Highlands, NC Real Estate

The Great Findings of Highlands, NC!

Coming from the Midwest, I was very eager to experience the South. After discovering Highlands, my husband and I knew we had found the perfect spot!

We have found this charming mountain home to be exactly what we were looking for with its warm, friendly people, fantastic scenery, and great temperatures -- what else could we ask for?

As I drive my clients around the community, I am eager to point out the fabulous dining (there is not one bad restaurant in Highlands), the delightful neighborhoods, the awesome shopping, and did I mention the topography? Rolling terrain, marvelous views, waterfalls, and gorgeous, granite outcroppings.

The town has approximately 3,000 year 'round residents, with the season's population swelling to 20,000+ (but one never has a sense that town is too crowded).

Besides selling real estate, I am kept busy with the Performing Arts Center's packed calendar of events and the Highlands Playhouse's menu of wonderful plays. Plus, there always seems to be some type of fair, seminar, or exhibit going on during the summer.

I see lots of folks investing in real estate here for their own personal, summer get-away or full-time residence as well as those who love purchasing an older cottage, renovating it, and flipping it (and doing quite well on the profit side!).

Some of my clients have opted to do property renovations on a grand scale (total re-do), while others have chosen to do a more simple update with luxury appointments. (Or to quote a client, "Gucci-up the home with fabrics, gorgeous art, and designer furniture.")

Whatever your real estate goals are, I am here to assist you. You may email me at nadine@johnschiffli.com. I'd like to introduce my hometown and myself to you!

Finding A Real Estate Agent Who Truly Represents You

When you work with a real estate agent, you should demand nothing less than excellence in your broker. Take the few extra moments on the front end to do your due diligence in hiring an agent who truly represents your interests (only).

Can your prospective agent pass this minimal test?

1.  Did she discuss agency relationships with you?

2.  Can she tell you which price ranges, locations, and home styles are the best investment in her market?

3.  Can easily discuss the hot trends in her market over the past 2 years?

4.  Is she acquainted with all the details of the property she proposes to show you?

5.  Has she thoroughly organized your day's itinerary of appointments to see property?

6.  Has she helped you understand the area in which you are looking?

7.  Can she answer your questions regarding taxes, surveys, septic evaluations, home owners insurance, pest inspections, home inspections, appraisals, zoning and restrictive covenants?

8.  Has she provided you with information before you even ask?

9.  Has she provided you with comparables or a Comparative Market Analysis on a piece of property you are interested in?

10.  Does she have a resource list for your use?

When it comes to selecting an agent who will provide you with a compelling customer experience, make sure you assess her commitment to you and her work ethic. After all, you deserve the best.

If you would like to know more about how I work with clients, please feel free to email me (eleanorcrowe@aol.com) or contact me at (800) 526-5750. 

The Best Season for Real Estate Shopping

When is the best season for real estate shopping?

Any time of the year is a good time to shop for real estate, especially in Highlands, NC!

Some buyers prefer coupling their buying trip with a vacation, so select the time of year that suits you the best. Are you hoping to get in a few rounds of golf or some fly fishing while you are here? Or, perhaps you'd rather take in the majestic fall color? You may decide you would like to spend the evening in front of a warm fire after a day of snow tubing or skiing. Highlands has four, distinct, gorgeous seasons -- take your pick!

A few folks have voiced their concern to me about making a buying trip during the late fall or winter. Wouldn't everything be ugly then?

The good news is that the mountains are beautiful all year long. In the winter, they take on an elegance that few people ever witness. Vistas open up and you can see landscapes and views that remain hidden in the summer.

Buying property in the winter is also a wise decision as you can see everything in the surrounding area of the parcels that appeal to you the most. This is a huge help, especially if you are purchasing vacant land: driveway and house site placement become much more evident. Further, you can see if there are any neighboring homes and if their proximity is an issue for you.

Visiting Highlands, NC is a great experience during any season. Plan a winter getaway and come see us! You won't be disappointed.

Starting Your Search

As is the case with most things, knowing how to start to do something is most difficult part of the process.

And when it comes to trying to understand how to buy real estate in a community that will be a second home, one may quickly become overwhelmed. How does one start?

Once you have determined that Highlands is your chosen destination, begin by formulating a picture in your mind of the kind of property you want.

1.  Describe as best you can the style and features of the home. Is it new construction with a double garage with a luxury interior and mountain view? Or is it a rustic cabin with hardwood floors situated on a small lake?

2.  How many bedrooms and baths do you prefer? Approximately how many square feet? Do you need to accommodate guests with children? Do you prefer having a fireplace and at least one deck?

3.  Describe the setting for your dream home. Is privacy important or a low-maintenance yard? Do you prefer seclusion or easy access to town? What kind of features to the land are important to you? Have you always wanted a space for gardening?

4.  Do you desire to be in a gated community or in a condo or town home?

5.  How much do you want to invest? Will this purchase be a 1031 tax-deferred exchange?

6.  Are you interested in doing some (or major) remodeling work? How long do you plan to hold this property?

Once you have outlined your answers to these preliminary questions, you are ready to begin your search. Click here to view Highlands area properties and/or to contact an agent.

You are on your way!!

Discovering Highlands

Dozens of years ago, my grandparents were looking for an escape from the brutal, summer heat of southern Florida.

Like many others who had heard about a gorgeous, cool mountain community in western North Carolina, they made their way to Highlands for a vacation. And over the course of their stay, they fell in love with the area and promptly purchased real estate.

It was a decision that would effect their lives, their children's lives as well as the lives of their grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.

Over the course of the years, my dad and his brothers vacationed in Highlands and spent their summers in an area camp for boys. They swam, fished, and canoed in the sparkling lakes and played in the streams and rivers. My dad and uncles hiked the hills and peaks and had many adventures around campfires.

The soft, ancient Appalachian mountains were hypnotic.

Nearly 50 years ago when my dad was seeking a place to start a business and his family, he immediately decided upon Highlands. He wanted to experience the joys of his boyhood summers on a daily basis for the rest of his life.

It seemed that Highlands still held his heart and soul captive.

When you hear how others first found Highlands and why they continue to return, the stories tend to sound very similar. There is just something about the place, even greater than its beauty, that beckons them. Highlands' residents and visitors make the community what it is -- an extended family. Of course, there is also the mystique and magic of the small town perched upon a plateau at 4,118 feet above sea level.

The mystique and magic that is Highlands.

This blog will take you on a journey -- one that will introduce you to Highlands and help you get to know the community. We'll help you discover the secrets and special insights that insiders know.

And if you find yourself falling in love with Highlands like so many before you, we'll help you understand the Highlands real estate market and how to make the best real estate decisions possible.

Welcome to Highlands, NC!