A Solid Development in Western North Carolina

A solid North Carolina developer looks to end 2009 on a positive note with continuing sales and construction momentum. The Headwaters at Banner Elk is the top selling community in the Banner Elk area. Including condos, cottages and custom homes, The Headwaters has 31 completed residences with another six under construction. Its newest town home neighborhood, the Lakeside Villas will be released for sale in the coming month.  These will be side by side town homes featuring two and three bedroom plans as well as attached garages.

"Headwaters has had a great fall selling season.” says developer John Haynes, “Buyers realize that we are on secure footing, and with reduced building costs this a great time to buy.”

With six community parks, two lakes, miles of professionally built trails and a mountaintop clubhouse unequaled elsewhere, it is understandable why The Headwaters continues to set the standard by which all other communities are compared.

To encourage you to visit The Headwaters, a Discovery Package is available for just $99 per night plus tax. Stay on the property in a three bedroom, three bath luxurious condominium.  Contact for details.

Golfing in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Surrounded by the majestic beauty of the North Georgia Mountains and featuring 6,536 yards of dramatic fairways, Butternut Creek Golf Course is one of the area’s finest public golf courses. Experience the thrill of playing this mountainside course with 18 of the best holes in the northeast Georgia area.

Just 20 miles north over the North Carolina border is the small town of Murphy with its forested mountains touching the sky, its sparkling lakes and crisp clean air, provides rustic small town American charm. The mountain community of Wilderness Creek Falls warmly welcomes visitors with its gently rolling hills and spectacular views. A true Blue Ridge mountain "best kept secret" with captivating charm and privacy, Wilderness Creek Falls is a special place to see.

Tide is Turning in Florida's Real Estate Market

The recent drop in property values in Florida has affected the pocketbooks and retirement funding sources for many Floridians. Those who want to sell their property at today’s market value are competing with a multitude of foreclosure sales. For those Floridians who have their property on the market, they are finding a very long wait on the market or are holding off on listing their Florida property while the foreclosures work their way through the system. This has created a very strong pent-up demand by these prospective sellers seeking to buy real estate with the proceeds from their current Florida property. As the economy continues its slow but steady recovery, and real estate resumes it’s normal pace, a new wave of Florida buyers will emerge.

Real estate sales in other locations across the Southeast U.S. have been affected by the economic recession over the last two years, however the declines have been minimal compared to Florida. There has been some renewed interest from Floridians in real estate outside of Florida, who are starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel with the depressed real estate market. Many Floridians have come to accept their economy-adjusted Florida property values and are now more anxious than ever to make a move once their Florida property sells, regardless of their financial losses.

Is the Housing Market Recovery Near?

Encouraging signs abound as the U.S. housing market appears to be on the verge of emerging from one of the worst real estate markets. A surge in sales activity was reported in many areas in the past three months; first-time buyers continue to bring vitality to the marketplace all across the country; buyers with good credit are able to get mortgage financing; inventories of unsold homes are flat or decreasing in many areas, and listings with the lowest prices in nearly a decade are being cherry-picked in many communities.

Even repeat buyers are starting to leave the sidelines. Many real estate agents report that they are using the government’s $8,000 tax credit incentive for first-time buyers as an effective marketing tool. The credit – which expires on November 30 of 2009 – can be claimed on the purchaser’s tax return and does not require repayment unless the home is resold within three years. Every dollar of the tax credit reduces income taxes by one dollar. A person is considered a first-time buyer if he/she has not had an ownership interest in a home for at least three years.

It's A Buyer's Market in Florida

Recent property sales that continue to lag in Southwest Florida are following a local and national trend. It's a buyer's market, and it's all about price. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), existing home sales increased 4.7% in February over the previous month, with activity concentrated in lower price ranges. Because buyers are shopping for bargains, distressed sales accounted for 40% to 45% of transactions in February. NAR also reports that sales activity remains relatively soft, reflecting additional layoffs, and buyers waiting for housing provisions in the economic sitmulus package to take effect. NAR's analysis shows that distressed homes typically are selling for 20% less than the normal market price, and this naturally is drawing down the overall median price. The bottom line is that the real estate market must cleanse itself in order to improve.