A cowboy hat, a chainsaw, and a heart for neighbors—that’s the unlikely recipe that helped a mountain town rebuild after devastating floods. We spotlight “Cowboy Joe,” a Wyoming native who passed through Chimney Rock, fell in love with the community, and never left. Working alongside Spokes of Hope, he’s hauled debris, rebuilt roofs, reopened storefronts, coordinated Amish volunteers, and stacked more than 30 cords of firewood so families stay warm this winter. His voice is steady, his mission clear: follow the need, assemble the crew, and do the next right thing.

We dig into the realities of long-term recovery: families still displaced, homes that can’t be rebuilt, and the race against colder nights. Joe shares a new mission to Tennessee, where grandparents raising grandchildren lack basic utilities—proof that service doesn’t stop at county lines. You’ll hear exactly how to get free firewood through Chief Steve Freeman in Bat Cave, where to volunteer or donate via Spokes of Hope, and what kinds of skills and supplies make the biggest difference on the ground.

We also zoom out to a trend reshaping our region: environmental refugees. Western North Carolina continues to attract households escaping hurricanes, fires, and rising risk elsewhere. Even after last year’s extreme event, our area remains comparatively mild and resilient. We close with a clear-eyed real estate snapshot—moderating rates, steady demand, tight inventory, and average prices still in the 530s—plus practical guidance for anyone navigating a move tied to life changes.

Ready to help or need a hand? Reach us at 828-393-0134 or visit realestatebygreg.com. Subscribe, share this story with a friend, and leave a review to help more neighbors find the resources and hope they need.

Headlines keep shouting about a housing crash, but our local stats and the national data tell a different story. We open with a clear market snapshot for Western North Carolina—fresh listings, steady pendings, a five‑month supply—and explain why activity remains strong through the holidays. From there, we break down expert forecasts that point to moderate, sustainable home price growth through 2029, and we unpack the real reason: inventory is still too low for demand. No hype, just context you can use to plan your next smart move.

We also look beyond numbers to the people behind them. You’ll hear how environmental refugees from Katrina, Helene, California wildfires, and Hawaii’s lava flows found higher ground and deeper community in our mountains. These are stories of loss and renewal, neighbors becoming first responders, church kitchens turning into community hubs, and towns rebuilding smarter with resilient design, better materials, and greener choices. Western North Carolina’s draw isn’t only the views; it’s the stability, the seasons, and the sense of belonging.

If you’re weighing buy-versus-sell timing, investment strategy, or how to reposition property with 1031 exchanges and smart tax planning, we walk through practical paths that reduce stress and align with your goals. Our team partners with attorneys, CPAs, and planners to help you protect equity, optimize taxes, and make decisions that fit your life. Subscribe for grounded market insight, human stories that inspire, and clear guidance that puts you in control. Have a question we didn’t cover? Send us a note or call 828-393-0134—and if this resonated, share it with a friend and leave a review to help others find the show.

The floodwater may be gone, but the hard work is still here. We sit down with Jacob Reuter, co‑founder of Helene Rising, to trace the real story of recovery after Hurricane Helene—how a family road‑tripped home with a truck full of chainsaws and supplies, and turned that urgency into a year of steady, practical help across Appalachia.

Jacob walks us through the invisible backbone of disaster recovery: access. From rebuilding a washed‑out driveway so a hospice patient could see loved ones, to installing plumbing and electrical where families were stuck, to raising a bridge in Irwin, Tennessee, the work is about restoring connection. We get inside the rhythms of volunteer life—sleeping in firehouses, organizing fifty‑person cleanups in Deep Gap, and forming a flexible network with Appalachian United Initiative and Forward Network that matches skills to needs in real time. You’ll hear how tiny homes and community hubs provide shelter, why some sites still look like “day one,” and what it takes to keep momentum when the cameras leave.

If you’ve wondered what actually moves the needle after a disaster, this conversation lays it out: hands, materials, and the will to return tomorrow. We share clear ways to help—donating propane, blankets, and lumber; contributing funds and gift cards; or showing up to volunteer through Helene Rising’s Facebook page. Recovery is a marathon built from small wins that add up to safety and dignity. Join us to learn how you can turn concern into action and help Appalachian families make it through the winter and beyond. Subscribe, share this story, and leave a review to help more people find the show and the helpers who keep communities standing.

Headlines insist the market is chaos; our numbers say it’s simply changing shape. We walk through Henderson County’s latest stats—more inventory, stronger choice for buyers, and an average 95% of original list price received—and translate what that means for pricing, timing, and terms that protect your net. If you’ve held your home for five years, chances are you’re sitting on meaningful gains; the real decision isn’t whether the peak is past, but whether today’s move brings you closer to the life you want.

We get practical about strategy in a cooler-but-healthy market. You’ll hear how to set a price that invites action without leaving money on the table, why underpricing rarely hurts when demand is real, and how terms like possession after closing can remove the stress of back-to-back moves. We also share live numbers from the past week—new listings, price drops, pendings, closings—so you can see momentum in real time. And because real estate doesn’t happen in a vacuum, we explain how we partner with estate attorneys, tax pros, and financial advisors to align your sale or purchase with broader goals, whether you’re selling an investment, inheriting land, or right-sizing for a simpler life.

Under the tactics is a bigger theme: agency. Your move is part of your story, and you get to define the next chapter—closer to family, closer to nature, or simply closer to peace. Our role is guide, not hype: bring clear data, anticipate friction, and negotiate with care so you can act with confidence. Ready for a clear read on your options? Follow the show, share it with a friend who’s planning a move, and leave a quick review so more neighbors find it. Subscribe for weekly, data-first updates and thoughtful strategies that make your next chapter feel just right.

A hurricane changed the calendar—and the calling—of a retired highway patrolman who thought he’d finally slow down. Instead, Michael Brown opened his family’s event barn and watched it transform into a humming base camp where Amish volunteers built 175 tiny homes, hauled them across the region, and then rolled straight into long-haul rebuilding. Between testimonies and volleyball under the rafters, they stitched neighborhoods back together one roof, one ramp, one laugh at a time.

We also bring a clear, level-headed read on Henderson County’s housing market. Supply has eased toward balance at around five months, average single-family prices are holding in the $530s after a peak near $550k, and closed sales are up six percent year to date. Zoom out and the picture is even more striking: a fifty-four percent price increase since 2020. For first-time buyers, that headline can feel daunting, but options exist—from targeted price points to 100 percent financing in select cases—and smart guidance can turn a tough entry into a doable plan. For those ready to right-size, today’s equity can fund simpler living closer to nature or family, even with different rate math.

Michael’s story with Great Needs Ministry shows what real resilience looks like: no salaries, mission-funded youth, shed haulers donating time and gear, and local partners like Spokes of Hope coordinating jobs so labor meets need quickly. Drivers step in because the Amish don’t drive. Crews sing because joy keeps the work moving. And neighbors find relief because the whole system is built on trust, clarity, and grit. If you need help, reach out to Spokes of Hope on Facebook. If you want to fuel the work, donate to Great Needs Ministry—every dollar goes to aid, not overhead. And if you’re planning your next move—first home, downsizing, or a fresh start—call The George Real Estate Group at 828-393-0134 or visit realestatebygreg.com. Subscribe, share, and leave a review to help more neighbors find the data, the stories, and the help they need.

Markets are moving, but the bigger question is: what meaning will you choose? We dig into Henderson County’s latest housing trends—rising sales volume, steady prices, and an expanding inventory that gives buyers more choice while stretching time on market for sellers. Then we zoom out and connect decisions to direction, using a clear framework from Donald Miller’s Hero on a Mission to help you step out of drift and into a story you actually want to live.

We start with a crisp read on the data: roughly 1,600 homes sold over the last 12 months, an average price near $535K, and a five‑month supply that signals a balanced, healthier market. Year‑to‑date sales are up, pointing to renewed buyer confidence and a likely 2025 that edges past 2024 in total transactions. Pricing has flattened after a multi‑year climb, which is less a fall than a reset toward normal. For sellers, that means pricing to compete and preparing homes that appraise cleanly; for buyers, it’s a chance to negotiate credits, explore rate buydowns, and find the right fit without the frenzy.

From there, we talk about choices that outlast market cycles. You’ll hear how the four roles—victim, villain, hero, guide—show up in everyday life and real estate, and how writing your own eulogy can focus the next step you take. If “present for family” is a value, a move closer to care may be the smart play. If “wise steward” guides your decisions, 1031 exchanges and Delaware Statutory Trusts might realign a portfolio for passive income and estate goals. We also highlight community resilience after Helene and the stories of neighbors who turned hardship into service, a reminder that meaning grows when we help others win.

Looking to buy, sell, invest, or simply plan well? Let’s align the math with your mission so the next chapter fits who you’re becoming. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who needs clarity, and leave a review with one question you want answered on the next show.

Market headlines miss the nuance: sales in Henderson County are up year over year, prices have softened, and days on market have stretched to a new normal. We walk you through what that balance really means—how to price with confidence, why two months to contract is standard again, and where inventory is creating opportunity for both buyers and sellers without signaling a crash. Along the way, we unpack the mortgage story behind the story: the 10-year Treasury yield, the stubborn spread keeping rates elevated, and why a gradual easing could reignite demand.

From there, we shift into the planning most owners put off until it’s urgent. Real estate doesn’t live in a vacuum—it touches taxes, income needs, and family dynamics. We share practical ways to bring your CPA, estate attorney, financial planner, and real estate team to the same table, so your plan works in the real world. If you’re holding fully depreciated rentals, sitting on land that doesn’t produce income, or worrying your kids will inherit a dispute, we outline strategies that create peace and cash flow: 1031 exchanges to defer capital gains, Delaware Statutory Trusts to generate passive monthly income and split distributions among heirs, and charitable tools that align taxes with your values.

The core message is simple: face the storm like a bull. Make the calls, get the numbers, and choose from a wider set of options while you still control timing. Whether you aim to right-size, simplify, or build durable income for a longer life, a coordinated, tax-smart, family-smart approach turns uncertainty into a plan you trust. If this conversation sparked new questions about your next move, subscribe, share the show with someone who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest decision you’re weighing now.

Storms don’t ask permission. They roll in—market shifts, aging rentals, family land decisions, taxes—and suddenly the “later” you’ve promised yourself is here. We use a simple lens to cut through the noise: stop running from the hard choices and face them with a plan that protects your people, your income, and your values.

We start with the real numbers in Henderson County, then zoom out to the choices that matter most: how to reposition appreciated property without handing a giant check to the IRS, how to refresh depreciation and simplify management with 1031 exchanges and Delaware Statutory Trusts, and how to turn idle land into purpose-driven income while honoring conservation goals. We share real scenarios where “do nothing” quietly cost owners more—higher taxes, bigger repairs, fewer options—and show how a coordinated team of a real estate broker, CPA, estate attorney, and financial advisor can reverse that equation.

Family harmony takes center stage. Real estate isn’t liquid, and equal isn’t always fair when one heir wants cash and another wants to hold. We walk through tools that convert bricks into shares so heirs can choose income or liquidity without a fight. We also break down care-funding strategies for right-sizing or moving to a retirement community—creating monthly income and preserving principal instead of triggering avoidable taxes. Along the way, we talk charitable giving, donor-advised funds, and trusts that reduce tax drag and amplify impact so your legacy supports both your family and the causes you love.

If you don’t want Uncle Sam to be your biggest heir, now is the time to act. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs clarity, and leave a review with the question you want us to tackle next. Ready to map your plan with a team that works in sync? Call 828-393-0134 or visit realestatebygreg.com and let’s be the bull together.

When the bridge disappears and the radios go quiet, what holds a mountain community together? We sit down with Ashley and Isaac Guffey from Bat Cave to trace the first frantic days after the flood—mudslides, dead-end roads, and a valley suddenly cut off from help—and the long, patient year that followed. Their story moves from improvisation to infrastructure: volunteer firefighters carving a passable route over Little Pisgah, side-by-sides hauling supplies when trucks couldn’t, and a medical evacuation for a neighbor running out of insulin. Along the way, they reveal the hardest part—two days with no word about their child, and a week until they were reunited—plus the simple tools that became lifelines: generators on radio repeaters, steady hands, and neighbors who refused to stand down.

We also share how recovery really works after the cameras leave. Nonprofits like Pay It Forward Network, Bat Cave Disaster Relief, Helene Rising, and Spokes of Hope are still stepping in with casework, materials, and muscle. A veteran who lost everything just received a tiny home and a repaired driveway, a crucial foothold toward a full rebuild. Amish crews have quietly replaced roofs, rebuilt decks, and even set small bridges so people can get home. It’s practical compassion at scale—fast shelter near familiar land, with dignity and a plan for what’s next. And while we check the pulse of the local market—steady sales, longer days on market, average prices in the low 500s—the bigger theme is clear: real estate is about people, timing, and trust, especially when life turns.

If you care about Western North Carolina, community resilience, volunteer firefighting, disaster recovery, and the power of tiny homes, this conversation will stay with you. Listen to learn what’s needed now, how to support the Bat Cave and Gerton area, and why “don’t forget about us” is the most important line we heard. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who loves the mountains, and leave a review to help more neighbors find this story. Your attention and action make a real difference.

If you’re watching rates, days on market, and price cuts and wondering what it all means for your next move, this conversation brings the signal through the noise. We start on the ground in Henderson County with fresh numbers—new listings, pendings, closings, and price drops—then connect those dots to bigger forces like softened mortgage rates, cash-heavy demand, and a five-month supply that keeps pricing resilient. You’ll hear why buyers are acting faster when rates dip, how sellers can still command strong outcomes with precise pricing, and where negotiation has returned with list-to-sale averages around 95 percent.

From there, we widen the lens. Inventory is destiny, and state-by-state differences are dramatic. Texas and Florida have added sizeable supply in recent years, shifting leverage toward buyers, while North Carolina’s minimal inventory growth keeps sellers in the driver’s seat. That context matters for relocations, investment timing, and long-term planning. We also open up a practical playbook for investors and families: how a 1031 exchange can defer capital gains taxes, preserve buying power, and move you from management-heavy rentals or low-yield land into professionally managed, income-producing assets. We clear up common myths—like-kind is broad, exchanges can be repeated, and reverse structures exist—and explain the hard deadlines and the importance of a qualified intermediary.

If you’ve been sitting on the sidelines with an aging property, shared family real estate, or land that isn’t pulling its weight, this is your roadmap to more income and less hassle. We talk through Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs) and other passive options that can simplify life, support estate plans with step-up basis, and turn equity into dependable distributions. Whether you’re planning a sale, an exchange, or a strategic “right-size” move, we’ll help you weigh timing, taxes, and true market conditions—so your next chapter feels clear and well-timed.

Subscribe for weekly market insight, share this with someone weighing a move, and leave a quick review so we can help more neighbors make smart, confident decisions.