Asheville ECO-GREEN Real Estate

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One of my favorite proverbs is, "May you live in interesting times." Would you agree those times are here and now- ? If you have any doubts, simply travel abroad. You'll view current events from a fresh perspective, as I discovered on our recent trip to. Ireland. Negotiation, communication & resolving differences--possibly no nation on Earth knows more about this than the Irish. They offer us a  history lesson with  flowers to celebrate a recent resolution.

For real estate professionals  who understand the importance of negotiation, communication and resolution, Ireland's long history of conflict, from  the  mid-5^th  when St. Patrick (and other missionaries)  brought Christianity, subsumed pagan beliefs and subsequently played a major role in Ireland's history, culture and internal conflict is fascinating.

               Here I am, a shadow by the stone marking the place where
                                                  St. Patrick is said to be buried.

 According to Wikipedia,  "...from around 800, more than a century of Viking invasions wrought havoc upon the monastic culture and on the island's various regional dynasties, yet both of these institutions proved strong enough to survive and assimilate the invaders. The coming of Anglo-Norman mercenaries ... marked the beginning of more than 800 years of direct English involvement in Ireland. ...[A} series of military campaigns between 1534 and 1691[and]...an official English policy of plantation ... led to the arrival of thousands of English and Scottish Protestant settlers. From this period on, sectarian conflict became a recurrent theme in Irish history." 

Today, the people of Ireland are choosing negotiation and communication. Resolving differences, they have created a certain respectful peace. How did they accomplish this? They did it through talking with each other. There is an application of this in the practice of real estate, to be sure. 

Getting Perspective: We hopped the bus into Dublin, checked into our hotel and then strolled along a  main thoroughfare.  We could not believe the busy throngs of people walking wide sidewalks on this partly-sunny day. Dublin was really hopping.   Later we'd head out to a pub just down the street. Get some fish and chips.  First, however, I wanted to capture a few shots of Dublin's overflowing hanging baskets.

To me flowers overflowing  are reflective of peace and creativity, simultaneously arrived.                     

I have to say that  my photos on this page don't do the flower baskets justice. But I hope you get a sense of something we all can celebrate .

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Homes, Castles, Cottages and Green Hills

I'm not sure exactly why, but I've always been interested in the homes, castles, cottages and green hills of Ireland.  I've learned a lot about the picturesque, the plain and the absolutely astounding while traveling through Ireland this month.  So to answer those of you who have wondered about my travels in Ireland, here are  few random thoughts and some words on real property there.

Even though family lore (the O'Donnell Family of Donegal) and stories of rich farmlands, lace curtains and thatched roof cottages intrigued me as a child, having grown up in the Motor City, I never knew that much about the Old Sod, just that Asheville and surrounding areas reminded many of my relatives of Ireland, and tidbits from tales passed down. After various sets of my cousins returned from their visits to Ireland,to regale us with stories of beauty and storms, I imagined so much. But this trip was my "first time" to our ancestral home, and all the Cousins were going together this time. Twenty-four of us.  On a bus.

 I wonder if award-winning tour guide,  Ronan McNamarra, possibly the only Buddhist in Ireland, who  joined us in Derry, had ever encountered such a crew. What must he think of all the tears shed when he explained history and politics in Northern Ireland. He mentioned that some thought delving into this subject could spell disaster. Ronan, however, has turned the experiences into a breath-taking story, explaining historical and political significance of the sights and landmarks with utter diplomacy. We all thought he might be the next President of Ireland, so magnificent was he.

I asked Ronan about the housing market today. Northern Ireland's housing market has been riding high on the back of a strengthening economy, but the significance of peace to the region is clearly evident as prices have shot up by 281 per cent since the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The average price paid for a house in Ireland in July now is t €301,267. Here's a bit of history on the housing market.

I' m certainly no expert on the homes, cottages, green hills of Ireland and castles, but I do know a bit about the ancestral home of Our Family.  Having heard about it for decades, this was the trip all of us saw it on a sunny day. Built in the 1400s, it stands in Donegal centuries later, still an amazing structure. I don't know if I would like to live in a castle. What do you think?

Certainly, there's a lot more to the housing market and land use in Ireland than what follows, but I wanted to pass along a few photos and things I've learned. 

•·         Huge Growth in Housing Market:  According to Global Property Guide  , "... price rises have one major explanation, the exceptional growth of the Irish economy. In 2006, Ireland experienced 5.6% real GDP growth, and 6.5% real GNP growth. Ireland's economic growth is way beyond EU average growth. Unemployment has fallen from 15% in the early 1990s to 4.4% in the first quarter of 2007.

 Ireland experienced average GDP growth of 9.8% during the six years 1995-2000, with no less than 10.7% real GDP growth achieved in 1999, and 11.7% in 1997. In 1993, GDP per capita was 84% of the EU average, but by 2002, it had risen to 126%. Few countries experience such stellar growth GDP rates without setting off major property price rises. " 

•·         From Thatched Cottage to Developments  I was expecting to see many thatched roof dwellings as we toured Ireland. But things have changed, and the one photo you see (above) here is my only find.

 In fact, according to MSN Encarta , "... most Irish people live in [concrete] houses, although apartments are growing in popularity as urban densities increase. In the countryside, traditional farmhouses constructed of stone or dried peat and covered with thatched roofs have been largely replaced by modern dwellings. Today, most homes are made from concrete, brick, or mortared stone and have tile roofs. In rural areas peat is still cut and dried for use as fuel for cooking and heating."

 Next installment: The Flowers in Ireland!

We're on the Prowl to Uncover Hazardous Waste "Must Knows" ...

"Green-eyed" Concerns. Photo by "Zsanan"

OK...raise your hand  (comment) if you can answer these few questions..

1. WHO KNOWS where to find out online where to dispose of household hazardous waste like fertilizers, pesticides, paints, used motor oil, and other hazardous materials in your neighborhood? 

2. WHO actually has gone to the appropriate place in your neighborhood, observed the facility, and can advise clients about it?   If you live in North Carolina, here is the online connection :     And in case you're wondering...YES, I have been to the "dump"...  Not so much fun as a trip to Ireland, I assure you. (More on that later)

Assignment:Go find your household hazardous waste online connection.
 You are most welcome to add it here...(GREENie points)

On a related subject, here's something you may not have considered.

Toxic, hazardous  waste and run-off from large-scale, non-organicfarming  operations introduce pesticides and fertilizers into the bio-system that can be a danger not only  to farm workers but to surrounding neighbors and their pets. This could put "green-eyed" real estate professionals on high alert. Manure, pesticides, and fertilizers can pollute nearby streams, rivers and lakes. Next Question...

3. Do you know where such operations are in your community?

Toxic, hazardous  waste and run-off resulting from soil erosion from ill-considered development projects (in our mountains, steep slope development) can affect wells and waterways and cause harm to all concerned. Let's say you experience torrential rains. Then, stormwater collected in sewers can create water quality problems. Not only land developers, but you and I need to understand and apply  management practices that keep soil and other potentially polluting materials out of the water. Which brings up this question...

4. WHO KNOWS what real estate professionals can do clue-in clients  about management practices that keep polluting materials out of our water?

This is part of a series on REALTORS'® Due Diligence- Check out THIS list.

• Leaking Underground Storage Tanks   (LUSTs)                           
• Landfills
• Superfund Sites
• Water Quality Assurance Revolving Priority Fund Sites
• EPA Proposed Superfund Sites (CERCLIS)
• Hazardous Waste Sites
• Hazardous Waste & Management