Required viewing for anyone considering buying land in WNC. I would add one more issue, shared private roads and the inevitable issue of maintenance costs. We learned the hard way about living on a slope. After being forced to choose between losing our equity or walking away, we had to spend over $200k on a retaining wall. ALWAYS hire an engineer before building on a slope. Asheville has broken many hearts. Lead with your brain!
Some have right of ways through the property with no road . Then you wake up one day, and the neighbor who just bought the lot next to you has a bull dozer in your garden . Even if you get a lawyer , do your own research on the deed .
@@Hammer.J.Helmer yes it is and I am a general contractor and built many homes in Western North Carolina, so I know exactly what I’m talking about and don’t tell me I don’t
Elena, you are by far the most competent real estate broker in the Asheville area by raising these important issues. Just look at the road system in Asheville as it winds through areas that would make road building expensive. The roads wind as the DOT seeks relatively flat surfaces avoiding as much solid rock as possible. Rock outcroppings are very common in WNC with only a small amount of topsoil covering the land. Building a foundation on rock can be very expensive. I look forward to more of your insights.
Good video! I moved to WNC a decade ago and love it! Steep lots make for good views! I love my steep lot - almost no maintenance - it's completely natural; no lawn, no lawnmower. And after a decade, I'm almost poison ivy free! No HOA means no issues with rule violations. We wanted ducks; we got ducks. A chicken showed up a few weeks ago, and now we've got a chicken! But I've bought rural land previously, know the routine with perk testing, wells, spotty cell service, spotty internet. The only issue I had was pre-sale as the property was part of family land on a shared well, and when the property left the family due to a divorce, the owner of the lot with the well cut off the connection to the property I was trying to buy. Fortunately, the seller used legal power to get the well connected, and I was nervous for a while, but reached out to the owners several times indicating my willingness to split well maintenance costs, and even pay monthly for water. They're just typical locals - wary of outsiders. I'm eyeballing property just north of Asheville that no one else wants - you just need to know what you're getting into. It's definitely not like Chicago, New York, or Raleigh where I used to live. Also be aware, if you live out of town a bit, you'll hear plenty of nearly target shooting practice in advance of the various hunting seasons. Many lots are bought up by underinformed "outsiders" and then after a while go back on the market, because they've made too many assumptions based on their more "civilized" living experiences elsewhere.
@@AmericaShallBeSaved777 that's so awesome to hear!! Thank you for responding, some good news is needed in times likes this, even if I don't know you, I care 🤗 Thank you for helping the kitty too 🐈❤️ the more the merrier 🤗 🙏🏼 sending my thoughts and prayers to you and everyone affected.
Asheville is like the San Fransisco of the Carolina's... Expensive, lots of rules. Asheville very liberal compared to rest of NC, surround by very conservative towns. Personally don't care, but maybe consider your particular flavor, might as well live and be comfortable w/ your neighbors... And sloped lots are great for walkouts / garage under.
This is the best video I've seen pertaining to purchasing land you want to build on. Definitely a video I would recommend. I know. I moved to SC to do this. I wish you were over here. Is there anyone (realtor or land consultant) that you can recommend out this way? W/o giving the exact location......Greenville area
I had no idea building a house was so complicated (and expensive). I think I'd go for a house that's already been built. I don't need all those headaches! Whew!
Slopes aren't necessarily bad. Look at Asheville now. The flat areas are what flooded. Water drains away on slopes. Water accumulates near the bottom of terrain. Look for trees and other vegetation growing at a potential land purchase. That's what keeps soil in place. Bare slopes need closer examination.
We bought a beautiful lot in a development atop Burnt Mountain 9 years ago. What we didn’t know was may more than what we did know. In 2015 a builder, my wife and visited the lot. The builder looked at where I wanted the house (mostly flat). The cost to do the driveway was over $60000. And that was just gravel. City water wAs not available. That meant a well would be needed. We got a quote of $10000 to drill to a certain depth. Deeper would be more and there is no guarantee of finding water. Other things included building rules that depended which county we were in. We also didn’t know the difference in taxes in the two counties we had to choose. The costs piled up so we sold the lot. Fortunately we got almost all of our money back. We will never build a house again unless we win a huge lotto jackpot where we wouldn’t have to worry about the many unknowns re costs.😊
@@carlT1986 yep, sounds about right…I talk people not only out of houses but definitely out of building a house, especially when they have a certain budget and think they can buy a more expensive lot than they really can/should. Anyway, it’s a can of worms for sure
The Appalachians stretch from GA to Maine. Thus, there are plenty of places other than Asheville for upper middle class and wealthy people to buy up and explore their attraction to token outdoor activities, alcoholism, bad music, feral dogs, entropy, etc.
You can pick your lot but the roadways, especially I 26 is a freaking nightmare, and the drivers there are always cutting each other off, speeding and have total ignorance towards commercial vehicle's.
Yes the roads living in the mountains has its hidden costs for sure , some of these roads may need paved it’s steep and if you are lucky to own a machine it may just not be enough back to back rains will wash your hard work away in seconds , pain will be best over time or concrete , don’t do hoa if you have the time check into America’s home place if you buy the land you can use it as a down payment so don’t come out of pocket , also a great bank is ag south farm credit speak with Jason rogers they work together with America’s home place takes all the stress away , and yes they are stick built home quality built up to code , have 2x6 walls and 2x4 customizable AHP will take care of you and the home is guaranteed up to a year . Good luck
Concrete mountain road is going to be very expensive as a lot of these driveways are long and steep. And it is definitely not going to work in winter. Some communities keep roads gravel to have traction in winter otherwise it can be very dangerous
@@livinginashevillenc I'm currently building a custom home. It will be a weather tight shell and I'm going to finish the inside. I'll be on site every day. My desire to build my vision is greater than buying anything out of a catalog. It took years of research, education, and scouting. I was open to the possibilities and places it took me to find my dream. It isn't easy and yes, I'd do it again.
@@livinginashevillenc I have been attacked several times and they basically refused to do anything about it, telling me my assault was a "civil matter". This is why violence is getting so bad. Violent people get the message loud and clear. Just recently, a boy tried to defend his mother from the man who shot her to death. The police literally charged the boy with attempted murder for shooting at the man who just gunned down his mother because that was the easiest thing to do, and he was black. Then the neighbors across the street dropped the ring camera footage that clearly showed it was a self-defense act. The actual murderer is still free as far as I know. Asheville is done for. It's the fault of the APD and the city council. 100%. I could go on and on about this. The surrounding communities aren't much better. It's not a left-right thing. It's just the area. Now people are getting robbed and carjacked at Carrier Park. I guess that's a civil matter too. There are even random shootings right next to the wealthiest neighborhoods now.
Life goes on. Some have lost it and some lost their home, but not every single living soul is annihilated. People of the area will carry on just as humans always do.
Required viewing for anyone considering buying land in WNC. I would add one more issue, shared private roads and the inevitable issue of maintenance costs. We learned the hard way about living on a slope. After being forced to choose between losing our equity or walking away, we had to spend over $200k on a retaining wall. ALWAYS hire an engineer before building on a slope. Asheville has broken many hearts. Lead with your brain!
You’re right about the roads!
Driving up to a property and seeing the road can also give you a good clue about its maintenance.
Some have right of ways through the property with no road . Then you wake up one day, and the neighbor who just bought the lot next to you has a bull dozer in your garden . Even if you get a lawyer , do your own research on the deed .
I’m curious what you know about North Carolina when your accent is New England😢
@@rmanbike her accent isn't New England... 🤦♂everything she said is spot on, to satisfy your curiousity... she knows a lot about North Carolina.
@@Hammer.J.Helmer yes it is and I am a general contractor and built many homes in Western North Carolina, so I know exactly what I’m talking about and don’t tell me I don’t
Elena, you are by far the most competent real estate broker in the Asheville area by raising these important issues. Just look at the road system in Asheville as it winds through areas that would make road building expensive. The roads wind as the DOT seeks relatively flat surfaces avoiding as much solid rock as possible. Rock outcroppings are very common in WNC with only a small amount of topsoil covering the land. Building a foundation on rock can be very expensive. I look forward to more of your insights.
Thank you so much for your comment 🙏
Good video! I moved to WNC a decade ago and love it! Steep lots make for good views! I love my steep lot - almost no maintenance - it's completely natural; no lawn, no lawnmower. And after a decade, I'm almost poison ivy free! No HOA means no issues with rule violations. We wanted ducks; we got ducks. A chicken showed up a few weeks ago, and now we've got a chicken! But I've bought rural land previously, know the routine with perk testing, wells, spotty cell service, spotty internet. The only issue I had was pre-sale as the property was part of family land on a shared well, and when the property left the family due to a divorce, the owner of the lot with the well cut off the connection to the property I was trying to buy. Fortunately, the seller used legal power to get the well connected, and I was nervous for a while, but reached out to the owners several times indicating my willingness to split well maintenance costs, and even pay monthly for water. They're just typical locals - wary of outsiders. I'm eyeballing property just north of Asheville that no one else wants - you just need to know what you're getting into. It's definitely not like Chicago, New York, or Raleigh where I used to live. Also be aware, if you live out of town a bit, you'll hear plenty of nearly target shooting practice in advance of the various hunting seasons. Many lots are bought up by underinformed "outsiders" and then after a while go back on the market, because they've made too many assumptions based on their more "civilized" living experiences elsewhere.
@@AmericaShallBeSaved777 thank you for your feedback! I loved all the advice and observations you offered 🙏
Hope your family and your ducks, and chicken are safe 🙏🏼🙏🏼
@@jessicam5226 Thanks - we are! We also picked up a stray kitten just as Helene hit, so we're a growing family of animals!
@@AmericaShallBeSaved777 that's so awesome to hear!! Thank you for responding, some good news is needed in times likes this, even if I don't know you, I care 🤗 Thank you for helping the kitty too 🐈❤️ the more the merrier 🤗 🙏🏼 sending my thoughts and prayers to you and everyone affected.
Asheville is like the San Fransisco of the Carolina's... Expensive, lots of rules. Asheville very liberal compared to rest of NC, surround by very conservative towns. Personally don't care, but maybe consider your particular flavor, might as well live and be comfortable w/ your neighbors...
And sloped lots are great for walkouts / garage under.
You are right
This is the best video I've seen pertaining to purchasing land you want to build on. Definitely a video I would recommend. I know. I moved to SC to do this. I wish you were over here. Is there anyone (realtor or land consultant) that you can recommend out this way? W/o giving the exact location......Greenville area
👍very thorough! TY
You are welcome!
Starlink is helpful for your internet needs and you can have it anywhere along as you have a clear view of the sky.
Yep. Problem here is that there’s a lot of woods!
I had no idea building a house was so complicated (and expensive). I think I'd go for a house that's already been built. I don't need all those headaches! Whew!
It definitely has a few more steps to it 😅
Slopes aren't necessarily bad. Look at Asheville now. The flat areas are what flooded. Water drains away on slopes. Water accumulates near the bottom of terrain. Look for trees and other vegetation growing at a potential land purchase. That's what keeps soil in place. Bare slopes need closer examination.
Yes and no…and some people are learning it a very hard way here. Some homes got severely damaged on slopes as the ground moved (slided)😓
Read about steep slope and storm water zoning getting very intense.
Thx you for the great info, new video for after hurricane Helene? is it still the same? or too soon to tell? thank you
@@MRxESKIMOx need to regroup and definitely do an update.
Thank you 🙏
Watching this in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Me too.
Yeah. Steep lots might not be he worst of the problems now.
14.8 ACREAS OF LAND FOR SALE, LOCATED ON BROCK ROAD IN DUNN NORTH CAROLINA
We bought a beautiful lot in a development atop Burnt Mountain 9 years ago. What we didn’t know was may more than what we did know.
In 2015 a builder, my wife and visited the lot. The builder looked at where I wanted the house (mostly flat). The cost to do the driveway was over $60000. And that was just gravel.
City water wAs not available. That meant a well would be needed. We got a quote of $10000 to drill to a certain depth. Deeper would be more and there is no guarantee of finding water.
Other things included building rules that depended which county we were in. We also didn’t know the difference in taxes in the two counties we had to choose.
The costs piled up so we sold the lot. Fortunately we got almost all of our money back.
We will never build a house again unless we win a huge lotto jackpot where we wouldn’t have to worry about the many unknowns re costs.😊
@@carlT1986 yep, sounds about right…I talk people not only out of houses but definitely out of building a house, especially when they have a certain budget and think they can buy a more expensive lot than they really can/should.
Anyway, it’s a can of worms for sure
Why not just do your research and be pragmatic? Guess it depends on how bad you actually want it and where. 🤷♂️
@@MrTwinkieeater duh. I know a lot more now than I did then. Live and learn I ‘spose.
The Appalachians stretch from GA to Maine. Thus, there are plenty of places other than Asheville for upper middle class and wealthy people to buy up and explore their attraction to token outdoor activities, alcoholism, bad music, feral dogs, entropy, etc.
@@waterlevelroute sure
You can pick your lot but the roadways, especially I 26 is a freaking nightmare, and the drivers there are always cutting each other off, speeding and have total ignorance towards commercial vehicle's.
yeah...it's a totally different topic
If you are liberal,. Asheville would be a great place to live or hang out. If you are a conservative, not so much.
For me, the biggest red flag is the dreaded HOA, I’ll never do it, nope nooooo way.
I completely hear where you’re coming from. But , sometimes they are not just restrictive but protective, especially here in Weston North Carolina.
The angle in the thumbnail looks to be under 45 degrees.
@@backcountyrpilot no way
great info… thanks
@@appstate83 You are welcome!
Yes the roads living in the mountains has its hidden costs for sure , some of these roads may need paved it’s steep and if you are lucky to own a machine it may just not be enough back to back rains will wash your hard work away in seconds , pain will be best over time or concrete , don’t do hoa if you have the time check into America’s home place if you buy the land you can use it as a down payment so don’t come out of pocket , also a great bank is ag south farm credit speak with Jason rogers they work together with America’s home place takes all the stress away , and yes they are stick built home quality built up to code , have 2x6 walls and 2x4 customizable AHP will take care of you and the home is guaranteed up to a year . Good luck
Concrete mountain road is going to be very expensive as a lot of these driveways are long and steep. And it is definitely not going to work in winter. Some communities keep roads gravel to have traction in winter otherwise it can be very dangerous
So, would you rather buy an existing house or build your house and jump through all the hoops?
The question is leading. Rephrase it.
@@MrTwinkieeater knowing what you know now- what would you rather choose- custom build a house or buy a pre existing?
@@livinginashevillenc I'm currently building a custom home. It will be a weather tight shell and I'm going to finish the inside. I'll be on site every day. My desire to build my vision is greater than buying anything out of a catalog. It took years of research, education, and scouting. I was open to the possibilities and places it took me to find my dream. It isn't easy and yes, I'd do it again.
@@MrTwinkieeater good for you for doing your research!
There’s a LOT of people who want to buy land and build but they have no idea what’s behind it.
@@livinginashevillenc facts!
First mistake, buying land in Asheville
@@edstoffregen3623 why
very helpful. Thank you.
So glad and You are welcome!
As a native, born in and raised in several WNC counties. Don’t move here
I use to work in Asheville, it’s beautiful but would never live there. Someone else might like it
Yep
Thank You
You're welcome!
This aged very well, buying land in Asheville would have been devastating. Its a mess and im not trying to be cute
@@andyholder6039 not everywhere and people are still buying and selling
Do not buy a lot that has flooded or close to a creek.
Biggest mistake made when moving to Asheville is moving to Asheville in the first place.
@@jonathanthomas7228 good thing movers are still in biz and can help anyone get out of here.
Might want to double check that angle drawn in your thumbnail
@@joshkearns9608 😂you doubt it’s 60%???
the biggest mistake is choosing Asheville NC!
👍🏻
@@livinginashevillenc😮wow both of your comments were right. 💓🙏🏾💓☯️💓
Mistake number one is buying land in Asheville. It's getting dangerous here and the police are more dangerous than the criminals.
@@noosphericaltarzan what’s so dangerous about APD in your opinion?
@@livinginashevillenc I have been attacked several times and they basically refused to do anything about it, telling me my assault was a "civil matter". This is why violence is getting so bad. Violent people get the message loud and clear. Just recently, a boy tried to defend his mother from the man who shot her to death. The police literally charged the boy with attempted murder for shooting at the man who just gunned down his mother because that was the easiest thing to do, and he was black. Then the neighbors across the street dropped the ring camera footage that clearly showed it was a self-defense act. The actual murderer is still free as far as I know. Asheville is done for. It's the fault of the APD and the city council. 100%. I could go on and on about this. The surrounding communities aren't much better. It's not a left-right thing. It's just the area. Now people are getting robbed and carjacked at Carrier Park. I guess that's a civil matter too. There are even random shootings right next to the wealthiest neighborhoods now.
@@noosphericaltarzan wow, I’m sorry you had the worst experience sounds like it
@noosphericaltarzan a R govt would not put up w that crap.
Never buy land that is not flat, anywhere, anytime. Never buy near water, it's just a matter of time.
Why?
All of Western NC has zillions of waterfalls...Most of the land has underground springs...Us locals learn to co-exist with water...
@@5967malibu true statement
Biggest mistake is overpaying
@@davidmann2988 🤷🏻♀️
just choose a different part of carolina. who wants to live in asheville with all these problems. virginia is as good and much cheaper.
Cool
Biggest mistake of buying in Asheville is buying in Asheville
Sure👍🏻
So... did this video age well or awful?
There are plenty of areas and properties that had zero affect just bc they’re on the side of the mountain.
Asheville over priced homes. Total rip off. Plus city full of homelessness.
@@lawrencefeldman462 how did Asheville overprice homes?
@@livinginashevillenc No value for what you get. Travel to some of the near counties and the overall prices are much less for better land and homes.
Biggest mistake is buying anything in wnc.....😂run
@@mikeloftis7616 so did you?
Whats the deal with Russians in NC?
What exactly do mean?
It’s all gone now.
@@Vixtorz what? Land? Lol
Life goes on. Some have lost it and some lost their home, but not every single living soul is annihilated. People of the area will carry on just as humans always do.
What kind of accent is she speaking with?
$50,000/ac = "cheap"...ahahahahahahahaha.....
Please stop destroying our Mountains.
You talking to me?
Along with roundabouts because people have become to stupid an impatient to use stop lights.