How Local Private Investment in Cullowhee, NC Yields High Returns To understand how local Private Investment in Cullowhee, NC yields high returns for the local Private Investors while also building economic strength for the community, we need to understand a little about how commercial banks operate. How Do Banks Operate? This example is an over simplification but in a nutshell this is the basics of commercial banking as we know it today.   Primarily banks make their profits by taking deposited funds and turning around and lending these funds to borrowers.  The deposits they taken in are liabilities because they pay depositors interest to use their money.  The commercial bank makes money by making loans, on which, they charge a higher rate of interest than they pay the depositor for the... 06/24/2013

Attract the Best Student Tenants in Cullowhee and Sylva To attract the best student tenants in Cullowhee and Sylva there are several things a good property manager or landlord will want to do.  Often times we seem to think that the screening process is the most critical aspect of being a responsible landlord or property manager and the most important part of insuring that we have good tenants. As important as a screening process with established criteria is, screening is not as important as attraction when it comes to filling one’s rental units with quality student residents (See the post, Should I Rent To Student Tenants in Cullowhee NC, for suggested student criteria).  With Western Carolina University in the town of Cullowhee and Southwestern Community College only minutes away in Sy... 06/16/2013

Should I Rent to Students in Cullowhee NC? One of the first things prospective homeowners ask is, “Should I rent to students in Cullowhee NC?”   Others just come right out and say, “I am not going to rent to students!” In response I usually say something like this, “I understand your concern and being that students are not a protected class, you do not have to rent to students.  However, before making your final decision you might want to consider that Cullowhee NC is home to Western Carolina University.  The student population far exceeds the local resident population and if you choose not to rent to students you are locking out the largest potential rental base in the county.” Many years before becoming a professional property manager I was a property owner and landlord, I asked mysel... 06/15/2013

 Investor Homes For Sale in Cullowhee NC, Where the Heart IS -- Still At times there is bad news about the housing market that makes people think twice about buying a home. Regardless of the times though, most people in the good'ole US of A, hope to fulfill that great American Dream of owning their own home.  There are some very good reasons as to why we say, investor homes for sale in Cullowhee NC, where the heart is – still and will be saying so the rest of our lives if we are fortunate.   Whether you are buying your Cullowhee home for investment purposes or for the family’s first or second home, it is a major investment and the purchase should be treated with all due financial consideration.  Either way you look at it, whether for investment or for the family home, property ownership... 06/13/2013

  People often think that the schedules of real estate agents are very fluid, allowing us to do what we want when we want. Hah! Forget about regular lunch hours and healthy meals. We can't even always count on the time we get to go home. Sometimes that means eating dinner late and often we lean more towards convenience than conscious healthy meal consumption. You know what that means...bad meal choices, irregular eating hours and catch as catch can exercise opportunities leads to unhealthy life styles.   Working towards the IMSDesignation (Internet Marketing Specialist) only added to my already heavy schedule BUT it also introduced me to Facebook which in turn gave me a much better look at my local community. It turns out that someone I've known for more than 15 years teaches hooping at... 06/11/2013

Well, you know how it is in real estate...occasionally your time is not your own. Even though I've known exactly what I wanted to offer for the Monday Melody it just wasn't in the stars to post it this morning. I'd made an appointment with someone I know on Facebook to come tutor me a little on managing my activities a little better. In exchange for her help, I'd promised homemade cookies.   After the whole bathroom scrubbing and Sam's Club excursion yesterday left me rather fatigued, I just couldn't get the cookies done last night. Nooooooo, getting up and baking at 6:30am seemed like a MUCH better idea. Geez. So, the whole time I was getting the dough made and baking the cookies, the Monday melody was rolling around in my head...which is where its been all day!   One of the things my ... 04/15/2013

    Another adventure begins with a new buyer. Our first time homebuyer, bold with the dream, will be undertaking a foreclosure.  We'll be with him every step of the way because the journey to successful closing on some foreclosure requires hyper vigilance and support.  Fortunately, he has experience in construction and was wise to select MoonDancer Realty Buyer Agents to watch his back with all the other inherent challenges.       Once it is all over, said and done...he will have a lovely home with a cascading creek falling along the side.   "waterfall Off the weathered rock, The water softly tumbles, Again and again. Charlotte Pinkney, December 1, 2008" 02/14/2013

  Cullowhee is no stanger to cultural and classy experiences.  There have been many extraordinary events at the WCU Fine and Performing Arts Center in Cullowhee and last night was no exception.  Savion Glover proved that there are just some humans that are unlike any other humans.  This man tap danced for two solid hours!    No intermission, no opening monologue, no thank you for coming and I'm glad to be here in Cullowheeeeeeee.         Don't get me wrong...I loved the evening.  Mark treated his lady friend, Nelda, and me (a different kind of lady friend) to an awesome dinner at a new Mexican restaurant in Cullowhee called Sazon.  The meals were prepared by the hands of an artist.  Nothing beats a dining experience like one that appeals not only to the taste palate but is also a feast ... 01/24/2013

Most people have never heard of Cullowhee and would have difficulty pronouncing and spelling the word.  To those of us living in the mountain of Western North Carolina however, Cullowhee is the home of Western Carolina University and a fount of cultural entertainment opportunities.  The Bardo Arts Center (formerly the Fine and Performing Arts Center) is a gorgeous performance hall that we all feel fortunate to have in our midst.  I can't wait for tonight when I get to go see Savion Glover presenting his SoLe Sanctuary.     Savion Glover is considered to be one of the best tap dancers in the world.  His SoLe Sanctuary performance is Savion's opportunity to honor those other tap performers who were mentors and instrumental in his life as he continues to perfect his craft.  While I've been... 01/23/2013

  So, the first question probably is…What the heck is Gamelan? The short answer? For us, an extraordinary experience and gift at WCU in Cullowhee, NC. Sometimes, even though you’ve scheduled yourself for a night out…once you get home and settled, it’s easy to talk yourself into staying in. Especially in the winter. Luckily for us, we didn’t allow the homebody voices to win last night. I wrote yesterday about the daily notice we get from Western Carolina University called “The Main Event”. It posts all the things happening out at WCU…musical performances, live plays, and speaking forums. We’d noticed the announcement for the Low Tech Gamelan Ensemble weeks ago and put it on our calendar. The only familiarity we had with the term “Gamelan” came from Will Peebles, Professor and Director at... 11/28/2012

  A lot of people moving here from larger areas sometimes are concerned with culture shock.  They are convinced that the only way to stay entertained is to live in a large city.  If people are talking about fighting traffic, spending a ridiculous amount of money to be entertained or the choice of 1000 restaurants...they may be right and should probably stay in their large city.  If what they really mean though is that they have the desire to leave hectic city life behind but they are afraid of too many dull moments...relax and come here with an open mind.   Jackson County, NC is made up of a number of small towns. Our entire county's population is less than 45,000.  In spite of that, we have a surprisingly goodly number vibrant cultural and educational events going on almost daily.  Man... 11/27/2012

  Are you a patriot? Did you shop small today?  We happily did.  The 26th Annual Hard Candy Christmas event was held in the Ramsey Center at Western Carolina University yesterday and today.  About 100 local craftspeople and artisans brought their wares to sell...and sell they did.  Just about everyone I saw returning to their vehicle was carrying a purchase of locally produced merchandise and they were all wearing smiles.  It feels great to spend money and watch it go directly to someone in your community.  Sustainability and patriotism at its best.         Today, the small towns of Sylva, Dillsboro and Waynesville all seemed to be bustling with shoppers.  From what I observed, it looked like a lot of commerce was happening!  Multiply this activity in all the small towns all over the U.... 11/24/2012

For someone looking for a place to buy close to Western Carolina University or Southwestern Community College, our listing at 714 Helen Zachary Road in Cullowhee, NC may be the perfect place for them.  Listed at just $124,900 the house is a mere 3.5 miles from the main entrance of WCU...close enough to ride a bike and be on campus in minutes!  It's also less than ten minutes to SCC.     The kitchen is brand new everything...cabinets, appliances and flooring.  There are three good sized bedrooms, one bathroom and a large bonus room.  The living area is large enough to include a dining area.  Enjoy the warmth from the wood burning stove insert in the rock fireplace.  The backyard is nicely set up for extended outdoor living.  The covered front porch has a very pleasant view of mountains a... 11/17/2012

  Where did Sunday go? Contract, listings, signs, lockboxes, photos, laundry, groceries and here it is ... almost 12:30.  Maybe that 10pm coffee wasn't such a great idea. Oh well, too late now.   When I showed property a couple of months ago out Cullowhee Mountain Road with another agent...also on a Sunday, come to think of it...I spotted this bit of yard art and have to say, I'm a big admirer of whimsy.      Some people are so clever, a few rocks of different sizes and what do you get?  A Stone Cold Frog!  Gotta love it.     09/23/2012

  At the end of July, I worked with a family looking at old farmhouses. The temperatures were hot, hot, hot! Except on the bridge over John Creek in the Caney Fork community of Cullowhee, NC. The shade from the ancient oak trees and the sound of water tumbling over the smooth rocks felt like the reason that the sudden cool breeze occurred. For about fifteen minutes the weather was delicious and all thoughts of air conditioned controlled environments vanished…you’ve got to love these mountain areas... 08/09/2012

  One of the homes another Dillsboro agent and I showed together was a beautiful rustic house about 6 miles away from Western Carolina University… many people here would call it “private” but people from outside our area would call it “remote”. While the listing agent was securing the house after showing it, I noticed what I thought was a sprinkler head off the deck. First of all, what’s odd about that is that in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains, we are in a rainforest! Hardly ever a need to have a sprinkler system to water the lawn. Second of all, did I mention there was no lawn!? So, in the interest of you all … the ActiveRain community with the voracious reading appetite, I braved the spider webs and risks of ticks to get the photo. I... 07/26/2012

  Yesterday was spent showing farmhouses in Cullowhee to a family from Florida with an agent from a company I used to work for. Because the family drove a small convertible Toyota, I drove out with the other agent and the family followed. It was pleasant. The other agent used to be our UPS driver when we owned the camping and backpacking store. He and his family were also regular customers that we often had great conversations with so it was like spending time with a buddy. While the family walked about the various properties, I got busy with the camera. There will be a few photos of mushrooms over the next couple of days but at one of the farmhouses I was taken with this very awesome planter and the green tendrils draping her face. REALTORS are so lucky to get the chance to see how art... 07/26/2012

When you’re a kid, it never occurs to you to wonder where Christmas Trees come from. I know they come from lots of places in the U.S. and Canada, but here in Jackson County, NC we have a good number of Christmas Tree Farms. Many of them are family owned and have been for a couple of generations. From many conversations with the members of one family we’ve learned that making sure people have beautiful trees for the Christmas holidays is a good business but really hard work. Christmas tree farmers are out in all kinds of weather and at all hours taking care of the trees. This photo was taken traveling a back road from Cullowhee to Cashiers. The farm actually caught me by surprise because the road I was taking was very steep, dark, narrow and twisting. Imagine my delight when I crested t... 12/23/2011

There are some things in life that all loving people all over the world can agree upon.  Nothing has universal appeal like the open faced unconditional acceptance freely given by seven month old puppies!  Amidst the chaos of the Heritage Day Festival in Cullowhee, North Carolina last weekend, sat this young prince holding court among the crowd.       09/30/2011

It’s not a dirty little secret or anything, but cultural diversity in the mountains of Western North Carolina isn’t talked about much. It used to be that there just wasn’t much diversity to talk about!   I grew up in Detroit, San Diego, Albuquerque and Farmington so I’d been exposed to all kinds of diversity. I was really unprepared moving to Jackson County, NC  as an adult from cities like Miami, West Palm Beach and the Tampa Bay area for the then “whiteness” of the area.  We used to drive 90 miles to the shopping mall in Knoxville. Not to shop, but to people watch. We were in culture shock and missed cultural diversity. We wanted to hear other accents, skin tones, and manners of dress. We’d never considered there’d be a lack of culture variety here. Who would have thought about it? O... 09/28/2011