Hickory Nut Forest An Outstanding Asheville Area Eco Community
One of my favorite eco communities in the Asheville area (and please note, Asheville is the "hub' of green and sustainable development) is Hickory Nut Forest.Numerous eco-communities are popping up in and around Asheville, but Hickory Nut Forest is demonstrating how to go about creating an eco-friendly habitat. (see video).
THIS evolving "green" community and conservation neighborhood honors the Land and the forests that offer it building materials. (see video). It is surrounded on three sides by over 800 acres of conservation land , so you can hike out from this community on one of the well-tended trails leading to those 800 + acres and to the adjoining 250 acres.
Hickory Nut Forest has set aside a special place for the community/retreat/teaching/learning center. Here is where the new community building is in the process of construction (see video)
From the standpoint of sustainability, here is an example of the "social dimension"--Peace, security, social justice --Human settlements and Human relationship to nature .
Hickory Nut Forest is alive with possibility. EXAMPLE: I was so excited to be able to WATCH how the construction of the new community building happens! ( see video) If you are interested in the "social dimension" of green building, be sure to check this out.
I get to meet all kinds of interesting people as I visit eco-friendly conservation communities here in the Greater Asheville area. One of my favorites is COREY ATHERTON who is the Project Manager at Creston Preserve. The other day he took me out exploring his favorite sites. Now's your chance to come along with us.
Asheville, North Carolina, October, 2009 Real Estate News and Views from "GREEN-O-Lina" 30+ Eco-Friendly Urban and Mountain Communities in the Asheville Area
There are about as many shades of green in eco-friendly design, development and building as you see in the early light on an Appalachian mountainside. (see photo) Levels of attraction, commitment, and motivation to embrace eco coneptsand planning are unique to each of us.
Poll homebuyers and investors and you are sure to find certain green features have more appeal than others. For example , on the subject of green-built homes,indoor air quality(IAQ) may be one person's primary focus, while whole house ventilation or NO-VOC paint may be another's concern.
And many people looking to leave a land legacy will devote their attention to eco-savvy development that takes into account site planning, solar orientation and energy use.
But people do seem to share this in common:They are deeply attracted to the notion that their grand kids will be and/or are in a healthy, non-toxic environment.
With this in mind, I have compiled a list of 30+ urban and mountain eco-friendly developments in the Greater Asheville area. If you would like to know the "greenest' I will be posting a comparison chart you can use to determine for yourself...And/or check back to see the following list highlighted with links to my video series as I visit each of these communities.
30+ Eco-Friendly Urban* and Mountain Communities in the Asheville Area
Altura (Urban) Balsam Mountain Preserve Ciel (Urban) Cliffs of High Carolina (Tiger Woods) Cold Mountain Cove at Celo Mountain Crest Mountain Community (Urban)
Ramble Biltmore Forest (Urban) Red Wolf Run Residences at 151 (Urban) River Highlands at Madison Crossing River Rock Settings of Black Mountain (Urban) Stillhouse Creek
__~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..
It has been raining magic in the mountains. Tall pines and rising peaks are mirrored in sparkling rivulets along the roadside.
I followed their trail via North Haven, the gently winding way leading to the cabins atCreston Preserve, (see photo) a conservation-oriented community nearBlack Mountain, North Carolina.
(photo shows mystery and the magic of this cabin awaiting my visit...fireplace SEE NEXT PHOTO is ready to offer an early autumn glow)
I had returned this day to do some photography for one of my clients who is looking for an extraordinary mountain homesite close to nature and wildlife and mountain trails and waterfalls.
Extraordinary: At Creston , an environmentally-sensitive community, my clients will find thoughtful planning that compliments nature's beauty.
There is a vibrant feeling, a magical "aura" here. But the rains--the colors, the scents, the sounds echoed and wrapped in brumous veils-- seem to intensify it ....In all of this, between thunderclaps and cloudbursts, there is welcome shelter at the community's *eco-friendly clubhouse where, in a steady downpour, I retreated for good company with the neighbors.
*Rain Chains: The community clubhouse employs attractive alternatives to downspouts,widely used in Japan for hundreds of years,not only can be used to harvest rainwater for future use, but can captivate an unsuspecting passerby with the dance and the music of the rain .
__~o -\_<, (*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL & Asheville Short Sale Consults. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Stay-in-Your-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..
1. Your photos are unimpressive. The vast majority of home buyers start their search for a home on the Internet, your house had better look great in print. Not just nice... downright fabulous. Today we are considering internet views as a 'virtual showing'... if your house gets past that, then they might (just might) make an appointment to see it in person... We consider that your SECOND showing. Today's buyers are expecting good quality photos (and lots of them... just 1 shot from the street won't cut it!), a virtual tour, maybe even a floor plan, if applicable.
2. It's overpriced. You've got to view your own property as objectively as possible. Look at the home like a "buyer"... if necessary, go out with your Realtor and view other homes that are priced comparably to yours. Be objective. Given the other options on the market (and yes, you DO have to include short sales and foreclosures on your list... your potential buyers are!), would YOU buy your home, over the others on the market?
If no, then you either have to "update" your home to meet or beat the competition... or lower your price to adjust for it. if you can't afford to sell for the price, that you KNOW it sell for, you may want to consider just removing it from the market.
3. It shows poorly. This could mean almost anything... from the barky, barky dog, to the smell of the diaper pail. Maybe the carpeting is a bit worn, or the woodwork shows a lot of wear. All things that don't show up on the internet, but whoa.... once you get inside the house... they show up, like a cat-urine-smell on a 95 degree day in New Orleans!
4. You're invisible. Today's buyer comes from the internet, almost exclusively. Have you (or your agent) simply plopped the property on the MLS, and started praying? Are you on all the websites...(Trulia, Zillow, Craig's List, Google Base, etc...) all the places that buyers are searching? If not, you want to be.
5. Your listing is tired and stale on the market. Okay... yes, you overpriced your home initially when you first came on the market 2 years ago. But since then you have reduced your price almost monthly... constantly chasing the market down.... Now, finally you're truly priced where you should be... but your listing is tired and stale. Everyone looking for your type of property (ie: 3br/1.1 bath) in your area has already seen it, sometimes twice... and they remember that there was "something" about it that they didn't like... but what they don't remember is... what they didn't like.... was the price. Time to take the listing off market. Let it cool off (3-6 months), and bring it back on fresh in the Spring. Yeah, you'll have 6 mos. worth of holding-costs... but you'll more than make up for it in your purchase price.
btw... Avoid the temptation to bring the house back on at a higher price, than when you left the market. Just "don't do it"!
6. Your house won't appraise. The house looks great... you've finally gotten someone to bring you a bid on your slightly over-priced, but beautiful pied-a-terre. But the bank appraiser says it's worth $20,000 less than what they've agreed to pay. Heavy sigh... bite the bullet.... negotiate with them. If you have to drop the price $20,000 to make it work.... "make it work"... chances are, anybody else trying to buy your house will run into the same problem.
Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009 News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward
Quite unexpectedly, I found myself fascinated with short sales this year.(2009) Not the homeowners' challenging actuality, mind you- that I will cover in another post- but intrigued with the short saleprocess - in general- and then, how to get our ducks in a row when it comes to the 2009 version of that very process.
You might think that a specialist in conservation real estate and land would NOT be curious about short sales. But it is 2009,and I am. Three (3) short sale seminars from various experts, one crowded learning session for REALTORS by two short sale experts/ real estate attorneys right here in Asheville, and hours consulting with CPA s find me compelled to continue my research....
I suspect there is a lot more to unearth about the nuances of short sales. I plan to take at least one of our own Broker Bryant's short sales webinars (it is just $27 per session) and I continue to search out and read articles on the subject. An article from Robert Freedman is a senior editor of REALTOR® magazine caught my attention today. In it, Mr. Freedman talks about the pitfalls, sticky wickets and legal consequences when REALTORS® work with short sales.
He lists seven (7) short sale pitfalls, cautioning real estate professionals to get their ducks in a row ...
1. Misrepresenting tax consequences. 2. Misrepresenting how secondary debt is treated. 3. Acting on inappropriate lender requests for seller contributions. 4. Breaching fiduciary duty. 5. Providing poor oversight of a loss mitigation company. 6. Lacking the required license to undertake loss mitigation. 7. Facilitating transactions not listed on the HUD-1 form.
Short Sales: The New Wild West From pushy lenders to aggressive investors, there are many challenges that real estate practitioners must overcome in the new world of distressed sales.
Tips for Disclosing a Short Sale Short sales present two disclosure challenges - finding a reliable source of correct information about the physical condition of the property and deciding how and when to make a situational disclosure about the owner's financial distress.
Short Sales: Sorting Out Commission Issues Some MLSs have a rule requiring listing agents to let their colleagues know if a listing is, or is potentially, a short sale, and thus subject to a possible last-minute change in the commission by the lender.
About the "ducks in a row" photo: It was taken by janeAnne (c'est mois) on a recent local getaway for the afternoon at one of our excellent and obviously entertaining picnic spots along the French Broad River near Asheville. _________________________________________________________________________________
__~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 First Time and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.
Dateline Asheville, North Carolina, June, 2009 News and Views from Asheville's Greenolina, Real Estate Eco-Steward
As I mentioned in Part I of this series on short sales,after three (3) short sale seminars from various experts, one (1) crowded learning session for REALTORS® by two (2) short sale experts/ real estate attorneys right here in Asheville, and hours (countless, maybe 100) consulting with CPA s, bookkeepers, lenders, support people, and so forth...
I felt compelled to continue my research on the short sale process....
Then, one of our clients came in. . .
I sat down with this client to take a peek at questions the client might want to ask an attorney about short sales and the entire process and the effects on a family's future.
Here is a list of 21 short sale questions that may intrigue you as much as they did me:
Can you be like as fearsome as a Nordic troll(see photo)helping to find legal remedies to use as leverage with our bank-
Predatory Lending? Was I given a new interest rate right before the closing? Is it OK for them to make $50K if we get out of the loan early?
Can they produce the actual NOTE. Do they actually have it?
Could there be a RESPA Violation?
Can you get both a loan modification and a short sale packet from my bank?
Might you be able to make connections at a decision-maker level so that we can move forward efficiently with a short sale if need be?
Might you be able to get my bank to understand that a workout at the level they suggested ($xxxxx/MO)is better than the one a court might force the bank to accept in a bankruptcy situation.
Can you get a FULL Pay-Off Letter so that I am not stuck with a 50,000 problem due to the short sale?
Can you get a signed document by the banks waiving a 1099?
Can you get a signed document saying I am NOT responsible for paying tax on the debt forgiven?
Can you get the bank to agree and sign papers that the debt is paid in full by the proceeds from a sale?
What if I do not want to sell at this time, and I can afford to stay in my home if bank will do loan modification at $xxxxx/MO, as they suggested, can you intercede with the decision makers (not the bill collectors) at the bank for me?
Can you show me how to prepare the documents (or can you prepare them) to show that I am in "financial hardship" but am trying to get out of it?
Can you pinpoint the amount I could take a financial hit on if I decided to sign a promissory note?
Should I even sign a promissory note?
Tell me truthfully, can you get a short sale approved in a reasonable period of time?
What would that "reasonable amount of time" be?
Will you look out for my interests when it comes to advising whether or not to sign the lender's approval and close?
Does the doctrine of merger apply in our State, and could that negatively affect me?
Will you be especially attentive about charge off language that banks and collection agents use charge off in many different ways?
What do you think of bankruptcy as an option for me?
Should I request a loan modification on the Second even though I am not behind and stop payments for a month?
How much do you charge to provide this service?
I know that my client's attorney is going to listen carefully to these questions. MY question is....How many will that "fearsome Nordic troll" answer in the affirmative?
__~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 First Time and Relocation LAND and Home Buyers.
"We have been hunting for a place where we could have our several four-legged friends with us." the couple told me. "I know just the place!," enthusiastically, I responded. "Actually, it is WAY more than a 'place'. Your pets will think it's a 'palace'!"
This PET-FRIENDLY home of STONE and CEDAR construction on 1.48 AC has it all-- -
PRIVATE (see photo of tree-lined entrance below) yet convenient--it is only 7 minutes from downtown Asheville.
It is spacious and "homey".. with. BIG, family and pets-sized rooms rooms.
Living Rm: 17.6 X 23.4 1 MBR: 21 X 17 1 Dining Rm: 14.6 X 10 1 BR 2: 14 X 11 1 BR 3: 20 X 15 ( photo showsSTONE and CEDAR construction on 1.48 AC)
SqFt: 3004 of wonderful, sunny, spacious, inviting rooms as per those you see above Baths: 2 Apx Yr. Built: 1976 Half Baths: 1 Taxes: 1532
AND you really can enjoy plenty of sunny garden areas while your pets have a great time in the enormous fenced enclosures with views of the gently sloping grounds where your cats will love climbing the trees.
You can play and garden here.
Later, relax by the (2) wood-burning fireplaces.
( photo shows excellent sunny spot for homegrown food and flowers)
I am excited about this home. With downtown Asheville so close by, it still offers a sense of privacy. Best of all, it is a special "find" for pet lovers. . .
But that's not all!
There also is a totally remodeled "In-Law Suite" . It boasts a complete kitchen, wonderful fireplace, and private entrance.
Interior Features: Attic Fan , Breakfast Bar , Ceiling Fan(s) ,2 Fireplace(s) , Formal Dining Rm , In-Law Suite , Master on Main , Pull-Down Attic Stairs , Workshop and...Very desirable wood and/or tile floors throughout.
Exterior Features:Pet-Friendly Fencing , Insulated Doors , Insulated Windows
The double garage has a separate workroom.
( Photo shows the tree-lined entrance to your own private Asheville mini-estate.)
Put this together the context of Asheville, North Carolina's amenities...
Location
Asheville's "green" real estate market
And Asheville's vibrant community ....
and you have a win-win -win!
CONTEXT- Location:303 Eliada Home Rd. Asheville, NC 28806 is within 5 to 10 minutes of Asheville, N.C. and the city's healthy impetus for sustainable development, diverse economic structure bases on tourism, services, and eco-innovative attitudes. Overall education levels, wages and per capita income levels are on the "plus" side. Standards of living are, too.
CONTEXT- Asheville Area Sustainable Real Estate Market: GREEN is "red-hot" here. Greater Asheville, North Carolina's GREEN real estate market enjoys clients who are hungry for sustainable neighborhoods, energy-efficient design and green-built homes. THIS IS NOT ONLY IS THE PERFECT SPOT for your eco-friendly renovation, but a compassionate PET-FRIENDLY atmosphere.
MLS 441931A 303 Eliada Home Rd. Asheville, NC 28806 $299,888
If you are not committed to another real estate professional, please give us a call at 828-255-1082 or simply email us. We are short sale specialists who are also ECO Certified ® Real Estate Consultants at The ECO Steward Real Estate Firm in the Greater Asheville, North Carolina area. We are excited about value-added, ECO-friendly properties, and focus on positive futures.
It was getting late. Soon the birds would be nesting. I climbed to the top of the ridge, facing north. There in the venerable Asheville Mountains almost as old as time itself, something exciting ...yet unnamed ...was arranging itself between the coves and rising ridges. It spoke to the possibility, this very April evening of simultaneously starting anew and leaving yesterday behind....
Spring in Asheville! The season has painted her canvas with all the colors we anticipate each year as we rediscover an abundance of choices.... places to consider alone and with others...places where you and I can create "safe landings" for generations to come.... Understanding this, you need only to choose the where and when.
A gentle soul once told me,
"...there's a pathway to contentment. It is like a zephyr on the mountains, an uncommon force always moving.
You can measure it by your heartbeat, an all-at-once coming together and letting go."
As I mentioned in Part 1, 1stTime Home Buyers, especially those relocating to the Greater Asheville, NC area want to know if the home (or land) they invest in has a good chance of appreciating over the years ...
According to Home Smart Reports, a research tool for 1st Time Home buyers (and others) that focuses "not only on market value, but also the underlying trends that affect property value in both the short and long-term.... and market conditions you need to know when making your buy/sell decisions ..."
The Asheville area gets an "A" for Low Market Risk Conditions.
Given this, now is the time for smart 1st Time Home Buyers to exercise the option to invest in real property .
(Here I am talking about eco-freindly land purchases and green-built homes to be sited on the land...LAND , of course is ALWAYS a good value!)
Local experts say that the in-demand "green" real estate market is strong. One real estate adviser told me, " There are wonderful homes to be found if you know where to look and are ready to act when you spot what you desire..." As an Eco-Certified Real Estate Consultant and EcoBroker, I totally agree..especially when it comes to eco-friendly land and homes.
Add to that the recent economic stimulus packagerecently signed by President Obama which features, for 1st Time Home Buyers, an $8,000 (or 10% of the home's value, whichever is less) benefit on their 2008 or 2009 taxes, and we all are smiling!
DETAILS(as promised inPart 1of this series) according to CNN this tax credit has the following pluses:
Refundable: The credit is refundable, meaning tax filers see a refund of the full $8,000 even if their total tax bill - the amount of withholding they paid during the year- was less than that amount.
Purchase Date: To qualify for the credit, the purchase must be made between Jan. 1, 2009 and Nov. 30, 2009. Buyers may not have owned a home for the past three years to qualify as "first time" buyer. They must also live in the house as their primary residence for at least three years, or they will be obligated to pay back the credit.
Paperwork: Applying for the credit will be easy - or at least as easy as doing your income taxes. Just claim it on your return. No other forms or papers have to be filed. Taxpayers who have already completed their returns can file amended returns for 2008 to claim the credit.
Income Restrictions: To qualify, buyers must make less than $75,000 for singles or $150,000 for couples.
PS. Definition of a 1st Time Home Buyer! Buyers who have NOT owned a home for the past three years and who will also live in the house for at least three years...(otherwise they will have to pay back a special credit...keep reading...Part 3)
and let me know what YOU think... ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Curious about sustainable Green real estate possibilities ? Simply pedal on over to Convivial Blogger Greenolina's "Green Wheels" BLOG and SUBSCRIBE
__~o -\_<, (*)/'(*) .......... ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow!. ......................... .............
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
the early light on an Appalachian mountainside. (see photo) Levels of attraction, commitment, and motivation to embrace 
1. Your photos are unimpressive. The vast majority of home buyers start their search for a home on the Internet, your house had better look great in print. Not just nice... downright fabulous. Today we are considering internet views as a 'virtual showing'... if your house gets past that, then they might (just might) make an appointment to see it in person... We consider that your SECOND showing. Today's buyers are expecting good quality photos (and lots of them... just 1 shot from the street won't cut it!), a virtual tour, maybe even a floor plan, if applicable.
market?
5. Your listing is tired and stale on the market. Okay... yes, you overpriced your home initially when you first came on the market 2 years ago. But since then you have reduced your price almost monthly... constantly chasing the market down.... Now, finally you're truly priced where you should be... but your listing is tired and stale. Everyone looking for your type of property (ie: 3br/1.1 bath) in your area has already seen it, sometimes twice... and they remember that there was "something" about it that they didn't like... but what they don't remember is... what they didn't like.... was the price. Time to take the listing off market. Let it cool off (3-6 months), and bring it back on fresh in the Spring. Yeah, you'll have 6 mos. worth of holding-costs... but you'll more than make up for it in your purchase price.
experts, one (1) crowded learning session for REALTORS® by two (2) short sale experts/ real estate attorneys right here in Asheville, and hours (countless, maybe 100) consulting with CPA s, bookkeepers, lenders, support people, and so forth...
d friends with us." the couple told me. "I know just the place!," enthusiastically, I responded. "Actually, it is WAY more than a 'place'. Your pets will think it's a 'palace'!"
According to 
;)
;)
