Kevin's Blog

Charity Golf Tournament for MS Society

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:49:21 -0700

The Central North Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has been selected to receive proceeds from a charity golf tournament to take place August 21 at RedTail Mountain Golf Club in Mountain City, Tennessee. The tournament is open to the public and registration fees are $100 per golfer or $400 for a foursome. All are encouraged to attend. RedTail Mountain, just 17 miles from Boone, NC features a signature golf course with breathtaking views and beautiful mountain vistas. And, the adjacent public air strip also makes travel to and from the area very convenient. The tournament will feature a high-stakes hole-in-one competition hosted by RedTail Mountain. The winner of the hole-in-one competition will receive a home site in the private, golf community valued at $89,000. RedTail Mountain Golf Club is one of the premiere courses in the high country, attracting players from all over the southeast. Players visit the course to enjoy the 400 ft. of elevation change in this true mountain course. Sam Adams, the director of golf and PGA Tour veteran comments, “It’s unlike any course you’ll play in the area. The elevation change creates a unique and exciting challenge at every hole.” The event is sponsored by Casa Rustica, an Italian-American restaurant in Boone, NC, owned and operated by Rick Pedroni. For more information about this event, contact Casa Rustica (828)773-3421. To learn more about the hole-in-one contest, contact Kevin Downs at kdowns@redtailmountain.com. About Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body and stops people from moving. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.5 million worldwide. About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn't. We help each person address the challenges of living with MS through our 50 state network of chapters. We fund more MS research, provide more services to people with MS, offer more professional education and further more advocacy efforts than any other MS organization in the world. The Society is dedicated to achieving a world free of MS. We are people who want to do something about MS now. Join the movement at nationalmssociety.org.

Kayaking in the Outer Banks, Cape Hatteras National Seashore - Pea Island

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Wed, 28 May 2008 10:45:35 -0700

I spend the holiday weekend at Cape Hatteras National Seashore camping and kayaking. I spent most of my time around Pea Island sneaking around the islands looking for Osprey, Herons, Pelicans, etc. This was my first time to visit the area and I was truly amazed at its beauty and the amount of wildlife present. If you are considering a trip I would recommend you camping at Oregon Inlet inside the park. If you do not have a kayak you can rent them from Kitty Hawk Kayaks or you can sign up for a guided tour there as well. Make sure you take your camera. Not only are there numerous birds, but the sunsets and sunrises are incredible.

Recommendations for Memorial Day Weekend?

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:26:24 -0700

Hi, I am looking to head to the coast for this holiday weekend and I am looking for a good National/State Park to camp/hike/etc. I love outdoor photography and would prefer something along the coast. Depending on the location I choose, I might also take my kayak to fish/dive as well. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Kevin

Kayak Fishing?

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Sun, 11 May 2008 09:51:44 -0700

Are any of you into kayak fishing? I bought one recently and set it up for kayak fishing. I was able to get it out for this first time this weekend, and even though the weather wasn't great for fishing, I was able to get it out and explore a bit. I am going to try and get back out this week and try to catch a few smallmouth and hopefully get out one night and try my hand at walleye fishing.

Equestrian Homesites, RedTail Mountain Property

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Sat, 03 May 2008 09:19:45 -0700

RedTail Mountain has released the first phase of the equestrian homesites. These homesites adjoin a pasture with pond. There are miles of trails leading from the pasture along the ridge and mountain property. These homesites start at $145,000 and go to $185,000. Please contact RedTail Mountain Realty at 877.488.4646 or visit http://www.redtailmountain.com/ for more information.

Things seem to be picking up

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:56:31 -0700

A realtor friend that does alot of deals with us stopped by this week and he has a home he wants me to look at. I am about to buy a cabin site in our community so I wasn't really interested, but I agreed to go look at it with him. I looked at it, nice small home on a trout stream, beautiful country road that I can easily bike to and from work, good price, etc. So I figured I would buy the house and put off buying the cabin site for 6 months or so. I also have another local mortgage loan officer that has called me a few times about wanting to get involved in our project so I figured I would buy the home through her so start building that relationship as well. For 2 days I have called and have yet to get a response back from here. I get to work this morning and I get a call from my realtor friend that it has sold. What I learned from this.

1. Do more than just phone calls, emails, etc. If he had called me and said he had a home to look at I wouldn't have gone. He stopped by, it was after lunch and I had a few minutes to spare so I went with him.

2. Don't wait when you know its something you want. Be smart about it, but move forward.

3. Things are picking up in the Real Estate Market. I see it in our leads per day, hits per day on our website, calls, etc.

Well I am bummed out about the home, but I have been thinking about purchasing a condo in Florida, and I guess now is probably about as good of a time as I will ever have in my lifetime to do it.

Humbling Experience

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 08:13:25 -0700

I have always been tech savy and being an engineer I have never been lazy when it comes to research and work. I used to do alot of cad work and would write my own programs, but since I have been more into management the last 10 years I didn't realize how much things have changed in the IT world. A couple of weeks ago I had an idea for a new website and have been trying to put it together. I bought dreamweaver and photoshop but I am having one heck of a time with the format, the graphics, etc. I am not giving up, I will keep plugging away until I get it the way I want it, but I do have a new found respect for those of you that do this for a living. Ok enough ranting... I need to get back to work.

Nike Plus??

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 21:06:40 -0700

Just wondering if we had any runners in this group that utilize Nike Plus? Yes I know it is a gadget, but I am a gadget person. Just thought it would be great to start a realtor only nike plus group. Let me know if any of you are interested and I will gladly set it up.

Program for Time Lapse Video?

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 20:51:13 -0700

We have some homesites with awesome sunrise/sunset views and I would love to do a time lapse video. Do any of you know a program I can use to convert a lengthy video into a shorter time lapse video?

There is no such thing as bad weather...

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 20:11:23 -0700

It was about five years ago when a few friends and I had planned on doing a moonlight bike ride through Cades Cove on a cold November night. That day was particularly cold and I was really thinking about backing out when a friend of mine gave me some great advise. Her exact words were, "there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear". Over the years I have gone to live by these words and on days like today, when it cold, rainy, and just an overall dreary day, I still decide I am going to go for a nice hike and see if I can add to my photography collection. As I am riding through Damascus, VA, a small town that has made its economy around tourism and people visiting the Virgina Creeper Bike Trail and the Appalachian Trail, I notice that all the shuttle buses are parked in front of the bike stores, I don't see the normal groups of people biking down the creeper, instead it seems as though I am the only one out today. I felt as though all the people who should be out enjoying this day are stuck inside feeling they should just stay home today and wait for a better day to go out. As I continue to drive I think about the real estate market and how the down market has left many realtors probably feeling the same way. They have probably operated in a "bullet proof" market for so long that now when things have changed they are not changing their "gear", instead they advertise in the same magazines and market in the same circles they always have. They have not tried new things, they find it easier to complain about the market instead of adapting, being creative, and generating sales in non traditional ways.

As this day comes to an end I am thankful for the advise my friend gave me years ago. I ended up spending most of the day hiking along the Virginia Creeper and at Elk Gardens, one of my favorite places on earth. It truly was a refreshing day and I was able to get some spectacular photos. Don't let the weather keep you down. Be creative, try new things, adapt, focus on selling, not on commission, focus on trying new things and don't be upset when something doesn't work as well as you had hoped. Tomorrow is supposed to be another nasty, cold, wet, rainy day so I am having a hard time making a decision, should I go mountain biking or fly fishing?

RedTail Mountain Announces Golf Opening Day

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:26:35 -0700

We wanted to inform all of you that we will be opening the course for the season April 18th. We are finishing the new construction of the clubhouse and will be installing the furniture the next couple of weeks. If you have any questions or would like to reserve a tee time please do not hesitate to call. We look forward to your visit. http://www.redtailmountain.com/ 423.727.7600

Introducing RedTail Ridge

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:04:22 -0700

This is my first blog attempt, but this is a picture I took of a sunrise at our newest addition to RedTail Mountain. This area is called RedTail Ridge and features homesites above 4000 feet in elevation. All views are either East or West so you will have either sunrise or sunset views. The lots average about 2.5 acres and range from $110k - $136k

RedTail Mountain Golf Course Opening Announced

Kevin Downs (RedTail Mountain) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 19:01:32 -0700