Find an Asheville Home

There's a better way to find an Asheville home, !

Sometimes people visit Asheville thinking it’s the place they want to live, hoping to find the right house. So, they call a real estate agent, look at a lot of houses, maybe find one they like, and move here. House hunters may even find Asheville homes online before they come, so they can tell the agent which ones they want to see.

In some cases, that works. But not always. It’s seems like a lot of money to spend and a huge decision to make, considering that it’s going to become your home, to go about in such a haphazard way.

This is the way people have done it for years. It seems like the easy way to find an Asheville home, but in the long run it’s not easy, and it’s far from the best way.

It’s time for something different that works much better - a new way to find an Asheville home.

My Role

I’m an environmental real estate consultant and agent. As a professional, I take my work very seriously. My goal is NOT to show you a lot of houses in hopes that you’ll like one and buy it. My goal IS to very strategically work together with you to not just find an Asheville home for you, but the best home for you, based on your lifestyle and budget. If you’re interested, I can also help you find options that are energy-efficient and supportive of your health and our planet.

Working Together

Finding your perfect home is not a simple matter. It’s a complex process that requires us to work well together and to have exceptional communication. That doesn’t mean we have to be on the phone or emailing constantly. It does mean we have to be very open and honest with each other. Also, there are certain specific things we both must commit to doing.

I don’t take lightly the investment you want to make in a new home. It’s a huge investment, and the outcome needs to support your long-term personal happiness. So, I have designed a strategy that ensures we are adequately prepared before you look at any homes. For this reason, I ask my clients to begin working with me at least one month before we view any homes together.

The General Procedure

It’s nice to know where you’re going when you start out on a complex trip. Finding your way through cities and areas where there may be construction and detours is less stressful when you have a good map. When you work with me to find an Asheville home, you not only have a good map, but you have a personal escort.

So, let's assume you've contacted me about helping you find a home in Asheville. We've talked or emailed and have decided that I would be a good person to help you. Not everyone is a good match and if I don't think I'm the best person to help you meet your goals, I'll tell you and suggest someone else. But, let's suppose we've decided to work together...

• 1. First, I'll make sure you have a North Carolina Real Estate Commission brochure called Working with Real Estate Agents. It explains the basics of real estate agreements between clients and agents. It’s important to read it and understand it. I will explain it more at that time.

• 2. I’ll call or email you a couple of days later to be sure you've had time to read it and that you understand the brochure. You can ask any questions you may have about it at that time.

• 3. Then, you can email me to say that you've understood the brochure and you are ready to proceed. The state requires that you sign a form saying you have read and understood it. This email will do for now. You can sign the form when we meet in person.

• 4. I will give you a link to a questionnaire that I've designed to help me help you in your search for an Asheville area home.

• 5. You'll complete the questionnaire and hit the submit button so I can get it back all filled out.

• 6. I'll call or email you after reading it to ask any questions I may have.

• 7. The information you provide will help me design a unique strategy for your home hunt, depending on how ready you are to actually purchase a home. Those factors include things such as when you want to move, if you need to sell your present home first, if you're prequalified for a loan and if you have sufficient funds for a down payment.

Three Options for Working Together

There are three ways we can work together, depending on your readiness:

1. Ready to buy an Asheville home within six months…

If you're ready to buy a house within the next six months and you're sure Asheville is the place for you, I will recommend that we enter an exclusive agreement to work together to find an Asheville home that will meet your needs. This requires a $200 retainer to be refunded at your closing. Details of how we will work together are below.

2. Planning to buy an Asheville home, but not within six months…

If you will not be ready to purchase a home in the next six months, but you are sure Asheville is where you want to live, I will give you the option of signing an agreement with me now and paying a $200 retainer that will be refunded at the closing of your home, OR I will set up a free “Listing Cart” for you, which will automatically send you emails when a home comes on the market that fits your criteria. All the homes will be displayed in your cart, which you can access at any time to see photos and learn about the features of each house. I will also send you, from time to time, other information that may help you in your search.

3. Not sure if Asheville is the right place, but it could be…

If you will not be ready to purchase a home in the next six months, and you are not sure Asheville is where you want to live, I will sign you up for a free Listing Cart and send other information that may help you in your search.

Why do I require a $200 retainer?

My time is limited and I want to be able to provide the best service possible to clients who are ready and committed to moving here. If you are, you have nothing to lose because you’ll get your $200. back when you close on your new home and you'll have my quality service to gain. Plus, I'll donate $200 to a local nonprofit organization of your choice to help affordable housing in the Asheville area. (Habitat for Humanity or Mountain Housing Opportunities)

What you get when you sign an agreement with me, besides my basic services:

• Your own Listing Cart – see number two above.

• Unique Home Hunting Strategy – As soon as I understand your unique wants and needs in a new home, I will design a strategy for us to work together to find you the best place possible, at the best price, with the least stress.

• My 28-page booklet, “The Official Asheville Home Hunter’s Handbook”

• Map of Asheville and Buncombe County

• Copy of the North Carolina HealthyBuilt Homes checklist

• Glossary of real estate terms

• Glossary of green building terms

• Copy of the local Green Building Directory

• Sample copies of all paperwork that may be involved in your North Carolina real estate transaction

• Our Sustainable and Healthy Lifestyle Relocation Link List

• My Asheville Green News e-newsletter

• Our quarterly market reports

• Regular communication by phone or email

• Information about different parts of the Asheville area

• Resource links to gain more information

• Brochures that provide helpful information about the process of purchasing a home in North Carolina

My service includes:

• Carefully working with you to understand your needs and wants

• Explaining to you the process as we go along

• Coaching you to complete the preliminary crucial steps to find the best home for you

• Communicating information about potential properties

• Recommending when it would be most helpful to begin looking at homes

• Organizing the home search with you

• Objective guidance in choosing a home, considering many factors

• Guidance in preparing an offer to contract and purchase a home

• Checking comparable properties for market value

• Negotiating on your behalf to get the best deal

• Personally measuring to confirm approximate square footage of a house

• Guidance and communication through all inspections, including a professional complimentary energy assessment

• Guidance and recommendations concerning professional services needed, such as attorney, inspector, surveyor, etc.

• If you will not be present during the period between contracting and closing, I can be present to report to you about the inspection and subsequent work needed

Some other benefits of working with me

• I will exclusively represent you, never both you and the seller in the same transaction.

• The MOSAIC Energy Retrofit Program, a free program for our clients to receive an energy assessment with retrofit recommendations and payback timetable.

• My professional and personal background, including a Bachelor of Science degree in environmental design, a master’s degree in leadership studies, as well as my Asheville Board of Realtor’s certification as an Environmental Consultant and the GREEN designation from the National Association of Realtors. I’m also a member of the Western North Carolina Green Building Council. I’ve lived all over the United States and lived off the grid in Papua New Guinea for many years.

• Access to my local network of green/sustainability professionals.

• My knowledge of available local green homes, sustainable communities, and green builders and developers.

• My knowledge of the Asheville area real estate market in general.

• Confidence that you will be able to find the best home for your unique needs and wants without spending a lot of time and resources looking at too many houses.

In the end

Right now, you may just be considering a move. It may seem overwhelming. You have to take it one step at a time. I’m here to guide you and to make it a less daunting task that, in the end, will be a very rewarding journey.

So, there's no time like the present! Contact me now. You can also call me at 828-545-1990