Category Archives: Lake Toxaway Real Estate

Vetting Your Lake Toxaway Buyer’s Agent Saves Time in the End

11-26-buyeragent“Hello there! I noticed you admiring this stunning open house. How would you like to sign with me as your Lake Toxaway buyer’s agent, and find your dream home?”

The appropriate answer for this question depends on what leads up to it—first off, whether you have already decided to enlist the services of a Lake Toxaway buyer’s agent. It’s a good decision, but even if you have—and this agent seems well-mannered and likeable— at this point, the answer real estate professionals would recommend is, “Give me your card—I’ll get back to you.”

The reason not to jump at the first offer is the same as why you wouldn’t agree to buy the first house you visited without first looking around the neighborhood. So why do so many people sign up with the very first agent who says hello? It probably comes from some simply being unfamiliar with buyer’s agents and their industry.

You want to team with a buyer’s agent who is educated, quick-thinking, experienced, and most of all, thoroughly familiar with the current real estate offerings in Lake Toxaway. Before teaming up with anyone, there are a few questions to be answered:

Is this agent licensed?

The agent’s card should show a valid real estate license number (if not, in the immortal words of a certain Cuban bandleader, they’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do!). You can verify that the licensee is currently active on the state website, or you can go to the ARELLO (national database) to confirm the information. Having a real estate license is the most basic requirement you require for legal as well as practical reasons.

Does signing with this agent obligate you to use other recommended services?

Sometimes a buyer’s agent works in tandem with other associated home-buying service providers (like home inspectors or mortgage brokers). There’s nothing wrong with recommending professionals they know to be trustworthy—but using them should never be a requirement. You want to keep your options open for identifying good prices and services, so recommendations need to be that…and only that.

Does the agent have a good recent track record in Lake Toxaway?

It’s not enough just to ask the agent about his or her track record, although you certainly should have that discussion. Ask if you can speak to a recent client to get an appraisal of their experience. That’s key, because having a full staff and plush offices may be attractive, but they’re just window dressing. What you are after is the service a buyer’s agent actually delivers. And don’t be reluctant to check the web for the agent’s online reputation, although that’s less reliable. You want to get a picture of the full scope of this person’s skills and credentials. If the agent doesn’t seem to measure up, move on to another candidate.

Signing with the first Lake Toxaway buyer’s agent that you meet, like choosing the first name that turns up in an online search, is a first step that’s likely to be in the wrong direction. Doing a little extra research to find the right candidate will pay off in time and effort saved later on!

More Tips on How to Successfully Stage Your Cashiers Area Home

As I mentioned in a previous blog, wintertime may be an ideal time to sell your Western NC home since home buyers during this time of year are typically more eager to buy a home than any other time of the year.

But since it’s also true that there are fewer home buyers are the market, it’s important to stage your home in a way that leaves a lasting impression.

One thing that many home sellers do is create curb appeal.  This includes trimming the bushes, sweeping the front porch and cleaning the shutters.

After all, many home buyers will first judge a home by its exterior.  Thus, it’s critical that your Western NC home has plenty of curb appeal.

Continue reading to learn more tips on what you can do to increase your chances of selling your home in a reasonable amount of time.

Homes for Sale in Cashiers, Highlands, Sapphire and More

Here are some suggestions for preparing your home for upcoming showings:

  • Mentally Let Go of Your Attachment to Your Home: This is something that’s easier said than done for many home sellers.  After all, your current home may very well be where you started your family, and certainly where you made many precious memories.  But trust me, mentally preparing yourself now for the day when you hand over your house keys to another family will save you a lot of heart ache and stress in the long run.  Because that day will come and you don’t want to be blindsided when it does.
  • De-personalize Your Home: As I’ve said in a previous blog, you want home buyers to be able to see THEIR family in your home, not your family.  Thus, remove distracting details like the dozens of family portraits on the walls and tables.  While a few accents will create a warm ambiance in your home, too many can prove to be overwhelming and off-putting for interested home buyers.
  • De-Clutterize: Remember, you’re not selling the items in your home, you’re selling the home itself.  So remove excess clutter that distracts from your home’s rooms and layout.  A good rule of thumb is to get rid of anything you haven’t used in more than a year. You may also consider reorganizing furniture in a way that maximizes a room’s space and makes it look bigger.
  • Organize Your Closets and Cabinets: Home buyers are often judging every little detail of your home, maybe without even realizing it! And disorganized storage areas suggest to potential home buyers that you may have not taken the best care of the rest of the house.  Avoid sending that message by cleaning and organizing closet and cabinet space.  One way to start is to make sure all your closets are hanging the same way in your closet.
  • Store Irreplaceable Items: Buyers and sellers will often negotiate throwing in certain items and appliance with the home sale. So if there’s something in your home that you would never want to see end up on the negotiation table, then put it away so the home buyer doesn’t even know about it.  Otherwise, you risk giving the home buyer a reason to pull out on a deal just because you won’t throw in the item they want.
  • Address Minor Repairs:  Remember, home showings are all about leaving a lasting first impression on home buyers.  So you want to make sure your home is in the best shape possible.  Help get it in tip-top condition by addressing minor repair issues, such as a leaky faucet or a cracked bathroom tile.  While making these repairs may not cost much money, it can mean a world of difference on how a home buyer sees your home.

Selling Your Home on the Western NC Real Estate Market

I hope these home staging tips help you to sell your home in less time and for a better price.  These tips have certainly helped plenty of other home sellers in the past!

To learn more about how you can improve your outcome on the Cashiers area real estate market as a home seller,  contact me, Dorothy Swearingen, today.

As your NC Mountain REALTOR, I’ll be happy to walk you through my comprehensive marketing plan for sellers as well as give you a number of home selling tools, such as:

Until next time,

Dorothy

Lake Toxaway NC Real Estate Market Update for December

Unlike its neighbors, the Lake Toxaway real estate market recently saw a drop in its average listing price, according to the most recent real estate data.

Meanwhile, the number of available homes for sale in Lake Toxaway – which we call the home inventory – has eked up as well.

Continue reading to learn more about recent market activity in this Western NC community, and what it means for home buyers.

Lake Toxaway Homes for Sale

Here’s a look at the most recent market activity in Lake Toxaway, based on real estate website Trulia:

  • There are currently 432 resale and new homes on the market.
  • For the week ending on Nov. 16, the average listing price was $996,788, which is a 1.4 percent decrease when compared to the week before.
  • During that previous week, the average listing price was $1,010,721.
  • During the week ending on Nov. 16, the average listing price for a 2-bedroom home in Lake Toxaway was $353,000.
  • The average listing price for a 3-bedroom home was $753,000.
  • And the average listing price for a 4-bedroom home was $1,686,000.

Investing in Lake Toxaway Real Estate

Although interested home sellers won’t be too pleased with recent activity on the Lake Toxaway real estate market, interested home buyers should be thrilled.

After all, not only is the average listing price dropping, but the number of homes for sale is increasing.

This is great news for home buyers because it means that supply is exceeding demand.  When that happens, prices will typically drop.

Thus, you have the opportunity to invest in your dream Lake Toxaway home for less right now!

To start searching for your next home today, contact me, Dorothy Swearingen.

I’ll be happy to let you know about available listings as well as provide you with such helpful home buying tools as:

Until next time,

Dorothy

Cashiers NC Real Estate Market Update for October

I can’t believe it’s already the end of October! It seems like just yesterday that I was seeing people set out Fourth of July decorations in the stores and now it seems like all the stores are focusing on Christmas before Halloween has even arrived!

If you’re an interested Cashiers home buyer navigating the Cashiers area real estate market, I’m sure that your year has flown by faster than most.  After all, it can be a rather time-consuming feat searching for your dream Cashiers NC home for sale in the price range you want.

Before you continue your search on the market, I recommend you take just a few minutes to check out the recent statistics on the Cashiers NC real estate market.  This information will prove invaluable to you as it will give you a realistic overview of market conditions.

Continue reading to learn more!

Cashiers, NC Homes for Sale

Here’s an overview of the current state of the Cashiers NC real estate market, based on data from the real estate website Trulia:

  • There are currently 598 resale and new homes on the Highlands, NC real estate market.
  • During the week ending on Sept. 28, the average listing price for Cashiers NC homes for sale was  $1,023,702
  • When compared to the previous week, the average listing price for a Cashiers NC home for sale increased by 0.3 percent, or $3,128.
  • For the week ending on Sept. 28, the average list price for a 2-bedroom Cashiers home for sale was $344,000.
  • The average list price for a 3-bedroom Cashiers home for sale was $764,000.
  • During that same week, the average list price for a 4-bedroom Cashiers home for sale was $1.35 million.

Cashiers, NC Real Estate

If you’d like help navigating the Cashiers NC real estate market, I’ll be happy to assist you with your Cashiers home buying needs.

As your Cashiers NC real estate expert, I’ll interpret the recent Cashiers NC real estate market data and tell you how it affects you as a Cashiers area home buyer.

Contact me, Dorothy Swearingen, today and I’ll also  be happy to tell you about the current state of other area real estate markets, including:

Until next time,

Dorothy

Lake Toxaway Real Estate Market Report

Are you a Lake Toxaway home buyer thinking about entering the Lake Toxaway real estate market?

If so, then I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the most up-to-date information on the Lake Toxaway real estate market.

This data, which I’ve presented below, will give you a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the Lake Toxaway real estate market.

That way, you’ll feel confident about any decisions you make on the Lake Toxaway market knowing you have the most up-to-date information.

Lake Toxaway, NC Real Estate

Here’s a look at the current state of the Lake Toxaway real estate market, based on data gathered by Trulia.com and Realtor.com:

  • During the week ending on August 31, there were  373 resale and new homes in Lake Toxaway, including  1 home in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process.
  • During that week, the average listing price for Lake Toxaway homes for sale was $1,022,761, which is a 3.2 percent increase when compared to the week before.
  • During the week ending on August 24, the average listing price for Lake Toxaway homes for sale was $990,875.
  • During the week ending on August 31, the average listing price for a two-bedroom Lake Toxaway home for sale was $379,000.
  • During the week ending on August 3, the average listing price for a three-bedroom Lake Toxaway home for sale was $750,000.
  • During the week ending on August 3, the average listing price for a four-bedroom Lake Toxaway home for sale was $1,740,000.

Lake Toxaway, NC Homes for Sale

Lake Toxaway is a beautiful community that many people life in for years because it offers residents such a fine quality of living.

If you’d like to learn more about living in Lake Toxaway – or if you’d like to browse available listings in this Western North Carolina community, then contact me, Dorothy Swearingen.

As your Lake Toxaway real estate expert, I’ll provide you with a number of helpful Lake Toxaway home buying materials, including:

Until next time,

Dorothy

Lake Toxaway, NC Real Estate Market Update

Residents of Lake Toxaway, NC wake up to two breathtaking sights every morning: the majestic arches of the Appalachian Mountains and the tranquil waters of the first man-made lake in the state.

Lake Toxaway is a wonderful community that offers its residents awe-inspiring vistas, quality public schools and fantastic recreational amenities.

If this sounds like the kind of place you’d like to call home, continue reading to learn more about the current state of the Lake Toxaway, NC real estate market.

Lake Toxaway, NC Real Estate

If you’re thinking about investing in Lake Toxaway real estate, I suggest you check out the following Lake Toxaway real estate data that was recently released by Trulia.com and Realtor.com:

  • There are currently 439 resale and new homes on the Lake Toxaway real estate market.
  • The average listing price for a Lake Toxaway home for sale $985,502 for the week ending on August 3, which is a 4 percent decrease when compared to the previous week.
  • During that previous week, the average listing price for a Lake Toxaway home for sale was $1,026,476.
  • During the week of August 3, the average listing price for a two-bedroom Lake Toxaway home for sale was $370,000.
  • During the week of August 3, the average listing price for a three-bedroom Lake Toxaway home for sale was $750,000.
  • During the week of August 3, the average listing price for a four-bedroom Lake Toxaway home for sale was $1,750,000.

 

Buying a Home on the Lake Toxaway Real Estate Market

Purchasing a home is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life.

That’s why it’s so important to work with a Lake Toxaway real estate agent who will take the time to learn what you’re looking for in a home and then help you find that dream home.

Contact me, Dorothy Swearingen, today to learn more about how I help Lake Toxaway area home buyers navigate the Lake Toxaway real estate market every day.

And if you’re relocating to the Lake Toxaway area, please feel free to check out all of my helpful Lake Toxaway relocation materials, including:

Until next time,

Dorothy

Lawmakers Addressing Future of Community Colleges in Highlands, NC Area in Western North Carolina

Recently, a joint state legislative committee recommended merging the leadership of community colleges in the state that have fewer than 3,000 fulltime students.

But local and state officials in Western North Carolina have recently taken a stand against this measure, saying that it would hurt the education system in the area.

Continue reading to learn more about this developing story in the Highlands, NC area – and how it might affect Highlands NC area residents.

Continue reading

Enjoy Summertime to Its Fullest in the Highlands, NC Area

The North Carolina mountains are well known for their scenic vistas during the spring and fall.

However, visitors will find that there’s plenty of reasons to journey to the North Carolina Mountains during the summertime as well.

One of those reasons: white water rafting.

This exciting sport gives you one-of-a-kind views of the North Carolina Mountains while giving you quite a workout and adrenaline rush.

A recent article in the Asheville Citizen-Times gave some tips on how to plan a whitewater trip in the North Carolina Mountains.

Continue reading to learn more about these useful tips.

Living in the Highlands, NC Area

According to the article, one of the first things you should consider when charting a whitewater trip is the minimum age allowed on a river.

This minimum age will tell you how fast the river flows. For instance, while the Lower Pigeon allows individuals ages 4 and older,  the Cheoah requires rafters to be at least 16

Next step is to pick what paddle you’ll use.

After that, consider how much you want to spend on the trip.  While some places such as ones on the Nantahala charge just $19 to rent a raft, the Chattooga charges as much as $400 for a multi-day trip.

The paper notes that the average price for a half-day, guided trip is $45 a person.  That price includes a guide, transportation to the river entrance, gear and even lunch.

Here’s a brief list of some of the most popular rivers that whitewater rafters check out during the summer:

  • Nantahala – A Class II-III river that many families with children and first-time paddlers use.  This river is located in Swain and Graham counties
  • Lower Pigeon: A Class I-II river that is also good for families with children and first-time paddlers.  This river is located in Hartford, Tennessee.
  • French Broad: A Class III and IV river in some sections, which means this river is for more skilled paddlers.
  • Upper Pigeon: A dam-controlled river located in Hartford Tennessee.  This river is also good for families with children, as evident by the minimum age requirement of 8.
  • Chattooga: A rapidly moving river near Cashiers in Jackson County.  This river is well known for its scenic beauty and thrilling tours.

Investing in Highlands, NC Area Real Estate

If you’re the kind of person who has a great appreciation for natural beauty, I recommend that you consider living in the North Carolina Mountains.

This area is overflowing with natural beauty, which locals make use of everyday through whitewater rafting trips, hiking, biking and more.

If this sounds like the kind of lifestyle that complements your interests, then contact me, Dorothy Swearingen.

As your Highlands, NC area real estate expert, I’ll let you know about available listings in the area, as well as provide you with such helpful Highlands, NC relocation materials as:

Until next time,

Dorothy

State Decided to Cut Landslide Hazard Map-Making in Highlands, NC Region

State lawmakers recently decided to cut the state’s landslide mapping unit, which was created to assess which mountain slopes are most likely to create a landslide.

The Smoky Mountain News reported that five state geologists who were working on the maps were laid off this week.

The state’s decision will save about $355,000 a year.

Continue reading to learn more about what this means for Highlands, NC area home owners and buyers.

Living in the Highlands, NC Area

Since the landslide mapping unit began working on the landslide hazard maps in 2005,  they have completed studying four counties:

The team was in the process of studying Jackson County’s mountain slopes when the state cut their funding.
The state’s landslide mapping unit has faced controversy since the beginning because many critics felt that mapping the landslide hazard zones would make it harder to sell property in those zones.

Critics of the mapping unit also questioned whether the unit’s conclusions were accurate.

But others thought that the landslide unit was a great public safety initiative – providing mountain residents with vital information about at-risk areas.

Since landslides typically follow predictable paths, proponents also said that the landslide maps wouldn’t hurt property values, but rather help people figure out on which side of a lot to build their home.

In fact, experts say that mapping where old landslides happen is the best way to predict where future slides will take place.

The geologists working on the landslide project relied heavily on old landslide sites to predict whether a slop was at a low, medium or high risk for a future landslide.

Macon County officials hope to use the findings by incorporating them into a new steep slope ordinance.  A handful of other Western North Carolina counties – including Jackson and Haywood – already have such an ordinance.

To view Macon County’s landslide map, visit www.geology.enr.state.nc.us/Landslide_Info/MaconCounty.html.

A partial map for Jackson is expected to be posted soon to wfs.enr.state.nc.us/fist/.

Highlands, NC Area Real Estate

What do you think of state lawmakers’ decision to cut funding to the landslide hazard map-making unit? Let me know!

And if you’re thinking about entering the Highlands, NC real estate market as a Highlands area home buyer or home seller, then contact me, Dorothy Swearingen.

As a Highlands, NC REALTOR, I strive to keep up-to-date on the news that affects Highlands area home buyers and Highlands area home sellers so I can help them make educated decisions on the Highlands area real estate market.

Until next time,

Dorothy

 

Cashiers Area Scholars to Address Growth and Development in the Cashiers, NC Area

The Smoky Mountain News recently reported on an upcoming discussion that will be held at the Highlands Biological Station on growth in the mountains of North Carolina and how that growth will affect farm and forestland in the area.

The discussion, which is part of the Highlands Biological Foundation’s “Think About Thursdays” speaker series, will be led by Paul Carlson.

Mr. Carlson will address such pressing topic in the N.C. Mountain region as:

  • Steep-slope land values
  • How local officials plan to keep up with road systems as the area develops
  • How future development will affect the native flora and fauna in the area

For those interested in going to this event, here are the details:

  • When: 6 p.m. on July 7
  • Where: Highlands Biological Station, 265 N 6th St in Highlands, North Carolina
  • Admission: FREE
  • More Info: Call (828) 526-2602

Development in the Highlands, NC Area

One of the things that’s always impressed me about the Highlands, NC region is how the residents continually strive to strike a balance between development and natural beauty.

Thus far,  the region has  done a  great job of preserving that natural beauty, as evident by the numerous recreational amenities available to Highlands area residents.  These include:

With discussions like the one that will be held on July 7, Highlands area residents – as well as interested Highlands area home buyers – can be confident that that natural beauty will continue to be cherished and preserved for years to come.

Investing in Highlands, NC Area Real Estate

Have you been thinking about relocating to the Highlands, NC area? Then contact me, Dorothy Swearingen.

As your North Carolina Mountains real estate expert, I have years of experience working in various area real estate markets, including:

Contact me today to learn more about how I can help make navigating the Cashiers, NC area real estate market easier for you and your family.

Until next time,

Dorothy