Asheville’s real estate market: just what do we need?

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

1

An anony loyal reader wants to discuss Asheville’s real estate market, so go for it.

Regarding your comment “Just what we need — more condos.” Is it:

1) A comment on current oversupply of condos in Asheville relative to weak demand?

2) A general distaste for the condo model, because
a) it’s not a single family cottage in the woods or a bungalow in a leafy neighborhood (if so, could that be your romantic preference?), or
b) condos blight your viewshed (if so, could that be your aesthetic preference?),
c) condos are presumed to be occupied by affluent outsiders, therefore making other housing less affordable (if so, is there evidence to support that economic theory? and could this be partly anti-outsider prejudice or class prejudice?)
d) it overwhelms the local infrastructure (That’s Asheville’s anti-development crowd’s common technical ruse, but still, it could come true some day, we could overwhelm our downtown infrastructure, in which case the better answer may be to improve the infrastructure),
e) density downtown is somehow less friendly to the environment than spreading single family homes across the suburban and rural outskirts (I doubt that this is what you mean, but if so, is there evidence to support it?).

3) just one component of a broader antidevelopment sentiment, similar to “Just what we need, more homes on the hill,” and “Just what we need, more homes near rivers and streams,” and “Just what we need, more suburban McMansions,” “… more apartments”, “… more WalMarts,” “… more shopping centers,” “… more chain stores,” “… more hotels,” “… more parking garages,” “… more more”?
If this is not it, the way to demonstrate openness to some development, any development, somewhere, for some part of the market would be to support at least one development, in one location, for at least some part of the housing market, one fine day.

4) just blogging, an easy comment for an easy crowd?

If it’s #1, thank you for opening the topic of Asheville’s changing housing market (or continuing the topic, if you have discussed it already).

If it’s any of the other choices above, I believe some readers would welcome a different approach – a discussion with real information about Asheville’s housing market: the economics of our supply and demand for local workers, professionals, public servants, retired folks and others, and the economic impact of limiting housing supply, so that as a community we can begin to understand just what it is that we really do or don’t need.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.