Whether it's a choice to bring sustainability and healthy living indoors or the desire for energy efficiency, there are countless reasons to buy "Green." For a home to be certified requires third party verification. ENERGY STAR homes have met the requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes have energy-saving features that typically make them 20-30% more efficient than standard homes. Benefits for homebuyers and New Home Features can be found at www.energystar.gov. By clicking on the "Take the Tour" icon at the bottom of the page you can actually look behind the walls of an Energy Star home.

NC HealthyBuilt Homes have met criteria established by ENERGY STAR plus additional requirements which can be seen at https://wncgbc.org/healthybuilt/checklist.php. Points are awarded for builders completing the various items on the checklist. There are four levels of certification depending on how many features the home has. For a list of homeowner benefits go to https://wncgbc.org/healthybuilt/benefits.php.

Asheville, NC was recently ranked #14 on Forbes.com's list of the Best Places for Business and Careers.  The list studies cities throughout the U.S., and ranks areas based on such factors as Cost of Doing Business, Net Migration, and Income Growth.  Asheville ranked #2 nationally on the Cost of Doing Business list, costing businesses 20% less than the national average.  As a state, North Carolina dominated this category, taking the top 4 spots and 6 of the top 7.

Overall, North Carolina had 6 cities in the top 20 of the Forbes list, including 3 in the top 6.  Kurt Badenhausen, former Associated Editor at Forbes, explains North Carolina's business-friendly environment by detailing all of the ways our state leads the way in business.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed into law on Feb. 17, 2009, provides many buyers with a tax credit of up to $8,000 if they purchase a home between January 1 and November 31, 2009.  Most news outlets have referred to this credit as available only to [...]

If you are safely ensconced in your Asheville cabin and would prefer a screen tour of the Biltmore Estates why not rent or buy the fabulous movie starring Peter Sellers and Shirley MacLaine, Being There.  Filmed at the Biltmore and first released in movie theaters in 1979, it has come out in a deluxe edition DVD and in blue ray for the first time this month.  Sellers' character, a gardener/avid television watcher, is mistaken for a deep thinking, well-educated man in this timeless satiric movie. Each is available at amazon.com for $14.99 and $19.99 respectively.

If you enjoy viewing movies and then the locale itself then don't forget to order Dirty Dancing while you are at Amazon.  This movie, filmed at nearby Lake Lure, features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. A DVD 20^th anniversary addition, released in 2007, is available for only $4.99.

When it comes to quintessential mountain living, most people think of beautiful views.  Of course, to get those views, you usually need to gain elevation, which often involves negotiating a steep driveway or gravel road.  But that's not always the case.  [...]