What recession? The market is booming. Don’t take our word for it. Check out the numbers.
A recent article in Capital Play magazine, “Real Estate Year In Review: 2016” (February 2017, Volume 7, Edition 2), reveals that 2016 was the best year ever for existing home sales in Western North Carolina (WNC). According to the Mountain Regional Multiple Listing Service (MLS), the industry standard, total home sales in a seven-county region peaked out at a record-breaking 9,548. That’s more than the previous high of 9,486 set in July 2006 – yes, that is pre-recession you will note.
Sales are trending upward for 2017
The trend, though remarkable, is not surprising to many in the region. “We have seen steady growth over the course of the past few years,” says Real Estate Agent Debbie Fletcher. “This past year is reflective of that, especially in the second-home and retirement markets. Activity and optimism have returned and we’re now seeing more closings on new and existing products.” As the Capital Play article explains, “excess inventory has been sold off and foreclosures have gone way down.” But that’s only half the story. The big news is that the trepidation and caution that followed the real estate market crash in 2008 has been replaced by confidence.
Large nature preserves are the place to be
Another trend, that actually dates back a couple of years, is a growing shift away from golf and country club-style communities to nature preserves – places like French Broad Crossing, a stunning property located along the French Broad River just outside of Asheville, NC. Fact is, the majority of affluent buyers today don’t want golf. They don’t want excessive club fees and the attendant headaches. They want nature in all its glory.
A Wall Street Journal article, “Luxury Home Developers’ Latest Pitch: Unspoiled Nature” (November 5, 2015), expounds on this dramatic shift that is likely the natural result of the 2008 downturn. The article reveals that today’s buyers are more discerning. Families are eschewing big-ticket golf communities in favor of preserved natural settings. “We’ve seen a definite shift in buyer behavior in the past few years,” says Jack Fisher, Owner and original developer of French Broad Crossing. “Families are looking for a more authentic connection with nature, a place they know will be around for generation after generation.”
Learn more about French Broad Crossing?
To see this property is to fall in love at first sight. The French Broad River, the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains, the sweeping views, the freedom to live life on your own terms…it’s all here waiting for you. Best of all, families at French Broad Crossing can be sure that their land will be protected for future generations since it is held in a conservation easement – a legal designation that safeguards against further development. To find out if French Broad Crossing is the mountain community you’ve been longing for, contact our sales office at 866-947-9629.