DiscoverLakeLure

Sixth Annual April Fool's Festival in Tryon, NC April 1 & 2 , 2011

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 10:43:29 -0700

Mark Friday April 1 and Saturday April 2, 2011 on your calendar for silly fun in downtown Tryon. It's a family-oriented Street Festival with fun for all.

Festivities begin at 6:33 PM Friday evening with a street dance on McCown Street. There will be a dance contest sponsored by the Tryon Fine Arts Center.

The April celebration will continue Saturday with games and activities at the Tryon Depot from 10 AM to 5 PM. There will be a Bad Art show and music from noon to 3 pm.

At 4:30 PM, there will be a Trashion Show at The Depot. Featured will be recycled fashion made of whatever recycled materials contestants can put together as an outfit. Each Trashion entry will need to be modeled for the runway. For more information contact Mary Prioleau 828-859-9962.

The Fool's Parade will come down Trade Street at 3 PM. After the parade, festivities will continue with Outhouse Races and a Three-Legged Race.

The Festival wraps up Saturday night at 6:33 PM with a Masquerade Ball on Palmer Street. Tickets required for this event- Call 828-859-8316 to reserve your place.

Food and drink- including a beer and wine cash bar- will be offered with proceeds going to TDDA.

Saturday evening, more live music will be provided by the Carberators, a regional band often heard at summer music fests.

To learn more about Western NC visit: http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Is this the right place?

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:21:47 -0700

Finding the right place means both finding a place that is in the right place for you and equally important, a place where your investment will hold its value.

Start by thinking about what is most important to you. Create your dream neighborhood. What does it look like? Do you want to sit on your deck and look at great scenery? Walk to downtown? Not see a single neighbor? Make a list. Everyone is different....

Check out property taxes and public services like the library and other services important to you. What do you like to do? Find a place where you can do what you find enjoyable whether it is streets you can jog on, or as in Lake Lure, a place to enjoy boating and fishing and the beauty of nature.

Got kids? Then the local school system should be your starting point. If your kids have special needs, check out the district's special services. Most school districts have websites full of information. Talk to people with kids in the schools.

Explore the neighborhoods or towns you like. See too many for sale signs? For rent signs? Empty businesses? These days most places have some level of trouble (which means it's a great time to be a buyer) but if every other property listed for sale is a foreclosure, that gives you a pretty good idea about what is going on. It's a red flag. You have to figure out your level of comfort with risk.

Listen for noise. Anything that is going to bother you?

Don't be shy. Talk to people. Approach a stranger and ask them if they live there. What do they love? No place is perfect . What don't they love? You may discover an issue you have not thought about. Did you like the people you met? Is the area culture something that suits you? Tweaking your new home is pretty simple. Changing your neighborhood is not. I once lived in a neighborhood where no woman walked to her mailbox without putting on her lipstick first. Not for me.

Take your time. Explore.

To learn more about Western NC visit: http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Beverly-Hanks + Blue Ridge Log Homes = Synergy and win-win for buyers

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 11:07:36 -0800

Beverly-Hanks & Associates have joined forces with Blue Ridge Log Homes

Neal Hanks, CEO of Beverly-Hanks & Associates, REALTORS, and Chip Smith, CEO of Blue Ridge Log Cabins have joined forces to provide a synergy that takes building a log home to a new level of convenience and quality.

It's a partnership that makes sense. Beverly-Hanks is the largest real estate agency in western NC. Blue Ridge Log Cabins is one of the fastest growing log home companies in the US. Both companies are dedicated to providing a top-notch customer experience and their combined resources will make the process of finding a lot or land to build on and meshing that purchase with construction of a new log home nearly seamless.

Buyers can visit the Blue Ridge Log Homes in Campobello SC and watch the craftsman build homes at the huge facility there. It's an impressive experience. They can almost totally customize their new homes with a wide range of house plans and many choices of interior finishing. Plans vary in size, and styles range from traditional log homes to a lodge-style Arts and Crafts home.

Beverly-Hanks' job is to help the buyers find a home-site. Then the project, including purchasing a home site, onsite preparation, and the new home is financed in one single easy process. The cost is known before work begins and because this process minimally weather driven- only site preparation and final installation work is done on site- it is faster, cleaner, and more predictable. It's no wonder the banks love the method and are willing to finance as much as 95%.

Call me at 828-899-4536 for more information or check out my Blue Ridge Log home information page at http://www.discoverlakelure.com/1301588.html

BHINFO is launched!!

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:21:01 -0800

BHINFO: just text 59559

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 07:00:48 -0800

Exciting news from the marketing department at Beverly-Hanks!

Beverly-Hanks & Associates, the oldest and largest real estate agency in western North Carolina, has just implemented new mobile phone technology designed to help WNC visitors interested in real estate get a really fast response to any question they have about any property of interest.

It is a simple as it gets. You are see a real estate sign and want to know more about the property. Simply remain on the site and text 59559 (59 with a 5 then 59 again). The system will contact you back immediately. If you have a phone with GPS technology, click the link at KWICKLY.COM to get your information. GPS will tell the system where you are and what property is listed for sale at your location. If you do not have the GPS technology, you will need to give the system the property address, and it will immediately reply with the information about the property.

Want to see the house? Simply reply YES, I need more help to the system inquiry and Beverly-Hanks agent will call you and arrange a showing.

The system works for all properties, whether a Beverly-Hanks listing or not.

Wow! That Was Easy!!

For more information about Lake Lure NC and the western North Carolina towns surrounding the Asheville Blue Ridge visit: http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

After GREEN comes BLUE

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 09:33:30 -0800

Dan Buettner has written a NY Times best seller The Blue Zones: Lessons For Living Longer From The People Who've Lived The longest. He researched four places in the world where people not only live to be old but stay fit and active deep into old age: Okinawa Japan, Costa Rica, Sardinia Italy, and Loma Linda California. The book looks at their culture, and daily routines. From interviews, Buettner distills what he calls "The Power Nine", a guide to living longer and healthier.

There is no miracle pill or single recommendation. It's all plain old common sense about good habits that keep you healthy.

•1. Move. Recommended? Not fitness training designed to put you in marathon condition but maintaining an active lifestyle of walking, working, gardening, etc. Just get off the couch.

•2. Know your purpose. Volunteer, learn something new, tackle a project... find a reason to get up in the morning.

•3. Chill Out. Work has its place but so does relaxing with friends and family. Stress hurts you.

•4. 80% Rule. Eat but don't gorge. Stop when you feel 80% full.

•5. Eat wisely. Make your diet heavy on plants and light on meat.

•6. Antioxidants. Eat colorful foods full of antioxidants. Moderate wine consumption is also a staple of most Blue Zones. Put blueberries on your cereal.

•7. Belong. Socialize, make friends, have a social support network (an extension of #2)

•8. Beliefs. Most Blue Zone populations participate in some kind of spiritual or religious belief or meditation.

•9. Tribe. We all need people. Family culture is important in the Blue Zones. (A revisit of #7 and #3.)

It's not complicated. To stay healthy, stay active, work but not too much, eat sensibly, and take time out to enjoy friends and family.

Learn more about Lake Lure NC and the western NC Blue Ridge at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Not Golf= FLOGTON

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 12:18:52 -0800

It's no secret that fewer people are playing golf. More golf courses are closing than opening. Opinions for the downturn vary from "it's the economy" to a simple change in demographics. But some are wondering if the rules of the game are part of the problem. Enter Flogton (not golf spelled backwards).

Flogtonites argue that the game needs an overhaul to increase its appeal to younger players used to fast-paced video games, those with less than stellar athletic abilities, and an aging population of golfers who can't quite hit the ball as hard as they used to. They argue that alternative golf formats will bring more players onto the courses.

You can hear the purists grinding their teeth. Have no fear. There would still be rules. Different rules. The goal is not to replace PGA golf but to expand the golf possibilities. Flogtonites point out that skiing traditionalist resisted the addition of snowboarding to their sport. They think most flogtonites would eventually become regular golf game players as their skills improved. Besides, everyone knows that out in the real world, golfers have been known to modify the game's rules just a little bit......

One proposed change would have players follow USGA rules of play but allow souped-up balls and clubs. More radical proposals would change the rules thoroughly, legalizing one mulligan per hole, allowing 6-foot bumps to evade trees and other obstacles, and requiring a second shot from a bunker to be thrown. Totally revamped golf would be aimed at beginners to make the game easier for those just learning to play. Social changes would include loosening up of dress codes and allowing trash-talking.

Most interesting is the possibility of allowing Super Golf balls capable of correcting player shortcomings. Polora Golf is about to introduce a non-conforming ball later in 2011 that it claims will self-correct up to 90% of a slice or hook. The AGA thinks technology could add a 25% increase to the average golfer's drive and double the amount of backspin on wedge shots hit into greens. Of course, if everyone has access to the same new technology, the playing field will level off again....

For more about Project Flogton see http://www.flogton.com/

Learn more about Western NC and the Lake Lure area at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

What's WRONG with the 30 -year mortgage?

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:03:43 -0800

Reform of the mortgage markets is coming. It has been mandated by the Dodd-Frank Law. But how to meet the challenge of avoiding another financial market meltdown while making sure Americans will be able to get a mortgage is not simple. The recently made public Obama Administration report offered three possible scenarios. Even among the top economic experts, there is no clear consensus about how to fix the problem

Many want Fannie and Freddie, the two government-backed mortgage giants who have required a huge taxpayer bailout to disappear. They argue that government is interfering in what should be private market functions. The problem is that the thirty-year fixed rate mortgage with its no penalty pre-payment option is incompatible with the goal of replacing Fannie and Freddie with private investment.

It's no surprise that 30 year fixed rate mortgages are popular. Borrowers are locked in at known interest rates and if these drop, they can refinance at a lower rate. But that's exactly why these mortgages are a problem for investors. Absent any kind of government guarantee to protect them against credit losses, private investors will demand a higher yield to compensate for their risk. That means higher interest rates for home buyers.

One possible plan offered replaces Fannie and Freddie with another government backstop through a form of insurance, much like the FDIC guarantees bank deposits. Again, that would add extra costs to mortgages.

The Treasury Dept. acknowledges the problem and notes that with less government backing, the 30-year fixed rate mortgage option becomes less feasible. It also notes that there would be a reward. With less money going into housing, there would be more capital available to flow elsewhere, potentially leading to more long-term growth for the economy. Plus fewer mortgages made would mean less demand for housing and would keep home prices from going up, reducing inflationary pressures. Loans would cost more but homes would be less expensive.

Learn more about Lake Lure and the mountain lake area of the NC Blue Ridge at http:///www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

EXTREME MAKEOVER FOR FANNIE AND FREDDIE: The Saga Continues....

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 10:26:40 -0800

The Dodd-Frank law has legally mandated a makeover for mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie and Freddie, along the FHA (another government- backed agency), are behind nearly 90% of US mortgages. The goal of reform is to make sure we do not ever see another financial meltdown requiring a $150 billion dollars taxpayer bailout.

The question: how much should the U.S. government be involved in mortgage availability?

The challenge: making sure home buyers can get affordable mortgages.

Will Fannie and Freddie disappear completely? No one knows yet but what is become clear is that the government's role in mortgage markets is likely to become a lot smaller. At stake is a 10.6 trillion dollar mortgage market.

There is no consensus on how to best meet the challenge and no single proposal has been made to overhaul the system. With last week's issuance of a long-awaited Obama Administration report, three plans representing three possible futures are now on the table. With real estate described as "fragile", change will be implemented slowly and carefully and is likely to take at least five to seven years. But the first changes are coming and are meant to attract private capital into the mortgage market and to lessen the influence of Fannie and Freddie. As of October 1, 2011, both mortgage giants' ability to make mortgages is going to be decreased by lowering their maximum loan limits to $625,500 and by requiring higher down payments of at least 10%. Insurance payments on loans backed by FHA could also go up.

The Three Proposals:

Option #1 would almost totally privatize housing finance. That proposal is similar to the one offered last year by Texas Representative Jeb Hensarling. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would disappear; lenders would originate their mortgages and then securitize them (sell mortgages to private investment) without any government backing. Only the FHA, currently backing about 20% of mortgages, would remain in place, financing low and middle income borrowers, theoretically higher-risk and less appealing to investors.

Option #2 is a modification of option #1 leaving the mortgage markets in the hands of private investors but adding a government backstop mechanism which would either buy or guarantee loans, an option to be activated only if private lenders decided to withdraw from mortgage markets during periods of financial crisis.

Option #3 would create new privately owned companies whose role would be to buy mortgages from banks and sell them as securities. Those financial instruments would be explicitly guaranteed by the U.S. government but would have to meet certain minimum criteria. The government would collect fees for that guarantee much as the FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corp) now guarantees bank deposits.

While there is much support for a decrease in government intervention in mortgage markets, levels of trust in the Wall Street banks and investors who helped create the recent meltdown is not high. Their mortgage portfolios have performed much worse than Fannie and Freddie's. There is also fear that rising costs will threaten access to mortgages. Debate is certain to be fierce.

What is all this likely do to consumers? What should you do now? If you are interested in buying a new house, relocating, or want a second vacation home, housing prices are now as low as they have been in several years and inventory is high. It's a buyers' market. Interest rates have already jumped up - signals that the time to put off buying is over. Even if prices fall a bit more, any gain is likely to be offset by higher interest rates and more fees.

Learn more about Lake Lure and the Western North Carolina Blue Ridge mountain lake region at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Baby Boomer Brains keep on Rocking!!

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 10:29:08 -0800

More good news for boomers! It seems we may be smarter than we were in our 20s.

You already suspected that, didn't you?

For years, we have been told that our brains peak in early adulthood and then slowly go downhill from there. Now, science has discovered that our brains continue to produce neurons for brainpower and that some brain processes actually improve into mid-life.

It's not all good news. Aging brains do slow down and process information more slowly in middle age (40-69 these days). Retrieving information - especially names - can become a challenge. And middle aged brains tend to lose focus sometimes. Ever stepped into another room and then could'nt remember why you went in there?

In exchange for a few inconveniences, middle aged brains are generally happier, more creative, and generally wiser. Barbara Staunch in her book The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain found that as we get older, real life problem-solving skills improve and we are better able to evaluate complex problems, manage emotions, and process information. We may get slower but we get wiser, more cheerful, and we become more nimble problem solvers. All very useful skills even if we can't remember high school algebra lessons.

Best yet, the brain benefits from exercise, at any age. Learning something new stimulates neuron growth just like exercise grows muscle. As a matter of fact, physical exercise itself is a great brain neuron booster as is good nutrition. Foods high in antioxidants (dark and colorful fruits and vegetables) and fish rich in Omega-3 help keep the brain functioning well. Lastly, once again, there is evidence that stress is damaging and relaxing a necessity to staying healthy.

Now to remember all that...

Learn more about Lake Lure North Carolina and the Blue Ridge at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Baby Boomer brains.. keep on rocking!

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 10:16:57 -0800

More good news for boomers! It seems we may be smarter than we were in our 20s.

You already suspected that, didn't you?

Now to remember all that...

Learn more about Lake Lure North Carolina and the Blue Ridge at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Baby Boomer brains..keep on rocking!

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 10:08:09 -0800

More good news for boomers! It seems we may be smarter than we were in our 20s. You already suspected that, didn't you?

Now to remember all that...

Learn more about Lake Lure North Carolina and the Blue Ridge at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Booming Brain Keep Rocking!

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 10:03:21 -0800

More good news for boomers! It seems we may be smarter than we were in our 20s.

You already suspected that, didn't you?

Now to remember all that...

Learn more about Lake Lure North Carolina and the Blue Ridge athttp://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

EXTREME MAKEOVERS: Episode III

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:46:21 -0800

The Dodd-Frank financial overhaul law passed by Congress to clean up the financial meltdown is marching forward....

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC), jointly with the Federal Reserve, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and other banking regulators have approved a draft rule that will require large financial firms to hold at least ½ of top executives' bonuses for a minimum of three years. The goal is to tie their bonuses - a large part of compensation packages- to the outcomes of their and their employees' trades and decisions... over time. Financial reward will now come from making good long-term decisions rather than decisions made for more immediate payoff. It is all meant to discourage what is being referred to as "excessive risk-taking" in favor of "long-term focus".

The primary targets: Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Also coming is a rule that will put the burden of paying for FDIC on the biggest banks rather than the smaller banks. As of April 1, 2011, J. P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, and Citigroup will pay an extra $1 billion in fees each year.

Once approved, the draft rules will be presented for public comment before final approval. The feedback already coming in is centered on government interference with compensation packages and complaints that it's "easy to point the finger" at those getting "big" compensation packages.

Your comments are invited.

Learn more about the WNC Blue Ridge and the mountain lake area southeast of Asheville at Http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

396 West Lake Drive, Lake Lure NC

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 22:40:25 -0800

Marketing to ... maturing... Boomers

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:26:28 -0800

Historically thrifty senior citizens have been of little interest to marketers but the 76 million boomers born between1946 and 1964 account for about half of all US consumer spending. Now rapidly turning 65, boomers are an affluent group used to asking for and getting what they want. Marketing experts think they will keep spending money.

This is a group that expects a longer life expectancy and wants to remain fit and active as they move into retirement. In order to meet their needs, many companies are adjusting product lines. Carefully adjusting. That's because it seems that Boomers must be handled gently. You do not want to suggest to this group that they are ... well, to be horridly blunt, getting old. This is a group that prefers to identify more with their children than with their parents: trendy and modern, focused on maintaining a good quality of life.

Very quietly, adjustments are being made. Typeface is getting bigger... store shelves are being made more accessible... packaging colors are being modified for aging eyes that don't see some colors well (yellow and blue). Products are being made easier to hold. Disposable coffee cups are growing handles; canisters, indentations, Packages are being made easier to open with shortened lid rotations.

In order not to offend boomers, euphemisms are flourishing. Adult diapers are looking more like normal underwear with "extra protection". The bathroom grab bar is now a "belay shower handrail" (named for the rock climbing tool). ADT is marketing "companion services".

A third of boomers expect to move and downsize into new homes. Since moving often involves decorating, companies selling products like paint and wallpaper are renovating their stores to make them friendlier to aging clients. Softer lighting, comfortable chairs, and even coffee service. Settle in and sit a spell.....

Even reading glasses are getting snazzier to please stylish boomers.

Learn more about the Blue Ridge of Western North Carolina at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Bat Cave NC: 48 acres with frontage on the Rocky Broad River

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 08:29:47 -0800

Four Don't Dos To Sell Your House

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 09:19:40 -0800

We all know that some renovations pay back more than others. Actually, the top home selling project- returning the most $$ on investment- is a simple clean-up and de-clutter so that potential buyers can see a clean, roomy attractive property. But what renovations and upgrades should you NOT invest in if you are thinking about selling soon?

Our homes are our nests and we want to enjoy them. But it's important to know the difference between a project you invest in for your own enjoyment and one that someone else will love so much they will be willing to reimburse you your renovation expense. Worse, some renovations may actually turn home buyers away from your house.

Exhibit A is a pool or hot tub. It depends on where you are, of course. In some parts of the US, a backyard pool is almost mandatory. But if you live where pools are the exception and where the pool season is shorter rather than longer, potential buyers may see your pool as an expensive luxury they do not need (a typical pool costs $1500 a year) , and have no desire to maintain. A pool may be an improvement that will not only bring you nothing in financial reward but will also make it harder to sell your house.

Updating of older homes is a worthwhile project - it makes them feel newer. But it has to be done well. Renovating in character- making sure the new meshes with the old - is important. So is a renovation in line with the house you are selling. Take kitchens. An updated kitchen is definitely a plus for an older home but a super-deluxe kitchen upgrade in a modest home is not going to return you your investment. Renovations need to be APPROPRIATE to the house. If you are going to sell soon, a minor upgrade may make more sense.

The same applies to bathrooms. A super-sized Jacuzzi tub or luxury steam shower could lead buyers to think about how much hot water they're going to paying for. Again, the focus should be on APPROPRIATE for the house and its price point.

Garage conversions are another popular conversion project. Maybe you want a media room or a place for the pool table of your dreams? But the garage is an important space for many buyers and the lack of a garage could lose you a sale. Most buyers will knock your house off their list rather than think about converting the garage back to a place to store cars, bikes, garden equipment, etc.....

Final Word: do it well, do it smart, do it with an eye to the future when you may want to sell. OR do what you want to do for yourself and your own enjoyment. But know what it will bring you. If you are thinking about updating your house with the idea of putting it on the market in the next couple of years, call a real estate agent and get a professional opinion about upgrades likely to add value to your house and help it sell fast.

Learn more about the mountain lake area near Asheville at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Greening Your Favorite Burger

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 09:17:12 -0800

Building Green is spreading from residential to commercial. It makes sense. Beyond environmentally desirable construction, the ultimate goal is to use green design to save money. Restaurants, stores, offices, and banks are prime candidates. The US Green Building Council has recently launched a program to help national chains get LEED certification for design plans they can use in multiple locations. LEED is an internationally recognized Green Building certification system.

Certain elements of Green Building are the same no matter the location. These include the use of as much recycled material as possible, both interior and exterior, and elements that will reduce the bill for lighting, and heating and cooling. White roofs reduce urban heat island effect and bounce daylight into the building for natural lighting. Designs that maximize the use of natural daylight can cut power usage by 7%. Windows with high energy glazing systems, up to 3 times code requirements in some areas, help cut cooling costs as does designing with passive solar shading or motorized blinds to provide summertime shading. Outside, landscaping with native plants, drought tolerant when needed, can lower irrigation need by 1/2. Exterior lights can be set to turn on at night only when they sense movement. The last element is placing the building on the site to take advantage of daylight without cooking the interior during summer months.

What about the upfront costs of the Building Green investment? Consulting costs and time needed to design the first building do drive up costs as does investing in hi-energy efficient heating and cooling systems. But by creating Green Building prototypes that national chains can reuse in multiple locations, costs can be brought down to less than 5% above normal. That's in exchange for a 25% improvement in energy efficiency. (and a few points for good citizenry)

The same prototype concept is growing for residential home design. One idea is to build houses from a standard kit of parts that can be assembled in different configurations as desired by the owner and appropriate for location.

Visit http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com to learn more about the Western NC mountain lake region southeast of Asheville.

A Brief History of Taxes

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 12:02:43 -0800

You can procrastinate till April 15^th but in the end, there's no avoiding taxes and it's been that way for a long time...

Taxation has been around since at least 3000BC when the Pharaohs, whose legacy of lavish lifestyle is now among The Wonders of the World, taxed grains, livestock and oil. Tax collectors visited homes to make sure old cooking oil was regularly tossed out and replaced with new - and freshly taxed- oil. The Egyptians also get credit for inventing the first tax on alcoholic beverages. Taxing imported goods seemed like a good idea too. Both taxes have survived the test of time.

Taxation has also been used to mandate change. In 1705, Peter the Great, freshly returned from a tour of Western Europe, saw Russian beards as a symbol of the old ways to be discouraged in a country he wanted to modernize. To encourage clean-shaven faces, Peter decided to tax beards, excepting peasants and priests. (Maybe the peasants, or serfs as they were known, were too poor to afford to shave?) Bearded taxpayers had to wear proof of payments around their neck, a medal, probably the one time in history when paying taxes has earned anyone a medal.

Sometimes the change bought on by taxation is unexpected. England decided to tax windows in 1696. With tax assessors wandering the streets and counting windows, homeowners opted to cover up their windows. An idea that spread to other European countries with similar results, the tax was repealed one hundred and fifty years later when someone decided that it was in the best interest of public health to have homes with windows.

Some recent American laws have been even stranger. Tennessee passed a "crack tax" in 2005. Aimed at drug dealers who were not only breaking the law but worse yet, not paying taxes on the income, the law mandated anonymous payment of taxes on drug dealing income. The law was struck down in 2009 and about 3,000 people asked for and got tax refunds. Tennessee has revised the law but not given up.

Occasionally taxation has gone really wrong. Once used to pay the Roman legions, salt and taxing salt has a history of stirring up the population. A French salt tax is regarded as part of the packet of complaints leading up to the French revolution. A similar tax imposed by the British in India helped inspire Ghandi to the nonviolent protest that eventually ended British rule. Then there was another British tax, this time on tea, that did not go down well in Boston...

Learn more about Western North Carolina and the mountain lake region southeast of Asheville at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Extreme Makeover For Fannie and Freddie, Episode II

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 08:06:23 -0800

In recent months, just about everyone involved in the housing industry has met with lawmakers to discuss the Fannie and Freddie makeover mandated by the same law that bailed them out to the tune of 134 BILLION of taxpayer money.

The government has helped would-be homebuyers by guaranteeing mortgages for a long time, since the 1930s. But many Republicans blame Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for the housing bubble and subsequent POP that took the US economy with it. The two government controlled mortgage giants guarantee loans for private investors. Some new members of Congress - especially Tea Partiers- see a clear mandate from the voters who have put them in office for less government intervention in the economy and for letting private capital do its work. Representative Hensarling of Texas, fourth-ranking Republican in the House, recently said he would introduce legislation to transfer Fannie and Freddie's role entirely to the private sector within five years.

On the other side is the housing industry which worries that without government guarantees, mortgages will not be available for many Americans. Investors and the industry argue that without government guarantee, mortgages will become much more expensive or simply unavailable whenever investors decide to back off mortgages as an investment.

One possible solution proposed is an FDIC type insurance program that the mortgage industry would fund in exchange for government support. But some say that any government guarantees eliminate an essential element of market environment: investors' risk analysis. They worry that any government guarantee would lead us back to a repeat of the recent scenario of deteriorating underwriting standards for mortgages and eventually, yet another bailout.

As a real estate agent with a decent background in economics, I am in a good position to see both sides. There simply is no easy fix. Those with good credit and a solid down payment will get mortgages. It is the young, the less affluent -often minorities - who will have difficulty getting mortgages. Owning your own home is an important part of the American Dream and we should not let that dream disappear, yet there is no getting around the fact that those whose credit is less solid and who have less money to put down as a down payment represent a higher-risk group. I suspect the solution is going to be a blend of higher rates for some mortgages and some level of continuing government guarantee for higher risk mortgages.

Learn about western NC and the Blue Ridge mountains towns around Lake Lure NC: http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

If you can't be bothered to do a decent job, please don't take the listing.

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:23:52 -0800

I am mad so this going to be more rant than blog.

I have been reviewing previous attempts to sell two tracks of land a young couple REALLY wants/needs to sell. They have been trying to sell it for more than two years. They listed TWICE with the same agent.

What did this agent do for them? As little as possible. Take photos? One for one piece and two for the other. Our MLS lets you post 12 photos AND a Virtual Tour. Description? 13 words (include "the" & "and" so I am being generous). Made it easy to find? No. Made it easy to show? "Pick up key to gate in listing office". No.

Surely this is a new, young inexperienced agent who simply needs some training or mentoring? No. It's an experienced agent who runs his own development company.

Here's how I see it: if you accept a listing, you have a moral and legal and ethical duty to the owners who have placed their trust in you. If you can't be bothered to do a decent job, please don't take the listing.

Lousy agents give us ALL a bad name.

Learn more about the Blue Ridge of Western North Carolina at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Extreme Makeover For Fannie and Feddie

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 08:44:35 -0800

Last year's Dodd-Frank law forced regulation overhaul for the two mortgage giants whose failure has cost taxpayers 134 billion since the government took them over in 2008. Change has been legally mandated but where to go next seems to be a decision with no clear consensus.

The Obama administration report recommending changes to be made is expected in mid-February. The delay has been caused in part by staff turnover but also because of policy disagreement between the factions involved in the overhaul. The lack of consensus means the final report is likely to recommend two or three proposals with discussion of the merits and drawbacks of each rather than a single mandate for change.

The questions to be answered are important. Should the government be involved in backing mortgage-backed securities at all or should the free market prevail? Can the mortgage markets survive without government guarantee?

If the government guarantee route prevails, the next question is about explicit rather than implicit guarantee. The existing model was one of implicit guarantee with investors assuming the government would bail out Freddie and Fannie in times of trouble - as it indeed did. Under one new proposed model, bank-owned cooperatives or companies would operate like regulated utility companies and would issue securities explicitly guaranteed by the US government. But the government would need to be able to collect enough fees from mortgage originators to cover the cost of the guarantees. Without that ability, we would be returning to the same conditions that led to Fannie and Freddie's collapse.

As a minimum step forward, the Treasury is likely to begin encouraging private capital to return to the market by allowing Freddie and Fannie to raise fees they charge to lenders and increasing the number of available mortgages the private companies can purchase.

Any steps that limit the availability of mortgages to home buyers or raise their costs could hurt the fragile housing markets further. On the other hand, a return to business as usual is not an option.

Explore the North Carolina Blue Ridge at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 07:59:00 -0800

Jobs are expected to be the focus of tonight's State of the Union speech by President Obama.

Though the magic solution is still to be found, a fourth quarter 2010 poll of The National Association for Business Economics (NABE) found that 42% of them expect to hire in the first half of 2011. That is up from 29% in the first quarter of 2010. Only 7% of companies surveyed expect that they will shed jobs.

The US economy has been growing for a year and a half but companies have been slow to hire new employees. That is hopefully going to change as the economy continues to pick up stream and business that have thus far depended on increased productivity to meet the demand, will reach the limit on increased productivity.

Make no mistake, the 2007-2009 recession was a deep one and a lot more jobs need to be created to make a dent in the current 9.4% unemployment rate. But the recent drop in weekly jobless claims may be an early signal of an improving economy. The tax-cut package approved at the end of 2010 is also likely to help the economy.

It is more than just good news. Since job creation is widely viewed as the last leg needed for an improving real estate market, anything that is not bad news is great news.

Do you still need me; do you still want me?

Joelle van den Berg (Coldwell Banker Quarters) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 14:07:21 -0800

What's the really BIG news? It's the growing power of consumers to find it ALL online, include the property they want to buy. According to REALTOR.com president Errol Samuelson, 2010 was the first year that more people found their new home themselves than real estate agents found homes for them.

Real estate agents: did your heart just miss a beat? The data wave available to consumers is huge and growing and it is only restricted by the apps on smart phones. That means that consumer are empowered in ways they have never been. Real estate agents, the revolution in technology has changed your job forever and it is going to be ride the wave or go under.

Home buyers: If I'm not finding you the home of your dreams, do you still need me; do you still want me? YES! You need me to find the information you don't have and you need me to ask the questions you haven't thought about asking ye. As your buyer's agent, I need to be thinking hard about what questions need answers.

Home Sellers: The dependence on online presence means your listing agent needs to go beyond adequate to SUPERB. It's really competitive out there. Until the market changes, there are going to be more sellers than buyers and your for sale needs to stand out from the crowd. When those buyers start cruising listings, they need be able to find your property and it had better look inviting and worthy of further inquiry.

Learn more about Western North Carolina at http://www.DiscoverLakeLure.com