For the past many years,
I and my investors and clients have been engaged in locating and acquiring land buys with an eye to the future.
In almost any season, folks from down south, and north, and west, and yes, even from Eastern North Carolina's magnificent ocean shores head for the mountains and beautiful rural farmlands of Western North Carolina. In the summer, the fresh cool air is particularly welcoming, but I love all four of our seasons.
For those who have discovered the lands I love, there's no doubt that investing in Land right now is a smart move for the future.
photo taken in Madison County by JT, photographer for our Firm
One of the most promising places for investing in Land is Madison County, North Carolina. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. Madison County embodies that very attractive "rural" feeling, even though it is only about half an hour's easy drive from Asheville. As you enter the southern part of the County, heading north from Asheville, the terrain is rolling and perfect as equestrian land. It it rises then as you go farther North to higher elevations snow bunnies love. With approximately 3,500 small family farms, agriculture is the largest industry in the County.
Here, where streams and pastures and coves abound, as you make that scenic drive on your way to investigate some Land you may soon buy, look for tobacco crops. Madison County is the largest burley tobacco producing county in North Carolina. While, a decade ago, burley tobacco accounted for $10 to $12 million for agriculture income annually, as you may suspect, the demand for tobacco has been on the decline. That's why as real estate professionals look to the future, we expect farmers to diversify, cultivating eco-friendly organic crops. I can say for sure that vegetable, organic and nursery crops have increased dramatically since 1998. Of course this is a factor investors will want to consider when investing in Land.
OH! and if you should find "the perfect acreage" to steward over the years and keep as beautiful as it is now for your grandchildren and great-grandchildren., and if you decide to spend the winter (it is mild) here., Christmas trees are easy to find.. .A tradition here is to purchase a tree and later plant it on your Land!
Now that's what I call a Land Buy That Looks to the Future!
Paige~
Thanks for your comment and nice to meet you.
The Nature Conservancy and a number of other conservation trusts haveas been active in future planning around the Greater Asheville area. Our Firm (we all are ECO certified consulting real estate professionals) is part of a growing number of individuals and organizations who are thinking to the future and want their great-grandchildren to be able to enjoy the beauty of the Appalachians.
Like you, there are many REALTORS here in the Asheville area who are also great lovers of nature. In fact, I have met quite a few who spend their weekends in the mountains hiking the Appalachian Trail, or out hunting for waterfalls. .. like me =)
janeAnne,
Madison County has been discovered!
Just look at the same group that bought Whisper Mountain and now the new River Highlands at Madison Crossing on the Buncombe/Madison County lines. I am not promoting them, but it is a group of folks under the name Redstone Group and they seem to have seen the growth of Asheville overflowing into Madison.
I tell a little about the growth of Leicester, which is close to the Madison line in my short blog Have You Seen Lester Lately??
I now have a 6.36 acre part of my property listed that looks into the new 2600 acre conservation/game lands that the State of NC recently purchased. These are the views:
Keep me in mind.
Thanks
Sally~
Hey!!! Congratulations...almost a year! That's great!!!
They say that REALTORS who work on the lands around here can tell where they are by the "feeling" of the land, and I believe it's true. ..despite the changes all around us. I bet your imagination can take you to a horse farm with steep pastures at 3,000 feet, and a horse farm down in the valley ...try it...you will see what I mean.
Hi Don~
Arlene (ECO designated Broker with our Firm) and I visited your lovely land a year or so ago, and you took us for a ride on your 4-wheeler...it was great...and cold that day. ..and you were so gracious to brave the cold with us.
Love your land...what a nice place for horses...and a soft place to land for eco-developers with loving the land and stewardship in mind. I'll have to check out your Lester Lately link!
janeAnne,Your views always wow me, an make me a nostalgic for the NY Catskills and Mohonks with the surrounding Horse farms and apple orchards. Unfortunately many of those farms have been sold over the years to developers by the younger heirs who want to cash and and live a more leisurely lifestyle.
Ginger
Hi janeAnne - as you always have, another gorgeous picture here! Your area is gorgeous, and we give thought to maybe trying to buy some land there. If we do get serious about it, YOU are the one we'd call. We'll be back there this coming summer......
Ann
JaneAnne, great pictures. What a great area to be marketing. Good luck.
janeAnne, We went looking at land today in the back country of San Diego County. We wanted to check out the fire damage. I just wish your beautiful land was here. I'll take 250 acres and treat it right. Nice post. Thanks.
Bill Roberts
Janeanne:
I know you know that there is and will be a serious tension over how Madison County develops. While some farmers are transitioning to more sustainable/organic crops the county government is very open to development as a way to increase there tax base and bring in jobs. Wolf Laurel is probably the best/worse example of this philosophy
janeAnne,
Yes, I remember Arlene and you visiting, and YES, it was cold that day.
Even though there is lots of talk about our land being gobbled up, these numbers seem to amaze me:
In Buncombe County as of Oct., 31, there were 2188 parcels of Vacant Land for sale with an Average Asking Price of $316,184.
We had Sold 601 parcels from Jan., 2007 to Oct., 2007. That means we have over a 3 year supply of inventory for folks to choose from. So, even though I have a really nice property for sale, it is hard to get in front of everyone when there are so many to go look at. Price alone does not make it easier. Sometimes, it is the luck of the draw.
Again, tell Arlene, Congrats on the UC on her parcel in Chandler. That is a NICE piece of property!
Hi janeAnne, I know that YOU will guide them in the right direction! Everything should be done forward thinking. IMO. :)
I have also wondered what it would be like to live somewhere with 4 seasons. We don't get that down here.