There is a variety of luxury real estate available in Highlands NC.  Whether you want to be located on a golf course, on a lake, or near downtown, we can locate the Highlands property that best suits your needs.  The Highlands Country Club for example offers some of the best golf available in North Carolina, if not the entire United States.  In addition there is access to tennis, swimming, dining, a fitness facility and a top notch spa.  Buying Highlands Country Club real estate insures a lifetime of mountain activities outside your door, as well as spectacular views that are tough to beat.

We have a wonderful Highlands Country Club listing that is a lovely 6 bedroom home overlooking the 17th fairway of the golf course.  A large front porch, views of Club Lake, and lovely landscaping accent the exterior of this luxury Highlands NC property. Inside this lovely home you will be taken by the warm chestnut wainscot paneling, the massive stone fireplace and beamed cathedral ceiling in the great room, and built-in library book cases.  This stunning Highlands real estate is a must-see for anyone looking for a luxury getaway in our unique mountain area.

If you are looking for a stunning modern mountain masterpiece look no further than 137 Norton Ridge Road, one of the finest specimens of Highlands real estate that is available for sale today.  Situated on nearly 5 acres that offer ponds, streams, gardens, and lush landscaping, this home boasts water views as well as porches off of each of its five bedrooms.  No detail has been left untouched and this home includes a state-of-the-art theater room, a family room that comes complete with its own bar, and a wine cellar to name a few of its accolades. 

Contact me today to learn more about luxury real estate in Highlands NC.  Our beautiful mountain area is home to some of the most stunning properties available today, offering tranquility and style in settings that are unparalleled.  As an experienced Highlands NC REALTOR® I can provide access to all homes that are currently listed for sale in Highlands/Cashiers and can provide a unique history and perspective on our current market conditions.

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

Ferns are beautiful, lacy, green, delicate, natural… pick your adjective.     Many are native to our Highlands Cashiers Plateau and can provide a great natural addition to your landscape. They are said to impart a calm grace, yet they are tough, durable and adaptable.

I became fascinated with ferns after moving to North Carolina from California in 1998, and must confess that I was not aware of them until I moved here.

The Hay-scented Fern figures prominently as the Meadows Mountain Realty logo, both in its pale green summer colors and its golden tan fall tones. An “invasive” species, this one is easy to grow, but can take over your garden, and I am having some difficulty removing my excess plants. it spreads by underground root rhizomes or runners. This fern grows in “drifts” which appropriately describes the pattern. It can be used to hold soil on sunny slopes, but you must be  conscious of its growth habit.

This list presents the ferns I have liberated from the wild and transplanted successfully in my gardens.

If you wish to start growing ferns, but prefer not to capture them in the wild, they are available in most of our local nurseries.

There you will find many kinds of ferns, not all of which will survive our winters. If you want perennial ferns, it is important to ask the nursery personnel which ones will survive here. Remember that ferns have been on this planet for over 240 million years, and are found in all hemispheres, but they can be very selective about the environments they choose to accept.

For instance, my favorite is the Southern Maidenhair, but it has to be replaced each year.

The Autumn Fern, from Asia, is very hardy here, as is the Japanese Painted Fern. Both are notable for their unusual colors. the Autumn Fern is a reddish brown when it unfolds in the Spring, and the painted fern is an unusual bluish-gray color.

If you wish to explore the enchanted world of ferns, just Google Ferns. The images that come up on the Connecticut Botanical Society website  http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/ferns/index.html   are particularly useful, and The Brooklyn Botanic Garden paperback  Ferns..Wild Things Make a Comeback in the Garden   is a good practical handbook.

For more information on ferns in the mountains or real estate in the mountains of western North Carolina, give Bill Peavey a call at 828.526.1717 or email Bill at billp@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

Sitting regally atop a small knoll overlooking the seventeenth fairway of the course which was first played by legendary golfer, Bobby Jones, the 4th Cottage combines the charms of yesteryear with the comforts of today.

Family and friends eagerly gather on the large front porch to enjoy the gentle breezes that stir the uppermost branches of decade old trees.   You are deep into your favorite book, but it is hard not to break away for a glance at the graceful swans that swim in Club Lake just a few hundred yards below.  Throughout the spring, summer and fall, the meticulously manicured grounds are ablaze with color. The combination of native and cultivated plants dresses the landscape in eye catching splendor.  The gently rolling lawn reminds you of homes found in your favorite movie.

From its first days in 1928 until today each owner has sacredly guarded the homes integrity. Wainscot paneling of pre-blight chestnut warm the walls of the Great Room with its massive stone fireplace and beamed cathedral ceiling. Built-in library book cases installed when famed author-psychiatrist, Corbett Thigpen, best known for The Three Faces of Eve, owned the home from 1955 to 1980, provide the perfect repository for your cherished books, photos and family memorabilia.    In 1999 the current undertook to renovate the cottage with the help of local architect Dennis DeWolf.    Paying careful attention to preserve the integrity of the original cottage, they set out to update the home with all of the features that families expect in a twenty-first century home.

Visitors to the home following the renovation marvel at the finished product.  A large stone fireplace on the expanded porch closely resembles the original one that anchors the Great Room.  Even the most finicky chef would feel at home in the updated kitchen.  The master suite with its his and her baths provides the perfect escape for a busy couple to rest and recuperate from a day filled with all the activities that Highlands has to offer.  Adjacent to the bedroom is a room which is an idyllic spot for a small office or library, or dressing room.  Use your imagination to personalize this space to your specific needs.  Throughout the house your eye is drawn to carefully thought out design details that you seldom find in homes built today.

When family and friends come for a visit, they will enjoy their own privacy in one of two guest cottages.   In addition, there is a workout studio and a two car garage.      

The 4th Cottage might just be the perfect mountain home.     For more information, contact Michelle Muraco at Meadows Mountain Realty at 828.526.1717 or by email at michelle@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

Imagine waking up to the sounds of a rushing stream, then lounging on the screened porch with your morning cup of coffee enjoying the sights and sounds of the birds as they flock around your feeder.    This great cottage is not only streamside – it is an easy stroll to all that Highlands NC has to offer including wonderful dining, great shopping, theatre and other cultural activities.   

With three bedrooms each with a private bath, this home offers two master suites – one on the main and one upstairs.   The greatroom has cathedral ceilings, laminate wood floors and a floor to ceiling fireplace.    The large kitchen with eating bar will become the perfect gathering space when friends or family visit.    

Easy maintenance exterior with minimal landscape care, this home could be the perfect place to spend your summers in Highlands NC.      Offered fully furnished and ready to move in.    $550,000.   For more information on this home or others in the Highlands NC or Cashiers NC area, please give one of the well qualified brokers at Meadows Mountain Realty a call today.  828.526.1717 or email at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.  

Formerly known as The Sunledge when it was the summer home of its previous owners, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Goodyear, Jr of Albany Georgia, this now 60-year-old cottage has been enjoyed by Dr. and Mrs. Ferrell Harper and their family of Blakely, and St Simon’s Island, GA for many years.   A magazine article describing this historic house was published in the Fall 1987 issue of Veranda.

Midway between Cashiers and Highlands, this property is easily accessed from Highway 64 and basks in the sunshine.  From its wide lichen-accented stone patio the long range mountain views are just lovely. With nearly five serene acres, The Harper’s appreciation for nature is quite evident. This property is populated with beautiful hardwoods, and they have encouraged wild flowers native to the Highlands Cashiers Plateau, with at least eight different fern species, large trilliums, mosses, hybrid hostas, and a deep, clear, stream-fed pond.

The pond is crying out for some rainbow trout, and the water splashing over its stone dam is quite musical.  The area adjacent to it could make a distinctive, additional home site as well.

Across the road is a rather grand house belonging to the Flowers family  (www.flowersfoods.com), which sits on the former location of a Vanderbilt hunting lodge.   Steeped in history, this area can provide today’s active homeowner easy access to town, and country privacy that would be difficult to duplicate.

For more information on this special property, please visit our website or contact John Bynum at 828.200.0144 or Bill Peavey at 828.399-1553.   Or inquire by email at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.

Highlands luxury real estate has a lot to offer.  Most people who are looking for luxury real estate are looking for a well designed home that offers a lot to its residents in the way of entertaining and lifestyle, as well a surrounding that has a lot to offer.  There are many incredible Highlands properties for sale that offer luxury living in spectacular settings.  The surrounding community of Highlands upholds the standard of luxury living by offering amazing dining, shopping, spa and recreational opportunities.

When considering buying Highlands real estate it is important to examine priorities.  The number of bedrooms and bathrooms a person needs in a vacation home are important as are the bonus rooms of the home.  Do you want or need a recreation or media room?   Is a big, well-equipped kitchen important?  What do you want from the outside of your home?  Do you want to be in the woods or on a golf course?  Do you want to be walking distance from town or next door to a tennis court?

At Meadows Mountain Realty we have access to some wonderful Highlands properties.  As experienced Highlands Realtors we know how to find our clients the ideal vacation property and make it our mission to help all of our buyers get to know the Highlands area.

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

If you have been watching Highlands NC and Cashiers NC real estate you might have noticed that mortgage rates are on the rise.  While rates are still affordable they recently hit above 5% for the fist time in ages, a sign of stability on the horizon for the economy.  What does this mean for anyone thinking about buying property in Highlands or Cashiers?  When rates rise the long term cost of home ownership rises as well.

The question many people looking at Highlands property may be asking is whether home prices will drop any further?  The luxury market is definitely different from the lower end market in that listing prices have not dropped significantly.  That being said a home is merely worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

The real cost of real estate rises with interest rates.  Therefore, if you are thinking about buying Highlands real estate in the coming year there couldn’t be a better time to get out and look.  Contact us today to learn more about what is going on with regards to Highlands real estate.  We have access to all listings currently on the market and also know what buyers are truly motivated to sell.

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

Anyone buying Highlands real estate should know that there are tax benefits of owning a second home.  Whether you rent your second home or decide to keep it all for your own use, if you spend at least 14 days (or 10% of the time that you rent it) a year in the home it counts as a residence .  If you follow these rules then you can write off the mortgage interest for your Highlands vacation property.  If you rent your home out for 200 days a year then you need to use your home for at least 20 days or the IRS will consider it a rental property and your mortgage interest will not be deductible.

Likewise, if you rent your Highlands home for more than two weeks a year then the income that you make from it will need to be reported.  If you rent your home for less than two weeks you get to keep the income you received without reporting it to the IRS.

When you rent your Highlands home for more than two weeks a year you get to claim the following deductions: mortgage interest, upkeep and maintenance expenses, utilities, depreciation, insurance, and other miscellaneous expenses.  One thing to keep in mind is that you cannot take a loss if your revenue is less than your expenses.

Contact us today to learn more about buying a vacation home in Highlands NC.  We have access to all homes that are currently listed for sale and have the experience and knowledge that you need to find a property that best suits your needs.

Click here to read an article from Smart Money regarding the tax benefits of owning a second home.

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.

We have a fabulous custom home in Highlands NC listed for sale.  Located in the Highlands Falls Country Club, this five bedroom, four bathroom home offers seclusion and privacy only minutes from downtown Highlands.  This wonderfully built home is accented by an open floor plan and attention to detail.  Built for comfort and entertaining in style, the great room in this Highlands property features a built-in wet bar, custom cabinets, cathedral ceilings and a wall of windows that showcases a spectacular view.

The outdoor living in this Highlands home is equally spectacular with a patio, deck and views of Whiteside Mountain.  This home represents the best part of living in Highlands, the natural beauty, easy access to town, and the amenities that the Highlands Falls Country Club has to offer. 

Contact us today if convenience, privacy, views, and beauty are what you have been looking for in a Highlands home.  In addition we have access to all Highlands real estate that is currently listed for sale and can provide a list of homes that we could look at and compare.

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 real estate will hopefully prosper from the growing trend of increased second home sales across the country.  A recent article from the Wall Street Journal demonstrated how second home and vacation communities across the country experienced increase in sales volume throughout 2010.  The uptick in second home sales is attributed to the bargains that exist, as well as the desire for many to have a get-away home.  It is after-all a buyers market and the current climate represents a perfect time to buy a vacation property for those that have been considering doing so.

Highlands North Carolina has long been considered a desirable vacation community.  Its stunning setting, combined with exceptional recreational opportunities, shopping, dining, and culture, have created an ideal place to relax and enjoy life.  As the economy continues to improve so will the desire to purchase Highlands real estate.

Click here to read “Market for Vacation Homes is on the Rise” from the Wall Street Journal.

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.