Eco Friendly Real Estate Blog

Q and I went for a stroll on this partly sunny October day.  It is close to Halloween and we were ready for a treat, which is just what we found at the Three Dog Bakery in downtown Asheville. 

As we entered the store we were greeted with a cheerful hello and the enticing aroma of dog cookies baking.  From behind  the counter  a lovely lady came out to meet Q. She thought he was adorable, I could tell.

 Lucky for us, we live in pet-friendly Asheville where dogs are recognized as "special" especially when they sparkle like Q does. (see photo)  She offered him a treat which he devoured with delight. She then inquired about our needs. This was our first visit. We saw the shining oven and enjoyed the aroma of fresh-baked goodies. We followed our noses around to see the various colorful displays.

 I noticed that the products are eco-friendly, recycled or recyclable and that the ingredients in the food products are all "natural" while Q dog wagged his tail all the while, especially when he "sniffed out"  the  Grizzly Salmon oil.

When it was time to check out, the items I chose were carefully wrapped in bakery paper and placed in a recyclable box with a logo on it. Woof! A real treat for the upcoming holiday...and no sugar in it. 

I was most impressed with our visit to Asheville's Three Dog Bakery today. The quality of the items and the atmosphere and friendliness combined to make me want to come back often.

When we returned home, both our dogs reported total satisfaction with their Halloween goodies. I am sure they will tell the dogs in our neighborhood whose families will be stopping in to Asheville's Three Dog Bakery  soon.

DOG TREATS for the Halloween.                                               
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__~o
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(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. PET FRIENDLY REAL ESTATE.Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients.

On the GO 4 Sustainability:  "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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warm socks at first frost 

I love the prospect of warm socks at first frost
and the soldier-like look of them in neat rows
as they line up before me
next to the French-milled soaps
in the second dresser drawer
where they have bunkered
since the daffodils bloomed. 

A colorful assemblage, they
in vibrant vermillion,
or sumptuous grey,
or azure- multi-hued,
patiently waiting to be tapped
for duty.

I am dancing now in the hours after donning
the Carolina Blue pair,
with my tweeds and outdoor duds,
cashmere caressing my lucky toes,
I am royalty lifted above the fray
simply to stroll
Doc Silver's nippy back forty
as if it were a mild midsummer's day
but better: no insects or tall grasses where the
slithering creatures play-

just the Land
and, here and there,
on the north side of the ridge, 
slender watery threads making icicles
from summer's sweet cascades.

October's fallen leaves,
still wet with yesterday's storm,
are slick on the trail.
Still,  I float along, scarf flying,
hiking boots, muddy and well-worn,
with feet smiling in blue-clad  luxury.

We are searching for the last wild berries,
you and I, and beneath these,
you unearth the secret:
"... cherished toes pay dividends uncounted...."

~^~ jA Narrin, Wind-in-the-Feather The Spirit Ridge Collection  Asheville, 2009

October Sunday Morning - Peace in Our  Asheville Valley

What is Behind Customer Demand for Energy Efficient Homes?  

That's what a seasoned builder here in Asheville wanted to know.  

"The local Green Building Council says that HealthyBuilt Homes®  are leading the way in the built environment," he said.

 "What would make me want to build them?"

 That is a good question, and one that seems to be coming up more and more even in a challenging economy where the impact on the real estate market is significant.

Here are just three (3) "secrets" I suggested he consider:

•1.      Customer demand for energy efficient homes. From Atlanta to Asheville to Santa Monica developers involved in sustainable innovation continue to enjoy.
Possibly, it's time to capitalize on the opportunity.

•2.      Federal and State Tax credits, zoning allowances and other incentives

•3.      Lower operating costs attract new home buyers.

In the future, should the home buyer decide to sell the home, the certificate proving that the homes that meets "green home guidelines" and is built by residential builders who practice sustainable, high-performance building strategies, adds value to the purchase.

Summing it up:  Everyone wins. Eco-friendly homes create a comfortable, healthy and affordable place that reduce energy and water usage, promote renewable energy use and help protect the land where the home is built.

Resource: Green Building Council   educating homeowners and building professionals on the benefits of:

• creating energy efficient buildings
• increased use of alternative energy sources
• sustainable development
• using green building materials
• decreasing use of natural resources
• preserving topsoil and trees
• reducing storm water runoff
• _____________  (fill in the blank and let me know what that is)_
• __~o
   -\_<,                                       
  (*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

On the GO 4 Sustainability:  "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved ......................................

Cracking the Green Building Codes. There's a trend in building these days. The trend is toward designing, constructing and operating healthy-built "green" buildings. Such buildings reduce the negative impact on natural surroundings and benefit those who work or live there by providing them with a healthier indoor environment.

More and more, developers are enrolling in NC HealthyBuilt® and/or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) programsthat set forth environmentally savvy choices. And here, the general public  can find the keys to cracking the Green Building Codes.

Both of these programs set forth, in written form, the benchmarks for the design, construction and operation of eco-friendly buildings.  My clients who invest in the buildings can find what they need in terms of  a measurable scale with which to look at sustainability when they review the guidelines and check certifications as Maggie Leslie of the Green Building Council right here in Asheville, NC recently pointed out in her article: Cracking the Green Building Codes.

A "whole-building approach to sustainability"  recognizes five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Here is a graphic I created of one noteworthy example of such buildings in the Asheville, NC area: The Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center

__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

On the GO 4 Sustainability:  "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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I had the pleasure of sitting down with John Myers and Jane Lawson the developers of the Hickory Nut Forest GREEN/conservation community near Asheville, NC not long ago. We talked about what it takes to create such a community- their philosophy and how they designed and developed the land. Here is a segment of our conversation.

HOW ONE COUPLE ENVISIONED AND REALIZED THEIR DREAM OF AN ECO-FRIENDLY  MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY

Q. How long has it taken to create the Hickory Nut Forest eco-community?

A. We have been involved in the process of creating community for nearly five years. It has been an amazing journey that has taken on a life of its own. We started out with a vision to conserve some beautiful land in the mountains of North Carolina.

We wanted to be stewards of this sacred place with its amazing forests, waterfalls, living plants and animals. As we have come to know the land intimately, we feel guided to keep expanding our vision.

Q How have you expanded on your vision to conserve this gorgeous land in the mountains of North Carolina?

We created homesites for up to 34 green-built homes, added an organic apple orchard and heirloom vineyard, placed a conservation easement on the mountain and built miles of hiking trails.

(photo shows John and Jane at one of the many waterfalls on the property the are developing near Chimney Rock just outside of Asheville, NC. )

 Q How do you see the growth of Hickory Nut Forest into the mature "Green Community" you envision, and will it be  a "Private Mountain Community"?

A. As new people have arrived, they have brought their enthusiasm and dreams to the community. [One of the first to arrive] Ryan was inspired to develop a community garden and with student interns created a veggie patch, an herb circle, mushroom logs, and added beehives and free-range chickens. 

Folks wanted to have a gathering place, so we started building a community center at the ruins of an old gristmill. This vision has grown into creating Laughing Waters, a retreat site for year-round classes, workshops and student internships that we hope to have open by spring. 

We are allowing the community to grow slowly and naturally through sharing this magical place with all who come to visit. Our free monthly events have included a bluegrass concert, apple fests, hikes, herb walks, bonfire/potlucks and kids' educational programs. People have initially come for a visit and then decided to live here.

Q. What is your guiding principle or intention? 

From the beginning our guiding intention has been simply to approach everything and everyone with love and respect: our neighbors, all the people working on various projects, our visitors, the land and the water, the plants and animals, and each other. We feel such a powerful healing energy from this land. Our role is simply to make it possible for people to come here and experience it for themselves. 

FURTHER READING on how to recognize an eco-friendly development

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS.Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

On the GO 4 Sustainability:  "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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Asheville, North Carolina, October, 2009  Eco-Friendly  News and Views from "GREEN-O-Lina"   

Some people relocate to the Asheville area just so that they can
hike in exciting places
like Craggy Gardens,  or Mt. Mitchell. 

But once they find a place on the land to call Home,
create, then build an eco-friendly environment
with a nod to Mother Nature,

a simple early morning stroll
can provide sights and sounds
that dazzle.

Come for such a stroll with me.
You will be amazed at what I found this morning
right in my own backyard. 

Turn up the volume for a SURPRISE at the close of this short video...
and let me know what you think that honking (hint-hint) sound is!

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients.. On the GO 4 Sustainability:  "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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Asheville, North Carolina, October, 2009 Real Estate News and Views from "GREEN-O-Lina"   
30+ Eco-Friendly Urban and  Mountain Communities in the Asheville Area

There are about as many shades of green in eco-friendly design, development and building as you see in the early light on an Appalachian mountainside. (see photo) Levels of attraction, commitment, and motivation to embrace eco conepts and planning are unique to each of us.

 Poll homebuyers and investors and you are sure to find certain green features have more appeal than others. For example , on the subject of green-built homes,  indoor air quality(IAQ) may be one person's primary focus, while whole house ventilation or NO-VOC paint may be another's concern.

And many people looking to leave a land legacy will devote their attention to eco-savvy development that takes into account site planning, solar orientation and energy use.

But people do seem to share this in common:They are deeply attracted to the notion that their grand kids will be and/or are in a healthy, non-toxic environment.

With this in mind, I have compiled a list of 30+ urban and mountain eco-friendly developments in the Greater Asheville area. If you would like to know the "greenest' I will be posting a comparison chart you can use to determine for yourself...And/or check back to see the following list highlighted with links to my video series as I visit each of these communities. 

30+ Eco-Friendly Urban* and  Mountain Communities in the Asheville Area

Altura   (Urban)
Balsam Mountain Preserve
Ciel (Urban)
Cliffs of High Carolina (Tiger Woods)
Cold Mountain
Cove at Celo Mountain
Crest Mountain Community (Urban)

CRESTON

DROVERS ROAD PRESERVE

Fitgerald Condominiums (Urban)
French Broad Crossing
GAIA (Urban)
Grand Highlands of Bearwallow Mountain
Grand Highlands of Waterford Lakes

GREENWOOD 

HICKORY NUT FOREST ECO COMMUNITY

Homestead at Mills River

MOUNTAIN AIR
Mountain Meadows

NORTH KNOB

Pisgah Preserve at Lake James

PRESERVE AT LITTLE PINE

PRESERVE AT WOLF LAUREL

Ramble Biltmore Forest (Urban)
Red Wolf Run
Residences at 151 (Urban)
River Highlands at Madison Crossing
River Rock
Settings of Black Mountain (Urban)
Stillhouse Creek

THREE CREEKS PRESERVE at Lake Lure
Thoms Estate (Urban)

WALNUT CREEK PRESERVE Equestrian Community (seen in photo)
Whisper Mountain

•·        I am defining "urban" as within a 10 minute drive of downtown Asheville

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............to keep on rolling into the sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow!. .........................    .............with OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL &. ECO STEWARDS' LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

On the GO 4 Sustainability:  "GREEN" Real Estate and Relocation: The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved
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