The Big Sweep – A Lake Hiwassee Cleanup in Murphy NC

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Lake Hiwassee is a gorgeous resource here in Murphy, and I find myself writing about it often in many different articles. A week ago today was the annual Big Sweep. It’s an arranged group of folks who spend at least half their Saturday on Lake Hiwassee cleaning up trash in different coves. Jessica and I did it, and I have to admit, it was a lot of fun! We even did it on our canoe, so we paddled the whole way! It was a bit more work, but I have to admit, it got us to places where larger boats would’ve had trouble and was fun.

It was organized by Silas Allen, our very own head of the Cherokee Building Department, and Susan Hersh (who I might add is the “face” of the Building Department as you always see her running the show when you go in 🙂 ) It takes ton of preparation and organization, and thanks to them, the turnout was great. There were roughly 130 volunteers, 20 boats, and an estimated 20,000 pounds of trash taken from the shores of the lake. This year’s focus was right around Bear Paw. It was such a great event – it was on the front Page of this week’s Cherokee Scout newspaper.

The majority of the trash come from the rivers, creeks, and streams that are tributaries to Lake Hiwassee. It’ll come from someone’s yard and eventually end up in Lake Hiwassee. We found lots of things in the lake such as tennis balls, countless plastic bottles, Skoal cans, tires, coolers, televisions, and tons more. It’s amazing how many things end up in the lake, and it was nice to know we were able to make a difference.

Love being part of a community that protects places like Lake Hiwassee? Let us help you find your home here. Contact us for murphy nc real estate.

Murphy’s Top Ten Reasons – and article in The Cherokee Scout by John Poltrock

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Here’s the most recent article I wrote for the Cherokee Scout’s magazine, Country Roads. This is one of my favorite’s and honestly, all Jessica’s idea! Enjoy! 🙂

Murphy attracts people from all over the United States. From Florida, to Alabama, to New York, to California, to Alaska, and just about every other state in the Union. Some folks show up to rent a cabin for a while and never leave. Some come for the thousands of acres of US Forest Service land. Some find themselves here for the love of downtown, for family, and hundreds of other equally important reasons.

You may know that I didn’t grow up in Murphy and that my wife was born and raised right here. I was born in Georgia and grew up near Fayetteville NC and don’t miss it in the least. When Jessica and I got married, I moved right away and can’t imagine being anywhere else. And in case you’re from here and know the history, Jessica’s family has been here several generations – she’s a Ritz and her mom is a Cook. With that said, I get to hear a lot of reasons why being in Murphy is the best place to be in the world.

I have the benefit everyday of being able to help people come to Murphy and find their personal, favorite part of being here. And because of that, I wanted to share with you some of the few reasons why folks absolutely love it here. Not just transplants, or locals, or vacationers – a little bit of everyone. Here’s what I’ve found. Enjoy!

“The people. The people of Murphy are the best people you’ll ever meet anywhere in the U.S. It doesn’t matter if you’re at a friend’s or a local bank. They treat you like a neighbor and remember your name. You’re not a number, you’re a neighbor.”

-Bill Robbins and Kathy Pasick, Bradenton, FL and Murphy, NC

“The reason I love Murphy is simple, I’ve lived in here for 71 years and I just can’t imagine living in a better place. The temperature is cooler and the people are amazing. I’m a better person for making their acquaintance and knowing them. The people are sincere, honest, hard working, good Christian people and it doesn’t get any better than that.”

-Mayor Bill Hughes, Murphy NC

“The weather. When the rest of the country is getting record breaking heat with a heat index in the triple digits, I’m sitting on my porch enjoying the comfortable temperatures and cool nights.”

-Donald and Marilyn Blane, Florida and Murphy, NC

“Its hard for me to nail down one thing because we just LOVE it here. If I had to say one thing… locale… and temperature. I absolutely love the location. Its close to us to get to and not just that, Murphy’s close to everything. Anything we need for shopping, restaurants, you name it, Murphy’s got it.”

-Tom and Chris Barnes, Byron GA and Murphy NC

“I was born and raised in Murphy, and honestly, I’ve never left because I’ve never found anywhere better than here.”

-Tony and Susie Godfrey, Murphy NC (Parker’s Drug Store)

“I love the wildlife. We see deer, turkey, and all sorts of different animals right on our land. The nature here in Murphy is spectacular and everyday we’re thankful we moved here.”

– John and Annie Faulkner, now Murphy NC residents

“Super people. No question about it. We love coming here and the value [of real estate] is amazing. We looked for homes all over the mountains and Murphy was by far the best value we saw anywhere. Top it off with great quilting, and Murphy is our half-the-year home!”

-Stanley and Monica Stein

“The peace and quiet. There’s something about Murphy that relaxes us unlike anywhere we’ve ever been. We love it and always look forward to coming in. The hardest part is leaving!”

-James and Cheryl Palmer, Chapin SC

“Family brought me to Murphy, and to this day, that keeps me here. I love the beauty and tranquility of the area – there’s nothing like it. Coming from a fast-paced corporate job in California was certainly a change of speed, and I simply can’t imagine going back to it. I’m able to slow down and genuinely enjoy life. I love this area and everything it offers and look forward to many more years here.”

– Mike Webb, Murphy NC (Duke’s Marina)

“The seasons. There’s nowhere in the entire United States that offers the perfect blend of the seasons like Murphy does. The Spring is unbelievably comfortable as all the foliage comes back to life. The Summer is warm without the thick humidity. The Fall is one of my favorites with the change of the colors on the leaves. Even the Winter is quite mild and offers just the right amount of snow – not too much and not too little. You won’t find a more wonderful place with so much to offer.”

– Mark W., now a Murphy NC resident

If you’d like to come to Murphy and join us, give us or your Realtor a call. There’s no better place on Earth and we’re always looking for a new neighbor.

Want to experience what so many love about Murphy NC, as shared in the Cherokee Scout? Let us help you find home. Contact us for murphy nc real estate.

John Poltrock – The Poltrock Team at REMAX in Murphy NC – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496

Cherokee Indian Tribe to Put Casino in Murphy NC

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That’s right – it was front page news today in The Cherokee Scout.  The Cherokee Indian Tribe has 793+/- acres secured to potentially grow their casino business from the Cherokee to Murphy (the land is actually in Marble, which is between Murphy and Andrews NC). The growth of this enterprise will be a huge influx of capital and jobs to Cherokee County and give our beautiful mountain area another attraction for folks to come and enjoy. The opportunities to be created here are amazing!

How will this affect real estate values? Right now it’s not even happened yet, so the effect won’t be immediate. There likely will be some “land grabbers” who will purchase land around the future casino site as an investment. As the casino is built and future development, restaurants, etc. are built up, surrounding land values will most likely increase. If you’re searching for an investment opportunity, you have the highest opporunity for reward early in the development.

With the Cherokee Indian Tribe expanding into Marble, now’s the time to invest smart. Contact us to secure prime murphy nc real estate before values rise.

Looking to capitalize and buy land around the future site? Email us or call today to secure the best buys and investments early in the project!

The Poltrock Team – REMAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – Call Toll Free TODAY at 1866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496 – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Skype: johnpoltrock

Snow Days are a Blessing in Murphy NC – A Cherokee Scout Article by John Poltrock

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Here’s the most recent article written by John scheduled to be in The Cherokee Scout’s upcoming magazine, Country Roads.

As I write this on a quite cold winter day, snow gracefully falls from the sky. My daughter is even excited at the prospect of not having school – something a child always looks forward to – a snow day! Snow days are sporadic in a year, only gracing us a few times a year. But when they do, it’s magical. Folks get time to spend with their family, get a few well deserved hours away from work, a warm cup of coffee or cocoa, and always, snow angels. Lots and lots of snow angels.

Snow FlakeAlthough an unlikely comparison, the falling snow reminds me of the blessings in real estate we have seen from winter to winter. Yes, despite the bombardment of bad news from the media and everywhere else you turn, real estate has the ability to bless people like a snow day – only better.

We worked with a couple this year who purchased a property that is now their home. And by that, I don’t literally mean it has a house on the property – it’s their home. In fact, it is currently only a vacant piece of land now, but it is going to be their home and where they spend many years together making it that much more of a home.

It brings them hope for the future – a place they will come to enjoy their lives.  The feelings that wash over them and the excitement the property brings to them is better than that of any snow day. It will literally last them a lifetime and be the place they will enjoy a few brilliantly white snow days together.

On an opposite token, we worked with a couple who were in serious danger of losing their house. In fact, it wasn’t just a danger, it was eminent. Foreclosure notice had already been served and the writing was on the wall. This couple’s house went from a home, to a house, and finally to a huge burden. It was a weight on their chest that can’t be picked up no matter how you try. And for those of you who have been blessed enough to not have experienced a foreclosure, it’s one of the worst feelings and emotions you can possibly imagine. It’s one of the most terrible, most embarrassing things that can happen to you.

With this couple, we were able find a buyer and come to an agreement with the owners and their bank. Although that statement sounds simple, it was one of the hardest, most challenging transactions we’ve ever worked on – and also one of the most rewarding. For the homeowner when it was over, it was far sweeter than a snow day from work. It was a feeling of full relief to know that stage of their life was over with and complete.

Snow is a gift that we only get to enjoy a few times a year. Real estate is an opportunity to enjoy the feelings that snow days bring not just a few times, but every day. So while winter grasps hold of us and the cold weather keeps us by our fireplaces, enjoy yourselves, your family, your home, dream of your future home, and know that we are blessed to be in mountains, in God’s Country.

If you have real estate needs, give us a call. We work hard for you to get you the results you need. And no matter your situation, whether buying or selling, we strive to get you to the day where the job is done and the good feelings you remember from a snow day wash over you from a job well done.

Want a real estate experience as comforting as snow days? Let us help bring that warmth home—connect now at murphy nc real estate.

Written by John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call Toll Free 1-866-687-7496

September – Best Month for Real Estate Sales in Murphy NC

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Wow! It’s hard to believe that it’s October already! There are so many things going on in the world of real estate right now – which is great! It seems like it’s been forever since the last Bi-Weekly update. Since we began this column in Murphy’s newspaper – The Cherokee Scout – it threw a curve ball in the “release” of our update. We’re working on getting that in sync now, so please pardon the delay.

October brings several wonderful things! Be sure to remember The RE/MAX Client Appreciation Picnic is next Saturday from 4-8! BE SURE TO COME!!! If you think you can make it and haven’t confirmed already, please let us know – we’d love to have you!
 
Fall appears as its going to be early this year, so be sure to enjoy while its here!
 september
On to real estate! September was a tremendous month. It proved to be the best September in the past 3 years. An astounding 63 properties sold in a one month period – and by anyones calculations – two per day is phenomenal! Also not reflected in these sold properties, United Community Bank (UCB) did an online auction that yielded quite a few sold properties – lots sold from a mere $2,000 to $8,000 in several instances.
 

 

You must be a subscriber of The POLTROCK TEAM’s
Bi-Weekly Real Estate Update to get the Link to
the sold properties for the past 14 Days.
See sold prices, pictures, and descriptions of what’s sold!
Email John at JohnPoltrock@gmail.com and join our SOLD Update!

 

 
SOLD Home Statistics in Murphy NC for September
(40 listings)
  Low High Average Median Total
List Price $40,000 $299,900 $172,424 $165,000 $6,896,950
Selling Price $40,000 $300,000 $152,836 $143,500 $6,113,432
List/Sold(%) 59.93% 100.09% 88.44% 89.78% —
Price/SqFt ($) $0.00 $146.34 $43.22 $0.00 —
Days on Market 16 701 233 175 —
 
 
SOLD Land in Murphy NC Statistics
(23 listings)
  Low High Average Median Total
List Price $12,500 $215,000 $60,691 $39,900 $1,395,900
Selling Price $10,000 $185,000 $51,447 $29,100 $1,183,270
List/Sold(%) 37.93% 209.80% 83.63% 81.08% —
Days on Market 113 648 301 190 —
 
Note the interesting phenomena on the lowest SOLD percentage of list price – Land reached as low as 38% of list and homes as low as 60% indicating some steep discounts (or high overpricing) on homes sold. There’s a direct relation between over pricing a home in today’s market and an extreme high time on market. In fact, the high time on market was an astonishing 701 days! If you don’t want to have an extended time on market like this, ensuring your home is priced competitively in the market is of the utmost importance. If you want a review of your property to see if any adjustments are necessary, give us a call or email and we’ll do the work for you.
We have seen a lot of offers thrown out there – in fact The Poltrock Team alone closed 13 transaction sides in September. We’re still seeing some of the Offers to Purchase come in extremely low and did not fly – we had offers as low as 33% of listing price. This was what I call a “Vulture” offer – folks offering ridiculous offers to see what they could get away with. Even with this happening, most of our buyers realize value even today, and that is perfectly indicative of the market. In fact the highest list to sell ratio was 100.09% of asking price – this means someone paid slightly more than asking price to ensure they bought the property.
 
Real estate is currently on the rise! Keep your fingers crossed and say your prayers for consumer confidence to continue to rise and for people to buy homes and land in the mountains of Murphy, NC!
 
As always, we thank you for the opportunity to work for you. We work hard every day and work 60+ hours per week for our clients and would love to work for you and your real estate referrals.
 
If you have any questions or anything we can do for you, please CONTACT US! Thank you for your business and trust. If you know of anyone looking to buy or sell real estate anywhere in the United States, please give us their name and number and we will take care of them to make certain they get the best service no matter where they are.

Want expert insight into current real estate sales or a pricing review of your property? Let us help—start today at murphy nc real estate.

Written By: John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – www.MyMurphy.com – The POLTROCK TEAM at REMAX Mountain Properties – Murphy’s #1 Real Estate Team – Contact us Today Toll Free 1-866-687-7496

Invest in the Mountains of Murphy NC – Especially Now!

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With the Holiday season coming to a wrap and 2009 young and vibrant, we are all looking forward to a year of progress. President Obama’s term is getting ready to begin, and regardless of whether you are a supporter or not, I’m certain we are all hopeful for an improved economy and a prosperous nation.

Real Estate is a huge opportunity to invest in the Mountains of Murphy, NC, as our economy continually shows signs of improving. Not only that, there are many choices for homes and land.  The hardest part is just picking which is your favorite! As Donald Trump said, “It’s tangible, it’s solid, it’s beautiful. It’s artistic, from my standpoint, and I just love real estate.” You’ll always be able to stand on it, touch it, enjoy it, and ultimately sell something that is real – not just a paper investment.

Real Estate is a low cost opportunity right now as interest rates are continually dropping. You should be certain to contact one of our many local lenders to find the opportunities in place right now. Cost of ownership is extraordinarily low with very favorable county tax rates. For example, current rates for a home assessed at $200,000 will be in the neighborhood of $800 for the year. Homeowner’s insurance runs in the same neighborhood as well. If you purchase land, you shouldn’t need to pay insurance for it since your current homeowner’s policy should protect you for most things under personal liability coverage (be sure to check your own policy to see what specific coverage is offered).

There are many different types of real estate investments in Murphy NC available suitable to practically every budget. We have land opportunities as low as $10,000 and with sizes ranging from lots to parcels with thousands of acres. Looking for a home you can enjoy now or don’t want to build? We have brand new cabins and homes in the low 100’s, and from there, the sky is the limit. You can also search the Murphy NC MLS for free.

The investment standpoint is always a good way to look at it, and with a degree in financial planning, I tend to look that way first. Truth is, that’s only a very small portion owning a property in the mountains. Waking up with a warm cup of coffee overlooking a stunning mountain view is something you cannot even begin to put a price on. Living on a cool mountain river watching trout swim around catching flies is something that simply can’t be replaced. Sitting on a soft leather couch in the evening watching the sunset on the Appalachian Mountains right beside a crackling fireplace is of no comparison.

Now is the time to move from dreaming and to start planning. Come to Murphy! There are many great cabin rental companies and hotels to choose from so you can come and truly enjoy yourself. Curious about the area and want more information about weather, what to do, and more? Contact us and we’ll send you our FREE Murphy NC Information Packet; it’s filled with tons of information about the weather and climate in Murphy NC, things to do, and much more! And until you get here, keep dreaming of mountain views, comfortable weather with four seasons, and great people!

Be sure to read this article in the January 2009 Edition of our local Cherokee County Newspaper, The Cherokee Scout. You’ll find it and our full page ad in Country Roads.

If you’re ready to Invest in the Mountains of Murphy NC, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Explore more things to do in Murphy NC and connect with us today!

John Poltrock, Certified Residential Specialist – Murphy NC – The POLTROCK TEAM at RE/MAX Mountain Properties – www.MyMurphy.com – JohnPoltrock@gmail.com – Call us Toll Free at 1-866-Murphy-NC or 1-866-687-7496.