"When You Least Expect It" - Wordless Wednesday - 11/30/11 07:58 AM

Don’t you just love some of life’s best “when you least expect it” moments? The loving note card from a friend during a tough week, watching a stranger help another stranger, kind words exchanged in the midst of a chaotic world, a first snuggly warm embrace and being witness to all of these wondrous events.
 

 
 
 Wishing you a wondrous day!
… (9 comments)

If You Aren't Grinning By the Time You Finish... - 11/29/11 08:32 AM

If you aren’t grinning by the time you finish reading and listening, go home and go back to bed. Try again tomorrow!
Isn’t it odd how blog posts take on a life of their own? You start out thinking the story will go one way and halfway through the preparation you have an entirely new story.
My plan was to do a localism post and introduce Mountain Breeze Café in Dillsboro. Well, I guess I just did that! We’re lucky to have this amazing café so close to our office. They have a “build your own” sandwich feature that allows … (8 comments)

How Do You Help Sellers Price "Unique" Listings? - 11/28/11 08:45 AM

As a real estate professional, how do you help price unique listings?
The most important role a listing agent plays is as a pricing advisor for sellers. They need to be able look at properties and give appropriate placement in the local market for accurate listing prices.
 
Usually, it’s a mathematical equation determined by looking to see what else similar sold in a reasonable distance from the new listing then compare against active listings on the market. Then SHAZAM a listing price is created to start with, one you can tweak lower if the market or seller’s motivation … (57 comments)

Sometimes We Never Know Where the Day Will Lead - - 11/27/11 03:26 PM

The one thing about real estate is that sometimes we never know when we start out in the morning where our day will lead us.

 
Back in the summer I headed out to Tuckasegee for new photographs of a land listing that we have. One of the property lines is shared by an old but still active church. As I wandered through the graveyard I was struck by what a risky business it was to be pregnant and have children, there were so many tiny graves with headstones documenting tiny and brief lives.
… (9 comments)

Why Do People Move to the Mountains of Western North Carolina? - 11/26/11 09:33 AM
 
Do You Ever Wonder Why People Move Here to Western North Carolina?
　
There are probably lots of reasons. The musical and artistic population is a great attraction, as is the laid back lifestyle. There isn’t as much of the “keeping up with the Jones’s” attitude…that’s a plus. We do have one of the best “backyards” in the nation.
 

 
 
  
 
Did I mention the views?
 
Come home to the mountains of Western North Carolina!
… (12 comments)

Five Simple Tips for Buyers to Make the Home Buying Process More Efficient - 11/26/11 08:57 AM
 
5 Simple Things You Can Do
to Make the Home-Buying Process More Efficient 
 
Get pre-approved. Pre-approval assures you that you are shopping for what you can afford. Not only does it make the experience "real" for you, it also lets the seller and Realtor know you are serious. That's a crucial step in any market. Once you are armed with this knowledge you will find the search to be much more fulfilling. If the agent you hire does not ask you to take care of this step...consider another agent! 
 
 
Work with a Buyer's Agent. You use brokers … (4 comments)

Reflecting on Small Business Saturday...and the Hound Dog! - 11/25/11 03:43 PM

Have you been giving Small Business Saturday any thoughts? This holiday has given me time to reflect on small business owners and their future. I’ve also wondered how we, as a nation of consumers can help out the true “SMALL BUSINESSES” survive and thrive.
We ignored the Black Friday that was oozing into the actual Thanksgiving Day and chose to eat a modest meal of salmon with marmalade/ginger/Dijon mustard sauce, sweet potatoes and asparagus plus of course, the pumpkin pie. Eating simply allowed us plenty of time to enjoy the weather and the dogs…they really liked that.
Especially Gigi, (She … (3 comments)

No One Deserves To Go To Bed Hungry...Community Table Makes the Difference - 11/24/11 12:18 PM

NO ONE DESERVES TO GO TO BED HUNGRY...Community Table Makes the Difference
 

 
Jackson County’s Community Table in Sylva, NC’s mission is specific and pure. Formed in 1999, they’re working towards the day when no Jackson County citizen goes to bed hungry. From 4 to 6 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursday and Fridays warm meals are served in a restaurant-like setting to anyone who’s hungry. No charge and no hunger status documentation required. It’s a welcoming atmosphere. For many people it’s their only opportunity to be served with respect and friendliness while receiving sometimes their only meal of … (16 comments)

What's Hidden in Your Photos? - 11/23/11 10:18 PM

Have you ever noticed that sometimes photos can present themselves to you in different manners? When I first looked at this shot taken earlier in the year, I just thought it was a good shot of a flame.
 
 
Tonight though, I can see the figure of an observer. To me, it looks like a very young bear looking out towards the woods. I wonder why I didn’t see this image earlier? Where could the observing bear have been hidden all this time?
… (8 comments)

I Really Miss This "Sign of the Times" - 11/23/11 09:47 AM

There is a sign of the times that I really miss and believe it or not, it’s a closed sign.

The day before Thanksgiving used to be as exciting as the holiday itself. You knew that if you didn’t take care of your shopping, gas fill-ups, and other pre-holiday odds and ends on Wednesday then you'd just have to make do until the day after Thanksgiving.
Driving through town on Thanksgiving Day used to be a lot of peaceful fun. Parking lot after parking lot would be empty and we could celebrate in our country that for at least … (13 comments)

Advising an Attorney to Get a Better Umbrella Policy - 11/22/11 08:41 AM

Who are we to advise an attorney to have a better umbrella policy?
One of our favorite closing attorneys asked me to take a ride with her and look at a piece of property with boundary issues. Since it is our listing and I’ve walked the property before, I agreed. Did I also mention this is one of our favorite closing attorneys?
It was hard to find a time frame that would work for both of us since the excursion would be a 2.5-3 hour time commitment, but finally we decided upon last Friday. The weather was gorgeous when I … (4 comments)

Apologize for Pepper Spray? Are They Serious? - 11/21/11 08:05 PM

There is no such thing as a sincere apology for pepper spraying peaceful protesters. It is a waste of words.
 
 
Are they serious? UC Davis Chancellor Linda Katehi apologized for the pepper spraying incident at the school last week. Big deal. How about explaining why an atmosphere like that even exists on an American campus. Should we be relieved that no one was shot and killed like at the infamous incident at Kent State University in Ohio in the early 70s? Thankfully the UC Davis students remained peaceful in the face of this violent attack. Otherwise this incident … (7 comments)

The Homeless Dogs of Dillsboro Make Friends - 11/20/11 11:56 PM
Lots of people are curious about what’s been going on with the Homeless Black Labs of Dillsboro. They are being fostered in Balsam until a great forever home can be found. In the meantime though they are making friends…lots of friends.
In particular, their new best friend is Phoenix the Plott Hound. Phoenix was a former homeless dog himself. He loves Riddick and Hogan. They all look like they could be cousins.
Hogan and Riddick are getting lots of good exercise. They are terrific with the other dogs and have been very well behaved, most of the time. They do have … (5 comments)

Introducing & Recognizing Newbies in ActiveRain-Mona's Choices - 11/19/11 10:34 PM

When Jerry Newman announced the Introducing and Recognizing Newbies in ActiveRain contest, I thought this would be easy. It isn’t! Following Jerry’s link to new ActiveRain members showed what seems to be thousands of Newbies.
Many Newbies really threw themselves into the ActiveRain spirit. Lots of Newbies posted compelling profiles and personal photos, as well as great articles on a regular basis. Then there were Newbies who posted in fits and starts. When I started perusing their posts I saw that often they received no comments so I’m sure they felt frustrated not receiving any validation for their time invested in … (9 comments)

Building a Barn - Working Together - Friday Fotos - 11/18/11 08:53 AM
There is something so special about being inside a barn built more than 100 years ago. Just knowing that a whole community put their backs and hands to raising the barn together makes you realize the best way to accomplish a goal is to work together.

My imagination goes wild when I think about everything that may have gone on inside the walls of this barn.  Then I think about the vast pasture outside this barn located in the Cataloochee Valley area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
 
  … (12 comments)

Does It Make Sense to Not Advertise Your Listing Price? - 11/17/11 08:06 PM
 
How does this make cents sense? I worked with a couple today looking at property in our area. They were utilizing our local printed publication, The Real Estate Buyer’s Guide.
They came across an ad of houses listed by one agency without any prices published. Our client asked why any company would do that. I told him that I had heard that there is a theory that if less information is published some companies feel that they stand a better chance of consumers calling the office.
Our client responded…lack of information would be one sure way to make him NOT … (13 comments)

Nederland - Where Hippies Grow Old...Reblogging Mimi Foster's Huge News - 11/17/11 08:05 AM
There are so many favorite writers of mine on ActiveRain and Mimi Foster rules, rocks and rolls.  Her posts are always artistically compelling or downright purty.  They make my eyes feel good.

Her "Nederland - Where Hippies Grow Old" is getting reblogged because it foretells a HUGE event.  The divine Ms Foster is participating in November's National Novel Writing Month.  I followed the link she provided and have to admit I was intimidated by the challenge which only "fostered" more admiration for Mimi.
Her concept is brilliant because it hits home for lots of us in ahem a certain age … (7 comments)

A Mini Florida Vacation - The Price is Right - 11/16/11 01:34 PM

Western North Carolina is my favorite place in the country and I love calling this area home. But, for whatever reason, maybe the rain and gray skies for the past couple of days or the forecast for a plunge from 50 degrees at night to 26 degrees tomorrow night, made me think of Florida.

Since I can’t drop everything and drive down to see my mother and brothers in St. Petersburg and Port Charlotte, I’ll have to be content with some photos I took back in June.

 
If you have a vivid imagination, sometimes just thinking about … (9 comments)

I Tend to Believe What People Tell Me - 11/15/11 10:22 PM

When someone tells me they understand a concept, I tend to believe them. When they tell me they are in a certain price range or that they’ve settled on a geographic area, I tend to believe them. When they tell me they’ve decided on their criteria for their real estate purchase, I tend to believe them. Thankfully, most of the time I’ve been told the truth. Once in a while though…
It isn’t unusual to “meet” potential new clients by email and phone long before you see them in person. Therefore, it is pretty important to have a good method … (13 comments)

Why Did This House Sell So Quickly? - 11/14/11 07:35 AM
 

 
Why did this house sell so quickly? If we were enmeshed in a Sellers’ Market, this article would be no big whoop. It is such a pleasure and a feeling of “job well done” when a vacation house is on the market for less than 75 days on market!  Our sellers of this property in the Greens Creek community of Sylva, North Carolina are pretty happy with us!
 
 
This house met all of the perfect storm highlights.
The sellers were agreeable to pricing the house in the “market value” range. The house was in impeccable … (17 comments)

Contra Dancing Today at the Most Photographed Courthouse in NC - 11/13/11 08:27 AM
There will be contra dancing at the most photographed courthouse in North Carolina…to be more accurate, the Jackson County Public Library housed in the former courthouse will host the “Second Sunday Contra Dance” in the library’s Community Room this afternoon from 2:30pm until 5pm.     Jackson County citizens are intensely proud of their Public Library, the result of a massive funding effort between the County, the Town of Sylva, the Friends of the Library and the book loving population of Jackson County. The library complex inherited the historic knoll overlooking the downtown area as well as the famed “Most Photographed … (5 comments)

Hogan and Riddick at Play - Two Homeless Black Labs of Dillsboro - 11/12/11 10:46 PM

There are so many people who are asking for news about the homeless black labs of Dillsboro.
Hogan and Riddick went to the vets today for a heartworm check - it was negative. They are big boys, Riddick weighs 73 pounds and Hogan is 68 pounds. The vet and the vet techs all fell in love with them. No one can believe how beautifully behaved they are.
Before we took them to the Animal Hospital of Waynesville, we let them run in the yard. They are unbelievably fast and playful! It wasn’t easy getting photos of them in motion, … (6 comments)

Have You Ever Forgotten Your Anniversary? - 11/11/11 10:50 PM

How could we forget our own anniversary? Especially our first anniversary? Just busy working I guess!
We are so proud and thankful to announce the news that MoonDancer Realty celebrated our first anniversary on November 10, 2011. We couldn’t be happier with our success, our location, our Office Manager and our clients.
We’ll mark our calendars so that we don’t miss next year’s anniversary, lol.  We only remembered this year because we needed to renew the E&O Insurance.  Maybe we should even plan a party!  Want to come?
… (14 comments)

Plan Ahead for Winter Essentials - 25 Degrees in Balsam, NC - 11/11/11 07:38 AM

The outdoor temperature in Balsam, NC this morning was a brisk 25 degrees and a clear indicator that it’s time to lay in a good supply of winter essentials. 
Plan ahead, it’s always a good idea to have body warmers not requiring an electrical outlet, batteries or any fuel other than kibble!

If your body warmers happen to double as muscle relaxants…that’s even better planning.
 
… (9 comments)

"Maybe My Thinking is Wrong", Said the Seller - 11/10/11 08:28 AM
 
“Maybe my thinking is wrong”, began the conversation. I’d called a potential listing at the request of a personal friend. He’d told the seller we would tell him the truth. The seller has already had two agents. His theory? If his house hasn’t sold during a six month listing period then he hires a different agency. His reasoning is he believes new listings magically erase the days on market.
Not so much !
There are many ways to search for listings nowadays and just as many ways to find out everything an agent or a consumer needs to know. Agents … (10 comments)

Tree Dude in Franklin, NC - Wordless Wednesday - 11/09/11 07:39 AM

Why am I so enamored with these tree dudes? Personally, I’d never nail anything into a tree but for some reason whenever I discover one of these tree guys I have to stop and get the photo. There is a whole folder on my foto flash drive devoted to these contemporary Druids I've found all over Jackson, Haywood and now Macon County.
This tree Druid Dude was found when I made a wrong turn was exploring an alternate route on my way to meet one of Frisco the parrot’s humans to look at an old farmhouse in Franklin, NC.

It’s a … (6 comments)

Two Homeless Black Labs in Dillsboro, NC - An Update - 11/08/11 10:45 PM

The outpouring of concern for the two homeless black labs has been so warm. Their need for a home together has gone practically viral with people re-blogging, posting to Facebook and forwarding emails.  We’ve learned a little more about these boys and wanted to keep everyone updated.

They ride in cars beautifully.
They eat food nicely and drink lots of water.

They sleep through the night.

A friend of ours came to see the boys and she is thinking about them. Her hesitation is that they are maybe too big for her. They are probably 75-80 … (12 comments)

ActiveRain Library-Reading Time into the Equation - 11/08/11 08:06 AM
 
It’s hard to remember a time when I wasn’t a reader. My mother used to take us four kids to the public library when we were very small and would limit us to one grocery bag each of books. There’s always been more reading material than stamina or time to read! ActiveRain reminds me of the public library in some ways.
 
The ActiveRain library is a little different than visiting the public library because instead of a library card, we have subscriptions. Currently, I subscribe to 54 writers and there are 55 who subscribe to me. That is so … (28 comments)

Two Homeless Black Lab Brothers - Can You Help? - 11/07/11 04:15 PM

You just never know what the day will bring you. This morning Leslie and a couple of our Cannon’s Corner neighbors found two black labs on our deck in Dillsboro. They looked tired but in reasonably good shape. Luckily there was a rabies tag on one so Leslie was able to call the vet’s office and find out who these dogs were. She called the owner several times and got no answer. Since the address was just about 5 minutes away, I drove over hoping that the owner was just out in the yard. 
I got there and there was … (19 comments)

WNC Pottery Festival in Dillsboro, NC~It Was a Really Good Day - 11/06/11 06:15 PM

What makes for a really good day of business? All you had to do was attend the WNC Pottery Festival in Dillsboro, NC yesterday.
 
"WNC Pottery Festival~Dillsboro, NC~ Nov 5, 2011"Create a free slideshow with Picnik!  
 
The day dawned very cold, 32 degrees but by 10am the sun was out and temperature was rising. The crowds turned out by the thousands. The 45 pottery vendors were all excellent and varied. Potters from all over the country were busy selling their wares all day long. There were packages galore among the shoppers and smiles on their faces.
 
… (6 comments)

Comparing Clay Olympics with ActiveRain - WNC Pottery Festival in Dillsboro NC - 11/05/11 10:37 AM
 
The WNC Pottery Festival’s Clay Olympics was held yesterday as sort of a prelude to today’s events. Leslie and the Office Manager went to the first half of the event while I was showing property. When I spoke with Leslie later she told me that the Olympics portion of the event was all about building a sense of community among the potters. To be sure, it is a crowd pleaser too but it seems the higher purpose is a chance for the potters to unwind and relax with each other before the long day ahead.
 
ActiveRain is like that. … (7 comments)

Focused at Food Lion - Universal Expressions - 11/04/11 08:22 AM

Some expressions are just universal. It wouldn’t matter if these photos were taken in Norway, Japan, Venezuela or any other place in the world.
 
This particular dog was Focused at Food Lion in Sylva, NC. When dogs are waiting in the vehicle for their humans to return, the expressions on their faces say it all.
 
It still makes me nervous, but it happens. The weather is cooler and people take their dogs with them while they run their errands. While I waited in the car at the grocery store with the Office Manager it was impossible to miss … (19 comments)

Perfect "Hands On" Commerce - WNC Pottery Festival in Dillsboro, NC - 11/03/11 10:49 PM


 
“Pottery” developed out of the necessity for vessels and storage containers and has over time morphed into an art form combining function with beauty. Front Street in Dillsboro, North Carolina will host the 7th annual WNC Pottery Festival on Saturday, November 5th. It’s an excellent opportunity to witness the wide ranging talents of 45 vendors who have chosen to make their livings from combining clay with their own unique artistic interpretation of the objects they can coax from the raw materials. This is a literal example of “hands on” commerce.
 
 
These potters inspire me, they are … (7 comments)

Celebrate the Dreamers - WNC Pottery Festival in Dillsboro, NC - 11/02/11 05:18 PM
Our country was built on the ambitions, whims, and faith of strong-willed entrepreneurs. It always has been and always will be the backbone of our nation. Anytime you visit Smalltown America or attend a festival of any type, drill down to the origins of the event and celebrate the determined individuals who made the dream a reality.
 
 
Saturday, November 5th marks the 7th anniversary of the Western North Carolina Pottery Festival held right here in the historic Town of Dillsboro, NC. It is the best known regional pottery festival in the south, attracting renowned potters from all over the country. Front Street … (16 comments)

There Are Benefits to Sunbathing! - 11/01/11 08:51 AM


 
 
Sure, I know I’m supposed to be photographing the house and getting the listing agreements signed…and I do all of that.
 
 
But who can resist a puppy sunbathing? I think this is a 9 year old puppy and she was so sleepy, she made for a perfect subject.  Her nine year old bones get gently warmed and my heart always warms when I see dogs or cats this comfy.
 
 
 
Do your puppies follow the sunbeam too? I know ours do, so would I if I felt like laying on the floor all … (17 comments)

Webster, NC - A Favorite Neighborhood - 11/01/11 08:03 AM
Webster is a favorite neighborhood in Jackson County, NC. Originally, Webster was the county seat and still has fabulous old buildings and homes that have been well preserved. Webster has a feel of being central to everything in the northern part of Jackson County. From Webster it is a quick drive to take care of schooling, medical, shopping and entertainment needs. It is within minutes of Western Carolina University and Southwestern Community College. 
This “like new” home located at 166 Amaroo Ridge is ideally located for anyone working in Jackson County. If your job entails entertaining frequently, this just might be … (7 comments)

 
Mona%20800%20squared Ambassador_large

Mona Gersky, GRI,ABR~MoonDancer Realty~ Western NC Mountains

Sylva, NC

More about me…

Buyer & Seller Representation

Address: Sylva,Bryson City,Cullowhee,Balsam, Webster,Whittier,Waynesville, Dillsboro, NC, 28725

Office Phone: (828) 631-0077

Cell Phone: (828) 508-1107

Email Me

What job could possibly be better than bringing people together by sharing our common interests and learning new ones? Here's my opportunity to introduce conversations and photos of the area I feel so passionate about...the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina. This is one way to give you some background about me and our MoonDancer Realty company to help you make an informed decision about hiring us as your next REALTOR. I hope you enjoy the content as much I enjoy sharing it. I'm looking forward to reading your comments and hope to meet you soon.


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