There couldn’t be a better time to look at luxury mountain real estate in Highlands North Carolina.  The low interest rates alone make jumping into a second home enticing, enabling quite a savings over the lifetime of a loan.  Additionally, there is no doubt that it is a buyers market, inventory is up and competition among sellers is growing.

Luxury homes in Highlands are unparalleled.  The craftsmanship combined with the stunning natural settings of the homes in our area provide ultimate getaways for those who are lucky enough to count Highlands NC as their home away from home.

The top notch dining options, world class golfing, shopping and culture that can be found in Highlands accents owning a luxury home in Highlands.  If you would like to learn more about Highlands real estate and take a tour of some of the finest homes in our area please contact us today.

Click here to see a list of some of the best bargains available today.

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.

What does Highlands North Carolina have to offer?  Plenty.  Located in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, in southwestern North Carolina, Highlands is in the Nantahala National Forest, a spectacular setting that is well worth a visit.  In addition to a spectacular location, Highlands temperate climate is ideal.  Activities in Highlands NC include golf (fantastic golf at that), fly fishing, hiking, and mountain biking.  For the less avid outdoorsmen the shopping, dining and sightseeing are entertainment is fabulous.  The fine dining will not disappoint and on any given day one can witness a top notch play or listen to the melodious sounds of chamber music.

Graced with picturesque waterfalls, a quaint downtown, and a stunning landscape it is hard not to say that Highlands NC is a town that has it all.  Offering peace, serenity and a healthy quality of life Highlands is a great place to visit and an even better place to call home.

Click here to learn more about Highlands NC by visiting the Highlands Chamber of Commerce website.

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.

If you have a vacation home that you had hoped to retire to some day but have since changed your mind, don’t jump to sell it…consider renting it out instead.

For many, it seemed like a great idea to buy that vacation home or condo 20 years ago.   The plan was to vacation in the mountains as often as possible, then some day sell your primary residence and retire  to Highlands or Cashiers.   But lifestyle changes or financial situations might now be causing you to consider selling it instead.

However, as a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have seen many clients successfully rent their retirement home instead of selling it.  Author Christine Karpinski, director of Owner Community for HomeAway.com (HomeAway.com), offers some good reasons to consider renting your second home:

1. Circumstances have changed. Maybe grandchildren have arrived on the scene and you can’t bear the thought of moving hundreds of miles away from them. Or your parents are in poor health and need you nearby.

2. You’ve suddenly realized there’s no place like home and you’ve simply changed your mind. You’ve decided you like being near your friends and you don’t want to leave your current community.   Renting your second home out during the time you are not staying there makes it financially feasible to keep both homes.

3. You’ve decided to “retire” from retirement.   Nowadays, it’s not unusual for people to test-drive retirement and find that it’s just not for them.   Work can provide many rich rewards—structure, social interaction, mental stimulation, a sense of purpose, and so forth—that people keenly miss when they retire. And, let’s be honest—sometimes people simply can’t afford to retire.

4. Your fixed income hasn’t kept up with your lifestyle.  Even when you’re happy to give up the daily grind of your job, losing the paycheck that comes with it can be pretty painful.  Factor in inflation, rising taxes, and unexpected “new” expenses, and you may find that what seemed like a manageable cost of living five years ago doesn’t seem that way anymore.  Your second home, even if it’s paid for, may start looking like a liability due to property taxes, homeowner’s association dues, and maintenance costs. Not if you rent it out, says Karpinski. Then it becomes a source of new income.

So don’t give up and seek to unload your Highlands or Cashiers second home just yet!    There are still many ways to make this investment pay off. For more information on renting or buying a second, potential retirement home, please send an email to info@meadowsmtnrealty.com or give us a call at 828-526-1717.    We have a great rental department with a rental website at www.renthighlandsnc.com.

It is a good time to look at luxury real estate in Highlands NC.  Borrowing money for luxury real estate just got cheaper, almost 1.5% cheaper than a year ago in fact.  A year ago the interest rate for a jumbo loan was over 6.8%, at the moment the interest rate for a jumbo loan is 5.43%, only about 1 percent higher that the current rate of a traditional 30 year fixed rate mortgage.   A jumbo loan is a loan of more than $417,000.  Property in Highlands North Carolina stands to gain from these new low rates.

Luxury real estate has taken a back burner in the nation’s recovery, with the focus being on credits for first-time home buyers and getting lower end real estate moving.  These new lower jumbo rates will hopefully spark a fire under the higher end of the market.  There are a number of fantastic luxury properties for sale in Highlands, lower rates making them more affordable than they have been in recent years.

The new low interest rates can save a home buyer thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars over the lifetime of a loan, adding to the affordability level.  Contact us today to learn more about Highlands luxury real estate and examine what is available.

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.

If you’re looking to sell or refinance your home, you know that a home appraisal is a necessary step in the process.  Even though the value of your home may not be as high as it once was, it is important for homeowners to be realistic when it comes to getting their home appraised.

As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I know how vital it is to list your home at the right price.  Although price is only a part of marketing, it is important and having an appraisal done is the first step toward making the  pricing decision.

Here are 10 ways to prepare for a home appraisal:

1. The appraiser will need approximately 30 minutes to one hour to complete the inspection phase of the appraisal process, which includes: exterior photos of the front and rear of the home and a photo of the street in front of the property; measurements of the exterior of the home, garage and any outbuildings; a walk-through inspection of all rooms and levels of the interior of the home, including the basement.
2. Get organized. Put together a checklist that will help you get ready for your appraisal.
3. Be flexible when scheduling the appointment.
4. If possible, have a copy of your home’s floorplan to help verify measurements and lot size.
5. Provide a list of improvements made to the property since the purchase.  Include improvements like adding a deck, updating your kitchen or bathroom, and any room additions, etc.
6. Allow your appraiser access to the entire property, including access to any crawl space or attic areas.
7. Keep in mind that a clean home makes a good impression. Be sure to trim the lawn, clean our garage, repair cracked windows or torn screens, check for leaky faucets and secure gutters and down spouts before your appraisal.
8. Point out any amenities that may not be obvious to the appraiser:  patios,  security systems,  vacuum, etc.
9. Provide a copy of last year’s tax assessment information.
10. Know what year the house was built and when improvements were made.
Following these steps will go a long way toward making the home appraisal process a bit easier.  For more information on home appraisals and preparing your home for sale, please email us at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com. 

If you are looking for your real estate  in Highlands NC or Cashiers NC, please give any of the brokers at Meadows Mountain Realty a call at 866-526-3558.  Visit our website at www.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.

Highlands NC is an idyllic setting for a family getaway.  Complete with a multitude of recreational opportunities from fishing to golf, a wide array of dining and shopping options, and a tranquil setting, the Highlands area provides a place for families to enjoy, with activities that will appeal to a variety of ages and interests.

As the heat of summer rapidly approaches many families look for the ideal community to escape to, in order to enjoy family adventures, new experiences and bond in the way that only families can do.  Highlands North Carolina offers an amazing place for families to escape to, getting away from the hustle and bustle and settle into a lifestyle that is simple, centered around nature and provides adventure, recreation, culture and unparalleled beauty.

An abundance of outdoor activities is available in a setting where nature is life’s backdrop.   Hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, fly fishing, and tubing are all available within minutes of Main Street Highlands.

To learn more about Highlands NC contact us today.  We are a fabulous source for Highlands NC rentals as well as having access to any real estate currently for sales 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.

Many consumers comment that some realtors as well as some economists seem confused about the future of housing sales. They point out that sometimes we seem bullish and sometimes we seem bearish. Let’s set the record straight about this.

Whether the Highlands housing market is likely to be up or down in the future is based on how many people decide to buy homes. Their decisions are based on a myriad of personal factors such as health concerns, whether they are close to retirement, whether they need or want a second home, whether they can afford to buy and so on.

Their views are also affected by tax credits, home prices, mortgage rates and a host of other factors out of their control. In short there are more than a few variables.

What do we think? Going back over 30 years shows that one consistent barometer is the “5%” rule. That is over 30 years of data shows that roughly 5% of all households tend to buy a new or existing home each year. (Note: in 2005 the percentage had reached 7.2% or 44% ABOVE the sustainable long term rate.) On that basis, and given approximately 120 million households in the U.S. then “normal” housing sales should be around 6 million for this year. And given where we are at the start of June, that seems to be where we will finish.

 In short, we are bullish about a solid if not spectacular year for housing sales.

There’s also been some confusion about how the new health care bill may affect real estate. First, there is no 4% “sales tax” or “transfer tax” on the sale of a home included in the health care bill. Additionally, there is nothing in the bill that impacts the mortgage interest deduction. What was included in the health bill is a provision that imposes a new 3.8% Medicare tax for some high income households that have “net investment income”. Any revenue collected by the tax is dedicated to the Medicare hospital insurance program.

This new tax would only apply to households with Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of more than $200,000 for individuals or more than $250,000 for married couples. Since capital gains are included in the definition of net investment income, an additional tax obligation might result from the sale of real property.

The calculations of how much tax is owed are complex. However, even when the AGI limits are met, the new tax would not be applied to all capital gains that result from the sale of a home since the existing home sale capital gains exclusion rule still applies. So if the gain from the sale of the primary residence is below $250,000 (individual)/$500,000 (couple) then no Medicare tax will have to be paid on the gain.  The new Medicare tax would only apply to any home sale gain realized in excess of the $250K/$500K existing primary home exclusion that pushes the filer’s AGI over the $200K/$250K income limits. The new Medicare tax will take effect January 1, 2013. Of course, you need to check with your own tax professional to see how the new health care reform bill can affect your bottom line.

For more information on real estate in Highlands, contact Judy Michaud at Meadows Mountain Realty 828-526-1717 or toll free 866-526-3558. Please feel free to stop by our office across the street from “Sweet Treats” at 450 N. 4th Street in Highlands or at 94-1 Highway 64 West in Cashiers.  Or visit us online at www.meadowsmtnrealty.com   Judy can also be reached by email 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.