Overview
The Real Estate Market
The media would have you believe that the National Housing and Real Estate Market is in dire straights. However, there is no such thing as a National Housing and Real Estate Market, because Real Estate is local by nature. The Carolina Mountain Real Estate Market remains one of the best, most stable markets in the United States. Property values over the past ten years have steadily increased an average of 8-12% annually, unlike many other areas of the country. This steady climb indicates stability—we don’t see steep increases or decreases in housing prices, an indication that homeowners live here due to the beauty of the area and the lifestyle. Buyers and sellers both benefit. This steady market earns attention and accolades. NuWire Investor named Asheville one of the top 10 places to buy vacation rental homes in the US in 2008. Asheville was also ranked by MSNBC as one of the top 10 hottest housing markets in the US in 2008.
As many have said, it is a buyer's market right now, mortgage rates are at a 40 year low, construction cost are low and there is some fantastic inventory available. Now is the time to invest in your future and Carolina Mountain Sales is here to help you navigate through Western North Carolina and discover that perfect property where you can start to build memories with your friends and family!
Location, Location, Location
While the real estate market stability is reason enough to buy or sell a home here, the scenery isn’t bad either! Stunning mountains surround you, full of beautiful views and dozens of activities for outdoor enthusiasts. Protected land, including more than one million protected acres that will never be developed, at least 12 state parks, and the national treasure Blue Ridge Parkway are easily accessible. The Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains define this area, offering the best of outdoor living. Hiking, mountain biking, fishing, horseback riding, camping, snow skiing, hunting, rock climbing, and other sports are available year round. Wildlife abounds; it’s not unusual to see flocks of turkey, black bear, deer, grouse, fox, and other native dwellers in the mountains.
The four-season climate allows you to experience all that nature offers, without temperature extremes. Average temps in July are 83 degrees; in January it averages 27 degrees. It’s beautiful here year round, from the pale green of tree buds in spring to the fullness of summer jungle foliage. Fall is spectacular with its full color spectrum and crisp nights, and winter allows you to see the land’s backbone, sometimes against a soft snow. You can get outside and play year round; you can also build homes year round. The Asheville Regional airport allows easy access to the area, and almost 50 percent of the nation’s population is within a day’s drive.
Asheville
Everyone’s favorite small city Asheville, the area’s largest small city, is often called the Paris of the South and the Sante Fe of the East. There are good reasons for both. The strong arts and crafts culture permeates the city; there are more than 30 art galleries downtown, and dozens more in the area. The Southern Highland Craft Guild is a national drawing card; its two annual craft shows bring in some 10,000 visitors, and the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway features members’ work, drawing tens of thousands each year. Handmade in America and the Asheville Area Arts Council are two strong non profit organizations that support and promote local artists. Asheville’s location in a valley by a river also draws comparisons to Paris. Add to that its charming, walkable downtown dotted with outdoor cafes, great food, strolling performing artists, and beautiful outdoor art sculpture and architecture and the comparison makes sense.
The Vanderbilt Influence
Asheville is home to the Biltmore, America’s largest private home, now open to the public. Built by George Vanderbilt and completed in 1895, this 250-room castle is awesome, and a major tourist attraction in Western North Carolina. The home itself is filled with priceless antiques and art; its 8,000 acre back yard contains mature gardens designed by Frederick Olmsted, New York City’s Central Park landscape architect. A thriving winery and emphasis on self preservation make Biltmore a must see. George Vanderbilt and his wife Edith had a major influence on this area in many ways. They purchased stunning amounts of land, hundreds of thousands of acres, then donated much of it as national parks—one reason why so much unspoiled land still stands today. They brought artisans and builders from Europe to build the house and surrounding structures, many of these stayed and their influence is seen in downtown Asheville architecture. They encouraged local crafters to sell their creations, establishing an arts culture that still flourishes. They basically built Biltmore Village, the quaint area outside the estate, including the beautiful All Souls Cathedral. Still privately owned by Vanderbilt’s family, Biltmore is a huge economic engine for the area.
Area Fast Facts
12 Colleges/Universities
250 natural waterfalls
7 rivers
14,000 species of plant and animal life
7 major highways
110 miles of scenic Blue Ridge Parkway
88 miles of hiking along the Appalachain Trail
World Class hiking, biking, and watersports
Thousands of years of culture and history
Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the most visited National Park in the USA
Carl Sandburg, Thomas Wolfe, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and F. Scott FItzgerald all called WNC home
Accolades
Frommer’s recently rated Asheville as one of a dozen top travel destinations in the world, Relocate-America.com rated Asheville number one as the most popular place to live in the website’s annual ranking, and Wall Street Journal raved about it thriving arts scene and restaurants. In 2008, Where to Retire Magazine Honored Asheville as one of its “Eight Enriching Towns for Art and Music Lovers,” and Country Home Magazine recognized Asheville as one of the top 25 green cities in America.
