Beautiful Wilkes County NC Log Home and Mountain Property.

MLS Number: 50863, List Price: $359,900

Bedrooms: 3, Full Baths: 2, Half Baths: 0, Est Total SqFt: 2600, Type/Style: Log Home, Area: Area 6, Middle School: Cntrl Wlks, High School: Wlks Cntrl, Construction: Log

Foundation: Combination, Roof: Metal Roof, Floors: Carpet/Hardwood/Tile, Garage/Carport: None-Garage, None-Carport, Interior Features: Master Bedroom, Main Level, Large Master Bedroom, Walk-In Closet(s), Hardwood Floors, Fireplace(s), Great Room, Exterior Features: Double Pane Windows, Wooded Lot, 1-5 Acres, Hot Tub, Subdivision: N/A, Lot Size: 2.47, Apx SqFt: 2600 - 2800 SF, Basement: None

Contact Elizabeth Carter, 336.973.5594 or Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247 or email eacarter@charter.net

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As houses become tighter, HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) systems have become more complicated. Contaminants introduced into living spaces, from the materials in furniture, compounds used in construction, and the pets we own can directly attack our respiratory systems.

Luckily, we can take steps to minimize bad indoor air quality at home with just a few lifestyle changes and adjustments in our air quality management. One of the best ways to freshen air is to clean up the source of odors and ventilate, such as running bathroom exhaust fans, whenever these rooms are occupied.

Periodically run fans that exhaust to the outside, such as those in the kitchen or bath, or open windows and place window fans to the blow air out. Always add ventilation when you use household cleaning products indoors. (more…)

search for : bad indoor air quality, air quality management

Painting your home isn’t a do-it-yourself job unless you’ve got the know how, the proper tools and enough time off from your normal employment to spend doing your paint job properly. Not to say that you couldn’t spend every weekend painting until the project is finished, it’s just boring and repetitive work.

When hiring a professional, ask relatives, friends, co-workers and others to recommend a painting contractor that has finished a successful paint job on their home. For references to be qualified, only licensed and insured home painters in your area need to considered. A specialist in exterior painting has more square feet of exterior painting under his or her belt. A home painter who works inside and out, can be just as professional.

The book shown on this page, “Painting Your House Inside and Out” explores today’s range of paint and special effects products and offers instructions for choosing, mixing, and using them for a variety of home-decorating purposes. Discussed is practical advice on everything from preparing surfaces, choosing colors and equipment, and understanding paint properties to mastering techniques. Reading material includes tips on avoiding common and costly pitfalls as well as a step-by-step plan for getting the desired results. (more…)

search for : Painting your home, painting contractor

$5,850,000

MLS Number: 50913

City: Valle Crucis, NC
Stories: 2
Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 4.5
Area: Boone-Blowing Rock, NC
Year Built: 1990
Plus Five fully furnished 1,400 sq. ft. Rental Cottages. Each built in 1996 on approx. 1/2 acre sites. Current cottage average annual rental income $150,000.

39.4 acres with 360 degree view of Blue Ridge Mountains.

5,200 sq. ft. main house built in 1990 on 1.24 acres.

No restrictions and no zoning offer many other options:

* Family compound
* Corporate retreat
* Religous retreat
* Horse farm / Dude ranch
* Recording studio
* Cottages can be sold separately
* Land can be further subdivided if desired

Contact Elizabeth Carter, 336.973.5594 or Greg Stikeleather, Broker, 704.880.5247 or email eacarter@charter.net

click here for more information

search for : Valle Crucis, NC, Blowing Rock, NC, Blue Ridge Mountains

Demand for new homes may not return to normal levels until next decade, according to the latest outlook from the National Association of Home Builders. “Traditionally when housing has been in a recession, it recovers very quickly. We don’t see that happening this time,” said Jerry Howard, CEO of the builders’ trade group. “It could be 2010 before we see sustainable, long-term stability in the home building sector.”

As recently as the end of 2007, the trade group was forecasting a pick-up in the demand for new homes in the second half of this year.But Howard said the best case scenario now calls for stabilization in the market in early summer, with no signs of improvement until early next year. (more…)

Addressing the nation’s home foreclosure crisis has produced a breakthrough in the United States Senate as Democratic and GOP leaders defused a potential filibuster. Majority Leader Harry Reid and GOP Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky agreed to bring a bipartisan bill to the floor as early as Wednesday instead of a Democratic plan that stalled a month ago.

Opponents argue that the provision rewriting the bankruptcy code would allow borrowers to effectively rewrite their mortgage contracts and would prompt lenders to tighten their standards and raise interest rates. The legislation is likely to draw on elements of the Democratic plan such as letting states issue $10 billion in tax-exempt bonds to refinance subprime loans and permitting homebuilders and other money-losing businesses to reclaim previously paid taxes. (more…)

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