Home buying in Western North Carolina can definitely be a stressful process for a lot of people.

After all, this is potentially one of the largest investments you’re ever going to make! You (understandably) want to make the right choice.

As your Highlands area real estate agent, I’m here to tell you that home buying doesn’t have to be as stressful as it seems.

So long as you’re working with an experienced Western NC REALTOR and you’re listening to your inner guidance, you can rest assured that you’ll be satisfied with any decision you make on the local housing market.

Continue reading to learn about some signs that you should keep out for as a Highlands area home buyer. These signs will let you know whether you have just found the home of your dreams or not!

Investing in Highlands, NC Real Estate

How will you know if the home you’re touring is the perfect fit for you and your family? Here are some indicators:

• You see the home on the outside and immediately want to go inside. Don’t understand the power of curb appeal. If there’s something about this home’s exterior that draws you to want to go inside, that’s a good indication.
• You’re amazed with the home as soon as you step through the door. It doesn’t take long for home buyers to get a positive or negative vibe from a home. If you’re pleased with the home’s interior as soon as you walk in, take note.
• You’re already planning where your furniture could potentially go in the home. If you don’t just like the home but could actually see yourself living there, that’s a great sign. Take note if you’re already planning where your favorite piece of furniture will go in the home.
• You have a feeling that the home would fit your family’s lifestyle well. Does the home have the appropriate number of bedrooms for you to live comfortably? Does it have the extra amenities that you were hoping for, such as an extra study or a bonus room? These logistics matter just as much as your initial impression of the home.
• You don’t even feel like touring other homes anymore. If you’ve subconsciously already committed to the home you just looked at, you won’t likely be as excited as before about touring other homes in the area. That’s a strong indication you may have found the home for you.
• You can’t wait to tell your friends and family about the home. As mentioned above, if you’ve subconsciously already decided on making an offer on the home, you likely won’t be shy about telling your loved ones about the new home that could be yours soon.

Homes for Sale in Western North Carolina

As I mentioned above, as long as you listen to your heart and work with a knowledgeable Highlands NC REALTOR, navigating the market as a home buyer won’t be nearly as stressful!

While I just helped you with the first part, I am here to tell you that I can also help you with the second part.

As an experienced REALTOR, I have worked for years on such local markets as:

• Cashiers, NC
• Lake Glenville, NC
• Lake Toxaway, NC
• Sapphire, NC
• And others!

To learn more about how my years of experience on the Western NC housing market can benefit you as a home buyer, contact me, Dorothy Swearingen, today!

Until next time,

Dorothy

For Western North Carolina home sellers, the first couple of weeks after you list your home on the market are critical when it comes to attracting Cashiers area home buyers.

That’s because home buyers in the Cashiers area love to hear about new listings on the local housing market.

Thus, it’s imperative for home sellers to seize on all the attention early on. Otherwise, home buyers’ attention will shift to the next new listing on the market in a couple of weeks.

As your Western North Carolina real estate expert, I understand just how important it is to attract home buyers immediately.

That’s why I launch an aggressive marketing campaign on your Cashiers area home for sale as soon as we start working together.

Continue reading to learn about my exclusive and comprehensive marketing plan for Western NC home sellers like you.

Homes for Sale in Cashiers, Highlands and Surround Area

Here are the top ways in which I get the word out about your new listing on the Cashiers area real estate market:

• I include both interior and exterior photos of your home on your listing page. Nowadays, the majority of NC home buyers search for homes on the Internet before ever contacting a REALTOR. I make sure these home buyers develop a good idea of what your home has to offer by including several interior and exterior photos of your home. These photos emphasize your homes uniqueness as well as its spaciousness.
• I develop virtual tours of your home. To further help the home buyer envision living in your Cashiers area home for sale, I often include virtual tours of your home online. This help the home buyer feel like they’re right there, walking through your home one room at a time. Many REALTORS agree, the virtual tour is a viable way of attracting prospective buyers to your home.
• I utilize a diverse range of print and online advertising to market your Cashiers area home. The best way of finding the home buyer who will ultimately purchase your home is to cast out a large marketing net. That’s why I advertise your home in a variety of publications – from real estate magazines to online newspapers to everything in between!
• I provide plenty of attractive and effective outdoor signage. While many home buyers prefer to search for their next home online, there are some who will drive around area neighborhoods looking for homes for sale. To attract these types of buyers, I place effective outdoor “For Sale” signage in your yard, which provides all the pertinent information such as contact information.
• I hold Open Houses whenever feasible. Depending on the location of your home, open houses can be an effective marketing strategy for your Cashiers area home. We’ll discuss together if a Open House is the best way to use time and energy resources. At the very least, it may serve as a vehicle to increase exposure of your Western North Carolina home for sale.

List Your Western North Carolina Home for Sale Today!

While I’ve just mentioned the top ways in which I help home owners sell their homes quickly, it’s really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to my home selling marketing plan.

Contact me, Dorothy Swearingen, to learn more about how I can help you sell you home for top dollar in a relatively short amount of time.

While you’re at it, please feel free to browse some of these helpful home selling resources that I offer:

• Price it right!
• The Seller’s Institute
• 10 Seller Suggestions
• MOVA Assessment

Until next time,

Dorothy

The month of January continue to be a great month for Highlands area home buyers, based on the most recent data from the real estate website Trulia.

Not only did the average price per square foot decrease significantly but so did the median sales price!

Continue reading to see just how much of a buyer’s market it is right now in the Highlands, NC area – and how you can directly benefit as a home buyer.

Western North Carolina Homes for Sale

Here’s an overview of the current state of the Highlands real estate market, based on the most recent market data:

• Currently there are 743 resale and new homes on the market, including 2 in some stage of the foreclosure.
• Between October and December, the average price per square foot for Highlands homes was $378, down 33.9 percent from the same period in 2010!
• During that same period, the median sales price was $285,000, which was based on 17 home sales.
• When compared to the same period in 2010, the median sales price has decreased by 32.9 percent.
• In 2010, the median sales price was $425,000.
• Here’s how neighboring North Carolina communities compared in terms of median sales price:

Scaly Mountain: $172,500
Otto: $135,000
Franklin: $120,000
Clayton: $140,000

• Meanwhile, the number of home sales increased by 142.9 percent between 2010 and 2011.
• During the week ending on January 25, the average listing price for Highlands homes was $838,958, up 0.2 percent from the week before.
• During that previous week, the average listing price was $837,281.
• During the week ending on January 25, the average listing price for a 1-bedroom Highlands home was $375,148
• The average listing price for a 2-bedroom home was $481,827
• And the average listing price for 3- and 4- bedroom homes in Highlands were $611,270 and $1,142,152
• Here’s how neighboring communities compared in terms of average listing price:

Scaly Mountain: $578,104
Otto: $242,429
Franklin: $226,985
Clayton: $214,410

Investing in Highlands, NC Real Estate

With decreases in median sales prices up to nearly 33 percent, it clear that it’s definitely a buyer’s market right now in the Highlands, NC area.

If you’re an interested home buyer looking for a fantastic deal on a beautiful Highlands area home, contact me, Dorothy Swearingen, your Highlands area real estate expert.

You can even start searching for your next Highlands home now by using some of my pre-defined home searches:

• Search Highlands homes between 0 and $400,000
• Search Highlands homes between $400,000 and $500,000
• Search Highlands homes between $500,000 and $600,000
• Search Highlands homes between $600,000 and $700,000
• Search Highlands homes between $700,000 and $800,000
• And so on!

Until next time,

Dorothy

Western North Carolina is well known for celebrating and preserving its natural beauty.

And that reputation was solidified recently when Dry Fall Trails in Macon County  received $446,000 to stabilize and reconstruct the entire walking path.

While $208,000 came from the Federal Highways fund, about $258,000 came from matching agency funds.

Continue reading to learn more about this new development in Western North Carolina, and how it will improve the quality of life in the area.

Living in Western North Carolina

Dry Fall Trails – located just north of Highlands along N.C. 28 – was originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1900s.

But over the years, the trail has eroded, making it unsafe for all the visitors who visit the trail during peak season.

Thus, the community decided to invest in restoring the land, which will include making the trail more aesthetically pleasing and making it easier to maintain.

Design engineers worked with a Forest Service archeologist to make sure the new look had a historic feel.

According to the recent article I read, construction on the trail will likely start in April and finish in September.

The improvements to the trail will no doubt improve quality of life for everyone who lives in Western North Carolina.

After all, the trails not only serve as a major draw for tourists, but they’re also popular among local residents.

Your Highlands, NC Area Real Estate Expert

Our natural beauty and commitment to conservation are just two reasons why so many people decide to relocate to the Western North Carolina area each year.

To learn more about what makes life so special in the Highlands area, contact me, Dorothy Sweringen, your Highlands area real estate expert.

I’ll be happy to talk with you about what you’re looking for in your dream home and then help you find it on the Highlands, NC real estate market.

Feel free to get the home buying process started now by checking out these home buying resources:

• Relocation package
• Buying guide
• Listing of the week
• Home finder assistant

Until next time,

Dorothy

It was a fairly good month for home buyers in the Lake Glenville, NC area.  After all, the average listing price on homes in the area decreased and remained relatively low compared to neighboring communities.

If you’re an interested Lake Glenville home buyer, I recommend you continue reading in order to get a good idea of current market activity.

This knowledge will prove invaluable when it comes time for you to negotiate a buying price with a home seller in the area.

Lake Glenville Properties for Sale

Here’s an overview of the current state of the market in Lake Glenville, NC:

• Currently there are 194 resale and new homes on the market.
• During the week ending on December 28, the average listing price for Lake Glenville homes was $619,138, down 3.5 percent when compared to the week before.
• During that previous week, the average listing price was $641,677.
• Here’s how neighboring communities compared in terms of average listing price:

Highlands: $851,961

Scaly Mountain: $592,172

Franklin: $233,977

• Back in Lake Glenville, the average listing price for a 2-bedroom home was $391,241 during the week ending on December 28.
• The average listing price for a 3-bedroom home was $544,767.
• And the average listing price for a 4-bedroom home was $844,056.
• Here’s how neighboring communities compared in terms of median sales price:

Highlands: $250,000

Scaly Mountain: $172,500

Franklin: $120,000

Investing in a Home in the North Carolina Mountains

Unlike some of the larger mountain communities in the area – such as Cashiers and Highlands – Lake Glenville has managed to keep  a relatively low profile.

If you want to live in a quiet community where neighbors know each other by name, you may consider investing in Lake Glenville real estate.

For more information on available listings in Lake Glenville, be sure to contact me, Dorothy Swearingen.

I also recommend you check out some of our pre-defined Lake Glenville search options, which will make navigating the market easier for you and your family.  Using this feature, you can:

• Search lakefront homes or with a view homes for $1 million plus
• Search lakefront homes or with a view homes for $675,000 to $1 million
• Search Lake Glenville homes from $500,000 to $750,000
• Search Lake Glenville homes from $300,000 to $500,000
• Search Lake Glenville homes under $300,000

Until next time,

Dorothy

It was a fairly steady month on the Sapphire housing market, according to the most recent real estate data from Trulia.

For instance, the average listing price remained fairly level week-over-week.

Continue reading to learn more about recent market activity, and how it may affect you as a Sapphire home buyer.

Sapphire NC Properties

Here’s an overview of the current state of the Sapphire real estate market:

• Currently there are 580 resale and new homes on the market.
• During the week ending on December 21, the average listing price for Sapphire homes was $486,525.
• When compared to the week before, the average listing price has increased by 0.8 percent, from $482,798 the week before.
• The average listing price for a 1-bedroom home in Sapphire during the week ending on December 21 was $107,241.
• The average listing price for a 2-bedroom home was $253,180.
• And the average listing price for 3- and 4- bedroom homes in Sapphire were $480,082 and $889,926, respectively.
• Here’s how nearby cities compared in terms of average listing price:
• • Highlands: $853,103
  • Scaly Mountain: $583,519
  • Cleveland: $166,500
  • Otto: $245,843

Investing in Sapphire, NC Real Estate

Sapphire is a charming mountain community affectionately referred by many as “Little Switzerland.”

Yet this N.C. Mountain community sure does pack in a lot of natural beauty.  From the world-class fishing to the beautiful hiking trails, this is definitely the kind of community that will leave you breathless every time you look out your home window.

If you’re ready to take the next step toward owning your own Sapphire home, then contact me, Dorothy Swearingen.

As your N.C. Mountain real estate expert, I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have as well as provide you with such helpful home buying tools as:

• Listing of the week
• Home buying process
• Home finder assistant

Until next time,

Dorothy