Discover your dream home in Western North Carolina, where the charm of mountain living meets modern luxury. Whether you’re drawn to the historic allure of Franklin, the small-town beauty of Sylva, the exclusive elegance of Cashiers, or the vibrant lifestyle of Highlands, our featured properties offer something for everyone. From cozy cottages with breathtaking views to luxurious estates nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, each home is a gateway to serene living. Explore these stunning homes and trust Vignette Realty to help you find the perfect place to write your mountain story.
64 Hidden Springs Road, Highlands, NC 28741
3 BD | 4 BA
54 Deer Run, Highlands, NC 28741
3 BD | 4 BA
75 Doe Falls Rd, Highlands, NC 28741
4 BD | 6 BA
317 Von Trapp Lane, Tuckasegee, NC 28783
3 BD | 4 BA
00 Sawmill Village Lane, Franklin, NC 28734
129 Skyline Park Dr, Franklin, NC 28734
3 BD | 4 BA
77 E Main St, Franklin, NC 28734
3 BA | 8,960 Sq.Ft.
00 Sawmill Village Lane, Franklin, NC 28734
Buying a home is one of the most exciting milestones of your life. To prepare yourself for this moment, you need to know what to expect during the process. This step-by-step buyer’s guide will help reduce the stress of buying a home and help you enjoy the journey as much as possible.
Do you already know where you want to buy? If you want a condo, townhome, or single-family home? Which features do you like and dislike? What’s available on the market now? If you answered no to any of these questions, now is the time to start researching. In addition to looking for homes that interest you, also take note of any changes in asking prices. This could give you valuable insight into housing trends in specific neighborhoods and help you when the time comes to make an offer.
Don't let your mortgage company determine how much your budget should be. In many cases, a mortgage company will pre-approve you for more than you’re comfortable spending, which is why you need to determine the monthly payment you feel comfortable with before talking to a lender. This likely includes doing a full household budget and taking into consideration what changes other than a mortgage payment will occur once you move into your new home. If you’ve lived in an apartment or with roommates, you may overlook new expenses like garbage, water, or HOA fees that could easily blow your budget.
Sellers are more likely to consider offers from pre-qualified buyers, knowing the financial backing is in place. This can be a decisive factor in negotiations, giving you an upper hand in securing your dream home. Understanding your buying power is crucial in today's competitive real estate market. While you may have a clear idea of what you can comfortably afford, securing pre-qualification from a mortgage professional ensures you know exactly what you can borrow. This step clarifies your budget and gives you a significant edge when making an offer.
Can you shop for, look at, and ultimately make an offer on a home without a real estate agent? Technically yes, but why would you when it costs you nothing for an agent to take much of the stress off your shoulders? Not only will we help identify properties you might be interested in, arrange showings, and ultimately handle the offer process, but we also have a knowledge of the market that you don’t possess. We may be able to steer you away from certain homes or neighborhoods, suggest hidden gems, or give you pointers that will help you find your dream home for the right price.
This should be the most enjoyable step of the entire process (other than moving in!). We will arrange showings of homes you’re interested in that are within your price range. Take notes about what you like and don’t like, and make sure to pay attention to details. Turn light switches on and off, open and close doors, and run the faucets in various rooms. Don’t limit your inspection to the home itself. Make sure to take time to explore the neighborhood and keep an eye on traffic at certain times of the day, the parking situation, and how close it is to necessities like schools and grocery stores.
Learn more about areas in Western North Carolina
Once you have selected the perfect home, work with your agent to craft a fair offer based on the value of comparable homes on the market. Depending on what the home is listed at and whether the current environment is a buyer’s or seller’s market, your offer may be below, at, or even above the asking price. We will be able to help you negotiate if you receive a counteroffer and reach an agreement. At this point, the house will go into escrow.
In most cases, your offer will be contingent on having the home inspected to ensure no significant structural damage or extensive repairs are needed. We can help you arrange this, and you can schedule it within days of making an offer. If there are no major issues, the process goes to step eight. If there is, you can renegotiate your offer based on what needs to be fixed or withdraw it.
Questions about Due Diligence Monies and importance of inspections?
Now is the time to go back to the mortgage lender who pre-approved or pre-qualified you and choose your mortgage. You will be presented with various options based on your unique financial situation, including fixed-rate, variable-rate, 15-year, 30-year, or special programs such as VA loans or FHA loans. Work with your mortgage lender to select the option you feel the most comfortable with.
Your lender will have your new home appraised so they have their independent value of it. The appraisal is to ensure that all parties involved are paying a fair price for the house.
No one looks forward to all the paperwork involved in buying a home, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Fortunately, everything will be arranged by your lender and title company and, when you’re finished, you’ll know you are the legal owner of your new home.
After signing the final paperwork to complete the purchase, you are now the owner of a new house. It may take a few days for your loan to be funded once the paperwork has been returned to the lender, but once that check is delivered to the seller, you’ll be all set to move into the home of your dreams.
Read our latest vignettes about buying a home in Franklin, Cashiers, Highlands, Otto, Sylva, and Bryson City, NC.
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For the Long term the mountains are where you want to write your story!
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