Since Hurricane Helene devastated parts of southern Appalachia in late September, the area has made incredible progress toward restoring a sense of normalcy and revitalizing local economies that depend heavily on tourism and visitors. But, there's still much to be done.
We caught up with local realtor Preston Mayfield who kindly provided an update.
He explains that while some areas like Bryson City and Highlands escaped serious damage, others like Black Mountain and Asheville and towns along rivers that flooded such as Marshall and Spruce Pine, have a much longer recovery ahead. "The same can be said about Biltmore Village and the River Arts District in Asheville. While it will take months, and in some places years to rebuild, Asheville and most of the surrounding towns are welcoming back visitors who come with patience and understanding of the current situation," says Preston, who relocated with his family from Atlanta in 2021.
While it is still too early to comprehend the impact of the storm on the WNC real estate market, Preston made some notes for us:
1) WNC is still an incredibly beautiful and desirable place to live. Although many parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway and other WNC attractions will be closed for repairs, there are plenty of other places to get amazing views and enjoy life in the mountains.
2) Housing inventory has taken a hit in a market that already had relatively low supply and high demand.
3) There is much to learn from the places that have lived through similar disasters. For example, post-Katrina average home prices rose about 10% within 6 months and annual appreciation increased from 7.6% to 14.1%.
Before joining the real estate world, Preston spent 10-plus years in technology recruiting and consulting, matching top tech talent with various companies and industries. His passion for connecting people with unique opportunities made real estate a natural progression and serves him well in helping clients find the perfect property.
"Similar to recruiting, the first thing I do is gather requirements from my clients to understand how I can best serve them. Will this be a primary or second home? Does it need to be turnkey, fixer-upper project, or unimproved land on which to build," he says.
Also, because the area offers recreation galore, it is also important for Preston to dive deep into finding out his clients' favorite activities in the mountain: fly fishing, hiking, mountain biking, golf, gardening, bird watching, or simply enjoying the view. "It's important that you don't drive to the mountains, and then have to drive a lot more to do the things you love.
Bryson City and the Nantahala River offer an abundance of trails and rivers. "This area is tough to beat for those who love to be active outdoors. The Nantahala is a great river for rafting, fishing, and kayaking for the whole family. My personal favorite river in the area is the Cheoah in nearby Robbinsville. Endless River Adventures is one of the few companies that runs commercial rafting trips when the dam releases."
While Preston and his team will continue to pitch in to help the many neighbors in need, he will also be keeping his finger on the pulse of Western North Carolina real estate and helping clients find their next perfect home.
Find Preston at NCMountainRE.com
Ongoing needs to help keep people fed and warm in the most impacted areas can be supported through the following organizations: