Asheville ECO-GREEN Real Estate

Did you know that at least 300 volatile substances found inside many homes and places of business can make you and your family sick? When I researched this, there was a B I G AHA! Moment for me...

THE CULPRITS

. . .detergents, gasoline, oils, plastics, rubber, synthetic fibers,
tobacco, smoke, carpet, clothes, foam insulation, furniture, household cleaners,
paper goods, dry cleaning, inks, lacquers, creosote, varnishes, adhesives,
sealants, paints, particleboard, plywood, and timber treatments…
you will find them without much trouble in any indoor space.

 These culprits are responsible, at least in part,  for the  “off-gassing”--and  may result in  

asthma,

     heavy fatigue,

          conjunctivitis,

               chemical hypersensitivity syndrome

                    and chronic degenerative conditions. and chronic headache.  

Think of this: We and our kids and grandkids hang out about ninety (90) percent of the time indoors.
We are breathing volatile substances all the time.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that indoor air is so polluted that it exceeds acceptable air pollution limits. One EPA report states that "indoor air pollution represents a major portion of the public's exposure to air pollution and may pose serious acute and chronic health risks."

But there is a remedy for this situation, and it is inexpensive and lovely to see.
Want to hazard a guess?

Recently, while touring properties with my agents, we noticed that several vacation homes had at one time been occupied by other than their occasional human residents. The tell-tale signs were obvious… the remains of the formidable carpenter wood-devouring bee. Carpenter bees are prevalent throughout the United States, so you may already be familiar with them. But just in case you aren't, here's a photo of one supplied by Wikipedia.

Here in Western North Carolina, you may find them foraging around flowers, shrubs and under the eaves of buildings.  This bee even will bore into wood to make its home. And unlike bumble bees, these buzzing creatures are known aggressively to go after lawyers, dentists, and yes...even innocent home owners and their devoted REALTORS®.

We had an encounter of this kind last summer. While spending the weekend with friends who had listed their vacation property in a mountain community with me, we discovered another party of “visitors in a giant nest! And it’s true, those bees can be hostile.

One of the suites has a large sunken tub and solarium where our host couple was enjoying a “good soak” early Sunday morning. Suddenly, out from the tub dashed the two bubble-lovers—au naturel— into the great room,with a swarm of angry female carpenter bees  after them.. Luckily, they evaded the attack! and Had any of us been allergic to bee sting the-display of flying bubbles might not have been, as it turned out to be, quite comical ..  ..So it is important to consider the” little things” when you are investing in real estate…things you may not have considered. (THAT’S a good reason to get a conversation going with your  REALTOR®.)

Here is some information you may not know:     

Carpenter bees bore holes into wood overhangs, fence posts, and trees.  They like to crawl between cracks of siding and roofing.  Boring into wood, they drill a hole about 1/2" wide, but guess what? That hole only will go straight for an inch or two! Then it will turn 90 degrees where a nest is situated along with its egg chamber.

Carpenter bees lay their eggs at the very end of the chamber, place food alongside the egg, and then seal it all up tight.  I have talked with specialists in carpenter bee control. They tell me that it is NOT uncommon for an egg chamber to be two(2) or more feet long and  have numerous egg chambers branching out from the main chamber.    

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

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Some people say I look at the world through "GREEN GLASSES"  (hoHo..see photo to right)   Trouble with that is that you can get a weird sense of your surroundings if you are not careful That's why I like to keep in touch with people all across the  country...see what they are up to...exchange ideas...and stories...and insights...
When I lived on an island north of Seattle, I never felt isolated. There was companionship in the community and in the online community. I became an active participant in various "theaters" online. .I've been writing thoughts and sharing poetry for Project Nature Connect for the past decade. I've taught classes on line. I have three web sites and a sustainable network .

It was during one of my readings on the e-PRO List that I happened on a mention of Active Rain.
“AHA! This must be an organization from my Beloved Northwest!” I thought.
“I bet this will be interesting!”  I decided to check it out. Thus I became an AR Newbie.

And WOW!!! What a treasure I  found. The sheer work that has been done to organize and create this masterpiece
for those of us in the real estate profession boggles my imaginationl. For those of us who love to share stories and advice, it truly is a tresure. In my BLOG  on TRENDS and in the various groups that have started since I first arrived here, I have also found a vital community of entrepreneurail folk...who share varied interests.

For any "Newbie" I sure would recommend searching all the Beta Groups (GROUPS-Beta at the top of the screen) )and then joining in. 

The Greater Asheville and Hendersonville areas of Western North Carolina have seen an influx of people investing in real property, both land and second home investments, in recent years.  As you can imagine farmland is disappearing at a rapid rate as the land opens to new development.  Land-of-Sky Regional Council Fosters desirable social, economic, cultural and ecological conditions in the Greater Asheville  and sustainable development.

Where “working the land” used to mean laboring to harvest corn, tobacco, hogs, cattle, sheep, and native plants, “working the land”  now calls to mind bulldozers, cranes, and construction crews erecting residential properties.

Still farming, noted for its impact on the history, economy, and culture of our region, is alive and breathing  in the hills and coves just miles from downtown Asheville. And although you may see a group of new homes rising up in the middle of a pasture while cows look on placidly from the other side of the fence, where the grass well may be greener, planting and harvesting still can be found –and it is taking on new forms.

Early Farming in Western North Carolina

When my Far-Grandfather, General Nathanael Greene first came to the Carolinas in the 1700s, English, German, Scotch-Irish, French, Welsh, and African settlers were just starting to arrive.  A story handed down to me tells how those early settlers, my Grandparents being among them, borrowed certain agricultural practices from the Native Americans, and incorporated them into their own farming practices.

It makes me smile to think that my ancestors helped to shape the farms, farming and settlement patterns of the southern Appalachian mountain region. 

Maybe that's why tonight, at almost midnight,  I am thinking how lucky I am to be here now
and maybe that's why I have such a strong interest in preserving the integrity of our Appalachian farmlands and mountainscapes.. along with certain of my companions (see below)

Mountin’ Hopes Therapeutic Riding Center Mountin' Hopes is a therapeutic horseback riding centerlocated in near Asheville, N.C. that provides children and adults with special both riding and care of the horse, so a relationship can develop between the person and the animal as guided by the principles of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).

" We're talking sustainable!"

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

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Recently, on a family vacation to the ocean, one of our family members—
we’ll call him “Q”— was overcome with a fit of sneezing upon entering
the home we had rented for our stay.

The sneezing continued with little relief
for what seemed like HOURS!. The poor guy couldn’t seem to stop sneezing and wheezing.  Finally we headed over to see the Doc. The diagnosis: “Extreme Allergies”… “Take a look around the place for culprits: carpet, fabric, bedding,” we were advised.. “There are hidden toxins in every living space.”

So, we were in the realm of indoor air quality and wondering where to start. According to Wikipedia, indoor air quality (IAQ)  " deals with the content of interior air that could affect health and comfort of building occupants. The IAQ may be compromised by microbial contaminants (mold, bacteria), chemicals (such as carbon monoxide, radon), allergens, or any mass or energy stressor that can induce health effects.

Recent findings have demonstrated that indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air (albeit with different pollutants) although this has not changed the common understanding of air pollution. In fact, indoor air is often a greater health hazard than the corresponding outdoor setting. Using ventilation to dilute contaminants, filtration, and source control are the primary methods for improving indoor air quality in most buildings."

We had suspected something of the sort, but now, hoping for ready relief for poor “Q”, we were on a mission!  

 We noticed that “Q’s” sneezing seemed to erupt full-force in the bedroom.  We found newly installed carpeting with a distinct odor that was obvious when anyone entered the room. In our ECO certification course we had learned about this.  It was "off-gassing"... . 

Also, the carpet, made of nylon was quietly distributing little bits of plastic which "Q"was inhaling whenever he went in that room. In fact, “Q” actually wheezed when he spent a few minutes there.We closed the door and kept it closed.

If it could affect “Q” this way, imagine what it could do to the grandkids! Tiny bits of plastic in little kids lungs could contribute to serious respiratory complications, and research has shown that they do contribute to asthma on an increasing basis.  When grandparents are unaware of such health issues, they cannot safeguard the children’s well-being (or their own.) ...But back to my story about "Q" and "Indoor Air Quality".

It turned out that our vacation rental, with its well-intentioned new carpet and fresh coat of paint was off-gassing toxic fumes. The newly slip-covered sofas and chairs, comfy though they were,were emitting formaldehyde.  No wonder "Q" reacted.. It occurred to us that so many of us (including real estate professionals) simply do NOT know
how to limit exposure to toxins in the air, even right in our own homes. Yet, healthy indoor air quality is what I think of as essential.  

Here's a question: Do you think this information has iimplications for REALTORS? 
                      

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Remodeling is nothing new. Back in  the mid-1700s Queen Maria of Portugal was into it...on a grand scale.

This portrait, courtesy of Wikipedia , seems to reveal a woman ready to make changes in her home... And indeed, Queen Maria began making sweeping changes in one of her castles  built in the 1600s.  This was to be the royal family's "Country House" and a summer residence.  The palace would be her escape from the burdens of her work and a place where she could relax and enjoy life. It didn't happen overnight, but after many years, her place in the country, AKA "Second/Vacation Home" underwent a remarkable transformation. But all this time, Maria had left the details to the experts, and did not visit the remodel.

                                One day, as the story goes, the Queen could wait no longer to see the changes.Off she sped to the mountains. It would be a grand time for the whole family. Arriving by daylight, she began her inspection. You could see a number of artisans smile as she marveled at the illuminated gold carvings, and gold framed mirrors throughout . How they lit up the interior halls reflecting the tracery of the Pensile and Malta gardens.  As Queen Maria admired her surroundings, her courtiers flung open the garden doors. Sunlight (passive solar?) poured in. The mirrored rooms flashed beams of  light and nature's reflections. 

"Que Luz!," she exclaimed. "What Light!." 

                 Jumping ahead to this day of "green" rehabs and solar delights for remodelers---We may not have the crew power Queen  Maria enjoyed,  but we have another kind of power, and we can do so much these days with light! We can pull together  a stylish, comfortable, and beautiful “palace” that is also non-toxic and environmentally friendly. Here in Asheville, we are really getting into Solar Power.

Out at the Environmental Learning Center at Warren Wilson College, just 15 minutes from downtown  Asheville, a group of REALTORS® gathered this year to get familiar with how these solar panels work. We touched them, we saw the batteries they powered, and the golf carts that tool around the campus, solar-powered, too.

"Que Luz! ," I exclaimed.... 

Here’s a picture I took while I was there.

Do these littl buggies look like fun for a Queen? =)

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

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Time must be the most convenient invention of the human mind – sometimes it's even a tool for getting to staff  meetings when everyone else does.

On Tuesday, when we get together, I ask our eco-friendly Buyers' Brokers to bring clip boards and use forms we have created mostly so that we can get through our staff  meetings in a "timely" manner.  

We have so much to talk about these days what with the "Green Revolution" and the surge in green building in the Asheville area. Don't laugh, but we even have a “designated” clock watcher and set the timer to keep us moving forward and on track as  each of us to share our business-at-hand. For a group of talkative colleagues, it works. But there is more...

I have been thinking about time and the Buyers' Broker, and how important time management is to our clients.

There is a certain magic, of which we get to be a part , when we bring buyers and sellers together...  something Outside of Time that lets us see the process both from a distance and in great detail ...And then, there is that nebulous sense of place that draws my clients to certain streams, the south side of a mountain, a neighborhood within a minute of downtown Asheville. (Over the years, I have noticed that that very sense of place seems to call to my clients. ) Maybe we can just summarize this in one phrase ..."It's TIME for GREEN!"

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Changing Markets, Changing Seasons:
The Many Colors of a Change and Opportunity

CHANGE is right here, right now, and so is Opportunity
— In your routine— in where you live—
and possibly even in the way you live.
Change is one life-process
with which we all must deal and which we all share.

Here in the mountains, just outside my door
evidence of change has sprinkled itself in white.

Change –by the very fact that
it is universally understood
as a fact of being in the world
actually brings with it a strong sense of belonging.
(See yesterday’s BLOG entry.)

A few thoughts on CHANGE in the practice of real estate

Whether that change involves moving from a family farm into the city, or relocating from another state to the Appalachians and the Greater Asheville area, our clients voluntarily are  initiating four all-important “seasons”— the sweet Spring of Optimism, the Summer of Informed Pessimism, the Bright Autumn of Realism, and finally the Clear Winter of Integration and Evaluation. Along the way, we REALTORS®, inherit a lucky chance to build meaningful communication and relationships.

Take for example the case of Change in terms of Real Estate Investors

Whether clients are involved in 1031 Like-Kind Exchanges, IRA investments or personal transactions, they have so much at stake. Their future is in the balance. There are the Great Unknowns, the Possible Gains, the Questions of Losses, the Significance Factors, and even the Risk of NOT Risking to consider. And all of these immersions in CHANGE are grand opportunities for REALTORS® . We can be of real service, because we know that even when our clients make a change that they plan for, and look forward to, they can encounter some very rocky times, and we can offer resources as needed.

Come to think of it

As I reflect on my own real estate investment strategy over the years, I find that some of those changes that at the time seemed negative and difficult, turned out to be blessings in disguise.One of the blessings is a renewed awareness of the sense of belonging, or how I "fit" in the bigger picture with all of my colorful “life tattoos”. I have come to see how coming to grips with change in my life not only lays the foundation of belonging in my community, but has turned out to be a framework for inspiration in the days and years to come.  

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          It's one of those perfect, clear nights in Asheville. Not a cloud in the sky. From my ridgetop, facing north, a million stars above call my name. Here in the venerable mountains, almost as old as time itself, tonight I am thinking that it actually  is easy to connect with something much larger than myself. We all know that as you relax, your heart just opens wide, and that magic connection simply happens.. But, tonight that knowing is very present, and a certain embracing serenity is in the air. Maybe that’s why Asheville ranks as the “Happiest City in the USA”.

          A gentle soul once told me, “…..there’s a pathway to contentment here. It is like the rainbows over the ridges. It's an uncommon force. When you see it you can measure it by your heartbeat ... an all-at-once coming together and letting go... .” …

Yes...Artists and Poets and Creative People love it here.
Inspiration. . . and Pure Potential really are in the air!

Something exciting ...on so many levels ...arranges itself

somewhere between the coves and rising ridges..
SO …in your possibility-thinking,

you can find a place to start.

          At our very fingertips is anything we could ever wish for...an abundance of choice….mountain acreages to enjoy and care for, lovely equestrian properties for riding out with your family and friends, historic properties both in town and in the farmlands, organic gardens, bold streams ..and places to invest time, energy and to create a sanctuary for generations to come…. and so much more.

          The natural wealth here reminds me of the flow of the great French Broad River running by the days, bringing wonderful things right to your door. Understanding this, you need only to choose the where and when. But you probably already know this.

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Because I am in Asheville,North Carolina and so many people want to be here, a particular interest to me in my real estate practice is providing good information to my relocating clients.

From time to time, families new to the area, tell me they really miss the sense of belonging and family ties they had in their previous neighborhoods. For example, high school kids let me know that it’s not easy to feel uprooted  and to  leave their pals in another city. Parents agree. They want to deal with concerns about “the culture” at a new school before they relocate here. In response to these, and a myriad of clients’ concerns, over the years we have gathered a ten-foot stack of resource materials having to do with RELO INFO and “making happy connections”. Here in Asheville, voted the “Happiest City in the U.S.A.” collecting materials of this sort has been  a breeze!

 You should know that our real estate practice centers on ECO-friendly  properties—energy efficient residences, Green Buildings, NC Healthy Built Homes in sustainable communities, so here in the mountains, we do tend to attract clients who love nature and want to be closer to the great out-of-doors. With  “GREEN connections” readily in place, we can offer our clients pointers for quickly getting involved in any number of nature-related projects, and events like these: 

Sustainability Open Space - Montford Recreation Center, Asheville, A FREE self-organizing gathering for anyone engaged in the transformation to a thriving sustainable local culture and economy in harmony with the natural world.  For more information and to pre-register, go to http://www.sosasheville.net/

Slow Food Asheville: "Lips of the Snail" - at Hawk and Ivy B&B, featuring locally grown and raised foods. Exquisite dishes by famous area chefs, Artisan breads, cheeses, plus Silent Auction, Live Music, and more.  For more info on Slow Food Asheville go to: http://www.slowfoodasheville.org/  

 The Conservation Fund's Resourceful Communities Program and Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project-  The Conservation Fund's Resourceful Communities Program (RCP), in partnership with Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, hosts experiential workshops for community groups and emerging leaders including workshops on earned income for non-profits, community organizing and regional responses to pending referendum.  .

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When she was a young woman, my grandmother chose a teaching assignment in a pioneer's program off the coast of Cuba. Over a hundred years ago, this brave soul left Florida to travel by freighter to the Isles of Pines. There she joined a group of twenty or so Michigan families and native islanders who had requested a teacher. Grandma  presided over a one-room schoolhouse. Students ranged in age from six to sixteen so flexible planning, field trips, and a personal touch became Grandma’s stock and trade. With such tools, Grandma could have been a successful REALTOR®. (I’m smiling.) But what set Grandma apart, and what I believe sets many of us here apart, was Grandma's art of storytelling...

Take for example her personal adventures with Clyde, the Obstreperous Mule.

Each morning Grandma's mule refused to let her ride through the palmettos to school. So this determined lady followed along on foot, to be foiled time and time again as she tried to catch up with him and he dashed ahead then slowed down…. Grandma chuckled as she told how Old Clyde grinned and snorted and looked backward over his shoulder.. the entire half-mile down the sandy path to the schoolhouse … where, as usual,  an odd assortment of kids and islanders joyfully waited to see the sight of a lady in a long dress, hat askew, arriving ... slightly annoyed, yet ready for that next attempt. Sounds like a parallel to a few of my experiences as a real estate professional....How about you?

There were a hundred such tales Grandma administered. These kind remedies created a space for those in her sphere of influence to open up their hearts and laugh out loud. The resulting emotional safe-haven set the stage for her students to make wise choices. .. a final outcome most REALTORS® certainly can appreciate.  

I like to think that we have the option, through our stories, to discover more of who we and our clients are inside, and what is most important to us and to them. Our stories are treasures that help us to do well in our transactions while also making a special contribution to positive outcomes.. .for the benefit of all parties...now, and a hundred years from now.

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

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 I have a steady real estate practice. For some reason, I keep attracting dog lovers. Maybe that’s because I am a dog lover myself. I hop in the car with families and their poodles, beagles, hounds and mutts. I take dog biscuits with me to  my listing appointments. I carry dog goodies in my glove box.  

I have met a hundred or more dogs along the way. This is the story of just one. Her name is Isabella. 

Isabella is an exceptional Golden Retriever, but not in the way you might expect. By some measures, Isabella is a mess. She had a real tough start in life. Weaned at Kennel One, shipped to Kennel Two, and then, as luck would have it, sent to Kennel Three, she was showing the affects—she was old beyond her years. The owner of Kennel Two had expected Isabella to finish her championships with ease, and enhance the Kennel's reputation. But Isabella hated riding in the Kennel's van and was timid in  the Show Ring (this would not do at all). Kennel Two decided to end Isabella's residency.  

Isabella was sold to a Breeder. The Breeder was excited to see Isabella! She didn't give a puppy's wiggle if Isabella had "issues". Travel was not required for her duties there. The Breeder couldn’t care less if Isabella was insecure, socially inept, a bit edgy, a klutz who knocked over pails of water, or that Isabella slunk low around the fenced perimeter of the Kennel yard. She didn't give a hoot, so long as Isabella produced PUPPIES! 

By this time, Isabella was almost two, and she still didn't know how to act around the other dogs. She ripped apart any toy she could get into her mouth sending wads of stuffing flying. She poked her nose into the quiet resting spaces of the Champion Goldens and stirred up trouble. She snarled at the younger dogs, and even began to pick fights. A sponge for attention, she learned that causing trouble got her what she needed.  To make matters worse, after three attempts, Isabella had failed to produce what she was there for-PUPPIES! That was the last straw for the Breeder. She put the word out in the Dog Community that she had a champion line Golden available for adoption.

As soon as I heard about Isabella, I thought of my client, Sue newly widowed and new to Asheville, who was feeling alone in her cabin by the stream. REALTORS keep an eye out for there clients even after the closing, as we all know, so I called Sue right away, hoping she might consider adopting this dog. 

We headed north to meet 'Bella the very next day. It was "love at first sight"! Isabella planted herself by Sue's side and simply wouldn't budge. An exchange of papers and money took place, and then, miracle of miracles, Isabella happily hopped right in the car, minus one "issue". Ah! The healing power of what's just right for you! 

I’ve learned a lot from dogs. We two-legged creatures (unlike Isabella) oftentimes choose to hold our "issues" with a firm grasp. Is it that we think that we cannot choose otherwise, or that we think we should try to be better than who we are? Dogs don't relate to themselves as flawed, so why do we?. Maybe we could take a bit of advice from Isabella . . . call it "Dogsight".   

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. DOGS are wonderful beings.  

Each day it seems I learn something new from my canine companions. For instance, on our morning walk down our rural road today. Each time I breathed in the cool almost-Autumn air, there seemed to be a certain freshness. Each familiar boulder, newly covered with dew, looked different.  I noticed each of my breath-clouds in the chilly air. Soon however, my thoughts overtook me and I ended up on a quite another road. Memories of yesterday, and plans for today floated around in my mind like so many bubbles on the pond I visited along the way. And the moment at hand simply disappeared. The DOGS (totally present on their walk) my four-legged companions were more "in-the-moment"   By now, I was probably chastising myself. “I can't believe my computer crashed, I bet I messed it up by doing something I shouldn’t have done. . . I guess I just wasn't paying attention. . .." What’s that about not paying attention? Here, on one of the most beautiful days of the year, I’ve managed to spirit myself away to quite another place. What an odd treachery, this tendency to miss exquisite moments in life.

The DOGS seem to get that life happens right now.
Why is that? I have a theory
. . .to be where we are when we are where we are is just not the natural inclination of the human species!  To be in ready right now to apprehend possibility as it sprints through our daily life is challenging! It's very much like keeping up with the intricacies of the practice of Real Estate. There is something about that dance, the pacing, the process of noticing and selecting involved that leads to a very focused awareness, even during difficult days. 

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 Connor came home from school the other day talking about “smart growth.” Barb, his Mom, a new client of ours thought he was talking about how fast he was growing. Maybe her contribution to his "smart growth" should be to buy his shoes a size too big. But Connor straightened her out right away.

Connor explained that ”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, and makes efficient use of public investments," he informed her. Connor said he'd be volunteering to help out on a couple of community projects, and invited her to come along. One of the projects involves walkable and bikable neighborhoods.

Down by the River, (see photo) 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.

 THE FRENCH BROAD RIVER

READ more about “Asheville's greenway system ...[that is] growing and eventually will offer a minimum of 14 corridors and 29 miles of trails connecting the places where people work, live and play….” by clicking on this link:  )

Connor is excited about being a part of the greenways group. There are all ages an "sorts" of folks involved, including a group of ECO Certified Real Estate Consultants. 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 green/sustainable 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.

Asheville with our "Smart Growth" plan for centrally situated public facilities,  efficient and sustainable use of land, natural resources and energy is tied into the preservation of a built-heritage for future generations. This is a very attractive  model--one that as REALTORS we are happy to be able to share with our clients. This model is one Connor can take with him. 

Hearing Connor’s story makes me smile. As an old school teacher I am excited about teamwork. YAY!...Kids and Grandparents working side by side! Positive Futures! I'm all for that. 

As a REALTOR in the Greater Asheville area knowing that  “Smart Growth” is an objective of our City Council, I often 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. It's great to be part of the Big Picture.

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Read  GREENOLINA'S  news about mountain and valley  neighborhoods, real estate,  local  day trips, picnics, and  ecotourist attractions you'll just love.   Curious about green building, remodeling and eco-communities ?  ...Subscribe to Greenolina's  "Green Wheels" BLOG.   

__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............and always remember that " poets are soldiers that liberate words from the steadfast possession of definition." -Eli Khamarov  .......  We are in a sustainable  world, so grab hold of your Muse... dream that world... and make it happen!. .........................    .............

The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved

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UPDATE: June, 2007   

This was one of my very first posts. I almost deleted it back a few months ago because it is so "syrupy"..(is that a word?)..but I'm glad I didn't because someone might  READ ....and even comment.  ..one day.***

REALTORS get it! We know that change is a constant..possibly even more so these days. Here in Asheville, NC, for example, we seem to be in the midst of a a revolution of sorts. More and more people here in the Western North Carolina mountains notice changes. They are, subtle and not-so subtle, and have to do with the way we perceive our surroundings, and ourselves in the context  of all that is before us.

We look around at all the beauty, and sense that there is a larger meaning ...Here is a photo I took that explains that sense of place so prevalent in the mountains of North Carolina. You cannot help but feel "connected" here. And I think that it just melts people's hearts because they  know they "belong"....Asheville has been named the "Happiest City in the USA" and it's not hype. There really is a kind spirit gracing our by-ways.

Barry and Janae (past clients of mine here in Asheville)  demonstrate this in their KINDNESS CAMPAIGN . It  reconfirms that we are in relationship to and with one another...something we REALTORS really get. We constantly deal with recognizing healthy (and unhealthy) patterns; we work with that recognition, and then we make meaning of what's in front of us.  That is something everyone can do, but for those of us REALTORS who practice this every day, the blessing is that what really matters comes quickly into focus. 

We REALTORS are at a pivotal point when it comes to making meaning. We work in  transaction liaison, after all. We are educators. We listen, communicate for understanding, influence outcome, coordinate, and come through for any number of parties in really complex scenarios.

 Over the years, I've asked myself how to make the most meaning of my real estate practice in our community . Our real estate practice has evolved to encompass "ECO conscious" investors in the mountains. Last year two of my clients, "little old ladies"  got together to help protect 100 acres and a gorgeous waterfall. They intend to make this a park their grandchildren will be proud to visit.

“Do well while doing good,” is my firm’s motto.  

Our mascot is the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker. This 20 pound bird, the largest of the woodpeckers was thought extinct for the last 60 years. Yet, as if by a miracle, it recently was re-discovered in the great Old Growth Forests of the South.  "This event signals a second chance for all of us for renewed focus toward conscientious stewardship,” a spokesperson for our firm says. “We believe that  work and value-creation go hand-in-hand making meaning, within the context, not just content, is paramount. “  

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Quality of Life. Sustainable Communities. "High-Performance" Homes and ECO-Friendly Living.

 For those of us who have come home to North Carolina, exhaling the "fumes" from zooming, full-tilt, down life’s highway while forfeiting a more natural, “earthly” pace, this Appalachian wonder, where you can just hang outand “set a spell, " is a miracle. A slower pace, homemade peach cobbler, and just "BE-ING" here in Western North Carolina, where the French Broad River runs boldly and small towns nestle comfortably beneath the sheltering wealth of the oldest mountains on Earth, is home to a particular breed of REALTOR .You may find such a person standing on the corner chatting about the benefits for horse lovers,organic farmers, and life in a small town.

Take the small college town of Mars Hill,in Madison County North Carolina, for example. Mars Hill, just twenty minutes or so north of Asheville-with its old-time white wood gazebo on Main Street is a place to find "good old-fashioned" things happening. 

Last Holiday Season, as I chatted (on the corner ) with a couple from Michigan who are investing in a land trust  for their family, a parade with horse-drawn floats and a 20-piece marching band distracted us. I could see my clients’ eyes light up. “How often do you get such homespun pleasure?” they asked. I explained that life as an art form is present in our lives almost every day!

Yes, you may come to know what the poet Albert Camus , one of my all-time favorite poets meant when he said,

“A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened.”

Great and simple images.

Great and simple images, that’s what we have in Mars Hill, N.C. When you come to visit, you’ll find rotating exhibits paintings, photographs, sculpture, and other media from local and visiting artists in rotating displays at the College.

 And there is music in the air. Madison County has been home to some of the finest fiddlers of the Western North Carolina Appalachians. As the Madison County Chamber of Commerce says, “The mountains have nourished and sustained a musical heritage derived from the Celtic forbearers of present-day inhabitants.”

Traditional folk art is widely practiced here and in the many small towns of Madison County. Art. Music and let’s not forget Theater and Dance!

The Folk DanceCompany of Mars Hill College hosts the Southern Clogging Championships, and Mars Hill is well known throughout these parts for the Southern Appalachian Repertory Theater (SART).

Walk up this path on the Mars Hill College campus.

In case you haven't already guessed it,  I love listing and finding unique properties for my clients around here, where great hiking on the nearby Appalachian Trail,whitewater rafting and canoing, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing and more are not that far from downtown Asheville (an easy 20-minute drive).

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SEPTEMBER 11^th 2006

Today a number of REALTORS here in the Greater Asheville area are holding a place for change with compassion as Father Mychal Judge, chaplain to the NYC Firefighters asked when he gave the memorial sermon for the first World Trade Center bombing in 1995. He offered this...  "...May wisdom come to you and all in your discernment  and the light of dreams unfolding in the mirror of divinity!" How could any of us have known back in 1995 that there would be a massive challenge to his prayer only a few years later?

Now, five years after that second tragic event, we gather as a community to light candles and bring a special energy to that prayer. To some of us, it seems that we have come to new way of understanding ourselves in the context of our world, that we learned something along the way. But has "wisdom come" to us?

When pain of such enormous proportion touches all of us, even five years later, maybe that pain can spur us on...help us become wise, even open the way to imagine mutually beneficial alternatives.

For example: At the 2006 Southern Energy Environment EXPO http://www.seeexpo.com/exhibitors.htm   here in Asheville, I happened on a booth where exhibitors handed out bumper stickers. The exhibitors explained. "We have a Department of Taxes and a Department of War...Isn't it time for us to create a Department of Peace?"  http://www.thepeacealliance.org/

Healing: The outpouring of our finest emotions could salve wounds. Healing takes place when we come together as individuals and groups offering what we can. And so does pure possibility. My Grandmother told me the story of the Little Dutch Boy making it possible for time enough and a saving grace in his community, despite his earlier mishaps.Today I see the potential in that story as it relates to our September 11th Disaster. We can attend to the hole in our very human minds and hearts that is as big as Ground Zero. Maybe we could plug the hole, like the little Dutch Boy did....give ourselves some time. Maybe we could use this time to comfort and console. And then maybe, if we are wise, we could stem the tide of disillusionment, alienation and our communal illness.  

During times of disaster, it is obvious just how connected we are as a human family. Intertwined like the silken threads the spider spins. Each of us is linked in the fabric of the web.On this September 11th, Five Years Later...here in Asheville, we are gathering for a September 11th Candlelight Vigil for Change with Compassion. And we are including this year those who are suffering all over the world....

All articles that appear in this BLOG are written and copyrighted by janeAnne Narrin who, for the past many years has been a contributor to various ECO-conscious magazines and Ezines. Ms.Narrin, in addition to being a best-selling author and poet, is the founder of The ECO-STEWARD REAL ESTATE FIRM in Asheville, North Carolina.

janeAnne..once again you have shown us that you are a little different in a "sustainable" way.