John & Jessica's Blog to Murphy, North Carolina

Murphy NC Real Estate - Super Home at a Super Price!

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:32:46 -0500

John Poltrock | RE/MAX of Murphy, NC | (828) 557-2270

Super Home at a Super Price!

3BR/2.5BA Single Family House

offered at $124,800

Year Built	1979
Sq Footage	1,421
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 1 partial
Floors	2
Parking	1 Car garage
Lot Size	0.76 acres
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

This home boasts a large kitchen & dining area, supersized master suite w/ walk-in closet, large loft, great mountain view, & so much more. The home is situatied at the top of the mountain and has a very unique fireplace. Outside the 1 car garage is perfect for storage or even a workshop. Best value on the market & sure show stopper!!! For More Information on this or any other Murphy Homes For Sale - Call Toll-Free 877-837-3002 and DEMAND the POLTROCK TEAM!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

• Fireplace	• High/Vaulted ceiling	• Walk-in closet
• Living room	• Dining room	• Dishwasher
• Refrigerator	• Stove/Oven	• Microwave
• Washer	• Dryer	• Laundry area - inside
• Balcony, Deck, or Patio	• Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

• Lake

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Photo 1	Photo 2
Photo 3	Photo 4
Photo 5	Photo 6

Contact info:

John Poltrock

RE/MAX of Murphy, NC

(828) 557-2270

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Jul 20, 2009, 6:15am PDT

Murphy NC Real Estate ~ New Mountain View Chalet Listing ~ Courtesy of John Poltrock, RE/MAX of Murphy

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:50:10 -0500

Great house! Call me (John Poltrock) if you have any questions or if you would like a personal viewing - 877-837-300.

Via Suzanne Roy (V.A. Work):

John Poltrock | RE/MAX of Murphy, NC | (828) 557-2270

435 Shadow Pines Drive, Murphy, NC

All the greatest touches and private loft too!

2BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $183,800

Year Built 2006

Sq Footage 1,404

Bedrooms 2

Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial

Floors 2

Parking 4+ Uncovered spaces

Lot Size 0.83 acres

HOA/Maint $0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Love chalets and not the open loft? This one boasts a private loft with lots of great touches! New Chalet and never lived in has a beautiful view of Mission Valley and all the appliances inside are included! Beautiful cabinetry, tile floors in baths, hardwood floors, rock fireplace, walk-in closets, tongue & groove ceiling, and a full unfinished basement provides lots of room for storage & growth!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C Central heat Fireplace

High/Vaulted ceiling Walk-in closet Hardwood floor

Tile floor Living room Dishwasher

Refrigerator Stove/Oven Microwave

Basement Washer Dryer

Laundry area - inside Balcony, Deck, or Patio Yard

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Front Elevation

Mountain

Interior

Kitchen

Private Loft

View from Loft

Contact info:

John Poltrock

RE/MAX of Murphy, NC

(828) 557-2270

For sale by agent/broker

Proudly presented by Real Estate Virtual Assistant, Suzanne Roy Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Mar 11, 2009, 7:56am PDT

Modular Apartment Buildings

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:24:22 -0500

Does anyone in the A.R. community have any experience with modular apartment buildings? If so, please comment - I'd love to hear about it! I'd especially like to know about the construction aspect, costs, and companies that do it.

Thanks!

John Poltrock

Real Estate and the Value of Video

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 19:20:37 -0500

Video for Realtors is rapidly becoming the standard. Unlike virtual tours, video gives you the opportunity to show of a home as it really is. Not only that, you can show the community, amenities and much more.

I chuckled when I picked up the last issue of Realtor Magazine. The cover story was Join the Video Revolution referring to the rise of YouTube as a new way to advertise homes. I've been doing this for several months - and I've found that clients love it!

You can see my videos on our The POLTROCK TEAM YouTube Channel.

Video is not rocket science - and there's no monthly fees since YouTube is free. Don't try and reinvent the wheel and use an unknown video site. Go with the undisputed leader.

The biggest thing is the upfront cost - a video camera. Make sure it is a hard disc recorder. It's easier to put and store video on your PC with it. Shop around and pick one you like - be prepared. It's easy to sink in $500 in to a good one. Also, and maybe more important, is video editing software. I've been using Ulead software. Fairly easy to use and you can get fast with it once you've used it a few times.

Be prepared to stink at your first videos - mine probably still stink! ;) Have fun with it and use your imagination to create your videos - that truly is your only limit!

John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist - www.MyMurphy.com - www.ilovemurphy.com- Real Estate in the Mountains of Murphy, North Carolina - 877-837-3002 - The POLTROCK TEAM

Market Stabilization?

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:39:30 -0500

The real estate market over the past few months has been amazingly steady. In our market, home sales have been about the same for the last 8 months while land sales are down. (My theory of this, in short, is there are so many homes for great prices that purchasing land doesn't make as much sense as it once did)

I've been noticing much of the media, including Fox News, has mentioned the market is "on it's way up." That's great news! Why? Because the media is largely responsible for the market dropping as hard and fast as it did. The "Sky is Falling" mentality hit consumers hard and created a domino effect to, you guessed it, where the economy is at right now.

Now that the media is beginning to say and acknowledge that things are better, that mentality will reach Americans as a whole. We'll see volume go up over the coming months and especially after the election (as long as nothing too drastic in the way of policy happens after the new President is elected).

Will that translate to instant real estate appreciation? Likely not - market prices will likely remain steady/flat for the next 18+ months. The main obstacle to having real estate appreciate more is to get the glut of housing/land inventory off of the market until your local market reaches it's "equilibrium of inventory." Then and only then will the supply/demand equal out and allow properties to begin appreciating at historical levels.

Now is a great to to buy! The coming months are the perfect time for investors to begin acquiring property. Start keeping your eye out for the "deals" that make sense for the long run. Don't buy to immediately flip unless you steal it. Great values are cropping up and you shouldn't hesitate on them. By the time the media and the market shows true appreciation, you missed the best boat.

NOW GET OUT THERE AND INVEST BY BUYING REAL ESTATE!!

John Poltrock, CRS - The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties - The Mountains of Murphy, North Carolina - www.MyMurphy.com - www.ilovemurphy.com - Call Toll-Free (866) 687-7496 and demand The POLTROCK TEAM!

Wow! Active Rain Has Changed!

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:42:06 -0500

It's been quite some time since I've been to Active Rain. In fact, I was surprised to learn that we're still the #1 Featured Agents for Murphy, North Carolina! No - we've not been slacking on blogging! I've turned my focus to our free standing site, Murphy NC Real Estate and Community News. It's been a lot of fun working on it for SEO and education purposes (for our clients and readers). After being away from Active Rain, I forgot how much fun the AR community is! I'm going to have to work on figuring out how to co-Brand my site with AR while not worrying about duplicate content and outside blogs!

John Poltrock, your Murphy NC Certified Residential Specialist - The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties - www.MyMurphy.com - Call Toll Free (866) Murphy-NC and demand The POLTROCK TEAM!!

Visit our new Blog Home!

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 21:42:12 -0600

Come visit our new free standing site - www.iLoveMurphy.com

Full of new content and good stuff, we'd love to have you!

John and Jessica Poltrock - www.MyMurphy.com - JohnP@remax.net - Homes and Land in the Mountains of North Carolina - REMAX at Murphy, NC

Website HELP! We need an excellent Web Company to build our office's site

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 14:45:11 -0500

Who better to ask than the tech savvy Activerain community? We're looking to rebuild our entire site from the ground up. It's not SEO friendly the way it is.

We really want a company that can design and host a user friendly, IDX compatible, SEO friendly site. Any good recomendations out there? We need as much input as you can give us because there 10 million companies....

Thanks for the insight!

Free Standing Blog Site for Murphy, NC

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 14:40:22 -0500

Check out our free standing blog site and let us know what you think! We don't have any comments on the site yet because it is quite new, and we'd love to have the Activerain community give your 2 cents! Please visit and comment on what you'd like! Thanks for the feedback and we look forward to seeing you at:

www.iLoveMurphy.com

Cherokee County's Largest Employers

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:50:27 -0500

The 14 largest employers in Cherokee County, North Carolina (NC) are as follows with employees by range:

1) Murphy Medical Center (500-999)
2) Cherokee County Board of Education (500-999)
3) Wal-Mart Associates Inc. (250-499)
4) Moog Components (250-499)
5) Cherokee County (250-499)
6) Indian Head Industries (100-249)
7) Tri-County Community College (100-249)
8) Sioux Tools Inc. (100-249)
9) TEAM Industries (100-249)
10) Coats America (100-249)
11) Ingles Markets, Inc (100-249)
12) Lowes Home Improvements (100-249)
13) West Contracting, Inc (100-249)
14) NC Division of Transportation (100-249)

John Michael Poltrock - REMAX Properties - Murphy, NC - http://www.mymurphy.com/ - JohnP@remax.net

Septic Permits Issued in Cherokee County, North Carolina

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:27:18 -0500

Many of you know the amount of backlog we have had in our septic permit issues. Trust me buyers - they're a good thing for you. The Cherokee County Health Department has made a pain for most of us, but for the standard buyer, you can turn it to your advantage. Sellers- you need to apply for a permit as soon as you put your property on the market.

Either way, here are some interesting numbers I think you need to know:

Total Applications Received	Improvement Permits Issued
January	171	113
February	190	109
March	109	171
April	210	91
May	265	129
June	49	140
Total Year	1,079	869

As a total, you can see where more permits are requested than issued. We're still 6 months out, but you still have the alternative. Soil Scientists are a good alternative in the Murphy (Cherokee County) area. There's been a state law applied where a permit can be issued by a soil scientist. In fact, I just received a permit in about 2 weeks! Ask me how and I'll be happy to tell you the process and who to talk to.

John Michael Poltrock - REMAX Properties - Murphy, NC - http://www.mymurphy.com/ - JohnP@remax.net

Liquor By The Drink Coming to Murphy?

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 08:50:53 -0500

Many of our clients are always shocked to find out you can't get a mixed drink or shot at any of the local restaurants (with the exception of Cherokee Hills Golf Course, which is classified as a resort). Not only that, you can't buy beer. Does it seem sane when you can buy wine at the grocery store and straight liquor at the ABC store in town?

Either way, Murphy's Town Board is reconsidering the liquor by the drink option. Wells and West (very influential persons in our community) are trying to generate interest in large chain restaurants coming to Murphy on land they own. Two restaurants want to come badly, but will only do so if they can serve drinks. It was up for vote in 2003 and was not passed - 55% voted no and 45% voted yes.

Will you be able to have a mixed drink with dinner now? It may be coming soon. In most Southern small towns, they eventually allow it and we very well may be next. What do you think? Would you prefer Murphy to be a largely "dry" county or serve alcohol?

John and Jessica - REMAX Mountain Properties - Murphy, North Carolina - (877) 837-3002 - JohnP@remax.net - www.MyMurphy.com

Real Estate For Sale Magazines in Murphy

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:43:57 -0500

We've got our first cover! We're quite excited about having the cover of Southern Home Market magazine. I personally did the layout to ensure its going to be a great issue. It's a great prowl front chalet home that is great! I look forward to posting the image of the cover when it comes out.

I'll use this opportunity to explain the difference between many of the magazines in our area. We have currently two real estate magazines in the Murphy NC area: Southern Home Market and Homes for Sale in the Mountains. Homes and Land will also be reintroduced to our area. I'll be advertising a full page in their first issue to test their effectiveness.

Homes for Sale in the Mountainsis a larger, more expensive magazine. I advertised in it for 2006 and sold only one house from it. Sellers - it's gone. It doesn't bring enough focus to your property to keep it. Not only that, it's much larger and I feel that because of that, your property gets "lost" in all the others. It has too many strikes against it to be an effective advertising strategy for your house or land.

Southern Home Marketis the current real estate magazine I advertise. They are far more flexible, less expensive, get more calls, and is not so large to where your property is lost. Because of the increased interest in your property, it has been the hands down best choice. It's even available online at www.SouthernHomeMarket.com

Even though print exposure is important, it's far from the most important thing. Want to learn more about what to do for your home in Murphy, North Carolina to make it more appealing to a buyer? Email or call us and we'll be happy to share our marketing plan.

John & Jessica - RE/MAX Mountain Properties - Murphy, North Carolina - www.MyMurphy.com - 828-837-3002

The Importance of a Septic Permit in buying Mountain Property

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 22:01:05 -0500

Many of our customers and clients come from flat lands looking to find their mountain dream spot. Whether they're looking for a lot in a mountain community, an unrestricted lot, or a tract of land with a lot of acreage, septic permits help ensure you are buying a piece of real estate you can build on and enjoy.

The above image gives you an idea of what a septic system looks like, and a permit is essentially Cherokee County's authorization to put a septic system in the ground. They look at your soil type and decide whether it is capable of absorbing the amount of water you're putting in the ground based on the amount of bedrooms your home will have.

Let me give an illustration of what COULD happen if you don't get a permit when you buy: You buy the perfect piece of real estate. In a few years, you go to build your home on your land. You don't want to start building your house till you have the permit in hand. If you apply for it after the fact and the county inspector goes and says your property is not suitable, you're done for! Yes - there are some ways to appeal it. If you can't get one at all, you have a property that just dropped in value to next to nothing that would only be worth something to the neighbor next door.

Play it safe - make you contract contingent on receiving a septic permit unless you have a very good reason not to. We would be more than happy to consult with you on how this process works.

John and Jessica Poltrock - REMAX Mountain Properties - Murphy, North Carolina - (828) 837-3002 - (866) Murphy-NC

Construction Labor Costs Should Go Down

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 20:22:55 -0500

Murphy, North Carolina has experienced quite a bit of new construction to come on the market in the past 4 years. Everything from chalets, log cabins, cabins, ranches - you name it. We should even have condos coming soon if the project takes off. We've been blessed with a great new inventory giving real estate buyers more choices on new homes.

Many builders have become a bit nervous and have drastically cut their inventories. This has left buyers with fewer choices on new construction homes. Even so, many of the reputable builders still have quite a few they are building as I write this. Those are the best to buy.

As I read the Wall Street Journal (August 1, 2007), it references that inflation rose just 0.1% in June from May. It also mentioned labor costs increased 0.9% last quarter. That number is a national number that even affects the local real estate market. However, I believe home builders will find that labor will drop as many sub contractors find less jobs are available. We may find general contractors will do more of the building process and sub out less.

I personally feel that would be a great change because the whole affect dominoes the cost of building a new home. A cost plus contractor (costs 100k to build a new home so the contractor would make, say, 15% of that) can do more and will not be paying a profit to a company that installs the hardwood floor for example. If you're not paying profit on profit, then your total building cost will go down.

All in all, it should be a good thing for labor costs in local construction to go down. It will weed out shady or fly-by-night sub contractors that should be there in the first place. If you are looking to build in our market, let us know! We would be more than happy to point you to a reputable builder who you can trust will be here for years to come.

John and Jessica Poltrock - RE/MAX Mountain Properties - Murphy, NC - (828) 837-3002 - (866) Murphy-NC

Realtors are Your Local Referral Database

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 23:10:58 -0500

Realtors are an excellent way to not only buy homes or land, but to find out who the best sub contractors, vendors, stores, shops, dealers, and any other place to buy "Stuff" and services. This is very often taken for granted, and if you merely ask, you will receive.

For example, I can tell you the best grocery stores in Murphy. I know where to buy meat and where not to. Need a lawn service? How about a contractor to build a house? Garage? Best place to buy a washer? What about the best burger joint in town (and no, McDonald's doesn't count.)? What school district would you trust with your kids? You name it... we know it or can find out.

I can send you to the right person just about every time when you're looking for something in Murphy, North Carolina. Cherokee County is a big place, and so is every other county. No matter where you're at... save yourself the trouble... ask a Realtor.

Great Market Timing

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:16:36 -0500

Everyone seems to be talking about how "bad" the real estate market is right now. For those of you who like to gossip about it, I hate to break it to you. No the sky is not falling! In fact, now is the time to buy real estate. Interest rates are still at a historically low rate. Remember back in the 80's when the interest rates were around 18%? Your $150,000 mortgage payment would have been a whopping $2,260.63 as apposed to today's much lower $923.58. How's that for a difference?

Many of our local banks and mortgage brokers are true professionals. There are so many mortgages products available today compared to even ten years ago. First time home buyers have it great with many of the incentive packages being offered right now - such as no PMI (read: fancy acronym for mortgage insurance) and 100% financing. Be sure to do your research and find out which bank offer you the best product BEFORE you fill out their credit application. Want good local bank references? Call me. I'll be happy to point you in the right direction.

If you think now is the time to sit on the fence - you're wrong. Ben Bernanke (Federal Reserve Chairman) is considering raising rates to cool rising inflation as a result of the stock market boom and other economic factors. What good is saving $1,000 up front when you're paying that much or more every year for thirty years on your mortgage? Think long term and you'll be better off than ever.

Not only that, there's a lot of choices on the market. Finding your new home is much easier than you think. Call me today at (828) 837-3002 to arrange an appointment to go over all the excellent options you have available. In less than 30 minutes, you can be well on your way to owning your own home.

For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Works!

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:49:19 -0500

Consumers - there's something you'll never hear from most real estate agents. Selling For Sale By Owner Works! Did you know that it works only 20% of the time? You can sell your property on your own and be successful, but the 80/20 rule is stacked against you. Regardless of whether its in my town of Murphy, North Carolina or the heart Washington state, 80% of sellers are unable to successfully sell their home.

Why do you ask? Think of your personal shopping experiences. Think about your largest investments. When you bought an engagement ring, where did you buy it? Where do you have your 401(k) or IRA? Did you buy your ring at a jeweler? Does a well recognized stock brokerage firm keep safeguard over your retirement portfolio? Most of you reading this will agree you work with professionals when looking to make a large purchase or investment. Some of you won't. Either way, it is the difference between shopping at the Mall and shopping at the Flea Market.

NAR Statistics show 90% of buyers work with an agent. That's a lot of buyers. The others look FSBO because they're looking to buy cheap just like you would look on eBay. They don't go to FSBOs to spend top dollar because they want to save money just like they would at the flea market! You should want quality buyers who are willing to go to the jeweler to find the perfect diamond. With a Realtor, you won't have to worry about marketing, signage, market statistics, deed preferences, contracts - any of that.

For Sale By Owner does work. You must ask yourself - do I want top dollar? Do I want to sell as quickly as possible? Do I want help from someone who knows the tricks of the trade? If the answer is yes, find a qualified Realtor. I'd be happy to refer you to a great agent in your area if you don't know one.

Now ask, Do I want to give someone a good deal? Sell cheaply? Go through all the marketing process? Price my home by what the neighbor says he sold it for? Hope the buyer who might come up doesn't walk because there's nothing to hold him? If you answer yes to that, try to sell your home yourself. Try it for a while, but when you see a poker player, ask him or her if they'd go all in on a 20% chance.

The Benefits and Beauty of Lake Hiwassee

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 21:31:08 -0500

Lake Hiwassee is a beautiful lake situated in the mountains of Murphy, North Carolina. Being the largest lake in Cherokee County, it offers a lot to boaters, fisherman, campers, and more. It takes up 6,280 acres and is made by dams on either end. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is the government agency responsible for regulating and maintaining its integrity.

Almost entirely surrounded by U.S. Forest Service, there is very little land available on the lake itself. In order to find a lake lot or home, you almost have to buy in Bear Paw Resort in the Hiwassee Dam area of our county. Many of the lake houses have an amazing view of the water and look on to Forest Service land on the other side of the lake. Because of that, their view will likely remain natural for our lifetimes.

Many skiers love the lake because the water is like glass most of the time. The mountains and fingers on the lake keep it smooth and prevents it from being choppy like many lakes with large open channels. It starts close to downtown Murphy and extends for 22 miles. Since it is surrounded by the Forest Service, you can camp all along the shoreline. Not only that, it is not heavily trafficked since their are very few homes on the water. It truly is a place where you can take your family and be safe, comfortable, and have a good time.

*Note* - You will find a common misspelling reading Lake Hiawassee.

Where You Can Expect Your Best Return on Investment in the Mountains

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 22:51:11 -0500

I've been working with a couple today who first called me on Lake Homes and Lots then did a total switch up on me. We ended up looking at homes with a great mountain view, and they now have two choices they really like. One in Hibberts Mountain and the other in Indian Rock Springs.

Anyway, I digress before I even get started. In speaking with them, it brought me to a great point which I have been relaying to my customers for some time. There are three types of properties in Murphy that have an exceptional appreciation rate and do well historically. The three types are: 1) Lakefront 2) Mountain View 3) Water front - i.e. creek, branch, and river frontage.

Lakefront - As with many markets all over the U.S., it's a great investment and property you can enjoy simply by being on the water. Here in our area, there's several differently lakes to enjoy. Lake Hiwassee (you'll see some misspellings, Hiawassee is a common one), Appalachia, Chatuge, Blue Ridge, Nottley, Nantahala, and Santeelah are some of the the lakes people enjoy here in the North Carolina Mountains. I'll go more in depth on some of these in a later blog.

Mountain View - Just like the quality of anything you can buy, mountain views vary. You could have a little glimpse of a mountain or one where someone else's trees could grow and block your view. The best views are generally considered multiple layers of mountains where you control the views - in other words, you can cut trees or whatever is in your way because you own the property in front of you where the trees could grow up. Close up mountains are also great, depending on the ridge line and other factors.

Water Front - Think varying ranges of moving water here. A "branch" is the smallest, usually considered to be 4-6 inches at most. Over 4-6" would be considered a creek and can get several feet wide. Rivers are, well, rivers. In Murphy, we have three main rivers: Hiwassee, Nottley, and Valley. All of which are beautiful and quite clean and clear water.

These are great investments for the long term and in some cases, the sort term. It's quite common to see double digit returns on these properties (annually). If you love the water or mountain views, fear not! Your purchase today can lead to a lifetime of enjoyment, or at the least, a better return on your money than you can find in any CD.

Information on Drilling A Well in Murphy and Cherokee County, NC

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 20:10:02 -0500

How much does a well cost? Who can I use to drill my well? Should I buy land without a well? How deep will I have to go to get water? What's the chance I won't get water? What happens if it goes dry? What kind of minerals are there going to be in my water? Will my water be good?

These are all questions I hear regularly when my clients and customers are looking buy real estate in Murphy, North Carolina. The truth is, these are all very pertinent questions that every buyer and investor should ask. The mountains make "hitting" water much different than flat land. The real advantage here in Cherokee County is that we have some of the purest, best tasting water come straight from a well and to your tap.

When it comes to wells, here's a good summation - there are no guarantees. There's good news though - experienced well drilling companies are a tremendous, and quite reliable, resource that can give you answers to your questions depending on the area you find your property. We frequently use and recommend Cherokee Well Drilling due to their extensive knowledge and many, many, many wells they have drilled.

Certain areas are prone to mineral deposits that can show up in your water supply. On the same note, certain areas are notorious for having deep and/or low yield wells. For example, parts of Hanging Dog, Wolf Mountain, Indian Rock Springs, and a few others are notorious for having deep and low yield wells. These really aren't the norm but illustrate how you can ask to make sure the piece of real estate you choose is in a "safe" location.

Here's the answers to many of those common questions. Yes - you can buy land without a well. People do it every day and end up just fine. Many swear they have the best water in the country. The answer to the rest of the questions? Ask your local well source, look at the neighbor's well, and find out the history. The beauty of well water is that it is clean, pure, and reliable source of water. I, too, have a well I use every day and love it! You can also send your water to the state for a nominal $25 fee and find out the mineral content and whether there is any contamination from bacteria.

To sum it up, wells are a great source of water. Just ask a professional when you find the land you love and you won't have to worry about sleepless, or thirsty, nights.

Murphy has new bank offering great land loans

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 07:55:13 -0500

Many of our customers and clients come to the mountains of Murphy looking to purchase real estate they can hold on to for many years and enjoy. Quite a few are specifically looking for an acre lot or more and want to build their cabin in a couple of years when they retire or have more "spendable" money.

Great news! Nantahala Bank has just had their grand opening (in their new, full service office) and offer exceptional loan programs. I have personally used their products (checking, land loans, and construction loans) with great results. They have an excellent team that truly works together for the client.

In regards to the land loans, they have many options. 3-15 year amortization, interest only, great rates, and a whole lot of others in between. They're a great local bank and you can find them on the web at www.NantahalaBank.com

Image Courtesy of NantahalaBank.com

We need YOUR help naming our Building!

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 18:35:01 -0500

Good evening all! We have been mulling over what to name our new office building, and we can't figure out! Perhaps you can help by telling the name of an office complex you have seen or by making up a new one. Here's a few facts that might help you come up with a name:

-3 stories, 6,000 sq. feet on each level

-RE/MAX will be on the second floor (sorry, one rule is that RE/MAX can't be in the name)

-It's a professional building - the 1st floor/basement is rental space and stores. The third floor is partially ours, but mostly going to be rented out to builders and other professionals (individual offices)

-it's designed with A LOT of stacked rock, a beige colored stucco, and looks REALLY sharp

-it's on highway 64 West in Murphy, North Carolina (Cherokee County)

-It's either the largest or really close to the largest professional building in the county

Please feel free to ask me any questions - I'll be watching this post carefully. We need to name it ASAP and haven't got a name we like.

Solve Your Computer Back-up Problems Effectively and CHEAPLY!

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 08:09:59 -0500

If you have the same problems I had with computer back-up, this is for you. I bought a 100 gig hard drive to backup all my client folders, pictures, music, and everything-else-known-to-man. The only problem is to protect the drive, I had to always keep it disconnected from power and my laptop. Then I had to go through the hastle of reconnecting it, transferring everything over, and then disconnecting it when I was done.

No more! For less than the cost of a back-up drive, you can back up your computer AUTOMATICALLY and securely using an online service. Merely tell it what drive(s) you want to back up, and it will do the rest for you all the time. There’s no space limit whatsoever. My back up is over 21 gigs and there are no complaints from them.

Check it out – it’s well worth the investigation and the money because you never know when your computer will takes its last breath.

Use this link to download a free 15-day trial subscription to Carbonite, and get an extra free month of service when you buy: www.carbonite.com/raf/signup.aspx?RAFUserUID=77443&a=0

Satellite Internet Brings High Speed Service to ANYWHERE

John & Jessica Poltrock (RE/MAX Mountain Properties) — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:05:39 -0500

Satellite Internet is nothing new – but it is certainly new to me. Many of you probably have heard of, or perhaps even use, this great service. It will work in any part of rural America where dial-up has long been our only option.

Here in Murphy, North Carolina, I live just a couple miles from where the DSL line stops. I’ve used dial up, but it is painfully slow. Using it for anything, especially the MLS, is a lesson in perseverance and probably results in a dependency on Zoloft. Even desolate regions no longer need to worry! Forget your antidepressant and keep reading.

I signed up to use to WildBlue, which seems to be the best bang for the buck. Go to www.WildBlue.com for more info. Their equipment and monthly subscription was cheaper (yes, you have to pay for your equipment up front) than HughesNet, which is the only other real competitor.

The largest problems with it? 1)It can be cost prohibitive. 2) Web pages load a little slow. 3) They limit the amount of bandwidth you can use each month.

It is fairly expensive to sign up, but that is only determined by what the value of high speed internet is to you. The second problem is one of my main issues. It can download files amazingly fast to not be hard wired to anything, but yet the average web page seems to take quite a while to be up and running when compared with the speed of say, DSL. The third issue is the other thing you have to be aware of – both companies actually cap the amount of bandwidth you can use in 30 day period. For most people, we will come no where near the amount they allow. For those who download a lot (more than 5 gigs a month), this could be a barrier. If that’s you, make sure you ask what your limits are with each monthly package.

What does this have to do with real estate? A lot! With much of the population being more and more internet savvy, they want the ability to not be tied to dial up. No matter who you are, where you live, or where you work, you now have the option to have high speed. It’s a great thing to know when looking for real estate in other outer regions where it has never been available before.