One of the greatest things about living in Buncombe County is that the area simply has so much to offer. Ultimately, that’s one of the things that’s so great about living in Buncombe County: no matter what is really important to you, you’ll find that there are ways to enjoy it.

When you live in Buncombe County, you’ll find that it’s easy to explore the arts. From writers to artists who, from time to time, open their studios to museums, you’ll be able to find a way to indulge yourself. Likewise, if the theater or live music are important to you, there are opportunities that are right there waiting for you to take advantage of them.

Of course, another part of what’s great about living in Buncombe County is that living here makes it easy to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Views of the mountains, streams - whether you’re out on a mountain bike, you’re hiking or you’re simply looking out of your front window, you’ll find breathtaking landscapes.

Living in Buncombe County lets you relax, it lets you get away from the day to day chaos - which is probably why Asheville is an area that attracts tourists who are looking for an escape. When you live in Buncombe County, you’ll be able to have a bit of an escape everyday!

When you live in Buncombe County, one of the things that you’ll quickly discover is that the arts are important.

(source)A survey done by Americans for the Arts, the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America, said that the nonprofit arts and culture industry in Buncombe County generates $65 million and supplies 2,192 jobs each year.

N.C. Stage Company, on behalf of all performing artists in Asheville, recently received a $50,000 two-year grant to come up with a campaign to market the area’s performing arts to the nation.

“Raising money is still an important element for any nonprofit, arts or otherwise,” said Deborah Austin, who ran the arts council for years. “But the ability to connect (the arts) to the community is vital. The arts can’t be perceived as separate.”

When you live in Buncombe County, experiencing the arts doesn’t have to mean getting on stage yourself, nor does it mean that you need to be out there painting, writing novels or taking photographs. Experiencing the arts in Buncombe County is really all about coming together, exploring ideas and looking at life (and community) in a new way.

There’s plenty that’s exciting about living in Buncombe County - with beautiful homes, a great environment and beautiful, natural views; connecting with the arts really is a part of it all. For those who are able to explore it, there’s little wonder about why Asheville has always had such a draw for artists (and those who enjoy the arts).

When you’re thinking about buying a home and living in Buncombe County, whether you have kids or you are planning to have kids, you’re going to want to take the time to look into the school systems and what they can do to ensure that every child is getting the best possible education.

One of the things that’s great about the education system for those who live in Buncombe County is that, when necessary, there are innovative options that help all students to get a quality education:

(source)In a classroom at Veritas Christian Academy, Anne DeWeese sits at a table listening intently as the teacher begins to talk about ions, covalent bonds, the periodic table and electrons. In front of her, a boy raises his hand to answer the teacher’s question, and across the room two girls are chatting.

The scene is like that of any high school chemistry class, except DeWeese is not a student. She is a teacher.

As the lead upper school teacher for the academy’s School Within a School program, DeWeese shadows three 10th-grade students. She goes to class with them, takes notes and helps keep them on task. The academy’s program is for students with Asperger’s syndrome or high-functioning autism.

“In the classroom, the helpers will take notes, but we take notes also,” said Chris Prechter, a 10th-grader in the program. “That’s just in case we missed something the teachers said, and we can go to the School Within a School teacher and ask for notes. We can also ask for help and clarification. If we sometimes start to daydream, they will sometimes prompt us to stay focused.”

Education is extremely important; with the prevalence of autism , knowing that there are innovative solutions that can help all of the students to learn as well as possible provides a tremendous amount of peace of mind. When you live in Buncombe County, you’ll be able to fee confident that your kids are getting the education they deserve - even if their needs are different from those of other students.

Sometimes, when you know that living in Buncombe County is right for you, there’s something that just doesn’t feel quite right about the homes that you’re looking at. It’s not that the homes aren’t right - it’s not that the bedrooms aren’t spacious or that the bathrooms haven’t been updated; it’s just that the homes that you’re looking for aren’t what you really want.

That’s the great thing about living in Buncombe County: it’s possible to get what you’re looking for. In some cases, the simplest solution is the best. When you want to live in Buncombe County and can’t find the right home, why not buy land?

When you buy land in Buncombe County, you’ll find that you are able to choose the right view. More importantly, because you’ll be building your own home, you’ll find that you’re able to choose the best positions for great windows and a chance to know that you’re able to take them in.

If you want to be sure that you’ve got great views and that the home is everything that you’re looking for, buying land in Buncombe County is a great way to create the home that is everything that you’re looking for and more.

One of the great things about living in Buncombe County - particularly during the spring and summer months - is that you’ll have the chance to get involved and get outside and be active. After all, “festival season” is upon us.

For those living in Buncombe County one of those festivals is coming up in about a month:

(source)Event Date: 05/17/2008 Event Time: 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM the next day

Description:
The Saluda Business Association is pleased to the 4th annual Arts and Music Festival scheduled for May 17, 2008 on Main Street in Saluda, NC. The 2008 Arts Festival will feature over 50 artists and craftspeople from Asheville, Western North Carolina and the Upstate of South Carolina.

It’s always great to have the chance to get together with other members of the community and to see what they are passionate about; living close to Asheville gives us a great chance to interact with artists, craftspeople and musicians - and to just have some fun in the sun.

When you’re living in Buncombe County, you’ll quickly come to appreciate the value of community. That’s why, when you’re thinking about moving into the area it’s essential to work with a real estate agent who can help you to find the neighborhood that’s right for you.

While being in the heart of an artist’s community is ideal for those who wish to paint, those who don’t have a talent for the arts, while welcomed, may not feel as comfortable in that environment. While bankers and lawyers can be great neighbors, there’s this sense that some people have that it’s just not what they’re looking for.

These examples may be extreme - but they’re meant to be. When you’re choosing your neighborhood, you aren’t just finding a home, you’re also choosing your community. When you’re new to an area, you’ll find that it’s great to be able to work with someone who is far more familiar with it than you are.

That’s why choosing the right real estate agent is so important - whether you’re going to be living in Buncombe County or somewhere else altogether. The right agent can help you to choose the community that will be ideal for you and your family.

Now, we talked about the Festival of Flowers at the Biltmore last week (see the post on 3/27), but in case you didn’t think that it would be worth the trip, consider that others talk about the festival and of making time to take it in:

(source)That means we’re headed to Asheville, North Carolina for springtime in the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains where we’ll find The Biltmore Estate and its Festival of Flowers that begins tomorrow Saturday, April 5th and continues through Sunday, May 18th.

The Biltmore Estate — site of America’s largest home — covers approximately 8,000 acres and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964. Yet it has never been publicly funded and is privately owned and operated by The Biltmore Company, which is controlled by George Washington Vanderbilt’s (the original owner) grandson, William A.V. Cecil, II.

Now, if you live in Buncombe County, don’t you think that it would be worth checking something out that others travel for? After all, if you’re totally honest about it, when you live in Buncome County you probably know at least one person who made the choice to move to the area after a quick visit.

The festival starts tomorrow - Saturday, April 5 - and goes on for the next couple of weeks; make it a point to check it out!

When you live in Buncombe County - whether you’re living in or around Asheville - you’ll find that there are plenty of things that you can get out there and enjoy. One great way to spend the day? Pay a visit to the North Carolina Arboretum:

(source)North Carolina Arboretum, Asheville - The North Carolina Arboretum is a 434-acre public garden offering 65 acres of cultivated gardens and 10 miles of hiking and biking trails, a greenhouse complex and the finest bonsai collection in the Southeastern U.S.

That bonsai collection has about 100 bonsai that are in various stages of development and completion. It’s always a great treat to look at Japanese maple, fig trees as well as those species that are native to the greater Buncombe County region.

Of course, not all of the trees at the NC Arboretum are pruned and shaped; for those of you who are looking for more of a chance to get out in the woods, there are a variety of foot traffic trails and trails that can by used for hiking abd biking.

In other words, when you’re living in Buncombe County, it’s possible to have a great day that’s simply a walk in the park!

(source)The Western North Carolina Farmers Market on Brevard Road hosts its third annual BBQ Cookoff and Bluegrass Jam this weekend, combining local and regional music with a competitive barbecue cook-off that draws chefs from all over the region.

Admission is free and you can purchase food from the contestants. The musical lineup includes local and regional favorites like Whitewater Bluegrass and Balsam Range plus Ohio-based Rounder Recording artists Newfound Road.

If you live in Buncombe County and are looking for something to do this weekend, why not check out the BBQ Cookoff and Bluegrass Jam? After all, it’s always great to enjoy fantastic food and just to see what’s out there - what your neighbors can accomplish.

Of course, this is also a great event to attend if you’re visiting Buncombe County and thinking about relocating to the area. It’s a great way to get a taste for what living here is really all about!

One of the great things about living in Buncombe County is that it gives you the chance to explore and experience the arts and culture of the area. While I’m working on putting together some content about the Biltmore Estate and discussing many of the events that take place there throughout the year, I wanted to be sure to mention that, this coming Sunday, North Carolina’s Poet Laureate will be reading in Asheville:

(source)we’re excited about the upcoming reading this Sunday at 2 p.m. by North Carolina poet laureate Kathryn Stripling Byer at the Asheville Art Museum downtown. It’s free, and we’ve never heard her read, so we plan to check it out. She lives in Western North Carolina, just down the road from Asheville.

So, if you live in Buncombe County (or if you’re in the area, checking things out because you’re thinking about relocating to Asheville or nearby areas), why not set aside the time to to check it out yourself? Explore the Asheville Art Museum, maybe enjoy a great lunch somewhere - make an afternoon of it. See for yourself why so many people enjoy the arts experience in Asheville.