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.

If you are looking for a Highlands home that has privacy yet the convenience of being located in town, look no further.  93 Old Edwards Circle is a home that offers its residents the impeccable quality and design expected from the mountain style architecture of Highlands NC.  The detail is this home is evident throughout, from the natural stone fireplace to the timbered trusses that accent the coffered ceilings of its great room, this Highlands home offers a luxurious retreat to its lucky inhabitants.

A well-designed kitchen was built as much for low-key home cooked meals as it was for elegant entertaining, adding to the versatility of this particular Highlands home.  If you have been looking for a home in Highlands that will give you the charm and the serenity of a private location, the security of club membership and an in-town location, look no further.

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.

Are you looking for a home to buy in Highlands North Carolina?  522 Lake Sequoia Drive in Highlands NC is referred to as the “Total Package”.  This is a four bedroom home with a fabulous floor plan situated on over five acres with all the conveniences of town close by.  The attention to detail in this Highlands home is evident throughout this new home.   The kitchen is complete with top notch appliances that include two dishwashers and an industrial six burner stove.  Throughout the home the intricate stonework, wood work and finishing touches create a one of a kind retreat.

Views, privacy, convenience and location add up to create a spectacular environment.  Owning a second home in Highlands NC is an opportunity to create a lifetime of memories, and this Highlands home is a wonderful environment, offering a true respite from a hectic life.

For more information about Highlands North Carolina, and for access to the Highlands NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558.

A second home in Cashiers allows an escape to a simpler lifestyle.  The southern Blue Ridge Mountains is an environment that promotes healthy living and an appreciation of the great outdoors.  Whether you are an avid golfer, a birder, hiker or fisherman, the Cashiers lifestyle revolves around the beauty found outside.  Spectacular views abound and exist for all to enjoy.

If there is one positive that people have taken away from the hard lessons that have been taught by the recession it is the awakening of what is important.  Family, friends and a simpler life are key to moving forward and nothing provides for simple enjoyment more than a home that allows you to get away from it all.

The Cashiers lifestyle provides a lifetime of memories, representing what everyone strives to achieve, fun, peace and togetherness.  Contact Meadows Mountain Realty today for a vacation rental or ownership in one of the finest communities that North Carolina has to offer, Cashiers.

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.

Wonderful newly constructed home for sale in Mountaintop Golf & Lake Club

If you have been searching for the ideal luxury home in Mountaintop, look no further.  Located in the Mountaintop Golf & Lake Club this newly constructed masterpiece offers both architectural inspiration and functionality.  Built to be lived in and enjoyed this 5 bedroom 4 ½ bath home is ideal for those seeking peace and serenity or those who wish to entertain.

No detail in this Mountaintop home has been ignored.  A top of the line kitchen, spacious master suite, wonderful living space and impeccable landscaping accent this beautiful home.

For elegant mountain living in a private setting this newly constructed Mountaintop home is tough to beat.  The Mountaintop Golf and Lake Club offers a gated community and easy access to tennis, golf, water and more.

For more information about Mountaintop North Carolina, and for access to the Mountaintop NC MLS, contact Meadows Mountain Realty today, 866-526-3558.

The concept of a “media room,” as a space specifically devoted to home theater and audio systems, is more popular than ever. New home designers and builders, responding to the demand of their buyers, have incorporated media rooms into the floor plans of many new homes, all along the price spectrum. Such rooms are designed for comfortable television and movie viewing and are acoustically separated from the rest of the house.

Yes, the media room has also become the game room, again driven by homebuyer demand and a host of new (mostly electronic) toys. Builders are educating their buyers about the lifestyle advantages of including such a project and the value it adds to their property.

Consider some of the special features that a true Game Room encompasses, all of which are easily accommodated in a new construction project:

• Acoustics. Sound transmission in or out of a game room can be disruptive. Builders incorporate products that block or deaden sound through the walls, floors, and ceilings. Special membranes and laminated drywall and plywood panels meet the need without adding a lot of extra cost, rendering the Game Room almost a separate acoustical zone within the house.

• Light and shading. Everyone enjoys natural light … except when there’s a movie playing. Windows are a prime consideration that maintain flexible use of the room when the house is sold. The home’s exterior appearance must be considered, as well. To create the optimal movie-watching experience, builders turn to motorized screens and draperies that smoothly draw across the windows. Controlled by remote devices or wall-mounted panels, such screens retract into the wall when not in use or disappear into a subtle housing to retain the room’s overall aesthetic design.

• Multiple displays. One screen may not be enough in the modern Game Room. Though builders usually leave the purchase of consumer electronics up to the homebuyers after the house is finished, high-tech game rooms must be designed and wired to accommodate several displays and multiple signals. These may include satellite, wireless and wired Internet, cable, personal computers, and (don’t forget!) electricity.

• Seating, storage, and snacks. Like its media room predecessor, the new Game Room is a gathering place for family and guests, often engaged in multiple activities at the same time. Space for several zones of comfortable seating is very popular, as is built-in cabinet storage for all of the game players, audio and video equipment, and other components. Small kitchen setups, complete with sink, under-counter appliances, and counter work space, provide family and guests with additional convenience in this self-contained haven.

Media rooms are among the new wave of distinct, specialized areas within today’s new homes. The “Game Room” reflects the development of high-tech consumer electronics and the consumers’ desire to maximize enjoyment of these new toys.

This article was contributed by Zac Koenig of Koenig Homebuilders in Highlands.

Get the info you need to relocate to Highlands/Cashiers NC

Keep Meadows Mountain Realty’s website in mind when learning about the local Highlands-Cashiers Plateau NC area.  Take a look at www.meadowsmtntrealty.com and find “Local Area Info and Maps” conveniently at your disposal; here you will find all the information you need to make relocating to Highlands or Cashiers NC easy.  Available to you are links for local government including demographics for Highlands and Cashiers NC, the town of Highlands NC’s official site, area attractions including maps to plan out your way there, business and professional services, travel directions for Western North Carolina, local newspapers to check out, and hospital and medical services.  Also find links to the best Golf Courses in the area and local weather forecasts.

Visit Meadowsmntrealty.com today for more information pertinent to buying or selling Highlands/Cashiers NC real estate.

Sapphire Valley NC is the place for relaxing mountain living.  At Bald Rock community in Sapphire Valley, enjoy the privileges and amenities that come from being a property owner.  Bald Rock is a private gated community at 4,000 feet in elevation with 776 acres of beautiful scenery.  As a home owner in Sapphire Valley NC’s Bald Rock you will have access to hiking, community horse stables, riding trails, and all of the amenities of the Wyndham-Fairfield Sapphire Valley Resort and the common areas inside its neighboring development The Divide.  Take in the natural beauty of the waterfalls, streams, bordering forests of Panthertown Valley, and the sweeping mountain views.

For more information on available property at Sapphire Valley NC’s Bald Rock community contact your local realtors at Meadows Mountain Realty today.

Highlands NC mountain retreat home

You will find this attractive home to be in the perfect location on the tranquil Scaly Mountain on the Atlanta side of Highlands NC.  Constructed on a knoll, you will enjoy scenic mountain views from all directions from this 4 bedroom, 3.5 baths home.  For horse lovers the gentle landscape with paddocks and two barns is ideal for these noble creatures; it is also a great place for families to enjoy the outdoors whether it be gardening, hiking, riding ATVs, or mountain biking.  This Highlands NC home was first built in 1983, but has been newly renovated and expanded in 2005, maintaining the integrity of the original log structure. Highlights include a covered front porch for relaxing, nostalgic fireplaces, generously oversized kitchen with dual islands, pristine grounds, a whole house generator, an elevator, an orchard, and a caretaker’s residence.  This fabulous Highlands home in Scaly Mountain is priced at $4,900,000.

For more information on this featured home or other Highlands and Cashiers NC homes contact your local realtors at Meadows Mountain Realty today.

The mountains of North Carolina have been a source of inspiration for centuries.  George Masa, a brilliant photographer knew this as he who took on the task of measuring, mapping and photographing the majestic Smoky Mountains in an effort to capture their splendor.  It’s not difficult to see how Masa would fall in love with the mountain landscapes of NC.

Mountain real estate in Cashiers and Highlands NC offers homeowners a vacation lifestyle in the heart of the area’s beauty.  It is hard to imagine anything more awe-inspiring than to be looking down from soaring heights, taking in the subtle beauty of natural plant and animal life, and spending a relaxing day on your deck.  With impressive mountain communities including Trillium, Pinchot, and The Highlands Falls Country Club, you can enjoy privacy, outdoor activities, and pristine mountain views in your custom built home in Cashiers or Highlands NC.

For custom built homes in the beautiful mountains of Cashiers, Highlands, Glenville, and Sapphire Valley NCMeadows Mountain Realty today. contact your local realtor