The annual Village Square Art and Craft Show will take place in downtown Highlands NC this Labor Day Weekend.  Saturday and Sunday some of the finest art and crafts will be for sale from both locally known and nationally known artists.  The show will be located at the Kelsey Hutchinson Park on Pine Street (Pine Street Park) and neighboring Highlands Village Square located on 5th Street just a block from Main Street in Highlands.

The show will take place from 10:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. both days and will feature everything from clay sculptures to handmade quilts.  The Village Square Art and Craft Show will offer fun for the entire family, with live music, food and face painting.  If you are staying in Highlands NC this Labor Day weekend make sure to check out this fun event.  Click here for more information.

For more information about Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands/Cashiers NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558 or email us today at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

This will be a great weekend to take a walk with your dog in Highlands North Carolina.  This Saturday, September 4th, marks the annual Mountain Tail Wagger Walk and Pet Fest, designed to not only show your support for our furry, four-legged friends but also to support the local Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society.

Here are some specifics about the event:

• online registration closes on Friday, September 3rd, registration can be done in person on the day of the walk.
• registration, start of walk and end of walk is at the Highlands Recreation Center.
• the cost is $20 for adults and $10 for children 10 and under.
• registration begins at 9:30 am and the walk begins at 10:30 am.
• the Pet Fest will take place from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm.
• for more information click here or call 828-743-5752.

Living in Highlands NC offers residents a variety of ways to give back to the community and a walk like this annual event is but one way.  The community of Highlands North Carolina is one which focuses on its environment, the arts, nature conservancy and bettering the lives of all that live in the area.

For more information about Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands/Cashiers NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558 or email us today at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

There is a great play opening this week in Highlands North Carolina.  The play Lettice & Lovage is taking the stage at the Highlands Playhouse, a comedy written by the same author who wrote Equus and Amadeus, Peter Shaffer.  Lettice & Lovage opens on Thursday, August 12th and runs through the 22nd.  This fun performance is certain to liven up an evening in Highlands and create great fodder for discussion. Click here for show times, further information and tickets.

On any given day or night there is something going on in Highlands North Carolina.  Whether you would like to partake in a physical, spiritual or cultural activity you can find something that fits the bill in this beautiful North Carolina mountain setting.  The Highlands Playhouse is but one cultural center in Highlands that prides itself on supplying the community with top notch theater and musical talent.

Please contact us today if you would like to learn more about the Highlands NC area and all that it has to offer.

For more information about Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands/Cashiers NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558 or email us today at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

The Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music Festival continues this Friday in Highlands North Carolina with the Beethoven Sonata in A Minor, Debussy, playing at the Performing Arts Center in Highlands at 6:00 p.m.  The Highlands-Cashiers Chamber Music festival demonstrates wonderful music from international performers in the fabulous mountain setting of both Highlands and Cashiers.

The summer of 2010 represents the 29th summer of chamber music in this southern Blue Ridge Mountain region, allowing music lovers to not only enjoy the music that fills their souls but the natural environment that inspires the roots of the  music they listen to.  The music will continue in both Highlands and Cashiers through August 15th.  For more information or for tickets call 828-526-9060 or visit www.h-cmusicfestival.org.

Click here to learn more about the music festival.

For more information about Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands/Cashiers NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558 or email us today at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

HIghlands North Carolina offers an environment in which to both look at and learn.  The natural beauty of this southern Blue Ridge Mountain area is stunning, offering a stunning backdrop for almost any activity.  This natural playground also offers a great outdoor science lab.  The Highlands Nature Center offers classes in Highlands which allow residents and visitors alike to learn more about their environment and gain appreciation for the area.

Whether you want to learn about mammals, plants, insects or fungus you can find a course that suits your interests in Highlands NC.  There are also special speakers throughout the summer that, through the Highlands Nature Center, offer talks and information about nature.

This Thursday there is an author, Paula Robbins, who is speaking about The Man Behind the Mountain Laurel, Peter Kalm in America.  The talk takes place at the Nature Center at 7 p.m.  On Friday there is an exhibit on snakes, “Snakes of the Highlands Region” will take place from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m., and is open to all ages.

Highlands North Carolina is the perfect environment in which to learn.  Click here for more information on programs available through the Highlands Nature Center.

For more information about Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands/Cashiers NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558 or email us today at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

It was long time coming, but season has finally arrived.    The July 4^th weekend was crazy in Highlands and Cashiers – it seemed as if there were more visitors here than ever before.   The Town of Highlands put on spectacular fireworks show lighting up the night sky while the local radio station played continuous patriotic music.     Everyone cheered when the finale ended a busy day of activities.

 We have all been on the go showing property and have had some offers from buyers and a few that went to contract.    It is still very difficult to get buyers off the fence – they are understandably nervous that the US economy will dip again.

 As the mercury rises, most of us on the Highlands Plateau would prefer to hear the word “dip” only in relation to swimming pools, lakes or streams.  Unfortunately, the doom-sayers have hijacked this word and incorporated it into their latest dark scenario: a double-dip recession.     There’s no question that chatter about a double-dip has intensified.   A search of Google News turned up nearly 6,000 stories about a double-dip recession in the first week of July.  That compares with 120 such stories for all of July 2009.  

 There is still plenty of evidence however, that the double-dippers don’t have all the cards.  In the past week, jobless claims dropped, retailers said June wasn’t as bad as feared and the Dow Jones Industrial Average managed to rebound decisively back above 10000.      In a double-dip recession, the economy falls back into negative territory not long after emerging from recession.  Growth in gross domestic product turned positive in the third quarter last year and has remained so ever since.   Later this month, second-quarter growth estimates should show that the string of positive quarters is continuing.

The Federal Reserve has some moves they can take to support the economy if threatened by a renewed downturn.    ”We still have tools. Obviously we have more room on the tightening side than we do on the easing side,” said Federal Reserve Board Governor Elizabeth Duke on Monday in an interview on Fox Business Channel.  “But we still have balance sheet tools and we could still bring interest rates down just a bit,” Duke said. At the moment, it doesn’t look like a double-dip recession is likely, Duke said. “It is a moderate recovery even though some of the recent data has come in pretty soft,” she said. Economists said the Fed could lower the interest rate paid on excess reserves to zero from 0.25%.    Overall, we’re more likely to see modestly slower growth than we’ve recently experienced. But the only double-dips in sight involve ice-cream cones, nachos or a return to the water.

Foreclosures and short sales are still a minor factor here.  There are 29 properties in foreclosure in the Highlands market – 14 homes, 9 condominiums and 6 home sites.   Eight of the 9 condominiums are the Town Place units by the ballfield in town.   In the Cashiers/Glenville/Sapphire market there are 79 properties in foreclosure/short sale including 34 homes, 9 condominiums and 36 homesites.    

There have been 28 sales so far in Highlands this year – this compares to 37  in the same first six months of 2009.     In the                  Cashiers/Glenville/Sapphire market there have been 41 sales so far compared to 27 in 2009.     There have been 12 land sales in Highlands so far this year with an average sales price of $189,587.   There have been 44 sales in Cashiers/Glenville/Sapphire with an average sales price of $119,855.  There are currently 259 home sites on the market in Highlands and 986on the market in Cashiers/Glenville/Sapphire.

There have only been 2 condo sales in Highlands so far this year and 6 in the Cashiers/ Glenville/Sapphire community.   There are currently 83 active condo listings in Highlands and 112 in Cashiers/Glenville/Sapphire.

The inventory of available properties has increased again.    There are currently 497 homes on the market in Highlands and 719 in the market in the  Cashiers/Glenville/Sapphire area.

There will never be a better time to buy a place in the mountains.   Inventories are up, so you have the best selection; many Sellers are anxious to move on or move up, so they are more likely to make you the best deal; interest rates are at historic lows, so you can afford more house.    Let the professionals at Meadows Mountain Realty help you find the best buy possible in the best place in the world to live – the place we call home.   Call today at 866-526-3558 or email us at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

The flowers will be blooming in Highlands North Carolina the second weekend of July.  From July 8th through the 11th the Mountains in Bloom Garden Festival will take place in Highlands.  The weekend’s festivities include tours of five gardens, a flower show, a photography competition, a lecture on flowers, a demonstration, and a home and garden market.  For those who have a green thumb or for those who would like to learn more about flowers and how to make them thrive, the Mountains in Bloom Garden Festival is not to be missed.

Highlands North Carolina is alive with beauty and the summer months are a great time to get out and explore both the natural flora and fauna of the area as well as the beautiful gardens that grace the exteriors of Highlands homes.  The flower festival benefits The Bascom, a center for the visual arts that is located in Highlands NC.  Click here to visit the event website, purchase tickets and learn more about the flower filled weekend’s activities.

For more information about Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands/Cashiers NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558 or email us today at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

Highlands NC will shoot off fireworks this weekend in celebration of Independence Day.  There won’t be a bad seat in the house this Saturday as the traditional Fourth of July fireworks will explode on July third at the Highlands Civic Center & Recreation Park.  The fabulous colors will be visible throughout town after a day of enjoying the outdoors.  Whether you pack a picnic or enjoy the BBQ available at the community center, residents and visitors alike can enjoy the festivities in Highlands.

Prior to the fireworks enjoy a day of golf, spa treatments, hiking, fishing or relaxing.  Highlands is an area ripe with activities with a backdrop to match.  The beauty of this Southern Blue Ridge Mountain area is truly unparalleled.

Save time to rest up before the big show.  The Chamber of Commerce puts on the fireworks display, slated to begin at dusk.

For more information about Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands/Cashiers NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558 or email us today at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

Don’t miss Smokey Joe’s Cafe in Highlands NC this week.  Smokey Joe’s Cafe is a musical event that features rock ‘n’ roll hits like “Hound Dog”, “Stand By Me” and “Jailhouse Rock”, among many others.  The show features Grammy award winning songs, had a record-breaking run on Broadway and was nominated for seven Tony Awards.  Smokey Joe’s Cafe represents the best of what Highlands has to offer, Broadway in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Smokey Joe’s Cafe opens on June 17th and runs through July 3rd. This fantastic musical theatrical review is a great opportunity to enjoy a Broadway smash hit in Highlands North Carolina.   Click here to visit the website and learn more about the Highlands Playhouse, show times and ticket information.

For more information about Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands/Cashiers NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558 or email us today at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

All summer long children can enjoy their environment and learn from it in Highlands North Carolina.  The Highlands Nature Center offers programs for all ages on a weekly basis, allowing children to experience and play in nature at the same time.

Sample programs include “Wow! A World of Wonder”, for children ages 4 through 6, where children play games, hike and explore the world around them.  “Amazing Animals” is a program for 7 through 10 years of age that exposes children to a variety of animals and allows them the opportunity to observe them in their habitats. “Junior Ecologists” exposes children ages 11 through 14 to the life of a field biologist.

Whatever the age, children in Highlands NC get the chance to learn more about the area around them this summer.  Highlands is a spectacular part of Western North Carolina, surrounded by natural beauty and the Highlands Nature Center offers a unique opportunity to enjoy and explore this wonderful mountain area.

Click here to visit the Highlands Nature Center website and learn more about the programs that are being offered this summer.

For more information about Highlands and Cashiers North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands/Cashiers NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558 or email us today at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.