www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
Normal
0
false
false
false
EN-US
X-NONE
X-NONE
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
The United States economy grew at its fastest pace in
more than six years at the end of 2009, even as businesses resisted hiring and
continued to do more with less. In addition, the growth rate was the fastest
since the third quarter of 2003, when the economy grew at a rate of 6.9
percent.
This is great news! So tired of hearing all the negative news - so we finally had something "good" to share. Although the housing market for December 2009 was down 7.6% over last year. I feel this is due to the "extension" for the 1st time homebuyers $8,000 credit being extended through the Spring of 2010. If Washington is smart (keep your opinions to yourself ha!) they will fix the housing market before anything else - this is what they should have been doing for the past several years.
Still a great time to purchase a home or land here in the Great Smoky Mountains - contact us today to find our more about our real estate market.
Jr.
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
Well we've officially had a snowy winter here in the mountains! In fact, I haven't seen this much snow since I was a kid back in the late 80s/early 90s. The good thing about living here in the Great Smoky Mountains...when it snows, it doesn't stay on the ground for weeks. Looks like it is going to be a great weekend to throw a few logs on the fire, kick back in the recliner and pop in a DVD - ahhh, gotta love stress-free mountain living!
Jr.
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
Now is the time to buy - ok, ok I know what you're thinking..."Rick I've heard this all before". Well take the time to listen again, like this excerpt:
2010 will continue to be an optimum buyer's market, where those in a
position to purchase will continue to receive and negotiate optimum
deals. A sharp turnaround from the seller's market environment of the
recent past, equity enabled investors are facing the ideal market
conditions to access the best deals expected to be available for many
years. If investing for long term benefits, these buyers may also be in
positions to once again benefit from a future turnaround into 'seller's
market' conditions.
It just makes sense, so if you're in the market to buy property in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina...then contact us today!
Jr.
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
Well it is already shaping up to be a fantastic year for our company - and like I've been saying for months now (possibly even years) - NOW is the perfect time to buy a home/land here in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina!
My father/partner & I are primarily "buyers agents" - and we specialize in negotiating hard for our clients (let's just say we never pay 'stick price' for any property).
If you've thought about owning property here in the mountains...now is the time. Contact us today and let us start working for you. We stay booked...so the sooner you contact us, the better!
Jr.
Secluded & Quiet!
www.RickStrohm.com
• 2,048 sq. ft., 2 bath, 2 bdrm 2 story
-
MLS®
$398,000
- Fantastic Mountain Views!
Robbinsville, Graham County
-
REMARKS: Beautiful custom Cape style modular home with 2x6 exterior walls sitting on 9.808 acres in the Stecoah Township/Valley. The land has fantastic meadows & pastures with a branch. One side of the property abuts Nantahala National Forest. Gorgeous long range southeastern views to the Cheoahs & winter view east to the high peaks of the Smokys. Very secluded. There is parking for RV with large deck alongside, a 10x12 shed, double pane windows, fully insulated with R19 & R25 insulation, spring water, central heat & air, covered front porch (8x25), back deck (6x12), formal dining room, gas log fireplace, screened breezeway (12x14) carpeted & two car attached garage (20x22) with work area.
ADDITIONAL REMARKS: This is a great secluded property, quiet with great long-range views of the Smoky Mountains. There are several meadows & pastures which would be great for horses. There is also a branch/creek on the property. The 2nd floor is unfinished & could have additional 2 more bedrooms & is plumbed for one more bath. An additional 3.75 acres are available!
Property information
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
Driven by the first-time buyer tax credit, existing-home sales showed
another big gain in October with a strong uptrend established over the
past seven months, while inventories continue to decline, according to
the National Association of Realtors®.
Existing-home sales – including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops – surged 10.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate1
of 6.10 million units in October from a downwardly revised pace of 5.54
million in September, and are 23.5 percent above the 4.94 million-unit
level in October 2008. Sales activity is at the highest pace since
February 2007 when it hit 6.55 million.
Lawrence Yun,
NAR chief economist, was surprised at the size of the gain. “Many
buyers have been rushing to beat the deadline for the first-time buyer
tax credit that was scheduled to expire at the end of this month, and
similarly robust sales may be occurring in November,” he said. “With
such a sale spike, a measurable decline should be anticipated in
December and early next year before another surge in spring and early
summer.”
In the South, existing-home sales rose 12.7 percent to an annual level
of 2.30 million in October and are 25.7 percent higher than October
2008. The median price in the South was $151,100, down 6.3 percent from
a year ago.
Information about NAR is available at www.realtor.org. This and other
news releases are posted in the News Media section. Statistical data in
this release, other tables and surveys also may be found by clicking on
Research.
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
We all know there are cycles in real estate - natural trends of ups & downs. Most of us, hopefully all of us, have known that we have been in a "down trend" for quite some time. My father/partner, Rick, and I have been educating our clients by letting them know that the 'down trend' won't last forever - it's a buyers market at the moment - but that won't last forever. There are many potential buyers that are sitting on the fence, waiting to see what the market will do - unfortunately, many of those people will miss the "buy" they were looking for...as the market will pass them buy. The following excerpts were taken from a November 2009 in REALTOR© Magazine:
Home sales will increase 15 percent to about 5.7 million units and REALTOR® income will be up 20 percent in 2010, NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun told a packed room of REALTORS® today in a residential economic update at the 2009 NAR Conference & Expo.
Yun credited the home buyer tax credit with
unleashing sales on the lower-end of the housing market this year,
bringing up to 400,000 first-time buyers into the market who wouldn't
have bought otherwise. That influx tightened inventories of starter
homes, shored up prices, and helped reduce households' fear over
continuing price drops.
This virtuous cycle will continue now that
the federal government has extended the credit to mid-2010 and expanded
it to make a smaller credit available to repeat buyers and to
households with higher incomes. “The key is stabilizing prices and
preserving household wealth,” he says.
Yun predicts the supply of homes to
stabilize at the historic norm of six to seven months. Homes above
$500,000 will remain elevated in the near-term, but that weakness will
be offset by a hefty drop in starter-home inventories, which are
running at about a five months supply.
New-home sales, which comprise about 10
percent of the market, will continue at suppressed levels--about
550,000 units, down from more than a million during the boom--mainly
because builders have scaled projects way back, in part because
financing isn't available.
For the longer term, the huge deficit run
up by the federal government to shore up the economy remains the big
question mark. Although the deficit is expected to improve each of the
next three years, it will remain at historic highs. Unless the federal
government releases a credible plan for shrinking it, investors will
start to balk and interest rates will need to rise to bring them back.
Should inflation be the result, the housing recovery will be set back.
The time to buy is now - before the market picks up. If you're interested in Western North Carolina/Great Smoky Mountain real estate contact us today and let us find your dream property!
Rick, Jr.
Source: Robert Freedman, REALTOR® magazine
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
Here are the facts:
-- NABE 2010 Consensus. Over 80% of NABE's forecast panel believes that
the "Great Recession" has ended and that the economy is now in the
early stages of a recovery. Growth is forecast to increase at an
average rate of 3% in 2010.
-- Employment is not expected to exceed previous highs until 2012 or
later.
-- Inflation is expected to remain tame through the end of 2010,
inhibited by excessively high unemployment and a large amount of
slack.
-- The dollar is expected to further soften, but not lose its status as a
reserve currency.
-- Corporate profits are expected to bounce back and the NABE group is
uniformly optimistic that the broader stock indices will continue to
rally.
-- The availability of credit (or lack thereof) remains the primary risk
to the outlook in the near-term.
-- Concerns span the spectrum from a secondary round of credit tightening
associated with the sharp rise in unemployment and accompanying
defaults, to the losses that banks will have to absorb as commercial
construction crashes.
We have come a long way from where we were a year ago...and we still have more to go, but the time to "buy" is now. If you have more questions just email me.
Rick, Jr.
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
Well the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians added another great addition to our local "area attractions" by opening a brand new Trent Jones II golf course - Sequoyah National - in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. The course is located off the main Cherokee/HWY 441 exit - just minutes from Cherokee & Harrah's Cherokee Casino. If you haven't visited the course yet, take the time it's beautiful! Here is some additional information:
Located
45 minutes west of Asheville, North Carolina and nestled among the oak,
fir and flowered valleys in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains
resides Sequoyah National Golf Club. Owned by the Eastern Band of the
Cherokee, this Robert Trent Jones II design offers golfers an idyllic
18 hole journey, filled with scenic vistas, beautiful landscapes and
challenging golf.
This par 72 championship course, measuring
6,600 yards features immaculately groomed bent grass greens with
bluegrass fairways, offering spectacular views of the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park, while providing ultimate playing conditions
year round including an expansive practice area including a driving
range, putting greens, chipping area and Callaway Golf Club fitting by
certified PGA Golf Professionals. The golf shop offers a full range of
men’s and women’s golf apparel.
Enjoy a relaxed lunch or
afternoon beverage on the outdoor deck with 180 degree views of the
Great Smoky Mountains. The surrounding community also provides golfers
a welcoming environment that is rich with Native American culture, and
exciting year round attractions.
And some pictures that I took just a few days ago - if you'd like more information on tee times/fees just ask me:
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
Just wanted to wish everyone a safe and fantastic Labor Day Weekend! Please keep in your thoughts and prayers the men & women in our Armed Forces - take care and God Bless!
Rick, Jr.
www.RickStrohm.com
www.thesmokymtnproperties.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
Ever wanted to know more about us? Well check out the YouTube link below - just click on the logo!
YouTube Video
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
In the following blog posts I am going to "explore" the various town/cities in the Western North Carolina area. We always have clients/friends ask us "what towns are around you" - so I am going to start with Franklin, North Carolina.
Franklin, NC
With the possible exception of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Highway 64 near Franklin could be the most scenic route in the South. Once in Franklin, you will enjoy the museums, the kids will enjoy the Fun Factory, and everyone will love prospecting for precious rubies and sapphires. Wear work clothes - rock hounding can be a dirty, but rewarding adventure. While you are in the area, be sure to visit the Smoky Mountain Host Visitor's Center on Highway 441 South. The center has books, maps, gifts and other items to make your Smoky Mountain vacation as relaxing or exciting as you wish.
If you would like to know more information about Franklin, NC - just contact me.
Rick, Jr.
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
State of the Economy
After home prices have dropped for the past three years, they appear to be stabilizing. The National 'median' home price today is roughly $169,000, which is down almost 14% from a year ago and an estimated 30% from its peak. It is safe to say that we have reached the point where prices are justified by the fundamentals of the economy and may even represent an undervaluation.
Foreclosures and short sales comprise about 50% of transactions today, creating market distortions in otherwise stable neighborhoods. In determining valuations, we are capturing only transaction prices, and prices of those properties might be 20% below values of other homes.
For that reason, it's possible that widely cited projections that a third or more of home owners are "underwater" might be off the mark. The consequences of these 'missed projections' are very significant. Lenders are shying away from refiancing mortgages of otherwise creditworthy households on the basis that their homes are underwater. By not making these loans, lenders are exacerbating the financial hardship faced by these households.
yet there are encouraging signs on the horizon. The First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, which Congress improved two months ago by eliminating the repayment requirement and increasing the benefit to $8,000, is working. That credit, coupled with all-time-high housing affordability and continuing low interest rates, is leading to solid inventory improvements in most markets. Yet when we look only at homes in high-cost ares requiring "jumbo loans", the months' supply is in the stratosphere - almost 45.
Conclusion: It is clear that the challenge today is getting credit moving again for everyone. Until then, markets will continue to be distorted by the disproportionate number of short-sale and foreclosed homes for sale.
If you'd like to know more - contact me.
Rick, Jr.
Source: Lawrence Yun - Cheif economist of the National Association of Realtors
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
I'm going to be writing this "post" to share some of the outdoor hiking trails that you can find right in our backyard - The Great Smoky Mountain National Park. To journey high above the fertile valleys you can hike, ride or bike, your way up to mountain ridges and get eye-to-eye with seemingly endless rows of mountains.
There are hundreds of miles of trails in the Smokies, including the mother of all trails - the Appalachian Trail. We get asked all the time, "Hey where are some of the best trails to hike in the area?" In response to that questions...you will find some of the most popular trails listed below:
- The Appalachian Trail to Charlie's Bunion - 4 miles - Moderate / Difficult
- Trailhead: Newfound Gap parking area. This 4-mile stretch offers spectacular views of the Smokies.
- The Appalachian Trail to Wesser Bald - 2 miles - Moderate
- Trailhead: Wesser Gap. This senic portion of the Appalachian trail is perfect for day hikes.
- Bartram Trail - 37.7 miles - Easy
- Trailhead: The trail enters North Carolina just south of Highlands near Rabun Bald and joins the Appalachian Trail at two points. The trail ends on Cheoah Bald.
- Big Indian Horse Trail - 8 miles - Moderate / Difficult / Horseback / Fishing
- Trailhead: Big Indian Creek. The Standing Indian Recreation Area west of Franklin offers many excellent hiking trails and lies in close proximity to the Appalachian Trail. The Big Indian Trail is designated for both horseback riding and hiking, and there is a horse camp close by at Hurricane Creek.
- Big Snowbird Trail - 12.7 miles - Difficult / Fishing
- Trailhead: Big Snowbird Road. The first 4 miles are recommended for day hikes.
- Fires Creek Area Trails - 0.3 to 5.4 miles - Easy / Moderate / Difficult / Horseback / Fishing
- Trailhead: Fires Creek Recreation Area. Offers a number of excellent trails, including a designated horseback trail and horse camp. Cover Loop is an easy 0.3-mile trail that is handicap accessible. Other popular foot trails include Leatherwood Loop Trail (0.7 mile), Leatherwood Branch Trail (3.5 miles) and Cover Trail, which follows Fires Creek for approximately 5 miles.
- Jackrabbit Mountain Trail - 2.5 miles - Easy / Fishing
- Trailhead: Jackrabbit Recreation Area. Trail offers an excellent view of Lake Chatuge and provides lake fishing access as well.
- Joyce Kilmer Memorial Trail - 2 miles - Easy
- Trailhead: Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest parking lot. Joyce Kilmer Forest, the last remnant of virgin forest in the Southern Appalachians, offers a spectacular 2-mile loop trail.
- Mallonee Trail - 5 miles - Easy / Fishing / Wheelchair Access
- Trailhead: Balsam Lake Recreation Area. The Mallonee Trail provides barrier free access, with three wheelchair-accessible fishing platforms located along the trail.
- Maple Springs Observation Point - 800 feet - Easy / Wheelchair Access
- Trailhead: Maple Springs Observation Area. Maple Springs offers an unparalleled view of the Smokies, especially during the fall color season.
- Mountains-to-Sea Trail - 8.75 miles - Difficult / Cycling / Horseback / ATV
- Trailhead: Old Bald Ridge on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Highland's portion of North Carolina's Mountains-to-Sea Trail traverses breathtaking stands of old-growth forest and plenty of wildlife.
- Whiteside Mountain Trail - 2 miles - Moderate
- Trailhead: Whiteside Mountain parking area. The loop trail features a view of the highest vertical drop in the Eastern U.S. at 750 feet. Sheer rock faces are popular for rock climbing and rappelling.
- Yellow Montain Trail - 4.8 miles - Difficult
- Trailhead: Buck Creek Road (SR 1538). Traverse three of Highland's most scenic mountains. Beautiful views and a diversity of plant life.
If you want to know more...you know the drill...just contact me!
Rick, Jr.
www.RickStrohm.com
Rick & Rick Strohm, Jr.
So you ask...what is "The Dragon"? If you are a motorcyclists and/or sports car enthusiast you will want to read the following!
Riders and drivers from around the country come to the Great Smoky Mountains for the great riding climate and the endless ribbon of winding country roads. And, a must-ride for any motorcyclist is "The Dragon".
Officially known as Highway 129, The Dragon has 318 curves in just 11 miles. The adventure begins at Deal's Gap near Robbinsville, NC, and offers sections like "Little Whip," "The Slide" and "The Gravity Cavity", to name a few.
When you're ready for the ride of your lifetime, The Dragon awaits. If you want to know more - just contact me!
Rick, Jr.