city, Asheville, N.C. can only grow so much  until it becomes a large city. And so we come to a place that requires consideration.

 If a community likes its "small town feeling" then the community needs to acknowledge that growth must stop at some point in order to preserve that feeling.

What choices are available? 

Asheville,North Carolina,  seen in the photo I took just above here,  recently designed our "Smart Growth" Plan. "

"Smart Growth is a proposed City of Asheville development pattern that makes efficient use of our limited land, fully utilizes our urban services and infrastructure, promotes a wide variety of transportation and housing options, absorbs and effectively serves a significant portion of the future population growth of Buncombe County and Western North Carolina, protects the architectural and environmental character of the City through compatible, high quality, and environmentally-sensitive development practices...."

A "smart" REALTOR®  tunes-in to such indicators as the "Smart Growth Plan"....

• We keep an eye out in our communities to see what change, if any, is occuring.
• We create opportunities not only for ourselves as real estate professionals, but for our clients as well.
• Our business plans take into account a the eco-friendly trends that  makes sense for the future.

So folks,tonight I am writing about  what value REALTORS® can add through the very quality of our practice. Seems to me, and maybe you will agree, that it's not just about completing a successful transaction. "Charmingly interwoven" relationships of quality count in the Big Picture. 

In a broader perspective, REALTORS® get to weave energy into making the places in which we live better for all of us.  For sure, there always will be floods and tornadoes. Some of us will succeed and some will have to pick ourselves up and start again, some will suffer, some will prosper. As Earth Wind and Fireput is "That's the way of the world. " But tonight, I'm feeling optimistic about positive futures for all concerned. How about you?

#####

Scenario: Cash Deal with Contingencies. 35+ AC in beautiful Madison County, North Carolina.
Parties to the transaction want/need to close in 60 days, max.
Due diligence to remove contingencies on acreage likely to take up to and  beyond 120 days.

Challenge: Close in 60 Days When it Takes 120 Days to Close .....   Clock Ticking

2DO List :

The appraisal. Not a problem...we refer three appraisers. One of them allows as how he might be able to squeeze us in and  get out on the land before the Winter Solstice. If he can do it, this property will appraise. 360 degree views, easy access, stream, nice barn, cabin shell-  and priced below comparables. 

The Survey. We have a recent one, but our investor wants a new one. (Are you kidding, in 60 days ??) We  call all the surveyors on our list. Didn't connect. Left messages. Hope for a return call. If not, we will start all over further down the list. Note: One of the surveyors did the original survey on this tract. But back then he told everyone he was going to retire. Asked our Field Coordinator(FC)  to see if he could unearth him (not literally!). In the meantime, FC 'll run out to Madison County   to see if we can track down a good clean copy of the survey to overnight to our investor. Our  Field Coordinator, a congenial fellow, has made it a point to get to know the folks in the real estate related offices in Madison County. I'm sure he will have luck in locating the recent survey...but getting a new or updated survey us by the end of December, that could be a tricky one.

The Septic System.   My colleagues tell me this could be a Bear! Two septics. Two sites.
Got to locate home site(s) , Email septic permit documents  from County an/or overnight to investor to fill in. Flag area, drainfields, and roadways on the survey, (wait a minute, where's that survey?) Dig twelve (12 ) holes for the Health Department scientist for  perc tests. ......Omigosh!.... Where are we going to find a Digger during the Holidays??..one with a small enough  Bobcat  -- to maneuver on tricky , rocky inclines... a guy who is respectful of the land, and get on his calendar!???
(I'm not panicking. I'm NOT panicking! i am not p a n i c k i n g.... )
Get flags, stakes. Lay out the footprints. ..Omigosh!...We can't do that until we get a footprint(s) from the investor and he is NOT sure where he wantsto site his house and guest house. I call him. Say we hope he can let us know ASAP. Ask investor to get all the septic permit documents including survey showing location of building sites, drainfields and roadways, back  to us ASAP. onward!

My friend and RLI LAND Instructor says "I LOVE THE LAND!!!"/\ Yup...me, too..always an adventure....but back to the task(s) at hand.

The Well. Looks like there's a well on the property ...Only problem is we only know who dug it. We need to find out how deep it is, the gallons per  minute it gives and the quality of the water. Our Friendly Field Coordinator (FC) calls on  his buddy out at the well-driller's office. She says come on in and set a spell while she looks through her records in the boxes in the back...how about some chocolate chip cookieswhile FC waits?..."Don't mind if I do'" says our FC. A dozen cookies later his friend returns, looking dusty. "Can't fine ‘em," she reports. "I'll have to ask Big Guy. He keeps all this right on the top of his head."  Big Guy calls. He doesn't remember ever hearing about our 35 AC, but promises to go out to see if he forgot it. "Not likely," says he.  So far, no luck. We'll follow up on that one. (look for that later)

Cabin Shell. There a nice cabin shell on the property. It has a few idiosyncrasies, however. It leaks. It has some rotting wood. The investor has made the sale contingent on immediate repair. We need to contact three carpenters, get three quotes, overnight all this to the investor, organize time, place and payment for the repairs. That is definitely do-able...IF there is power to the property! Not sure if it is do-able by the end of 2006....

Power to Property. We locate two power poles when we went out to see if we could find the well. We climbed down the embankment, pulled away the grasses, found identifying numbers. Today our Field Coordinator (FC)  made a personal visit to the French Broad Electric Company Talked with his friend out there. More cookies. FC reminds me to get a few gift certificates for Krispy Crème,  a line person will be out to check out the poles tomorrow, and FC doesn't want to make his rounds empty handed.

I have the uneasy feeling I am forgetting something..oh, what the hay...I think I'll just relax and enjoy the ride

UPDATE: 12/06...Tomorrow we meet the hole digger...six holes, two locations on this property. We have been assured that the investors will be creating Healthy-Built homes...just two of them ...appraisal is in, survey is complete, well is good, power is to the property, footprints /stakes  go in tomorrow...check back for the next installment

Copyright © 2007 All Rights Reserved  Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina

WHAT  we see   redefines HOW  we see a property. ..the saga continues...

I'm looking for a way to measure the change in perception based on what people choose and what they need.

  I have a hunch that an hour or two plying the ins and outsof our handy MLS System might provide the frugal sleuth the stats for which s/he hunts. For me, putting numbers on my instincts as a REALTOR® feels a little dangerous. I don't want to lose my intuitive edge. But I'm up for the adventure, so I've set out on a search for stats. ..in the GREEN arena, of course. (I'm smiling)

What intuition and observation tell me:
I am aware of a bubbling apprehension in  the Appalachians when it comes to  mountaintop removal ... I have witnessed some pretty noisy community meetings about such topics. Then there have been the lively neighborhood charettes . So it's not surprising that my intuition, based on in-your-face observations, tells me that we are shifting (at least in the Asheville area)  toward environmentally-sensitive residential properties.

In addition, my clients , more often than just a year ago,  are asking me how to retrofit their homes before they list, what kinds of things they can do to appeal to the growing demand for energy efficiency. Investor-buyers want to see homes with radiant floor heat...they LOVE radiant floor heat...( so do I!) and they are serious about Energy Star Rated homes...We can tell them about NC Healthy Built Homes ... but, for the purposes of future planning,  let's put some numbers on an apparent trend.....and...

take a quick peek at what  is driving this demand...

1.  Energy ...Energy Star appliances, florescent bulbs, high efficiency water heaters,
   fifty (50) year shingles, low flow faucets and showerheads ,sealed crawl spaces, cellulose and icynene insulation, solar preheat for hot water, and oh so comfy radiant floor heat...
    Low Toxicity...Low VOC paints, Bamboo, hardwood or a natural linoleum floor that is made with 100% natural ingredients.
2. 
    Benefits ... lower utility bills for heating and cooling, improved indoor air quality,  lasting value,  lower environmental impact...happier faces on family and neighbors.

Ready to check out the stats? The numbers? The proof in the pudding?

Here's homes on the market currently

2006~ NC HealthyBuilt and/or Energy Star Rated: 39

Here's homes in progress

2007~  NC HealthyBuilt and/or Energy Star Rated: 377 

Resources GREEN HOMES

This information could well change how we look at  where we stand and the direction in which  will be moving  in 2007 and beyond....and maybe it will make a few people feel better knowing that this direction is not "simply intuitive"... but is  based on a hard, objective look at the stats.

Copyright © 2007 All Rights Reserved  Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina

####

Future Planning.Lately, I have been thinking a lot about what's ahead for us in the real estate industry. ..say in 2010. ..and researching, gathering data, raising my antennae...getting familiar with market demand statistics  

I  am seeking a "heads-up" on promising trends-such as:
         1. trend toward "human scale" design 
         2.trend toward sustainable development
         3.trend toward environmentally-sensitive communities
         4.trend toward less size with more bling-bling

Some of you may know that #1-4 + are near and dear to my heart.
But what you might not know,
and what I certainly didn't expect  when I started my sleuthing for the future,
was that this exercise would lead me actually to redefine how I see properties.

 WHAT  we see  as a REALTORS®  redefines HOW  we see a property,
and that opens the way to big possibilities for all concerned. 

So with the year 2010 in mind, I am off to explore the trail that leads to  a fresh look at what I see and how I see it...with an added incentive. This could be a real plus not only for me, but for my investor-clients.

1. I'm looking for examples of the trend toward "human scale" design ......

What if I see properties in terms of human scale? How will that affect my approach to that property? Today,  I wander down the streets of a neighborhood in the process of gentrification  right here in Asheville.

 This area has responded to human needs.There's a neighborhood grocery store, and not far away, an espresso café, and not far from that, the most attractive park. I see families there all the time. If I drive down any of the streets in this neighborhood, I see people out enjoying  the company of their neighbors, chatting, stopping by to observe the work being done on a 1920s Craftsman Bungalow, ambling down the sidewalks with kids and dogs in tow. (more on sidewalks another day)  .... 

Lots of talking goes on in this neighborhood.

It occurs to me that architects sometimes forget about who is going to be in and around what they design. They just seem to forget! They reduce buildings to objects. But what about the design/space requirements of the human beings who are to occupy and use the space?  I have seen some urban spaces that actually are hostile to humans! The spaces leave me cold. I feel alienated and want to rush past such spaces. 

Seems to me that thoughtful urban design of spaces and buildings should be inviting. They could encourage us to stay for a while. They could include gathering places for people to conduct whatever business or social activity is important during their stay. They could even create these spaces and buildings where people want to congregate. ..like this design found at the Asheville Design Center.  My pals over there say that the "Center's first project will be to work with the community, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, and local governments on the planned I-26 realignment in order to help plan and facilitate an attractive new bridge across the French Broad River and a sustainable use of the land that is affected by the roadway. " Talk about trends toward "human scale" design.

As I end my journey into this neighborhood, I  realize that if there are no people around, the space has most likely failed. If there are many people around then the space has probably succeeded.

So where can the people (my clients) come to live, or visit or work or socialize? Where do I like to hang out? What is it that makes this space or building a place where I want to spend time? What characteristics give me that welcoming feeling? ... a cozy place? ... an open space? And, bottom line....

what do the people need..beside each other?

Copyright © 2007 All Rights Reserved  Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina

Lately there's been some talk around town about the value of services real estate professionals provide. Here's a verse in which I have THIS to say about THAT!

Ode to the "Ordinary" REALTOR®

On the surface most of us appear to be ordinary characters
-not necessarily brilliant, gorgeous, or handsome,
even if our mother's think we are. But don't let appearances fool you!
REALTORS® are not "ordinary" in the least!
You and I are world class magicians.
Every single day, we are in charge
of moving the elements of potential
for ourselves and our clients.

Our work is like turning a huge kaleidoscope
where details finally form a picture
of what is most important to our clients.
If we are conscientious, creative,
and most of all caring,
the picture emerges as colorful prisms of pure possibility.

Here, the sights and sounds and smells
of everyday life in a particular living space
where the family, the investor,
the stars in the sky , the dog in the yard,
a raspberry warmed by the summer sun,
the Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F Major
-and their great loves and friends -
and all that is wanted and unwanted in life

come together in a gigantic sense of Home.

Copyright © 2007 All Rights Reserved  Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina

I wrote about a  PBS four-part series called Edens Lost and Found  last week. In the next few weeks it will take the PBS audience, some 80 million people  to Philadelphia, LA, and Seattle  and  look at sustainable urban ecosystems and what we all can do to improve quality of life, possibly bringing even more energy to an emerging trend in the real estate market .

I was attracted to a segment paying tribute to a teacher by the name of  Deb Perryman. Maybe some of you are former schoolteachers as I am. It makes me smile each time I hear about a teacher who inspires greatness in her students (you have GOT to watch her little video here)..Here is a young woman totally motivating a group of teenage kids. Ms. Perryman teaches about the meaning and practice of stewardship, a subject you all know is close to my heart. If you watch the video clip at the URL above, you will see her unusual classroom, a 35 AC parcel of land she somehow managed to salvage and then sculpt into a nature preserve right out the door of her school!

Today I got an email from Ms. Perryman. She found us via Active Rain!  She wrote:

My name is Deb Perryman and I had googled my name and found your blog. (I google my name it for my District and so that I can follow up with potential partners for my classroom. I have as many people who do not like what I am doing so I like to communicate with them as well.)

I am ashamed to say that I have never heard of your organization or the term eco certified...but I really want to learn more! Can you fill me in?

Thanks for the kind words and like you, I live to see my students taking action in the community. If we do not find ways to motivate our young people, our country will never strengthen. My generation has become a generation of "arm chair citizens" and I want to make sure that every generation after mine understands their power!

Hope to hear from you soon.

Deb Perryman

THANK YOU Active Rain for creating this opportunity to reach out to communities, teachers and individuals, including a number of REALTORS® . As we collaborate  to develop programs and initiatives to reconnect kids with nature in their own neighborhoods, we all win.  This makes me feel good about the future of the real estate business. How about you?   

FYI...EDENS LOST AND FOUND Airtime in your area.

You can read more about EDENS here: http://edenslostandfound.org/

OmiGosh!!! I just read Matt's BLOG and found out that it's a good-thing to RATE the essays y'all write!...It is lucky that I am making my way through the right -hand column this weekend. Up until now I simply have  been reading away...making a comment here and there...and enjoying the collective wisdom...some humor...really good advice...graphics (where do you FIND those graphics, Maureen and Maureen and Bryant and Kristal??)

 Up until now, being a "newbie" to this interactive blogging style, I have just been kind of feeling my way ... trying to understand the "culture"...a little shy...and amazed at the talent....I was thinking something like..."golly-gee-whiz, I  don't know if I am EVEN qualified to make a comment, much less RATE these writings..."

 Just this past week FINALLY I got up my courage and actually rated a few posts. I was proud to think that I have gotten to a place where I have done enough reading to get to a point of discernment where I can provide a context from which to "rate" ...I bravely headed on down there by the "comments" section.. and gave a very high score..of one(1) ... to a number of wonderful writers...for which, apparently,  I must now apologize (BLUSH)..

I thought that ONE (1) was the high score! 

Is that NOT the high score??  ...Shall I put on my Green Glasses and try again? Can I go back and rate all over?

Statistically speaking, Matt says it's no biggie...but I want you to know that I appreciate the energy and time those of you who write here give to this community. So please help me out here... clue me in...and here is a Big SMILE Maureen McCabe taught me about in her article on Emoticons in the meantime

MIT's  Journal of Industrial Ecology  reports: In new, single-family houses constructed in the United States, living area per family member has increased by a factor of 3 since the 1950s.  As square footage increases, so does resource use in homes. As footprint expands, so does the impermeable surface. Rise in construction costs and energy consumption mean more concern about environmental impactincluding storm-water runoff...(a Big Deal in our part of the country where we are prone to landslides)....

Tonight, as the sky darkened and little lights began to twinkle across the valley, I gazed out my window to see at the very top of the mountain, a 7,000 square foot home ablaze in light. I wonder if the couple who live there understand the impact they have on the other families that also live on the hundred acres we share. And what about how all of us affect these guys ? (See photo I just took)

Bears on the driveway. November dusk.

As  REALTORS® most of us are ever-curious about trends in the market. After all, our financial well-being in the future depends on our foresight today. So tonight I am wondering: Over the years, as homes "super-size" their way into living spaces, has the quality of life changed? Over the past 50 or 60 years, has air quality in  urban areas gotten better or worse? Are there more or fewer warnings about eating fish caught in local streams? How are the birds and bears doing in your neck of the woods? Are there fewer or more job opportunities where you hang your hat? Are we working more and earning less? How is the poverty and homelessness situation in your community? Finally, is it easier or harder to find homes our clients can afford?

As I talk with my clients today, there's a growing consensus. Many people are choosing a more balanced lifestyle and less debt. People, and not just by those of retirement age but people of all ages, work situations and backgrounds, want to work less, live more and have time to spend with their families, communities and on personal interests.

          Tom told me, "I really had the urge to grow organic vegetables!
          So, I called you to help me find a more generous lot, but with a smaller home. "

          Deb and Laz confided, "It really just was time for us to  think about our priorities.
          We want to spend time with our young daughter while she is small, to home school her,
          and maybe volunteer to help in the green-way project.
          We selected a smaller, less expensive home because it meant we could do those things."

         "As you know, I'm an empty-nester," a widow friend of mine nodded.
         "I want to downsize, but I want granite, stainless and a lap pool...
          you know, some serious ‘bling-bling!"

And as I listen to the fortune-teller's tune upon the winds, I hear of change ... a new way of living's on the way. ..a trend in the single-family house that includes downsizing.. Downsizing ..not a low-quality, sombre habitat or lifestyle. Au contraire! These residential jewels may improve quality of life as well as resource efficiency. What does this portend? As I listen, I hear a demand for both quality of life and residence.  As clients learn more about sustainability and its attractiveness over the long run, we may well see a shift in the residential market. In terms of  ensuring an  economy and society that can continue to exist without destroying the natural environment on which we all depend, consumers may, in fact begin to demand  "a wee, bling-bling cottage" with upscale amenities.