WNC overdevelopment (Asheville, Woodfin, Weaverville: house, buying, subdivisions)

[Apple Annie]

Irresponsible sellers, irresponsible planning boards, irresponsible commissioners and above all -- hyped marketing. Ruining the beautiful mountains. No wonder "they" are told to grab a Starbucks and get back to where you came from; don't let the door hit you on the way out.

[chickenista]

This is kinda sorta off the exact topic, but could someone explain to me, please, the allure of development living? I have been thinking on this for years and I just can't grasp why people want to spend $400,000+ on a house that is spitting distance, literally, from another house that looks just like it. And there is another one on the other side and one behind and across the street... it's an unending maze of lookalike houses..aaaggghhh. My head hurts. So, please, I would really like to know. Thank you.

[mmccool719]

OMG!!!! With a Walmart truck and a Uhaul on the highway to add a little salt to the open wound!!! OOOUUCCH!

[cowboy_wilhelm]

Lol. It's not hard to spot a Wal-Mart truck through there. They have a distribution center in Shelby and their trucks are constantly going between I-26 and U.S. 74. I'm guessing Shelby is the closest distribution center to Upstate South Carolina, since so many get on I-26 east heading for S.C. (and return as well). You also get to see them on N.C. 108 too, thanks to the wonderful interchange design N.C.D.O.T. gave us.



The red line shows I-26 west to U.S. 74 east, blue U.S. 74 west to I-26 east. Notice the roundabout on the west side of the bridge that was built three years ago since there were so many left turns onto I-26 east (hmmm... I wonder why...) Another one is in the works on the east side.

[chisoxfan]

Originally Posted by chickenista

This is kinda sorta off the exact topic, but could someone explain to me, please, the allure of development living? I have been thinking on this for years and I just can't grasp why people want to spend $400,000+ on a house that is spitting distance, literally, from another house that looks just like it. And there is another one on the other side and one behind and across the street... it's an unending maze of lookalike houses..aaaggghhh. My head hurts. So, please, I would really like to know. Thank you.

I think the psychology of some (not all) of the people moving in from Florida has something to do with it. They want the "mountain lifestyle" but are overwhelmed by the idea of living on untamed acreage along narrow and/or unpaved roads. Instead of appreciating and embracing what the Blue Ridge and Smokies offer in terms of natural beauty and culture, they want the amenities they have here -- pool, clubhouse, groomed landscaping, etc. It's one of the reasons why you see heartbreaking photos like the one posted -- and one reason why the "Floridiot" label is sometimes (not always) disgustingly true.

[jbird22]

Waynesville is preparing for a Home Depot and a Super WalMart. Some call that progress, others destruction. I say, get in your car and drive another 20-30 min. to Asheville to get to the big boxes that are already there! Once the floodgates open, you can't shut them...

[chickenista]

And once those stores are in and people (read new homeowners) don't have to drive all the way to Asheville and the real estate agents and developers can tout "convenient to shopping" hang onto your hats and your granny's land, cuz here they'll come.

[jbird22]

Originally Posted by chickenista

And once those stores are in and people (read new homeowners) don't have to drive all the way to Asheville and the real estate agents and developers can tout "convenient to shopping" hang onto your hats and your granny's land, cuz here they'll come.

Exactly. It is sad that folks here on a middle to low income can't find affordable housing. People visit here, love the "quaintness" and the unspoiled nature of the area, build a million dollar second home, and in doing so, destroy both the quaintness and the unspoiled nature of the area.

I saw a bumper sticker last week that read: "One home for EVERYONE before TWO homes for ANYONE". Perfectly stated.

[Apple Annie]

Not to get off topic, but how about this bumper sticker:

"We don't care how you did it in ____"

"or what you had in ____"


This is a big part of the problem here. People come in with a boatload of money, "say" they want the serenity and beauty of the mountains -- yet chop them up, make them ugly -- and then want everything at their fingertips, and start demanding big box stores, every darned fast food chain you can think of. Pretty soon, the locals are out of business, no old timey hardware stores to be found. They complain when they go to Lowe's and can't buy 3 screws for a project.

Yet, they won't drive 30 mins. to Asheville which their friends before them are ruining in the same manner.

Duhhhh.

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by Apple Annie

Not to get off topic, but how about this bumper sticker:

"We don't care how you did it in ____"

"or what you had in ____"


This is a big part of the problem here. People come in with a boatload of money, "say" they want the serenity and beauty of the mountains -- yet chop them up, make them ugly -- and then want everything at their fingertips, and start demanding big box stores, every darned fast food chain you can think of. Pretty soon, the locals are out of business, no old timey hardware stores to be found. They complain when they go to Lowe's and can't buy 3 screws for a project.

Yet, they won't drive 30 mins. to Asheville which their friends before them are ruining in the same manner.

Duhhhh.

That's because they're bringing with them that mentality of being used to having everything five minutes away. Honestly, that's what people like us are used to whether we admit it or not. With high gas prices (on top of general laziness) people would rather take the five minute drive as opposed to the thirty.

Here's the thing: People up north will scoff at the notion of yet another Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts going up complaining, "how could they take out more land for yet another <fill in the blank>". However put each of those same establishments about a five or so minute drive and it's the greatest thing in the world. It's a "cater to me at my convenience" mentality. Up north Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks' are literally everywhere. There's a spot on route 9 in central Jersey where you there's one Dunkin' Donuts on the northbound side and another on the southbound side separated by about a mile. I'm guessing the mentality is that they'll get the business from each side of the morning commute (however the one on the southbound side is in a prime locale, smack in the middle of a Lowes, Walmart and a big strip mall). Skip the U-turn, we got a Dunkin' Donuts for ya right over here!

If chain places could put an establishment on every block with the idea of living off of that block's repeat business, they would. I can still see the commercials with the tagline, "You're never too far from a....". This is what people up north have become accustomed to and lord knows when you relocate you want as much familiarity as possible.