Creating a bathroom that goes beyond the basics has become a big trend this year, with more and more homeowners seeking spa-like serenity in what was once a strictly utilitarian room. Following are a few renovations that combine form and function to produce bathroom beauty you’ll want to soak [...]
When making improvements to your Asheville home, it’s important to consider your return on investment. Will the things you add or change be worth the cost, either in energy savings or in added value to your home? Outdoor home projects, in particular, can be an easy way to add value without breaking the bank. Here are some things you can improve about your home’s exterior and landscaping that will give you the best bang for your buck.
Enjoying the outdoors with family and friends is one of the benefits of living in Asheville’s temperate climate. That’s why adding a patio – think stone or brick for longevity and minimal maintenance – or wood porch can boost quality of life as well as home value. Consider including a fire pit for chilly evenings, or take the idea of outdoor entertainment spaces one step further and install a kitchen, complete with gas grill or cooking area and sink. Creating outdoor entertainment spaces allows you to extend your home’s usable space, an attractive addition with a good return on investment when the time comes to sell.
Good landscaping can be a relatively inexpensive way to boost your home’s value, as well as cut maintenance and energy costs. Placing fast-growing trees in strategic locations in your yard can produce home-cooling shade. Planting perennials, native plants, and quick-spreading groundcover will create an easy-care yard that often doesn’t require as much watering, and can ease erosion. And of course, landscaping adds to curb appeal, boosting your home in the eyes of potential homebuyers.
Privacy screening is another relatively inexpensive upgrade to add to your yard: Anything from traditional wooden fencing to evergreen trees and tall shrubs will do the trick, creating separation while also adding beauty to your yard. Installing outdoor lighting, for safety or to spotlight particular features in your yard, is another easy and inexpensive way to increase value.
As your home ages, various exterior components will need to be replaced, either for aesthetic reasons or for practical purposes. Upgrading shutters, switching out front doors or garage doors, or sprucing up your home’s exterior with a pressure wash or a paint job are all things that will surely reap a return on investment. If you have a bit more money to invest, consider switching from a wood exterior to a more durable siding: You’ll recoup the costs in the long-term, with less maintenance over time, and increased home value.
For more information on real estate in the Asheville area, connect with us at Info@MyMosaicRealty.com, or call anytime at 828-707-9556.
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Asheville and the surrounding areas are overflowing with public-access lakes perfect for lazing away an afternoon, enjoying water activities, fishing, hiking or camping. Here are a few [...]
The last few years have seen an influx of people to Asheville, drawn here by the area’s natural beauty, vibrant culture, and outdoor adventures. If you’re considering a move to the area, you may be wondering if now is a good time to buy in Asheville. According to [...]
Being close to the Blue Ridge Parkway is a major advantage to calling many neighborhoods around Asheville home. Here are some areas where you can be assured amazing parkway [...]
If you’re seeking to sell your Asheville property, there are a number of things you can do to draw buyer interest, either by highlighting your home’s existing, desirable qualities, or by making key improvements based on market trends. Mosaic’s agents know what buyers are looking for in 2021, and have the knowledge and experience to position [...]
The Asheville area is brimming with exciting activities to keep kids happily engaged. From kid-centric museums to factory tours to adventure courses, there’s an array of experiences aimed at the young – and the young at heart. Following are a few to check out:
Asheville Museum of Science – This museum, in the heart of downtown Asheville, features the Colburn Hall of Minerals, STEM lab, dinosaur skeleton and fossil displays, Southern Appalachian Forest tree climb, and other exhibits supporting experiential science learning, discovery and exploration.
Asheville Art Museum – Every Friday, this downtown Asheville museum’s Art PLAYce space features kid-focused events in a sensory-rich environment, inviting exploration of art via fun activities as well as unique interactives created by regional artists.
Hands On! Children’s Museum – This colorful children’s museum in downtown Hendersonville is famed for creative hands-on exhibits, as well as events, programs and classes.
Adventure Center of Asheville– This in-town center has it all for the outdoor adventurer in your kid. KidZip is a unique zipline course designed for kids 4-10 featuring nine ziplines and four climbing elements. Its Treetops Adventure Park is an aerial challenge course with 77 unique climbing, rolling, walking, jumping, swinging, and rappelling challenges specific to different ages (4 and up) and experience levels. Kolo Bike Park offers 4 miles of purpose-built mountain bike trails, two pump tracks for beginner and experienced riders, and even a Littleville bike playground for the youngest shredders.
Pinball and arcades – Rainy days don’t have to drown out the fun: Downtown’s Asheville Pinball Museum offers 75 pinball and classic video games to play for a flat admission price. West Asheville’s Retrocade features video games, pinball, billiards, Skeeball and Foosball for flat-fee indoor fun (and both boast bars for the adults!).
ClimbMax – This climbing gym has two in-town locations featuring varied indoor terrain, along with expert instruction and equipment. The downtown location, with numerous top rope and auto-belay features, is well-suited to younger climbers.
The N.C. Arboretum – These gardens offer plenty of opportunities to learn about nature in a fun, immersive environment. Among the activities are TRACK Trail, which explores the Natural Garden Trail through the eyes of Shelly, the Arboretum’s resident eastern box turtle; and Rocky Cove Railroad, which highlights the entry of trains into Western N.C. in the early 1900s via an intricately detailed garden-scale model railroad and trains.
Biltmore House and Grounds – Kid-centric activities abound at this famed destination. Offerings include: a kids’ audio guided tour of the house; a model train exhibit meandering through the gardens; guided bird walks and falconry experiences; horse-drawn carriage rides; kids’ lagoon fishing with instructor and equipment provided; and Antler Hill Village, featuring Pisgah Playground, the Farm with hens, goats, lambs and calves, and the Barn with blacksmith, broom-maker and woodworker demos.
Sweet factory tours – Visitors to the River Arts District’s French Broad Chocolate Factory can take a tour of the facility to learn about the journey of the cacao bean, from farm to factory; the Hop Ice Creamery in West Asheville offers three different tours highlighting the history of ice cream and the Hop.
For information about real estate in the Asheville area, please email Info@MyMosaicRealty.com, or call us anytime at 828-707-9556.
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Asheville and the surrounding area of Western North Carolina are renowned for mountain biking. Whether it’s a local spot to get a quick after-work ride in, or a nearby destination offering an all-day mountain-biking adventure, the Asheville area doesn’t disappoint. Here are a few [...]
With the luxury real estate segment growing in Asheville, Mosaic Realty is ramping up its services in the luxury arena, with 15 luxury-certified agents, as well as one-click luxury home searches and luxury land searches to make your online experience easy and efficient.
A key to Mosaic’s approach is leveraging its community reach and reputation in aiding you on your luxury real estate journey. Extensive knowledge of the Asheville area, connections to highly skilled builders, designers and industry insiders, and attentive services aimed at facilitating the process so you can leave the heavy lifting to us are hallmarks of our luxury agents.
Mosaic’s luxury-certified agents complete a comprehensive training through The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, the premier independent authority in training and designation for real estate agents working in the luxury residential market. Such a designation indicates specialized knowledge and experience specific to exceptional properties. Mosaic has 15 luxury-certified agents, with more poised to come on board.
Whether you’re in the market to buy an Asheville-area luxury home, or you’re looking to sell your exceptional property, Mosaic’s certified agents have the tools for success. For sellers, masterful marketing means your home will be showcased in the most stunning manner possible, across a range of multiple channels and targeted promotion. And for buyers, our concierge agents can pinpoint the best neighborhoods and properties to fit your lifestyle, so that you spend less time searching and can better concentrate your efforts efficiently.
Begin your journey to your luxury Asheville area homeMosaic makes it easy to begin your luxury real estate journey virtually. A click of a button takes you to Mosaic’s dedicated luxury link, where you can learn about our approach to exceptional properties, and the tools we have to offer to streamline your experience. You can also learn more about and connect to our luxury-certified agents, or peruse our luxury home and land listings to get an idea of what’s available across the Asheville region. Begin by visiting Mosaic's luxury services page.
For more information about luxury real estate in the Asheville area, contact us at Info@MyMosaicRealty.com, or call us anytime at 828-707-9556.
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Finding storage solutions for your home is easier than you might expect. Thinking outside the box will allow you to utilize novel spaces for keeping things tucked away, with easy access for the items you use most. And in the end, efficient storage saves you time looking for things, and cuts costs by preventing purchases of items you didn’t know you already had. Start with these handy tips for creating more storage in your home.
(Under)-utilized spaces – Those often-forgotten spots below beds or benches are perfect for tucking away all sorts of items. Think lidded, shallow bins for underneath beds, or baskets for below benches. Or look for furniture that does double-duty, such as storage ottomans for keeping extra blankets, or storage coffee tables to house things like board games, remote controls and other living-room accessories.
Climb the walls – Cabinets and bookcases are great for storing items, but they can sometimes be cumbersome, taking up precious floor space. By using floating shelves or wall-mounted cabinetry, you can have storage for books or electronics and still keep your floors free for use. Consider hanging shelves above your couch (making sure to allow for headroom!) or above a fireplace, or in an entryway to keep keys, cell phones or other daily necessities handy when you’re heading out the door. You can create a shoe storage solution in a coat closet by attaching long, shallow wire shelves up one side of the closet wall.
Look up – We all have those high, hard-to-access closet shelves; these are great for storage, but make sure you’re not using these spaces for heavy items or anything you might need to access regularly. Using labeled plastic bins in these spaces can be very helpful, so you can clearly see what’s stored there without necessarily needing to retrieve them. Store things like off-season clothing and bedding in these spots.
Open some new doors – Over-the-door storage options are often overlooked, but they afford countless opportunities for keeping things like shoes, bathroom accessories and children’s toys accessible yet out of the way. Most hook easily over the door – no nails required – and are relatively inexpensive.
Cut clutter – Finally, the easiest and cheapest way to maximize storage space is to get rid of the things you don’t need, leaving more room for the things you do. If you haven’t used or worn items in awhile, or you have multiples, now would be a good time to donate or consign them.
For more information about real estate in the Asheville area, contact us at Info@MyMosaicRealty.com, or call us anytime at 828-707-9556.
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