About Watauga County, NC

The short sale is brand new here. Even some of the bankers in our insulated small town had no knowledge of the exact term: SHORT SALE.

The main question we are hearing from Realtor friends is "how do I insure my commission gets paid in a short sale situation?"

If you have some tips for the rest of us, we'd LOVE to hear about them.

Judy & Allan Wagner

Weichert Realtors, Weber -Hodges Group

Boone, NC

www.Home2Mtn.com

To quote my favorite Beatle, "have to admit it's getting better, getting better all the time!"

Since we are a resort area, our house values have not declined. We just have more on the market than I've ever seen, and I've been selling here 30 years.

Unfortunately, we do have our share of overpriced listings, but a good Realtor can guide you there. Banks have improved their jumbo mortgage rates and limits so it really is a good time to buy. Consumer confidence is improving and should continue to do so because real estate is always going to be there. And real estate in the High Country is a little slice of heaven.

Rent To Own! 50% rent credit! Brand new 2 bedroom / 2 bath 1000 square foot home. It sits on a lot that is .20 acres and its front deck has incredible views and the walls and ceilings are tongue and groove. The floors are oak hardwood. There is slate flooring in the bathroom and kitchen and granite countertops in the kitchen. The home has central heat and A/C. The appliances are all stainless steel and the home is only 10 minutes from Appalachian State University! Rent is $1000/mo and first months rent and low down required to move in. Please contact us with any questions or visit us at http://www.50statesrent2own.com Until next time...

Pete Olsen

Rent To Own Homes, LLC

www.50statesrent2own.com

www.activerain.com/blogs/peteolsen01

Well, I was planning on doing this blog before Winterfest to provide some much needed information on the event but time escaped me like it so often does so here is my post-Winterfest blog. And now I have pictures to show.

The skies were gray this past Saturday in picturesque downtown Blowing Rock but the temperatures weren't cold enough to keep people inside or out of the Chetola Lake for the annual Polar Plunge for that matter. Those people are crazy! They're a special breed.

My husband and I loaded up the baby and the dog and joined the hundreds of ramblers, meandering through the town on a crisp winter's day. We drank hot chocolate, strolled through the park and enjoyed all of the sightseeing that our hometown has to offer. I guess I can't technically call it my hometown since I grew up on the other side of North Carolina in Southport, but hopefully baby Harrison will proudly call it his.

Other fun activities of the day were ice carving, free hay rides, kids activities, and a chili cook off. The Meadowbrook Inn took home the trophy this year for best chili in the High Country. Canyons (where my husband and I work part-time) is foiled again.

I was lucky enough to enjoy a rare night out and was able to catch the John Cowan Band at the Performing Arts Center. They were well received by the sold out crowd as they have been for the past 3 years. I have great memories from my younger years listening to these guys while goofing off and cooking breakfast on lazy Sundays with my family. Needless to say, it's always nostalgic to see them when they come to town. John has a loyal following from his years with Sam Bush, Bela Fleck and Pat Flynn, as the groundbreaking New Grass Revival. The set was a great mix of new and classic songs. The guys even walked down from the stage into the crowd and John sang an unplugged version of "A Good Woman's Love" in his soulful tenor. We hope to see them back next Winterfest.

All and all, a storybook day. It makes me remember how lucky I am to live in this remarkable little corner of the world. If you come to visit, I promise there are no shortages of things to see and do, to occupy your time no matter what season it is. Come and enjoy.

I'm working on finishing up my Ecobroker course this month so I thought I'd share some of the simple things that I'd never thought of. It's freezing cold here in Blowing Rock so I'm taking in all of the energy saving tips I can get to heat out house effectively.

Did you know that a comfortable humidity level in your home is around 50%. Because the water particles in the air actually conduct heat better, it's more efficient to heat your home if you don't let it get too dry in the winter.

Did you know that heating and cooling a home accounts for almost half of the homes energy bills.

Did you know that dark colored houses conduct the suns heat while light colored houses actually reflect more of the heat away.

Did you know that a grass covered lawn is actually around 10 degrees cooler in the summer. On the other hand, planting plants too close to the house can actually trap heat and make the air around the house even warmer.

Did you know that placement is extremely important in regards to your appliances. Don't place your refrigerator next to anything that puts out heat, even a window.

Did you know that front loading washing machines use 1/3 of the water of other models. They also spin faster to dry the clothes more therefore resulting in much shorter drying time which also saves energy.

Did you know that self cleaning ovens are more insulated and therefore save energy resulting in lower utility bills.

Did you know that some of the "phantom" appliances that use energy even when they're turned off include your tv, vcr, cell phone chargers and really anything that has an internal clock, timer or memory.

These are just a few fun facts, I'll post again as I learn more.

Do you have any lesser known energy saving tips? Please feel free to comment.