Jackson County North Carolina-The Last Frontier

Balancing promotion and preservation
Room tax money could bring big changes to Nantahala
By Jennifer Garlesky • Staff Writer

The rugged mountain terrain of Macon County’s Nantahala community is the only home Jim and Faye Woods know. The couple are natives of the remote area that borders Swain and Cherokee counties.

Nantahala, however, may be on the verge of being discovered. The isolated outdoor haven is home to a growing number of rental places and whitewater rafting business, and it is popular for fishing and boating.

In recent years the community has become a second-home destination like Highlands and Cashiers in Jackson County.
A recent decision by Macon County officials to give the community money to promote tourism will likely lead to more visitors. Soon all the occupancy tax money — a tax on all overnight hotel, inn and resort stays — generated by the community will be spent promoting Nantahala. That could speed the pace of change in a community that has changed very little over the past few decades.

Some call this area the last frontier because of its landscape. The Nantahala River flows through the community creating great rapids for paddlers to surf and prime fishing holes for fishermen. Nantahala Lake attracts watersport enthusiasts for a weekend of jet skiing or relaxing on a houseboat.

Locals like the Woods say the mountain community is quickly changing.

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Cashiers, North Carolina Second Home Market Report

Hello Readers, Just wanted to share an article I found on the Cashiers area Real Estate Market. Cashiers, NC is located in Jackson County on this map.Now is a great time to buy mountain property in Western North Carolina. Here's why.... Spring starts our busy time of year for vacationers and homeowners spending summers in the mountains. We've already seen an increase of buyer activity and people are starting to come to the area earlier, and earlier every year. Yes, we are in a second home market; however, more buyers are looking to Western NC as their permanent retirement residence. source: Crossroads Chronical News A subprime mortgage crisis may have set off the country's current and growing recessive economic woes, but there seems to be a silver-lined cloud hanging over the Cashiers area."If you are a savvy person who has the resources to take advantage of opportunities, this is a unique opportunity that I have not seen here before, said Joe Pearson, president of Cashiers Mortgage service, Inc. "I'm not saying we're seeing a price drop in all the houses, but if someone wants to purchase in God's country, now is the time to find an agent who will work for them. "The mortgage company Freddie Mac reported on the week of the Feb. 7 that 30-year fixed-rate mortgages averaged 5.72 percent this week. That's up from 5.67 percent the week before. Although the national news media may be reporting otherwise, the combination of lower mortgage rates, falling house prices and the government's newly signed economic stimulus package bring opportunities for buyers in the Cashiers area. Both Carolina Mortgage and Cashiers Mortgage Service have noted a dip in the amount of mortgage applications being processed. But Pearson says that doesn't mean Cashiers is necessarily following in the footsteps of a purported national trend. "The buyers who are affected are buyers who don't qualify (for mortgages)."Jones said that banks have been tightening credit standards, and that it is more difficult to obtain a line of credit. But, she said the basic qualifications for potential buyers haven't changed."It's harder now," Jones said. "If you have a job and a good down payment and good credit - the qualifications have not changed. Those affected most are buyers relying on the non-documentation programs and buyers who have very little funds and buyers with bad credit who, 10 years ago, couldn't even consider buying a house."Another caveat that separates the Cashiers real estate market from others following the reported national trends can be summed up in three words: Second home market. "We are not in the same category as what the media is talking about," Pearson said. "We are in the second home market, a resort area. Our customers are wealthy for the most part, and we don't have a foreclosure issue. What we have are opportunities that people can take advantage of. Out of state contractors building spec homes - they may sell cheaper than what they would two years ago. Other people - their industry may slow down and they may decide to reduce their house price out of a desire to restructure their financial picture, given the economy." If you are visiting the mountains this summer and would like to see property for sale please contact us at 813-784-7744  Keller Williams Realty see also: Land and Lots for sale Sapphire Valley-Highlands-Cashiers-Lake Glenville NC 
For more information regarding Homes for Sale, Real Estate, and Land and Lots for sale in the Western North Carolina Area email me or call 813-784-7744

Forbes latest rankings for North Carolina

The North Carolina Real Estate Market is very positive on Forbe's ranking list. We've all heard on the news that North Carolina is the #1 State for relocation. The list below is just more evidence that the word is out.

Forbes latest ranking list, The Best Places to Live and Launch a Business, can’t give enough love to North Carolina. Charlotte is 8, Durham is 12, Raleigh is 20, Asheville is 41, Greensboro is 50, and Winston-Salem is 56. Popular Virginia college towns Blacksburg (43) and Charlottesville (18) also get nods.

The mountain towns of Cashiers, Highlands and Lake Glenville are popular vacation and second home spots within a half days drive or less to these popular larger towns.

see also:
Real Estate Market Growth Statistics North Carolina Mountains (9)
relocation to north carolina (10)
retirement home trends (7)


For more information regarding Homes for Sale, Real Estate, and Land and Lots for sale in the Western North Carolina Area mailto: raecatseo@gmail.com or call 813-784-7744

Luxury Hotels in Cashiers, North Carolina

As back-to-basics as a North Carolina mountain vacation can be, modern luxury is not lost. Here are a few places where you can kick back in style.

HIGH HAMPTON INN In the picturesque town of Cashiers, the inn is on a 1,400-acre estate. Its guest rooms have no telephones or televisions. But don't let its simplicity fool you.

High Hampton Inn has a spa, golf, serves afternoon tea, and guests must dress for dinner (coat and tie for men, no jeans). The activities are nature-driven; the "pool" is actually a 35-acre mountain lake. The inn is open from April to December.
A no-tipping or service-charge policy applies.

1525 Highway 107 S., Cashiers;
(800) 334-2551, http://www.highhamptoninn.com/.
Doubles from $284.


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Log Home Building,What to know before you decide-North Carolina

Why now is the time to build your own Log Cabin in the Mountains of North Carolina.....

With real estate values dropping, lenders tightening and home construction slowing down, why would anyone in their right mind think this is a good time to take on building a log home? Well, before you sign me up for the straitjacket, you might want to take a moment and assess what is actually happening in the custom-home markets today.

Certainly, if one is to believe the media panic these days, the sky is falling where real estate is concerned, and we will all soon lose our houses to foreclosure. Most likely there is a bit of exaggeration in the cries of the doomsday reporters, but truly the market is slowing down, and prices in many areas are dropping.

But log homes, like other custom homes, aren't subject to the same volatility as big business manufacturing little boxes made of ticky-tacky for suburbia.

Find out why, from a financial standpoint, now is the time to build.

The large size of the stone on the jacuzzi bathtub really make it stand out in this log home bathroom. The buffet style cabinet and vessel sink really make this bathroom unique.If a bathroom is your passion, PrecisionCraft Log Homes can work with you to design a log cabin that in cooperates everything you want in your log home bathroom.

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For Sale Golf Course Front Development Investment Property

Golf Course Front Development Investment Property-Western North Carolina

For Sale

Golf Course Front Development Investment Property

35+/- acres of gently rolling property fronting on the 14th fairway of a fabulous golf course located in the Cashiers/Sapphire area of North Carolina. With only a few restrictions on this property it can be developed into single-family cottages or multi-family golf units.

This property offers big views looking up and down fairway with spectacular mountain views in the backdrop. This golf course community offers a variety of amenities such as golf, wonderful club house, tennis, swimming pools, hiking and walking trails, beautiful river for excellent fly-fishing.

Paved access with water and power already to the property line. Great value at $60,000.00 per acre.

For additional information or survey please contact Rae Catanese Shatto,

Keller Williams Realty 828-226-8837

see also

Golf Course Communties (2) Golf Course Development (1) golf course homes (1) Golf Course News North Carolina (2) golf courses (7)

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Verizon High Speed Coming to Cashiers/Sapphire makes headlines

If you are planning to relocate to Western North Carolina

there are several things to consider. One is that high speed

internet has not available in all areas, however things are changing!

Verizon High Speed Coming to Cashiers/Sapphire makes headlines
January 23, 2008: 11:00 AM ESTCASHIERS, N.C., Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ --

More Western North Carolina Customers Gain Access to Verizon's High Speed Internet ServiceCompany Invests $490,000 to Equip 2,600 Lines in the Cashiers, Marion and Sylva Exchanges; 750 Additional Lines to Soon Follow

Approximately 2,600 additional customers in the Cashiers area of western North Carolina can now order Verizon's High Speed Internet service for their computers at home or at work. When additional engineering is completed, scheduled for late February, 750 additional customers in the area will also be able to get High Speed Internet (formerly known as DSL).

Since June 2006, Verizon has invested nearly $1.5 million for High Speed Internet expansion in western North Carolina, broadening the service to more than 13,000 additional customers."Customers in western North Carolina have asked for more High Speed Internet, and we've listened," said Suri Surinder, Verizon's senior vice president and general manager, Southeast region. "The speed and efficiency of Verizon's broadband service often changes the way people shop, work and educate themselves.

With today's announcement, more qualifying customers in this region can enjoy the Internet world in the best way possible: through a Verizon broadband connection."Qualified customers in the following locations can now order broadband connections at up to 3 megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and up to 356 kilobits per second (Kbps) upstream: areas of the Glenville community; parts of Sapphire Valley near the Transylvania county line and the community of Holly Forest; communities around Eagle Ridge, including Trays Island, Bald Rock and Sapphire Mountain; the Marion area of Glenwood Province; parts of Sevier and Woodlawn; and the Cullowhee area of Canada. By late February, additional qualifying customers in areas of Sapphire and Grandview will also gain access to Verizon High Speed Internet.

The price for the service in western North Carolina is $29.99 per month with a one-year contract. Promotions also affect pricing. For example, customers can bundle 3.0 Mbps service with unlimited local and long-distance calling and DIRECTV for $104.99 per month (with a one-year contract) - and receive either an RCA Small Wonder digital camcorder or a $50 Best Buy gift certificate (until Feb. 3).

Double-play bundles for unlimited local and long- distance calling and High Speed Internet are also offered, as are quadruple- play deals that add Verizon Wireless service to the bundle.Consumers can get more information on service availability, pricing and features by calling 877-483-5898 or visiting Verizon.com/highspeed.

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