Asheville ECO-GREEN Real Estate

Land transfers in the State of North Carolina may bring with them metes and bounds and mystery. Be prepared for bits of history written between the lines in old land surveys, and also be ready for a challenge when you decipher them. Interested in definitions?...Metes... "A boundary defined by the measurement of each straight run, specified by a distance between the terminal points, and an orientation or direction. Bounds... "A more general boundary description, such as along a certain watercourse, a stone wall, an adjoining public road way, or an existing building."

When you first encounter a metes and bounds survey you may find yourself traveling back in time  to the days when your family's "Old General"   having been granted twenty-five thousand acres for his services in the Revolutionary War, strode the land in North Carolina.  That's where bits of history come in.

Land records are excellent sources of family history information. Land ownership and the accompanying records were precious to many of our crop-growing ancestors who tried to keep land in the family, and created valuable records.

Deciphering land records using the metes and bounds method of describing land can be challenging. This was the method of choice here in North Carolina for centuries.

Back in 1777, a bill that explained how, after locating property, a settler wished to claim that land, was written. It required that a description of the location and boundaries of the property be provided by a surveyor. So a surveyor was dispatched into the mountains, hills and valleys or coastal regions to survey and produce two plats of the land. Each contained a scale, description, angles, distances, marks he had made, any water he had crossed, and, total acreage done in the metes and bounds method that had originated in English Common Law. After a short period of time in which any conflicting claim might be found, the settler was given a copy of the land description, with another copy going to the surveyor as a warrant to survey the land.

Now jump forward a couple hundred years. You are involved in a land transfer and you find yourself looking at a metes and bounds survey. You have come face-to-face with a document a treasure-hunter fairly relishes. Having read the above, you probably have surmised that These documents are complex, and oftentimes downright mysterious. With that old-time surveyor, now you follow along with a series of distances and directions until you arrive back at the point of beginning.

The directions may read,                                                    
"Beginning where Standfield's donkey and goat always stand  
at the crest of the southmost knoll. . ." continue "then go north 15º east
with the center of Sprinkle Creek 90 poles,
thence north 100º east 100 poles to a grave stone,
thence South 10º west 130 poles to a pile of rocks with a cross on it,
thence South 100º west 100 poles to the point of beginning,
containing approximately 92.15 acres, more or less."

Margaret Mitchell's Gerald O'Hara tells Scarlet,
"Land . . . 'tis the only thing that lasts . . . ." Land is a tangible artifact that remains of our ancestors where the history of families is written in the transfer of lands.

Resource: List of North Carolina Land Grants in the National Archives   

Copyright © 2006 All Rights Reserved  Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina

I'm sending this along in appreciation and celebration of Sharon Simms' NEW GROUP, Building Architecture and Dings. I approached the subject of this article back around Thanksgiving. Like Ines' article, it didn't get much notice at the time, but I loved writing it anyway.. I was feeling appreciative and sentimental. Thanksgiving does it to me every year. History does it to me. Imagine how amazing it is for me to live in a city (Asheville, N.C.) -- known not only for historic charm, but for  architectural diversity...Romanesque Revival,Victorian, Neo-Gothic, Neo-Georgian, Classical Revival, Art Deco, Craftsman, Bungalow...Cabins and Castles. 

              Here is one such castle, the Biltmore House at the Biltmore Estate   "House" in this case may be a misnomer as you can see with this photo, courtesy of Wikipedia. 

I drive by THIS beauty on my way home almost every day. This is St. Mary's Church, constructed in 1914 in  the English Gothic Revival style. The red brick church building built with a stone foundation has a steeply pitched gabled roof. The windows are pointed arches with leaded glass diamond panes. According to the National Park Service, of prominent Asheville architect Richard Sharp Smith had his hand in this project.

For a run-down of other incredible architectural finds in Asheville, check out this link....

But, before you do, let me tell you the story of a man who found himself on the grounds of a castle and took away with him the inspiration that changed the world... Like many others, this man believed that  buildings and their architectural features must be taken in context--must be appreciated from the perspective of the land on which they stand.

This is the story of the Father of Human-Scale Development ...Charles Eliot. " Charles Eliot pioneered many of the fundamental principles of regional planning and laid the conceptual and political groundwork for land and historical conservancies across the world.!" (exclamation mark is mine)

I inherited a legacy of appreciation for architecture in context and a love of stewardship from my Grandfather whose hero was Charles Eliot. You see, Grandpa was a land man. . He loved natural beauty.  He was the salt-of-the-earth type, so you  might think that Charles Eliot would be an unlikely hero for such a man as Grandpa.  But not so! Grandpa outright admired him. Often when we picnicked at beautiful Belle Isle in Detroit, Michigan where I grew up, Grandpa would remind me that Eliot had his hand in the design. In fact, as far back as 1890, Eliot  led the way protect scenic treasures and viewsheds.

Charles Eliot (1859-97) son of Harvard University president, worked with Frederick Olmsted. Although he was only 38 when he died, in his short lifetime Eliot's accomplishments were many. He designed the metropolitan park and open-space systems of Boston, and founded the first U.S. organization devoted to historic landscape preservation.  Photo of Charles Eliott From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A well known landscape architect around the turn of the 19th century, Eliot may be an unfamiliar figure to some today. Yet, he was a bright light in the field of human-scale development, pioneering many of the fundamental principles of regional planning eco-friendly developers use today.  Also to his credit is the conceptual groundwork for land and historical conservancies.

New Urbanist Pioneer.
Charles Eliot has to be the  original new urbanist.When I visit friends in Celebration , Florida, I can see his influence there. Here's a picture (again from Wikipedia) that illustrates my point.

Concerned with the quickening pace of development beyond metropolitan Boston, where he lived and worked,  Eliot proposed an unique park system in the form of a trust.

Land Trusts got their start that way. Grandpa would be pleased to see how Eliot's seeds have bloomed. Today land trusts have matured into "privately based, nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable corporations and partnerships whose primary focus is to conserve open space or purchase conservation easements." They are growing in popularity and size. You will find conservation-minded organizations in small towns, operating locally.You will find them operating regionally and statewide.  You will find them where families are thinking about sustainability and positive futures.

In fact, Charles Eliot's creative influence remains. His legacy touches selected communities who are receiving assistance in taking the principles Eliot first envisioned and putting them into practice.

####

On November 14^th I wrote about an exciting scenario:   RURAL LAND SALE         
 Cash Deal with Contingencies. 35+ AC in beautiful (see photo)
 Madison County, North Carolina,
about 30 minutes north of Asheville , NC.

I expressed concern that the parties to the transaction wanted/needed
to close in 60 days, max.  and that due diligence to remove contingencies on rural acreage was likely to take up to and  beyond 120 days.

Challenge: Close in 60 Days.... Clock Ticking.. now at 40+ days

Check These Items off the 2DO List ,in this Anatomy of a Rural Land Sale :

1. 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.  DONE, Day 30, Property Appraised above sell price.
2. The Survey. We have a recent one, but our investor wants a new one. (Are you kidding, in 60 days ??) (read initial post for scary details)  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. He locates the original surveyor. Makes five personal visits to his office 9with donuts) and actually gets an updated survey on Day 35. We deliver sugar cookie and gingerbread men on Day 40.
3. The Septic System.  They were right...my pals told me this could be a Bear! Maybe one day, I will write a whole other piece on that.  With  photos of the accident. Just let me say that no one was killed. Thank Heavens!

Anyway. As of yesterday, we have permits for  two septics. Two sites.
The site for the home has been flagged (see photo above) the septic permit documents  from County were successfully filled in.

And the drainfields, and roadways were able to be shown on the updated survey. The digging oftwelve (12 ) holes (see photo..to the left)  ...(do they look like gravesites or what?)

for the Health Department environmental scientist were satisfactory for her. She did need the help of our trusty Field Coordinator (FC) to get out of the holes once she got in them, though. They are six feet deep! ......Omigosh!....

My friend and RLI LAND Instructor says "I LOVE THE LAND!!!"/\ Yup...me, too .always an adventure....
but back to this follow-up and the adventure in the Western North Carolina "Hills" as Dena calls them..

4. The Well.  We were right. After some digging with our handy trowels, we cleared the spot where the well is. There is a  well on the property ...On to solving the problem of how deep it is, the gallons per  minute it gives and the quality of the water. Our Friendly Field Coordinator (FC) called on  his buddy out at the well-driller's office. She found records in the boxes in the back...and offers..."how about some chocolate chip cookies"while FC waits?..."Don't mind if I do'" says our FC. We delivered home made holiday cookies to this helpful person yesterday. FC talks with well driller who promises to  go out as soon as time permits. FC drops by a few more times. After a few weeks, well-driller is satisfied that this is an urgent matter and goes out to the well. He remembers this well. It is one of the best ones he has ever dug. It is on the most beautiful land he has ever seen. He wished he'd have known that it was for sale. The well is 300 feet deep, produces 3 gallons a minute and is crystal clear. YAY!  Our investor is thrilled and so are we.  Day 42.

5. The 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...and now that we know there is power to the property this should be do-able by the end of 2006....indeed. All is in order, but the investor has decided now to wait on repairs.

6. Power to Property.  As I told you last month, we located two power poles, our FC climbed down the embankment, pulled away the grasses, found identifying numbers, made a personal visit to the French Broad Electric Company Talked with his friend out there. More cookies. FC is concerned about weight gain.  Good thing I baked dozens and dozens of holiday cookies(NOT for FC!)  but to deliver to the guys and gals out at French Broad Electric. (done 12/22)

UPDATE: 12/22...OH NO!!! I just heard from the investor. The investors' money may not be arriving on schedule...shall I send them over to read Broker Bryan'ts BLOG?

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

Are you relocating to the Greater Asheville area ? Coming in or going out you will find yourself immersed in GREEN!. (see photo above for a smile) Look at the statistics that follow. . . The GREEN trends these statistics clearly indicate could be of value to you.

In general, North Carolina continues to see a rise in the amount of homes sold in 2006. Sale prices continue to climb and the average number of days a house is on the market has decreased. All of these indicators show that the real estate market in  Western North Carolina is strong."                                   (page 6, Real Estate Weekly -October, 2006)

            In the City of Asheville alone, (pop about 75,000)  a total of 1450 homes listed  by January 1, 2006 closed by December 20^th.  In the Greater Asheville Area,  2820 homes were sold from Jan. 1 through December 20, 2006.  For those following the ECO-friendly stats in our region, in the period between January 1, 2006 and December 20, 2006, 14 Energy Star® rated homes sold, but wait!  --there are 35 currently on the market and there are currently 32 certified HealthyBuilt Homes (GREEN) on the market and 378 in progress in the Western North Carolina area. From 14 "green homes" to 378 in our market- a Trend ...

TRENDS TO WATCH

Residential Sales Trends/ Existing Homes  Asheville, N.C. As of December, 2006, the average sale price for an existing home in the Asheville area is $261,098. The price has increased about 10% percent since this time last year according to Annual Percent Change in OFHEO MSA House Price Indexes through Q3 2006. .. Home Appreciation ...Annual appreciation rate for homes in the Greater  Asheville area is about  12.5 per cent as of the third 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.

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

Residential Properties on the Market: 2078                    
Residential Properties Pending: 702
Priced Over $1M: 117
Priced Under $50K :   7

Farms & Land on the Marketin Combined Buncombe, Madison, Yancey Counties :  2107 

Asheville, North Carolina ,Buncombe County

Pending: 242
Priced Over $1M: 161
Priced Under $50K : 2989

Our market is moving toward:

• Lower operating costs- Lower utility bills for heating and cooling
• Increased comfort- Improved indoor air quality
• Creating lasting value- Third party review
• Building with health in mind- Lowered Environmental Impact

NC Healthy Built Homes: DUE in 2007: 378

This is an example of new construction. This is a HealthyBuilt Home.It's ECO-friendly and Owner-friendly.

####

CHICKEN HILL , 1945
AN ASHEVILLE BROWNFIELD SITE,2006  

Chicken Hill was a mill village near downtown Asheville, North Carolina, that dates back to the 1880's. Billie Clemmons, who grew up there  recalls, "...We were one big happy family. Poor but it didn't bother us".  For the past half century, however,  since the Historic Asheville, North Carolina  Cotton Mill  closed its doors on "Chicken Hill"  this area was  pretty much  left to its own devices, underutilized due to contamination. It was a Brownfield site.

Recently, the  Regional Brownfields Initiative (RBI) in partnership among Western North Carolina's economic developers, local officials, bankers, environmental planners, REALTORS®, the Land-of Sky Regional Council and other stakeholders began to address these contamination issues.  The RBI's objective is to  help "preserve ...natural resources, restore ... historic and cultural assets and attract businesses and industries ... resulting in increased tourism revenues, jobs, and tax revenues."   The RBI  assists site owners as they attempt to navigate  the environmental assessment process. Then sites can be redeveloped and put back into active use. This is  key to downtown and  neighborhood revitalization efforts in line with Asheville's "Smart Growth" plan.      

" If children could buy homes, Oliver's house would have sold two dozen times already. Let the child in you dream your home!"

Is brown is the new green?  Looking at the figures, this could well be the next  trend in the real-estate market. Years ago, only a handful of very brave developers would touch brownfields. But high land prices, fierce competition for real estate and federal-government incentives, have convinced investors and developers to seek out abandoned warehouses and shuttered factories like the Historic Cotton Mill here in Asheville. Too, Asheville is particularly , eager to protect open space and slow sprawl, so brownfield cleanup and development has pluses. And remediation and cleanup has  evolved to the point where the pluses really add  up.

In 2006, there were 87 
 Completed Projects  and 107    Active Projects underway  in N.C. alone

Have you ever noticed that clients sometimes
ask you  
all kinds of questions NOT about the property they want to list  or about the property in which they want to invest, but about subjects librarians love to answer?

This past month, I have been asked at least 10 questions  that had me stumped, well, at least for a minute or two. Like, "Are they going to decorate the cell towers around Asheville for the holidays?"  And "At what rate does that waterfall- fall?"

ummmm..hmmm..GOOD QUESTION!

What's a real estate person to do, I ask ya" ?  Possibly answer the question with a question??   So here I am,  sitting around dreaming up some very reliable stumpers, while smokin' my stogie...Maybe this'll do the trick! What do you think?

1.  Where does your garbage go?

2. Tell me five resident and five migratory birds in your bioregion.

3. Do you like locally-grown veggies? Name five edible plants, and their seasons of availability.

4. What three things can you do right at home in five minutes to be more "energy efficient"?

5. Who is Charles Eliot?

PS Tell me if I stumped you!

 I got memed(memmed?)  by Tricia Jumonville who raised Morgans ..and here are 5 things that you didn't know about me, probably...

1.. My family is originally from the Carolinas, but I grew up in Detroit where I helped my buddies build engines for drag racing and then cruised Woodward Avenue to test the engines in the days when  car hops delivered your Cherry Coke and French Fries to your car on roller skates.

2..My partner and I won a dance contest when I was fifteen. I got my master's degree while teaching full-time and going to night school when I was twenty-something.

3.. By the time I was thirty-or-so, I owned an executive search firm (15+ years), and zoomed between Ann Arbor, Chicago, Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale in a Silver Anniversary Corvette .I like speed. When I lived in the harbor on a 40 foot cruising speed boat just south of Victoria, B.C, that boat, one of two designed by Edmund Monk with  planing hulls, could go faster than a Donzi.

4..The Muse caught me when I was forty-something .I started to paint. Very large canvases. Broad strokes. Bright colors. Even though I can't draw worth a lick, I actually got picked up by quite a few  galleries along the Pacific Coast. I also wrote a book that  to my surprise was the 1^st Runner-up for the Best Alternative Health Book of 1999.

 5..My amazing son is a Magnum-Juried professional B&W  photographer, who had a show in Seattle last year.. I've always lived by water until now, so I just look at the mountains as waves in slow motion as the sun plays across them.... (see what I mean in this photo?) I love dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, gardenias and this view from my deck in Asheville.

Corey Atherton 

Racquel Turner

Here's a COSMIC QUESTION question  for ya'.  What if you just landed  here on Earth and were looking for opportunity in investment property? What  "kind" of land would attract you?

a) agricultural land
b)  rural land
c)  urban land

Let's say you could leave your footprint upon Terra Firma. How would you plan to establish it and watch it turn into something special? 

Maybe you would be like this little "green" guy who grew up on a farm on a faraway galaxy. You are interested in agricultural land. You head out with a vision to create a working farm, maybe your brother will develop co-housing facilities, and you will live in a sustainable eco-village. You love good food. So you decide to grow and supply organic crops and dairy products.

On the other hand, having come all this way in life in a crowded space craft, you now yearn for a private estate where you can set aside 1,900 of 2,000 acres of rural land. You want to hang out in nature, ride around on a horse,create a trail system for equestrian pursuits. You will probably restrict use on 100 acres of such a parcel for a nature-education center so that other cosmic-environmentalists can get the Earthlings up-to-speed on how to take care of their planet.   OR... Maybe too much nature kind of scares you. You don't really like all those noisy winds. You are an urban land kind of person. You want to design techonolgically-advanced systems in a  "green" office building. Whatever attracts you, I say you have paid your dues, journeyed many miles, earned the reward....so GO FOR IT! 

So now here's a real down-to-Earth question just for you real estate professionals. As  REALTORS we are aware of the Law of Supply and Demand, and also aware that there is only "so much" Land..so when will you choose to invest in the land?

Tell you what I'd do. "In my mind I'm going to CAROLINA!"

It's a lot easier to be under the green umbrella these days than it used to be even five years ago. I remember the day when folks rolled their eyes and looked for roots growing out of my feet when I first became interested in alternative and sustainable design. Now they shake my hand and ask good questions about sustainable features that add up to benefits for all of us. It seems as if everybody winswhen we build and/or invest in an eco-conscious way. It's about stewardship, sustainability - and money. 

Our market is moving toward:

• Lower operating costs- Lower utility bills for heating and cooling
• Increased comfort- Improved indoor air quality
• Creating lasting value- Third party review
• Building with health in mind- Lowered Environmental Impact
  
  Sustainable features: I'll just mention a few such features here--site opportunities such as orientation to allow passive solar design, and reduction of construction waste, a building envelope that supports energy efficiency, long-lasting exterior finishes and non-toxic interior finishes, reduced life-cycle and operating costs, increased water efficiency, decreased environmental impacts, and comfort and quality of life for people who live in green-built homes-  and point you to the NC Healthy Built home link where a full list may be useful. Buildings designed with sustainable features can  capitalize on such features. Designs employing natural light, landscaping, and building orientation not only improve energy efficiency, but the quality of life of those enjoying them. No wonder today, sustainable design is moving into the mainstream. It just makes sense.

Here are just a few reasons why (there are plenty more):

1. Sustainable design creates a healthy indoor environment  increasing indoor air quality , and improving air filtration and ventilation effectiveness. 2. Sustainable design uses materials and finishes that minimize volatile organic compound off-gassing create a healthier environment for residents.3. Sustainable design and the growing demand for quality of life features brings with it economic rewards.4. Sustainable design means lower operating costs.

Bottom Line: Black Ink Sustainable design is a whole systems concept that creates a win-win-win situation

UPDATE: We sold this property to a wonderful family this summer. We are horse property specialists, though, so we know a few more interesting horse farms from Asheville all the way to Columbus, NC and Tryon.

An exquisite equestrian  property with country charm and vistas, yet within 7 minutes of downtown Asheville, this private North Asheville estate on 3.80 acres inside the city offers contemporary Craftsman charm in a custom built 4,248 Sq Ft. home that shines with the work of local artisans.

Historic craftsmanship complements contemporary appointments. Hardwood floors, fireplaces, graceful archways ,reading nooks and a personal garden space overlooking Carter Creek , as seen in the photo to your left, combine with impeccable attention to detail to welcome you Home. 

                      To your right, take a look at this a smart,   
                      chef-designed gourmet kitchen
                      with granite countertops,
                             exotic wood custom cabinetry,
                     and  hand-pounded copper backsplash
                             and trim.

                     The view from this window is of
                     native landscaping, wonderful old
                     trees and colorful garden spaces.

The photo below shows the thirty-four (34) foot hallway lined with solid wood bookcases  rescued from an historic Asheville building. The hallway spans Carter Creek, separating two living areas. 

 You can stop along the way to relax in the window seats,  listen to the music of the creek, and enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds you.  Note how handy your books are in the bookcases that line the hallway adding the charm of yesteryear and inviting you to rest awhile should you desire to sit in the sunny nook and read.

There's another quiet reading nook off the living room as well. And at the end of this hallway, you will be surprised to find a private library living space with fireplace and windows that look out on the riding arena and distant mountains.

With two master suites and a total of 4 bedrooms and  3 1/2 baths including a handicap equipped in-law suite, and a family-sized screened front porch, you are ready for visitors.

While the home shines with craftsmanship and artisan care, the equestrian facilities are equally amazing.

Our photograher just took these photos of the two (2) barns, where you and your horses will appreciate the three (3 )14x14` stalls, and immaculate tackroom, not to mention the 90x100 no puddle  riding arena, 60`round pen.

Notice the separate hay barn,
and full perimeter, no climb fence with solar top wire.

This one-of-a-kind property is ideal as a family compound, private estate, or equestrian center.

$1,625,000. 

UPDATED: As of May, 2007, This property is PENDING

####

Let's put it right on the table. Some folks hold REALTORS®  a bit suspect , even disposable,much the same they do used car salespersons.  I don't much like that...

Another thing. Some folks assume REALTORS® are happy to chat well after the last embers from the holiday fire are cold. . . I don't much like that, either. I could get crankier than You-Know-Who  about these misperceptions.

Case in Point: (A  rookie real estate person told me this tale.|)

The Characters: Two talkative customers and a greenhorn. The Scene: A windswept mountainside on a chilly, rainy December day. A mile of steep gravel road with several switchbacks cut into the mountain. This, not far from Asheville, N.C. where a 102 AC parcel awaited their company. Action: The young REALTOR® and his customers (not clients)  head out well-prepared with topo,  aerial, survey, county map, and walking sticks. Half an hour later they reach the old Appalachian farm, now on the market for development.

Rookie real estate person (RR) circles and climbs his way up and around the narrow half-gravel, half-leaf mountain road to the top acreage. They get out. Immediately notice a drop in the temperature. Barely walk a hundred yards when a snowsquall  blinds them. They  dash for the car. Then they inch, and I mean inch their way back down the slippery slopes which takes a hair-raising, interminable hour.

RR tells me he holds his breath the whole time and narrowly misses sliding over the side at least five(5!) times..  Thank the Good Graces That Be and his trusty Subaru, somehow they make it to safety. I'm a land specialist. I love this kind of story! 

 " Now that's a  real bonding experience," I remark.  But he actually blushes and says he hasn't finished his story.

With visible relief, they head over to the country market
where our RR hero fills the tank as the other adventurers
merrily (glad to be alive)
hop inside to get hot chocolate. Being inexperienced, it never occurs to him as they scramble back into his cozy, warm car  that they would not bring a hot chocolate for their courageous REALTOR® ...but they didn't.

"I learned that it's my responsibility to set expectations right from the start, otherwise people get the wrong impression. They think I am "disposable"...

 We all need to figure out a format that works for us and gives us the respect we all deserve. It  starts with limits on the free rides, " he declared.

The Challenge: Say BAH-HUMBUG to mindless manners and disheartening drudgery. 
Consider this: Commercial real estate brokerages operate 9-5, 5 days a week, keeping "normal business hours."  Their audience respects their boundaries. That's what a hard-working, knowledgeable, self-reliant, modest yet competent, good-natured, self-respecting professional REALTOR® deserves whether that person is a residential specialist, a land specialist like me, or in the commercial end of the business.

What's the difference between that end of the business and  the non-commercial side? Could it have something to do with an outmoded Bob Cratchit   attitude i.e. not daring to establish ground rules? Maybe it's a mistake to advertise 24/7 availability. Possibly, in doing so, we open wide the door for the Scrooges  of the real property world.

I had a hot chocolate breve  with extra marshmallows this frosty December morning. It reminded me of the greenhorn's story. I feel lucky that my company and the eco-friendly brokers who team with me have the issue of " Mindless Manners & Disheartening Drudgery" under control.

By devoting lots of energy to a niche market- eco-friendly properties, large tracts of land, and preservation-oriented, stewardship projects-we have an advantage similar to the commercial side.  Our clients think we are awesome, at least that's what they tell us. And, we have solved the 24/7 pacing challenge because 99% of the time,   we work by appointment, mostly scheduled at least two weeks in advance.

Here's a Hot Chocolate. Have one Your Way in 2008!

####

 EDIT/UPDATE

This property sold. Father and son will enjoy the benefits.

PLEASE do go ahead and let us know if you would be interested in similar properties for 1031 investment , second/vacation home, or for a wonderful place to live close to schools and Asheville amenities.

We specialize in unique , value-added properties and are ready for the challenge of finding the "right" opportunity for YOU. 

IMMACULATE 2/2 `garden` condo (plumbed for 3BR) in a charming, 8-unit complex convenient to shopping, schools and downtown Asheville, N.C.

This is the perfect, reasonably-priced second/vacation home. Just lock it up when you are not here, and leave.

If you have an artist in your family, the lower level has a plumbed artist studio. (see photo below)

There is also a finished family room with its own entrance. This opens up the possibility of in-law/guest quarters.

There are garden areas on three sides. And this condo has the added feature of being the end unit as you can see in the photo to your left. There are pretty views of woods and distant mountains.

Newer construction (2002).

IF YOU ARE a 1031 investor, second/vacation home buyer, family with children and want to be near schools, love the city, but want to have a "sense" of the country, want to be 5 minutes to the mall, but still have quiet...THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU!  Listed at $152,900. ECO-Steward Realty. 828-776-0773

PHOTO GALLERY:

 First Floor Living Area with View of Woods

Lower Level Entrance with Rear/View

What a great feeling to look out your door and enjoy a sense of rural charm, yet be only 5 minutes to Asheville Mall, and , in the other direction,
the Biltmore Estate. Downtown Asheville with all of its cultural amenities is but a 7 minute drive.

Right from your door (see here), you are only 5 minutes to the Blue Ridge Parkway, "America's Favorite Drive."

Talk about convenient but still relaxing. THIS is IT!

For the Artist and/or Craftsperson

Artist's Studio. "No worry for the artist" Concrete Floor. Sink. Water.

See more photos at our Featured Listings  Pages.

This condo is listed at $152,900.

 TELL US What is Most Important to YOU in Asheville Real Estate Properties of Character

You Can Target Features That Matter to You Here for Asheville area real estate
ECO investment properties, 1031s, Historic properties, Horse farms, B&Bs,
and one-of-a kind residential properties.
Design Your Dream.

 As  REALTOR ® who loves the mountain landscapes , historic homes now converted to successful  Inns and prosperous B&Bs nestled in Asheville, N.C., and  nearby in picturesque villages have a special appeal for me.

As the former owner of a "green renovation" B&B Homestay,  I can recommend the B&B business--but only to my clients  who  enter it with eyes wide open, even if the building is green-built and new.

 Whether investing in a new or restored building, or possibly one you will restore due diligence  is essential.

It is also essential to know for sure that this business is for you.I can tell you for surethat it is not for everyone. But if you are attracted to it, the rewards can be immense. What owners of B& Bs tell me they like best about it varies.

Some owners say they enjoy meeting and conversing with their guests. Others appreciate the business as a pleasant way of life in the country or in a sustainable neighborhood. Every now and then, restoring an historic building while incorporating eco-friendly green elements into the design motivates the potential B&B owners, and we do have wonderful, historic buildings in the Greater Asheville area just waiting for your loving touch.  

Many real estate clients here in Asheville (a hot bed for fabulous, restored B&Bs) say that playing apart in sustainable building and  enjoying a "very nice" income at the same time,
with independence from the daily grind            
of a life lived within a tall building
under the supervision of others is worth every bit of laundry and early awakening to fix breakfast they could possibly encounter.

Come to think of it, when I compare the two photos I picked for this post, I can see their point.

When I talk with B &B investor clients, the concept of "sustainable" always seems to arise. And there is a consensus that great satisfaction arises from "growing" and creating an eco-friendly investment.

In this business, more than many perhaps, one's style, the personality of the B&B itself, unique hospitality, standards of excellence, and creative marketing plans really count. In a study by The Professional Association of International Innkeepers research showed that "most B&B inns needed at least five to six rooms to reach the break-even point before debt service, and at least six to seven guest rooms to reach the break-even point after debt service." The study also revealed "that average B&B owners devoted more than 74 hours a week to the daily running of a five to ten room inn."

One of my clients who was very adept at creative marketing ran a 4 bedroom establishment, organized her  staff from the college kids and grandparents in the area, worked less than 40 hours a week, and made a fine living in the process. Her accountant warned her that a four bedroom B&B completely free of debt with no hourly wage taken out might generate a profit with 20 percent occupancy. But she did much better than this.

Needless to say, there are the financial facts of monthly overhead and debt payment, and the annual occupancy rate to take into account.Other variables will include number of rooms, seasonal highs and lows, start-up and improvement costs, advertising and PR expenses, your own income level, and your own profit goals. But if you are up for the challenge, we are ready to find the perfect GREEN B&B opportunity for you right here in the amazing, tourist-oriented, Greater Asheville, North Carolina area!

~info bit~ THE U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 

The U.S. Green Building Council  is the nation's leading coalition of corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and nonprofit organizations working together to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.

Since its founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 5,300 member companies and organizations, a 50-person professional staff, a broad portfolio of LEED(r) products and services, the industry's popular Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, and a network of 67 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing groups.

The LEED(r) (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is a feature-oriented rating system where credits are earned for satisfying specified green building criteria.


The five major environmental categories of review include:
Sustainable Sites
Water Efficiency
Energy and Atmosphere Materials & Resources
Indoor Environmental Quality

Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum levels of green building certification are awarded based on the total creditsearned. The LEED standard has been adopted nationwide by federal agencies, state and local governments, and interested private companies as the guideline for sustainable building.

CHECK BACK for more "ECO-Friendly info bits" of interest to real estate investors!

 A mature couple paused as they wandered down the sidewalk       
in a village not far from Asheville, North Carolina.  Though on vacation, they had spotted a sign that stopped them in their tracks. There by the rose arbor just inside the gate stood a Painted Lady ,
the most charming (possibly a "green" renovation?) Victorian they had ever seen!

And to their utter astonishment, decorated in hand-painted roses and green filigrees, they noticed a sign that read, "The  Village Rose, - I'm Your Dream B&B, and I'm for Sale-
Ask Your REALTOR® About Me!"

For this couple, it was  an invitation to dreams come .

Ever since as newly-marrieds, some twenty-some years ago,  this young couple, with a penchant for Film Noir   had seen Key Largo  in which Humphrey Bogart visits his old friend's hotel and ends up in a storm with Lauren Bacall, they fell in love with the notion of having their own small hotel one day. Now, the same couple, young-at-heart,  looked at each other, grabbed hands, and in that silent moment knew their dream might come true.

 But was it an ill-advised dream, this notion of finding and owning the "renovated" B&B"?   Might it work for a couple ready for creative retirement ?You bet! They had designed their dream, carefully.

They had always favored historic restoration, especially restoration and stewardship of Victorian homes. . They had done their research. For years they had planned overnights at B&Bs near their hometown. Then they extended their range, always keeping in mind the locale and the real property values in that area. Then had discovered the illustrious history of lodging and the birth of the Bed & Breakfast.

A BIT OF B&B HISTORY

Their first stop: Wikipedia,   the free encyclopedia, where they learned that establishments where travelers could avail themselves of food, drink and lodging and "first sprang up when the Romans built their famous system of highways two millennia ago. Some inns in Europe are centuries old. In addition to providing for the needs of travelers, inns traditionally acted as community gathering places, something that really appealed to the couple. By the late 1960s,energized by happy stays in European B&Bs, innkeepers began to open their own versions of those establishments, and planted the familiar small lodging atmosphere in the U.S.A.

Now, thousands of B&Bs dot the highways and byways of America. Our couple  discovered that a number of associations and support services, professional newsletters, travel publications, guidebooks, and vendors catering to small lodges also have appeared on the scene.  Having done their homework they were ready to talk  with their  REALTOR ® .

 Look for Part II where this story continues....

I listed this very nice condo today. 

Before I did, I reviewed the 3 Essential CONDO CAVEATS, reminding myself that things can appear to be  black and white , but beneath the charm could look a big red stoplight!

CONDO CAVEATS
1. Fifty (50) percent or more of the units are tenant (renter as opposed to owner) occupied.

Check to see the percentage of rented condos in the complex. If 50 percent or more of the units are rentals, it may be more difficult to find a lender to loan money for a unit in the complex. If few lenders will make loans, this may impact you when you want to resell.

2. The condo association's "reserve fund" is less than healthy.

Get the name of the HOA President and make sure the association has a healthy reserve fund. Without a substantial  sum of money in reserve, when a major repair needs to be done, owners might have to pay a costly special assessment. This can affect resale value.

3. The project is in litigation.

Double check this one. If the project is involved in litigation with builders and/or other homeowners, this can quickly deplete reserve funds and affect resale value.

Old-fashioned sense of neighborhood? Eco-village? Co-Housing?                                                                   

I hit the nature trail with a client-friend of mine this mid-morning. This tiny woman has long had a gigantic interest in "improving  the world,
one neighborhood at a time."

Today she was beaming as we chatted and walked-- the reason- she and her group of investors are about to create an ecovillage.

At 70-something , she informs me,
this is one of the most thrilling projects she has sponsored.

Old-fashioned Sense of Neighborhood? Eco-village?
Co-Housing?

Whatever you call it, those who are
"in the know"  say this is
the next trend in multi-generational quality of life  housing.

"And what a wonderful opportunity for me" my friend confides.
 "I won't be alone,
stuffed in some institution at 80. I am assured that my neighbors hold a commitment to a relationship with one another and will look in on me."  ...

Co-housing is a collaborative opportunity  in which residents of all ages actively participate in the design and operation of their own neighborhoods. 

 "The cohousing idea originated in Denmark,"  my friend explains.   
"We can sculpt the way it comes together!  (see my earlier BLOG on
"E-PUDS")  There may be sustainable landscape design with all kinds of  native plants, organic vegetable and herb gardens, a labyrinth, walking and hiking trails on adjoining acres, places to sit and relax, an amphitheater in the woods...oh so many creative ideas!" 

Her enthusiasm is contagious. Although the overall neighborhood design offers all the features of conventional homes, those who live in an ecovillage also have access to common facilities such as open space, courtyards, a playground, a meditation deck and fountain, and a lodge... a "green plan"  that encourages both social contact and individual space. Again, there is the understanding that, as a member of this multi-generational  community, you are entrusted with a shared sense of caring for all who live there. 

An ecovillage may be in an urban or rural area. It is not defined by its location, but rather by concept. The defining characteristics are participation, sense of community by design, common areas and facilities, resident management and management by consensus. This community is structured to meet the needs of residents. An example? The inviting central lodge or gathering place, the social center of a community, with its large dining room and kitchen, lounge, recreational facilities, children's spaces, and frequently a guest room, workshop and laundry room, where neighbors can get together for optional group meals two or three times a week.

Although the overall neighborhood design offers all the features of conventional homes, those who live in an ecovillage also have access to common facilities such as open space, courtyards, a playground, a meditation deck and fountain, and a lodge... a "green plan"  that encourages both social contact and individual space. Again, there is the understanding that, as a member of the community, you are entrusted with a shared sense of caring for all who live there.    

"Management by Consensus..on the Bridge" 

Neighbors Get Together in Nature and Converse.

Here's a Peek at Ecovillages/ Sustainable Communities

Sunward Cohousing near Ann Arbor, MI. ... A place "where lives are simplified, the earth is respected, diversity is welcomed, children play together in safety, and living in community with neighbors comes naturally."

Winslow Cohousing  on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, WA. ...Where residents aim to "a minimal impact on the earth and create a place in which all residents are equally valued as part of the community."

 EcoVillage at Ithaca, NY.  ...Here the goal is "to explore and model innovative approaches to ecological and social sustainability."  

Earthaven Ecovillage   near Asheville, N.C.... Where residents are "dedicated to caring for people and the Earth by learning, living, and demonstrating a holistic, sustainable culture."

RIGHT NOW in Asheville my fellow ECO certified REALTOR , a talented urban planner is working on an  ecovillage infill project ...This will include  8 Units around a central courtyard in popular West Asheville. These quality living spaces will be Healthy Built certified and will feature bamboo floors, solar heating. Residents will be able to walk to access most of their daily needs in 5 minutes.  You can see a site plan here.

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