If you’re looking for a tiny, tight-knit community tucked away in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, yet just a quick 30-minute drive northwest to Asheville, Columbus, N.C., is the perfect spot to call home. With a picturesque downtown, proximity to the area’s horse and wine country, and easy access to many outdoor adventures, Columbus offers the best in Western N.C. living.

Columbus, the county seat for Polk County, has a population of around 1,000. Its historic downtown is home to one of the state’s oldest courthouses still in use. Columbus boasts two intriguing museums: The House of Flags, home to more than 300 different flags, and the Polk County Historical Museum, which displays fascinating photos and artifacts reflecting the local history. 

Quaint meets scenic in Columbus, NC

Columbus’s compact downtown is home to locally owned restaurants, tap rooms, and shops, as well as a visitor’s center. Two parks in the middle of town – Stearns Park and Veterans Park – offer picturesque spots to picnic or just sit and soak in the mountain views.

Real estate in Columbus offers an array of options. Explore everything from sprawling estates to quaint cottages. Plenty of available acreage and lots means you can create the mountain home of your dreams, with room to spread out.

Nearby Western N.C. destinations

Columbus sits within a short drive of numerous mountain-town destinations: Lake Lure, which encompasses the famed lake of the same name, sits at an elevation of 1,000 feet and is surrounded by peaks topping out over 3,000, including Rumbling Bald Mountain, Chimney Rock Mountain and Sugar Loaf Mountain; Tryon is famed for everything from lush vineyards to delightful antique and vintage shops to farm-to-table restaurants to equestrian activities; and Hendersonville, filled with historic buildings and vibrant streetscapes, offers many outdoor dining options, as well as unique shops and galleries, along its Main Street.  

For more information about real estate in Columbus, or anywhere in Asheville or Western N.C., contact us at Info@MyMosaicRealty.com, or call us anytime at 828-707-9556.

Search: Columbus, NC Real Estate

Search: Asheville Area Real Estate

While Asheville is a year-round draw, tourists tend to favor the spring, summer and autumn months. Once winter sets in, the cold keeps the crowds at bay – which provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy a different side of Asheville! Following are a few reasons winters are wonderful in Western [...]

Nestled amid a verdant rolling landscape, Tryon, N.C., is famed for its mild climate, outdoor activities, and equestrian history. Everything from lush vineyards to delightful antique and vintage shops to farm-to-table restaurants draws visitors and locals alike to this Western N.C. [...]

In Asheville, “shop local” is more than just a catch phrase: It grows the community’s unique character, boosts the local economy by increasing jobs and wages, and inspires entrepreneurship. This holiday season, keeping your shopping dollars in the Asheville economy is easier and more enjoyable than ever. 

From carefully curated clothing boutiques to eclectic art enclaves to unique gift shops, Asheville is brimming with plenty of interesting, locally based businesses for finding quality wares singular to the city. In addition, quaint and compact districts anchored by local businesses are the hallmark of many surrounding Western N.C. towns, including Hendersonville, Weaverville, Brevard and Waynesville, to name just a few.

Where Asheville art abounds

The once-industrial neighborhood of the River Arts District, nestled next to the French Broad River, is now home to the working studios and galleries of hundreds of artists. From painting and pottery to jewelry, glass, metal and wood, the pieces created and sold in RAD reflect the thriving artistic talent Asheville nurtures. Spending a day shopping in RAD also affords the opportunity to watch local artisans at work, creating pieces that you can purchase on the spot. Doesn’t get much more local than that!

Even though Biltmore Village retains its Old-World charm, today it’s well-known as an exciting commercial hub of local retailers, including specialty gift shops, clothing boutiques and jewelry makers. Galleries featuring a range of local artwork, and an eclectic mix of locally owned furniture shops, make it easy to outfit and decorate your home for the holidays.

Downtown Asheville does local right

When it comes to local retail shops, crafts outlets, specialty stores, and other unique spots for buying local items, downtown Asheville can’t be beat. Whether it’s a holiday party outfit, a host gift, or stocking stuffers for the kids, the downtown shopping district is a one-stop spot for checking everything off your list. And when you’re ready to take a breather from shopping, the countless locally owned restaurants, breweries, bakeries and coffee shops dotting downtown offer the perfect spot to recharge.

For an added bonus when you shop local, bring along a Go Local card. The card offers access to discounts and special offers at more than 590 locally owned, independent businesses in the Asheville area, all to benefit Asheville public schools. Go Local Asheville is committed to strengthening the local economy through businesses that value the people in the community, the health of the environment, and the power of collaboration.

For information about real estate in the Asheville area, connect with us at Info@MyMosaicRealty.com, or call anytime at 828-707-9556.

Search: Asheville Area Real Estate

For a fun, immersive way to learn about Asheville’s rich history, spend an afternoon following the Urban Trail, a 1.7-mile loop in downtown Asheville. The free, self-guided walking tour is marked by 30 stations, each telling an important story integral to Asheville’s past. Bonus: With the trail weaving through Asheville’s commercially [...]

The Blue Ridge Orchestra, a nonprofit, volunteer ensemble in Western North Carolina, continues its 2022-2023 season with its annual highlight of “BRO Revels!” This year, the program celebrates Engelbert Humperdinck’s fairy tale opera “Hansel & Gretel,” with performances December 3 and 4 in UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium. Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty is honored to be a sponsor of this beloved event.

The adaptation of this famed opera, which first premiered in 1893, will feature a unique, lively production complete with angels, gingerbread children, seven vocalists, and a full orchestra. For this concert presentation, BRO will share the stage with UNC Greensboro’s Opera Theatre under the direction of David Holley.

Bringing world-class performances to Western N.C.

The Blue Ridge Orchestra is dedicated to engaging Western North Carolina’s extraordinary music community with occasions to perform, listen to and learn about great symphonic music. The opportunities for musicians to play and perform challenging repertoire is unparalleled, and the orchestra keeps the arts accessible to the community by presenting multiple performances (including afternoon shows), low ticket prices, and a welcoming atmosphere. 

Since September 2017, BRO has been in residence at UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium, and has enrolled students in the orchestra through a UNC Asheville music course. After taking the course for credit, many have gone on to play as community members.

“Hansel & Gretel” will take the stage at 3 p.m. both December 3 and 4. Tickets are $20 general admission, $15 members, and $5 students. For more information, visit https://www.blueridgeorchestra.org/bro-revels-2022-hansel-gretel, or call (828) 782-3354. 

Get your tickets here: Blue Ridge Orchestra's production of Hansel and Gretel

Learn More: About Mosaic's Donation and Volunteer Program

Search: Asheville Area Real Estate

As a long-time part of the Asheville community, Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty makes a point of working with and supporting the outstanding area organizations that advocate for the vitality and health of our region. To that end, Mosaic is offering a matching donation ahead of Giving Tuesday on Nov. 29, 2022, to benefit Asheville City Schools Foundation’s DREAM Team. From now until Nov. 29, Mosaic will match donations dollar for dollar, up to $10,000, to support DREAM, a program that cultivates a sense of home and belonging for students – just as Mosaic helps cultivate a sense of home in the Asheville area. Make your donation here: https://www.acsf.org/giving-tuesday

Students working and growing together

DREAM – “Dedicated, Responsible, Enthusiastic, After-School, Mentors” – is a youth-centered, paid internship program for high-school students to support the mission and programming of Asheville City Schools Foundation.  DREAM is comprised of 18 diverse high school students who provide near-peer mentorship to middle schoolers in the In Real Life After-School program. DREAM creates an effective outlet for students  grades 6 through 12 to work and grow together. As opposed to traditional student employment (fast food and service industry positions), students in DREAM receive competitive monthly wages, structured professional development, varied skills and work experiences, support in pursuing higher education, and opportunities to participate in extracurricular trips and events. DREAM is the next level of youth workforce development which draws direct connections to social-emotional learning; the professional life skills that provide an advantage in the workforce. 

Applications for DREAM open each fall. Students in 10th-12th grade at Asheville High School and the School for Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville are eligible to apply to DREAM. Each student commits to one to three days per week and is compensated $12-$15 an hour. 

Nurturing future leaders

Being part of this inclusive, unique after-school opportunity allows participants to explore different career paths while developing leadership and social-emotional learning skills. Leadership development for DREAM participants includes classroom and behavior management, cultural responsiveness, conflict resolution, and effective written/oral communication. DREAM interns have a hand in creating appropriate lesson plans for IRL students, and have the opportunity to incorporate the skills they learn from leadership development sessions.

Research shows that structured, peer mentoring programs such as DREAM increase the social, emotional and academic growth of youth. DREAM students report considerable increases in leadership skills as a result of participation, including increased sense of agency, self-advocacy, team-building, collaboration and conflict resolution skills.

“DREAM means a lot to me. DREAM is a safe place for me to be myself. When I'm working with DREAM, it doesn't even feel like a job because I'm enjoying what I do which is being able to provide for youth with different activities and programs. I definitely have grown since I've been working with DREAM. I have built stronger friendships because of DREAM and my confidence is a lot better because of DREAM.” - Antoria, DREAM Junior

To match Mosaic’s donation to DREAM, visit https://www.acsf.org/giving-tuesday today!

To learn more about other ways Mosaic contributes to the Asheville community, visit https://mymosaicrealty.com/donations-volunteer-program/. For more information about real estate in Asheville and Western N.C., please contact us at Info@MyMosaicRealty.com, or call us anytime at 828-707-9556.

Learn More: About DREAM

Many come to the Asheville area eager to experience momentous mountain views, and with good reason. The Blue Ridge Mountains offer some of the most stunning year-round scenery, and Asheville and the surrounding areas are ideally situated to enhance the experience. There’s nothing better than drinking in the mountain views along with your [...]

As residents of Asheville and Western N.C., Mosaic agents and employees take pride in working with and supporting the outstanding area organizations that advocate for the vitality and health of our local and global community. To that end, a team of 13 Mosaic brokers and staff recently volunteered to help on an Asheville Area Habitat for [...]

Renovating, remodeling or adding on to your home creates features you and your family can enjoy, and invariably adds value to your property. Everyone can appreciate a chef’s kitchen or a sunroom, and when the time comes to sell, buyers will too. If you’re planning to take on a major home project, it’s important to make sure appropriate [...]