Asheville ECO-GREEN Real Estate

 The Lakeview Neighborhood ~ Asheville, N.C. ~
A Community Embracing a Sustainable Future.

Beaver Lake and the Lakeview Neighborhood. The picture tells the story! 

Not more than five minutes from downtown Asheville, Beaver Lake shines like a diamond in the morning sun. Though private, the lake has been a popular public spot since its creation in the early 1920s. Beaver Lake was created by damming Beaver Creek and flooding what had been known as Baird Bottoms. In 1922, J.D. Murphy and Fred Sale began buying land along Beaver Creek for an exclusive housing development to be known as Lakeview Park. Centered around Beaver Lake, it followed a plan made by city planner Dr. John Nolen. Source: The State of Buncombe

Alost 90 years later, we walk  around Beaver Lake  almost every week, throughout the seasons. It is beautiful no matter what time of year. We visit our neighbors, continue  to be amazed with the  views of the surrounding mountains, sweet picnic spots, colorful canoes gliding by and a sense of "all's right" that seems to be in the air.

  The Lakeview Park neighborhood adjoins this gem. It is a neighborhood in which the  people who live there delight.

If you are a birder,  you will love the Beaver Lake Sanctuary where you can spot LOONS, GREBES, CORMORANTS, HERONS, SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. HUMMINGBIRDS and WOODPECKERS...just to begin to name a few. Here's a checklist my birding friends take with them when they walk the boardwalk into the magical Sanctuary.  where an awareness and appreciation of nature, wildlife and natural ecosystems, and responsible environmental stewardship come together.  . The sanctuary was established in the mid-1980s, when the Audubon Society successfully led an effort to prevent construction of a strip mall on the site. 

The sanctuary provides about a half-mile boardwalk loop with two lake overlooks and several benches, and an eco-filter pond designed to clean up storm run-off before it enters the lake and the French Broad River system. No matter what time of year, it is wonderful for a solitary walk and observation, or a quiet family sojourn.   From my visits there, I would estimate that the Sanctuary is about half uplands and half wetlands and lakeside. The Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society, a chapter of National Audubon, of which I am a member, owns half the 10-acre sanctuary and manages the rest under an agreement with the Lakeview Park homeowners' association. Interestingly, about 5 years ago,  Audubon began a major effort to replace invasive/exotic vegetation in Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary with native plants

B&Bs (info coming soon)

LOW-PROFILE celebrities of North Asheville

Nadine Iddingswho served as State Treasurer for AAUW,, vice president and president.  Born in 1894, Nadine was ahead of her time in her views  on controversial issues such as  birth control, civil rights, public welfare, and child guidance. 

 We sent the dogs out to scout the neighborhood to ask current residents what
the Lakeview  neighborhood itself is famous for...We are waiting to hear their report (coming soon)

in the meantime, you might find this TOPO interesting   TOPO:

Photos of Beaver Lake and the Lakeview Neighborhood

Real Estate Market Report here   (coming soon)                                                

The Ivory -Billed Woodpecker you see depicted here  is our mascot. Symbol of the potential for stewardship, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, thought extinct for the past 60 years, has somehow survived to be recently re-discovered. With that hopeful finding comes inspiration for a sustainable future.

Scenario: The sale of new construction investment property about six(6) months from completion. Investor is a widow. Investor has a devoted daughter who happens to be a prize-winning architect. The daughter  favors the benefits Healthy-Built Homes offer and the principles of smart growth, new urbanism, and green building. We had been searching for the "right" investment opportunity  for our client and she had selected (4) homes as finalists ranging in price from the $130s to $180s similar to those seen here.

   .

Which property  would she select?  In the end, would it all come down to interiors and the ability of the builder to adapt not only to an improved design, but to a growing market demand ? That was the subject on the table and that's how it all was shaping up.

Subject: Interior Room Sizes

$180K Property.  The Bedrooms are 8'6x9'4.  You can not get a double bed and a dresser in these rooms.  You need a minimum of 9' x 11'  for a bedroom and that is still tight.    $168K Property.  The bedroom are 10x10 and 9x10 (generously measuring).  Again too small, but better.  you could actually  get a bed and a dresser in the 10x10, you would just have to sit on the bed to open the dresser and you could only get the drawers open 18".     $144 Property. The living area is 10'x12' and circulation is required through the space.You won't be able to fit a couch, coffee table, tv stand and have more then 24" for circulation.  This will be very uncomfortable.  $133K Property.  Same challenges.

REALTOR ®Discovery ... Since our investor-client assumed that if the builder heard from
REALTORS® the down-side of tiny bedrooms, and tight quarters as well as the market demand for human scale, sustainable buildings, he might rethink room sizes, she requested we make a call to the builder. The conversation.

REALTOR ®"Hello, Mr. X, would you look at plans re-drawn "as a gift"  from Ms. Y, our investor's famous architect-daughter? Would you consider some/all of her suggestions? 

Builder: "Sure, I'll look at them, but I have the bank appraiser to consider, and those people seem just to care about how many bedrooms and baths I have," he tells us.

REALTOR ®"You know," we explained, " in our market (at least) our investor clients are looking for sustainable qualities There has been a huge increase in demand for such homes.

Total homes certified as of 02/26/07: 44
Total homes in progress as of 02/26/07: 375

VERY small bedrooms, washer & dryer in the pantry with the food, no storage for vacuums, could be a detriment to sales, and could easily be remedied at this point... Would you look at a few simple things you could do to make your buildings more attractive to our investor-clients?"

                                                                                                                                     And how do you think he responded?  

Insights:

•1)       Simple solutions exist for the interior size and comfort issues.
•2)       The solutions would require a do-able increase in cost to the builder.
•3)       This has been estimated by the architect-daughter to be about $5K for the  $175K property and  $10K  for the lower priced properties.
•4)       This would bring popular "green" features including Low VOC paints, Non-toxic flooring, and generate the  EnergyStar rating.  An added bonus...Rooms happily also could accommodate people and their furniture, comfortably. Sounds good to me, how about you?
•5)      Demand for such features will drive the market by 2010.
•6)      More appraisers who understand the value-added features of "green" building will be in demand in the near future.

Hot Tip: Use insight in any real estate transaction and happy clients result.

Resources: Steps to Certify a Healthy-Built Home   and a Healthy-Built Home Checklist

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On the way to any closing, potentially troublesome things can come up. Mostly they have to do with repairs, and repair agreements,  or financing, or appraisals,  or surveys, or septic  problems, or finding lost wells without falling in to them, or coordination of schedules, or jitters ...the list goes on. Most of the time, we REALTORS ® troopers that we are, get used to the roller-coaster ride  and sail smoothly through the ups and downs while keeping all parties informed.   Recently however, we came across an unusual obstacle that could have caused our transaction to go awry.  It was large and unwieldy. It could have been a deal -breaker. And, it was alive!

It all started when the Sellers of an incredible home with amazing native landscaping with just one exception,simply forgot to include a family treasure in "Does Not Convey" section on the listing agreement. The Sellers decided after the fact that they wanted to keep a (real) family tree. They had transported it from another State where it had been grafted by the Seller's Granddad.  As luck would have it, the Buyers actually had fallen  in love with that very tree.  There was magic in the air around it, they told all of us.   It was the only tree that the Buyers remembered about the house when they returned to the frozen North. "Reddish and very beautiful'" they reminisced.. .. "If Mrs. W. really wants the tree because it is a family thing, I think she should have it, but it might break our hearts.," sighed the Buyers, disappointedly. And thus dangerous, belated negotiations began.

 What was it worth? How do you put a price on history?   How do you replace a tree with that kind of magic? Finally, a breakthrough. It would be very hard, but perhaps the Sellers could call a nursery and have them deliver a spectacular tree  to replace it.... "They will likely have a hard time finding one that is as mature as that one, but it would be OK if it were "slightly" smaller.  Honestly, we noticed it right off and were looking forward to having it!"  the Buyers communicated.  

"By the way," they added, " 

If we are talking about  the wrong tree, let us know."

                                                                                      One of Asheville's Own Incredible Trees

Looks like the" right" one to some folks..... What do you think?

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So what's  F. David Peat, a physicist  and  quantum theory researcher
doing smiling out at you here in this real estate BLOG?

Maybe because he one of the characters I am covering in my LEGENDS Series?  Yes! But more than this, he has a hot tip on how to participate in creative real estate development. And while, in the past, I have written about development in terms of land planning and have plugged conservation development  along the way,today this blogging Land Specialist is wondering about  "development, improvement, progress " from a whole different vantage point, one where 
F. David Peat can take us.

"In the current world-view," says Peat, "our values are dominated by the need for development, improvement, progress, evolution and the linear unfoldment of time...."  But what if we could take our values and step out of linear time ? What if, as Peat suggests in his research and writings, we  could see the whole picture from from the standpoint of nonlinear time?

What  if we took a "quantum" leap through Insight?

 You already know exactly how to do that.  Here's proof. Take a look at these two photos taken near Asheville, North Carolina. The first was taken before development. The second shows the same scene after development has begun.  If you could step out of time and  use insight to re-create the scene, would you sculpt another creation into this land?

Development, for the sake of development, ("progress")  may appear to make sense...on the surface.  However, when those involved in a real estate transaction  think only in terms of "good, better, best," in other words,  when we only categorize, compare, and measure, we  miss that gut feeling that has been a friend of humankind for a very long time.  What would happen if all parties involved used insight ?  What if that  same little voice that responds to the photos above were not just asking, "Which alternative is better?"  but  "Which is the all-inclusive solution the.both, all, and side-by-side  for the best  land use solution? Maybe all parties involved could reach a whole new level of operation.

Insights: Possibly feed insights by understanding the topography, the geology, the aesthetic. Ask good questions. Could the land under development be a conservation development?  (At this point, probably not, at least not as AR's Corey Atherton describes it.) What do the experts say? (The great Lou Jewell who teaches Land 101   with his anthem , "I LOVE LAND!" might have a few words about the above scenes.)  Ask local experts who know the character of the land.

Hot Tip: Use insight in any real estate transaction.

Resources: Equinox Environmental for Baseline Documentation,Conservation Subdivisions,Farmland Preservation, Green-ways Planning ,Native Plantings ,Park Planning ,Phase 1 Assessments,Private Lands,Sustainable Landscapes,Watershed Assessments,Wetlands Delineation and what insight looks like in action.

Photo of LEGEND, F.David Peat courtesy of Wikipedia.

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Scenario: A Buyer's Broker looks at the dollar difference in a mortgage between a  $90,000 investment property, a doublewide, and a stick-built   $135,000 property.  Although the appearance of the properties is similar, (see photos)  she notes differences including an Energy Star Rating on the more expensive property.  The investor/client plans to keep the property for about five(5) years. Neighborhood appreciation rate over that period of time is of serious interest. The difference in mortgage payments between these two properties would be  around $300/month.

 STICK-BUILT

Discovery: How much and how fast could the properties of interest appreciate ?  Will this offset the difference? Which property could be a wise investment?

Having explained to her clients that she is not a financial analyst/consultant, so it would beyond her scope as REALTOR® to advise in-depth about appreciation rates, the Broker, who is knowledgeable about value-added factors, completes her overview of the situation and  refers her clients to  tax/financial experts as per   Article 11 of the REALTORS® Code of Ethics :

"REALTORS® shall not undertake to provide specialized professional services concerning a type of property or service that is outside their field of competence unless they engage the assistance of one who is competent on such types of property or service, or unless the facts are fully disclosed to the client. Any persons engaged to provide such assistance shall be so identified to the client and their contribution to the assignment should be set forth."

Insights: On first glance, as the client/investor and Broker factored in that in five years the $135,000 property would have to appreciate $18,000 more than another, less expensive, there were a few raised eyebrows. Given the current rate of appreciation in the area, it looked as if the $135,000 would have to appreciate approximately  $3600/year more when compared to the less expensive property.

 But certain  insights are apparent when she looked a little deeper... 

1) in spite of  fluctuations,  stick-built properties have been shown to appreciate (from the base year) at a higher cumulative rate than doublewides...

2)  the purchase of the average home in the sustainable, "green" community, according to research, will yield a higher rate of return on investment than one in the conventional development, despite the nearly 2:1 lot-size differential. The $135,000 property is in such a community. It is in a new development where it appears the goal is to maximize building space and avoid the more land consumptive, conventional housing pattern. This adds up to a higher rate of return on investment.

3) the property is in the Asheville, North Carolina market where home-buyers, speaking in dollar-terms through the marketplace, have demonstrated a growing demand for homes with less land-consumptive attributes, and more "green" advantages. From looking at trends in the  marketplace and those across  the USA this demand to be on the rise.

4) Real estate transactions have proven that the City of Asheville , where both properties are located, continues to be one of the best communities in which to live and work. (named # 1 for investing in Second and Vacation homes)   

5)Property sales continued to be strong during calendar year 2006,.so the likelihood of the trend working in the investor/client's favor is excellent.

6) According the  mortgage loan calculator at REALTOR.com...

$90K at 4.25% = $443.75/mo
$135K      "        = $664.12
                         $ 212 difference

7) We could look for appreciation of about $2,500/year according to an examination of appreciation in the Asheville market as seen at this link

Outcome: Investor bought more expensive property. Would you have? Let me know what you think.

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

You may cross her time and again, the sometimes swift and sometimes rebellious, and sometimes welcoming French Broad.  "WHAT River is THAT?" my clients ask...and I tell them.."THAT'S the French Broad...again!
It seems the French Broad River is ever-present around here...and it takes special care...even has a River Keeper. (see link below) He's the person to ask serious questions about it, but I do know a few things that might interest you...such as

where she starts and to where she flows... and,see for yourself (in the photo to the right).how generous she is

Ask most of the folks around here and they can tell you that the  French Broad River flows from Transylvania County, North Carolina, into Tennessee. Its confluence with the Holston River at Knoxville, Tennessee is considered to be the headwaters of the Tennessee River.

how She got Her name...
This amazing river originally was named for being one of two broad rivers in western North Carolina . The one which flowed into formerly French territory was named the French Broad, and the other which stayed in English territory (the American colonies) was named the English Broad, now just the Broad River.

"a little man-made action"
The lower portion of the river is the site of a major hydroelectric dam development of the Tennessee Valley Authority, Douglas Dam, which is one of the larger TVA developments on a Tennessee River tributary stream. Douglas, like many of the older TVA facilities in East Tennessee, was initially developed largely to meet the power demands entailed by World War II, particularly the atomic weapons plant at Oak Ridge.

amazing fact!
The river begins west of the Eastern Continental Divide, and therefore actually flows north and west through the Appalachian Mountains. The river flows through our fair city of Asheville, North Carolina where I took the photo of Her. As I wrote in an earlier piece , the Eastern Continental Divide actually impacts the French Broad making it flow to the north and west as she does.  As she comes to Asheville, and Buncombe County, she picks up the Swannanoa River. Downstream of Asheville, and then heads on north through Madison County, where she 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 real estate property deeds, plat maps and surveys in Madison County. Oh she's a mighty one, all right!

I LOVE THIS GREAT LADY.

Resources: 
RiverLink(http://www.riverlink.org/)

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

Last week I was reviewing handwritten notes on "Steps in the 1031 Like Kind Exchange Process" and requests from our clients. 1031 rules change, so this is It's something I do every year.

 I noticed that a number of our clients had requested a " down home explanation"   some good old-fashioned plain talk on the  the steps they would need to take in doing an Eco-wise (any)  1031 Exchange. This year, I'm working on that request. But I want to say right up front that this attempt is from my experience and it is accompanied with the caveat that EXACT details must come from the experts...from a Qualified Intermediary for example. Your QI is your bridge to the future. S/he will handle details. To learn exactly what details  click the link.

I  have participated as the REALTOR in a good number of 1031 Exchanges with happy results and happy clients...and I am happy to apply down home talk, so I may be able to "translate into plain language"...and this is at least a beginning attempt.

Down Home Talk STEPS in the 1031 Exchange Process

___First,you need to figure out approximately how much net gain you'll have and if it's worth doing a 1031 Exchange. (Remember this is an investment opportunity over time.)

___Next, when you list the property, you will want to have specific language both in the Listing Agreement and in the Sales Contract (Seller and Buyer) ...Ask your REALTOR and your attorney about the specific text

____BE SURE (double check) the 1031 language is included in the Listing and the Offer to Purchase and Contract document. The language states your intent to use the property as a 1031 Like Kind Exchange.

___Before you list your old property (seller) or think about writing an Offer to Purchase and Contract for a replacement property get out your calendar. USE IT! Missing a date by just ONE day can mess up the entire transaction and make you liable for taxes.

___You need to use a "third party facilitator". This CANNOT be your personal CPA, your Real Estate Broker, or your personal Attorney, a person with whom you have worked closely within the last two years.. (See my notes on Qualified Intermediaries)

___MAKE SURE the Qualified Intermediary you choose has credentials through the Federation of Exchange Accomodators .Here is the member locator

Here is the list of FEA QIs for North Carolina:


____Remember, at the Closing, NONE OF YOUR PROCEEDS GO TO YOU! Proceeds MUST go to the facilitating Qualified Intermediary...so again, it is important that you select this person with care.

____Once funds from Closing have been transferred to your QI, you have 45 days to identify IN WRITINGto the QI, up to 3 properties, or a number of properties up to 200% of the fair market value of the relinquished properties.

___You have 180 days to close on the new property. (With a couple of exceptions) if you go past 180 days, you owe the taxes. USE YOUR CALENDAR!

____And once again, when you write an offer/contract for the replacement property special 1031 LANGUAGE MUST GO IN THE CONTRACT. Make sure (double check) you and your REALTOR spell out that this is a 1031 exchange.

Resource: Good questions to ask a Qualified Intermediary

Let me know how this works for you. I care.

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So...I chose at this point in my career to work with individuals and groups to identify and put into permanent protection significant open space in the greater Asheville area of Western North Carolina. I want to leave this planet knowing that in some small way I planted beauty for my great-grandchildren by helping to protect and preserve at least 20,000 acres by 2020. That's my secret wish, and now you know it. And so far, we are doing OK! (Two waterfalls included.)

I've learned a lot by walking the land.And I've talked with all kinds of interested parties: Land planners, Botanists, Environmental engineers, Geologists, Hydro-Geologists, Environmental scientists, Diggers, Surveyors, Appraisers, and folks like AR's Bill Kaminer, "The Land Guy" who taught me all about TOPOS, and AR'sLou Jewel, my teacher at RLI, and AR's Corey Atherton who tutors me regularly, and the patient folks down at the county offices who take their time to explain stuff to me.  That's a lot of time and energy donated and I appreciate it!

I've learned that probably the most straightforward way to protect land is to take permanent ownership. You can establish a Land Trust, (possibly even do this with a portion of your 1031 Exchange...the link will take you  to a huge resource 1031 library at AR) set aside a small portion of it for you and your family, and be confident that the land's future is secure from development and mismanagement. The conservation easement is a flexible tool that protects land while leaving it in private ownership.

Not long ago, I decided to get a first-hand understanding from one of the attorneys to whom we refer our clients, Peter Henry, ESQ. I wanted to get a personal sense about definitions and legalities ...

 "The easement," Pete told me, " is a legal document, guides future uses of a property regardless of ownership. A landowner generally donates the easement to a qualified conservation organization or government agency which in turn ensures that the conditions of the easement are met over time."

"What are some of the benefits of a conservation easement?" I wanted to know.

"Well," Pete said, "Easements provide numerous benefits!"

"I think that one of the most attractive features is that the landowner retains title to the property. This means that the landowner and can live on it, sell it, or pass it on to heirs, knowing that it will always be protected."

"Can you give me an example of how this might work?" I asked.

"Well, janeAnne, I can think of one family who was looking at selling their land so that they could raise the cash to pay estate taxes. Luckily, they heard about easements. They created an easement which greatly reduced the estate taxes, and prevented the forced sale of their properties. By the way, easements may also provide income tax and property tax reductions by eliminating unwanted development value."    

 Eager to learn more from those who were involved,
I asked a client of mine about a Land Trust she is putting together. Knowing that a land trust or government agency ensures that restrictions are followed in perpetuity, I wondered what rights she would choose to maintain.

"We will retain many rights associated with the land," she explained, "and will retain the right to build a small number of residences while relinquishing the right to grow crops." She had discovered how easements can be tailored to protect the land's natural and cultural values, meet financial and personal needs, and attain conservation goals.

"Our investment group has decided to retain the right to create future building lots, but we will limit the number to far less than would be allowed under local zoning, and protect the waterfalls on our property by limiting the location of future structures and the types of land use activities that can take place.

Of course, we will allow for hiking and horseback riding, and picnicking by the falls."

As of today, I  have the opinion that with the involvement of surrounding communities, you can create an environment where both human and natural needs are met - where appropriate recreation, educational and scientific programs are available without harming the natural resources that make our mountains and valleys unique.

 another Anatomy Articles in this series

more on land transactions

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Wouldn't it be totally amazing if we, you and I, could cure our energy depency woes? 

 A poet of engineered solutions with long vision and I talked about this just this afternoon. He's no ordinary guy. To his way of thinking, meeting energy demands without having to go very far from home is a "no-brainer...well, except for the big anchors of the Status Quo."  I asked him about his startling conclusion. "Simple, " he told me, "ONE WORD...FLYWHEEL."  

His "ONE WORD" brought to mind the pinwheels I used to play with as a kid.

That couldn't be the solution ..."  So I spun on over to  Wikipedia.   "Flywheel Energy Storage(FES) works by accelerating a rotor to a very high speed and maintaining the energy in the system as inertial energy. Advanced flywheels are made of high strength carbon-composite filaments that spin at speeds from 20,000 to 100,000 rpm in a vacuum enclosure. Magnetic bearings are necessary; in conventional mechanical bearings, friction is directly proportional to speed, and at such speeds, too much energy would be lost to friction."

That's  a photo of one working at NASA (photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

I read on... " Quick  charging is done in less than 15 minutes."  AHA! I was starting to get his point. The problem with clean energy sources to date  has been availability and how to store energy  for use on demand. . Batteries have been the solution. But batteries are expensive. The average person looking at putting solar panels on her roof or in her garden could almost feel overwhelmed.

Now I can see where they would be perfect for the students who use this energy source out at Warren Wilson College where a group of interested real estate professionals spent the day not long ago. These students are living the dream  as we soon found out.  Led by representatives of Warren Wilson's Environmental Leadership Center, our group of REALTORS® working on ECO certification "got educated" in a "green walkabout" plus gourmet vegetarian meal. It was great to learn about the college's innovative green construction designs, the solar-powered golf carts used as maintenance vehicles and other sustainability initiatives.

Here's a photo of the solar-powered golf carts from my album. It was a hoot to watch the students tooling around in the vehicles. I don't think there was one of us who didn't want to hitch a ride. Yet, I had to wonder  if  this technology might be a bit out of the universe of discourse of the average home buyer.

But if I (if WE)  could solve THE Energy Problem...wouldn't you and I give it a good try? ...  So, let's take a closer look  at Flywheel Technology...where the problem of energy storage  is nil.

Problem solved ("except for the Status Quo"...)   

Energy is stored by using an electric motor to increase the speed of the spinning flywheel. The system releases its energy by using the momentum of the flywheel to power the motor/generator. Dependable. Available.  

Back to Wikipedia for some more information: "Flywheels are not affected by temperature changes as are chemical battery batteries, nor do they suffer from memory effect. Moreover, they are not as limited in the amount of energy they can hold. They are also less potentially damaging to the environment, being made of largely inert or benign materials. Another advantage of flywheels is that by a simple measurement of the rotation speed it is possible to know the exact amount of energy stored."

OK! I'm heading right on  over to the nearest Flywheel energy storage company to do some first-hand research. Look for Part 2.  And let me know what you think.

energy storage companies

• Active Power Inc. http://www.activepower.com/ ( "Flywheel Basics" )
• Beacon Power Corporation http://beaconpower.com/ ( "About Flywheels" )
• Pentadyne Power Corporation http://pentadyne.com/ ( "Flywheel FAQs" )

   We took a hike in the woods in North Carolina recently. What an experience. Natural areas like the one (In photo to left)  are, as one report states, " irreplaceable as laboratories for scientific research, as reservoirs of natural materials for uses that may not now be known, as habitats for plant and animal species and biotic communities, as living museums where people may observe natural biotic and environmental systems and the interdependence of all forms of life, and as reminders of the vital dependence of the health of the human community on the health of the other natural communities."

That's saying a lot, but it's not exaggerating.

In fact, the North Carolina NATURE PRESERVES ACT  is Is strong in its assertion. "Continued population growth and land development in North Carolina," the document asserts, " have made it necessary and desirable that areas of natural significance be identified and preserved before they are destroyed. "
.
In North Carolina, we have established a Natural Heritage Program to provide assistance in the selection and nomination for registration or dedication of natural areas. This program includes classification of natural heritage resources, an inventory of their locations, and a data bank for that information. There are so many amazing real properties that qualify as outstanding natural areas.

YOU can take part in funding and founding nature preserves by investing in such a property. The owner of a qualified natural area even may transfer fee simple title or other interest in land to the State. Nature preserves may be acquired by gift, grant, or purchase. Or, like the folks in the photo, you may establish a private land trust to keep remarkable acreage under protection in perpetuity.

The North Carolina Chapter of The Nature Conservancy has protected more than 100 beautiful sites across the state. Most of the sites, while full of natural charm, also have adequate public access but are situated such that public exploration will not endanger fragile natural communities.

One of our favorite sites within an hour or so drive of Asheville is MOUNT MITCHELL. When you come to explore our area of the country, this is ONE place you will not want to miss! The State of North Carolina established its first state park at Mount Mitchell in 1915 to protect the area's virgin Fraser fir from timbering. The North Carolina Chapter purchased 84 acres of additional land for Mount Mitchell State Park in 1997. At 6,684 feet above sea level, Mount Mitchell is the highest peak in the eastern United States and contains an extensive area of spruce-fir forest, one of the country's rarest ecosystems. Spruce-fir forest is abundant in a large region of northern North America, but south of New England the forest type is only found in a narrow band in the Appalachian Mountains. This natural community is characterized by evergreens, particularly red spruce and Fraser fir, and harbors many species that are closely related to species in the spruce-fir forests of New England. Spruce-fir forest occurs at elevations above 5,500 feet where cool temperatures and high moisture are prevalent conditions. The forests are remnants from the last ice age some 18,000 years ago and have become refuges for species that cannot tolerate warmer, drier conditions. This forest type is declining due to the negative effects of air pollution, in particular, acid rain.

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Exactly what makes a home energy efficient? Today I'm biting into that issue. 

Check around and you will see that there are change just one bulb in your home campaigns and at least one of your neighbors can tell you about the possibility of preventing global warming from showing up as a mega-disaster for humankind. Our own Andy Wand wrote about The effect of global warming on homeownership. He asks, "If anyone out there is hearing these concerns from prospective buyers (or sellers who have to move because it's gotten too expensive to live where they are), I'd love to hear about it." 

 It does seem the word is getting out. Here in Asheville, N.C., the  Asheville City Council passed a resolution in 2006 to ensure that all new municipal buildings will be built to LEED  specifications.  And all over the USA  you probably have noticed a call-to-action from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,  the U.S.Department of Energy, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.   These agencies have chosen to encourage every individual to help change the world, one light - one energy-saving step - at a time.

As REALTORS ® working with sellers to list and sell a home, nowadays I see more awareness  that having an energy efficient home is a real selling feature.  Good idea,  if you are going to put your home on the market, or if you are looking to invest in a home, to take a closer look at energy efficiency. Bite into the situation and you may "cut out" 5 problem areas where your home is "D" Efficient , correct them, and reap the dollar rewards.

. . As an old schoolteacher, I'd like to see us all getting an "A" on the subject of home energy efficiency.  So here's a True or False test I put together. Warning! There is a trick question! Go ahead and check this T or F quiz out. Hope you get an "A" and improve your home's s energy efficiency, save lots of money and help protect the environment too.

• TRUE OR FALSE
  Each of these answers is worth 10 points. If you score 80 or above, you are doing great.

1. Leaks in your home's envelope can result in high energy bills.

2. Mold and mildew can cause wood rot and  health problems.

3. A damp basement is not related to an increase in indoor humidity and mold growth.

4. Insufficient insulation, problems with air filtration can cause cold floors.

5. Lots of dust in your house means you just need to dust more often.

6. Dust in your house. Change your air filter and seal your ductwork.

7. Peeling or cracking paint on your on outside walls may mean you have a humidity problem.

8. Air leaks in your home do not draw in drier colder air.

9. Ghosts may cause differences in temperature from one room to another.

10. Watch out for inadequate insulation, air leakage, and poor duct performance.

Resources:  http://www.energystar.gov/  and  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_Star

Change On Light Bulb Pledge

Let me know how you do.

If you have a log cabin or wood-sided home like this one, take a clue from the dog and man in this photo. Closely inspect the door jams and stairs and decks!   Keeping a close eye on your abode will help you avoid the "sting" of infestation from the ravenous carpenter bee.

As a concerned real estate professional, I get to talk with experts on  "The Carpenter Bee Patrol" during the due diligence period, the time between signing the Offer to Purchase and Contract and the Closing.

(**See below for a due diligence checklist from one of our esteemed AR Bloggers.)  Not to scare you, but   I have been told, and I believe it's true that it is NOT uncommon for an egg chamber to be two (2) or more feet long!!! And  there can be numerous  egg chambers branching out from the main chamber.    

No wonder man and dog  appear to be concerned in this photo!

Yes indeed, carpenter bees get real busy doing their thing. They especially 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 mighty 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.  Clever creatures! 

Not only do they delight in boring holes into wood siding, log homes, overhangs, fence posts, but they inhabit nearby trees. Here in Western North Carolina, you may find them foraging around flowers and shrubs. I was out on our real estate brokers' caravan  not long ago with the team at our Firm, when we noticed that a couple of the second/ vacation homes we were previewing 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.

Though we live and work in North Carolina, don't think you are not affected. Carpenter bees are prevalent throughout the United States.

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®.

FYI: If you are considering building a new home or looking to relocate to another residence you may want to choose Fiber Cement Siding . It looks like wood but does not attract carpenter bees.

Resource: For a due diligence checklist at Active Rain see Michael Hamar's BLOG

Michael B. Hamar and his staff have over twenty five (25) years experience in handling real estate transactions (both residential and commercial transactions), preparing wills, trust documents, powers of attorney, and advanced medical directives, and providing legal services for corporate law and business transactions, including business entity formation, business acquisitions and divestitures, and complex commercial financing transactions.

photo of Carpenter Bee supplied by Wikipedia  

Montford Neighborhood  (Asheville) North Carolina Real Estate Market Stats and Report, January,2007

In general, North Carolina continues to see a rise in the number 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 small Montford Neighborhood of Asheville a total of 41 homes
listed  by January 1, 2006 closed by December 31, 2006.  (In the Greater Asheville Area,  2820 homes
were sold from Jan. 1 through December 20, 2006.)  Selling prices in the Montford Neighborhood ranged from $172,500. to $1,200,00.  Currently...as of February , 2007 there are 36 homes on the market in Montford. They range in price from $225,000 to $1.3M/ . Most are 3+ bedrooms.

For those following the Energy Efficient and Green-Built stats in our region, in the period between January 1, 2006 and December 20, 2006, 14 Energy Star® rated homes sold,...there are 35 Healthy-Built Homes currently on the market ...with 32 certified HealthyBuilt Homes and 378 "in progress"  in the Greater Asheville Area. ... Montford has three (3) of the "green-built" home now available on the market.

  
General TRENDS in the Asheville Area

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.

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 Market Buncombe, Madison, Yancey Counties :  2107

Pending: 265
Priced Over $1M: 10
Priced Under $50K : 179

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

UPDATE: If you liked this post, please subscribe to my BLOG. Thank you =)

It started out in the usual way. We met at the mutually agreed upon day and time in the same amazing office place. We began with coffee, tea, and a convivial spirit. Maybe we should have cut down on those Krispy Kreme donuts, but we haven't ... yet. We used to run the meetings on a technique that our B-I-C learned when doing a consult-gig at Starbucks in Seattle HQ.   Everyone was supposed to come with a few pertinent real estate -related points for review/discussion/commentary. We assigned a time limit ,had a few minutes for each point. Someone took notes. BIC told us, " Creating ... a lean management system focused on managing processes rather than managing the numbers, problem solving rather than problem hiding, and getting people to think and take initiative(all very valuable tools for a REALTOR® ) instead of telling them what to do is important " BIC must have heard that in Seattle. But that just didn't seem to work with our crew.. We're all too talkative, I guess. So now we follow a format, although we have not given up on the Starbucks ..the coffee that is.. .

Tuesday, February 6, 2007  ( You will notice that AR and Localism figure prominently here)

OUTREACH  On-going Discussion

•  Active Rain.(on which Broker Bryant has written extensively)  If you work on it at least 10 hours a week, BIC informs us, possibly you will begin to get the referral /client base that experience has shown BIC supports the effort!. IOW, it will pay off if you put energy into it.  You coild also make wonderful connections with ECO-friendly real estate professionals across the USA. Reminder: AR provides amazing indexing and search engine placement support. YOU absolutely MUST to add interesting content that your buyer/seller audience will enjoy reading. content. HOW? Post at AR and check Localism. Review on how to do this is available with BIC after meeting.  
• Localism.com. Asheville.  Last week we decided who was going to scout what neighborhood, do a story and photo shoot and devote about 10 hours a week to localism.com work... We think our clietns will get some real-time information to help them make wise buying decisions and connections through this portal.....<S>
•  Community Networks and Connections. On-going Discussion.

THIS WEEK AT (Our Firm)  Resource People and/or  Educational Opps

Guest this week:   Marcus Renner  of Appropriate Building Solutions, Past President of the Green Building Council...Talks about educating homeowners, builders and architects on the benefits of:

• creating energy efficient buildings
• increased use of alternative energy sources
• sustainable development
• using green building materials
• decreasing use of natural resources
• preserving topsoil and trees
• reducing storm water runoff

and  what his firm can do to prepare a site for low impact building...and more...  

FYI   "for your information..."

            Jeff Turner's Real Estate Shows 
            REALTOR MAG online....1031 quiz...   including such scintilating questions as:

1.	In order for properties to qualify for a "like-kind" exchange, they must be:
	Located within the same state The same category of real estate, such as commercial or residential Any type of real estate, as long as it's used as an investment or for business Any type of real estate, with the exception of raw land
2.	To defer capital gains taxes, the replacement property you choose must:
	Be of equal or greater value than the property you sold Be worth less than the property you sold Be worth no greater than 5 percent more than the property you sold Be of any value; no reinvestment requirement exists to defer taxes
3.	How many days from the closing date of your property's sale do you have to identify a replacement property?
	30 days 45 days 180 days 365 days

            Reminder:      ECO real estate professionals Meeting tomorrow/WED...any discussion?

ADMIN        Professional Assistant and Brokerage Administration

CLIENTS/CARAVAN       Review of clients and activities ...schedule tours

PROSPECTS         Reports and Distribution

  Yes. As I said.   .it all started out in the usual way...

and then it came to a thunderous crescendo. Somehow we had forgotten to turn off  all of our cell phones. One rang. The next and the next and then next and the office phone and the FAX!  I'll tell you what. ..all the goings on had a few of us old-timers flying high.

Can anyone tell me why this happens???

                                                                          If you liked this post, please subscribe to my BLOG. Thank you =)

When it comes to serious decisions that impact your life, like buying or selling real property, you want to be happy with the choices you make! Authentic communication and teamwork are  musts. So my team at our Firm and I sat down and created a short and sweet quiz. We think, on a scale of 1-10, it's a 10;  that it can be really useful to buyers, sellers and investors. You can get to know a REALTOR® and the individual you will be employing. Then  a mutually beneficial working relationship is sure to be close at-hand..

Rate responses from 1 to 5 (1 = So-So and 5 = Super). Then add up the total.
The REALTOR® you choose should have at least 70 points!

1.How do you like the Real Estate business? What do you like most about it?

2.Are you a REALTOR® member of the Board of REALTORS? And full-time Broker/agent?

3.Tell me a little bit about your background in Real Estate.

4.What can you tell me about your office? (The way an office functions a matter of personal preference. Some folks feel that they like to work with a team for the depth and scope of services. )

5.Whom do you represent? (It is IMPORTANT to know whom your broker represents at all times!)
Do you have a brochure to explain the Law of Agency?

6.Do you have special knowledge of particular market segments...like Energy Efficient Homes? Do you have advanced training and designations? Tell me what this means to me?

7.Do you specialize in any neighborhoods or geographical areas?

8.Will you set aside time to listen to what is important to me and then plan ahead so that we can accommodate our schedules?

9.Are you in this business for the "long haul"? How will you work with me?

10.I've told you something about my buying/selling needs...What is your understanding of what I need? (Has the agent listened to what you say?)

11.Tell me about your marketing and advertising program.

12.Are you a Member of the MLS System? Will my home be listed on the Multiple List? Are you expert on the MLS so you could find me an uncommon property, maybe one with a waterfall on it?

13.Do you provide computer-based consulting and analysis? AND how does this work?

14.Do you have a personal/ office website? A blog? How familiar with the Internet are you? Can you set up virtual tours?

15.Do you work with REALTOR.com? Do you have national market coverage?

16.Will you hold an open house for other agents? (Most professional agents don't hold open houses for the public because statistically open houses do not attract serious buyers.)

17.Do you provide me with contacts  to a network of professionals?

18.Can you refer me to an attorney to prepare all legal documents? (LAW in North Carolina)

19.What's one of your favorite Real Estate stories?

20. What's your overall impression of my situation?...

TOTAL _______

You can only select one REALTOR®; i.e. can only sign a contract with one! So use this quiz,
and pick THE "Right" REALTOR® for YOU. ...and let me know if there are any questions you would like to add to this list!!!

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

Today, WIND POWER is more affordable, efficient, and accessible than in days gone by. If you live in North Carolina, or you are planning to relocate here,  you will be happy to know that North Carolina has outstanding wind resources. Chicago the "Windy City" or North Dakota might have windier climes
but if you lack first-hand experience of  what wind can do for you, and you are in the vicinity, I will show you a couple of windy peaks that can take the cap right off your head..AND..create energy savings, earning and comfort potential.

 Here in North Carolina, there are certain economic as well as natural advantages to utilizing wind power  that we share with only a fraction of the rest of the nation. The state's wind resource is concentrated in the mountains of Western North Carolina (if you live in Asheville, you may enjoy these benefits), and along the Shore. Certain areas of the State can work well with small wind systems.

Over at our real estate office, we have been having serious discussions about the advantages of wind power. This "homegrown" energy source, wind power, is economically competitive.When I think of it as yet another valuable crop for our North Carolina farmers, I see new ways for sustainable living that will help my clients.

And remember, wind power does NOT consume  our precious water resources, it is totally renewable and doesn't wear out, and it is "free"!

Tax Advantages: Income tax credit: the state provides a corporate and personal income tax credit in the amount of 35% of the cost of equipment and installation of a wind energy system. The credit may not exceed $10,500 for residential and $250,000 for business installations.

Our team has gathered resource information for you on WIND POWER. We just think it could be an excellent alternative for our clients to tap into for homes, farms, businesses, schools, and utilities interested in producing clean, independent electricity.

Resources:
New! Microhydro Factsheet (PDF) from the Western North Carolina Renewable Energy Initiative.

Research and Demonstration Sites You May Find of Interest
Directions to the Research and Demonstration Site
Video Tour of the SWI R&D Site Small Wind Turbines
Wind Map for the R&D Site

Amazing North Carolina State and County Wind Maps
Maps by County
Western North Carolina (Asheville +) Maps

Wind Maps from Other States

You may be wondering how this information plays into the daily life of a concerned real estate professional. In this era of Global Warming as my friend and real estate colleague Dena Stevens reports, we have great opportunities to tap into our creative genius to solve our energy situation...Our Real Estate Office here in Asheville is tracking the potential of WIND POWER as one of those solutions.

Mama-Zone's ...
Remedy for Winter Blahs
and Summer Colds

All ingredients must be organic!

This is a favorite recipe our friends and our clients. Whether it's snowing or raining or we are under our famous Carolina Blue skies, here in North Carolina it's great to sit around with family and the neighbors and enjoy this excellent soup.... When you come to Asheville, you actually can find such delectable organic creations
at a number of restaurants in the Greater Asheville area. After that, you will be ready to head out with us to find that special property for you!  Here the recipe in the meantime...try it yourself, and let us know what you think!!

Ingredients:   

1 quart organic chicken or vegetable stock from Pacific Natural Foods
1 quart crystal clear water
2 cups organic red lentils- soak for 20 minutes, rinse well
2T organic extra virgin olive oil
2 nice organic onions
3 or 4 cloves of organic garlic
6 organic carrots
6 stalks of organic celery
½ pound of organic potatoes
2 organic zucchini
1 28oz. can of organic diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons of sea salt

Just a pinch or two of the following:

Thyme
Parsley (fresh organic is the best)
Cumin
Oregano

And a bay leaf or two +   A splash of wine in your mouth and in the soup (optional)

Let it Happen:   

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil. Allow to cook for 45 to 65  minutes. 
In the meantime...chop all the vegetables and garlic cloves and gather them together.
Put them gently in the pot. Very gently.
Add the can of organic diced tomatoes.
Add the spices and parsley and a pinch of pepper which I almost forgot (could be the vino?)
and maybe a tiny bit of cayenne pepper but not too much.  

SERVE...with a smile of satisfaction.

They've been arriving in droves. 1031 investment                  
and second/vacation home  buyers with
stringent buying guidelines.
They will settle for nothing less than the uncommon "find".
 So we have been taking a very close look 
to see how we can meet the challenge found on their lists.  

Think connecting clients in a "we want to be here" market
is a piece of cake? I challenge you to read my list
 and try the treasure hunt yourself. 

Here in the mountainlands of Western North Carolina            
you may/may not  find such unique treasures.
But, what the heck, it's a worthy challenge
and one that's also fun.
So here's a link to the MLS  
at  the Asheville Board of REALTORS site.

Match some of the photos that run along the right side
with the requests. Some meet the specs. Here's My List:

•1)      Totally restored authentic cabin with gourmet kitchen,                          
sunny window seat and screened porch overlooking vocal stream.

•2)      Sharp condo for less than $150K in quiet garden complex
of less than a dozen units not more than
10 minutes from downtown Asheville.

•3)      Horse property with riding ring,
tack room and masterpiece home for owners
that employs genuine Arts & Crafts techniques.      

 •4)      Vacation spot directly on a river
that overlooks cascading falls with elevator for less than $325K.

•5)      Hand-crafted dwelling in very successful
yet down-to-earth artists' community.
Must have spring-fed  ponds, and be free of night-time light pollution        
and have sustainable qualities.

•6)      Extreme quality home for multi-generational family
 with 3 kids, and two sets of grandparents in equine setting..

•7)      Architect-designed, green-built, 4-season home
with organic gardens and both sunrise and sunset views.

•8)      Chestnut log and stone home on at least 5 acres
with  artist's studio,  state of the art kitchen,                                                            
wood burning fireplace, rocking chair porch, 
 tennis court, and comfortable separate living quarters
for in-laws. No deed restrictions. Possibly B&B or retreat center.

•9)  At least 40 ACRES for ECO-development potential
adjacent to conservation land .
Must have waterfall.
Must have some seller financing.                                                                               
Less than $500K.

•10)  Over 80 acres of  pristine land
 within half -hour easy drive of  Asheville.
Must have distant  mountain views,
usable pasture, ponds, waterfalls,
 hiking and riding trails in place
and be less than $1,2050,000.                                    

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

My Field Coordinator and I braved the freezing rain today
to slide our way on down to the River District. We have clients coming into town this weekend, investors who need research done. So, we stood in the rain  and took a look around at potential investment property in a brownfield right across the street from the River that winds its way all along the communities here.

Maybe not all real estate professionals get goose bumps from their work, but we did today. No joke!

                 Photo taken of the mighty
                 French Broad River across from brownfield.

When you think about all the life that goes on and has gone on around this River, you realize its power. Having paid tribute to the River by photographing the "energy" here, we turned out attention to what could be a lucrative re-development project just across the street.

Here's a question. What do you tell an investor about the potential for
re-development in a brownfield?

Directly across the road is the property our clients want more information about. They say they understand the process of evaluation and the possibilities in brownfields. Here, to your left, is what we saw  as the sky cleared and graced us with a few  moments of Carolina Blue skies above the old Carolina Ice House that stands in the midst of a brownfield.

9  points:

1. I am told that  Phase I and Phase II assessments of that ice facility and the former tannery site in the Asheville target area and a Phase II environmental assessment of the former wood treating site are being considered..

2.So the old ice house across the street from the River could become  re-development project in the not too distant future.

3.Land is at a premium along the River.

4.In any case, it's going to take strong collaborative efforts to identify and prioritize assessment of the brownfields , but  the level of investor interest we are seeing could signal a  trend...  From where we stand, it looks that way.  

5.It was/is an interesting contrast in many ways..the River, and then the commerce, train tracks, obvious neglect.....For my part, I plan to sit down with a team of experts and my staff later this month to talk about Phase I  and Phase II environmental assessments of properties in the French Broad Riverfront area right here in Asheville. 

6.Investors are not the only interested parties.

 7. As you may be able to tell from the next photo (just below) of the "Warehouse Studios"  that we took, artists, brave souls that they are,  have already  moved into this area.  In fact a good number of artists' studios may be found in the River District.

 8. There's a lot of talk around here about preparation and cleanup plans, and outreach to the community .. EPA is said to be working hand-in hand with the Land-of-Sky Regional Council   for a Brownfields Assessment Pilot.The Land-of-Sky Regional Council reports that it "represents Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties (population 344,472) in western North Carolina," and shares a bit of history. According to Land-of-Sky, throughout " the first half of the 1900s, road transportation began to eclipse the railroad and diverted traffic away from river basins, negatively impacting the timber, textile, tanning, and paper milling industries. Numerous factories and mills were forced to close due to poor economic conditions. Many of these old properties remain neglected or underused due to real or perceived contamination. However..."perceived" is the operative word here.

9. FYI Investors:  Look at the Smart Growth  Plan in the Greater Asheville Area for excellent development opportunities. Land targeted-of-Sky has already targeted three sites of potential interest to you. There is a 2.3-acre ice-distribution warehouse and a 1-acre former tannery, both in the French Broad Riverfront  area of Asheville. Early in the 1890's industry took  notice of the prime, flat real-estate to be found near the French Broadand the Asheville Tannery, built circa 1896 and the Carolina Coal & Ice Company set up shop there. The Carolina Coal and Ice Company was founded in 1890. It became Carolina Fuel Company and, after building an ice plant on Lyman Street, the company joined with another group on Riverside Drive. A vacant former wood treating facility in the Town of Fletcher is also under consideration, and Land-of-Sky also reports that "additional target properties may be assessed after a region-wide inventory of brownfields is completed...." So stay tuned!

Resources: You can visit the EPA Region 4 Brownfieldsweb site and/or for further information, including specific Pilot contacts, additional Pilot information, brownfields news and events, and publications and links, visit the EPA Brownfields web site at: www.epa.gov/brownfields EPA Home

 #####

But what's the point of going to all this bother, you may wonder. Because the critical role REALTORS play in our professional association  with our clients asks us to engage in research . As trend observers we can look at the big picture and the local statistics and predict what what our real estate world will look like during the coming months.

So we watch the green-built and sustainable markets and keep an eye out for trends that may influence communities in a positive way... We create  a place to note  indicators revealing the next real estate growth market - strong demographic growth, solid, growing, and diverse economy, a buzz in the  retirement population segment, noticeable infrastructure changes, Appreciation  Rates and vacancy trends.  And we offer suggestions for those  who want to get a sense of what's UP in the local markets we cover....



If you are a person who finds predicting directions of interest, you could always Google for  newspaper headlines like, " Rapid County Population Growth"    or check out the MUNI NET GUIDE  for pertinent information. You could surf on over to  Guru.COM   for demographics of interest.  One of my "pit stops" is  Census Scope .
  It's interesting to look at charts of the per cent change in population growth there. Asheville, North Carolina has experienced a 17.83 % upward change, Charlotte a 29.02% upward change, for instance.  And you can see where your State ranks in population growth there in a chart such as this:  

High on my priority research list as a REALTOR in the Greater Asheville is MAPPING CHANGE IN BUNCOMBE COUNTY   a community project through Warren Wilson College that provides objective, map-based datato analyze change in Buncombe County. I can even see this as a video  that expands my perspective  into the future as it unfurls before my eyes. I include information such as the above in my "tool box" when working with my 1031 real estate investor-clients as they plan for the future. Seller or Buyer, this background data offers the firm footing upon which successful transactions occur.

####