CERTIFIED GREEN-built homes for sale-West Asheville, NC

Here is a sampling of real estate market statistics for GREEN-built homes for sale in Asheville, NC

Many of the “green” or eco-friendly homes for sale  are in West Asheville a walkable neighborhood.  There are gorgeous, mature trees, perhaps the scent of fresh baked goods from the bakery down the street, and the sound of children playing. Asheville seems to attract buyers who seek quality of life- not only for the home they choose, but in education for their children and proximity to nature, golf courses, and the many, many amenities of downtown Asheville. 

NOTE: Average price per square foot -about $160.
2012 sold prices are at about 10% of the asking price. 

FOUR ( 4) CERTIFIED GREEN HOMES
FOR SALE IN WEST ASHEVILLE 

                                            LISTED AT $$                   SqFt                        PRICE/SF               

                                               $269,500                        1558                        $173. 

$285,000.                       1877                         $151.

$349,900.                       2178                         $160.

$539,000.                      3400                          $158.

  Please let us know if this information has value for you. if you have not already made a commitment to a professional REALTOR® and would like more information, we are here to answer your questions and are happy to do so.

 Sustainability.
The New Urbanism.
 Establishing and engaging in green communities.
A creative yet traditional approach.

If you are a person who find the above phrases intriguing,  you may be interested to know how some Asheville NC developers approach these concepts.

A number of Asheville’s eco-friendly developers  host design charrettes where they, urban planners and architects hold conversations with interested parties.

 Creative studios, cafes, shops, homes  on a “human scale” and on a workforce could well be on the agenda for discussion. Neighborhood participants can let them know a “wish list” at that time…perhaps this will include:  Solar hot water, extra insulation, radiant floor heating, solar gain and natural light, locally-harvested wood floor and/ or bamboo floors, high efficiency HVAC and HeathyBuilt® Certification in state-of-the-art GREEN homes, a community organic garden, a meditation garden by the stream and a short walk to Asheville’s amenities...as I found not long ago on the  site evaluation in West Asheville...pictured in the photo here.

Did you know that a number of such green- dream places already exist here in Asheville?  Let me know when you are ready to give yourself a gift to last for generations . . .  .

Buying a home in West Asheville

Buying a home in West Asheville may be a new experience to you.  West Asheville is very unique, even compared to the city of Asheville as a whole.  This neighborhood is a very vibrant and diverse area, painted with a sense of history.  If you happen to be buying a home in West Asheville, here are some fun places to visit and relax.

For example, Carrier Park is a well-known and multi-purpose park able to appeal to most people who enjoy being outside.  The park features multiple different sports fields, a huge play structure, a covered picnic area, a multi-use path for both pedestrians and bikers, and it even has a roller hockey rink. Haywood Road, considered the historic heart of West Asheville, is an exciting array of exciting specialty shops, such as holistic health practitioners, artisans, and more. And there are also lots of amazing places to eat, including Sunny Point, 12 Bones, or the West End Bakery.

You see, there is a lot more to the decision of buying a home in West Asheville than one may realize.  Granted, if there is a home out there for you, I will find it, but I want to show you as a home buyer that there is a lot more to be impressed by than simply buying a home in West Asheville. 

I will not only open your eyes up to the beauty and excitement of living in West Asheville, I will also help you find your dream home in regards to buying a home in West Asheville.  I am an enthusiastic Realtor who won't stop until your home is bought and you are sold, on West Asheville.

Interested in buying a home in West Asheville? I'd love to help you out!

While reviewing a sellers’ bungalow built in the 1900s our inspector discovered “issues” that could be of concern depending on the objectives of the sellers and their potential buyers. Were the sellers interested only in a cosmetic update? Would buyers plan to live in the home as they remodeled it?  Or, would buyers need to plan for a ‘Gut Rehab’?

Major Rehab: These sellers would leave the major rehab to buyers. They had ball parked the cost for major improvements including:

insulation

wiring

foundation work

moisture control

holes in basement

dirt floor

musty smell and odor of oil permeating the house

an ancient oil tank

drainage issues

a new roof

hazardous materials abatement

new windows

insulated exterior walls

a new HVAC system

(in the cooler months the heating bills at this Asheville bungalow were almost $400/ MO!)

big updates on the plumbing, and electrical systems …for example.

The sellers would leave dealing with the “Big Ticket Items” found in  many older buildings to future owners. The new owners could worry about materials and contaminants such as lead paint, asbestos, mold, pesticides, and coal dust.  After all, the house was a rental property. (we could see that it had not been properly maintained over the years.)  The college kids who had lived there  had complained of air leaks, but fixing this was not on their agenda. Surely, future owners would want to do something about this. (In this bungalow, for example a more efficient building envelope could provide way more comfortable living.)

Cosmetic Update: But the sellers were on a budget. They chose to invest less than $3,000 in a cosmetic update. They had been told that buyers, seeing granite countertops, and stainless steel appliances, and a new coat of paint might “fall in love” and be swayed to move right in.

Real Costs: Would such buyers realize the serious expenses, time, and energy involved in bringing this older bungalow up to today’s standards?  Would they figure into their spending plan another  $ 50,000. to 100,000. in addition to that “very reasonable” listing price?

NOTE: Asheville bungalows in walkable neighborhoods with cosmetic updates do sell for “reasonable prices”… however, buyers may choose to consider  “real cost” caveats…

Real Estate STATS:

Asheville Bungalows (NOT  Energy Efficient- add rehab costs  )
In “Reasonable “ Price Range of $150,000 to $250,000   On Market: 50

Healthy Built Homes on the Market: 16

Price Range: $150,000 to $380,000 (subtract rehab costs)

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 (c) Bungalows -Spruce Up? Rehab? or Green-Up? Ashevile Style-A1031 Realty, Inc. Asheville, NC  

Asheville Real Estate Journal

Quality, Longevity & Healthy Living Spaces - No wonder today's home buyers seek the value of green-built homes.

To achieve this objective, one Asheville eco-friendly builder selects  onlynon-toxic paints on the interior of the house, uses only rainforest sealer for all interior wood trim, and windows,  and insists on Bona-Traffic water-based low- VOC finish for all hardwood floors.

This selectivity does not stop on the outside.

Interior floors must be finished using a new dustless sanding systemthat filters the dust through HEPA filters leaving the air and the interior virtually dust-free. All registers for the HVAC system must be covered during construction to keep dust out of the ductwork.

 (If you have allergies or if you value the quality of air (IAQ)   that you /your clients/your family breathes, this is amazing. I'm impressed. How about you?

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Copyright © 2011 All Rights Reserved. Join the conversation at the Eco-All-Stars Group  

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(*)/'(*)   ________Asheville NC Real Estate Journal. Mountain Homes and Land Legacies-  - GREEN-FRIENDLY :81% of homebuyers would prefer to buy an eco-friendly home rather than a standard home.  NAR GREEN®, EcoBroker®, Eco Certified ®Real Estate Consultant. INFORMED CHOICES. THOUGHTFUL ADVICE. Unauthorized reproduction of any information including photos  on this site is a violation of existing copyright laws. All rights reserved.

Eco-Friendly Mountain Homes and Land Legacies-  
- Asheville NC Real Estate  © 2011. 828-776-0773

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Question:  Where can you find a bakery that caters to the health conscious?  In  Asheville, of course!  And more specifically, West Asheville...

West Asheville's West End Bakery is the place!                                                                                                                   

I had heard a lot about this bakery. So, I visited and discovered that this is a BAKERY where...a health-minded person can enjoy freshly baked treats and desserts and breads made with organic and whole grains...ahhhhhhhh... what a find!  Who would have thought such a place could exist! Besides my delight at the thought of my own personal benefits from such a place, this is a great place to bring my little boy and let him choose whatever scrumptious goodie he wants and not worry about reactions in his little ADHD brain from colored dyes and white chemically processed sugar.  The West End Bakery uses only natural cane juice to sweeten their treats--hooray!  It's also a kid and people friendly place...the atmosphere is warm and inviting.

                                                                                                The West End Bakery has just celebrated 10 years of bringing wholesome treats and healthful, tasty lunches--and now, even wedding cakes!--to West Asheville (and beyond). It's owned by Krista Stearn, hubby Lewis Lankford, and Cathy Cleary.  Nan Kramer and Katie Good were working there the day I stopped by.  Katie has been working there for a year and says she loves it.  She says that the West End "really IS a special place".  I agree.     

And, are we surprised that this especially kind and healthful bakery is in WEST Asheville?  No, we are not!  West Asheville is at the forefront of a trend that's all about living locally and being neighborly.  (Check out Haywood Rd., the main street.) People actually walk around this town...or ride a bike.  It's nice to see a town acting like a town--instead of everyone going to work and then shutting themselves up in their houses.  Its a unique and growing  place and it should be attracting interest from those who may want to invest in Asheville.  It's a great place to buy your first home...or buy your second home... (life is very interesting here :)... or, maybe you might want to consider investing in rental property. 

At the very least, come browse West Asheville and the West End Bakery and enjoy some wholesome goodies!

As you review the  numerous Asheville area eco-friendly possibilities, you may discover that some are urban and some are rural.  Green-friendly features and benefits are not limited to location.Perhaps you will find that this is more about a choice of lifestyle. Here is a photo I took of an Asheville urban neighborhood.Can you Name 3 Green-Friendly Choices in this Photo?

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