The Blue Ridge Mountains have some of the longest autumn color seasons in the country . From the highest mountain peaks to the low valleys. Mother nature takes her time in showing us why we are lucky enough to live here with all its beautiful colors. We are happy to share this with all of our tourists and new people moving to the area. 

Here are a few spots you can check out during  peak LEAF season.

During the first week of October take a drive up to Mt. Mitchell and Grandfather Mountain. Mt. Mitchell is over 6,000 feet high and rising. It has a sweet little picnic area where you can take a picnic lunch or have a snack with the kids and get an amazing view to unwind to. Or go a little further south to Black Balsam area and Max Patch.

The Second week of October at around 4,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation you can head over to Waynesville and Cashiers take in a few colors and then go check out the sweet little town of Waynesville. Go visit your favorite antique shops or local artist gallery.

Rolling into the third week of October head out towards Spruce Pine and Burnsville . You could also go over to Lynnville Gorge . It is one of the third largest wilderness areas in NC and will not disappoint you.

Headed towards the end of October you can catch the foliage at Dupont State Forest area and see some amazing waterfalls as well. Asheville is also the place to be during the Halloween season. You can go visit the Biltmore Estate and the French Broad River to take a peek.

Rounding up our season is east of Asheville towards Lake James. You could also check out Chimney Rock and Lake Lure area. We will end our season out towards the Tryon Foothills Wine Country. 

No matter where you go you will be able to enjoy our season in the Appalachian Mountains. ENJOY.

While other city's claim to be the best place to live . Asheville and the surrounding cities actually ARE the best places to live. 

Here are a few of the top reasons to live here. 

The Blue Ridge Mountains * These are some of the oldest in the world and quite frankly some of the most beautiful mountains I have ever seen. If you love the outdoors in all its glory, this is the spot for you. From hiking trails to kayaking on all the rivers, you will never run out of things to do outside. It is a nature lovers paradise.

The Community * If you are a lover of local handmade crafts, food that is grown with LOVE at a nearby farm, grass fed organic meats or fresh eggs from your favorite goat lady. You can find it all here.

This area boasts creative and crafty artists from jewelry makers, woodworkers, potters and welders just to name a few. The local community colleges are a great resource if you ever want to learn a craft or trade. You can also learn how to grow your own food or brew your own beverages.

The Food * The food is AMAZING in this town. Everywhere you go you will find an awesome BBQ, taco joint, tapas, mom and pop dinner, or that sweet ice cream shop that only uses local ingredients. It is all delicious, it is worth investing in your taste buds to go try it all out . 

The Homes * The homes are for the most part all very different. You can get into that subdivision with the clubhouse if that is your jam. Or you can find a hip modern home in the West side of Asheville that is within walking distance to restaurants, shops and live music.

We also have log cabins if you prefer to live in the mountains away from the city or the craftsman style home with gorgeous woodwork throughout the house. We have them all.

When you're making a decision on where to move, think of the Asheville area. It really is the best place to BE.

Lets chat about home inspections.

As a buyer when you are ordering a home inspection on that property with the killer views that you have fallen in love with. Keep in mind something will inevitably come up wrong in this very long report.

No matter how much your home cost it is ALWAYS recommended that you get a licensed home inspector. It is their job to inform you of the issues with the home and in the end this will help you make the right decision. 

Some things are small and some are not so small. For example, a bad roof can cost anywhere from $4,000 up to $20,000 depending on the size of the home. Other large ticket items are foundation and structural repairs. You want to make sure your home won't slide off the side of a mountain when it rains or the the foundation that has a giant crack in it is  actually  fixed not just painted over to hide the real problem. Sometime sellers think they can get away with covering up the problem and hoping the inspector wont notice. Well, a good one, will notice and this is exactly why you get an inspection.

When negotiating a price reduction keep your inspection report in mind and how much time and energy you may have to put into the home to make it perfect.  do you have the time or the energy to put into it? Things can always be fixed, but sometimes the cost is way more than you may think.

Get that inspection, get those estimates and hire someone you can trust to help you navigate these issues.

In the end we all want that perfect home, at the perfect price, with the amazing views. Here at Blue Ridge Properties Group, we would love to help you navigate those waters. 

Autumn is creeping around the corner with all its glorious fall colors. We should keep in mind that the cooler weather is on its way.

Preparing your home during this time is always a great idea. A few things you could do for example is to get that fireplace ready for those cold, cozy winter nights by getting that dirty chimney cleaned out. (by a licensed professional is always recommended). Consider checking for air leaks around your windows and doors. A little weather stripping can go a long way when sealing up those air leaks.

Also, clean out the gutters as debris and leaves will always pile up.It causes issues and even bad leaks in your basement.

Enjoy this beautiful weather as summer fades away,  although times feels a little crazy these days be grateful we live in such a beautiful area of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

If you are considering buying a new home that just happens to be in the perfect size, is the perfect lot with a majestic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains but the kitchen is outdated with lime green cabinets and has carpet everywhere including the bathroom. (You know the house I am talking about)

Keep in mind there are a few things you can't change like the location and your budget. A finished home in that perfect area is way over your realistic budget and lets try to keep that realistic part in the forefront of your mind when you are falling out of love with those lime green cabinets.

With some updating and a little work you can make this house the perfect home and enjoy the wise decision you just made in purchasing it.

When you consider doing any updating to your home consider WNC Cabinet Solutions. They will custom fit your space to your design with a variety of choices of cabinets and flooring. They also redo closet space,I don't know anyone that doesn't want an organized closet. 

The website is coming soon but you can check out their FACEBOOK page here.

Facebook link

We would love to help you find your dream home!!

When searching for a new home one of the things that we must take into consideration is our furry family member.

As we scroll aimlessly through the MLS and Zillow or our awesome website http://www.blueridgepropertiesnc.com/

looking for the puurfect home that has a fenced in yard, on a road that is not to busy, a pocket neighborhood that geared towards pets,or one that is close to a dog park. We think about our pets, all their needs and if they will be happy. Because as we all know our pets rule the roost.

Its pretty eye opening to think that 68% of households have pets and out of that 60% have dogs.

A recent survey stated that 33% of millennials are motivated by the desire to find a space for their beloved fur baby.That is a pretty big percentage, so when you are searching for a new home or selling your current home please keep your furry family member in mind. They will LOVE you unconditionally for it.

If you are a first time home buyer looking for that perfect starter home in the city, a parent looking for a home close to a great school system, a retiree are looking for that perfect mountain getaway, an investor looking to invest in the area, or a homesteader wanting to raise some chickens and live off the grid, now is a great time to buy with interest rates at an all time low hovering between 2.45% and under 3.00%.

Its also a great time to refinance your home. Get some things paid off with that equity you have built up in your house. Put on that back deck you have been dreaming about, or redoing your outdated kitchen and bathroom.

If you need help with a refi or getting mortgage call Geri Ray

https://alcova.com/weaverville/

We never know how long these rates will last, so hop on the bandwagon!! If you would like some help finding a home give us a call here at Blue Ridge Properties Group in Weaverville.

http://www.blueridgepropertiesnc.com/

We would love to assist you!!

Are you trying to decide on if you want to spend the money on remodeling that out dated kitchen that only has three burners that work, an oven that you have to use a broom pole wedged under the handle to stay shut,or cabinets that look like they were nailed into the wall before the screw was invented.

The answer is YES!

Not only will you not be embarrassed to invite friends and family over to see your fabulous new kitchen and have a delicious latte, you will get between 90% and 100% return on your investment. No other investment on your home will give you such a great return. 

When buyers go to look for homes this is one of the first things they look for . So, do yourself a favor and update that kitchen!!

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When a seller is thinking of listing their home they have lived in for over half their life, the thing they usually do not  think about is replacing that old roof . As a new home owner you may want to go with a metal roof that typically will last between 40 and 70 years, which is much longer than your standard shingle roof.

If your are thinking of selling the shingle may be the least expensive way to do it and looks equally as fabulous.

Statistics say that you will usually recover about 60 to 70% of your investment on the installation cost through the increased value of your home.

Nothing will squash a deal quicker or make a buyer walk away than on old, leaky roof. Doing this will not only increase the value of your home, but it will make your home appraise for more while you anxiously await for that appraisal to come in. It will look great and give the new home owners a piece of mind they won't have to replace it for years to come.

Are you thinking of selling your home in a few years? 

Buyers love new and updated windows!! Not only will adding new windows to your already desirable home give you an edge over the other homes for sale in your neighborhood. It will give you roughly a 74% return on your investment and it will also increase the energy efficiency of your home . Who doesn't want decrease their energy bills in the icy cold winter and hot sweaty summers ?

Here are also a few things you can do to increase you efficiency of your windows: 

-Check existing windows for air leaks-

-Caulk and weatherstrip-

-Add storm windows or panels-

Add exterior shading , like awnings, exterior blinds, or overhangs to keep the heat of the sun out of your home.

Taking care of your windows will show your buyers how much you have cared for this house and want to make this house a home.