White Squirrel Festival Receives Honor: Top 20 Event for the month of May 2009 by the Southeast Tourism Society

Thousands of fan go nuts in Downtown Brevard on Memorial Day weekend, in Brevard, North Carolina!

You don’t want to miss our 14 free, live concerts. Headliners this year:  Firecracker Jazz Band and Jeff Sipe Group with special guest Ike Stubblefield.

For those who prefer warming up early Saturday morning, run in the 5th Annual 5K/10K White Squirrel Race! Check out Brevard Rotary’s website for more information.

We will kick off the 9th Annual White Squirrel Festival with our 5th Annual Memorial Day Parade, which is organized by the American Legion and VFW. This crowd-pleasing event will take place on Saturday at 9:00am, followed by a “Presentation of the Wreath” ceremony at our county War Memorial.

2012 White Squirrel Festival Schedule

SATURDAY – May 26

Memorial Day:  Parade                                                                      9:00am
“Presentation of the Wreath” 10:00am (Gazebo)
5th Annual 5K/10K White Squirrel Foot Race                        8:00am
(Brevard Music Center)
Street Festival:  10:00am – 6:00pm
6th Annual Squirrel Box Derby (Jailhouse Hill)                     9:00am – 5:30pm
(Races begin at 1:30pm)
“Pisgah Pete” (real white squirrel on the Gazebo block - Jennifer Burgin, Wildlife Rehabilitator)
White Squirrel Tours *pick up guide at Wildlife Rehab Booth
White Squirrel Exhibit (Trans. Heritage Museum)                           10:00am – 5:00pm
White Squirrel Photo Contest (Displayed at Lil Bo-tique – 72 South Broad St.)
Food Court (West Main, between Caldwell/England St.)
Street Vendors (Gazebo block, South Broad St.)
WSQL 1240AM Radio Live (West Main St. & Derby Finish Line)

SUNDAY – May 27

Street Festival:  10:00am – 6:00pm
6th Annual Squirrel Box Derby (Jailhouse Hill)                                     10:00am – 6:00pm
(Races begin at 1:30pm)
“Pisgah Pete” (real white squirrel on the Gazebo block - Jennifer Burgin, Wildlife Rehabilitator)
White Squirrel Tours *pick up guide at Wildlife Rehab Booth
White Squirrel Photo Contest (Displayed at Lil Bo-tique - 72 South Broad St.)
Street Festival:  12 noon – 6:00pm
Food Court (West Main, between Caldwell/England)
Street Vendors (Gazebo block, South Broad)
WSQL 1240AM Radio Live (West Main St. & Derby Finish Line)

2012 Musical Performances

Our musical line-up is one of the region’s best, and no where else can you hear 14 spectacular concerts for free. John Felty (of Looking Glass Entertainment and of Jupiter Coyote fame) continues to bring in some up and coming, as well as some established, performers who know how to get their audience smiling, dancing, and clapping.

9th Annual White Squirrel Festival Music Headliners:

Firecracker Jazz Band
Saturday Headliner

Jeff Sipe Group with special guest Ike Stubblefield
Sunday Headliner 

Other Performers:

This is a rain or shine event! Only service dogs allowed.

More information on our artists!

Annual Squirrel Box Derby – 2012

you made it through the mortgage process being asked for things you didn’t even know you had,

did your due diligence and agreed upon the repairs,

set up everything with your closing attorney,

packed box after box wondering if it all will fit on the truck,

and now it is time for the day you will be the proud owner of a new home. But what about a final walk-through your soon to be new home? According to Bankrate.com in their March 5, 2012 posting, there are 3 Items to consider in a house walk-through before closing.

Scheduling your house walk-through

“You should allow at least 30 minutes or longer for a house walk-through,” says Irene Gianos, a broker with Weichert Realtors in Clinton, N.J. “You need to go through the house with a fine-tooth comb and be as detailed as a home inspector.”

Gianos recommends doing the walk-through the day of the closing, perhaps two or three hours before the settlement appointment, but Kristy Petrillo, a Realtor and owner of Re/Max Town & Country in Blue Ridge, Ga., suggests scheduling the walk-through the day before settlement, if possible, to allow time to handle any issues that may arise.

Brandon Green, principal broker with The Brandon Green Team at Keller Williams Capital Properties in Washington, D.C., recommends a house walk-through approximately 24 hours in advance of the settlement and no more than 48 hours ahead.

“If a significant weather event has occurred between the last time you saw the house and settlement day, like a windstorm, heavy rain or a heavy snowfall, you should be sure to visit the home to check on the condition just before settlement,” Green says. “Once you have signed your settlement papers, the seller has no obligation to fix anything anymore.”

A thorough walk-through

Green suggests including your home inspector if you have concerns about the property condition.

“Don’t be afraid to bring your home inspector back to your walk-through,” Green says. “The charge for revisit is usually 25 (percent) to 50 percent of the original fee, which could be worth it if you want to make sure everything has been repaired to your satisfaction.”

Gianos says buyers should be ready for their walk-through with an information packet, including the seller’s property condition disclosure form and the home inspector’s report, to see that all repairs have been made as negotiated.

“If you choose not to bring in a home inspector, you should turn everything on and off such as appliances, lights, heating and air-conditioning systems,” Green says. “You can pick up an electrical tester at a hardware store for $1.25 and make sure all the electrical outlets are working.”

Petrillo recommends requesting receipts from the sellers for any items that have been repaired, because this proves the work was done and gives you contact information for the contractors.

Problem solving

If your walk-through reveals an issue that has not been discovered before, or one that hasn’t been resolved satisfactorily, your action should depend on how serious the problem is.

“First, you should look at the big picture,” Petrillo says. “You are probably getting a great home that you want to buy at a great price. Are you willing to jeopardize that for a $200 item?”

If the problem is serious, Gianos recommends contacting your settlement attorney immediately. “Your lawyer should contact the seller’s lawyer to work out an agreement before you get to the settlement table,” she says.

Petrillo stresses the importance of working things out amicably.

“If something wasn’t done according to agreement, you can ask the attorney to escrow some amount of money, including what is needed for the repair, from the sales proceeds with an agreement in writing to release the funds as soon as the work is finished,” Petrillo says.

Green says buyers’ only leverage is “signing on the dotted line.”

“You can ask for a credit from the seller, a side document to deal with the problem or an escrow of the sales proceeds, but if you and the seller cannot reach an agreement, then the last course of action would be refusing to close,” says Green. “It’s important to think about how much it could cost you to delay moving or to delay the closing. You may be better off just taking care of the problem yourself, especially if it is under $1,000.”

Buyers of a foreclosure, short sale or any property sold as is should also do a careful walk-through on closing day. Even these properties are sold as is at a particular time such as the inspection date or the contract ratification date, Green says. If the property has deteriorated since that time or appliances are missing, the seller should be required to make amends.

According to an article in RISMEDIA dated 12/21 posted by Suzanne, nationally 2012 will be similar to 2011 with modest gains in prices and sales units…historically an election year is good for real estate. The investor segment continues to increase. Consumer confidence in 2012 will depend on the press. If the press continues to pump out negative information on the economy and housing instead of putting a positive spin on what is happening, and jobs are not restored, consumer confidence will stay low.  Each market is different and consumer confidence will be a key to continue to drive sales locally.

North Carolina home sales are trending upward as home prices continue to sink slightly. However, the dip in home values isn’t nearly as large in most areas of the state as other regions of the country according to HousingPredictor.com. The increase in the Florida market through out the state along with the Miami area by International buyers from South American and Europe that are paying cash for more than half of all homes and condo purchases will help to increase our North Carolina market.

Drilling down even further to Western North Carolina Mountains with a high concentration of second home and retirement purchases, a high level of consumer confidence is the key. The latter part of 2011 saw a surge in second home purchasers as well as buyers having sold their homes in other parts of the country and as we enter 2012 the trend is continuing. 

What better place to have a home but in the mountains of Western North Carolina specifically Transylvania County where there is over 250 waterfalls, over 50% of our land mass is state and natural forest and so many things do it would take way to long to list them. Connestee Falls has it all from 4 mountain lakes, to a George Cobb 18 hole golf course, to over 10 miles of hiking trails to tennis, pickle ball, and over 50 clubs not to mention the Overlook Clubhouse with it’s Fine Dining and Sports Grill.

Give us a call today to learn more about our home – we are all Vested Locally while we are Marketed Globally.

It is possible to reduce your stress levels by looking for positive things in other people and situations.

We have entered into the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season. With the passing of each day as we approach Christmas the potential for stress rises. In an effort to manage the stress level of the season I ran across this article by John Boe in a November 27th article in RISMEDIA.

Structural engineers get paid big bucks to design buildings strong enough to withstand the damaging impact brought on by Mother Nature’s fury. They use computer simulations to help them identify and mitigate stress-fatigue factors, which might contribute to the collapse of the building. Ironically, people, like buildings, are also susceptible to stress-fatigue factors and physical collapse brought on by the crippling affects derived from excessive fear, anxiety and worry.

Research indicates that a person will react to stressful situations based upon the temperament style that he or she was born into. For example, aggressive people have “anger management,” expressive people have “emotional management,” passive people have “self-esteem management” and analytical people have “stress management.” In other words, people who tend to be extremely detailed, organized, critical and shy attract stress into their lives like metal shavings are drawn to a magnet.

The major behaviors associated with people under stress include; aloofness, increased sadness, panic attacks, overly sarcastic humor and extreme negative self-talk. Stress occurs when an analytical or “melancholy” type of person is overwhelmed by his or her attempts to balance their physical, financial, personal, spiritual and career interests. The long-term affects of prolonged stress are accumulative and can be physically and mentally damaging over time. Stress manifests in the body as TMJ / teeth grinding, tension headaches, neck / shoulder pain and lower back pain. Here are several practical ideas that you can use to help you dramatically reduce your stress level and live a much more productive life.

Stress Management Tips

1. Get plenty of sleep.

2. Eat balanced meals and avoid eating junk food.

3. Drink plenty of water and avoid nicotine, excessive caffeine and other stimulants.

4. Avoid drinking alcohol in excess.

5. Learn to make decisions quickly and let go of the need to over-analyze everything.

6. Express your feelings appropriately and don’t bottle up your emotions.

7. Avoid trying for perfection and don’t sweat the small stuff.

8. Maintain a positive mental attitude by utilizing affirmative “self-talk.”

9. Stop worrying so much and look at situations more optimistically.

10. Smile and laugh frequently throughout the day, don’t take yourself so seriously.

11. Mix leisure with work: take breaks and get away when you can.

12. Make a point to spend quality time with your friends and family.

13. Become more tolerant and don’t be overly critical of yourself or others.

14. Always be kind and gentle with yourself.

15. Listen to upbeat music or watch your favorite movie.

16. Exercise for cardiovascular fitness three to four times a week.

17. Set written goals, plan your time and prioritize your activates.

18. Keep a list of “things to do” and stay focused on short-term accomplishments.

19. Get a massage or take a warm bath.

20. Do something nice for someone else.

I hope you, your family and friends take time to enjoy each day leading to Christmas and may your Holiday Season be Joyful and STRESS FREE!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our family to your family!

Last month Peggy and Mike Badger and myself were October’s guest speakers of the Connestee Fire Rescue  Auxiliary meeting speaking on the state of the current real estate market.  We divided the topic in three areas – Real Estate Statistics, Today’s Buyers and Sellers, and Marketing taking into account the economy, today’s buyers/sellers, and marketing in and around the internet.  The methods of buying and selling real estate of 10/15 years ago are gone as we become un-tethered as we all carry our smart phones & tablets everywhere we go.  Recalling 15 years ago we had MLS PAPER BOOKS while today we are marketed globally across the internet.

This is the first of three posts with Lynda Hysong reporting on Real Estate Statistics.  Mike Badger will report on Internet Marketing. Peggy Badger will report on Today’s Buyers and Sellers.

REAL ESTATE STATISTICS:

To answer the first part of the question, we reported the number of homes closed began dropping between 2006 and 2007 with 2009 being the bottom. We saw a slight increase in 2010 with 2011 following suit. While the median selling price has decreased from 2007 highs, we find ourselves at 2004/2005 levels. Median selling price is defined as the point at which half of all homes are sold for more and half are sold for less.

National Association of REALTORS reported in mid October our southern region saw the least amount of slippage compared with the rest of the country:

In the Northeast, the median price dropped to $244,100 from $245,600 in July, and it fell 5.1 percent since August 2010;  The median price in the Midwest declined to $141,700 in August from $146,300, and fell 3.5 percent from the previous year;  In the South, the price inched down on a monthly basis to $151,000 from $152,600, and also slipped down 0.8 percent in a year-over-year comparison; The median price in the West took another big hit, falling to $189,400 from $208,300 in August and fell 20.6 percent from the year before.

For the second part of the question how many of the listings are Foreclosures? According to a November article in the Charlotte Observer North Carolina ranks among the states with the lowest number of foreclosures, coming in at No. 34 with South Carolina raking 13th. Filings were issued on 2,939 homes statewide last month.

Drilling down a bit more notice the chart above illustrating  Transylvania County having the least number of foreclosures in comparison to its neighboring counties of Henderson and Buncombe.

Stay tuned for the continuation of our report by Peggy and Mike Badger over the next few weeks.

The U.S. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed an Armistice Day for 12th November, 1919. And TheUnited States Congress conceded a parallel resolution after 7 years on 4th June, 1926, applying for a President issue another declaration to survey 11th November with proper ceremonies. An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) permitted 13th May , 1938, made 11th of November in every year an authorizedholiday; “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day’.”

In the year of 1953, an Emporia, Kansas, shoe store holder named Al King had a plan to increase Armistice Day to commemorate all veterans, not presently those who provided in World War I. the king had been keenly occupied with an American War Dads throughout World War II. Then he started a crusade to turn the Armistice Day into “All”Veterans Day. And The Emporia Chamber of Commerce assumed the reason after resolving that 90% of the Emporia merchants with the Board of Educationsupported finishing their doors on 11th November, 1953, to tribute veterans. And with the help of then-U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, from Emporia, a bill forholiday was push through Congress. The President Dwight Eisenhower marked it into law on 26th May, 1954.

Congress modified this act on 8th November, 1954, replacing “Armistice” with Veterans. It has been recognized as Veterans Day since.

Even though originally planned for commemoration on 11th November of each year, opening in 1971 compliant with the Uniform MondayHoliday Act, Veterans Day was shifted to fourth Monday of October. And In the year of 1978 it was retreated to its original commemoration on 11th November.

My Dad served in the Air Force in the Korean War, My Father-in- law served in the Navy during WW II and was in the pacific during the bombing of Pearl Harbor & my Mother-in-law and her family served in the Army and were stationed at Pearl Harbor during the bombing. I stand up and salute all of our brave men and women that have taken the oath to protect our freedom in this great land – for the families who have lost loved ones in battle abroad and at home!

Thank You for YOUR Service & May God Bless ALL of You and Your Families!

A recent Marketwatch story written by Amy Hoak points out that housing markets in the Great Plains, including those in North and South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Nebraska, Louisiana and Iowa, are showing the most signs of strength these days, according to a recent report from Veros, a risk management and valuation services firm.

Hoak notes that Bismarck, North Dakota., is expected to be the strongest market in the country in the year ahead, with housing values appreciating at a 5.6% clip, according to Veros. Other markets projected to be among the strongest in the year ahead include Honolulu; Fargo, North Dakota.; Harrisburg/Carlisle, Pennsylvania; and Pittsburgh. Washington, D.C., and Boston remain strong city markets.

Hoak writes that while not many markets are fully rebounding, at least a good number of them likely won’t see values fall at quite as rapid a pace as in recent years, according to the report.

“Overall, the recovery in the housing market is limited to just a few markets and is taking a long time to occur. The encouraging news is that many markets are no longer expected to be rapidly declining,” says Eric Fox, vice president of statistical and economic modeling for Veros.

The weakest U.S. markets are in Nevada, inland areas of California, Washington and Oregon, according to the report. The weakest market in the year ahead: Bakersfield, California, where foreclosures have been a huge problem.

Hoak wraps up the story with words of assurance; While prices aren’t on the upswing in many places, at least they’re not expected to fall that rapidly in the coming year.

In Western North Carolina, we have experienced an increase in sales over this time last year with the SECOND HOME buyer coming back into the market. Being a mountainous area rich with all nature has to offer, it is the place to have a home to get away from the south’s summer heat or the north’s winter blast.  Our part of the Blue Ridge Mountains has over 250 waterfalls, State and National Forests along with every active outdoor activity you can imagine.