Cruising back to Maggie Valley from Hazelwood and the Smoky Mountain Coffee Roasters and Cafe the other day was quite pleasant with the bright blue skies, the mountains evident in the distance, and white snow here and there. It was a nice, quick ride to the free snow boarding playground at the very entrance to Campbell Woods and Maggie Valley (left hand side of Dellwood/Soco when entering Maggie Valley). I do believe I saw fresh snow on the snow boarding playground this week. Related articles by Zemanta More Fun in the Snow in Maggie Valley ~ Entrance to Campbell Woods. (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) Downtown Waynesville NC’s Webcam Gives Bird’s Eye View! (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) BIG Snow in Maggie Valley NC December 18-19 2009 (susieblackmon.com) Maggie Valley, Waynesville and ... 01/08/2010

The video referred to below, provided by Agent Genius Lani Rosales, is slightly dated but contains many excellent points to consider if you are becoming intrigued with but confused by the Real Estate Auction Market.  Auctions, as well as foreclosures and short sales, require knowledge, caution, money (cash), patience and, at times, nerves of steel to come out ‘alive’ on the other side of the transaction. If you happen to be in the real estate market for a home or investment properties now or during the next year or so, there’s a ‘high probability’ that you will encounter and want to consider a foreclosure, auction or short sale property (or properties). Should you prefer to work with a real estate agent to acquire distressed property(ies), there are agents nationwide who KNOW how to bes... 01/01/2010

Active listings in Haywood County NC as of 12/29/09 are overpriced (if a seller really wants to sell) and reflect an absorption rate of 27.31 months and an average time to sell a house of 259 days. Residential sales in 2009 have an average selling price of $203,381 …. (see red numbers in chart). Canton has the lowest average listing price and the lowest number (significantly) of days on market. Please click below to see larger chart. Related articles by Zemanta Maggie Valley NC Housing Market Report. (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) Haywood County NC ~ 2009 Sales by Subdivision ~ Through 12/12/09. (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) Haywood County NC – REVISED Residential Real Estate Sales by Month – As of 10/31/09. (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) Original posted on Bucking the Real Estate T... 01/01/2010

Following our big snow storm and power outage last week, I decided to head, Flip in hand, to KMart in Waynesville for a camping stove, but I was too late. Not a camper stove on the shelves, so off I went to Ingles Grocery Store. Ingles was so jammed with customers that I didn’t even go inside; instead I drove through Lake Junaluska and then drove by Tube World in Maggie Valley. The video below gives a view of Tube World, as well as the snow in Maggie Valley, Waynesville and Lake Junaluska. The Cataloochee Ski Area has been a popular place lately! Related articles by Zemanta YouTube Video of the Surprising Weekend Snow Storm in Maggie Valley NC. (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) BIG Snow in Maggie Valley NC December 18-19 2009 (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) Beautiful Blue Skies in Maggie ... 12/25/2009

Last week was ‘opening week’ for Boyd’s Christmas trees and wreaths season. I stopped by at sundown and there was St. Nick. Boyd Mountain Christmas Tree Farm is where many people in Western North Carolina go to get their Christmas trees every year. I go there year round just to take in and photograph the beautiful of this beautiful Haywood County farm. Click here for their hours and dates of operation, directions and information. Buy Local! © Susie Blackmon Related articles: Are the Christmas Trees Big at Boyd Mountain Log Cabins and Tree Farm? (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) Lovely Labor Day Butterflies, Photographed at Boyd Mountain Log Cabins. (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) More Boyd Mountain Log Cabins and Christmas Tree Farm pictures, etc. Snow on Boyd Mountain … Nothing Better fo... 11/27/2009

This past Sunday (11/22) there was a treat-filled Open House in Downtown Waynesville, complete with carolers and a “cookie tour,” featuring cookies and treats from many local B&B’s and businesses. Oh my! Downtown Waynesville's very quaint and unique shops were decorated for the Holidays, and the food and Holiday music sure put you in the mood for Santa Claus. The next Holiday 'Downtown Waynesville' event is the Downtown Waynesville Christmas Parade which will be held Monday, December 7, starting at 6:00 p.m. via  youtube.com Related articles by Zemanta Down Home Downtown Waynesville Dishes Up An Apple Harvest Festival. (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) The Foreclosure Crisis Has Not Affected These Houses in Haywood County. (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) Original posted on Bucking the Rea... 11/24/2009

Please click Market Report chart to see larger version. Source: MLS. Data deemed reliable but, not guaranteed. As of November 22, November residential sales to date in Haywood County totaled 28. Our absorption rate at the present rate of sales for the month can easily be explained this way: Our inventory of homes could last 32.9 months; however, historically November, December and January sales are not indicative of our ‘most ideal’ selling times anyway. Regardless, we still have way too much inventory on the market, and it’s taking longer to sell homes this year than it has during the previous 5 years. Here are the residential sales this month to date broken out by price range: $000,000 – $100,000 =  3 sales $100,000 – $200,000 = 14 sales $200,000 – $300,000 =  9 sales $300,000 – $400... 11/23/2009

Sunday for me is like any other day ... I do what I love, which is work. Outside it is in the 40's, dark, dreary and drizzling; a perfect day to stay indoors and be creative. Downtown Waynesville, however, is holding an Open House to show off all of the quaint little shops all dressed up for the Holidays, and I don't want to miss that. Here's a little bit of Sparkle for Sunday, captured in Maggie Valley early Saturday evening.   11/22/2009

Waynesville was beautiful late Thursday afternoon just as the sun was setting. The video shots were taken in the parking lot of Ingles grocery store off of Dellwood in Waynesville. I was lucky to walk out just in time, and to have my camera (of course) in my vehicle. Did you happen to see the folding house in the Boston Globe? What a jerk: Elk killed (poached) in Cataloochee Valley in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Jonathan Creek is home to some beautiful mountain residences.   11/15/2009

Pat Kitano and Kevin Boer of Domus U are continually introducing new ways for agents to learn the best of social media marketing. They believe training and learning should be long term, practical and affordable. They developed and offer a Social Media Training Center product to Associations of Realtors for their members, such as the Oklahoma City Metro Association. Launch of Training Centers with Boards nationwide, with the California Association of Mortgage Brokers, and several in the San Francisco Bay area, is slated for early December. Domus U is fulfilling a void by providing an agenda-free product that Realtors are now demanding, even in Oklahoma! They have now created a Training Center for Active Rain members and have added a detailed module for learning about how to use Active Ra... 11/13/2009

This morning (11/09/09) there are 1,272 active listings in Haywood County, with 8 closings to date in November, one of which was a short sale. We still have way too much inventory. The Haywood County Market Report for October has been revised to include closings that were added after I reported October sales on November 1st. Of note: the Median Selling Price in October is one of the lowest of 2009. Source: MLS. Data deemed reliable but, not guaranteed. Residential real estate sales numbers for Maggie Valley for October have been revised to include closings that were added after I reported October sales on November 1st. Again, it is of note that the Median Selling Price in October is the lowest MSP of 2009 for Maggie Valley. Source: MLS. Data deemed reliable but, not guaranteed. Waynesvi... 11/09/2009

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park enjoys a rich history of prior human habitation within the contemporary park boundaries. Unlike the first national parks that were established in the West on lands already owned by the United States Government, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was assembled with the purchase and condemnation of lands owned by private residents and a collection of lumber and mining companies. Although most of the structures inside the park boundaries were razed at the time the park was created, a select few were allowed to remain as living museums of the historic human heritage of those that lived and worked here prior to the national park establishment. The photos depicted here are of historic structures currently maintained by the National Park Service in ... 11/08/2009

Click to see the Best Real Estate Ad Ever. Alternate Routes to Maggie Valley to Avoid the I-40 Rock Slide. In case you missed it, here's my new office equipment: Rabbit! from Gary on Vimeo. Saturday, October 24th, was another perfect day to visit Lake Junaluska for photos after my grocery story run. Beautiful fall colors at the Lake! ©Susie Blackmon Related articles: Let’s Go For A Drive Along Lake Junaluska In Haywood County, North Carolina. (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) Heavenly Flowers at Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) What’s Happening at Lake Junaluska This Fourth of July? (buckingtherealestatetrend.com) 10/27/2009

Source: MLS. Data deemed reliable but, not guaranteed. As of early morning October 24th, there were: 36 closings to date in the month October, MSP $153,500; ASP $187,974; Avg Days on Market 151. 1,329 active residential listings (Average listing price = $343,473) (inventory still increasing) 1,930 active land/farm listings (inventory increasing) 26 listings in the MLS noted as Foreclosures (10/1-10/24) Other recent Market Reports: How Many Luxury Homes Have Sold in Maggie Valley, Waynesville and Haywood County in 2009? Haywood County NC – Residential Real Estate Sales 5-Yr Comparison – As of 10/17/09. Haywood County NC – Land and Farm Sales 5-Yr Comparison YTD – As of 10/14/09. Haywood County NC – 2009 Residential Real Estate Sales by Month – As of 09/30. 10/26/2009

I drove through Boyd Mountain Log Cabins and Tree Farm early Tuesday evening and then took a drive (with my Flip camera) down Hemphill (Boyd’s is on Hemphill). Winding country roads, creeks, beautiful pastures, cattle ranches, Christmas tree farms, and mountains everywhere ... General Directions to Hemphill Road: Exit 20 off of I-40 which is Hwy 276. Go South on Highway 276 for 3 1/2 miles to Hemphill Road. Turn right on Hemphill Road. First Road on left is Boyd Farm Road. Keep going straight if you aren’t going to Boyd’s. If you are driving from Waynesville or Maggie Valley, follow Hwy 276 North to Hemphill Road. Turn left on Hemphill Road. Boyd Farm is on the first road on the left (or keep going straight if you aren’t going to Boyd’s). Pictures of Boyd Mountain: Are the Christmas Tre... 10/23/2009

The 2009 Apple Harvest Festival Saturday, on Downtown Waynesville’s Main Street, was festive and very 'crisp,' with people bundled in jackets, carrying umbrellas (umbrellas are scary things when you like to wear wigs), and sampling all the yummy festival food. Like to eat apples, fudge, sizzling sausages, turkey legs, and Holy Smoke barbecue? I tasted, among other things, the ‘finished’ molasses product extracted by the gentleman in the video feeding sorghum into a press, and would love to have a jar of fresh molasses for myself (he wasn’t selling any). What a difference between ‘fresh’ and store-bought molasses. I'm in search of the recipe for the blue ribbon winner of the “2009 Apple Bake-Off” (see the video below). WARNING: You might be very hungry after watching this video. List of ... 10/19/2009

Expounding about our land sales would be considered negative energy. Not much to say except that land isn't selling often these days. This too shall pass. Winter affords a great chance to see property and views, unobstructed! We have our first dusting of snow (higher levels) this beautiful Sunday morning. Click for larger version. Sized to post on Localism too. Source: MLS. Data deemed reliable but, not guaranteed. More Market Reports: Haywood County NC – Residential Real Estate Sales – 5-Yr Comparison. Haywood County NC – 2009 Residential Real Estate Sales by Month – As of 09/30. Haywood County NC – Land and Farm Sales Comparison – 01/01-09/22 – 2004 thru 2009. Maggie Valley – 5-Year Residential Real Estate Sales Comparison Haywood County 5-Year Residential Real Estate Sales Comparison... 10/18/2009

This photo was taken last Saturday, October 10, in Downtown Waynesville during the Church Street Festival. Here's the set of Flickr photos from the Festival if you are so inclined. Tomorrow is the Haywood County Apple Harvest Festival in Waynesville, and Maggie Valley is hosting an arts and crafts festival at the Festival Grounds on Soco Road. ©Susie Blackmon Posted via email from Susie Blackmon’s Posterous Food porn from Church Street Art and Craft Festival. More Church Street foodie porn. Even more Church Street foodie porn. 10/16/2009

A few days ago I met with a new Cowboy acquaintance, Gene Blankenship, PASTOR Gene Blankenship. It’s been ages since I’ve been able to have lunch with a Cowboy in a Cowboy hat! If you want to, you may read about Gene and his Land of the Sky Cowboy Church here. Should you have an interest in having a Cowboy Church to go to in Haywood County, please contact Gene (via Cowboy Ministry). You can also find him at the Canton Livestock Market every Wednesday. I love what Gene sent me home with (below): Original posted on Bucking the Real Estate Trend. 10/11/2009

Just 2 weekends away is The 21st Annual Apple Harvest Festival, sponsored by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce. The date and times are: ***October 17, 2009 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.*** You won't want to miss the live entertainment, arts and crafts, and great food featured in this festive one-day celebration of the Fall harvest in historic Downtown Waynesville. 2008 Apple Harvest post. 2008 Apples and Leaves… 13 Things to Do In and Around Maggie Valley and Waynesville in October. NOTE: Coming up the very next week after the Apple Harvest Festival is the Parade of Homes: Haywood County Parade of Homes and Builders’ Showcase, October 23, 24, 25 Original posted on Bucking the Real Estate Trend. 10/03/2009