I know, I know. I'm repeating myself. Eco-innovation is red hot. 
Development-planning and green building have changed the way we design, construct, operate and even think about real estate.
One of the best places to see how this is transforming the way we look at our world our communities, our homes is right here in Asheville, NC. So this is your invitation to come see for yourself.
Real estate buyers and sellers are excited, especially if they are considering investing in green homes and/or land for sale in the Asheville, NC. Area, said to be "the HUB" of green building innovation and education.
And with good reason!. Take a look at the stats. You will notice:
•1) that value-added features attract people
•2) that the demand for eco-savvy buildings is on the rise
•3) that environmentally conscious and non-toxic spaces are entering the general/mainstream consciousness
In 2006, for example, builders here in Asheville, built about 30 energy efficient and/or WNC HealthyBuilt® homes. In 2007, over 400 such homes were in progress. In the Spring of 2008, we can count 110 certified HealthyBuilt Homes and 658 "in progress" in the Western North Carolina area.
I know what the stats say to me. Now tell me what these stats say to YOU.
Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina
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Recently, not half an hour's drive from Asheville, N.C, (where our real estate market remains vital, ) we spotted a sign, obviously done by a local artist. It read, " green homes for sale in this Asheville burb..."
"Burb"? What does that mean, I wonder. . .
I asked an eco-savvy husband and wife team what about this...and they had to laugh . Their goal is to develop a conservation subdivision. They want to partner with eco-minded people interested in, among other things, eco-innovation, energy efficiency, true-green-built homes, water conservation, and the creation of economic opportunities for the local communities.
Maybe that's what that "burb" thing was all about.
But the couple are looking, too, at land legacies. So the land surrounding their eco-development , if it hasn't been already, will be placed into conservation trusts. No way that could be a "burb."
To our potential clients, ecological land use means carefully, and over a period of years carving out eco-friendly picnic spots and compelling trails for horsy-folks in the community, and for hikers. Along the way, through the mountain laurels and up to the higher elevations, they know that vocal waterfalls call.
As we talked with our potential clients, we realized how important it is to them that all this is to be done with as little impact on the environment as possible. And we realized something else. Equestrians will love this-place, Hikers will love this place. Green home builders will love this place.
It's a place to live and learn. It's a place to offer wellness retreats, possibly create a "lifelong learning" center. Certainly, they will choose to invite and host ecotourists in all seasons. ..
As you can see by the photo I took (to your left) ...this is one amazing place.
As a REALTOR® actively involved in the value-added market, ,my team and I hope that we will get to be a part of this. We are anticipating working with this eco-savvy husband and wife team who will invite you to Asheville where dreams come true. For now, I feel good when I think that my Clients' contribution will stand in perpetuity as a reminder of their pro-active good will.
Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina
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SO... life is good. Today I got a "wish" list from an eco-savvy client longing to relocate to Asheville where
the vocal demand for Asheville Green Real Estate and HealthyBuilt® Homes definitely is on the rise. You should know that when clients relocate to Asheville, we always ask them to provide a list of their Top 10 Must Haves in terms of "Green" features....
That's what arrived today...When you look at their Eco-Friendly Must Haves, you may wonder how we ever are going to be able to satisfy all these "green essentials"...
But never fear, here in "green" Asheville, where the green real estate is more and more in demand, we may surprise our clients with meeting their wishes...and YOU.
Asheville Green Real Estate "Must Haves" List
Hey! Wait a minute...that's more than 10! Not to worry...Take a look at the following stats and you will see that there are plenty of possibilities to be reviewed. . .
Asheville Green Real Estate HealthyBuilt® Homes Stats:
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| Total homes certified as of 03/02/08: 105 |
RESOURCES & Green Asheville Links
Green Builders
•· Appropriate Building Solutions
•· Cornerstone Builders
•· Demos Builders, Inc
•· Earthtone Builders
•· Innova Homes, LLC
•· SAGE BuildersGreen Architects
•· Alice Dodson
•· Samsel Architects
•· Daryl Rantis ArchitectsAlternative Energy, HERS Raters & Home Energy Assessment
•· Blue Ridge Biofuels
•· Solar Dynamics
•· Appalachian Energy
•· Sundance Power Systems
Home Energy PartnersFor more information visit http://www.energystar.gov/.
Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina
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UPDATE: October, 2008
With an economic situation with particular challenges at hand, I'm asking 1031 Like-Kind Exchange Guru, Matt Linville to weigh in on this again. And in the meantime, here's an Asheville 1031 review...
Recently, I happened on an article about
Lunch and Learn, a program designed to expand training and development for staffers. Lunch and Learn, I discovered ,could work to expand our real estate and real estate services training with a multi- outreach and professional education program. Because we are an Asheville Firm with a focus on 1031 Like-Kind Exchanges, this seemed like a great opportunity for staff and clients alike.
So, we opened our office doors to the public and inaugurated a "green investment (1031s encouraged) and sustainable issues"community and neighborhood outreach venue.
Our informal lunch-time chats, previously untitled, could become Asheville's own "1031 green" real estate's Lunch and Learn forum. Does that sound like a Plan to you? It sure did to all the Active Rain Members at our Firm here in Asheville...
Typical Lunch and Learn programs include: 
Eco-conscious investing
1031 & Green
Qualifiers & the 1031
Product training
Professional development
Personal Development
Life Skills
Active Rain Members who enjoy camaraderie at our Firm here in Asheville (7 of us.you can see Bill, Sami, Gabe and Rhodes, in the photo to the right) invited another Active Rain Member, and 1031 Qualified Intermediary, Matt Linville to kick off our Lunch and Learn program.
Here's Matt! 
Matt had informed all of us at Active Rain that there are some seriously important new developments that real estate professionals need to know if we work in the 1031 arena, so we were excit
ed to hear what Matt had to say.
I, for one, wanted to know what might be new in terms of second/vacation homes, land and conservation properties as investments.
I had a good conversation with him during our Lunch and Learn session. This opportunity to speak informally with the Experts may be one of the greatest benefits of the Lunch and Learn Program, I thought.
Matt had posted on the proposed 1031 Like Kind exchange affects of the new Farm Bill currently under consideration...on his BLOG not long ago, and I wanted to know more about that, too.
Making the exchange of collectibles no longer able to qualify for tax deferment was a concern to me. And, I stayed concerned until I read his update Farm Bill Update....1031 Like Kind Exchange . Matt informed us that " The update will bring good news to those taxpayers who exchange collectibles. The proposed change to their qualifying nature has been dropped from the bill. So, exchange those collectibles as normal!"
Of course, real estate pro
fessionals being who we are, an inquisitive bunch for certain, especially those of us who are into the "green is red hot" thing, we had numbers of questions about conservation and socially-conscious investing as it pertains to the 1031 Like Kind Exchange ready for Matt.
And here he was, right in our Lunch and Learn, and with all the latest news. "I will continue to keep you up to date as things happen!" Matt promised us. . .
...and I will answer questions if you ask them in comment section below. .."
THANKS, Matt!
Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved Asheville ECO Real Estate: Trends, Legacies & The Home Place Greenolina
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Living "Green". It's About the Positive Momentum
One mellow afternoon last summer, as we watched the sun filter thorugh an old, old tree, a novelist and client-friend of ours talked about living "green" as we headed back from our review of some amazing conservation land.
A " rare bird", this author, a family man, an outdoorsman with the means to invest in what matters most to his heart, namely conservation real estate in the Greater Asheville area, is also a new urbanist.
With both these perspectives in mind, that day, I asked him what living "green" was all about. Without hesitation, his fingers keeping track, he counted out:
1) BE humane- from the inside-out. Call your neighbors and talk before you make judgments.
2) Only then, take considered action.
3) Discipline yourself with diet, exercise, and humor.
4) Enhance compassion for all living things.
5) Reduce your impact on what's around you.
6) Engage in a sustainable lifestyle.
7) Make eco-wise choices.
8) Honor nature's cycles.
9) Think about quality of life. Do NOT compromise it for your grandkids.
10) Adopt a philosophy of deep stewardship.
Low-impact Living. Long-term Sustainability. The Sounds, the Subtleties, and Stewardship.
Our friend's recommendations could be the anthem for low-impact living and long-term sustainability- even a celebration, if you will, of reducing energy, using renewable resources, working and playing near your home, inhabiting high-performance, healthy-built structures, selecting locally-grown foods, and respecting one another and our common birthright , clean water and air.
I am thinking today that when this happens, low-impact living, "green" living becomes a celebration of human ingenuity.
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