THINKING ABOUT MAKING A CHANGE?

Highlands Newspaper

Lynn Kimball, Broker


Investing at 4118 Feet
May 23, 2013
Contributed by Lynn Kimball
Meadows Mountain Realty

At certain times in our lives, most of us will make major lifestyle changes. Changes require much consideration, especially in the changing world of real estate. These financial decisions are usually the largest we make during our lifetime.

When a change of location is involved or a substantial investment opportunity is on the horizon or if you’ve been waiting for prices to bottom out before buying that second home…here is some food for thought.

There has been a significant increase in Highlands’ sales activity over the winter and spring months this year…..even ahead of our banner years in the past. We are seeing multiple offers on properties again, with sale prices averaging out to 90% of the list prices. This creates an atmosphere for the best time to sell we have seen in years, particularly if you plan to purchase another property. Prices have stabilized with the reduction in inventory. As more inventory is depleted, we will see an increase in prices. The best time to buy is while prices are still at their lowest and before prices are on the rise.

If you own investment property, which may include commercial, vacant land or qualifying rental property, this may be the time consider making a move. There may be another property that has more advantages for income, a more suitable location or a better value today for potential appreciation in the future. If you sell now, then purchase another qualifying property, an additional advantage could be in a 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange. (only with advice from your qualified tax professional)

Another important factor to remember is that interest rates are still lower than we’ve seen in generations. A thirty year fixed rate mortgage can be obtained as low as 3.5%.

Finding the right Realtor® is the key to your success. After taking the time to find someone you can trust…who is an experienced professional and knows the Highlands market, you can settle back and allow them to do what they do best…provide the service and expertise you need in buying or selling a property.

If you want a good overall introduction of our area and to search available properties, you are invited to visit my user friendly website at www.signatureproperties-nc.com and our company site at www.MeadowsMtnRealty.com. Meadows Mountain Realty has two locations, at 41 Church Street in the Old Edwards Inn complex and at 2334 Cashiers Road across from Highlands Falls Country Club. Lynn Kimball can be reached at 828-421-8193 or by email at Lynn@MeadowsMtnRealty.com.

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Highlands NC, Great Summer Camps for Kids

Highlands NC

Lynn Kimball, Highlands NC real estate & community information

Highlands NC offers great summer camps for kids.  Summer camp in Highlands is designed around our stunning natural environment, offering a great deal of fun with learning at the same time.  While it’s hard to believe that summer is almost here, it is just around the corner and planning camp for the kids means planning peace for you.

The Highlands Nature Center offers a few different day camps have for children ages 4 to 14 years old.  These camps offer memories in the making, new friendships and boundless summer fun in the Southern Blue Ridge Mountains.

The camps offered by the Highlands Nature Center this summer include:

  • WOW! – a World of Wonder for ages 4 to 6 years old. This fun camp will have your children playing games, enjoying the outdoors and learning about our environment and the critters that live here.
  • Amazing Animals for ages 7 to 10 years old. Kids in this fun camp will learn about different animal groups with hands-on activities and observations out in nature.
  • Nature Works for ages 8 to 11 years old. Kids will learn more about our ecosystem, what lives in our environment, studying the forest and ponds around us.
  • Mountain Explorers for ages 10 to 13 years old. Kids will explore the mountainous area we live in on hikes, keeping journals and enjoying adventures.
  • Junior Ecologists for ages 11 to 14.  Kids will study both at our Biological Station and in the Nantahala National Forest.  Measuring, mapping and collecting are but a few activities the kids will enjoy.

The Highlands Nature Center is a true amenity for our community, offering learning adventures on a year round basis.  Our beautiful area and plentiful open space offers an ideal classroom to learn about nature in all of its forms.

Contact me, Lynn Kimball, today to learn more about summer in Highlands NC. I can get you started on your Highlands home search and help you begin a lifetime of memories in the Highlands NC area.

Click here to learn more about the camps offered by the Highlands Nature Center or to register.

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Selling Highlands Real Estate, Showings

selling Highlands real estate

Lynn Kimball, Highlands real estate

Showings are an important part of selling Highlands real estate.  It goes without saying that your home needs to be ready for showings at all times once you have officially listed your home for sale.  Your home should be neat, tidy and organized so that it gives a great first impression to any would-be buyers that enter your front door.  But you should also be aware that one thing that should be absent during a showing of your Highlands home is you.

While you may think it would be helpful to be home during showings it can actually have the opposite effect.  Potential buyers want to envision themselves in your home, they may want to sit on the sofa, lounge on your deck, or open your closet doors.  All of this can be uncomfortable n your presence.

If you feel more comfortable with someone home during showings then speak with your Highlands REALTOR®.  You can make it part of your selling process to have her available to show people around and answer any and all questions that a potential buyer may have.  It is understandable that you could feel uncomfortable with strangers walking through your home, but remember buyers are accompanies by their REALTOR® and this is all part of the process.

Contact me, Lynn Kimball, today for more information on selling Highlands real estate.  Let my experience and knowledge work for you and give you peace of mind throughout the selling process.

Click here to read “Top 10 Worst Home-Showing Offenses” from Realtor Magazine.

 

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Client Recommendation for Lynn Kimball, Broker

We first met Lynn in September, 2012, after much discussion by e-mail and phone as to the type of home and price range we were interested in finding.  She was always responsive and showed us a range of homes that would be a good fit for us.  After returning home, Lynn sent us information on a house that wasn’t currently listed, but she found due to her wealth of local knowledge and years of experience that it had a motivated seller.

 

After completing extensive closing process, we were vacation homeowners in February, 2013 and couldn’t be happier.  we would recommend Lynn to anyone looking in the Highlands-Cashiers area.

 

Client Recommendation for Lynn Kimball

Lynn Kimball, Broker

Henry and Carol Woodroffe

 

Tampa, FL

 

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Highlands Real Estate, Spring Sprucing

Highlands homes

Lynn Kimball, Highlands NC real estate

Owners of Highlands real estate know that Spring is the time for sprucing up our yards. The raking and weeding has begun and many homeowners have even started planting their flower beds. Other owners of Highlands homes may be a bit challenged in that they are not in town to get the ball rolling. Rest assured there is local talent that can get the job done.

If you own a second home in Highlands NC you may have a property manager that oversees the preparations of your grounds keeping. If you do not have a property manager now is the time of year you might appreciate the idea of hiring one. Otherwise, you may need to take an extra trip to Highlands to either spruce your yard up yourself or hire a landscaping company to do so.

When you are not in town and you want to know your home is taken care of having a landscaper on your side can give you valuable peace of mind. Contact me, Lynn Kimball, today for recommendations on local landscapers. Owning a vacation home in Highlands NC does not have to be difficult, and it helps to have local assistance when you cannot be here to get things done.

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Highlands NC, Mark Your Calendar For Annual Plant Sale

Highlands NC

Lynn Kimball, Highlands real estate & community information

Highlands NC, mark your calendar for the annual plant sale.  Each year, near the end of May, the Mountain Garden Club puts on a fabulous sale aimed at enhancing gardens throughout the Highlands/Cashiers area.  Even better, all of the plants are grown locally and are just right for our climate and soil. 

This year the sale will take place on Saturday, May 25, from 9 am to noon at the Ball Field in Highlands on Highway 64 (the Cashiers Road), about three blocks from Main Street.    There will be a huge variety of plants, including hostas, perennials, shrubs, herbs, flowering bushes and more.    The sale is a popular one and it is recommended to arrive early if you have specific plants in mind.

The Mountain Garden Club is a fabulous amenity in the Highlands area, offering a wonderful opportunity for members to learn more about plants that thrive in our area and be a part of a group with similar interests.  The annual plant sale raise funds for the group’s numerous community projects as well as scholarships for students interested in pursuing degrees in landscape architecture, golf course management and horticulture. 

Contact me, Lynn Kimball, today to learn more about living in Highlands NC.  Our area is ripe with opportunities to get involved while learning about our local environment.  Let me help you understand why so many people make our area a part of their vacation plans each year.

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Selling Highlands Real Estate, Emotional Detachment Necessary

selling Highlands real estate

Lynn Kimball, Highlands real estate

When selling Highlands real estate emotional detachment is necessary. Chances are that you have many fond memories associated with your Highlands home and as a result you have a fondness for it that a newcomer may not. As a result you may value your home higher than it is truly worth or may find offense to issues that arise during the contractual process.

It is essential to look forward when selling a home. Perhaps you are ending your relationship with the Highlands area or maybe you are selling your home as a result of purchasing a new home in the area. Whatever the reason it is important to remind yourself why you are selling. Emotions can get in the way and complicate a transaction, if not terminate it altogether.

Contact me, Lynn Kimball, today to learn more about selling Highlands homes. My goal is to help you understand the selling process, educate you on what you need to do to prepare your home for sale and recommend a price that will get your home sold in a timely manner.

Click here to read “Seven Seller Slip-ups That Send Buyers Packing” from Realty Times.

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Why Retire to Highlands NC?

Highlands NC

Lynn Kimball, Highlands NC real estate

Have you been asking yourself the question why retire to Highlands NC?  The simple answer would be that our area focuses on an active lifestyle, both physically and mentally.  In addition there are many opportunities to get involved in the Highlands community which adds to the overall quality of life.

There is no doubt that Highlands North Carolina offers a stunning backdrop. The Southern Blue Ridge Mountains represent one of the most beautiful areas of our region.  The beauty outdoors is echoed with every adventure you choose, from fly fishing to bird watching and hiking to mountain biking and everything in between.

In addition to the great outdoors there are a variety of educational and cultural opportunities throughout the year.  From the performing arts and the visual arts to learning about nature or taking a computer class there are ways to expand your mind.

Contact me, Lynn Kimball, today to learn more about retiring to Highlands NC.  Staying active and enjoying life is important to many.  I can get you started on your Highlands real estate search and help you get to know our area like a local.

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Highlands Real Estate, Easy “Green” Changes

Highlands real estate

Lynn Kimball, Highlands NC real estate

Owners of Highlands real estate can make some easy “green” changes to reduce their energy bills and their carbon footprint at the same time.  Here in Highlands NC the beauty of our environment is what drew many of us here to begin with and while many of our homes may not be rebuilt we can make changes inside that can help them be more environmentally friendly.  These small steps were highlighted in a recent article from REALTOR® Magazine titled “6 Ways to ‘Green’ a Home”.

A few of the steps you can take to help your Highlands home operate in a “greener” manner include:

  • Changing out your light bulbs.  Newer LED bulbs are more energy efficient.
  • Replace old appliances with new Energy Star certified appliances.
  • Examine your showers and faucets and consider making changes that will reduce leaking and limit the water used.

These are but 3 of the simple steps pointed out.  Click here to read “6 Ways to ‘Green’ a Home” and consider making changes to your Highlands home.

Please contact me, Lynn Kimball, today for more information on living in Highlands NC.  I can get you started on your home search and help you get to know why so many people want to keep coming back to our neck of the woods.

 

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Buying Highlands Real Estate, Get to Know Local Market

buying Highlands real estate

Lynn Kimball, Highlands real estate

When buying Highlands real estate it is important to get to know the local market.  If you are buying a vacation home our area may differ greatly from where your primary residence is.  On the other hand it could be similar.  One of the best ways to research the local market is to sit down with an experienced Highlands REALTOR®.

Get to know where the best locations are in Highlands NC, what fair market value is, what homes are selling and where the best bargains are located.  The internet offers a wealth of knowledge but nothing replaces experience on the ground.  Investing in a Highlands property is a big commitment and the more informed you are the smoother your transaction will be.

Contact me, Lynn Kimball, today to learn more about the real estate market conditions in Highlands NC.  I keep my fingers on the pulse of the market so that my clients can rest assured that they are informed and up-to-date.  Let me get you started on a home search and help you locate the home of your dreams.

Click here to read “Don’t Be Fooled By These 3 Real Estate Myths” from Zillow.

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