Headed to God's Country for a long weekend. Looking for a retirement home in the Boone/Blowing Rock area. Any advice on how to get started? Should I get a realtor? (Recommendations). Or just look around. Have lived in large cities for the past 25 years so definitely will be a culture change but something I always dreamed of doing. Thanks.

AtlantaMountaineer wrote:Headed to God's Country for a long weekend. Looking for a retirement home in the Boone/Blowing Rock area. Any advice on how to get started? Should I get a realtor? (Recommendations). Or just look around. Have lived in large cities for the past 25 years so definitely will be a culture change but something I always dreamed of doing. Thanks.

You can always search the local MLS with your criteria on most any local realtor's webpage. Or just use the local board of realtor website here. http://www.highcountryrealtors.org/search/

Thanks for the website. Will check it out.

Blowing Rock Investment Properties. Ask for Benjamin Ray. He helped me find exactly what I was looking for. Honest guy who I would use again.

I've been doing a lot of looking at the other end of the state and this is what I do.

Look at zillow.com and realtor.com to see most of what's on the market by area. This gives a good base for tax value, days on market, comps, acreage, area, etc.

Then find a Realtor and set up appointments for what you'd like to see. They can also suggest other property and will know the area and might even have something not listed, but you're not going in cold if you do the other stuff first.

Also about being a buyers agent before you say too much, also if the property is listed with the agency you go to ask (they should tell you) about Designated Dual Agency.