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Sunday, November 27, 2005

THE “REAL-TIME” REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT
ADD VALUE TO YOUR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY

ENERGY STAR RATING


One of my clients was in the market for an historic home. She was concerned about how her dream home would stack up against a newer building in terms of energy efficiency. I told her about how residential property owners could evaluate historic properties and obtain an ENERGY STAR Rating which could even add value to an historic home.

ENERGY STAR is a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=about.ab_index

According to research, in 2004 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy to
1) power 24 million homes
2) avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 20 million cars
3) all while saving 10 billion dollars.

“Sounds like everyone wins!” my client exclaimed.

And she has a point. Energy efficient choices can save families about a third on their energy bill with similar savings of greenhouse gas emissions, without sacrificing features, style or comfort. But what about my client’s historic residence?

Local certified contractors could help her plan and undertake projects to reduce energy bills while improving home comfort. In fact, the 4 TERRA TEAM regularly refers clients to qualified contractors who can inspect a home and recommend customized and cost-effective energy and comfort improvements such as Home Energy Partners who examine all home systems to assure that the residence is functioning properly. http://www.homeenergypartners.com/homeowner_home.php?loginType=homeowner

Home energy ratings involve an on-site inspection of a home by energy efficiency professional. The home energy rater inspects the home and measures its energy characteristics, such as insulation levels, window efficiency, wall-to-window ratios, the heating and cooling system efficiency, the solar orientation of the home, and the water heating system. The rater gathers data and uses software to calculate the results and then convert those results into “points”—the higher the points, the more favorable the rating.

As a starting point, whether you are interested in stewardship of historic properties or not, check out this handy home energy analysis “yardstick” to see how your home fares.
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_improvement.hm_improvement_index_tools

But back to my client—as part of her investigation, she made it a point to discover if a home she might be interested in had a HOME ENERGY STAR rating. Knowing that the home energy rating evaluates and measures the home’s energy characteristics, she could then easily compare the energy costs for the homes being considered. As we narrowed down the homes my client found interesting, a bright “painted lady”, a Victorian on a shady Asheville street became a contender. However, we discovered that this home had only 57 points. That meant that this home was "below average" in its home energy rating. Even though there had been quite a lot of remodeling done on this property, my buyer opted for another Victorian home that had received a rating of 85, or "efficient".


There are so many things to consider when investing in real estate or when marketing your home. The 4 TERRA TEAM at ECO-STEWARD REALTY is happy to advise and make recommendations.A home is a big investment. We are here to help make it a positive one for you.

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Thursday, November 24, 2005

Thank You 



ON THANKSGIVING DAY...
a bow of appreciation to Charles Eliot

I've always admired Charles Eliot. Even as a child, he was a hero of mine. I remember Grandpa singing his praises. In fact, it was he who Grandpa said inspired the intentional community my grandparents and their friends founded on an island south of Cuba many, many years ago.

Charles Eliot was a well known landscape architect back then, around the turn of the 19th century. A bright light in the field of human-scale development, he pioneered many of the fundamental principles of regional planning and laid the conceptual groundwork for land and historical conservancies.

Of special interest to me is the fact that he outlined a strategy for conserving areas of scenic beauty. The quickening pace of development beyond metropolitan Boston, where he lived and worked, concerned Eliot. Thus, he proposed an unique park system in the form of a trust.. Land Trusts got their start that way. I sometimes wonder if my grandparents would be surprised to know how those early seeds have bloomed.

Today land trusts have matured into "privately based, nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable corporations and partnerships whose primary focus is to conserve open space or purchase conservation easements are growing in popularity and size." See:
http://www.privatelandownernetwork.org/PLNpro/Legal%20Defense%20And%20Enforcement%20Of%20Conservation%20Easements.asp

You will find conservation-minded organizations in small towns, operating locally.You will find them operating regionally and statewide such as the North Carolina regional chapter of The Nature Conservancy, and our land trust, Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy.
http://www.carolinamountain.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=6&Itemid=26
Cooperating, these two organizations recently were recognized with the Smart Growth Awards from Smart Growth Partners of Western North Carolina
http://www.ncsmartgrowth.org/ .

I see Charles Eliot's creative influence in so many possibilities available for us today.

EXAMPLE: Check out the above link detailing how selected communities can receive assistance in taking the principles Eliot first envisioned to put them into practice from a team of experts who will be organized by EPA and other national partners to work with local leaders. More:
http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/awards.htm

There is much to intrigue the observing person in the Greater Asheville area. Take for example one of the 4TERRA Team at The ECO STEWARD Real Estate Company 's pet projects -- working to preserve a fabulous viewpoint at BUZZARD ROCK (pictured above.)

Funded largely through membership dues and donations from individuals or businesses, people like you and the members of the 4TERRA TEAM collectively are focusing on protecting working and fallow farmland, forests, wildlife habitat, watersheds, ranches, wetlands and urban gardens, and trails in Western North Carolina. As one local attorney notes," Combining philanthropy, local partnerships of disparate land use players and an understanding of tax laws and real estate property assessment, land trusts use different legal mechanisms to keep land in ownership plans limiting or outright banning development in perpetuity."

She further explains that land trusts accomplish their mission in a number of ways including

1) Direct land acquisition or gifts. In some cases, a land trust will purchase parcels of land through money obtained from individual donations, fundraising campaigns, and memberships.

2) Conservation easements Under an easement, the landowner agrees to give up development rights in perpetuity, but retains ownership and gains some tax benefits.

3) Limited development. Another approach is limited development--selling some of the land in to preserve the rest." For example an alternative t- a farmer sells land to be subdivided but restricts this to a constructing only a small number of homes clustered in one small area while preserving the rest as open space or even leasing the rest for farming.

4) Community Land Trusts. A kind of limited development land trust that goes beyond providing market-rate housing, the community land trust addresses the need for open space preservation with a provision for low-income or affordable housing units in an area where escalating land values make it difficult for local residents to continue living.

If you are interested in creating a land legacy, we can
1) Help you find the land
2) Refer you to a number of environmental consultants to take you step-by step through the process of securing and developing your dream.

And, yes---TAX ADVANTAGES DO EXIST.


Please let us know what's most important to you.

Happy Thanksgiving,
janeAnne
http://www.janeanne.com/


Monday, November 21, 2005

"social capital" Economic capital" it's ECO! 

“social capital” …”economic capital”
ECO-VILLAGES in the Greater Asheville Area


ABOUT Eco-villages, co-housing, cluster housing, intentional communities …and what’s available in the Greater Asheville area....To begin, here is a small glossary.

Intentional Community (from www.ic.org)Intentional Community is an inclusive term for ecovillages, cohousing, residential land trusts, communes, student co-ops, urban housing cooperatives and other related projects and dreams... There is enormous diversity among intentional communities. Most communities share land or housing, but more importantly, their members share a common vision and work actively to carry out their common purpose.

Ecovillage (from www.gen.ecovillage.org)Ecovillages are urban or rural communities of people, who strive to integrate a supportive social environment with a low-impact way of life. To achieve this, they integrate various aspects of ecological design, permaculture, ecological building, green production, alternative energy, community building practices, and much more. Ecovillages are now being created intentionally, so people can once more live in communities that are connected to the Earth in a way that ensures the well-being of all life-forms into the indefinite future.

Cohousing (from www.cohousing.org)Cohousing is a form of collaborative housing that offers residents an old-fashioned sense of neighborhood. In cohousing, residents know their neighbors very well and there is a strong sense of community that is absent in contemporary cities and suburbs. Cohousing communities consist of private, fully-equipped dwellings and extensive common amenities including a common house and recreation areas. They are designed and managed by the residents who have chosen to live in a close-knit neighborhood that seeks a healthy blend of privacy and community.Cohousing communities are small-scale neighborhoods that provide a balance between personal privacy and living amidst people who know and care about each other. (from www.whdc.com/cohousinginfo.html)

If you are interested in eco-sensitive properties in the mountains and valleys around Asheville, please contact EcoREALTOR@www.janeAnne.com

Cluster Housing

Cluster Housing is a subdivision design where detached homes purposely are located in close proximity and all share common open space including recreation areas and parking.a note about CLUSTER HOUSING and the Use of Large Tracts of Land

(a letter from a friend)

I am so happy to hear that you are helping people find large tracts of land in the Asheville area and in Western North Carolina. We have been working with a real-estate person here on one project involving some land he has had on the market a long time. He wants to help us build greenways along crucial paths for the animals that migrate and need 1000's of acres in order to survive (I am not sure of his full motivation...time will tell). The wild cat alone needs 10,000 acres to live and yes we still have these big cats in the NW corner of the state.I would take a look at your town plan of conservation and development and see what the community vision is.Here we want to retain the "rural" character of the town. Yet, depending on the make up of the commissioners on the Planning and Zoning and Inland Wetland Commissions...retaining the rural character can be seen very differently.

It is very political. But the town plan and zoning regs direct the big picture. In our zoning if a developer would like to put in "cluster" housing....he/she must put 50% of the land into "conservation" (never to be developed and owned by the town or local trust.We have this written into our Plan of Conservation and Development but I believe it is being applied wrongly here. The developer is getting "cluster status" (in this deal they get to build 35% more homes and get a variance on the zoning for land size needed to build)...and the 50% of land going into conservation is all wet or underwater.The knoll in the middle of the vital wetland will be developed. I believe the cluster should be clustered on the upland. Instead they will cover the knoll with houses. The run off between impervious surface and lawn will eventually damage the wetland surrounding the development.

Unfortunately...unless the community can raise the $10-15,000 to hire experts to testify to this potential problem the developer can do this.It’s a long story.........anyway cluster housing...The idea is to not have large tracks of farm land (or forest) covered with zillions of houses. Instead you group the houses on smaller parcels and the people and animals can enjoy the open/wild space. Plus there is far less pollution from pesticides and artificial fertilizers, mowing on the good ol sit upon mowers....surface of roads and drives is reduced...etc.. I am just learning...it a big and important issue and very timely. ... the news around here often focuses on land use issues.


ONE AMAZING WORK IN PROGRESS IN ASHEVILLE
NOT ONLY HEALTHY HOMES, BUT AFFORDABLE


The Prospect Terrace town homes in the heart of Asheville are an example of a successful project showcasing energy-efficient homes all earmarked for low-income, first-time homebuyers with special loan financing to make them affordable. While you may have heard that only “Deep Pockets” can afford to build environmentally friendly, energy-efficient homes. The creative folks at Mountain Housing Opportunities are proving otherwise. Working in conjunction with Carolina Cornerstone Construction, Mathews Architecture and Civil Design Concepts, MHO is developing 17 houses and condominiums that will be certified under the North Carolina State Energy Office's newly developed N.C. HealthyBuilt Homes Program.

This innovative program encourages green building throughout all of North Carolina by certifying residential builders who utilize sustainable, environmentally sensitive building practices.


If such innovative building appeals to you, when you start your own building project, look for: energy-saving building components—higher-quality windows, longer-lasting roofs and finger-jointed lumber, solar water heaters, and talk with environmental consultants prior to starting your project. You will be right at home here in the Asheville area. We are noted for having a great passion for green building in Western North Carolina – where there is a passion for it! We know that many of our current construction practices are environmentally destructive and wasteful, and that we are clever enough to find other ways to build while increasing the value all the way around. In the short term, just the monthly savings in heating bills in homes with energy-saving features is a great start.



ANOTHER ASHEVILLE AREA CO-HOUSING DEVELOPMENT of interest to you may be the Planned Unit Development.


A Planned Unit Development is a form of development characterized by a unified site design for a number of housing units and nonresidential uses. PUDs usually include provisions for the clustering of buildings, promotion of common open space, mixture of building types and land uses. The PUD review process is more flexible than conventional zoning review, allowing for the calculation of densities over the entire development, rather than on an individual lot-by-lot basis. ( cfpub.epa.gov/sgpdb/glossary.cfm )

WESTWOOD, A PUD is on an urban edge softened by a small orchard and grove of trees in urban West Asheville. Nearby are schools, a city park, shops and services of all kinds, and public transportation. Downtown Asheville, the Farmers' Market and Pisgah National Forest are short drives away. Westwood includes 23 energy-efficient dwellings and the original farmhouse clustered around pedestrian commons and central common house.The common house is used for shared suppers, which are held twice a week, meetings and recreation. It has a playroom, lounge, laundry and guest rooms. Parking is kept at the perimeter. This leaves much of the land free for trees, gardens and play areas.

Westwood used Permaculture principles for the site design and early landscaping. Permaculture applies knowledge of natural ecosystems to design and maintain a harmonious integration of landscape and people. Westwood utilizes passive solar design, tight building envelopes for energy efficiency, centrally supplied hot water and radiant floor heating, landscaping for light and shade and multiple functions.Common facilities and some dwellings are wheelchair-accessible. Priorities include a wholesome environment for young people, efficient utilization of resources, and ample opportunities for members to learn skills that enhance community life.The community is organized as a Planned Unit Development (PUD), which allows for clustered buildings and preservation of commons green space. Our dwellings are townhouses; each unit is privately owned by a Westwood member. Residents are members of a Homeowners Association, which owns the common house and the common property and manages the community.


*****IMPORTANT CAVEAT ABOUT ASKING FOR INFORMATION FROM DEVELOPER'S and from THE LINKS THAT FOLLOW:

1) IF you request information from a developer, we at the 4TERRA TEAM will NOT be able to represent you or advise you on the property because you already will be on the developer's /seller's contact list...

2) AND!!! Sales folks who will contact you work for the SELLER, NOT for YOU. (The 4TERRA TEAM represents YOU and are looking out for your best interests)We have established a business relationship with most Private Communities and PUDs and can help you find just what you are looking for; let us know by contacting us at PUDs@www.janeAnne.com

Local Environmental Resources and Organizations
The Canary Coalition
The Citizen's Handbook of North Carolina's Environmental Information Sources
Clean Air Community Trust
The Dogwood Alliance
Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society
Environmental and Conservation Organization
Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Project
Southern Appalachian Forest Coalition
The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
Western North Carolina Alliance
Western North Carolina Group of the Sierra Club
Western North Carolina Regional Air Quality Agency
Wild WNC


Hiking, Biking and Paddling near Asheville
Asheville Ultimate Club
Blue Ridge Bicycle Club
Blue Ridge Parkway
Carolina Mountain Club
GORP Western North Carolina Page
Great Smokey Mountain National Park
Hiking in Western North Carolina
Mountain Biking in Western North Carolina
National Forests in North Carolina
North Carolina Outward Bound
North Carolina Professional Paddlesports Association
North Carolina State Parks
Southeastern Outdoor Recreation Magazine
Trails of Western North Carolina
Trails.com for North Carolina
Zen's WNC Nature Notebook

Human Scale Neighborhoods 

I am IN to “human scale”—human scale life, human scale work, and human scale neighborhoods. Please don’t attach a cell phone to my ear, Spock fashion, or install me on the 27th floor of a high-rise from 9 to 5, five days a week. Give me adventure, genuine diversity, and unrestricted opportunity.

When I am home if I that's not out on the land, let me find my way to a mix of housing types clustered around one or more distinct neighborhood centers which support jobs, commercial activity, and a whole range of amazing amenities. I want to walk or ride my bike. Stop and visit with my neighbors. See color, feel the energy of lively streets and gathering places.

Over the years I’ve come to see that neighborhoods where the car is king tend to lack both diversity and a sense of community. Who needs endless shuttle trips? Who needs the problem of “sprawl”? Let's opt for more efficient forms of infrastructure found in ECO communities and sweet compact towns and neighborhoods. Let's choose designs (again human scale) that enhance friendly relationships, and the sense of community that grows social equity.

Talk to me about sustainable— materials, building, and techniques. That very concept works to create neighborhoods with a lively mix of residential, retail, office, and light-industrial land-uses which are free of water, soil, or air contamination. This is not only efficient, it adds value. I want a healthy home and a helathy environment. I want to support local economies and be part of creating the win-win-win situation that attracts folks with a twinkle in their eyes and an outstanding return on my investment.

And I'm not dreaming!

Here in the Asheville area, the Montford area actually exemplifies the concepts of human scale and sustainable, beautifully manifested. As that neighborhood changed, small parcels of land and old buildings became available for new uses. What our son refers to as “gentrification” began to, and still is taking place.

Mission style bungalows from the 1920's and grand mansions regained their energy. Restored or retro-fitted the buildings evolved into a new urban fabric. In a short span of about five years, the mix of residential and commercial buildings began to make full use of the existing infrastructure and services while preserving a sense of history, place, and cultural context.

On any given day, you could,and can see “Green” builders retrofitting buildings, and saving construction materials. People got together, made decisions and protected community spaces, preserving land, and encouraging healthy and vibrant spaces.

I LOVE stewardship.
It makes so much sense.




janeAnne is the Principal Broker at ECO-STEWARD REALTY in Asheville.
www.janeAnne.com

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

1031 Like Kind Exchange 

The 1031 Exchange: An Intriguing Perspective and Examples

The other day, a new investor in real properties and I were talking about the pros and cons of the 1031 Like Kind Exchange. Investors sometimes mistakenly believe they must acquire property just like their relinquished property,and this was the case with my client. She was surprised to learn a wide variety of properties can be considered “like-kind”. So, contrary to what had concerned her, we DO have a latitude and an intriguing perspective from which to make choices under the 1031 Exchange plan.

Think of it this way: “Like Kind” does NOT refer to the nature, character or type of property. Instead, it is all about the intended use of the property. Provided the property is initially acquired and held for either business or investment purposes, it can qualify as a suitable replacement property under IRC Section 1031. Also, real properties generally are of a “like kind”, regardless of whether the properties are improved or unimproved.

1031 Exchange Examples:

* A Professional office in Manhattan for a Mountain cabin and land that you will lease

* A Condo in California for Unimproved Land with a Waterfall in the Asheville area

* A Single family rental in Chicago for multi family rental in West Asheville

* Non income providing raw land in Florida for income producing rental property in the beautiful Appalachians of Western North Carolina

* An apartment building in downtown Detroit for an office building in Up-and-coming Mars Hill, North Carolina

REMEMBER: The Section 1031 Code was amended in 1989 rendering property outside the United States NON “Like Kind”.

REMEMBER: Investors do not have to exchange for exactly the same type of property.

AND... please talk with me at
ECOinvest@janeAnne.com

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Preserving NC Lands~
N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources


WNC PROPERTY PURCHASED FOR PRESERVATION, RESTORATION
Public-Private Partnership Secures Tract in High-Growth Area

RALEIGH -- More than 2,600 acres in Buncombe and Madison counties will be permanently protected from development through a public-private partnership comprised of two conservation trusts, area residents and the state of North Carolina.

The N.C. Ecosystem Enhancement Program contributed $9.2 million to purchase the tract, known as Sandymush, in late December from Progress Energy Carolinas Inc. EEP collaborated with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina and conservation philanthropists Fred and Alice Stanback, who donated $1 million to SAHC for the purchase.

The property is less than 20 miles from downtown Asheville in Leicester Township, where population increased by 37 percent from 1990 to 2000, significantly higher than the statewide rate of 21 percent. The tract, located west of the French Broad River at the Madison-Buncombe County line, “is a very large piece of land near a rapidly developing area,” said SAHC Lands Program Director David Ray. “We're preserving and restoring the creeks that flow through the property and immediately into the French Broad River.”

EEP is an initiative of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the N.C. Department of Transportation that funds the restoration of wetlands and streams, as well as the permanent preservation of high-quality streams and wetlands in partnership with willing landowners. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also sponsors the program, which is housed under NCDENR.

The program utilizes federal and state highway funds allocated by the state Board of Transportation to offset unavoidable environmental damage caused by transportation-infrastructure improvements. By preserving the Sandymush tract, North Carolina will earn mitigation credits for highway projects in the western region of the state.

"As the Asheville area continues to grow, it is vital that our region preserve natural areas like Sandymush for the benefit of future generations," said Gordon Myers, an Asheville businessman and the Board of Transportation member representing Buncombe and Madison counties. "When diverse partners such as Progress Energy and the N.C. Ecosystem Enhancement Program work together, great things can happen."

“The Sandymush preservation project is another example of the department’s commitment to improving quality of life and economic growth,” said Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett. “We are pleased to be part of such an important acquisition.”

Since its founding in July 2003, EEP and its partners have preserved more than 27,000 acres, 98 miles of streams and 4,900 acres of wetlands. The initiative also has earmarked an additional 11,800 acres, about 112 miles of streams and 3,600 acres of wetlands in pending acquisitions. EEP partners with the Conservation Trust for North Carolina and a network of 22 land trusts across the state to identify the highest-quality sites for preservation.

“The partnership between EEP and the land trusts is benefiting North Carolinians as a whole through new parkland and wildlife areas, and also works to the advantage of both individual landowners and their communities," said EEP Director Bill Gilmore. "Preserving natural areas across the state contributes to North Carolina’s quality of life, and we’re proud to be working as partners in this initiative.”

Progress Energy owned the Sandymush tract for about 30 years and leased portions to area farmers. Over the past five years, the company has given more than $2.6 million to support conservation and environmental organizations in the state. In 2004, the company received the Corporate Conservation Partner of the Year Award from the N.C. Land Trust Council, a coalition of 23 local and regional land trusts.

“It is critical that North Carolinians work together to preserve the state’s natural resources for future generations,” said Robert Sipes, vice president of Progress Energy’s Western Region. “Selling the Sandymush property is a win-win for Progress Energy, the state of North Carolina and the environmental community, as well as the residents of Western North Carolina.”

Working with Equinox Environmental Consultation and Design of Asheville and Buck Engineering of Charlotte, SAHC studied the property and applied to EEP for funding for the project. The land has significant biological, scenic and recreational value, and contains 33 miles of streams.

The tract contains Sandymush and Turkey Creek gorges, habitat for many unique species such as piratebush. The shrub is a federal species of concern and can only be found in a handful of sites in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

The N.C. Natural Heritage Program previously identified three natural heritage areas on the property – one with regional significance and two with state significance. Sites are designated as natural heritage areas if they have unique natural communities and rare, threatened or endangered species.

The protected property is expected to be managed by a state agency for compatible recreational uses. Past land uses will necessitate streambank restoration on a portion of the property. Some of the upland habitats may be restored to native grasslands and managed for quail, meadowlarks, golden-winged warblers and other species that favor open or brushy areas. Enhancement projects, such as eradicating invasive exotic species, will also be part of the management plan.

SAHC will continue to focus its efforts on the headwaters of Sandymush Creek and Turkey Creek, where the organization already has helped to protect 1,200 acres and is working to safeguard 1,000 more. SAHC is a volunteer-based non-profit organization that works with individuals and local communities to conserve the clean water, unique plant and animal habitat and scenic beauty of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

In the last three decades, the conservancy and its 1,500 members have protected more than 15,000 acres in the Highlands of Roan and 9,000 acres in the surrounding mountains, including key sites adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Monday, November 14, 2005


Quote of the Month

"The mission of land trusts is not just to save land, but to protect the traditional lifestyles of a community, a way of life that remains connected to that land. This can mean saving the family farm, setting up a community garden or urban park, ensuring the sustainability of a Southeastern forest, or conserving ranchland in the American West."

~Rand Wentworth

Sunday, November 13, 2005

~PRIVATE LAND TRUSTS ~
Conservation Resources
Resources in the Greater Asheville Area


Land Trusts
The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
Riverlink
Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy
The Mountain Homeplace Land Trust
Pacolet Area Conservancy
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina

not in the Asheville area, but an excellent resource
The Nature Conservancy, North Carolina Field Office

Consultants

John Witherspoon

Attorneys
P Marshall Yoder

Biologists
Christopher Wilson

NRCS Funding Resources
North Carolina Environmental Quality Incentives Program

State Funding & Technical Resources
North Carolina's Clean Water Management Trust Fund

Regional Land Trusts
The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy
Pacolet Area Conservancy
Naturaland

Saturday, November 12, 2005

REAL ESTATE &
SOCIALLY-CONSCIOUS INVESTING

“The cause of intergenerational equity, how we leave the world to the generations that come after us, is the great moral imperative of our time.” ~Donna Morton


We are in the midst of a revolution. It is a quiet one. Yet, more and more people here in the Western North Carolina mountains notice changes, subtle and not-so subtle. Just an eagle’s flight over the mountain to south Asheville, for example, Drs. Barry and Janae Weinhold are probably busy this very minute writing or speaking about this revolution. They call it “Lovevolution”.
http://www.weinholds.org/spirit_love.asp

One of the ways it expresses itself here in the Asheville area and in other parts of the country is the KINDNESS CAMPAIGN. http://www.thekindnesscampaign.org/Asheville/Asheville.php

Whether you call it “Lovevolution” the “Coming of the Cultural Creatives”, or by another name entirely, it is clear that the task is to make connections and to promote the recognition of healthy (and unhealthy) patterns; to take seriously the work of making meaning. That is something everyone can do: Try to bring what really matters into focus.

The results-oriented work of janeAnne
www.janeAnne.com and the 4TERRA Team
at ECO-Steward Realty in Asheville exemplifies the art form of meaningful communication. What makes this communication stand out even more is that it is taking place in what some may consider an unlikely habitat— the arena of real property investing. When looking for real estate investments that can “do well while doing good,” consider the philosophy of 4TERRA’S real estate consulting practice. Here, work and value creation go hand-in-hand. Context, not just content, is paramount.

Whether clients are marketing their property or are on tour with a member of the 4TERRA TEAM, they can expect to hear true stories about what has happened in the venerable Appalachian Mountains and valleys, and what IS happening. Expect too that the 4TERRA Folks will want to hear what YOU have to say. What do you say, for example, about the creation of legacies such as private land trusts?

Over the years members of the 4TERRA TEAM have come to see that, in the economy of ideas, sharing stories is the key to successful transactions.

Successful transactions only happen when those involved take the time to talk with each other and to look beyond the short term. As the artist-economist Donna Morton, Founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Integral Economics
www.integraleconomics.org
says: “The cause of intergenerational equity, how we leave the world to the generations that come after us, is the great moral imperative of our time.”



posted by MizLori for 4TERRA

If you have questions about your real estate transactions, or if you have environmentally-sensitive questions, please contact MizLori@Asheville1031Realty.com

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Cluster Housing on Large Acreages and APPRECIATION 

CLUSTER HOUSING, LAND USE, GREENWAYS...AND APPRECIATION
of Property in the Greater Asheville Area

Recently one long-time client wrote:

"We have enjoyed working with you as our REALTOR on a project that eventually may adjoin greenways in the Asheville area. As you know, we think that building greenways is not only beneficial for two-legged folks like us, but helps to keep crucial paths for the animals that migrate and need 1000's of acres in order to survive (The black bear need many, many acres to live and yes we still have black bears in the Greater Asheville area.)

Thanks for pointing us in the direction of Asheville's town plan of conservation and development. It is exciting to see what the community vision is. Many citizens it seems want to retain the "rural" character of the parts of Western North Carolina. Yet, depending on the make up of the commissioners on the Planning and Zoning and Inland Wetland Commissions...retaining the rural character can be seen very differently.

One idea that you brought to our attention, cluster housing, is very attractive to us. Would you write a bit about that at your BLOG?"


.. cluster housing...

A cluster housing development on let's say a 50 acre parcel will site healthy-bulit homes on smaller parcels of land, while the additional land that would have been allocated to individual lots is converted to common shared open space for the subdivision residents. Road frontage, lot size, setbacks, and other regulations are redefined to permit the folks who develop that acreage to preserve ecologically sensitive areas, historical sites, or other unique characteristics of the land being subdivided.

The idea is to not have large tracks of farm land (or forest) covered with zillions of houses. Instead you group the houses on smaller parcels and the people and animals can enjoy the open/wild space. Plus there is far less pollution from pesticides and artificial fertilizers, mowing on the good ol' sit upon mowers....surface of roads and drives are reduced...and this helps with sustainability.

more details at: http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/1270.html

CLUSTER HOUSING IS AN ALTERNATIVE
OF INTEREST TO REAL ESTATE INVESTORS
and it pays off!

ONE ASHEVILLE AREA CO-HOUSING DEVELOPMENTa Planned Unit Development (PUD), which allows for clustered buildings and preservation of commons green space http://westwoodcoho.home.mindspring.com/westwood.html WESTWOOD, A PUD is on an urban edge softened by a small orchard and grove of trees in urban West Asheville.

Nearby are schools, a city park, shops and services of all kinds, and public transportation. Downtown Asheville, the Farmers' Market and Pisgah National Forest are short drives away.Westwood includes 23 energy-efficient dwellings and the original farmhouse clustered around pedestrian commons and central common house.

The common house is used for shared suppers, which are held twice a week, meetings and recreation. It has a playroom, lounge, laundry and guest rooms. Parking is kept at the perimeter. This leaves much of the land free for trees, gardens and play areas.Westwood used Permaculture principles for the site design and early landscaping. Permaculture applies knowledge of natural ecosystems to design and maintain a harmonious integration of landscape and people.

Westwood utilizes passive solar design, tight building envelopes for energy efficiency, centrally supplied hot water and radiant floor heating, landscaping for light and shade and multiple functions.Westwood welcomes people of different ages, family types, races, occupations, income levels, sexual orientations, religious beliefs. And common facilities and some dwellings are wheelchair-accessible.

Priorities include a wholesome environment for young people, efficient utilization of resources, and ample opportunities for members to learn skills that enhance community life.

The community is organized as a Planned Unit Development (PUD), which allows for clustered buildings and preservation of commons green space. Our dwellings are townhouses; each unit is privately owned by a Westwood member. Residents are members of a Homeowners Association, which owns the common house and the common property and manages the community. We manage ourselves and do most of the work ourselves, and members are expected to work one to two hours a week.

~Real Estate Investors' NOTE:

The purchase of the average home in the open-space community, according to research, will yield a higher rate of return on investment than one in the conventional development, despite the nearly 2:1 lot-size differential...

In the Greater Asheville area, home-buyers, speaking in dollar-terms through the marketplace, appear to have demonstrated a greater desire for a home with less land-consumptive attributes than for one located on a bigger lot....and this trend may continue for the next 5 years...

Real estate transactions have proven that the City of Asheville continues to be one of the best communities in which to live and work.

Named # 1 for investing in Second and Vacation homes, Asheville sees property sales continuing to be strong during calendar year 2005...so the likelihood of the trend working in your favor is excellent.

TWO EXAMPLES of appreciation in the Asheville market.. 1) http://netscape.homestore.com/Finance/HousePriceIndex/yearly/14.asp#projectioncalc2) http://netscape.homestore.com/Finance/HousePriceIndex/yearly/14.asp#projectioncalc

CONTACT ME to talk about creative ways to preserve your money AND our beautiful Appalachians.

janeAnne
www.janeAnne.com

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