It’s been five years since Asheville musicians Claude Coleman Jr. (the drummer of rock band Ween) and bassist Brett Spivey first brought their vision of affordable music rehearsal space to life with the launch of [...]

Eager to experience some exciting events and community opportunities in Asheville and Western North Carolina this February? Following are just a few of the many happenings about town, suited to a range of interests and lifestyles and curated by Mosaic Realty brokers.

Stars Servin’ Up Love  A Celebrity Tennis Benefit (Feb. 2) – Join tennis legends Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and more, along with celebrity guests, at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in downtown Asheville for a star-studded charity tennis event to benefit hurricane-ravaged parts of Western N.C. Proceeds will support local nonprofits like Asheville Habitat for Humanity and Always Asheville Fund. Don’t miss this day of fun, philanthropy and tennis! https://www.harrahscherokeecenterasheville.com/events/2025-stars-servin-up-love-presented-by-explore-asheville/

Evening Reception: 21st Annual Miniatures Show  (Feb. 7, 5-8 p.m.) – Come to the American Folk Art & Framing gallery in downtown Asheville to celebrate the Annual Miniatures Show with live poetry, a flower bar, music by Aaron Kruse, and exquisite small-format artworks from local artists. Enjoy complimentary refreshments, with bouquets and poems available for purchase. Free admission.https://www.amerifolk.com/artists/21st-annual-miniatures-show/

Forest Bathing Retreat (Feb. 8, 2-5 p.m.) – At the N.C. Arboretum, you can reconnect with nature through mindfulness, forest bathing, and a tea ceremony guided by Christa Hebal. Presented in collaboration with Asheville Wellness Tours, this retreat offers a peaceful way to practice self-care. https://www.ncarboretum.org/event/forest-bathing-february/

Flourish Networking for Women (Feb. 11, 6 p.m.) – Network with women in a non-competitive setting while supporting local charities. This event, to be held at Forestry Camp in Asheville, promotes growth, collaboration and giving back. Tickets: $15. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/flourish-networking-for-women-asheville-nc-tickets-1204086728819?aff=erelexpmlt

MountainTrue French Broad River Live Staking Workday (Feb. 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.) – Join MountainTrue, one of our favorite nonprofits to support,  in helping to restore riverbanks damaged by Hurricane Helene by planting stakes that will grow into trees. Bring weather-appropriate gear, gloves and lunch. The planned staking location will be either Fletcher or Brevard; details will be shared closer to the date. https://mountaintrue.org/event/french-broad-river-live-staking-workday-near-fletcher-or-brevard-2-20/

For the Love of Craft Festival (Feb. 22, 12-8 p.m.) – Celebrate craft beverages, arts and mac & cheese at this festival showcasing local talent, to be held in Asheville’s Battery Park Hall. General admission includes seven food and drink samples; VIP tickets offer exclusive perks. Proceeds support local artists and businesses recovering from Hurricane Helene. https://www.simpletix.com/e/for-the-love-of-craft-a-wnc-winter-arts-cr-tickets-185640

Comedy for Community Supporting Helpmate (Feb. 23, 6:30-8 p.m.) – Come to Catawba Brewing Company in Asheville’s South Slope to laugh alongside local comedians while supporting Helpmate, a nonprofit aiding domestic violence survivors. Enjoy good beer and great entertainment for a cause. https://www.modelfacecomedy.com/calendar/comedy-for-community-at-gingers-revenge-dkzml-pc3zj-5npyj-767x3-4rrzw  

Mountain BizWorks Orientation (Feb. 26, 6-7 p.m.) – This event, to be held at 153 Lexington Ave. in Asheville, offers participants the opportunity to learn about small business resources and lending opportunities through Mountain BizWorks. Hosted by Holly Rivers, this free session is perfect for aspiring entrepreneurs. https://www.mountainbizworks.org/event/orientation-session-avl-3/

New Moon Sound Bath (Feb. 27, 6-7 p.m.) – At this event at The Restoration Hotel in downtown Asheville, you can relax and renew under the new moon with sound healing instruments like crystal bowls and gongs in a serene setting. https://checkout.xola.app/#seller/58d929a0e0179849198b4588/experiences/67910344e837d521b90bd7ab?openExternal=true

Greetings From Asheville: Tourism and Transformation in the Postcard Age (through May 30) – The Asheville Art Museum hosts this engaging exhibit, which explores Asheville’s history through vintage postcards, featuring iconic landmarks, scenic views, and architecture from the early 20th century. https://www.ashevilleart.org/exhibitions/greetings-from-asheville/

GreenWorks DIY Litter Cleanup (ongoing, locations vary) – Borrow supplies and organize your own litter cleanup to help repair and beautify Asheville and the surrounding region following Helene’s devastation. GreenWorks provides gloves, vests and trash pick-up coordination. Recommended roads include Riverside Drive and Sweeten Creek Road. https://ashevillegreenworks.vomo.org/opportunity/diy-cleanup

We hope to see you out in the community enjoying some of these exciting events! For information about lifestyles or real estate in Western N.C., please contact us at Info@MyMosaicRealty.com, or call us anytime at 828-707-9556. 

Search: Asheville Area Real Estate

Hurricane Helene upended many facets of life in Asheville and Buncombe County in late 2024, and while real estate in the region experienced some Helene-related setbacks, what started as a seller’s market at the beginning of the year remained a seller’s market in most segments by year’s end. We recently sat down with Mosaic Realty owner [...]

Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty has long prided itself on being uniquely positioned to give its Asheville area clients singular service: Its intimate size and deep Western North Carolina roots pair together perfectly to create an approach that’s both knowledgeable and personalized, whether you’re buying or selling your property. It’s this [...]

The Asheville, N.C., area is home to a range of historic properties, both commercial and residential, and boasts numerous neighborhoods on the National Registry of Historic Places. Asheville’s historic homes encompass a sense of charm and character hard to replicate in newer builds. But while historic homes offer aesthetic and architectural [...]

As the crisp winter air settles in across Western North Carolina, it’s a good time for gardeners to prep their garden beds for the cold months ahead. This region of the Blue Ridge Mountains is known for its diverse climate, which varies from the higher elevations to the foothills and valleys, but the principles of winterizing your garden [...]

In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s destructive tear through Western North Carolina, hundreds of individuals and families in towns across the region saw their homes either severely damaged or destroyed, leaving them with nowhere to live. In response, the grassroots organization NC STR Alliance is offering a free service to help connect people displaced by the storm with short-term rental hosts who have available accommodations. 

Working toward safe temporary shelter

NC STR Alliance – made up of Western N.C. property managers, homeowners and community members advocating for responsible and fair short-term rental regulations – hopes that by offering this service to match displaced individuals and families with temporary housing options, many can find safe temporary shelter and a sense of community during an extremely challenging time.

“We’ve had a very good reception from willing short-term rental owners, so that’s been incredible,” says STR Alliance’s Matt Allen. So far, around 120 hosts have added their properties to the relief program, with around 30 displaced residents signing up for temporary housing. “We are still trying to get the word out to more guests, and definitely looking to make more connections,” says Allen. 

Easy process for hosts and renters

NC STR Alliance encourages STR owners, Airbnb hosts, property managers or anyone with an available home or room in Asheville or Western N.C. to participate in the emergency relief program. Here’s how it works: Hosts start by filling out a short form with contact information and availability; they are then added to the host list. In turn, a displaced individual seeking housing can simply complete a form with contact details, housing preferences and budget (FEMA vouchers don’t apply to the STR Alliance program). The information supplied by the displaced individual will then be shared with available hosts participating in the program, who can then reach out directly if they are able to accommodate the individual’s needs. Hosts are responsible for vetting inquiries and making decisions regarding accommodations.

For more information about the NC STR Alliance Hurricane Helene Relief program, or to sign up to become a potential host or renter, visit https://str-trust.com/nc-str-alliance-hurricane-helene-relief-for-displaced-residents/.

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a local looking to purchase real estate in Asheville or Western North Carolina, now is an optimal period to start your search. The region is still in the midst of post-Hurricane Helene recovery, translating to fewer transactions overall. Couple that with the typical winter lull in real estate activity, and you have the makings of a prime buying scenario.

Asheville and Western N.C. have long enchanted residents and visitors alike. Easy accessibility to the beautiful surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and exhilarating outdoor adventure, as well as the cultural, dining and entertainment offerings of Asheville and neighboring cities, are great reasons to set up more permanent roots in the region. Asheville has a variety of housing options: everything from smaller cottages to downtown condos to new green builds. This range makes it easy for either first-time buyers or locals to find exactly what they’re looking for.

First-time buyer? No problem

If you’ve been biding your time on a purchase, either as a local or as a first-time buyer – or perhaps both – the coming months are the perfect period to dive in. Helene’s impact on the region has stalled activity for the obvious reasons. There is higher inventory and lower overall buyer activity as the region comes out of the devastation. But recovery is under way: Power and potable water have been restored to much of the area, debris removal is ramping up, and businesses are gradually re-opening or relocating to new spaces.

Combined with the post-Helene slowdown is the typically slow season of winter. The combination of colder weather, shorter daylight hours, holiday distractions, and fewer people wanting to move during the cold months often translates to reduced buyer activity and less competition in the Asheville real estate market during the winter season. This makes it a good time to enter the market as a buyer, especially if you’re a local familiar with the area. You may already have narrowed down the neighborhoods and home styles that most appeal to your Asheville lifestyle, thus cutting out one major component of the search process.

Less stress purchasing a home in Asheville

A drop in the number of out-of-town cash buyers crowding the Asheville market, along with more price reductions and fewer multiple-offer scenarios, also makes it a good time for locals to look for a property to purchase. With a more relaxed atmosphere in which to shop – minus the heated, competitive housing market that often manifests in spring – first-time buyers can take their time to better understand the process and mull their options.

If you’re a first-time buyer or a local looking to purchase a property in Asheville or anywhere in Western N.C., please contact us at Info@MyMosaicRealty.com, or call us anytime at 828-707-9556.

Search: Asheville Area Real Estate

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The Asheville area has long nurtured local makers, neighborhood shops and other small businesses, creating a welcoming, supportive spot for unique independent establishments to thrive. As the holiday season ramps up amid continued Hurricane Helene recovery, it’s never been a better time to choose local and bolster small businesses across [...]