Realty World Heritage Real Estate Blog

Existing-Home Sales to Stablize Before Upturn in Second Half of 2008

2008-04-14T22:38:00.000-04:00

From Realtor.org
For more information, contact:
Walt Molony, 202-383-1177, wmolony@realtors.org

WASHINGTON, April 08, 2008 -
Little change is expected in existing-home sales over the next few months, before improving notably during the second half of the year, according to the latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors®.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the market will come into clearer focus this summer. “Existing home sales could start to show a sustained increase within a few months, unless there are some additional economic problems or excessive inflationary pressure,” he said. “We’re looking for essentially stable sales in the near term, before higher mortgage loan limits translate into more sales in high-cost markets. The wider access to affordable credit should increase sales activity notably this summer as pent-up demand begins to be met.”
The Pending Home Sales Index,* a forward-looking indicator based on contracts signed in February, slipped 1.9 percent to 84.6 from an upwardly revised reading of 86.2 in January, and was 21.4 percent lower than the February 2007 index of 107.6. “The slip in pending home sales implies we’re not out of the woods yet, though an era of successive deep sales declines appears to be over,” Yun said.
The PHSI in the Northeast rose 3.2 percent in February to 71.8 but remains 25.4 percent below a year ago. In the Midwest, the index declined 3.7 percent to 82.7 and is 17.4 percent lower than February 2007. The index in the South fell 5.5 percent in February to 85.0 and is 30.3 percent below a year ago. In the West, the index rose 2.1 percent in February to 95.8 but is 6.1 percent below February 2007.
Existing-home sales are likely to rise from an annual pace of 4.9 million in the first quarter to 5.9 million in the fourth quarter. With relatively weak activity in the first part of the year, existing-home sales for all of 2008 are forecast at 5.39 million, increasing 6.6 percent to 5.74 million in 2009.
“Exceptionally weak home sales related to jumbo loans problems will depress home prices in the first half of the year, but steady liquidity improvements in the conforming jumbo-loan market will help prices recover in the second half of the year,” Yun said. The aggregate existing-home price will probably ease by 1.4 percent to a median of $215,800 for all of 2008 before rising 3.7 percent to $223,800 next year.
Yun noted that there will continue to be wide variations in regional housing market conditions. “Some parts of the country that can expect improvement include the Northeastern region and the oil-patch states of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas,” he said. With lower interest rates and flat home prices in many areas, NAR’s housing affordability index is forecast to rise 14 percentage points to 127.0 in 2008.
New-home sales are projected to fall 25.7 percent to 576,000 in 2008 before rising 4.6 percent to 602,000 next year. Housing starts, including multifamily units, are estimated to drop 26.3 percent to 999,000 this year, and slip another 0.5 percent to 994,000 in 2009. The median new-home price will probably fall 3.6 percent to $238,400 in 2008, and then rise 4.0 percent next year to $247,800.
The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, which has fluctuated recently, should average 5.8 percent in the second and third quarters, but trend up to an average of 6.3 percent in 2009.
“The economy will not grow in first half of the year,” Yun said. “However, the combination of recent fiscal stimulus enactment and the lagged impact of monetary policy will help jump start the economy in the second half.” Growth in the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to be 1.4 percent in 2008 and 2.4 percent next year. The unemployment rate is forecast to average 5.4 percent this year and 5.6 percent in 2009.
Inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, is projected at 3.4 percent in 2008 and 2.2 percent next year. Inflation-adjusted disposable personal income is likely to grow 1.2 percent this year and 3.0 percent in 2009.
The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
# # #
(1) The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.
The index is based on a large national sample, typically representing about 20 percent of transactions for existing-home sales. In developing the model for the index, it was demonstrated that the level of monthly sales-contract activity from 2001 through 2004 parallels the level of closed existing-home sales in the following two months. There is a closer relationship between annual index changes (from the same month a year earlier) and year-ago changes in sales performance than with month-to-month comparisons.
An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales.
Existing-home sales for March will be released April 22; the next Forecast / Pending Home Sales Index will be released May 7.

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Snow in Maggie Valley!

2008-04-14T22:25:00.003-04:00

Quick update on our Spring weather. The trees and flowers are starting to bloom and it has been SNOWING all day. From light to moderate flurries the white stuff has been around since yesterday! As I type there is a light dusting on cars and rooftops, but no accumulation (at least at 3500 feet that is). We should be warming on Tuesday and more season temperatures the rest of the week. As the old saying goes; "If you do not like the weather in Haywood County, wait 5 minutes and it will change" Happy Spring!

Popcorn Sutton Arrest Comments

2008-04-10T23:11:00.001-04:00

Below you will find blog entry that was written a few weeks back after the arrest of Popcorn Sutton. There have been some great comments that you can also see below:

Maggie Valley's icon and self-proclaimed legendary moonshiner Popcorn Sutton has been arrested in Greene County, TN and is facing federal charges related to the manufacturing, possessing, and selling of untaxed whiskey or "moonshine" and a charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, according to the Mountaineer News. Authorities confiscated three 1,000 gallon capacity stills, over 850 gallons of moonshine, hundred's of gallons of mash- ingredients used to make the liquor, firearms, and ammunition. A search of a storage site in Haywood County resulted in seizure of 797 gallons of moonshine and one case of moonshine soaked cherries. Sutton faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted on the weapons charge and up to 5 years for each moonshining charge. Sutton is being held without bond due to a previous conviction in Cocke County, TN.

Anonymous said...
What's the matter you can't catch a drug dealer? or what about the meth labs? Let the old timer be! He doesn't have that many years left!
10:59 PM
Anonymous said...
Popcorn's of the world make waking up in the morning worth while. We need characters like him in the world. How wonderful it would be if this was all we had to worry about.Movement to parden Popcorn maybe in order.Paul
11:44 AM
Anonymous said...
Popcorn's of the world make waking up in the morning worth while. We need characters like him in the world. How wonderful it would be if this was all we had to worry about.Movement to pardon Popcorn maybe in order.Paul
11:46 AM
Anonymous said...
I met this old fellow when my Mom lived in Maggie Valley and I have had his butt kicking cherries. I think he is a charater and adds charm to the county. With out him why would I ever consider returning to Maggie Valley. Free Popcorn!!! Florida loves Popcorn
4:56 PM
Jim McDonough said...
My mother-in-law used to live in Maggie Valley, and she took us over to Popcorn's one day to get some "cherry bombs". Wow, they were the bomb all right! Popcorn was the kind of local character we're all going to miss having around someday. In our safe-at-any-cost, politically correct, mommy knows best society there isn't room for someone like him. He's an anachronism, and for that we have ourselves to blame. Shame on us.
5:51 PM

Waynesville Commons/Super Wal Mart

2008-04-09T23:20:00.005-04:00

We wanted to give everyone an update on the Waynesville Commons project in West Waynesville (Hazelwood). If you are not familiar with the project there is a Home Depot, Super Wal Mart, and a Best Buy in the works. There will be many other commercial establishments as well which will greatly increase the shopping choices of Haywood County Residents. The construction site at the old Dayco site is amazing in regards to how quickly the construction is taking place. The old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" holds true with this project so take a look for yourself!

Kiss the Pig Final Tally

2008-04-09T23:15:00.002-04:00

Realty World Heritage Realty in Maggie Valley, NC would like to thank all those who donated and helped us raise money for K.A.R.E of Haywood County and the Kiss the Pig Campaign. Along with 19 other teams from the Haywood County Board of Realtors, we as a group were able to raise just shy of $32,000! A huge success for K.A.R.E and futher proof that Realtors in Haywood County, NC care about their community. Again, if you were able to donate THANK YOU!

Melange of the Mountains of Haywood County

2008-03-31T14:03:00.005-04:00

Thomas & Christine Mallette, Owners/Brokers of Realty World Heritage Realty had the distinct pleasure of serving as judges for the 2008 Melange of the Mountains event held at the Balsam Mountain Inn on Thursday March 26.

Thomas was a judge for the salad, seafood, and dessert portion and Christine used her vast tasting skills for the soup, meat, and dessert dishes. It may have been the best jobs Thomas or Christine have ever had!

The event is four years old and was started to give more exposure to Haywood and Jackson County eateries. The following eateries participated in the event this year: Coffee Zone, The Sweet Onion, Maggie Valley Club, Nico's Cafe, Balsam Mountian Inn, The Gateway Club, Sycamores on the Creek, Waynesville County Club, and Harrah's Cherokee Casino.

And the winners are.....

Best Salad: 1st Place: Nico's Cafe 2nd Place: Maggie Valley Club 3rd Place: The Sweet Onion

Best Soup: 1 st Place: Balsam Mountain Inn 2nd Place: Harrah's Cherokee Casino 3rd Place: The Gateway Club

Best Seafood: 1st Place: Maggie Valley Club 2nd Place: Harrah's Cherokee Casino 3rd Place: Balsam Mountain Inn

Best Meat: 1st Place: Nico's Cafe 2nd Place: The Gateway Club 3rd Place: The Sweet Onion

Best Fowl: 1st Place: Harrah's Cherokee Casino 2nd Place: Maggie Valley Club 3rd Place: The Sweet Onion

Best Vegetarian: 1st Place: The Sweet Onion 2nd Place: Balsam Mountain Inn 3rd Place: The Gateway Club

Best Dessert: 1st Place: Balsam Mountain Inn 2nd Place: Balsam Mountain Inn 3rd Place: Nico's Cafe

If you did not attend be sure to make it to the event next year. The event is open to the public and it is incredible!

Maggie Valley NC Events

2008-03-31T13:35:00.002-04:00

2008 Festivals and Events

Spring is here and there is alot of upcoming events in Maggie Valley NC!

April 4 ---"Linda Davis"
Eaglenest Entertainment. 7PM. Call 828-926-9658 for ticket info. http://www.eaglenestnc.com/

April 5-- "Little Miss Maggie Contest"
Carolina Nights Dinner Theater. Calling all Haywood County Girls age 5 - 10.
Must Register by April 1st. 828-926-1686

April 18 -- Great Smoky Mountain Railroad.
Home School Day - Special school rates available to home-schooled children. Departs at 10:30am.
Call 800-872-4681 for reservations.

April 25-- Josh Bates
Eaglenest Entertainment.7PM A free night of worship, fun & incredible music. 828-926-9658 or http://www.eaglenestnc.com/

April 25-27-- Cherokee Survivors Motorcycle Rally.
Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. 865-724-4105

April 25-27-- Thunder in the Smokies Motorcycle Rally.
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. 828-246-2101 or http://www.handlebarcorral.com/

April 26 -- Great Smoky Mountain Railroad.
Biltmore Estate Wine Dining Train. A special gourmet dinner train pairing premium wines of the Biltmore Estate. Call 800-872-4681 for reservations.

May 2-- Ghost Town opens for the season.
http://www.ghosttowninthesky.com/

May 2-4-- Chevy/GMC Truck Nationals
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. 423-237-1502

May 10-- Great Smoky Mountain Railroad.
Mother's Day Dining Train. Evening Gourmet Dinner Train with a special recognition corsage for mothers. Call 800-872-4681 for reservations.

May 10 & 11-- Ghost Town will be hosting a Haywood County Bicentennial Weekend. http://www.ghosttowninthesky.com/

May 16-18-- 'Cruise the Smokies" Spring Rod Run.
Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. Pre 1972 vehicles.
828-497-8122.

May 16-23-- Great Smoky Mountain Railroad.
"The Little Engine That Could" Two 3-day weekends!
Bryson City Depot. Call 800-872-4681 for reservations.

May 23-24-- "Golden Voice of Soul" Percy Sledge
Eaglenest Entertainment. 8:30PM.Call 828-926-9675 for tickets. http://www.eaglenestnc.com/

May 24-25--Memorial Day Powwow.
Cherokee Indian Fair Grounds. Champion Indian dancers in competition and exhibition will stir your blood. 828-497-8128.

May 24 & 25 -- Vettes in the Valley.
Maggie Valley Festival Grounds. Corvette enthusiasts come from all over the US to compete in this annual event. Call 828-926-0201 for more information.

May 31 -- Great Smoky Mountain Railroad.
Carolina Wine Dining Train. Evening features a special menu pairing wines produced in the Carolinas. Departs Dillsboro Depot at 7:30PM. Call 800-872-4681 for reservations.

May 31 & June 1-- "The Larkins" will be performing at Ghost Town in the Sky. http://www.ghosttowninthesky.com/

Haywood Regional Medical Center Update

2008-03-31T13:20:00.001-04:00

Changes under way at HRMC
Kim Gardner - Staff writer, The Mountaineer Publishing, Printed 3/28/08

At Haywood Regional Medical Center, the way of doing business is being examined — and changed — from top to bottom. The goal: to regain Medicare and Medicaid certification and improve patient care. The hospital lost its certification Feb. 24. Officials are aiming to be ready for another survey as of March 31. A portion of the hospital's cafeteria is dedicated to skills fairs, allowing staff to brush up on skills. One week of the fair was spent reviewing the basics of policies and procedures for all hospital staff, with the second fair more detailed and geared toward clinical staff. The fairs were developed to re-educate staff in nine areas identified by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as places in the hospital that needed improvement. Nine stations were set up in the cafeteria for clinical staff to receive re-education, as well as to take pre- and post-tests on the materials presented at the fair. "We all think it's a great thing," said Tracy Baker, a respiratory therapist. "We all have to work as a team to make sure the hospital gets back on track to take care of patients." Baker, along with fellow respiratory therapist Michelle Caldwell, was presenting information on nebulizer therapy to Becky Murray, a registered nurse with the hospital. All three women agreed that the training is beneficial to helping HRMC receive recertification, but to also continuously improve patient care. "It is a team effort," Murray said. The nine areas at the skills fair were medication administration, hand hygiene, patient complaints, fall prevention, SBAR or nurse-doctor communications, pain management, respiratory therapy, restraints and skin care. The training is only one part of HRMC's efforts to regain certification from CMS. Officials have also reviewed and revamped all areas that were cited as deficient by CMS in February. In a news conference held Thursday, hospital spokespersons discussed three of those areas — patient complaints and grievances, quality oversight and assurance and medication administration. Patient complaints In the past, complaints were handled by various individuals in the organization, and there were lapses in tracking the complaint and any resulting changes. The hospital developed new policies and procedures to handle patient complaints and grievances, and the program will be overseen by Kim Kwiatkowski in the staff development department. "We did not have very good structure and tracking," Kwiatkowski said of past procedures. "We have fine- tuned it so complaints don't fall through the cracks. Complaints can be received through surveys, phone calls, letters and in-house concerns shared with staff. Kwiatkowski said the new process provides structure and accountability. She added that all complaints will be acknowledged with a letter to the complainant within seven days. Quality assurance The new quality oversight and assurance procedures are being headed up by Dr. Richard Riehle, the interim chief medical officer for HRMC. He said the hospital will collect and analyze data to improve hospital procedures. To ensure this happens, a steering committee will oversee the flow of data, which will be collected and analyzed daily, weekly and monthly. "Haywood Regional is committed to excellent patient care and to continue to improve patient care, and that commitment is from everybody," Riehle said. Data collected from the hospital will be compared to other hospitals of similar size to ensure HRMC is doing its best work. To improve communications among the staff, Riehle said the collected data will be shared with staff throughout the institution, whether it is how processes could be better or when they are done right. The committee will ultimately report to the hospital's governing board, who will receive training in the future, said Al Byers, interim CEO of Haywood Regional. The training will help with "what the board needs to know and what to ask," Riehle said. Amanda Brown will serve as the interim director of quality assessment and oversight until a person can be hired to fill the newly-created position full time. In the past, there was a three-member governing board committee which included at least one physician, that dealt with quality assurance issues. Kate Fenner, CEO of the Compass Group, a national consulting firm helping Haywood Regional through the recertification process, said there was plenty of data collected, but little analysis or subsequent improvements made based on the findings. Medications The third area the hospital is revamping is medication administration. Bettye Conley, who has worked as a nurse for 20 years at HRMC, said the hospital's policies and procedures regarding medication administration has been updated, with medication nursing specialists in attendance whenever medication is administered. She said there will also be electronic directives on medication administration to help eliminate errors, as well as a thorough process to follow for medication delivery from the pharmacy to the patient. Included in the process is patient education, Conley said. When nurses administer the medications, they will talk with the patients about the medications they are receiving, why they were ordered, if they are able to tolerate the medications and if they are comfortable with the medications given. "We want to make sure they understand," she said. This education process also gives patients the right to refuse medication, Conley said. If a patient refuses, then the new policy dictates that the nurse immediately notifies the physician. A procedural change for medication administration was shifting the times pharmacists stock the Pyxis Medstation, a computerized medication tracking and dispensing system located on each nursing floor of the hospital. Before, pharmacists would stock medications at 9 a.m., one of the busiest times of the day for nurses who were attempting to obtain medications for their patients. This caused a logjam, said Eileen Lipham, vice president for professional services. The backlog had the potential to delay the administration of medications, which was one area for which HRMC was cited by CMS. With a new schedule in place, the backlog should be eliminated, Lipham and Conley said. While the training and policy revisions were spurred by the decertification by CMS, Lipham said it has been a good opportunity to refresh nurses' medical training. "Delivering health care is very complex, and is not like working at a factory," Lipham said. "With the human body, you're taking care of patients and every patient is different. (With the current situation) we said let's go ahead and reinforce the education while (the nurses) are here."

Haywood County Real Estate 08 First Quarter Stats

2008-03-31T12:48:00.005-04:00

We have compiled the 2008 first quarter statistics for residential properties in Haywood County NC. We have also listed 2007 statistics for comparison.

1/1/07-3/31/07

Total Units Sold: 195
Average Listing Price:250,974
Average Selling Price: 238,199
List to Sell Ratio: 95%
Median Listing Price: 200,000
Median Selling Price: 197,000
Average Days on the Market: 139

1/1/08-3/31/08

Total Units Sold: 125
Average Listing Price: 241,653
Average Selling Price: 226,196
List to Sell Ratio: 94%
Median Listing Price: 200,000
Median Selling Price: 185,000
Average Days on Market: 156

As you can see we have started 2008 on a slower note, but from all indications our market is picking up. We have been battling the negative media reports about the mortgage and the housing industry which have caused many buyers to sit on the sidelines with the wait and see approach. With the average selling price down about $12,000 it is a great time to buy in Haywood County. We do feel like most "experts" in the media that the housing market and economy will turn around by the 3rd quarter of 2008. That being said, if you are thinking of buying do not wait to long. We do not know when the bottom has been reached until it has started going back up. If you waited you will miss the best prices in years!

Haywood County/Cataloochee Elk Release Update

2008-03-31T12:42:00.002-04:00

Elk reintroduction project appears successful
Beth Pleming - Staff writer
Featured Sponsor
From: The Mountaineer Printed 2/28/08

Despite a few unforeseen challenges along the way, the elk of Cataloochee Valley appear to be adjusting to their new habitat well, and park officials said their chances of staying look promising. This year marks the expiration of an extended experimental period to determine whether elk populations could again be successfully sustained by the Great Smoky Mountain habitat. Great Smoky Mountain National Park Wildlife Manager Joe Yarkovich, who has been deeply involved in the elk reintroduction project, provided an update on the elk’s progress Monday night at the Waynesville branch of the Haywood County Library. While data is still being examined to determine the herd's chance of survival, "I will say unofficially that it's a success," Yarkovich said. "We're looking pretty good. We've finally got the number of animals we wanted. We"ve got a ton of public support. Calves are hitting the ground and surviving. We're in pretty good shape for the future." Once all of the project’s data has been reviewed, University of Tennessee researchers will determine whether the experiment was a success. Based on their models, they will make the call, then report their findings to park officials who will make the final decision as to whether it's a successful reintroduction, said Yarkovich. "If it was looking like a failure, we may remove the elk from the park all together. If it's a success, we will scale back on our research and (animal) tracking and let the animals go on their own," he said. "In my personal opinion, things are looking very positive." But while the results are looking good, things haven't always gone as planned. Unforeseen problems In keeping with the national park system's mission to restore extrapated species whenever possible, park officials in 1996 began efforts to reintroduce the once-native elk back to the mountains of North Carolina. Park officials, working in conjunction with the University of Tennessee, determined an area with less than 10 percent canopy would be necessary for elk to survive, which limited the options for their release to two locations: Cades Cove and Cataloochee Valley. Of those, Cataloochee was most suitable, Yarkovich said. It was also determined that an adequate sample size would require a minimum of 75 to 90 animals. Next, a five-year experimental phase began in 2000 to determine whether the Cataloochee Valley habitat could sustain the elk population long term. The plan was to release elk in three yearly increments — one herd per year from 2001 to 2003, but that didn't happen. The first herd — including 25 elk from Land Between the Lakes, Ky. — was released in 2001, followed by the release of 27 additional Elk from Elk Island National Park, Alberta, in 2002. But in 2003, things were interrupted when a nation-wide concern regarding chronic wasting disease stopped the movement of deer and elk between states. No animals were released that year, leaving park officials with inconclusive results due to an inadequate sample size. At that time, the experiment was extended for three years. "The results were different than what we had in mind,"said Yarkovich. "We needed 75 to 90 animals, and we ended up with 52." There were other challenges, as well. In addition to an overall population that was too small, the existing herd lacked enough females, he continued. Furthermore, due to the high density of black bears living in the Smokies, predation became a problem. Finally, although calves were being born, few were surviving, and those that did survive were mostly males. "You can't sustain a population if babies don't survive," said Yarkovich. "Things were not going our way." But park officials had an idea. The solution Park officials initiated efforts to manage predation by relocating black bears to another area of the park, about 40 miles outside of Cataloochee Valley. Contrary to rumor, "we did not kill any bears," Yarkovich noted. Also, the elk were learning how to deal with predators more effectively. They became less afraid to fight back, he said, and mother elk were learning how to better hide their young calves. Unlike adult elk, calves don't put off a scent, said Yarkovich. So, the mother elk were learning to feed their calves during the mornings and evenings, then bed them down in the woods where they are well-hidden during the day. As long as they left the calves alone and didn't go near them, there was no scent for predators to follow. The park's fire management plan, which included prescribed burns, further contributed to better calf protection by creating a more diverse, therefore better, habitat for both hiding calves and feeding. The result While several factors contributed toward the solution, efforts to transplant bears seemed to produce the most dramatic results, said Yarkovich. In 2005, prior to moving any bears, the calf survival rate was at 25 percent, he said. The following year, after bears were relocated, that percentage jumped to 80 percent. In 2007, calves survived at a 70 percent rate. Although bears have an incredible homing instinct and eventually migrate back, Yarkovich said, the time it takes them to migrate (about 11 days) seems to have been enough to do the trick. While elk typically give birth to one calf per year, and with the increased chance of survival, park officials finally have the population size they were initially after. Although a few years behind schedule, "we may have just got them now, but hey, we’ve got them," Yarkovich said. And given all the circumstances — less predation problems, higher calf survival rate and an adequate population size, which now includes an effective female to male ratio (1.3 females to every 1 male) — park officials are optimistic, believing the elk of Cataloochee Valley may be here to stay.

Happy Easter from Maggie Valley NC

2008-03-23T22:05:00.003-04:00

Realty World Heritage Realty in Maggie Valley NC would like to wish all a very Happy Easter! We look forward to seeing you all in Maggie Valley and Haywood County this spring and summer.

Popcorn Sutton News

2008-03-20T13:44:00.002-04:00

Maggie Valley's icon and self-proclaimed legendary moonshiner Popcorn Sutton has been arrested in Greene County, TN and is facing federal charges related to the manufacturing, possessing, and selling of untaxed whiskey or "moonshine" and a charge of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, according to the Mountaineer News. Authorities confiscated three 1,000 gallon capacity stills, over 850 gallons of moonshine, hundred's of gallons of mash- ingredients used to make the liquor, firearms, and ammunition. A search of a storage site in Haywood County resulted in seizure of 797 gallons of moonshine and one case of moonshine soaked cherries. Sutton faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted on the weapons charge and up to 5 years for each moonshining charge. Sutton is being held without bond due to a previous conviction in Cocke County, TN.

Blue Ridge Parkway Opening Soon

2008-03-17T13:51:00.003-04:00

The famed Blue Ridge Parkway will be re-opening in April. The concession area at Mt. Pisgah will be opening on Thursday March 27, weather permitting. For more information please visit www.recreation.gov

Waynesville NC: Tree City USA

2008-03-17T13:46:00.003-04:00

Waynesville, NC was honored Friday with the honor of being a "Tree City USA". Waynesville is one of 69 tree cities in North Carolina and one of 3,000 nationwide. Way to go Waynesville!

Pisgah Bears!

2008-03-17T13:36:00.002-04:00

The Pisgah Bears fell short in their bid for a Boy's State Basketball Championship over the weekend. The Canton, NC high school boy's basketball team fell to West Bladen 65 - 50 at the Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh. The Bears finished the season with a record of 25-5. Realty World Heritage Realty would like to congratulate the team on an outstanding season!

Kiss the Pig!

2008-03-10T16:12:00.005-04:00

What is Kiss the Pig? Well it is a fund raising event that benefits K.A.R.E of Haywood County. The kisser for Realty World Heritage is Tom Mallette and Christine Mallette is the campaign manager. The contest ends April 5th when the winner (person with most votes) gets to kiss the pig! This past weekend we had a yard sale to raise money. Take a look at the picture above and you will see it was not a stellar day for the sale. Sooo...we are going to continue the sale this weekend. If you are in town please come out and visit and buy some great stuff in the name of charity. If you can not make it please donate online by clicking HERE. It is a dollar a vote and every dollar counts!

(KARE, Kids Advocacy Resource Effort. KARE creates public awareness of problems of child abuse and educates the public about services provided for children and families of Haywood County)

Haywood County Residential Real Estate Stats for Jan and Feb 08

2008-03-04T22:57:00.004-05:00

Like much of the country, real estate sales in Haywood County NC has seen a slow start to the year. The following stats are for 1/1/08- 2/29/08 and are for residential, condo, and townhouses.

Total listings on the market: 1,066

Listing Price Average: $370,800

Average Days on the market: 191

Closed Residential Listings during the time period: 74

Listing Price Average: $252,000 (notice the price range that is selling)

Selling Price Average: $232,113

List to Sell %: 92.1

Average Days on the market: 165

Listings that have expired: 181

Listings that have been withdrawn:127

Listings that are pending:49

For comparison to all of 07 look at the earlier blog post with the final 2007 Haywood County Stats.

A great time to buy? YES We have a large inventory of homes for better selection, intrest rates continue to be low and we hope will dip lower in the coming weeks, and prices are down!

Haywood County Lease Purchase

2008-03-04T22:49:00.002-05:00

Our office has a client that is interested in a lease purchase in the Maggie Valley/Haywood County area. The home must be a newer home and have some acreage. The buyer would also like a basement. The buyer is willing to pay up to $1,300/month. If you have a home in the area and you have not been able to sell or you are thinking of selling and would consider a lease purchase please contact us at wncinfo@realtyworldheritage.com Maybe we can match your home with this buyer.

Spring In Maggie Valley!

2008-03-02T19:17:00.002-05:00

March came in with a bang with 60 degree temperatures in the mountains this weekend. The tulips are coming up which means only one thing: There will be a frost or snow storm on the horizon! It seems to happen every year. The flowers start to bloom and then BAM! A foot of wet snow will fall. It is bound to happen. I you are planning a Spring trip to the mountains Tony's Tube World is still open with lots of snow pack, the ski resort is still going strong, and it is a great time to get out and hike with the perfect temperatures. Don't forget daylight savings time is coming up next week! Spring in Maggie Valley and Haywood County is fast approaching!

Existing-Homes Sales Slip in January as Some Potential Buyers Wait on Sidelines

2008-02-26T15:05:00.001-05:00

WASHINGTON, February 25, 2008 -
Existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – slipped 0.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate(1) of 4.89 million units in January from an upwardly revised level of 4.91 million in December, and are 23.4 percent below the 6.44 million-unit pace in January 2007.
Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said many potential buyers remain on the sidelines. “Subprime loans and other risky mortgage products have virtually disappeared from the marketplace, and over the past five months, this has been reflected in soft but fairly stable home sales,” he said. “As the increased limits for FHA and conventional loans are implemented, more buyers will have access to safer FHA loans and lower interest rate loans in high-cost areas, which could lead to steadily higher home sales later in the year.”
According to Freddie Mac, the national average commitment rate for a 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate mortgage fell to 5.76 percent in January from 6.10 percent in December; the rate was 6.22 percent in January 2007. Last week, Freddie Mac reported the 30-year fixed rate rose to 6.04 percent.
The national median existing-home price(2) for all housing types was $201,100 in January, down 4.6 percent from a year ago when the median was $210,900. Because the slowdown in sales is greater in high-cost markets, there is a downward pull to the national median from a year ago when there were relatively more sales in higher priced areas.
Price changes within metropolitan areas are more meaningful for consumers. The latest data shows roughly half of the metro areas in the U.S. with price gains, with healthy increases in markets such Buffalo, Peoria and Amarillo. “Some markets like Barnstable, Mass., which had been weakening in the past year, may have turned the corner,” Yun said.
NAR President Richard Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif., said some buyers in high-cost are waiting for higher limits on conventional loans. “Keep in mind the biggest slowdown in home sales last year was in high-cost markets, which were hard-hit by the credit crunch and notably higher interest rates for jumbo loans, but relief is on the way,” he said. “Once buyers have greater access to higher loan limits, it will take a few months for increased shopping activity to translate into higher sales,” Gaylord said. “We should see some movement of pent-up demand by this summer, but higher loan limits need to be implemented fully and promptly to have maximum benefit.”
Total housing inventory rose 5.5 percent at the end of January to 4.19 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 10.3-month supply(3) at the current sales pace, up from a 9.7-month supply in December.
Single-family home sales rose 0.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.34 million in January from 4.32 million in December, and are 22.4 percent below 5.59 million-unit pace in January 2007. The median existing single-family home price was $198,700 in January, down 5.1 percent from a year ago.
Existing condominium and co-op sales fell 6.5 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 550,000 units in January from 588,000 in December, and are 30.2 percent below the 788,000-unit level a year ago. The median existing condo price(4) was $220,400 in January, which is 1.0 percent lower than January 2007.
Regionally, existing-home sales in the Midwest rose 3.4 percent to an annual pace of 1.20 million in January, but are 20.0 percent below January 2007. The median price in the Midwest was $154,200, down 4.0 percent from a year ago. Existing-home sales in the South slipped 0.5 percent in January 2007 to a level of 1.95 million and are 22.0 percent below a year ago. The median price in the South was $164,300, which is 5.9 percent lower than January 2007.
In the West, existing-home sales declined 2.1 percent to an annual rate of 930,000 in January and are 28.5 percent below January 2007. The median price in the West was $300,100, down 6.7 percent from a year ago.
Existing-home sales in the Northeast fell 3.6 percent to an annual rate of 810,000 in January, and are 25.7 percent below a year ago. The median price in the Northeast was $270,800, up 3.1 percent from January 2007.
The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing more than 1.3 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.
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(1) The annual rate for a particular month represents what the total number of actual sales for a year would be if the relative pace for that month were maintained for 12 consecutive months. Seasonally adjusted annual rates are used in reporting monthly data to factor out seasonal variations in resale activity. For example, home sales volume is normally higher in the summer than in the winter, primarily because of differences in the weather and family buying patterns. However, seasonal factors cannot compensate for abnormal weather patterns.
Each February, NAR Research incorporates a review of seasonal activity factors and fine-tunes historic data for the previous three years based on the most recent findings. Revisions have been made to monthly seasonally adjusted annual sales rates for 2005 through 2007, as well as the inventory month's supply data.
Existing-home sales, which include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, are based on transaction closings. This differs from the U.S. Census Bureau’s series on new single-family home sales, which are based on contracts or the acceptance of a deposit. Because of these differences, it is not uncommon for each series to move in different directions in the same month. In addition, existing-home sales, which generally account for 85 percent of total home sales, are based on a much larger sample – nearly 40 percent of multiple listing service data each month – and typically are not subject to large prior-month revisions.
(2) The only valid comparisons for median prices are with the same period a year earlier due to the seasonality in buying patterns. Month-to-month comparisons do not compensate for seasonal changes, especially for the timing of family buying patterns. Changes in the geographic composition of sales can distort median price data. Year-ago median and mean prices sometimes are revised in an automated process if more data is received than was originally reported.
(3) Total inventory and month’s supply data are available back through 1999, while single-family inventory and month’s supply are available back to 1982. Condos were tracked quarterly prior to 1999 when single-family homes accounted for more than nine out of 10 purchases (e.g., condos were 9.5 percent of transactions in 1998, 8.5 percent in 1990 and only 6.1 percent in 1982).
(4) Because there is a concentration of condos in high-cost metro areas, the national median condo price can be higher than the median single-family price. In a given market area, condos typically cost less than single-family homes.
Existing-home sales for February will be released March 24. The next Forecast / Pending Home Sales Index is scheduled for March 6.
Information about NAR is available at www.realtor.org. This and other news releases are posted in the News Media section. Statistical data in this release, other tables and surveys also may be found by clicking on Research.

"Copyright National Association of REALTORS®, Reprinted from REALTOR.org with permission."i) Content from NAR’s online magazine, REALTOR® Magazine Online, shall be subject to the terms of theREALTOR® Magazine reprint policyii) Content from NAR’s Letter of the Law newsletter shall be subject to the terms of the Letter Of The Law reprint policy

Wheels Through Time Museum Maggie Valley NC

2008-02-25T17:11:00.004-05:00

Recieved this email today about the Wheels Through Time Museum. They will close their doors on August 1, 2008 and will cut back hours on May 1, 2008 to prepare for their move. No indication of where they are moving to.

NEWS RELEASE
P.O. Box 790 / Maggie Valley, NC 28751

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: February 24, 2008
CONTACT: Matt Walksler, Director of Public Relations
PHONE: (828) 926-6266
FAX: (828) 926-9158
EMAIL: mattw@wheelsthroughtime.com
WEB: http://www.wheelsthroughtime.com/

Wheels Through Time is Shifting Gears

(Maggie Valley, NC)
Wheels Through Time would like to extend its deepest gratitude to the beautiful mountain region of Western North Carolina that has given it the opportunity to flourish as an international center for transportation culture and history. During its tenure in Western North Carolina, the museum has become a central hub for information and interpretation of the cultural significance of the American Motorcycle, from the earliest days of the 20th century to the modern motorcycle enthusiast of today. We thank all that have assisted Wheels Through Time in fulfilling its mission to educate and inspire a diverse, multi-generational audience as to the history of American Transportation.

In less than six years, Wheels Through Time has become a benchmark of American cultural history, hosting over 280,000 visitors from over 140 countries and all 50 states. The museum has been featured in countless national and international publications, as well as on national television on over 30 occasions. Through its high regard for hostmanship, its world-wide marketing efforts, and its world-class presentation of America’s rarest transportation artifacts, Wheels Through Time will leave an impact on Western North Carolina that will be felt for years to come.

As new objectives lie on the horizon, it has been decided that Wheels Through Time will be relocating out of North Carolina. Current plans to revolutionize the museum and its programs are under way, and we look forward to sharing this progress with the world.

Wheels Through Time has been proud to be a part of Western North Carolina’s tourism industry, and is honored to have served the great population of WNC as one of its most historical attractions.

(For more information and regular updates, visit the museum’s website, located at http://www.wheelsthroughtime.com/.)

Level Land in Haywood County!

2008-02-22T10:21:00.004-05:00

LEVEL! High elevation homesite in gated, deed restricted subdivision with potential for INCREDIBLE long range mountain views! The lot offers almost 5 acres of LEVEL land comprising of open and wooded areas that gives plenty of area to build your dream home. Build a house and a barn for the horses! Lot has been recently cleared and drive and housepad have been cut in. Small stream on property! Email wncinfo@realtyworldheritage.com for more information. Click play below to see a short video on the property.

Maggie Valley Open House!

2008-02-21T09:41:00.002-05:00

Maggie Valley Open House Today! Don't miss out on this one, new floors,central air,new upgraded windows,new decks, owner has even added eves around the exterior, panoramic year round views offering 2 bedrooms and 2 full baths,ramp to the back door and new appliances, comes furnished...$159,900 Call 828-926-5200 for details!

Ghost Town In the Sky Maggie Valley, NC!

2008-02-18T11:58:00.006-05:00

Ghost Town in the Sky in Maggie Valley, NC re-opened for business last May. The park had a very good first year back in business under the new ownership. Realty World Heritage Realty had the opportunity to get an offseason look at what is going on at the park this winter. I think all will be very impressed with the changes and upgrades going on at the park. Get your season tickets now for what should be a great summer of fun. And yes, they tell us the roller coaster will be open for business this year. Click on the play button to see a short video on Ghost Town in the Sky!

Market Activity for Higher End Homes

2008-02-17T12:23:00.004-05:00

There has been a request for market statistics for higher end homes sold in 2007, Haywood County. Stats have been pulled from the Western NC Regional MLS for 2007 in the price range of 1,500,000 and above. During 2007 there were 11 homes on the market in this price range. Currently, there are 13 homes on the market in this price range. In 2007, (1) home sold above 1.5 million dollars. The home was listed for $1,650,000 and sold for $1,600,000. It was on the market for 245 days and was located in the exclusive subdivision; The Smoky Mountain Retreat.

What does this mean for the price range? If you have one home sell a year in a price range and there are currently 13 homes on the market the math is simple! There is currently a 13 YEAR inventory of homes in this price range in Haywood County. That is a great example of a absorption rate for a specific market. Of course the absorption rate can change at anytime, but the current market is not in favor of the higher end homes in our area. If you are looking to sell in this price range you must have the home priced properly, staged properly, and marketed properly so those few buyers that will come through to see your home will remember it. If one home is going to sell per year you want it to be yours! Please let us know if there are additional specific statitistics that you would like. We are happy to provide them!