Asheville ECO-GREEN Real Estate

Four Seasons of Change as Opportunity in Real Estate

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:58:24 -0600

Looking again at the photo I took this morning of an Asheville dawn (see below) reminded me how quickly the scene changed. You had to be ready with your camera to capture the vermillions and pinks and hints of blue. That got me philosophizing about change in general: CHANGE that is also Opportunity-

CHANGE is right here today- in our routines- in where we live-and possibly even in the way we live.

Change is one life-process with which we must deal and which we all share. Change -by the very fact that it is universally understood, is a common thread we share in the tapestry of sustainable living. It's just a fact of being in the world. And because of all this, it actually brings with it a strong sense of belonging.

A few thoughts on the SEASONS OF 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 skepticism, the brilliant autumn of realistic expectations, and finally the clear winter of wise choices.
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janeAnne Narrin, M.A., C.S.W., poet, NAR GREEN®, ECO Certified, e-PRO, nature-lover is the founder of the ECO -Steward Real Estate Firm in Asheville, North Carolina. She loves a spirit of stewardship, and she is

__~o
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(*)/'(*) .......... ............ on the GO 4 Sustainability: "GREEN" OPPORTUNITY. Keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ....... Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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Speechless Sunday DAWN

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 07:18:44 -0600

photo taken 11 15 09 at dawn at Spirit Ridge, Asheville, NC

Veteran's Day Verse from the Street-Asheville

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:14:43 -0600

Men Without Houses

Joe GI, retired,
rolls a smoke
from his nearly empty pouch.

He casts a very, very long shadow
on the wall,
companion to silhouettes,
too many too count,

belonging to men
without houses,
waiting for a door to open
at the local shelter.

Here is a link to Homeless Veteran's web pages where you can get information if you feel so inclined:
http://www1.va.gov/Homeless/

Asheville, YOU can help here: http://ashevillehomeless.org/

~^~jA Narrin, Wind-in-the-Feather
Asheville, 2009

Eco-Friendly Development ? Asheville Answers

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:08:04 -0600

Are you interested in Eco-Friendly Development ? One Asheville area eco-community may have some answers for you. Creating an eco-friendly development starts with planning how the site on acreage comes together and will unfold.

There are questions that come up before one home is built that beg to be answered:

How will this development work with natural resources by preserving topsoil and trees and reducing storm water runoff?

How energy efficient building and an increased use of alternative energy sources lead to sustainable development?

What is the plan for using green building materials?

And is there a plan for educating homeowners and building professionals on the features and benefits of deep-green construction?

When just yesterday I visited Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community near Asheville where 225+ AC surrounded by 800+ acres of conservation partners' land and how to carve out a net zero energy community on a small portion possibly these were questions under consideration by this group of thoughtful land owners.
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__~o
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(*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

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Speechless Sunday: The Glass, the Lace, and The Hand of Pure Possibility

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:15:08 -0600

This from Nancy L. Glass, Lace, and THE HAND of Pure Potential

A Haunting Question - Got Ghosts?

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:35:11 -0500

It's HALLOWEEN...and so a Haunting tale is appropriate. JOAN WHITEBOOK, one of our faves at Active Rain shares this one..."...I guess that I should tell you that this house may have a ghost....." she recounts. And you will be surprised at this trick or treat....

Via Joan Whitebook, ABR,e-Pro,CEBA Southern New Hampshire (Buyer's Option Realty Services):

Victorian for Sale (with ghosts)

      The Stambovskys found a nice Victorian home in the Village of Nyack, New York in 1991 and they made an offer. The purchase price was $650,000. The Buyers made a down payment of $32,500.

  A couple of months after the contract was signed, Mr. Stambovsky was horrified when he learned that the home was known in the community to be HAUNTED!

      Apparently, the phantasmal reputation of the house was commonly known in the Village of Nyack.

   Surprisingly, the Sellers had publicized the ‘hauntings" to the local media and Reader's Digest. In 1989, the house was included in a five-home walking tour of Nyack and described in a November 27th newspaper article as "a riverfront Victorian (with ghost)." The Stambovskys were not from the area and did not know about the poltergeists.

            The Stambovskys brought a legal action and alleged that the Seller and the Seller's agent should have disclosed the presence of ghosts.   They wanted out of the contract because the presence of ghosts was not disclosed.

            The trial court said no way! However, the case went up on Appeal and the Appellate court ruled that the Stambovskys could get out of the contract because, "As a matter of law, the House is Haunted".

The Appellate Court stated:

            "While I agree with the Supreme Court that the real estate broker, as agent for the seller, is under no duty to disclose to a potential buyer the phantasmal reputation of the premises and that, in his pursuit of a legal remedy for fraudulent misrepresentations against the seller, plaintiff hasn't a ghost of a chance, I am nevertheless moved by the spirit of equity to allow the buyer to seek rescission of the contract of sale and recovery of his down payment."

     The court reasoned that because the Seller had promoted the hauntings to several publications, she could not now deny the existence of ghosts. Therefore, the Appellate court ruled that under the equitable principals of the law, the Stambovskys were entitled to a refund of their down payment.

This was the Amityville house ~ Stambovsky v. Ackley (169 A.D.2d 254, 572 N.Y.S.2d 72). It was decided in 1991 by the New York Appellate Court.

     When I first moved to New Hampshire and began my career in real estate, I was showing an older home in Atkinson, New Hampshire. It was a charming home -- All of a sudden, we heard a loud noise --the wind was whistling and a door slammed shut.

We all were trying to act like it wasn't any big deal. Then the lights started to flicker. I didn't know what to think - and up until that time, I hadn't thought about whether I REALLY believed in ghosts. My clients were very nervous.

   Then to my surprise, the Real estate agent, said "Well, I guess that I should tell you that this house may have a ghost and the seller wanted me to share this with you." He went on to explain that a young child had died from a serious illness many years before, and the child could be heard crying from time to time. Some had speculated that the child's soul was "stuck" in the house.

    The clients were not familiar with "haunted houses" and they decided they would buy a new contemporary instead!

   There is also a "haunted" restaurant in Nashua, New Hampshire. The Country Tavern was built in 1741. It is a lovely restored farmhouse and is the home of a friendly ghost known as ELIZABETH.

The "haunted restaurant has been featured on "Hard Copy and "unsolved mysteries".   I haven't met Elizabeth, but some staff members have met her. They say she is very friendly and likes to play pranks on the staff!

        Here is a list of "haunted homes" and attractions in New Hampshire!

                  A Haunting Question:     Got Ghosts? What is the DUTY TO DISCLOSE IN YOUR STATE?

            - Does the seller's agent have a duty to disclose the phantasmal reputation of the premises?

            - Does the seller have a duty to disclose the presence of ghosts?

            - Does the buyer's agent have a duty to disclose the presence of ghosts?

            What is the duty to disclose stigmatized property in your state?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

           Visit New Hampshire .... New Hampshire was chosen as the Most Livable State in America! and the Third Healthiest State in America! Whether you are relocating to New Hampshire or already live in New Hampshire and you seek buyer focused representation, contact me, I would love to show you the New Hampshire Advantage!

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Disclaimer: Information herein may come from various sources, some of which may not be reliable and may change without any notice. Joan Whitebook does not guarantee or is any way responsible for the accuracy of the information in this blog and information provided is without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Information on this blog represents the opinions and ideas of the author; comments by others may not express the views of the author. Buyer's Option Realty, Janet White, owner/broker. Copyright © 2009 By Joan Whitebook, A Haunting Question - Got Ghosts? " ~ all rights reserved.*

great paint without the poisons! Asheville-based company news

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:20:28 -0500

Not long ago, Tom Rioux came to talk with us about PAINT. No ordinary paint, mind you. This is elegant paint and no wonder. Tom is an elegant person.

I am not saying this because he dresses in Armani , which he does not. I am saying this because he is a class act. And I am saying he is a class act because Tom shows impressive and stylish excellence as he walks his talk.

I have the impression other people are a lot healthier because he has invested his time and energy for that purpose. Yes! You can have great paint without the poisons!

Beauty. Strength and Sustainability all wrapped up in his creation which is known as EARTH PAINT. According to Tom, who knows first-hand what the chemicals in everyday paint can do to the immune system,

Beauty is about

Natural Sophisticated Elegance.
Color, using standard or our No VOC (retailers) colorants

Strength is about

Old style longevity with today's Green Movement consciousness
Long Life Cycle factors

Sustainability encompasses

100% Wind Power Energy!
Biodegradable
100% Wastewater Recycling
Competitive Pricing / Fair Wages
No materials from overseas

Our colleague Mary Bigelow will be excited to know that Earthpaint is the first paint company to use 140% Wind Energy offsets! And now you have the opportunity to be impressed with Tom ,too.Here he is on video. Let me know what you think....

__~o
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(*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

Pet-Friendly Asheville: Three Dog Bakery

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:00:40 -0500

Q and I went for a stroll on this partly sunny October day. It is close to Halloween and we were ready for a treat, which is just what we found at the Three Dog Bakery in downtown Asheville.

As we entered the store we were greeted with a cheerful hello and the enticing aroma of dog cookies baking. From behind the counter a lovely lady came out to meet Q. She thought he was adorable, I could tell.

Lucky for us, we live in pet-friendly Asheville where dogs are recognized as "special" especially when they sparkle like Q does. (see photo) She offered him a treat which he devoured with delight. She then inquired about our needs. This was our first visit. We saw the shining oven and enjoyed the aroma of fresh-baked goodies. We followed our noses around to see the various colorful displays.

I noticed that the products are eco-friendly, recycled or recyclable and that the ingredients in the food products are all "natural" while Q dog wagged his tail all the while, especially when he "sniffed out" the Grizzly Salmon oil.

When it was time to check out, the items I chose were carefully wrapped in bakery paper and placed in a recyclable box with a logo on it. Woof! A real treat for the upcoming holiday...and no sugar in it.

I was most impressed with our visit to Asheville's Three Dog Bakery today. The quality of the items and the atmosphere and friendliness combined to make me want to come back often.

When we returned home, both our dogs reported total satisfaction with their Halloween goodies. I am sure they will tell the dogs in our neighborhood whose families will be stopping in to Asheville's Three Dog Bakery soon.

DOG TREATS for the Halloween.
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__~o
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(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. PET FRIENDLY REAL ESTATE.Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients.

On the GO 4 Sustainability: "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants! Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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Secrets of The Land Lover

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:08:48 -0500

warm socks at first frost

I love the prospect of warm socks at first frost
and the soldier-like look of them in neat rows
as they line up before me
next to the French-milled soaps
in the second dresser drawer
where they have bunkered
since the daffodils bloomed.

A colorful assemblage, they
in vibrant vermillion,
or sumptuous grey,
or azure- multi-hued,
patiently waiting to be tapped
for duty.

I am dancing now in the hours after donning
the Carolina Blue pair,
with my tweeds and outdoor duds,
cashmere caressing my lucky toes,
I am royalty lifted above the fray
simply to stroll
Doc Silver's nippy back forty
as if it were a mild midsummer's day
but better: no insects or tall grasses where the
slithering creatures play-

just the Land
and, here and there,
on the north side of the ridge,
slender watery threads making icicles
from summer's sweet cascades.

October's fallen leaves,
still wet with yesterday's storm,
are slick on the trail.
Still, I float along, scarf flying,
hiking boots, muddy and well-worn,
with feet smiling in blue-clad luxury.

We are searching for the last wild berries,
you and I, and beneath these,
you unearth the secret:
"... cherished toes pay dividends uncounted...."

~^~ jA Narrin, Wind-in-the-Feather The Spirit Ridge Collection Asheville, 2009

Speechless Sunday: Peace in the Valley

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:36:03 -0500

October Sunday Morning - Peace in Our Asheville Valley

The Secret Behind Customer Demand for Energy Efficient Homes

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:22:31 -0500

What is Behind Customer Demand for Energy Efficient Homes?

That's what a seasoned builder here in Asheville wanted to know.

"The local Green Building Council says that HealthyBuilt Homes® are leading the way in the built environment," he said.

"What would make me want to build them?"

That is a good question, and one that seems to be coming up more and more even in a challenging economy where the impact on the real estate market is significant.

Here are just three (3) "secrets" I suggested he consider:

•1. Customer demand for energy efficient homes. From Atlanta to Asheville to Santa Monica developers involved in sustainable innovation continue to enjoy.
Possibly, it's time to capitalize on the opportunity.

•2. Federal and State Tax credits, zoning allowances and other incentives

•3. Lower operating costs attract new home buyers.

In the future, should the home buyer decide to sell the home, the certificate proving that the homes that meets "green home guidelines" and is built by residential builders who practice sustainable, high-performance building strategies, adds value to the purchase.

Summing it up: Everyone wins. Eco-friendly homes create a comfortable, healthy and affordable place that reduce energy and water usage, promote renewable energy use and help protect the land where the home is built.

Resource: Green Building Council educating homeowners and building professionals 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
_____________ (fill in the blank and let me know what that is)_
__~o
-\_<,
(*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

On the GO 4 Sustainability: "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants! Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved ......................................

Cracking the Green Building Codes

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 15:11:32 -0500

Cracking the Green Building Codes. There's a trend in building these days. The trend is toward designing, constructing and operating healthy-built "green" buildings. Such buildings reduce the negative impact on natural surroundings and benefit those who work or live there by providing them with a healthier indoor environment.

More and more, developers are enrolling in NC HealthyBuilt® and/or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) programsthat set forth environmentally savvy choices. And here, the general public can find the keys to cracking the Green Building Codes.

Both of these programs set forth, in written form, the benchmarks for the design, construction and operation of eco-friendly buildings. My clients who invest in the buildings can find what they need in terms of a measurable scale with which to look at sustainability when they review the guidelines and check certifications as Maggie Leslie of the Green Building Council right here in Asheville, NC recently pointed out in her article: Cracking the Green Building Codes.

A "whole-building approach to sustainability" recognizes five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Here is a graphic I created of one noteworthy example of such buildings in the Asheville, NC area: The Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center

__~o
-\_<,
(*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

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Green Real Estate Asheville: Interview with Eco Developer- Hickory Nut Forest Mountain Community

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:58:15 -0500

I had the pleasure of sitting down with John Myers and Jane Lawson the developers of the Hickory Nut Forest GREEN/conservation community near Asheville, NC not long ago. We talked about what it takes to create such a community- their philosophy and how they designed and developed the land. Here is a segment of our conversation.

HOW ONE COUPLE ENVISIONED AND REALIZED THEIR DREAM OF AN ECO-FRIENDLY MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY

Q. How long has it taken to create the Hickory Nut Forest eco-community?

A. We have been involved in the process of creating community for nearly five years. It has been an amazing journey that has taken on a life of its own. We started out with a vision to conserve some beautiful land in the mountains of North Carolina.

We wanted to be stewards of this sacred place with its amazing forests, waterfalls, living plants and animals. As we have come to know the land intimately, we feel guided to keep expanding our vision.

Q How have you expanded on your vision to conserve this gorgeous land in the mountains of North Carolina?

We created homesites for up to 34 green-built homes, added an organic apple orchard and heirloom vineyard, placed a conservation easement on the mountain and built miles of hiking trails.

(photo shows John and Jane at one of the many waterfalls on the property the are developing near Chimney Rock just outside of Asheville, NC. )

Q How do you see the growth of Hickory Nut Forest into the mature "Green Community" you envision, and will it be a "Private Mountain Community"?

A. As new people have arrived, they have brought their enthusiasm and dreams to the community. [One of the first to arrive] Ryan was inspired to develop a community garden and with student interns created a veggie patch, an herb circle, mushroom logs, and added beehives and free-range chickens.

Folks wanted to have a gathering place, so we started building a community center at the ruins of an old gristmill. This vision has grown into creating Laughing Waters, a retreat site for year-round classes, workshops and student internships that we hope to have open by spring.

We are allowing the community to grow slowly and naturally through sharing this magical place with all who come to visit. Our free monthly events have included a bluegrass concert, apple fests, hikes, herb walks, bonfire/potlucks and kids' educational programs. People have initially come for a visit and then decided to live here.

Q. What is your guiding principle or intention?

From the beginning our guiding intention has been simply to approach everything and everyone with love and respect: our neighbors, all the people working on various projects, our visitors, the land and the water, the plants and animals, and each other. We feel such a powerful healing energy from this land. Our role is simply to make it possible for people to come here and experience it for themselves.

FURTHER READING on how to recognize an eco-friendly development

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__~o
-\_<,
(*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

Why Are You Pricing Your HOME Like Clothing at the Mall?

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:06:16 -0500

DEBE MAXWELLhas a point here. Folks selling their homes today are more concerned than ever when it comes to analyzing and settling on their asking price. She asks, " When you're searching online at night for homes in the [Asheville, NC area] what price points do you use in your own search?"

If you are selling, read this post and benefit from Debe's excellent advice.

Via Debe Maxwell, Realtor® Let's Talk CHARLOTTE! (Helen Adams Realty):

Why Are You Pricing Your Home Like Clothing at the Mall?

Sellers who really want to sell their property NOW so that they can move on, are more involved with analyzing their price point than ever before. It seems that most sellers want to price their property with something that ends in '99'--$599,000 or $599,900, etc. Here's what I ask them:

"You're about to move to Raleigh and your Realtor® has set up a search for you through his/her MLS. Can you tell me what your price parameters are for that search? When you're searching online at night for homes in the Raleigh (or destination city of choice), what price points do you use in your own search?"

They'll say, "We're moving up a bit so, we enter $600,000 - $700,000."

"What if you were searching from $600,000 to $700,000 here in Charlotte? You would completely MISS this home in your search! Had you priced it at an even $600,000, you would capture buyers from both the $500,000 - $600,000 AND the $600,000 - $700,000 ranges. Setting the price at $599,000, will cause you to lose an entire group of buyers for your home!"

They look at me for a minute and my analytical-minded clients have an ah-ha moment! Then, they competely agree with me!

Try it, it WORKS! I recently listed a townhome in a complex that had 23 townhomes on the market when we listed. We priced the property at an "even" price and we were under contract in 10 days--last one on the market, first one off! If you searched MLS for the even number, either way (least price or highest price) you would catch this listing! When you look at the others, every one of them were 'off-beat' numbers and were missed by 1/2 of their prospective buyers.

Stop pricing your homes as though they were sale-price clothing at the mall! Use those 'round' numbers and see how it works for you. You'll instantly expand your pool of buyers!

Your sellers will love you!

Asheville "Scene " Around Town Video Series

Asheville's "GREEN "Property Consultants- LAND & Fine Homes — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:19:03 -0500

Asheville, North Carolina, October, 2009 Eco-Friendly News and Views from "GREEN-O-Lina"

Some people relocate to the Asheville area just so that they can
hike in exciting places
like Craggy Gardens, or Mt. Mitchell.

But once they find a place on the land to call Home,
create, then build an eco-friendly environment
with a nod to Mother Nature,

a simple early morning stroll
can provide sights and sounds
that dazzle.

Come for such a stroll with me.
You will be amazed at what I found this morning
right in my own backyard.

Turn up the volume for a SURPRISE at the close of this short video...
and let me know what you think that honking (hint-hint) sound is!

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__~o
-\_<,
(*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients.. On the GO 4 Sustainability: "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants! Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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