Jewels on the Sun...The Photo Within - 08/31/12 05:49 AM
  Usually it is the photo within the photo that intrigues me.  The dogs almost didn't get their bowls of water this morning, the sun (Monica's Gift) distracted me from the task at hand.  Every morning, every season, no matter what the weather is doing there is always the sun to greet us on the deck.       Today the jewels that adorned the sun caught my attention and while the dogs whined and cried for attention and water, I shot two dozen photos...only two came close to catching what my mind envisioned.       Don't worry about the … (15 comments)

Let's Face It...Fireplaces Are a Popular Home Feature - 08/30/12 08:15 PM
There are some common themes to what people are looking for in a home in the mountains of Western North Carolina...and let's face it...fireplaces are a major plus in a mountain home.   A friend asked us to take a look at her house, for a brief moment she was thinking about possibly selling.  The house was filled with these terrifice whimsical touches throughout the house but I particularly liked what looks like a distant cousin to the tree dudes I'm so fascinated with.       … (18 comments)

Furry Vengeance...How Could Realtors Miss This? - 08/30/12 04:58 AM
  How on earth did I miss this? I’m in real estate for goodness sake! I love the environment and want to protect it at all costs. I hate the idea of ripping out mountains or tearing down forests for the sake of brand new Wal-marts, shopping malls or cookie cutter subdivisions.
I also like movies, I like Brendan Fraser and I like to laugh…yet, I missed this! This looks like some of the old Disney movies I loved as a kid. The good old days when the ruthless Snidely Whiplash kind of guys got their epiphany and turned their evil … (11 comments)

View From Greens Creek, A Very Special Part of Sylva, NC - 08/29/12 08:23 PM
Last week when I met with the Health Department to observe them testing for septic on one of the properties we have under contract, I had the pleasure of enjoying the view our buyers are going to have.

The buyers are thrilled with this almost 5 acres in the Greens Creek area, and so they should be.  One of their borders is Greens Creek itself and the other border is this incredible pasture land with the short range mountain view.  They'll be coming here from Ohio for the closing and we're happy to see them take their dream into reality.
… (8 comments)

A Rare Mountain Find, A Flat Yard...719 Fisher Creek Rd, Sylva, NC - 08/29/12 07:44 PM
  The house at 719 Fisher Creek Road in Sylva, NC gives homebuyers a pretty rare thing to find in the mountains…a great big FLAT front and back yard!
The house sits on .86+/- flat acres, with a fully fenced in backyard complete with a deck, gazebo and a storage building sized for keeping outdoor gear or lawn maintenance equipment. If someone loved gardening, play space, room for pets or kids, or additional living space outdoors…this is the house for all of that.
There is plenty of living and entertaining space in the house, lots of room to spread out in. … (5 comments)

Real Estate Isn't About Luck...But, The Buckeyes Didn't Hurt! - 08/28/12 05:43 AM
  Real estate isn’t about luck. It’s been so long since I’ve seen this that I’m not sure I’m seeing things right. Is that light at the end of the tunnel? What made the difference? Could it have been the Buckeyes? They probably didn’t hurt but what it really was IF indeed that IS light at the end of the tunnel, the thing that makes the difference is...
　
WORKING SMART, WORKING HARD and KEEPING CONSTANT VIGILENCE OVER ALL DETAILS!
Real estate isn’t about luck, it’s about attention to the minutiae and there's a lot of it. It’s about keeping your … (7 comments)

All Kinds of Camping ... Monday Melodies - 08/27/12 05:55 AM
There's camping....and North Carolina is famous for incredible camping experiences...and then there's camp...Eartha Kitt was INfamous for camp but somehow the vision of her ever camping escapes me!  That's okay, there's room for both camping and camp.             Here's wishing all of my AR friends a week of perseverance and success...with smiles on your faces. … (3 comments)

Beautiful Balsam, NC Living Just Got More Tempting...82 Barrett Road - 08/27/12 05:32 AM
Living in Balsam, North Carolina just got better for some lucky buyers!  We don't often see the term "turnkey" used in real estate marketing much anymore and I'm not sure why that is but the house at 82 Barrett Road in the Balsam Valley View neighborhood is definitely a turnkey house.  Just bring your furnishings and move on in.  The sellers just reduced by $21,000!  A rock solid home in Balsam giving the residents equally convenient access to both Waynesville OR Sylva is now listed for just $189,000.  Unbelievable!   Leslie's flyer shows off many of the features beautifully and makes it easy to … (7 comments)

Autumn Harbinger in the Mountains of Western North Carolina - 08/26/12 08:43 PM
  It's easy enough to tell that autumn is coming to the mountains of Western North Carolina very soon. The shops all have their summer clothing on markdown and the evenings have been in the 50s.  During my walk I can tell that the underbrush is getting a little thinner and there are starting to be leaves on the ground and touches of yellow in the trees.  One of the truest harbingers of autumn though are the Buckeyes.  They started dropping in earnest about a week ago.       When we had our retail businesses, Leslie used to love to … (19 comments)

Woven Mastery - Speechless Sunday - 08/26/12 06:17 AM
When I woke up this morning I knew which photo was going to be posted today...until I got back from my walk and went out onto the deck to fill the water bowls for the dogs.           Spiders exhibit true mastery of weaving and I'm fascinated by the intricacy of their efforts. … (23 comments)

Meeting Self Imposed Goal - Fourth Quarter Challenge - 08/25/12 07:03 PM
  We are approaching the fourth quarter of the year and have been discussing which projects will be undertaken to expand service for our clients. Our goal is always the same…to continue to improve communication with present and past clients, prospects and our sphere of influence.   Here are three of our projects.     1. Leslie’s Flyers We anticipate great success with keeping our listings front of mind with the terrific flyers that Leslie prepares using our Publisher Program and photos we’ve taken of the listings. They give us a chance to break out of the MLS mold by giving … (17 comments)

My AR Buddy - 08/25/12 04:01 PM
Sometimes the only time I can find to write posts to this blog is in the wee early hours or in the way late hours of the day.  Lately my AR companion has been Charlie...he respects that it is "quiet" time for me and doesn't pester at all.     Occasionally he'll come to the side of the chair and stretches out his paw but mostly he snoozes and occasionally wakes up to let me know that he thinks he might be the luckiest cat in the world.       … (15 comments)

Greens Creek Wildflowers - Friday Fotos - 08/24/12 07:54 PM
  It was back out to Greens Creek this morning for day two of the septic evaluation.  The weather started out in the low 60s and a bit misty.  I waited with the guys and the bulldozer for the Health Department to arrive.  In the meantime I found this wildflower growing tall with blooms in several stages all on the same plant.        Not a bad way to spend the morning.     … (14 comments)

Thistle Have to Do - 08/23/12 07:36 PM
This morning was two days ago...or so it feels like.  I started out early this morning meeting the inspectors from the Jackson County Health Department so they could evaluate the vacant land under contract for septic viability.   We'll have to go out there again Friday morning, this time with a bulldozer to dig pits...more about that tomorrow.  While I was waiting for the guys to test sthe soil, I spotted this beautiful shade of purple.         I think the morning spent soaking my shoes and socks in the tall, wet pasture property was worth it since I got the … (12 comments)

Fine as Frog Hair on Wordless Wednesday - 08/22/12 07:55 PM
The insect world is under control here in Balsam, NC lately thanks to some froggy friends.  This is the first year I can remember such a healthy frog population around the house.      Some of them have been here long enough to not scurry away in terror.  They were pretty patient for the photo shoot but I'm sure the flash had to have bothered their little bulging eyes.       They sing all night long and then find a place to sleep during the day.  Must be nice!     … (16 comments)

Amy Stockman, Surveyor and Info on Landlocked Properties - 08/22/12 06:31 AM
Have you ever wanted to reblog someone's words of wisdom but couldn't because they weren't Rainmakers?  That happens to me often, especially when I read Amy Stockman's posts.  For one thing I think it is so cool to hear from a surveyor in this forum for all things real estate and for another...she writes great posts that have much to do with what can make our jobs as REALTORS easier.   Plus, hear me roar, she's a woman in a still male dominated field...you go girl!   Anyway, check out her members only post, "What is Land Locked Property".  Sorry to … (6 comments)

The Four Letter Word That Has My Mother So Upset! - 08/21/12 05:24 AM
  My parents raised four children, all born within a 5 year span. So at any given time, that’s a lot of diapers, baths, school lunches, parent-teacher conferences, pre-teen and teenage angst…not to mention current adult issues and challenges. I even remember all four of us having chicken pox at the same time. In my entire life though, no matter what was going on in her life I’ve never heard my mother utter a single cuss word. It’s a miracle that I learned any at all since she was no help in that regard.
Anyway, my mother emailed the other day … (15 comments)

A Beautiful Sound for Monday...Starting the Week out Right - 08/20/12 04:43 AM
  This promises to be another packed week.  Lots to do...I need to finish entering all of our listings into the second MLS we joined, we continue to push our four contracts to closing - three of which are already late and tons of other real estate "stuff"...all of this without my regular computer which is in the hands of the Geek Squad performing an exorcism to expel the demon viruses and other pollutants out of it.       Personally?  I could do with a beautiful song to start the week off right.  Let's hope we all have successful and … (16 comments)

The Devil's in the Details - 08/19/12 09:09 PM
Yesterday on the way home from another visit with the Geek Squad, we stopped off at the Antiques Mall in Waynesville to just walk around and browse a bit.  Something bright red caught my eye and I found this to be far creepier than the spider photo from this morning.         Dolls aren't my favorite thing anyway, but little dolls with bizarre expressions in demon suits really are disturbing. … (9 comments)

Itsy Bitsy Spider on Speechless Sunday - 08/19/12 05:42 AM
  The other day I spotted this itsy bitsy spider not too far from a rain spout.  I took a few photos while Leslie hid stayed behind a glass door!  The little hairs on this spider's legs probably made the hairs on the back of Leslie's neck stand up, lol.  To be completely honest with you, not really being a student of spider studies...     I couldn't tell you if we are looking at the spider's face or ahem...  Enjoy your Sunday!   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~+++++++++++++++~~~~~~~~~~~~~~++++++++++   … (21 comments)

The Buyer Said "Thank You!"...That Got Me Thinking About Referrals... - 08/18/12 07:38 AM
 
 
Wouldn’t you agree that the most efficient business model is working by referral and that most of our buyers haven’t the slightest idea of all the things we accomplish for them? Wouldn’t it make it simpler for buyers to refer us to other potential business if they HAD a better idea of exactly what we do for them? Yesterday, I kept the buyer informed of the way my day was spent on their behalf…and they said Thank You!
We met with their surveyor early and reviewed the new survey and flood elevation certificate. Then I saw their attorney to … (29 comments)

Reblogging Nellie's "Somebody that I used to know ... great version!" - 08/17/12 04:34 AM
You know how there are certain clubs or arenas that you really like going to because you just know the show is going to be great?  That's how I feel about visiting Nellie Lytvinenko's blog.  I can't wait until she posts new music.
Actually, I can't wait until she gives herself a well deserved getaway to ... oh I don't know...maybe the Great Smoky Mountains National Park?  She's one member that is on my must meet list one day.
Give this a listen, she says the song has been around a while but here in the mountains we don't always hear … (9 comments)

Why Are Mushrooms So Short Anyway? ~ Friday Foto - 08/16/12 09:51 PM
Certain things are really hard to photograph and I don't know why it has to be that way. Mushrooms are so intriguing and the really interesting parts might be the stalk, sides or underneath the cap.  Try finding a nice two foot tall mushroom...very frustrating.        I spotted this little guy on my walk in Balsam the other day and I'm not saying I blame him for his height because that wouldn't be very nice...especially since he's so cute otherwise. … (11 comments)

Vacant Land Sales - Like Riding a Bike - 08/16/12 09:14 PM
  We check the closed sales in our MLS often so we can keep current on what's happening in our local market.  Much to our surprise this week a number of vacant land parcels have successfully closed.  This is such welcome news in Western North Carolina.   We have a beautiful lot in Greens Creek under contract for a client.  Thank goodness all the Due Diligence stuff is like riding a bike...you might get rusty, but you never forget.  A few rules have changed over the last few years.  Since the Steep Slope Ordinance went into effect 4 years ago or so, … (0 comments)

Back Into the Light of Day - Wordless Wednesday - 08/15/12 05:01 AM
  My last couple of posts have been "members only" because I didn't want to bore the public with the spam issues ActiveRain is doing battle with.  Something is working though since there wasn't near as much of it overnight.  Hallelujah!   Spammers must be like cockroaches...they hate the light and that's what I've been trying to shine on them.  But, back into the light of day for me!   To celebrate the minimal presence of the spambots or whatever they are, let me share a couple of flowers from the Historic Farmhouse we have listed.  Patti did tell me the … (14 comments)

MoonDancer Realty's Commitment to Buyers - 08/13/12 05:29 PM
MoonDancer Realty’s number one commitment to buyers is to protect them during the real estate purchase process. Throughout the relationship with the buyer, our job is to advocate for them and to educate them about their real estate transaction, from loan pre-approval to closing day and the hundreds of steps in between. The first step is ensuring the buyer understands their rights as NC real estate customers and explain how real estate agents can work with them. In particular, we explain how it is in their best interest to use a Buyer Agent to work with them.
 
Price Range and … (2 comments)

Chills and Warmth...Hallelujah...Monday Melodies - 08/13/12 04:35 AM
  It seems it would be impossible to find bad versions of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah but here is a most excellent rendition and my favorite by the incredible K.D. Laing on Australia’s Logie’s Television Award show. She also sang a showstopping performance of this song at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
Her outstanding talent would easily give me chills in 100 degree heat and warm my heart in sub-freezing weather. The world will be a kinder place if we share this music with one another. I’ll be humming this throughout the week and I hope you’ll think of it often also.
Have a … (16 comments)

Poison Ivy and Jewelweed...Yin and Yang? - 08/11/12 06:17 AM
  When we still had our camping and backpacking store, Venture Out in Sylva, we used to have really interesting conversations with our customers.  I remember one time talking about poison ivy and the various cures for the horrible rashes.  Our customer, who grew up in this area, pointed out that wherever poison ivy grows...jewelweed grows close by.  Sure enough, over the years I've noticed that in our area starting in late July...jewelweed starts cropping up near the poison ivy.  Unfortunately, poison ivy starts growing earlier that  :-(   "Not a problem", she said.  She grew up with a mother who … (12 comments)

This Bud's for You...If You Know What it Is - 08/10/12 07:14 PM
  There were two showings out at the farmhouse in Macktown today just outside Dillsboro.  This morning by another agency and this afternoon by me.  Every time I'm out there, I see something new budding or in bloom.   Usually I post the photo and ask the seller, Patti to comment back the identity of the plant.  Not necessary today, I know what this is...do you?  If you don't...make up an identity, that's one of my favorite games!   There is no doubt in my mind that someone will be able to identify this quickly but if you can't, I'll give … (14 comments)

Hot, Hot, Hot, Except for... - 08/10/12 05:22 AM
  At the end of July, I worked with a family looking at old farmhouses. The temperatures were hot, hot, hot! Except on the bridge over John Creek in the Caney Fork community of Cullowhee, NC. The shade from the ancient oak trees and the sound of water tumbling over the smooth rocks felt like the reason that the sudden cool breeze occurred.

For about fifteen minutes the weather was delicious and all thoughts of air conditioned controlled environments vanished…you’ve got to love these mountain areas...
… (12 comments)

An Antidote for Chaos - 08/09/12 07:13 PM
  Lately when I’ve read some of the other blogs by real estate agents in ActiveRain, it seems that a lot of us are juggling jello lately. Trying to keep several deals held together with strapping, string, duct tape and sheer will. Everything is so complicated and it is no time to not be able to think outside of the box. As a consequence though, there’s a number of us who’s brains just don’t take a break until we sink into the blissful oblivion of sleep.

Yesterday morning was a perfect antidote to all of the chaos swirling around us. … (17 comments)

Kudzu ~ Weed or Potentially Wonderful...Wordless Wednesday - 08/08/12 04:57 AM
  What might be considered a weed or invasive species here could be revered elsewhere. Kudzu is fairly common all over the south. It was introduced in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia by Japan. Here, we see it as a drapery smothering trees and plant life. Elsewhere in the world it is harvested to make clothing, food, tea, and used for medicinal purposes including as a cure in China for hangovers…even Harvard is experimenting with it as something to control alcohol cravings.

It seems that if Kudzu is so plentiful here in the spring and summer something useful … (16 comments)

A Classy Start to the Week...Monday Melodies - 08/06/12 04:54 AM
     We've been listening to Vanessa Mae for at least fifteen years.  She is best known for jazzy electronic violin but peel back the layers of many awesomely talented musicians and there are generally  roots in a classical background as well.  This is a very short piece but optimistic and cheerful, which is how I wish for everyone's week to be.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ … (10 comments)

Bear Left on the Road, Daily Walking is Good for the Soul - 08/05/12 06:57 AM
  For many years, I walked on our road daily until stumbling in the dark last year on a small rock . The injury took time to heal and changed my morning schedule…AR blogs took precedence. Balance is important for more than just not stumbling on rocks…I loved walking. It kept me centered, focused & in shape. The routine is good for my soul and body. A week ago for whatever reason, I reached for my walking shoes and started up again. All I can say is Ahhhhhh.
Our road ranks close to perfect for walking. From a visual perspective, it’s serene … (19 comments)

The Sweet Relief of the Forest ~ Silent Saturday - 08/04/12 04:35 PM
We all have the occasional stressful week and arrive at the weekend feeling battered, bruised and bewildered.  We are luckier than many though...our home in Balsam, NC is surrounded by the Blue Ridge Parkway Park Service property.  Gazing at these beautiful trees brings calm much quicker than anything in a capsule form.       Have a wonderful weekend.   … (15 comments)

From Cautious to Confidence ~ Charlie and His New Home - 08/03/12 06:22 PM
  Charlie has been in his new house with us now since the end of May. As I watched him stretched out to his full glorious length on the floor directly beneath the ceiling fan, I realized just how far he’s come in those couple of months.
Charlie used to live in the guest house with his son, Little Monkey. The day came when Little Monkey who had never enjoyed the same robust health as his dad, passed away unexpectedly. Who knows what time of day…he’d seemed fine in the morning when I gave him his breakfast but that evening when … (14 comments)

FAQ~Can I Get Cash Back at the Closing Table? - 08/02/12 05:07 AM
  One question we frequently get asked is “Can I Get Cash Back at the Closing Table?”. It’s usually a FAQ that we get late in the process and by then if the answer is NO, it can be too late to do anything about it.
Once Upon A Time…four or five years ago when the litmus test for getting a loan consisted of breath fogging a mirror…all kinds of creative things happened with your house loan. No down payment was very common and it wasn’t unusual for the closing attorney to disburse money after settlement to the seller’s lender, the … (25 comments)

Holly Hills Bunny Enjoying the Park Like Atmosphere - 08/01/12 05:27 PM
We stopped off at our listing in Holly Hills this morning to take a couple of new photos. It was a beautiful morning here in Sylva, NC. Can you believe the day started out at 56 degrees? After the heat we’ve been experiencing the lower temperatures were surely delicious.

Obviously, this little rabbit thought so too. He was enjoying the shade from the dogwood tree and the view of the raised bed garden. He was very considerate to pose for me for a couple of shots.

The house in Holly Hills has such a pleasant park like atmosphere, that … (10 comments)

"Ma in Her Kerchief" Lives in Balsam, North Carolina - 08/01/12 04:41 AM
  This flower took over a month to shed its kerchief here in Balsam, NC.  There's only one plant on the property like this and it's been here for more than 28 years.  There's a stalk that's probably 3 feet tall and then this bud which explodes into the shape you see here.  Maybe one of you in the Rain with the extra sensory flower powers of identification can help identify it.  Until then, I'm calling it "Ma in Her Kerchief".     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~     … (16 comments)

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

Sylva, NC

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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

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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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