Hendersonville, NC

According to the North Carolina Association of Realtors®, home sales may be down overall across the state, but Hendersonville experienced a 2% increase in home sales from the same time last year. The 110 Hendersonville homes sold in June 2009 was a 2% increase from June 2008 figures and was a 31% increase from sales figures in May 2009. The average cost for a Hendersonville home was $219,362 (down 17% from June 2008's average cost of $264,559).

In comparison, Asheville home sales were down 7% from the previous year (June 2009 showed 217 units sold, June 2008 showed 233 units sold). However, June 2009 sales were up 45% from May 2009 figures. The average cost for an Asheville home was 6% less than the same time last year ($266,883 in June 2008, $253,852 in June 2009).

What do these figures mean for you buyers out there? These low prices aren't going to last long. Asheville real estate already seems to be experiencing what may be a bottoming out of the market, with home sales only slightly down from the previous year and the average price being only slightly less as well. Hendersonville real estate is not too far behind, with its home sales almost exactly the same as the previous year and up significantly from the previous month. You don't want to miss out on owning your piece of the American dream. With the expiration of the $8,000 tax credit coming quickly upon us, now is definitely the time to buy. Contact me today to let me know how I can make your Hendersonville or Asheville homeownership dreams come true!

I just previewed the most gorgeous home I have seen in a long time. Listed at $500,000 it beats out any million dollar home I have seen in a long time. It is all on one floor, making it ideal for mid to upper aged persons. Yet it has a large basement that could be finished easily to accomadate more living space.

When I first arrived, I wasn't expecting what I found inside. The front would never tell the story. Take a look.

First off, I have to say that this is not even my listing. I am a buyers agent here in Hendersonville. But when I entered this home I had to ask myself, why isn't every buyer jumping at this home. It is gorgeous, and the price is a steal.

I think that with so many homes on the market today, it is hard to find those that stand out. The market is full of the typical cookie cutter homes thrown together. It is a rare find to locate a home that was put together with love of the craft, and care. This home sits amoung some very nice homes, don't get me wrong. But the attention to detail is lacking in most new homes.I hope that this builder continues in his quest for top craftsmanship in our little community.

Anyone who wants to see this beauty, please call me ASAP! I would love to see it again. I would love to put you in it!

Today is back-to-school day for students of Bruce Drysdale Elementary School in Hendersonville, North Carolina, making it only the second school in Henderson County to utilize the year-round system. This makes the start of the school year only four weeks after the end of the previous school year. Rotating tracks will now have 3 months of school for every 1 month break instead of the traditional 9 months on and 3 months off. Both teachers and janitorial staff have worked feverishly to get the school ready for the new year during the shortened summer break. Luckily, many parents have volunteered to help as well, making the transition a little easier.

The reasoning behind having students on a year-round track instead of a traditional school year is so that students will retain more of what they learned over the previous year during the shortened time between studies. Many school districts across the country are beginning to see the benefits of having a year-round curriculum for their students as opposed to the traditional school year. Now, Hendersonville has joined them. This should help our Hendersonville students be more successful in their academic careers.

Hendersonville will be showing its patriotic pride on Saturday, July 4th, in celebration of the birth of our country. If you are a car enthusiast, head to Jackson Park from 2-9pm for the Fourth of July Cruise-in of antique cars sponsored by the Hendersonville Antique Car Club. While you're at Jackson Park, you can enjoy food, beach music by The Embers, crafts and fun for the kids. Just make sure to bring a chair. Jackson Park events will culminate in a fabulous fireworks display at dusk.

The Independence Day Parade will be held on Main Street at 11am, too. Don't miss it! I'll see you there.

Rich Cooke - The Cooke-Knapp Team, Keller Williams Realty - Mountain Partners

Smart selling requires that you prepare your house for market by evaluating its physical condition, including systems such as plumbing, heating and electrical, and components such as the foundation, roof, doors and windows, floors, fixtures and finishes. The time to begin the evaluation depends on how soon you want or need to sell. If you know the house has been well maintained, less time is needed. In most cases, allow thirty to sixty days before listing.

Today most buyers demand that a house be in move-in condition, meaning that it's structurally sound, in good general repair with no obvious signs of deferred maintenance, and meticulously clean, attractive and inviting. If your house doesn't look ready to occupy, buyers will quickly move on, knowing they have many options. Don't expect that you can skip doing the work, put the house on the market and offer a price reduction or repair allowance. Buyers will have difficulty picturing how the house might look with new carpet or neutral paint colors, so you risk taking an even longer time to sell, getting no offers, or eventually getting an offer that is far lower than you anticipate. That's a waste of money, time and effort. Keep in mind that you're competing against new construction in pristine condition, often with buying incentives from the builder, well-maintained, existing homes and homes in foreclosure selling at a greatly reduced price.

You're probably already aware of some necessary repairs and other chores to address. Create a list of things to do, and decide if you can manage them yourself, or if you need help. Get estimates, develop a budget and proceed according to your selling timeframe. Consider getting a seller's home inspection if you suspect any serious problems, because known defects must be disclosed. Correcting them at this stage will cost you less in the long run because the buyer's repair estimate or demanded price reduction will always be more than if you had done the work before listing. Even minor disrepair can make a buyer worry that there are larger problems, so be thorough. Cosmetic preparations are equally important, and we will discuss them next time.

Smart Selling Tip: Before listing your house for sale, evaluate its condition and make any needed repairs. Don't plan to lower the price and skip doing the work because it will cost you time and money.

©2009 Sandy LeRoy and Mary Stephens

Smart Selling is collaboration by two local businesswomen whose work is directly connected with the real estate industry: Mary Stephens of Prudential Lifestyle Realty (mary@ronstephensproperties.com) and Sandy LeRoy of Sterling Property Services (sandy@sterlingpropertyservice.com). Thanks to Lue Kirchner for her insights on this topic. Questions and comments invited.