Articles
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Investor to Agent – The First Closing
What’s it like to go from real estate investor to agent? For one thing, there’s a lot more paperwork! Rodrigo started 2021 by closing on his first property as an agent, and learned a lot about how to streamline the process. Sure, the paperwork is daunting, but he’s finding
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COVID’s Economic Impact
COVID had a drastic economic impact on the American landscape. Rodrigo spoke with Tony Pierfelice, a local businessman and investor who has successfully navigated saving and investing. They examined Asheville real estate, business, and COVID’s effects from a macro level. As an investment pro, Tony always touts the value
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Equality in Real Estate
The real estate industry has an equality problem. Keller Williams aims to fix it. Jeff Stewart, an Asheville KW CEO/team leader, spoke with agent Kelsey Simmons about the company’s commitment to positive change. In addition to working as a real estate agent, Kelsey is an ambassador for the Keller
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100 Days As A New Agent
It’s been 100 days as a new agent for Rodrigo, and it hasn’t been easy. You learn as you go, as nothing can really prepare you for the total experience as a real estate agent. As of the recording of the podcast, the due diligence for his listing is
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The First Listing As A Real Estate Agent
Welcome to part two of Rodrigo’s new agent journey – his first listing as a real estate agent! After 20 days as a licensed agent in North Carolina, Rodrigo is seeing some very busy days and some slow days. This, he says, is similar to investing. He is remembering
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Commercial Property Management in a Changing Asheville
Commercial property management is not always at top of mind when we think of tenant-landlord relationships. But it’s a huge part of maintaining small businesses and our economy in the Asheville area. We spoke with Wes Reinhardt for all the insider information. Wes is president and co-founder of Altamus,
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The First 10 Days as a Real Estate Agent
Welcome to Rodrigo’s new journey as a licensed real estate agent! This is the first in a series of ten posts and podcast episodes documenting the first 100 days of a new agent. Although it wasn’t the most exciting ten days of his life, there’s a lot of administrative
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Making Money in Mobile Homes
Making money in mobile homes was virtually unheard of just a few years ago. Now, it’s one of real estate’s hottest trends. Levi Parham spoke with Nolan on a recent podcast episode about how he transitioned from being a broker into this booming specialty. He is the founding partner
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Remote Real Estate Support
Need remote real estate support? You don’t have to hire an assistant and worry if they’ll be good at sales. We spoke with Gustavo Castro, owner of Power ISA, a sales and marketing expert who helps real estate professionals grow their businesses. Gustavo is no stranger to the real estate
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Housing Asheville: Better Living Through Homeward Bound
Housing in Asheville can be difficult to find. For some, it’s close to impossible. Homeward Bound serves the community by providing a path to permanent housing. We spoke with Amber Adams, communication manager, and Eleanor Ashton, Senior Resource Development Director at Homeward Bound to discuss their work in the
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Creative Financing: One Investor’s Path
Jay Chekansky found creative financing on the recommendation of a friend, and stuck with it because it fit his personality. How did this former engineer-turned house-flipper shift his mindset to financing? We were wondering the same thing. Jay got into the real estate industry doing fix and flips, taking
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Start A Business And Succeed
Start a business for success, then pivot for happiness—that’s what Elena Huggins did. The local business owner of Luxe Wedding Designs told us about her success in the industry and how she adjusted her business to allow for personal growth. Elena’s family immigrated to the US in the 1980s,
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Becoming a Real Estate Agent: Leave the 9-5 Behind!
Thinking about becoming a real estate agent? We spoke to Ryan Howell who gave up his 9-to-5 for the real estate life. Ryan grew up in Hendersonville, earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and moved to Arden for work. His first taste of real estate was remodeling his
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Energy Efficiency for Buncombe County
Energy efficiency in Asheville homes is now more accessible to those with lower incomes through Energy Savers Network. We spoke with operations coordinator Yulia Shaffer and client scheduling coordinator Hannah Egan about the ways they provide assistance to the community. “Energy Savers Network’s mission is to mobilize the community
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National Eviction Moratorium – An Asheville Attorney’s Overview
What impact will the recent national eviction moratorium have on Asheville renters and landlords? We spoke with attorney Douglas Tate for the details. On Tuesday, September 1, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) announced a new eviction moratorium in the United States. It puts a freeze
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Learn Real Estate Virtually… and Ethically!
Want to learn real estate in a more sustainable and thoughtful way? Talk to Johnny Kuscera. Johnny is an adult educator who actively practices real estate. He taught at Cumbie and Trull in Asheville and at various universities: UCLA, UT of Austin, and the University of Oklahoma. With a
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Market Data Analysis with Zac Ruiz
Don’t try to analyze market data yourself! Look to the experts who can tell you what the numbers mean. Zac Ruiz is back with another Ruiz Report, his analysis of current real estate market data. Zac’s background in data science and finance allows him to look at the data
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New Agent Tips For Success
What’s it like to be a brand new agent in the real estate industry? We examined the highs, the lows, and all the details with Luke Rutherford of Century 21 Hi-Alta Real Estate here in Asheville. He also spoke about his thoughts on buying vs renting a home. Luke
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Seeking Asheville’s Top Agents
What makes top agents shine in Asheville’s real estate market? Some say hustle, others say it’s talent. We spoke with Charles Boyett of Asheville Real Producers to find out his thoughts. The answer may seem simple, but gets to the heart of real estate. Asheville Real Producers is a
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Give Back To The Community
How do you give back? Asheville business owner Ferrin Cole volunteers in a unique and intentional way, supporting a variety of nonprofits. Ferrin Cole owns the Fox N Otter escape rooms with his wife and runs AVL City Care on a volunteer basis. A resident in WNC for 11
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Cover Your Assets With The Right Insurance
Whether you rent or own, it’s important to cover your assets with proper insurance. Jared Bellmund told us how to protect ourselves in order to face uncertain times with more security. Jared, a repeat guest on the Asheville Real Estate News podcast, says insurance is a mix of risk
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Survive America’s Next Recession
It’s crucial to be ready for what’s next, which could mean America’s next recession! We talked with Bryce Robertson about how the economy will affect the real estate market and what to do to prepare. Bryce has written some insightful articles on the topic because he saw a gap
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Market Update With Mary Love
For a recent market update, we spoke with Mary Love of Love The Green, a real estate consulting firm. She is an agent specializing in green-built and sustainable homes, a real estate investor, and has her own blog and YouTube channel where she shares her love for the industry.
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Trusts, Wills, and Estates: Plan Ahead!
Sometimes you have to plan for things you’d rather not, like your inevitable death. Look into trusts, wills, and estate planning as soon as possible to protect your assets and ensure they’re properly handled. Asheville tax attorney Lorin Page tells us the mentality around it estate planning, why it’s
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Should You Invest In Multifamily Now?
If you’re involved in real estate, you may be wondering, “Why invest in multifamily now?” Once you learn about the benefits, it may be time to begin. Charlie Dobens can help! Multifamily attorney Charles Dobens founded The Multifamily Investing Academy to teach people to invest properly. He provides insight
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Pursuing the Passion For Real Estate
The Asheville Cash Buyers team is changing, and Nolan Freeland is moving on and further pursuing his passion for real estate. What are his next steps in the industry, and how will he carry forward what he’s learned in the past? Rodrigo spoke with Nolan about moving in different
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Property Management Moving Forward
To learn about how property management is moving forward and the rental market is evolving beyond the pandemic, we went to the experts. Local property manager Glenn Person of Rent-A-Home Asheville shared his experience and predictions for the future. With North Carolina eviction courts back open June 22, Glenn
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The Eviction Moratorium Continues — Is That Good News?
In North Carolina, Governor Roy Cooper has extended the moratorium on eviction proceedings. It was put in place during the COVID-19 shutdown to protect rental tenants who lost jobs or were furloughed. Although the impending end of the moratorium seems worrisome for those citizens, there is also the perspective
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Proactive Property Management: Al Sartorelli Learns from COVID
With COVID-19 shuttering businesses and putting tenants out of work, Al Sartorelli takes a proactive approach to property management. Instead of waiting to react to problems and issues, he opens up lines of communication to help prevent surprises. With a splash of empathy, he’s found navigating this crisis less
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How Will The Pandemic Affect Real Estate?
Karl Krentzel may have a more pessimistic view on ways the pandemic will affect real estate, but he’s seen this kind of thing before. When the federal government intervenes in real estate, he has insight into what’s coming and how to prepare. Karl got his real estate license in
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Keller Williams and Real Estate Tech
Is Keller Williams making a shift from real estate to technology? It’s a revolutionary approach for them to focus on building a unique platform for their agents, rather than relying on the tech tools they can’t control. Bret Frk, a buyers agent on the Broker Asheville team, attended the
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Rental Income: From Side Hustle to Full Time
Can you replace your day job with rental income? West Asheville resident Crom Carey did just that. As a real estate entrepreneur, he used a long and steady approach to grow his career. He now makes his entire income from rental properties and is enjoying his new flexible lifestyle.
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A Mortgage Expert’s Tips for Home Loans
Yes, you can still get a new mortgage loan in these uncertain times. We spoke with Chase Hanks from Movement Mortgage to get her tips for home loans now. Even though many people are out of work temporarily, many are still in the market for a new home. We
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A Deep Dive Into the Numbers: Asheville Market
To truly do a deep dive into the numbers, it’s important to talk with the experts. Real estate pros who know how to analyze data can extrapolate useful information and predictions. We spoke with Keller Williams’ Jeff Stewart, Asheville CEO, and Zacory Ruiz, agent to get their take on
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Mortgage Forbearance: Is It Your Only Option?
With the onset of COVID-19, we’re seeing drastic economic changes every day. Homeowners are wondering if mortgage forbearance is the only option, and it’s hard to know where to get the facts. With news about unemployment and the tightening market swirling, it’s best to check in with an expert.
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Asheville Short Term Rentals: Government Overreach or Necessary Protection?
As cities all over the country grapple with managing short-term rentals, does Asheville have an opportunity to be a leader in thoughtful regulations? Asheville short-term rentals, or STRs, have been a local hot button topic for years now, with the city currently home to 1,172 Airbnb listings and recording
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Asheville Affordable Housing: The Squeeze – A Local Perspective
While the United States government has traditionally offered far less than its European counterparts in the area of a social safety net, subsidized housing (formerly known by its less-politically-palatable name, “public housing,” and of a piece with “affordable housing”) has been a fixture on the American landscape since the
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Build A Business Flipping Homes
Want to flip homes like you see on HGTV? It’s not simple, but you can master it by putting in the work. At a recent meetup, we talked with Katie & Ashley Ciochetti. These two have over 10 years experience flipping homes in Asheville and have a proven system.
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Albert Wiley, US House Candidate
Albert Wiley is a Republican candidate for US House District 11. He was born and raised in Canton, North Carolina, and spent years away earning multiple degrees (BS, MD, and Ph.D) and working in the engineering and medical fields. He worked as a nuclear defense lab manager for the
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Steve Fekete, Jr, NC House Candidate
Steve Fekete, Jr is running for NC House of Representatives in District 11 as a Republican. He has lived in North Carolina for 40 years after meeting his wife on a military base and worked almost 30 years for the UPS. A big Mark Meadows fan, Steve applied for
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Dillon Gentry, US House Candidate
Dillon Gentry is running for the US House of Representatives on the Republican ticket. He has always lived in Asheville. Dillon studied political science and criminal justice at Appalachian State, and served in the Marine Corps. Dillon wants to reshape the government, especially the House. He believes everyday people
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Donna Ensley, County Commissioner Candidate
Donna Ensley is running for Buncombe County Commissioner on the Democratic party ticket. She has been an Asheville resident since 1987. Donna has years of leadership experience with nonprofits like MANNA food bank, the YWCA, and the United Way. Her background is in capital campaigns. This work involves helping
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Nicole Townsend, Asheville City Council Candidate
Nicole Townsend has worked as an activist organizing around justice, equity and LGBTQ issues for years and is running for city council. She is aligned with the Southerners On New Ground (SONG) organization, a political nonprofit. Nicole is dedicated to making decisions with and on behalf of her community.
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Kim Roney, Asheville City Council Candidate
Kim Roney got her start in politics via the AFM news hour on 103.3, working with Gordon Smith. She became a working-class advocate in the local government, joined committees, and then decided to run for Asheville city council. Affordability: Affordable housing is the big issue this election season, as
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Shane McCarthy, Asheville City Council Candidate
Shane McCarthy is an Asheville native and an NC State alumnus who has worked in many industries, from hospitality to civil engineering. Affordable housing issues motivated him to run for city council. Affordability: Housing needs to include manufactured (mobile) homes, which are not allowed in city limits. The increase
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Rich Lee, Asheville City Council Candidate
Rich Lee would like to use his business and political management experience to continue implementing progressive priorities for Asheville. Affordability: Rich is a financial planner and sees the effects of the cost of living vs pay rates here. Is the city ensuring that careers and jobs are keeping pace
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Is Technology Disrupting Real Estate?
With every industry comes innovation and, inevitably, disruption. Is technology disrupting real estate? Local experts Stewart Downey and Jeff Stewart say yes, but don’t despair – we can use it to our advantage both as real estate professionals and consumers. Both Jeff and Stewart manage Keller Williams offices in
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Buncombe County Property Tax: Where Does That Money Go?
Almost 300 years ago, Daniel Defoe wrote of the inevitability of two things: death and taxes. Homeowners across the United States pay taxes based upon the assessed value of their property, though it’s fair to say that many couldn’t readily tell you just how much they pay on an
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A Keller Williams MAPS Coach Success Story
Tyler Elstrom, a Keller Williams MAPS coach in Asheville, NC, doesn’t claim to have all the answers. He simply asks the right questions. Getting to the top Tyler began his real estate career as an agent, hustling hard for sales. He quickly rose to the top once he partnered
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Short-Term Lending: The ALFIE Alternative
ALFIE (Alternative lending for inspired entrepreneurs) is a short-term bridge lender for real estate investment projects in North Carolina. They can help finance fix & flips, buy & hold projects, construction, and developments of all sizes. Basically, they’re THE resource for real estate developers looking for an alternative to
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Jeff Stewart and the Impact Mindset
The impact mindset makes all the difference for Jeff Stewart at Keller Williams Professional Realty in Asheville, NC. By focusing on his impact on others and helping them thrive, he has built a successful career in real estate and management. Originally from the area, Jeff knows Asheville well. He
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Next Level Income
To bring your income to the next level, you need to focus on three things: making it, keeping it, and growing it. At Next Level Income, Chris Larsen and Caleb Welborn show you how. Their programs, podcast and ebook all focus on helping investors accumulate wealth efficiently. Chris has
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Asheville Hotel Development: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
The state of Asheville hotel development is a hot-button topic for many locals and has been grabbing plenty of headlines over the last few years, like this July 29, 2019, Asheville Citizen-Times piece, “Asheville Hotel Temporary Building Ban Likely, Councilwoman Julie Mayfield Says.” Mayfield reacted to the backlash pertaining
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Real Estate Predictions: 2020 Edition
It’s 2020, and we’re excited to see what this year will bring. Asheville’s experts gaze into the crystal ball for our annual real estate predictions, and their outlooks definitely vary. Rodrigo Afanador, host of Asheville Real Estate News, predicts more of what we’re seeing now with perhaps a slight
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Multi-Family Investment: From 0-400 Units in 3 Years!
Richard Coyne of Park Capital Partners wants to enjoy his life and support his family. Don’t we all? Support the family as it grows, send the kids to good schools, and eventually retire comfortably enough to pursue our hobbies. He figured out how to build wealth in a way
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Is Goal-Setting A Skill?
The Asheville Real Estate News team discussed their goals for 2020 and how best to achieve them. Nolan Freeland, the behind-the-scenes partner at AREN, joins Rodrigo Afanador in a frank year-end chat about goals. Is goal-setting a skill or an action plan? It’s important to set goals on a
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Estimate Cash Flow with Keith Prescott
Considering buying a rental property? Real estate broker, investor, and personal finance expert Keith Prescott knows exactly what numbers to look at to estimate cash flow. The goal is profit, and he knows how to achieve that in Buncombe County! Can you look at a property listing and know
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How Long Does it Take to Sell a House in Asheville?
How Long Does it Take to Sell a House in Asheville? From start to finish, what do you need to know so you can answer “How Long Does it Take to Sell a House in Asheville?”. There are a lot of factors that can influence the time to sell,
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Pocket Neighborhoods
These communities of small homes are often referred to as pocket neighborhoods. Pocket neighborhoods are less expensive to get into than traditional neighborhoods,
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Multi-Family Investing
By focusing on Multi-Family Investing, he was able to handle more leases, bring in more income, and in turn hire employees to handle the day-to-day aspects of management rather than having to do it himself. It was, for Zahller, a no-brainer.
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Esther Manheimer Mayor of Asheville
Esther Manheimer Mayor of Asheville, who has been Mayor of Asheville since 2013, is keenly aware of everything going on in her city, from concerns about growth and gentrification to the vibrant arts and
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Downtown Hendersonville NC
While it can be tempting to think of Downtown Hendersonville NC as a kind of suburb of Asheville, it is, in fact, a city all its own. It has its own economy, its own tourist draws, its own unique
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BeLoved Asheville
BeLoved Asheville is dedicated to community building and the empowerment of those who struggle financially in our city. To help us learn more about BeLoved’s mission and projects as well as to shed some light on the challenges faced by our community, Amy Cantrell and Ponkho Bermejo, co-directors of
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Asheville Coworking: Has its time come for the Western N.C. market?
Two decades ago, the concept of an Asheville coworking space was a novel idea. While the era of career-long job security – in the form of companies like IBM keeping employees on board until retirement – had already slipped away, the practice of working for a company but not
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Two Questions To Revolutionize Your Marketing
Two Questions To Revolutionize Your Marketing When it comes to business, one of the most important factors, after a solid offering and a great business plan, is a quality approach to marketing. For the new business owner just starting out, this can be a daunting prospect – how do
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Property Payoff: Tips To Increase Resale Value
Property Payoff: Tips To Increase Resale Value Home improvements do more than make your house more livable and increase your family’s comfort level. They also have the side effect of boosting its value when the time comes to sell. Although making any improvements throughout your house can impress potential
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The City of Asheville Affordable Housing Bond
In November 2016, the city created a $25M Asheville affordable housing bond. it’s essential to understand exactly what the Asheville
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Pursuing Real Estate Investing on Top of a Day Job
Pursuing Real Estate Investing on Top of a Day Job For many investors, real estate is the be-all and end-all of their careers. Real estate investing is what they love, and it’s how they seek to make a living and ultimately fund the rest of their lives. For
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Spring 2019 Western North Carolina Real Estate Market Update (With Stats)
We’ve compiled a list of Western North Carolina real estate statistics, reflections, and predictions to provide an insight
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Developing Affordable Housing in Asheville NC with Kirk Booth
There is a crisis of Affordable housing in Asheville NC. Kirk Booth firmly believes that building affordable housing in Asheville, NC
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Saving Money to Achieve Your Goals
Develop the Discipline of Saving to Achieve Your Goals When it comes to saving money, most of us have the same goal in mind – save as much as possible as quickly as possible, while still being able to lead a satisfying and fulfilling life in the present.
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THE EMERGING HOME WATCH INDUSTRY WITH MATT ROOKS | AREN 98
Matt Rooks, founder of Roost Home Watch a new local business joins us on the show today to discuss the emerging home watch industry. Matt’s company specializes in keeping vacant properties in shipshape condition while the owners are away, while houses are sitting empty on the market for sale,
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CONFLICT RESOLUTION SPECIALIST ROBIN FUNSTEN | AREN 97
If you’ve been in real estate long enough, then you have no doubt ran into a conflict. Albeit with partners, tenants, buyers/sellers, or anyone else. Today’s episode is all about conflict resolution. Robin Funsten Community Conflict Solutions sits down with Rodrigo Afanador to talk about resolving business and personal
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Economic Development in Asheville, NC
As any local resident knows, our city has seen a lot of growth and economic development in Asheville the past several years.
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Climate Change and its Effects on Real Estate
Climate Change and its Effects on Real Estate Anyone who has been paying attention has seen the signs – unusual temperatures, increased storm activity, and severity, broad changes in the seasonal pattern: climate change is very real, and its consequences are immediate and urgent. We’ve been hearing about
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Mold Remediation and Business Challenges
Mold Remediation and Business Challenges Western North Carolina is a beautiful place – often referred to as a temperate rainforest, our region is blessed with a huge amount of biodiversity, in both plant and animal life. Unfortunately, what makes the area so well-suited to supporting its unique flora
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DO YOU NEED A COLLEGE DEGREE TO BE SUCCESSFUL? | AREN 96
This week we’re bringing you an audio-only special! This episode started as a whim to test out some new mics for the podcast and ended up turning into an interview with Nolan Freeland, who alongside producing, editing and overall making this podcast a reality has also been an integral part
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USING A REALTOR TO BUY INVESTMENT PROPERTIES | AREN 95
Al Sartorelli is a Real Estate Broker and Property Manager at Alpha Real Estate. Al manages over 100 different homes, tenants, and owners. On this episode, we sit down with Al to not only discuss the reasons why you should hire a property manager and when it is the
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THESE 2 QUESTIONS WILL REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR MARKETING | AREN 94
If you’re struggling with your marketing, and not sure which route to take then this is the episode for you. Caleb Welborn, owner, and founder of Welborn & Co. The avenues of marketing are always changing, but principles remain the same. In this episode, Caleb proposes two questions, that
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SPRING 2019 WNC MARKET UPDATE | AREN 92
April marks the start of Q2 for 2019, and as part of that, it’s time for our quarterly market update episode! On this particular one, we invited Stefanie Beierschmitt an investor and an agent from eXp Realty to sit down, talk stats and what trends she is seeing first
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PURSUING REAL ESTATE INVESTING ON TOP OF A GREAT CAREER | AREN 91
Kierna Mason is an engineer by day and a real estate investor by night. We first met Kierna when she attended one of our monthly real estate networking meetups. Kierna focuses her investing efforts mostly in the Johnson City area. If you’re looking to get into real estate investing and still hold your
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DEVELOP THE DISCIPLINE OF SAVING TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS | AREN 89
We talk a lot about investing in real estate and being involved in the real estate business, but we haven’t ever talked about the step before getting started… Which is saving money! Today we are bringing you that episode! Tony Pierfelice is a local investor and private money lender
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CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS EFFECTS ON REAL ESTATE | AREN 88
Today, we’re talking about a bit of a controversial subject. What effects does the development of real estate have on climate change? and what are the ripple effects as we keep developing? Dr. Doug Bruggeman Ph.D. is our guest for this episode. Tune in as we dive into his expertise!
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Real Estate Short Sales in North Carolina | Steve Wilde The Wilde Law Firm
Real Estate Short sales in North Carolina can sound like an amazing opportunity and a great deal for real estate investors looking to
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Scott Bolte – Front Range Cash Buyers
For real estate investors just getting started, the path can often seem prescribed – start out wholesaling, cut your teeth, and then, once you’ve put in your time, branch out, find your niche, and specialize. In the beginning, that was exactly the path that Scott Bolte of Front Range
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Asheville Vacation Rentals – Gay Weber
In Asheville, tourism is the name of the game. And, with visitors coming in from near and far, there’s a constant need for Asheville vacation rentals
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Debbie Alford – Homeward Bound
It’s no secret that homelessness is a major problem in Asheville. We have a large homeless population for a city of our size, and in particular, have a significant number of individuals who are chronically homeless. This isn’t an easy problem to solve, and multiple factors must be put
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IRA Lawyer – John Hyre
John Hyre has been a tax attorney & IRA Lawyer for 23 years, became involved with real estate law through his own investments.