Gabe Swinney Asheville New Urbanism

Asheville vacation rentals are now a powerful and growing force in the Asheville, NC real estate market. Why is this? The answer seems fairly simple and yet is made up of a few different factors.

For one thing the tourism and vacation industry has been growing by leaps and bounds over the last several years. People now come to Asheville to vacation from all over the world. They call the city and its surrounding mountains, shangri-la, the Paris of the South, and the happiest city in the nation. Naturally the Asheville vacation rental business is doing just fine amidst such heavy praise. The appeal is also multi-faceted. Some people come for the culture and the history filling their vacation itinerary with tours of the Biltmore house, the Grove Park Inn, and the countless summer festivals. Some others come to Asheville for the outdoor recreation. After all, even if Asheville is only recently becoming common knowledge it has long since been legendary among the river kayakers, mountain bikers, rock climbers, whitewater rafters, backpackers, and fly fishers. It just makes sense that Asheville vacation rentals are in demand.

The other big factor, as far as I can see, is the national market being in something of a "slump" at the moment. In the last five years or so Asheville has been experiencing an enormous influx of new residents. Every income bracket was practically forming a wagon train and setting there sights on the blue ridge mountains around Asheville. The current market however has made it difficult for some potential immigrants to sell property other places. This has not made them forget there goals by any length. Every day I talk to several people who are just waiting for the market to turn so they can move to Asheville. Obviously this has not effected everyone in the same way. The demographic with free capital is taking full advantage of the best buyers market in years by investing in areas like Asheville, NC, Breckenridge CO, or other desirable parts of the nation. But for all the rest of us who need to wait before we can buy this is no time to remain idle. Now is the time to visit and get a feel for the Asheville area, to build relationships, and get an eye for what you really want from such a diverse area. And once again, the Asheville vacation home owner benefits.

So, it seems that amidst a constantly shifting economy the Asheville vacation rental is a flexible and thriving investment. And I look forward to meeting you when you get here.

Gabe Swinney

Asheville New Urbanism

New Urbanism is a powerful growing force in the Asheville green real estate market. In many ways the traditional neighborhood design is a knight in shining armor for the Asheville area during this time of rapid growth. one of the reasons for this praise is that New Urbanism inherently works against urban sprawl. This development design standard also tends to attract a demographic who appreciate green development, community, and the great outdoors. All of these things are values that Asheville is known for.

The amazing growth that the Asheville region has been experiencing has raised many questions about maintaining our unique sense of place as well as our environmental standards. As growth is unavoidable the best course of action is responsible growth. This is where sustainable development comes into play. New Urbanism ties together housing, resteraunts, jobs, and basic amenities. This type of planning therefore focuses growth in a responsible way while simultaneously enriching the sense of community and therefore the quality of life.

There are currently some developments who have embraced these standards around Asheville and a few more up and coming. The Village of Cheshire in Black Mountain and Breakaway just to the north of Asheville are two outstanding examples.

One thing that is for sure is that life is good here in "the happiest city in the country", and things are getting better all the time.

Over the years I have been privileged to have lived in and visited many wonderful places. Asheville, North Carolina is one of the places that I am most proud of having in my life. Seeing this fair city develop and gain the fame and respect she deserves could be likened to dating a girl in high-school who would one day become a movie star and warmly watching her glowing career assured that she still loves you. It is true that more and more people continue to move here trying to see what the "happiest city in the country" has in store for them. And even though this place seems to draw the socially and environmentally conscious it can still be a tad bit unnerving to witness such growth. Sometimes its enough to make me consider switching careers from sustainable real estate and conservation to straight up conservation.

All in all, Asheville, NC and its surrounding rivers, hills, plains, springs, waterfalls, mountains, and ridges are a dream to live in and having a chance to watch the organic garden of its society grow is a great privilege that I am overwhelmingly grateful for.

Thanks for giving me a chance to do what I do best.

Asheville Waterfall Properties

As a green real estate agent I have many workplaces. Sometimes my office is my car sometimes its the local coffee shop. I could just as easily find myself on a ridge top as the actual office itself. That being said, some of my favorite places of work are the Asheville waterfalls. And there are millions of gallons of them. There are few things I know of in this world that are more relaxing, enchanting, and soul cleansing than the sound of falling water. Bearing witness to the mountain springs as they tumultuously careen their way down the slopes eventually join the French Broad or Catawba rivers is certainly one of the jewels in the Asheville crown.

A lot of Asheville's waterfall properties are protected by the state or federal government, set aside for the enjoyment of the public in places like Pisgah National Forest or Dupont State Park. There are still many waterfall properties on the market today some developed and some undeveloped. I think that there are probably more substantial Asheville area waterfalls than any one person knows for sure. They tend to pop up a sometimes unexpected highlight to land and property,

I was recently thinking about my time backpacking in Maine. I remember that even though I found myself surrounded by pristine peace and beauty there was always something going on in my head. Some song or stupid jingle from a commercial I heard when I was twelve. The only thing I know that ever just quieted my mind and smoothed out all of the nonsense was the sound of flowing water.

Now that things are busier than ever I am thankful that the Asheville waterfall properties are one of the places I work...and play.

black and white courtesy of John Narrin

Asheville Conservation Land Broker

Lately I have been thinking quite a bit about what an adventure working on land deals around Asheville, North Carolina is. The familiarity with the land that is demanded by this work makes me reminiscent of my time working in the Alaskan Wilderness. These days there are so many factors and big players stepping up to the Western North Carolina mountains that it can often be complicated as well as a test of one's ethics. I believe that it is at times like these that we must cling to our values the strongest.

I can fondly remember so many nights in the wilderness wrapped snuggly inside a sleeping bag and pouring my mind over a map by the light of my head lamp before closing my eyes for a well earned rest. These days the office has transformed from a tent to a remodeled bungalow in West Asheville. I get less rest, and I have to leave the head lamp at home. However, the map is still there. Sitting around the table with my associates drawing lines with our fingers across the sections of a large topographical map. Climbing its mountains with our finger-nails and getting excited over the hundreds of "pocket-gems" that the map subtly insinuates.

Asheville real estate, and in particular Asheville land, is in high demand. And it is in demand by a very diverse demographic. It is not uncommon to be contacted by serious groups looking to sustainably develop land as a green housing compound or start an organic farm that end up going head to head with other developers with a taste for plastic, clear cuts, and a vulnerability to land slides. I have heard other brokers say things about how they would love to work with more sustainable developers but the money is the most important thing. Perhaps that is true to some extent. I see this mentality as not working hard enough to make your deals work the right way. I believe that responsible land brokerage means conserving the things that make the Asheville area so desirable in the first place.

So these days my tent and head-lamp have to wait for the occasional weekend excursion. But the spirit of my adventures in the woods is embodied in my business, and I have every intention of holding true to the values that I learned out there.