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.

This beautiful home is available as a vacation rental in Highlands NC

If you are planning a vacation to the Highlands and Cashiers area of Western North Carolina contact Meadows Mountain Realty for a vacation rental.  Meadows Mountain Realty has access to some of the finest rentals available in Highlands and Cashiers.  Whether you are looking for a condominium or a large luxury home, Meadows Mountain Realty has the ideal property to suit your needs.

The Highlands and Cashiers area of Western North Carolina has a great deal to offer those seeking an idyllic vacation.  With the beauty of the Blue Ridge mountains offering hiking, fishing and incredible golfing opportunities a memorable vacation is imminent in Highlands and Cashiers.

Click here to view luxury vacation rentals at Meadows Mountain Realty.

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.

Today, simple respect and responsiveness seems to be more the exception than the rule … especially after the sale. How a homebuilder manages after-sale service, also called warranty service or call-backs, is a key indicator of the company’s overall professionalism and ability to meet (and ideally exceed) a homebuyer’s expectations.

The goal of the professional builder is to quickly and completely respond to and resolve issues that come up during the time a home is under warranty. As a critical part of providing great housing value and achieving customer satisfaction, professional builders encourage questions from homebuyers and respond to their concerns in a timely and respectful manner.

Typically, a builder’s warranty addresses specific issues with a home related to its structural components (such as the foundation and frame), basic electrical and other mechanical systems, and the quality of workmanship for a set time period. How a builder responds to warranty service inquiries varies depending on the policy offered and sold with the house: some are defined and managed entirely by the builder, while others are defined, at least in part, by independent agencies (such as an insurance company) and administered by the builder.

Specific warranty language and procedures benefit both the builder and the homeowner. Simply, a well-defined and properly communicated warranty service policy helps eliminate confusion about who is responsible for issues, concerns, and other call-back items that may occur in the first year or so of occupancy.

While there are specific differences among builders, a superior warranty service program includes:

Documentation. A documented process for responding to call-backs and customer service inquiries creates a “paper trail” that ensures that questions and concerns are properly communicated, managed, and resolved. A professional builder will document the details of the warranty policy and keep track of inquiries, response time, and specific types of service calls from the first call to follow-up to ensure the homeowner’s ultimate satisfaction.

Response time. Responding to a service call is more an issue of timing than time; the key is to understand which calls will be addressed immediately, and which may require or allow more time. No one likes to wonder if or when a call or email will be answered; if homeowners can depend on getting a reply from their builder within a reasonable (or better still, stated) time frame, chances are better that they’ll be satisfied with how the issue is resolved.

Collective calls. Even if a builder responds to a warranty service call within a day or so, making a visit to the house to resolve a non-emergency situation may be timed to coincide with other scheduled work at the house. This “collective call” minimizes the number of times an owner needs to be at home to make the house available to the builder’s warranty service team. Of course, emergency calls demand immediate attention, but collective calls can be a more convenient and reliable way to address a variety of concerns or maintenance issues at the same time.

Scheduled visits. Professional builders are becoming more proactive in how they address scheduled service and other routine maintenance work while a house is still under warranty. In many cases, a builder will schedule a visit and “walk through” (or tour) a new home within a month after occupancy. These visits are opportunities for homeowners to ask questions and for the builder to document or schedule service work covered by the warranty. Such visits also help builders refine their warranty service processes based on a homeowner’s feedback.

No builder follows exactly the same policies and procedures for warranty service, inquiries and incidents.  How builders refine and improve their after the sale process goes a long way toward delivering superior customer service and buyer satisfaction.

Article contributed by Zac Koenig of Koenig Homebuilders in Highlands NC.   Koenig Homebuilder is one of the preferred builders on the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau.   Contact Zac at 828) 787-1000 or by E-mail: info@koenighomebuilders.com.    Visit their website at www.koenighomebuilders.com.

Avid fly fishermen will not be disappointed by the waters around Highlands NC

Highlands NC and Cashiers NC are a fly fishing mecca, offering a wide variety of rivers, lakes and falls to fish.  Whether your are looking to hook a brown, rainbow or a brook trout, if you like to wade in the water and throw out your line the Highlands and Cashiers area of Western North Carolina is a beautiful and peaceful place to fish.

In the Highlands area the brook trout can be found in more isolated streams.  The rainbow trout are found more often in the upper part of the Cullasaja & Chattooga Rivers. and the brown trout are typically located in the mid to lower portions of the Cullasaja & Chattooga Rivers.  If you are visiting the area there are fishing and guide services that will help you get to know the area and what the fish are biting.  If you love to fly fish, you will not be disappointed by Highlands NC.

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

Renowned Australian photographer, Greg Newington, is slated to have his first American exhibit in Highlands North Carolina. The exhibit is being held at the Bascom and opens today, February 19, with a  reception at 6 pm.  The exhibit is surely one not to be missed, and the opportunity exists to partake in a one-and-a-half day workshop with Newington as well.  Newington will share his knowledge of light with students, a once in a lifetime opportunity for avid photographers.  The exhibit will be available to see in Highlands through March 7th.

The Bascom in Highlands North Carolina is a place designed for the artist, the amateur  and the viewer, a place where all can explore their inner artist as well as their appreciation for art.  With a variety of exhibits held throughout the year, the Bascom also hosts a variety of workshops and educational opportunities.  The Bascom brings art to life for the Highlands community.
 
Click here for details on the Bascom and Newington’s exhibit and workshop.

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

144 Laurel Knob Road in Cashiers NC is for sale

There is a charming home for sale in an idyllic setting in Cashiers NC.  This wonderful property represents a gentleman’s farm on a little over 5 acres.  The property is peaceful and tranquil, complete with an immaculate farmhouse and a stream running through.  This 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home is located off Laurel Knob in the Norton Area between Highlands & Cashiers.

Highlights of this Cashiers home include an updated and modernized kitchen which is ideal for cooking for the family or entertaining.  Viking appliances and granite counters accent the farm style kitchen.  The master suite is ideally located on the main level and is complete with a fireplace fitted with a wood stove.

The wonderful backyard leads to a stream and many acres to enjoy.  If you are looking for a wonderful home in Cashiers, to make family memories and enjoy the peace and serenity offered by the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains, call Meadows Mountain realty 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.

Highalnds NC offers some amazing hiking, complete with spectacular views

Hiking is a great way to enjoy Highlands North Carolina.  Highlands North Carolina is a resort community with a great deal to offer its residents and visi tors alike.  Located in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, this western North Carolina area has an environment that is meant to be enjoyed.  Among the activities afforded by the great outdoors in Highlands NC are golf, fishing, mountain biking and hiking.

The hiking in the Highlands area encompasses all ability levels as well as length and time commitments.  Whether you are looking for a leisurely stroll through the woods or an extreme and steep climb, the mountains around Highlands have it all.  The one thing that all of the trails have in common are their breathtaking views.

Click here for a list of hikes and their descriptions.

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

Western North Carolina offers visitors and residents alike a beautiful environment with a laid back atmosphere.  The communities of Cashiers and Highlands are areas which offer exposure to the fabulous Blue Ridge Mountains.  Yellow Mountain, Rock Mountain, Chimney Top and Whiteside are mountains which offer unparalleled views and spectacular hiking, rock climbing and mountain biking.  Whether you wish to sit and relax while you read a book and breathe in the fresh mountain air or hop right in and enjoy the plentiful recreational opportunities, Highlands and Cashiers have a great deal to offer.

A slower pace of life, the great outdoors and a mountain lifestyle are what draw visitors to become homeowners in Highlands and Cashiers.  People come to Western North Carolina and don’t want to leave.  Purchasing real estate in Highlands and Cashiers can offer a full time, mountain lifestyle or a respite to get away to.

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.

The nature center in Highlands NC offers education & information about the environment & ecology of the area

Highlands Nature Center offers education and information on the environment and biology in Highlands NC.  The beauty of Highlands can be appreciated even more when learning about it and all that it has to offer.  The nature center offers education, tours, and day camps in the summer.  The botanical gardens at the Highlands Nature Center offer a beautiful haven to enjoy, with trails that are open year round.

Whether you want to smell the flowers, bird watch or learn about wildlife in Highlands NC, the nature center offers a wealth of knowledge.  Highlands is a wonderful, beautiful area in Western North Carolina where the southern Appalachian Mountains provide a fantastic lifestyle and landscape to enjoy.  To learn more about the Highlands Nature Center click here.

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