Outdoor recreation and outdoor adventures are seemingly endless in the Western North Carolina mountains, the outdoor playground of the Southeast. Acclaimed by numerous magazines as a top outdoor adventure destination, visitors enjoy whitewater rafting, mountain biking, hiking and experiencing the highest peaks in the entire Eastern U.S.

Summer can wear on you, especially if you live in a hectic mess of urban sprawl-- too much traffic, asphalt jungle, fighting the commute twice a day and sometimes at lunch.  To top it all off, school's out for the summer!  They don't tell you about summer vacation and the public school system when they send you home from the hospital with a baby.  Nonetheless, we were making it all right, at least no one was injured.

Here at Asheville Area Property we promote beautiful places.  Hot Springs, North Carolina is one of those "hidden gems" tucked away in the Pisgah National Forest.  We believe that the remote feel of the area coupled with adventure, romance, and healthy choices in vacationing, makes Hot Springs indeed "the natural choice."  

"The market started falling apart every place
else, and we were just chugging right along," says Tom Tveidt, director
of research at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.

by Linda Blue, NC Agricultural Extension Agent 

Although landscape and gardening activities can become expensive, it's like all of the other household expenses we budget for. There are ways we can keep expenses down, or at least not be wasteful with the money we do spend.

by Mark Barrett, courtesy of Asheville Citizen-Times 

The slowdowns in real estate and the economy in general have reduced short-term demand for housing downtown and banks' appetite for lending to create it, people in the field say.

It's getting easier for real estate professionals to go "green."  Just this month, a new GREEN Designation program debuted.  The program instruction on building techniques that are less environmentally damaging, marketing to "green" consumers, regulatory issues relating to environmental sustainability, potential cost savings for employing "green" features, and education on energy efficiency, air quality, and sustainable communities and land planning.

Perfect Mix of Climate, Culture, Beauty

by Heather Farr

Although the spectacular natural beauty of the mountains and rolling geography lure newcomers, retirees, and visitors to Asheville, it's the pristine quality of life and housing opportunities that reel them in.

by Barbara Brady

Congratulations on deciding to move to the WNC area!  Since moving is listed as one of life's major stress factors, doing your homework and planning ahead can dramatically help take the edge off feelings of anxiety, overwhelm and the "deer in the headlights" paralysis that often arises.

The following 10 steps are deisgned to help you keep your sanity before, during and after your move, and to ensure that your move and relocation will be smooth.

1.  Create a timeline to get things done now!