Greybeard Rentals Management Team Receives Recognition

How many of you enjoyed your western NC vacation this summer so much that you're ready to purchase your own vacation home in the Asheville area? If one obstacle that makes you hesitate is managing your property, Greybeard Rentals can help you with that.

Greybeard's management team was recently recognized again by FlipKey and Trip Advisor as one of their most outstanding companies. In addition, Greybeard Rentals received their "Rated Excellent" badge which is awarded based on past guests' reviews. And while some awards are given based on reviews by a few people, the "rated excellent" is based on reviews by more than 1000 guests, indicating a consistency of service by our management team.

At Greybeard Rentals, we carefully select our rental homes, only listing those we would vacation in ourselves. And we pay careful attention to details as well. Each home is inspected prior to our guests' arrivals, a freshly-baked loaf of pumpkin bread is awaiting each guest, and a Greybeard Rental management team member is on call 24/7 to personally answer each call from our guests who may have an issue or a pressing question.

Another unique aspect of Greybeard Rentals property management is our Guest Services division. The vacation packages and a la carte offerings offered on our guest Services webpage caught the attention of the NY Times, as noted in our 2010 rental blog. So check out our vacation homes for sale listings at Greybeard Realty and find the home of your dreams. When you've made your home selection, we can assist you with the rest. Leave the rental details to us.

A recent readers' choice survey in Conde Nast Traveler rated Asheville one of the friendliest towns in the United States. The survey asked readers to rate US cities on a number of qualities including "friendliest", and Asheville placed fourth in the survey.

Won't you be our Asheville neighbor?

Asheville visitors who participated in the survey not only ranked the cities but also provided comments as to their choices. Glancing over their observations, it is very difficult to disagree with their statements.  One reader observed the city has "hidden treasures around every corner." Another credited the high scoring with Asheville's great combination of "free thinkers and Southern hospitality." The magazine itself points to our remarkable local art scene and local microbreweries as another compelling reason to visit the city.

With our own experiences in the River Arts District and our research for our blogs on microbreweries in the area, we have to say we agree. The magazine goes on to talk about our "great locally sourced food and friendly people".  And while the survey respondents were Asheville visitors, the greatest attraction seems to be the city residents. According to Conde Nast, "above all, it's the "conscientious locals" who truly make this "welcoming" metropolis a "fun, quirky place to visit."

To that, we at Greybeard Realty say, "hear, hear!" We couldn't agree more that Asheville locals are what make this place so special. For those of us who already live in this area, give yourselves a pat on the back for making Asheville such a friendly place to be.  And for those of you who are considering Asheville as an option for relocation, what are you waiting for? Come on! Won't you be our neighbors?

It may seem as if the biggest decision was whether to put your home on the market to sell it.  In fact some of your more difficult decisions may come as you prepare your home to sell.  What do you need to have on hand in your home and what can you put in storage until your present home sells? Realtors agree that overcoming clutter is one of the biggest obstacles to selling a home.

Reduce and remove before relocating.

Greybeard has a whole page on how to prepare to sell your home which you can check out the seller's tips page here. Perhaps the most challenging for many people is de-cluttering your home. Everyone seems to understand that a home should be clean and well kept. Successfully preparing your home goes beyond sweeping the floor, however. You really need to pare down and remove most personal items so that potential buyers can imagine themselves in the home.  That's really hard to do if the house if full of personal photos, including the ones in magnet frames on the refrigerator door.

And while you're in the kitchen, be sure to remove everything from the counter tops.  Put the small appliances out of sight and be sure to take any old, unusable food out of the cupboards.  Even if you've found the kitchen storage space to be limited, you need to create the appearance that there's more than enough room for the new owner's canned goods! And please don't just put the toaster into the coat closet.  Potential owners open closet doors.  Closets should be neat and organized, again giving the appearance that there is room for everything in the home. Are there clothes out of season or out of favor in the closets? Box them up, label them, and put them into storage. Just think, it's one less thing you'll have to do once the home sells and you're ready for moving day.

If it all seems overwhelming, choose one room at a time and really be thorough with that room.  Consider removing furniture and putting it into storage as well.  Do you need his and her recliners right now? Having less furniture in a room makes it look larger. While you're taking the other boxes to storage, take some of your furniture as well. Box up the knick-knacks that are meaningful to your family but clutter for new home buyers. And think about the fact that whatever you pack up, you will have to unpack at the new house.  Can you part with some of the items and perhaps donate them somewhere?

With the tracking we do, we know that the real estate numbers are improving in the Asheville market, you need an edge to sell your home more quickly. When preparing your home to sell, just remember that less is better, especially when it comes to furniture, personal items and photos, and items on the kitchen counter. And again, doesn't it make sense to downsize on some possessions now and reduce what you have to pay the movers to transport? All of your hard work prior to showing your home will make your own transition to a new place that much easier. So go out and get those boxes. And don't forget the sharpie markers to label the boxes.

While much is made about the outdoor adventure activities in the area, there's also a lot to be said about the city life available to those people living in downtown Asheville. With its eclectic arts scene and its various and varied dining spots, Asheville city residents have the experience of city living in a very tranquil, mountainous [...]

First quarter numbers for home sales in Buncombe County are in, and the real estate market momentum seems to be building. While the most recent numbers are not back to levels of the peak market times in 2007, the solid numbers seem to lay a firm foundation for continued real estate growth in the Asheville [...]

When Janet Randolph became a Realtor in the Asheville area nine years ago, she noticed that people wanted large homes perched on the North Carolina mountainside.  Nowadays, she's noticed a shift.  People still want [...]

If buying a vacation cabin now for a later Asheville retirement is on your to-do list, you may appreciate knowing that Greybeard Rentals, the rental arm of Greybeard Realty, just passed a major milestone.  Greybeard, a home-grown company that only lists homes they would like to rent themselves, just surpassed the 30,000^th reservation mark.

Retire or retreat, Asheville can't be beat.

Greybeard Rentals has received recognition for its fine quality property management and strives to prepare each Asheville rental cabin with meticulous care for its guests.  Prior to each new guest arrival, each rental home is given a personal inspection to ensure it is in pristine condition.  To welcome each guest, Greybeard Rentals leaves a loaf of freshly-made pumpkin bread. Their commitment and attention to detail are only one aspect of Greybeard's property management plan.

So, why would a real estate buyer want to know this information?  First of all, as noted before, renting an Asheville home is a great idea if you are considering buying a home to help you assess each community's assets.  In addition, if you have been thinking about buying a home in Asheville for retirement later, now could be a great time to do so.  As these Asheville real estate market statistics indicate, the market is solid and headed upward. It's a great time to consider buying an Asheville home.

So why does it matter that Greybeard Rentals has reached this milestone? It shows that Asheville renters appreciate Greybeard's quality rental homes. And it may just be the impetus you've been looking for to head on up this way and buy a piece of property in the happiest city east of the Mississippi.  Come see what 30,000 other renters have already come to learn:  Asheville and its environs are a great place to be.

For more information on renting an Asheville home or to speak with a member of our property management team, please contact Greybeard Rentals.  And if you're ready to invest in your own Asheville home, then contact Greybeard Realty.

Buying a home in Asheville requires understanding the area and appreciating the various communities that make up our real estate market.  One great way to experience the Asheville area is to rent a home within one of the communities and venture out from there to explore what the area has to [...]

If you need one more reason to invest in Asheville real estate, a recent study may just provide you with that extra incentive.  A recent study by a University of Vermont mathematician ranked US locales by using  a happy meter, and Asheville landed in the top 10.  Not only was Asheville in the top ten, but it was the only city east of the [...]

During his brief visit to Asheville last week, President Obama eluded to a possible retirement in Asheville.  "Love coming to Asheville.  Michelle and I always talk about how, after this whole presidency thing, we're looking for a little spot to play a little golf, do a little hiking, fishing, barbecue."

Obama may vote for an Asheville retirement.

If you want to beat the President here, it may be a good time to head up this way and see what Asheville real estate has to offer.  If you, like the President, still have some work to do before you can move here, consider purchasing one of Greybeard's vacation homes for sale.  With these homes, you can find the perfect home for retirement and rent it until you're ready to retire.

If you like the idea of Asheville but haven't had a chance to experience it first hand, check into one of Greybeard's rental cabins and see for yourself what Obama is talking about.  Our Guest Services can set you up with tee times and our staff is always willing to share some of our favorite hiking and picnic spots for our rental guests.

If you are familiar with the area but would like just a little bit more time to see if it's a good fit for your retirement plans, Greybeard's long term rentals can provide you with an extended stay to really let you try out an Asheville retirement.

If you have any questions about whether retiring in Asheville NC is right for you, now is the time to look into it. If the Obama-to-Asheville rumors are true, you will be able to beat the rush. For more information about Asheville homes for sale or the best rental homes for trying out retirement, contact Greybeard Realty.