Brevard North Carolina Real Estate Blog

Brevard is situated in western North Carolina, about a 45 minute drive from the Asheville Regional Airport, or about an hour from South Carolina's Greenville/Spartanburg International Airport. No matter "how" you get here, people come to Brevard for lots of different reasons. It's famous with outdoor enthusiasts for the hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and kayaking. For others, it's the quieter mountain lifestyle that you can only find in a small town like Brevard. It's the kind of place that makes you feel right at home; where you can walk down Main Street and count on a smile and plenty of friendly conversation.

If you are in the area for the first time, or maybe coming back for a visit, Spring is a great time of year to be here. The flowers and trees are blooming, and there is a wide array of things to do and places to go.

Below are just a few events happening in and around Brevard in the month of May.

May 2 - Flat Rock Summer Music Festival begins. Free, family friendly outdoor concerts. Held the first Saturday of the month through September. Visit www.flatrockonline.com

May 5 - Relay for Life Hymns For Hope. A Cancer Survivor Worship Service in honor of cancer survivors, in support of caregivers, and in the hope that one day there will be a cure. Performances by area church choirs. First Baptist Church of Brevard. 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm

May 9-10 - Tour De Falls. Discover DuPont State Forest like never before. Shuttle bus tours will take you places where vehicles are normally not allowed for a tour of High Falls, Triple Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. Picnic at various sites, hike, learn about the wild life and plants, and more. No reservations required. $10 donation requested. For more information visit www.dupontforest.com.

May 9 - Brevard's First Gourd Art Show and Sale. Two Friends Gallery & Gift Shop. 10 am - 4 pm. Two Friends is located on Hwy 276 south, about 5 minutes from downtown Brevard.

May 22 - Brevard's 4th Friday Gallery Walk. Enjoy an evening exploring the art galleries, stores and restaurants along Main Street. Most galleries have new artwork each month plus wine and munchies while you browse. Visit www.artsofbrevard.org for details.

May 23-24 - Go Nuts at the 6th Annual White Squirrel Festival in downtown Brevard. Named the Best Spring Music Festival by the Asheville Citizen Times. Over 14 musical performances including Steep Canyon Rangers! Visit www.whitesquirrelfestival.com for a complete list of activities.

Planning ahead? Don't miss the annual Brevard Music Center summer music series. Tickets now on sale. Visit the Brevard Music Center for complete details. With over 80 public performances by some of the best and brightest young musicians from around the world...It's a must for summer entertainment!

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If you would like to know more about the Brevard, North Carolina area, visit us online today at www.brevardncproperty.com.

MARCH 2009 MARKET UPDATE - HENDERSON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

HOME SALES

The average closing price for a home in the Hendersonville, North Carolina area (Henderson County) was $197,324 in March 2009 representing a slight drop from the previous month when the average was $220,495. It was also slightly down from March 2008 when the average price was $200,191. The median closing price for March was $178,750 which was up from the previous month, and slightly more than 1% higher than March 2008.

There were 63 closings in March 2009, only one more than the month prior. However, that number marked a significant drop from March 2008 when there were 112 closings. Like neighboring Transylvania County and the Brevard, NC area, the lions share of sales were in the $100,000-$300,000 price range.

The average days on market from listing to closing in Henderson County was 166 in March, down slightly from February but an increase of 44 days over March 2008.

LAND SALES

Land sales in Henderson County are showing a lot more consistency than nearby Transylvania County. In March 2008, there 18 land closings and in March 2009 there were 11.

For more information about buying and selling real estate in the Hendersonville, NC area, contact the Clay Team at BrevardNCProperty.com, or call Robert at 828-551-6291 or Carol at 828-551-6290.

MARCH 2009 MARKET UPDATE - TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA


HOMES SALES

With the exception of a few blips and anomalies along the way, home prices in the Brevard, North Carolina area have held steady over the past twelve months. The average selling price during March 2009 was $269,208 and the median price was $182,500.  And while prices in March 2009 are slightly down from the previous month, it did represent a 1% increase over March 2008.  However, the actual number of homes sold is down. In March 2008, there were 21 residential closings but in March 2009, there were only 12. Not surprisingly, homes in the $100,000 - $300,000 price range had the greatest number of sales which has been the case for the last 18 months.

The average number of days from listing to closing dropped from 253 days in February to 231 days in March. In March 2008, the average days on market was 204.

LAND SALES

Land sales are down throughout all of western North Carolina and the Brevard area is no exception. In March 2008 there were 14 land closings compared to only 4 in March 2009.


For more information about buying and selling real estate in the Brevard, NC area,contact the Clay Team online at BrevardNCProperty.com or call Robert at 828-551-6291 or Carol at 828-551-6290.

Funny how life in the mountains resembles nature. During the winter months, there are few visitors, some business put the "Closed" sign out, and for the most part, people hibernate. But by April, everything comes alive. The flowers and trees start blooming, visitors start to return, and life in general returns to a more normal pace.

If you're in the Brevard, North Carolina area this spring, it's a great time for just about anything outdoors. Find a river, and you'll likely see people fly fishing. And with the day time temps hovering around 70, it's a wonderful time of year to explore all the hiking trails. Don't forget your camera, though. The dogwoods, Lilly of the valley, red bud trees, and all sorts of native flowers and trees are spectacular this time of year.

If you're looking for other ideas for how to spend your time here in the mountains, here are a few of the local events happening:

April 24 - Art of Brevard Gallery Walk. Seven art galleries along with several "art spots" and area restaurants are open from 5-9.

May 16 - Annual Monarch Butterfly Release and Open House at Monarch Natural Healing

May 16 - International Migratory Bird Celebration - Cradle of Forestry. Bird walks, family oriented activities.

May 19 - Bag Lunch at the Transylvania County Library.  "Under the Influence: A Southern Appalachian History"

May 23-24- 6th Annual White Squirrel Festival. This two day festival was voted the Best Spring Music Festival in WNC for 2008 by the Asheville Citzens Times News Poll and was designated as a Top 20 Event for May 2009 by the Southeastern Tourism Society.

If you are considering buying real estate in the Brevard, North Carolina area, contact the Clay Team online or call 828-551-6291 or 828-551-6290.

Brevard, North Carolina, is a picturesque mountain town with a population of around 7,000. It’s located about 30 minutes southwest of Asheville, about an hour north of the Greenville/Spartanburg, SC area. Brevard has long been a destination for outdoor enthusiasts because of the area's national forests, waterfalls, hiking trails and some of the country's best fly fishing.

It's also one of the best places to live because of the seasonal climate and mountain lifestyle.

If you have decided that it's time to get out of the stock market, it's a great time to invest in land. Prices are low and sellers are motivated. Below are just a few of the land opportunities available around the Brevard area.  For more information, visit us at brevardncproperty.com, or give us a call at 828-551-6291. 

Glen Cannon Country Club lot…very private:

http://www.brevardncproperty.com/Off-Aberdeen-a92970.html

Big Hill development lot with views:

http://www.brevardncproperty.com/85-Laurel-Thicket-a93183.html

Chasewood…an upscale community:

http://brevardncproperty.com/Lot-8-Oxford-Court-a13874.html

Chasewood mini-farm:

http://brevardncproperty.com/MF-3-Coventry-Drive-a19299.html

Chasewood mini-farm:

http://brevardncproperty.com/MF-2-Coventry-Drive-a19317.html

View lot convenient to Asheville:

http://brevardncproperty.com/79-Blue-Mt-Way-a19301.html

5.67 acres in horse community:

http://brevardncproperty.com/FORECLOSURE-PROPERTY-5-67-acres-near-Cashiers-NC-a63431.html

Live on a beautiful mountain lake:

http://www.brevardncproperty.com/Lake-Shore-Dr-a32506.html

Great views in a golf community:

http://www.brevardncproperty.com/Lot-4-Masters-View-Dr-a3771.html

Here in western North Carolina, one of the most reliable signs that spring is here and summer is close at hand has nothing to do with the blooming dogwood trees or the hummingbirds. All you have to do is take a drive up Hwy 64 west, about 20 minutes from downtown Brevard towards the Lake Toxaway area. That’s where you’ll find Eddy Hoots hard at work under the shade of the trees and alongside the chiseled mountainside, creating his chain saw carved bears.

Eddy Hoots discovered his passion for his special kind of chain saw carved bears nearly twenty years ago during a trip to Montana with his father. "They're on every corner out there and I just had to have one" he says. Hoots has been fine tuning his art form ever since and now makes a living carving bears in various locations around western North Carolina, including one of his favorites spots along Hwy.64 in Lake Toxaway during the spring and summer months.

Although he admits that sometimes there's more talking than carving going on, it can take a full day to carve even the smaller bears and many more to create the larger, more complex varieties. Even after the carving is complete, it will be a while before the bears will be ready for their new home. Experience has taught him that it can take as much as a year for the wood to season before it can move on to the finishing stage where the surface is burned to create the rich dark color. From there it's brushed, varnished, and lastly brought to life with marble eyes. It's a family affair and Eddie's wife and two children each play a part in the finishing process. Even the youngest member of the Hoots family, Eddy's 6 year-old son helps out with the varnishing.

Like any artist, Eddy is particular about the type of material he likes to work with and luckily for him, local white pine is his favorite. "Most times my wood finds me" thanks to the local builders who provide him with a constant supply of pine trees for him to work with. The soft wood is perfect for sculpting the smiling faces and all the life-like details that make Eddy's bears so irresistible.

According to Eddy, his best selling bears are the ones he's designed to hang on the side of a tree or along a porch railing. But it's the loveable, life-size bears that draw the traffic at the Lake Toxaway location. In the summer and fall months, when visitor traffic is at its peak, there's a steady flow of cars pulling into the gravel parking lot where Eddie and his bears have set up shop.

Which of the bears is Eddy's favorite? It's the one he keeps at home; the one he bought years ago on his last trip to Montana with his dad.

If you're ever up this way, traveling the mountain roads around Brevard, Boone, and Blowing Rock, keep you eyes open for North Carolina's own, Eddy Hoots and his Bear Den. Or, you can always visit Eddy and his bears online at the Bears Den.