Archive for February, 2008
Market snapshot of homes in escrow in Haywood County, NC in February 2008.
February 28th, 2008 Categories: Haywood County Market Reports
Haywood County, NC has 978 active listings this morning, 231 of which are listings in Maggie Valley, and 465 of which are listings in Waynesville. The remainder of the listings are scattered throughout Canton, Clyde and Lake Junaluska, NC. Here is a snapshot of the listings in Haywood County, NC which have gone into escrow during February (as of February 28, 2008).
Source: MLS. Data deemed reliable but, not guaranteed.
We are thankful for the homes in escrow. This morning’s Wall Street Journal included an interesting article that relates back to buyers/homes in escrow, entitled: Decline in Home Prices Picks Up Pace.
“There may be light at the end of the tunnel. As prices fall, potential buyers may be tempted off the sidelines. Economists agree the key to stabilizing prices is working off the huge inventory of unsold homes. Supply is shrinking: New-home construction has plunged dramatically. But demand has fallen just as much, leaving inventories high. Sales are now far below normal trends, and on Monday, an industry trade group reported a 0.5% increase in single-family home sales in January, the first in 11 months.”
Check back for February’s final numbers in a few days to get an update of the residential real estate activity for Maggie Valley, Waynesville, and all of Haywood County, NC.
It’s still a home buyers’ market so if you are looking to buy property – check out the Haywood County MLS and see all the homes for sale right now.
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Bring your Cupcake to Whitman’s Bakery in beautiful downtown Waynesville, NC.
February 27th, 2008 Categories: Eat Your Way Through Town
Beautiful downtown Waynesville, NC is quaint, charming, and unique, and the shopping on Waynesville’s downtown Main Street is easy, convenient, pleasant, entertaining, and tempting, and can certainly work up an appetite! One of my favorite places to satisfy that shopping appetite is Whitman’s Bakery.
Yesterday, while attending my monthly Hospice Volunteers meeting which is held at Whitman’s Bakery, I enjoyed some of Whitman’s famous Cowboy Cookies. I do love Cowboys, so they immediately caught my fancy. They were delicious, especially with my great cup of Whitman’s coffee.
Whitman’s is a ‘must visit on a regular basis’ in Waynesville. Not only do they have fresh homemade pastries, cupcakes, donuts, cinnamon twists, cakes, cookies, and homemade bread, they always feature seasonal and holiday goodies.
The beautifully decorated Easter cupcakes make your mouth water just looking at them, and there are many colorfully packaged Easter goodies, ready for your shopping and eating pleasure.
Whitman’s Bakery is located at 18 N. Main Street in Waynesville, and their phone number is 828-456-8271. Call in an order!
I think I should stop by there today to pick up their sandwich menu and see if I can get you drooling over their sandwiches!
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Haywood Regional Medical Center, Haywood County, NC’s health care provider, cut off from Medicare and Medicaid payments.
February 26th, 2008 Categories: Hot Local Topics
Haywood Regional Medical Center, celebrating 80 years of providing health care to Haywood County, suffered a setback this week with the cessation of Medicare and Medicaid payments, as well as the subsequent resignation of David Rice, HRMC’s CEO, who served as CEO since 1993.
“Haywood Regional was cut off from Medicare payments Sunday following a state inspection that found “immediate jeopardy” in how hospital staff administers medication to patients.
Only five hospitals out of 6,700 nationwide were similarly decertified from Medicare in 2007, according to the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.”
November of 2007 brought awards and accolades for Haywood Regional Medical Center, which was the recipient of five-star rankings based on predicted outcomes in 25 areas according to a comprehensive study by HealthGrades™ as well as ‘best’ rankings in North Carolina for overall critical care and treatment for gastrointestinal services; and, in addition, was in the top 5% of hospitals nationwide for gastrointestinal surgery, gastrointestinal services, and gastrointestinal medical treatment.
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Are the Cataloochee Wilderness Resort developers setting up local headquarters in Haywood County, NC?
February 25th, 2008 Categories: Cataloochee Wilderness Resort
A local publication is reporting that the developers of the Cataloochee Wilderness Resort are setting up a local office in Clyde, NC. Dean Moses, Consultant, evidently wasn’t around the building to confirm any plans, but Frank Singleton acknowledged that the Cataloochee Wilderness Resort is opening up an office for the locally ‘famous’ proposed project which has stirred up controversy in Haywood County, NC… especially in Jonathan Creek!
“The office isn’t readily identifiable. There’s no sign outside indicating the company’s presence, and the woman who answered the door at the property declined to identify it as the headquarters of Cataloochee Companies LLC. She directed that question to Dean Moses, a consultant for the project, who was not present at the time.
Singleton, however, confirmed that the location was the office for the Cataloochee Wilderness project. The company is planning to hold public meetings about the project soon, but dates and locations have not been announced.”
BuckingtheRealEstateTrend is definitely looking forward to those public meetings that have been promised! Let’s see if we can’t ’spur them on‘ to schedule those meetings.
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Frank Singleton, Cataloochee Wilderness Resort spokesman, answering more questions regarding the proposed Jonathan Creek, NC development.
February 25th, 2008 Categories: Cataloochee Wilderness Resort
Frank Singleton, spokesman for the Cataloochee Wilderness Resort developers, made the papers again, and I found his answers both in the hard copy as well as the on-line version of our local newspaper, The Mountaineer.
Responding to a question about the “expected average cost of homes to be built,” Frank said:
“We will be specifically targeting homebuyers in the middle to upper income bracket, and as I said, the average price of homes in the initial phase will be in the $ 350,000 arena, ranging up to $ 3 million in the final phase. “
Will there be a race to buy if/when the development gets off the ground?
Photo credit: Andrew Shiel.
What do you think?
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Haywood County, NC Residential Real Estate Market Snapshot - 02/24/08
February 25th, 2008 Categories: Haywood County Market Reports
Want a quick look at the present Haywood County, NC residential real estate market? Here it is…
Source: MLS. Data deemed reliable but, not guaranteed.
We have 973 homes on the market early this morning in Haywood County, NC according to our MLS provider. Click here to see numbers for homes for sale in Maggie Valley, NC (through February 24th) by price range.
BuckingtheRealEstateTrend will keep an eye on the numbers, and keep you informed.
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Maggie Valley (Haywood County), NC - Homes on Market by Price Range, 02/24/08.
February 24th, 2008 Categories: Maggie Valley Market Reports
Maggie Valley, (in Haywood County) NC had 230 homes on the market this morning. It is a great time (as I might have mentioned before!) to consider the choices Buyers now have, especially in the price ranges between $200,000 to $500,000.
Source: MLS. Data deemed reliable but, not guaranteed.
Year-to-date residential sales for all of Haywood County, NC are down 40.57% from the same period last year. If you have been waiting on buying that second home in the mountains, come on up and enjoy the smorgasbord! There really are some beautiful homes here …. with logs, and fireplaces, and creeks, and views.
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Want to enter to win a free log cabin kit for your mountain property in Haywood County, NC (or anywhere for that matter)?
February 23rd, 2008 Categories: Community
While working 0n-line early this morning I stumbled across an opportunity to win a free $33,700 Ward Cedar Log Homes Baskahegan cabin kit (The Great Log Cabin Giveaway), so I threw my name in the hat.
If you want to throw your name in the hat (since MANY people who move to Maggie Valley, or Waynesville, or any of our surrounding Haywood County areas want to live in, or build, their own log home), you have until December 31, 2008 to enter… once a day if you want! There are no hassles to sign up, although you can sign up for your Turkey & Turkey Hunting magazine at the same time if you want to!
The cabin being given away is from Ward Cedar Log Homes.
BuckingtheRealEstateTrend has no interest in or affiliation with Ward Cedar Log Homes!
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Haywood County, NC Residential Real Estate Market Trends - January 1 thru February 22, 2007 compared to January 1 thru February 22, 2008.
February 22nd, 2008 Categories: Haywood County Market Reports
Comparing the Haywood County, NC homes sold reports for the periods of January 1 thru February 22, 2007 vs. 2008 produces the following numbers, illustrative of the present residential real estate trend in our area (Maggie Valley, Waynesville, Canton, Clyde, Lake Junaluska).Three bedroom homes remain the best sellers in volume. Homes in the $700,000 to $799,999 took the longest to sell during the referenced period of 2007; homes in the $500,000 to $599,999 took the longest to sell in the same period of 2008. The price range of $100,000 to $199,999 had the most ’solds’ during January 1 through February 22, 2007 as well as 2008.
These same comparisons were made 10 days ago.
There are 975 residential listings in Haywood County as reported this morning on our MLS. The number of sales to inventory makes for a ‘less than pretty’ absorption rate… but it also means Buyers and Investors have plenty of choices.
Source: MLS. Data deemed reliable but, not guaranteed.
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Balsam Mountain Preserve, premier Western North Carolina development nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
February 20th, 2008 Categories: Developments and Subdivisions
My COLDWELL BANKER Kasey & Associates colleagues and I, and our Broker-in-Charge, Brent Ivey, experienced the pleasure of devouring a delicious breakfast (including HOMEMADE granola) and being chauffered around on a private tour of the spectacular Balsam Mountain Preserve, located approximately 10 to 15 minutes from the heart of Waynesville, NC, in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, courtesy of Bruce Fine and Jimmy McDonnell of Balsam Mountain Preserve. Both the literature we were presented with, as well as the website for Balsam Mountain Preserve, are exquisite and most impressive… but seeing the property in person is the way to go. WOW.
“Created with the commitment to preserve its natural surroundings for future generations to enjoy, Balsam Mountain offers:
- 3,000 acres of protected land
- 38 miles of streams
- 50 miles of trails
- Nature center and on-site naturalist
- Clubhouse
- 18-hole Arnold Palmer signature golf course
- Equestrian facilities
- Tennis, swimming and fitness center
- Low density - only 354 homes on 4400 acres
- Multiple dining venues”
Homes are sprinkled throughout the mountains, some completed, some in-progress, some just getting started. And I do mean HOMES! Watch the 60-second video below to taste the flavor of Balsam Mountain Preserve. (Disclaimer: I do not represent Balsam Mountain Preserve…. I am just in love with it! I can, of course, be your contact person.)
The amenities are numerous… read about the exceptional golf course designed by the golf architects at Arnold Palmer Course Design: Balsam Mountain Preserve Golfing. For my equestrian friends, there are 50 miles of trails and Dr. Scott Huse knows how to ‘Cowboy Up!’
Read about the Balsam Mountain Preserve Sports Camp for families: Balsam Mountain Preserve’s Ruby Valley Sports Camp.
Are you into hiking and camping? Here you go… Hiking and Camping at Balsam Mountain Preserve.
Dreaming of 38 miles of streams to fish in? They have that too!
If you just want to ‘pretend’ you live year-round in this beautiful piece of heaven just minutes from both Maggie Valley and Waynesville, NC does Balsam Mountain Preserve have an opportunity for you - - the Boarding House:
“The Boarding House - Enjoy all that Balsam Mountain offers without the responsibility of maintaining a home. Fractional ownership provides privileges at The Boarding House and 10 surrounding cabins.”
(PDF file of The Board House brochure available via email upon request, either through BuckingtheRealEstateTrend.com (leave a note below), or through Mr. Jimmy McDonnell at Balsam Mountain Preserve (Toll free: 866.452.3456, or email: jmcdonnell@balsammountain.com).
Can you tell I would love an excuse to go back to Balsam Mountain Preserve?
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