Do you have memories of an Asheville summer camp experience? Do you remember s’mores by the fire and quiet cabin chats with fellow campers? If you have an interest in providing that experience to Asheville vacationers today, consider Greybeard’s commercial property listing for sale in the Asheville real estate market.

Own your own Asheville summer camp.

This 83-acre camp facility consists of a main activity building as well as 12 individual cabins, all in excellent condition. These structures, in addition to the two bathhouses, are grouped in one small area of the entire property, leaving the majority of the parcel for camp activities and additional expansion.

Constructed in 2002, this Black Mountain property, previously used as a summer camp, features handicap facilities, a modern kitchen facility, as well as recreational facilities. Accessed by a well-maintained gravel driveway, this property adjoins more than 4,000 acres of watershed/conservation easement.  For more information about this unique Asheville commercial property and an opportunity to gain access to the growing Asheville vacation/summer camp market, please contact Greybeard Realty.

The Asheville Real Estate market has not experienced the large number of foreclosure properties  that other areas across the nation have. Despite that, Greybeard’s Asheville foreclosure properties listings offer a wide range of homes, and our Realtors understand the special considerations a buyer needs when purchasing a distressed property.

In the last few weeks, several articles have discussed the impact foreclosed properties has had on the national real estate market. As more people lose their homes and move into rental properties, the number of rental properties available has diminished which in turn has increased rental rates.  Also, mortgage rates continue to hover at record low rates, making becoming a home owner more affordable.

Asheville Foreclosures Benefit From Rising Rents

More people are finding that, if they have solid employment and an excellent credit rating, they actually can lower their housing costs by buying a home. In many instance, particularly if they can find a foreclosed property that appeals to them, buyers can spend less money monthly if they own their home rather than renting.

Again, while there are financial benefits, buyers need to understand the complexities that can accompany buying a distressed home. For more information on Asheville foreclosure properties or to get more information about the process of buying a distressed property, please contact Greybeard Realty.

The Asheville Real Estate market has benefited from the strong retirement community that is drawn to it, and the soon-to-be-opened new Veterans’ Home in Swannanoa should add to that community.  In addition to providing residential facilities to 100 veterans, this facility also will create new jobs for the area.

Asheville Retirement Means Magnificent Sunsets

Greybeard Realty has long appreciated the value of Asheville as a retirement community.  If you are considering Asheville, why not try out a long term rental or take a short term rental and experience one of the “retirement workshops” offered locally.  If you are committed to retiring to Asheville and want to go ahead and purchase the home you might not occupy year-round for several years, check out our listings of rental homes for sale.

If the ordeal of renting out your potential retirement home seems overwhelming, you should investigate our Greybeard Rentals award-winning property management team.  We can simplify the process of renting your Asheville rental cabin until you are ready to occupy it yourself.  For more information, contact Greybeard Realty.

Asheville real estate market followers understand the seasonal nature of our area real estate sales.  At Greybeard Realty, we encourage buyers and sellers to do some spring cleaning as they enter the Asheville market.

For sellers, a literal spring cleaning of the home can be very useful in preparing a home to go on the market.  Clutter and personal items in a home have been noted as two factors that can affect potential buyers who have a more difficult time seeing a home as their own if it’s still chock full of the present owners’ belongings.  Hiring a professional to conduct a home inspectioncan save the sellers from getting deal-breaking surprises at closing time. And be sure to showcase your home in its best light with a professional photographer like Greybeard Realty’s choice, Gary Leive, photographer.

Sellers and Buyers can benefit from a good spring cleaning

For buyers, spring clean your credit report.  Take advantage of the free reports everyone is privy to annually and see if there are mistakes.  Know your price limit and have your financing in order so you will know whether to seek a high-end home or a small fixer-upper Asheville cabin.

If you are a buyer of a second home as a potential Asheville rental vacation home, understand the expenses and perhaps delegate the management of that property to Greybeard’s award-winning property management team.  If you presently own an Asheville rental vacation cabin, we can arrange for your spring cleaning and have it ready when the first guests arrive.

For more information about Asheville real estate, contact Greybeard Realty.

Buyers searching the Asheville real estate market for a second home will find many suitable listings, and, with the Asheville real estate market on the uptick, now would be a great time to consider that investment.  A second home can be a great weekend/summer getaway spot for you.  It can also serve as an Asheville rental home until you are ready to make the move into the home yourself, perhaps after retirement to Asheville.

View From 98 Westminster, Montreat, NC

Greybeard Realty has many homes that have served as rental/vacation homes previously.  In addition, most homes within Black Mountain and Montreat can serve as vacation homes.  Greybeard Rentals offers three suggestions when choosing a home to use as a vacation property.  Our most requested Asheville vacation or rental home is a home with a view.  Timber frame and log cabins are also a high priority for our renters. Our vacationers often search for homes with hot tubs, which can be added to most homes quite easily.

If you are considering buying a second home as a rental property, please check out Greybeard’s experienced rental management division.  Our award winning management team handles every aspect of your rental including marketing your home through our national marketing network and home inspections after each rental period to ensure the integrity of your home.  Contact us for more information on Asheville homes for sale and Greybeard’s rental management team.

The Asheville real estate market should continue to grow, if I can trust the lessons I learned in Econ 101 of supply and demand.  With the tightening of funds for contractors building homes on speculation, fewer new homes are coming onto the market.  Without that option, buyers are turning to existing single family homes.  All of that means a tightening supply of available homes.

Charming Greybeard Realty Black Mountain Listing

In Buncombe County and Black Mountain, the supply of homes available for sale is down 15 percent compared to the same time last year.  Market watchers will know that our supply drops this time of year so it is crucial to note that this figure is compared with last year’s number for the same period.

With the inverse relationship involved with supply and demand, it can be argued that with the supply decreasing, we should see rising sales and perhaps prices.  The question that remains, however, is the impact of the recent foreclosure agreement with the banking industry.  While that agreement was pending, many banks ceased or slowed foreclosures.  Some market analysts predict that foreclosures will increase again which could affect that market adversely.

It’s interesting to note that nationally, one in four home sales the last quarter of 2011 were for distressed homes.  Asheville spring always seems to bring signs of hope.  The decrease in Asheville area homes for sale seems to indicate that the Asheville real estate market may be headed for brighter times.  For more information about Western North Carolina real estate including Asheville homes for sale, please contact Greybeard Realty.

The Asheville real estate market, which showed some promising signs last year, can take more hope in the most recent numbers from real estate in the South.  In the South, sales of single family homes rose 3.8 percent in January.  While the median price for existing single family homes decreased 2.6 percent in the region, compared to January 2011, the market still shows signs of promise.

Asheville Real Estate

Unsold listed inventory of homes in the South reached a record 4.04 million in July of 2007.  Overall, the total listed inventory has been headed downward, and the inventory now stands 20.6 percent from a year ago.

While it’s still early in 2012, various market signs are pointing to a more positive real estate market in the South.  We have to expect that the Asheville real estate market will be leading the way. For more information or for help in navigating the Asheville real estate market, please contact Greybeard Realty.

The Asheville real estate market has varied commercial property offerings, but it is rare to find such a charmingly preserved property as Greybeard Realty’s 101 Black Mountain Avenue. Located in historical downtown Black Mountain, this 8,800 sq. ft. renovated factory building features exposed brick, extremely high ceilings, and old-time character with modern updates.

Charming Commercial Real Estate

Recently renovated, this property sports new hardwood floors, new HVAC, wiring and plumbing, and off-street parking.  The potential possibilities for this prime piece of real estate are limited only by the new owner’s imagination.

If you’re seeking a new property that will blend in with the delightful ambiance of Black Mountain, you have found your location.  The property is ready and updated…just bring your own business plan. For more information about this property or other Asheville commercial property, please contact Greybeard Realty.

Pristine Mountain Cottage

This special Black Mountain cottage is pristinely maintained and offers its new owners an enviable location, just a five minute walk from the town of Black Mountain and Lake Tomahawk.

The three bedroom, two bath home features gleaming hardwoods and an up-to-date kitchen with granite countertops.

While it would make a wonderful second home or retirement home, it also can be used as an in-town rental property.  For more information on this cottage or other Asheville real estate property, please contact Greybeard Realty.

Several years ago, as the recession began, I wrote about the Asheville real estate market and looking for positives signs in a down market.  I noted that as we were one of the last markets affected, we should be the first to show signs of recovery.  The most recent numbers for the real estate market seem to give some bearing to that economic theory.

For last year, Buncombe County had a 4% increase in homes sold while nationally the number of existing homes sold increased a modest 1.7%. BlackMountain, which stayed strong in the housing market for longer thanBuncombeCounty, had a 23% increase in number of homes sold for the year.

Asheville Real Estate Market Bears Studying

In another positive sign, the number of housing units on the market decreased during the year.  InBuncombeCounty, the number of homes on the market decreased 16 % while that number inBlackMountaindecreased 22%.  Nationally the available inventory of homes on the market has decreased as well.

There are still signs of softness in the market.  For example, average home prices for the last year decreased 5% inBuncombeCountyand 7% inBlackMountainand days on market continues to be lengthy.  Both of these numbers are lagging indicators and will not show signs of improvement until the market has gained strength.

A quick glance at land sales in the area indicate that bothBuncombeCountyandBlackMountainexperienced an increase in land units sold, though we are still far from the peak that occurred in 2006.  Also, land units on the market have decreased in both markets.

The Feds recent announcement that interest rates will remain low until at least 2014, combined with the positive numbers reported in our markets for the 2011 year, lead me to believe that the housing market in our area is edging upward.  As we head into our busy market time, we should see continued growth, a sign that we may be leading the national housing market into recovery.