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.

My daughter Tricia and her husband Bryan have been entertaining friends from New York City all this week at their home in Highlands Falls Country Club.    Their friends, Joe and Liz, were awed by the beauty of our area, especially now while most of our trees are budding out with fresh light green growth,  the hostas are full and lush, cinnamon ferns are still uncurling and the Carolina blue sky is beyond compare.    Unfortunately they left to go back north yesterday and today we saw our first bear of summer standing the in a driveway on Upper Divide regally reaching up for a blossom from a low hanging tree.    He was magnificent.    

Bryan commented how he wished that Joe and Liz had seen a bear during their visit, as he was sure the only bears they had ever seen were in the Bronx Zoo.    Having lived here for 25 years, seeing a bear is fairly common, but I never cease to be awed by them.   This time of year, they are hunting for food.  Bird feeders and pet food left outside make for an easy meal.   We try to be careful with garbage cans also, as they have been known to carry them off in search of a few scraps.   I have long sworn that they have a stash of expensive bird feeders and trash cans in the woods and are amused when we have to buy new.     The bears in our area are herbivores and fairly harmless although when in the company of cubs, a mother bear will defend her family.   

What a blessing to live in a place where beauty is all around us and where folks are sensitive to the creatures with whom we share our land.    For more information on The Highlands Plateau, please contact any of the brokers at Meadows Mountain Realty.   We are your Highlands and Cashiers experts.    Give us a call today at 828.526.1717 or by email at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com.  

It’s that time of year in Highlands when the buds come out on the trees, the sun comes out in earnest and we roll out the sidewalks! The sleepy town we know in winter starts to stretch, opens it’s eyes and throws back the covers to see the loveliness that is Springtime in the mountains. 

Restaurants like Wolfgangs, On The Verandah and Nicks open their doors on the Spring weekends to those savvy visitors who know how nice Highlands can be this time of year. Those who have remained open all winter like Madison’s and Paoletti’s happily see more customers coming through the doors while the shop owners open up and prepare to see Main Street buzzing again on the weekends.

So whether you are planning a Spa Weekend at The Old Edwards Inn or just need a day away from the hustle and bustle of the city – Highlands in Spring will always offer that breath of fresh air and relaxation you need!

If you would like to find a special place of your own in the mountain, not just for spring, but for all four seasons, call any of the brokers at Meadows Mountain Realty at 828-526-1717 for your personal tour of Highlands real estate.   Send us an email at info@meadowsmtnrealty.com and we will be happy to prepare a package of materials to send to you about The Highlands Plateau.  

Georgia Sanders, who is the Office Manager for Meadows Mountain Realty, was born and raised in Highlands NC.     At one point in time, she was the Magistrate and her husband, Ron, served on the Highlands Town Board for years.     Georgia sent this to share with you:

Recently I found some older issues of  “THE GALAX NEWS,  Highlands’ mimeographed newspaper published weekly during the summer season during the late 60’s and early 70’s and sold for 10 cents.   I was in awe reading some of the articles and ads  in the issue dated August 8, 1970.  Nostalgic to say the least!  I am including an ad exactly as published in this issue and will continue to include bits and pieces of Highlands’ earlier years .

“KING’S INN AND MOTEL” – Celebrating 100 years of continual service and dedicated to yesterday’s charm and tomorrow’s convenience.  Announcing the FIRST AND ONLY HOTEL/MOTEL with IN-ROOM TELEVISION in Highlands.  INTRODUCING EVERY SUNDAY DINNER FROM START TO FINISH – for only $2.50 per person…from appetizer to dessert.   Tuesday Evening Buffet Dinner.  $3.00 per person for ALL YOU CAN EAT!” 

In the same issue: Tate’s Super Market Sale Prices for the weekend

Scott Tissue - Large rolls 3 for .99         5 lb. flour .59      USDA Whole Fryers  .27 per lb.

We give S&H Green Stamps.  Remember those??    If you can remember these prices, then you absolutely did enjoy “the good old days”!

The goal for any home seller is to sell their property quickly, and at the same time  spend  as little as possible in renovations.   With a limited budget and a little effort, you can greatly increase your home’s appeal by focusing on what prospective buyers can see on their first visit.

As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I’ve learned a lot from my fellow members and have access to valuable home-selling information. Consider the following advice from staging expert Kate Hart:

Curb appeal: First impressions are everything and this has never been truer than in today’s market. To leave a positive impression on buyers, take care of any exterior maintenance issues before you start showing your home, such as power washing walkways and patios, cleaning your gutters, touching up peeling paint, replacing broken light bulbs, edging and mulching beds, and adding fresh annuals.  Some free things you can do include polishing your front door hardware and sweeping away pesky cobwebs.

Kitchen: Give your kitchen a mini facelift on a budget by repainting your cabinets instead of replacing them.  Complete the makeover by adding new hardware. Considering professional help?  Ask your local painter if they can spray a lacquer finish on your cabinets. This treatment is more expensive than painting the cabinets yourself but the result looks like a factory finish.

Bathroom: Give an outdated bath a pick-me-up by replacing your existing lighting, faucets and hardware with updated styles.

Great room: Make your fireplace or great view the selling feature, not your entertainment center. Make sure you are selling your space, not your stuff. Give this space a less-cluttered look by keeping no more than three items per surface. For example, go with a piece of art and a pair of candlesticks on the mantle instead of your favorite collection.  Chances are, your greatroom is currently centered around the things you do everyday, such as watching television.  Before showing, rearrange your room to showcase the architectural focal point of your family room.

Dining room: Keep the dining room decluttered and streamlined so buyers can imagine how they can enjoy this space with their friends and families. Before showing, make sure to remove any knick-knacks and extraneous items from your china cabinet or sideboard. A rule to follow: pack up any items that are smaller than a softball, such as salt and pepper shakers, wedding cake toppers and small figurines.

A little bit of work and preparation can go a long way toward selling your home sooner. For more tips and advice, please feel free to e-mail me. And, if you know anyone else who could benefit from this advice, please share this with them as well.  

The brokers at Meadows Mountain Realty have years of experience helping sellers in Highlands and Cashiers NC prepare their home so it will show its best and sell for more.   We would welcome the opportunity to help you today.

If you are thinking about renovating your Cashiers real estate there couldn’t be a better time.  Interest rates are low, there is a surplus of materials (driving prices down), and contactors are vying for work which is making their costs less expensive than they have been in years.  In other words, if you have the money or the means to borrow the money, renovating your Cashiers home today could make sense.

Kitchens and bathrooms remain popular rooms for remodeling.  If you are going to remodel any part of your home it might be a good idea to look at current trends, especially if you are looking to sell your Cashiers home.  Clean, sleek lines as well as energy efficiency are popular in today’s newer homes.  Sit down and do some research before remodeling to get the best return on the investment that you have in your Cashiers NC real estate.

Click here to read a recent article from Realty Times regarding current remodeling trends for the kitchen.

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.

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.