Beginning in 2008, Appalachian State University men�s and women�s soccer will play its home games in a state-of-the-art, 1,000-seat stadium that will anchor the brand-new Ted Mackorell Soccer Complex, ASU athletics announced in conjunction with the High Country Soccer Association (HCSA) and Watauga County on Thursday.
The outlook for owners of “prime property” – “the most desirable, and normally most expensive, property in a defined location” – notably for vacation homes, is much more optimistic, according to the 2008 Annual Wealth Report by property consultants, Knight Frank, and Citi Private Bank.
“The boom in second home ownership over the past decade will be nothing compared with the growth we will see over the next decade,” the report says.
Cosmetic fixes that can put a prettier face on a plain-Jane home will pay for themselves - and then some.
Spring has always been busy for real estate. Even though buyers and sellers remain cautious, now could be a good time to make a move
The spring home-buying season is upon us. In small towns and big cities alike, “Open House” and “For Sale” signs are sprouting like crocuses. But it will take more than pleasant weather to thaw the ice-cold real estate market.
If many home buyers have never shopped for their own title insurance, will they use a Web site that not only helps them do that, but also select their own appraiser, home inspector, surveyor, or termite company?
Jeff Lazerson thinks they will, and armed with a $100,000 Ford Foundation grant, he’s building Fairclosingcosts.com, a Web site that he says will allow not only consumers but real estate and mortgage professionals to shop for settlement services.
Blue Ridge Parkway facilities open on a staggered basis beginning in April. It should be noted that Spring is a transitional time weather-wise in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Warm days can be followed quickly by a cold front that brings the return of winter conditions. It’s important to check weather forecasts prior to your drive.
Some Parkway facilities are open year round. These include the Museum of North Carolina Minerals (MP 331), Folk Art Center (MP 382) and Parkway Headquarters in Asheville.
In the midst of all the gloom and doom on the housing front, one remarkably-bright statistic has just been announced: Last week the National Association of Realtors reported that 12 percent of all existing home sales last year were not primary residences, they were instead vacation homes.
Property values in college towns are holding strong and can make a good investment whether you’re a parent, an investor, or just looking to relocate
Rates on 30-year mortgages dropped below 6 percent two weeks ago for the first time in more than a month, reflecting aggressive efforts by the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates to protect the economy from a serious recession.
Click here to read the article from Business Week
For those of you visiting for the first time, here is a brief overview of dirt.
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Yahoo has an interesting article about ways to improve your homes value, here’s the list of the top 6
1. Replace Your Siding
2. Build a Deck
3. Spice Up the Kitchen
4. Install Energy-Efficient Windows
5. Give the Bathroom a Facelift
6. Crown Your Walls
A new study suggests that southwest North Carolina has lost more than 100 acres daily for the past 30 years to urban development.
Investigators spent today shoveling through ashes to determine what caused an early morning fire that destroyed the Tweetsie Railroad Museum and gift shop at Tweetsie Railroad
Until recently, borrowing money for a new kitchen, second-story addition, or other home improvement meant going to the bank, seeing a loan officer, and hoping for the best. Today, however, you have many more options.
Money Magazine—With home values tumbling and the mortgage market still in crisis, you’d think that Billie and Rodney Wylde would shelve their plans to build their North Carolina dream home - at least until the market stabilizes.
Not a chance. The thirtysomethings are set to pour the foundation on a 2,100-square-foot farmhouse with a wraparound porch in East Bend, a few miles from where they currently live. Estimated construction cost: $140,000.
Home purchasers sometimes get into trouble because they are not clued into the sequence of steps involved in financing their purchase. These are qualification, pre-approval, approval, and lock.
During the housing boom, updating a kitchen with high end materials like cherry wood cabinets and a Viking stove was a sure bet to boost a home’s value. Homeowners often recovered about 80% of the cost when the house was later sold.
But with so much more inventory on the market for buyers to choose from, they just aren’t as impressed with the bells and whistles. Now most upscale renovations are returning less than 70% of their cost, according to a recent survey from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and Remodeling magazine.
The U.S. Commerce Department reported the sales of new single-family homes declined 2.8 percent in January, though area Realtors say the High Country’s market is “immune to natural trends.”
Update 3/6: 105 Back to Normal
We have received reports that the retaining wall in front of Geno’s / High Country Inn on highway 105 has collapsed. The highway is partially closed.
Local fir tree sales Watauga Democrat, NC - Linda Gragg, director of the Boone-based North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, predicted no fall-off despite a sluggish economy. ... |
College News Asheville Citizen-Times, NC - Morrison is the editor of the Avery Journal Times and publisher of All About Women of the High Country. Hank Williams, of Avery County, was presented with ... |
Ashe County Fraser fir graces White House once again Jefferson Post, NC - North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler made the journey to the Creston knoll to celebrate Ashe County and River Ridge’s role in this ... |
Mountaineer Football Notebook: Presley Doubles Up on SoCon Awards ASU Appalachian Mountaineers, NC - BOONE, NC — Appalachian State University quarterback DeAndre Presley became the only the seventh player in Southern Conference history and the first in 17 ... |
Ski report for 11.25.08: Cross-country, anyone? News & Observer, NC - I called last night to see if there was enough natural snowfall anywhere in the North Carolina high country to warrant a trip. "Not yet," I was told, ... |
Holiday Calendar Asheville Citizen-Times, NC - 28 and 29, Western Carolina University, Ramsey Center, Cullowhee. Over 100 artists and master crafters. $3, children 12 and under are free. ... |
A bit of snow, now very cold CharlotteObserver.com, NC - Schools are closed today in Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga and Yancey counties. Caldwell Community College's branch in Watauga County also is closed, ... |
Shirlette Ammons presents a poetry reading Dec. 4 at Appalachian Appalachian State University, NC - BOONE—Poet Shirlette Ammons will read from her work Dec. 4 at Appalachian State University. Her presentation is sponsored by the Hughlene Bostian Frank ... |
 | Local teachers turned on the light of Bright Ideas Thursday ... Watauga Democrat, NC - “We’re very fortunate in Watauga County to have some of the partnerships we have,” Younce said, mentioning the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce and the ... |
First Warn Forecast | Snow in mountains WCNC (subscription), NC - CHARLOTTE, NC -- Snow showers will continue in the North Carolina Mountains through the early afternoon. Snow accumulations in Avery, Watauga and Ashe ... |
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Here is an interesting article that features some of the latest in high tech gadgets for your house