Eco Friendly Real Estate Blog

Land for Sale Asheville (series)  

We ventured out in search of unique LAND for sale between snow storms this week- our objective: to find retreat-like settings for families.  That translates to abundant water sources (possibly a swimming pond, streams for trout fishing, and waterfalls for inspiration) trails for hiking, meadows and sunny places for gardens and a community meeting place.

An ideal community might have only 19 or 20 homesites on good-sized  (3+acre) lots and be carved thoughtfully into a larger parcel-say of 250 acres or so that could not be developed and would stay forever wild. The protected land would encompass the waterfalls, trails and other outstanding or environmentally sensitive areas. That common land would invite homeowners to be part of a pristine mountain environment simply by taking a walk.  

We have been writing about land for sale by owner. So we have been keeping our eye out for such possibilities. But there are cautions when this is the objective. See Part 1  and Part 2 of this series.. So today we set out to investigate an eco-friendly development soon to be listed that came on our radar not too long ago.  Curious if we found what we sought??? Stay tuned!

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(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............green real estate Asheville: GOING GREEN: Mountain homes and land legacies, socially conscious investing, rolling into a sustainable  world. Create it today for tomorrow. Find eco-friendly LAND. Build a green home. GREEN Real Estate, Retrofits and Relocation: ECO HOMES AND LAND. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients. The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  http://landlegacies.blogspot.com/  Land for Sale Asheville  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved the green real estate Asheville Journal    _______________________

Following up on my earlier post, Land For Sale By Owner- Finding the "Right" Acreage, a few more thoughts . . .

Over the years I have discovered that "the thing" about finding the "right " acreage is that those seeking LAND tend to be quite particular. I wonder , given this, how the seeker of land is to find such acreage --especially if it is in the Land For Sale By Owner category-- without the help of someone (a local expert and land broker) who really knows that land-

 In fact,  I ask myself this question time and again . I receive requests from land lovers who live far away from the Asheville area and our mountains such as the request that follows and have to shake my head and smile....

Here is a  list of "  critical issues for property purchase" fron one such person: .

1. Price - under 500,000.
2. 15 acres or more for our horses
3. southern exposure
4. year round water-spring, stream
5. 4,5,6 miles from a small or medium size town. Ideally town would have an active progressive lifestyle. ie vegetarian options on menus, theater group, farmers market, small college, bicycle awareness, etc.
6. If there is a house on the property it must have character. Older farmhouse, newer crafstman style-  house cannot be an ugly split foyer or rancher etc. Any house has to be well constructed, although it does not have to be perfect.
 7. 20-30 minute drive to larger town maybe with a college
8. a hospital not to far off would be nice, although not critical.
9. a hard road to property is not needed, although year round surface would be expected.
10. do not need access to electric or phone line.

So what do you say? If you were seeking the "right" land, would you also seek out an experienced broker? or not?

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__~o
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(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............ green real estate Asheville: GOING GREEN: Mountain homes and land legacies, socially conscious investing, rolling into a sustainable  world. Create it today for tomorrow. Find eco-friendly LAND. Build a green home. GREEN Real Estate, Retrofits and Relocation: ECO HOMES AND LAND. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients. The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  http://landlegacies.blogspot.com/  Land For Sale By Owner- Finding the "Right" Acreage Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved the green real estate Asheville Journal _______

"Land For Sale By Owner- Asheville Just 20 minutes from here "read the sign. . As a land specialist, I am always on the lookout for LAND GEMS, so I skidded to a stop and got out my camera.

This could be one of those special finds!

The sale of land is a unique activity in the practice of real estate.   Hunting for land on which to build that offers you a sense of place in the mountains takes time and effort.

I like the idea of fixing a picnic  full of  locally-grown goodies, and taking off on a mini-adventure which is what I had done when I came to the "Land For Sale By Owner- Asheville Just 20 minutes from here" sign.

 But what does one look for when hunting for "the right" acreage? And would this parcel qualify? 

Here is a quick list of things to take into SERIOUS account:

•·                        Zoning Requirements
•·                        Easements
•·                        Natural Hazards
•·                        Solar Orientation
•·                        Lay of the Land and Soil Quality
•·                        Sight and  Sounds
•·                        Air Quality
•·                        Water Quality and Availability Private/Public and costs
•·                        Elevation
•·                        Utilities - Sewer/Septic/ Well -Private/Public and costs
•·                        Appraisal -time for and costs
•·                        Survey -time for and costs
•·                        Financing

So I really like the idea of consulting with professionals when you are considering those famous "LAND for Sale By Owner" signs!...and even if LAND is for sale with representation! How about you?

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__~o
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(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............green real estate Asheville: GOING GREEN: Mountain homes and land legacies, socially conscious investing, rolling into a sustainable  world. Create it today for tomorrow. Find eco-friendly LAND. Build a green home. GREEN Real Estate, Retrofits and Relocation: ECO HOMES AND LAND. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients. The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  http://landlegacies.blogspot.com/

Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved the green real estate Asheville Journal-  LandFor Sale By Owner- Asheville  ____________

A couple of years ago a PBS Series entitled Edens Lost and Found caught my attention. The series is about "regreening"  taking place in  Chicago, Philadelphia, LA, and Seattle. By regreening I mean   investing in  sustainable urban ecosystems that can improve quality of life.

Regreening is an emerging trend. Communities and individuals, including a number of REALTORS® are working together to develop programs and initiatives to reconnect kids with nature in their own neighborhoods. Everybody wins.

Going Green in Your Neighborhood? Here are a few Resources:

An excellent book Last Child in the Woods.   A book that might impact how we build neighborhoods.

An example of residential development going green: Derek Thomas, founder and chief operating officer of Newland Communities, the nation's largest privately owned residential developer, has committed his company to changing its design approach. "We need to find more ways to integrate community into nature," he told CBS News.

The PBS Series- EDENS LOST AND FOUND http://edenslostandfound.org/

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............green real estate Asheville: GOING GREEN: Mountain homes and land legacies, socially conscious investing, rolling into a sustainable  world. Create it today for tomorrow. Find eco-friendly LAND. Build a green home. GREEN Real Estate, Retrofits and Relocation: ECO HOMES AND LAND. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients. The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  http://landlegacies.blogspot.com/

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Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved the green real estate Asheville Journal

Going Green: A Snowbound Neighborhood 

According to the commonly understood real estate definition, a neighborhood is an
area of a municipality which is identifiable by a common use, a common atmosphere or a common business area. 

When I think of  neighborhood, I imagine ice cream socials, welcoming living spaces, community organic  gardens,  evening strolls on tree-lined sidewalks. Family. Friends. Pets and Parties.  

It's a very attractive picture to me, especially at this time of year. I so enjoy sharing images and stories of life in our neighborhood in the mountains in  Asheville. And for the past number of years I even have been setting aside time each week to journey out  to other neighborhoods, to explore the lore of days gone by and then talk with the folks who live in a neighborhood now.

There seems to be a common thread in the  neighborhoods that attract me. It is not that they have a common business area or a common atmosphere. It has more to do with the "neighborliness" of the neighbors. 

We had a huge snow storm this week. We were snowed in. We hit the wood pile, chopped the logs, lit the fire, and helped out the neighbors. Then we settled down with a hot chocolate.  Does that make us "identifiable by a common use" ? Possibly. But there is so much more energy around the notion of neighborhood.

Maybe it has more to do with the esprit de corps grilling outside in the snow is all about.

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Going Green Series: A Neighborhood. Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved the green real estate Asheville Journal

GOING GREEN: Mountain homes and land legacies

I am excited about the trend toward eco-savvy communities in the Asheville NCarea. In a time when many communities may be drawing inward, the opposite seems true when I research eco-friendly communities for my clients. Here is an example - news from Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community near Asheville.

Hickory Nut Forest Eco-community has created a non-profit called Mountain Roots whose Mission Statement reveals that the non-profit is dedicated to providing discovery and adventure learning experiences, while exposing participants to a working model of environmentally responsible and community-centered living.

The purpose of Mountain Roots is to:

1)      Practice and teach a variety environmentally sustainable practices through organic farming, land conservation, and the use of renewable energy technologies;

2)      Model a balanced and healthy life-style

3)      Emphasize character, leadership, and community development;

4)      Encourage healthy living by providing challenging opportunities through adventure experiences.

Interview with Eco-Developers: CLICK HERE  

__~o
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(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............ the green real estate Asheville: GOING GREEN: Mountain homes and land legacies, socially conscious investing, rolling into a sustainable  world. Create it today for tomorrow. Find eco-friendly LAND. Build a green home. GREEN Real Estate, Retrofits and Relocation: ECO HOMES AND LAND. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients. The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  http://landlegacies.blogspot.com/

Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved the green real estate Asheville Journal

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green real estate Asheville: Last week I took a client to see an emerging Eco-Community about 25 minutes from downtown Asheville, NC. it is located in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains.

 I consider it a gem amidst the sparkling Hickory Nut Gorge. Out your back door, you can hike for miles. You can move into the serenity of nature. You can be surrounded by "forever-wild" mountain forests, soaring cliffs and pristine, cascading streams. 

In thiseco-friendly community land conservation, green-built homes, organic gardening and renewable energyfrom wind, water, sun, and geothermal sources, you can  expect eco-innovation in real time.  An heirloom apple orchard and old vineyard is part of the conservation land adjacent to the conservation development. 

Of course, this impressed my client who is very much in to the green real estate scene. Perhaps more than this, however, was the notion that here, you even can be part of designing a "net zero energy homes community," that creates more renewable energy than we use.

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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............ the green real estate Asheville: GOING GREEN: Mountain homes and land legacies, socially conscious investing, rolling into a sustainable  world. Create it today for tomorrow. Find eco-friendly LAND. Build a green home. GREEN Real Estate, Retrofits and Relocation: ECO HOMES AND LAND. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients. The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved the green real estate Asheville journal

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I am looking forward to the 2009  Carolina Farm Stewardship Association 24th Annual Conference.

Possibly most exciting to me is having the opportunity to touch bases with and learn from respected organic educators who will be at the Conference.  The good luck that the Conference will be held just a hop-skip-and-jump from Asheville is a real bonus.  The event provides educational workshops for beginning gardeners, advanced organic farmers and folks interested in sustainable living. 

 This year, the gathering will be at the Blue Ridge Assembly, a retreat center on 1200 acres of Appalachian mountains and home to hiking trails, mountain streams, historic buildings, and also offers a crafts center for the kids. 

Often conferences offer food that makes me want to bring my own. But the Carolina Farm Stewardship Conference features local and organic farm food, including breakfast both days. Hope to see you there.

Photo shows one of my favorite farm stewards surveying his farmland near Asheville, NC on a summer day.

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__~o
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(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............ GOING GREEN: socially conscious investing keeps on rolling into a sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow with eco-friendly land where you can build a green house and then help the environment by recycling.

GREEN Real Estate and Relocation: OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL  ECO HOMES AND LAND LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

  The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

Are you interested in  Eco-Friendly Development ? One Asheville area eco-community may have some answers for you. Creating an eco-friendly development starts with planning how the site on acreage comes together and will unfold.

There are questions that come up before one home is built that beg to be answered:

 How will this development work with natural resources  by preserving topsoil and trees and reducing storm water runoff?

 How  energy efficient building and an increased use of alternative energy sources lead to sustainable development?

What is the plan for using green building materials?

And is there a plan for educating homeowners and building professionals on the features and benefits of deep-green construction? 

When just yesterday I visited Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community near Asheville where 225+ AC surrounded by 800+ acres of conservation partners' land and how to carve out a net zero energy community on a small portion possibly these were questions under consideration by this group of thoughtful land owners.
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__~o
 -\_<,                                       
(*)/'(*)    ..........      ............ GOING GREEN: socially conscious investing keeps on rolling into a sustainable  world you can create today and tomorrow with eco-friendly land where you can build a green house and then help the environment by recycling.

GREEN Real Estate and Relocation: OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL  ECO HOMES AND LAND LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville's Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients..

  The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants!  Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved

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Not long ago, Tom Rioux came to talk with us about PAINT.  No ordinary paint, mind you. This is elegant paint and no wonder. Tom is an elegant person.

I am not saying this because he dresses in Armani , which he does not. I am saying this because he is a class act. And I am saying he is a class act because Tom shows impressive and stylish excellence as he walks his talk.

I have the impression other people are a lot healthier because he has invested his time and energy for that purpose. Yes! You can have great paint without the poisons! 

Beauty. Strength and Sustainability all wrapped up in his creation which is known as  EARTH PAINT.  According to Tom, who knows first-hand what the chemicals in everyday paint can do to the immune system,  

Beauty is about

• Natural Sophisticated Elegance.
• Color, using standard or our No VOC (retailers) colorants

Strength is about

• Old style longevity with today's Green Movement consciousness
• Long Life Cycle factors

Sustainability encompasses

• 100% Wind Power Energy!
• Biodegradable
• 100% Wastewater Recycling
• Competitive Pricing / Fair Wages
• No materials from overseas

Our colleague Mary Bigelow  will be excited to know that Earthpaint is the first paint company to use 140% Wind Energy offsets! And now you have the opportunity to be impressed with Tom ,too.Here he is on video. Let me know what you think....

____________________________________________________________________ GOING GREEN: socially conscious investing keeps on rolling into a sustainable world you can create today and tomorrow with eco-friendly land where you can build a green house and then help the environment by recycling. GREEN Real Estate and Relocation: OBJECTIVE FIDUCIARY COUNSEL ECO HOMES AND LAND LEARNING TOURS. Serving Asheville’s Eco-Friendly-Home, Relocation LAND Clients.. The Eco-Steward Firm, ALL Eco-Certified® Real Estate Consultants! Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved