9/11/2008 - Mark Harrill Honored as Visionary Developer

Mark Harrill, Owner of Foscoe Companies, was recently named on of "5 Visionary Developers" in the 5th anniversary issue of Mountain Homes Southern Style.

 

Harrill has been responsible for creating the North Carolina High Country's highest selling resort community of Echota just outside Boone. Despite lagging real estate sales elsewhere in the country, Echota has closed on 66 real estate transactions in 2008, keeping with its record last year of 107 closed sales.

 

"It was no surprise to the staff and owners here at Echota that Mark was honored as one of the southern mountains' most visionary developers," says Will Sears, Director of Sales for Echota. "As a native of the High Country, Mark understands the unique challenges of mountain development and has worked hard to build homes that both enhance and preserve the natural landscape."

 

Echota offerings, which range from condominiums to large single-family homes, provide owners access to pools, fitness centers, spa amenities, and hiking trails in prices ranging from $300,000 to just over $700,000. "Our price point and the fact that we offer maintenance-free, turnkey homes is the reason we've kept selling in an otherwise slow market," Sears adds. "And because all of our amenities are in place and paid for, Echota have been extremely attractive to risk-averse buyers."

 

Harrill shared space with several other visionary developers in the fall 2008 issue of Mountain Homes, including Jim Anthony of The Cliffs Communities in North and South Carolina and Mike Ross of the Rarity Communities in Tennessee.  

 

Echota is located about two hours from Charlotte and three hours from Raleigh-Durham. Echota Developer Mark Harrill is President of Foscoe Companies. He is the leading developer of second home resort communities in the North Carolina High Country. He has been developing mountain property in the area for more than two decades and has demonstrated a commitment to blending architecture into the landscape.

 

For information on Echota sales, call 866-283-9420. For media inquiries, call Deborah Huso at (540)474-5147, or e-mail drhuso@writewellmedia.com.

8/12/2008 - Best Weekend Retreat: Escape the Dog Days of August in the NC High Country

At the turn of the last century, the North Carolina High Country was a favorite summer retreat of wealthy lowlanders looking to escape the heat and humidity of the coast and Piedmont. Many built elaborate "cottages" in villages like Blowing Rock, where they enjoyed summers of mountain scenery, cool nights, and breezy days.

 

Contemporary visitors to the High Country continue to flock to this region in the heat of summer. In fact, visitors spend as much as half a billion dollars annually in the High Country, according to statistics from the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. And many still seek extended stays in their own second homes or in long-term rentals.

 

Despite the recent softening of the real estate market, Vice President of Sales and Development with Echota, the High Country's highest selling resort community, says, "Second home sales remain strong this year. Echota has closed on over 50 real estate transactions this year almost exclusively with buyers who will use their condominiums or single-family residences as second homes." Sears indicates that vacation rentals in Echota are strong this year as well, showing no decrease from last summer's figures. "With climbing gas prices, people are taking their summer getaways close to home," adds Sears. "The North Carolina High Country is three hours or less away from all of North Carolina's major metropolitan areas."

 

And there's no shortage of attractions in the High Country. The region straddles the Blue Ridge Parkway and offers access to Grandfather Mountain, the Linn Cove Viaduct, and Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. Endless opportunities for shopping, dining, and festivals await visitors to Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and surrounding villages, including three different Mast General Store locations, and families with children continue to enjoy Tweetsie Railroad. Meanwhile, An Appalachian Summer Festival provides season-long performing and visual arts activities.

 

Echota is located about two hours from Charlotte and three hours from Raleigh-Durham. Echota Developer Mark Harrill is President of Foscoe Realty and Development. He is the leading developer of second home resort communities in the North Carolina High Country. He has been developing mountain property in the area for more than two decades and has demonstrated a commitment to blending architecture into the landscape. Echota properties rang in cost from the $300,000s to $700,000.

 

For information on Echota sales or rentals, call 866-283-9420. For media inquiries on Echota or the North Carolina High Country, call Deborah Huso at (540) 474-5147, or email drhuso@writewellmedia.com.

7/17/2008 - The Club Without The Course: Buyers Flock to Natural Amenities in the High County

Foscoe, NC - While the conventional vision of a second home often includes a view of the golf course, sales in the North Carolina High Country, where golf is rarely part of the amenity package, prove that more and more homeowners are seeking the club without the course. According to statistics from the National Association of Realtors, more than 30 percent of vacation homeowners want to be close to the mountains or other natural scenery. Only about 20 percent consider a golf course an important amenity.

 

"With second and third home ownership becoming more common among increasingly affluent baby boomers, the breadth of amenities they want is expanding," says Will Sears, Vice President of Development at Echota, the most successful second home community in the High Country. "The most important amenity to our buyers is the natural setting and access to hiking and walking trails," Sears adds. "Everybody wants a view, and we definitely have that here at Echota with the profile of Grandfather Mountain framing our backyard."

 

Despite lagging real estate sales elsewhere in the country, Echota has closed more than 50 real estate transactions in 2008, in keeping with its record last year of 107 closed sales. "The market is still hot in the High Country," Sears says, "but then we've always been a place of consistent real estate growth. Buyers like that kind of security."

 

Buyers also like the fact that they're not paying for an 18-hole golf course they will never use. Instead, the typical Echota owner enjoys hiking on the resort community's 25-acre riverside conservancy or along its linked roads and trails. In addition, Echota and Echota on the Ridge feature two clubhouses, each with swimming pools, fitness centers, and massage studios. The community also has on-site trout fishing ponds and close access to outdoor recreation on the Blue Ridge Parkway and in the Pisgah National Forest.

 

Echota is located about two hours from Charlotte and three hours from Raleigh-Durham. Echota Developer Mark Harrill is President of Foscoe Realty and Development. He is the leading developer of second home resort communities in the North Carolina High Country. He has been developing mountain property in the area for more than two decades and has demonstrated a commitment to blending architecture into the landscape. Echota properties range in cost from the $300,000s to $700,000.

 

 For information on Echota sales, call 866-283-9420. For media inquiries, call Deborah Huso at (540) 474-5147, or e-mail drhuso@writewellmedia.com.

7/1/2008 - Echota Newsletter - Summer 2008

In This Issue

• Echota Chapter of Grandparents' Club Helps Needy North Carolina Kids
• Massage Therapy Now Available at the Echota on the Ridge Clubhouse
• Tweetsie Railroad is Here to Stay
• Summer Events Calendar
• Employee Spotlight
• What's New at Echota

 

Click here to view the full version of Echota's Summer Newsletter

 

7/1/2008 - The Top 10 Questions you should ask when buying second home real estate in the current market

While a lot of buyers may be shying away from purchasing vacation homes with the real estate market nationwide in a state of slowdown, now could be the best time to buy, according to North Carolina developer Mark Harrill.  Harrill is considered the most successful resort residential community developer in the North Carolina High Country and has already seen 47 closed sales at his popular community of Echota this year.

If you’re looking to buy a second home but aren’t sure if now is a good time or how to evaluate whether or not your property will retain and grow its value in the future, here’s what Harrill says you should be asking yourself or your real estate agent:

1.    Is this a good location for me and my family?  Buyers should choose the area in which they want to purchase a home before they choose the home.  Make sure your second home is relatively easy to access from your primary home so that you’ll make regular use of it.  Also, make certain your second home provides access to the amenities you desire, such as outdoor activities, cultural offerings, shopping, and dining.  

2.    Does this community fit my lifestyle and interests?  Once you’ve settled on an area where you’d like to buy your second home, make sure you choose a community that provides you access to like-minded people.  For example, if you like the resort lifestyle, choose a development that offers resort amenities.  And be careful you’re not paying for amenities you’re not going to use anyway.  If you’re not a golfer, don’t buy a home at a golf community.  That golf course is showing up in the price of your home.

3.    Are the infrastructure and amenities in place for me to enjoying my second home right away? In the current market, some developers have to sell a certain number of homes, condos, or lots to be able to fund the amenities they are promising you.  Make sure you ask what that number is and how amenities will get paid for if the developer doesn’t meet his or her sales goals.  Your best bet is to look into communities where the amenities are already paid for, if not already in place.  

4.    Is my second home a good investment?  Or will I lose money on it by buying in a down market? Now is the best time to buy if you can afford to do so.  It’s a buyer’s market.  That being said, be careful where you buy.  Make sure you purchase your second home in an area where real estate prices have been climbing consistently over the years.  Don’t buy in a place that has seen a lot of boom and bust fluctuations.  If you purchase a second home now in a place with a steady, reliable real estate market, your home will grow its value in the years to come.

5.    Will the style of home I’m choosing work for my lifestyle? If you don’t want to spend your weekends away from home mowing grass and staining decks or finding someone else to do it for you, choose a low-maintenance option like a townhome or condominium that you can lock and leave.  Make sure your developer has a property management component in place that will handle upkeep of your home’s exterior and grounds.

6.    Does the home’s floor plan suit my needs and the needs of family and friends who will share my second home with me? If you’re planning on using your vacation home for a long time and maybe even making it a retirement residence one day, carefully consider the floor plan.  For example, make sure your master suite is on the ground floor.  Make sure you have guest rooms available for kids, grandkids, and friends if you like to entertain.

7.    Could this home generate additional income for my family in the years to come? You can often help offset the costs of buying a second home by renting it out on weekends you’re not using it.  A lot of developers have property management arms that make it easy and headache-free to rent your property when you’re not using it and generate some extra income.

8.    What is the developer’s background, specifically in the area where you are looking to buy?  Developers are drawn to resort areas, which means some of them come to mountain and resort regions from other areas of the country lacking experience in how to build communities in places that are new to them.  It’s important that the developer understands the area in which he or she is looking to build.  In the mountains, for example, developers have to meet the challenges and requirements of often steep topography and cross slopes to ensure the integrity of the finished product—your home.  Make sure your developer is experienced in the area where you are buying and understands the local landscape, building codes, and zoning laws.  

9.    Does my home suit the landscape on which it is located? You really don’t want to buy a colonial style mansion on top of a mountain.  Consider how your home fits into the surrounding landscape.  Is it designed to blend into the topography?  Is its architectural style in keeping with its environment?

10.    Should I invest in green building features in my second home? Green building techniques can save you money in the long-term, particularly if you buy or build a home with a super-efficient heating and cooling system and proper insulation.  But there are even easier ways to cut down on energy costs in a second home.  Multi-family units, for example, share walls and roofs and help insulate one another.  If you want low-maintenance, energy savings, and a worry-free second home, a townhome or condo might be the best choice.

Echota Developer Mark Harrill is President of Foscoe Realty and Development.  He is the leading developer of second home resort communities in the North Carolina High Country.  He has been developing mountain property in the area for more than two decades and has demonstrated a commitment to blending architecture into the landscape.  Echota properties range in cost from the $300,000s to $700,000.  

For information on Echota sales, call 866-283-9420.  For media inquiries, call Deborah Huso at (540) 474-5147, or e-mail drhuso@writewellmedia.com.



4/1/2008 - Echota Newsletter - Spring 2008

In This Issue

- Echota Owners Named Employer of the Year

- What's New at Echota

- Living in the High Country - The Best Cellar

- Meet the Neighbors: Al and Ann Woodworth

- Employee Spotlight

- Echota News

 

Click here to view the full version of Echota's Spring Newsletter

 

2/19/2008 - Boone/Blowing Rock Area Real Estate Market Continues to Thrive, Surpassing National Averages

With Boone making headlines in 2007 as one of “10 Great Small Towns With Huge Backyards” in USA Todayand as one of the “Top 50 Adventure Towns” in National Geographic, the area’s real estate sales continue to grow with the local Avery-Watauga Association of Realtors® reporting single family residential sales up 5.4% in 2007 versus 2006.

Chad Vincent of Vincent Properties in Blowing Rock says the North Carolina real estate market as a whole was strong in 2007, despite doomsday media reports on real estate sales nationwide. He attributes the growth to buyer concerns about high insurance rates in previously popular coastal areas like Florida and also notes that in North Carolina’s High Country, many buyers are third and fourth home buyers and, thus, are not impacted as significantly by economic downturns. Many Boone/Blowing Rock area second home communities show similar growth. The popular resort community of Echota closed 105 total real estate transactions in 2007, making it the highest selling vacation community in the North Carolina High Country. Echota’s Vice President of Development Will Sears attributes the growth to more targeted marketing. “We have really focused our sales efforts on North Carolina metro areas within a three-hour drive of the High Country,” he explains. “Areas like Charlotte and Raleigh are experiencing strong economic growth and that transfers into our second home market here in Boone.”

“We had a total sales volume last year of more than $42 million,” says Echota Developer Mark Harrill. “We’ve remained successful in the market because of our product. At Echota, we offer turnkey vacation properties at a price people can afford.” Echota, which is only two hours from Charlotte and three hours from Raleigh, has nother advantage—sweeping views of Grandfather Mountain and the Blue Ridge skyline, often for under half a million. The community is also fully funded with all amenities in place, including clubhouse facilities and outdoor and indoor pools. “We’re 95% sold out,” says Echota’s Vice President of Development Will Sears. “We have less than 30 units left to sell, but the great thing about Echota is that we saved the best sites till the end with some of the most stunning views. Buyers are going to be excited by our offerings in 2008.”

Echota Developer Mark Harrill is President of Foscoe Realty and Development. He is the leading developer of second home resort communities in the North Carolina High Country. He has been developing mountain property in the area for more than two decades and has demonstrated a commitment to blending architecture into the landscape. Echota properties range in cost from the $300,000s to $700,000. For more information, call Deborah Huso at (540) 474-5147, or e-mail drhuso@writewellmedia.com.

1/31/2008 - North Carolina families find their peaceful haven in the heart of the High Country mountains
One-Day Sell Out in Morgans Ridge proves seasonal changes, year-round amenities, and mountain views are drawing families away from the beach for place to escape from it all

Foscoe, NC – A shift is amidst in where people are opting to invest their valuable time and money when it comes to getting away from it all, and many North Carolina families are proving the trend in an accelerated fashion. On September 9, Foscoe Companies previewed Morgans Ridge within Echota to the public and by day’s end, all 17 lots up for grabs were sold. While Foscoe Companies set a sell-out as a goal due to their previous successes with preview events, it is always an exhilarating phenomenon to experience, according to Mark Harrill, president of Foscoe Companies, who has been developing mountain properties in the High Country for more than 15 years.

A recent poll of Foscoe’s second-home residents in its Echota development affirms that the mountains and plenty to do year-round are a big draw. “We were not surprised to hear the data shared at a conference earlier this year about boomers wanting to remain active with such amenities as nearby fitness centers and green space to enjoy nature,” states Harrill. “We saw this trend a while ago and designed our entire development to accommodate these desires and it has paid off tenfold in our development being one of the fastest selling in the High Country.”

A study on second homes and trends released at the national conference of the National Association of Homebuilders in Orlando, FL in January indicated baby boomers ranging in age from their mid-forties to sixties are leading the charge toward “great escapes” with year-round amenities and plenty to do for everyone in the family. This includes fewer opting for beach and golf resorts and more seeking higher altitudes and seasonal changes offering a variety of activities, entertainment and relaxation choices year-round.

According to some of the statistics shared by the ProMatura Group, an Oxford, MS based consulting group, baby boomers are a driving force for the future of the second home market. More than 50% of the 2,300 surveyed indicated an interest in buying a vacation or investment home property sometime in the next five years. In addition, boomers and their extended family members are seeking options that offer a more active lifestyle while still being able to take it easy when desired.

WT and BJ Larmore of Winston-Salem, NC, initially had a difficult time at first finding a resort with the amenities they wanted in the mountains. “So many resorts here in the mountains that are also gated communities are centered around a golf course. If you don’t play, then you are paying for upkeep and amenities you will never use,” states WT Larmore. “Echota is a wonderful alternative with so many amenities for the things we enjoy doing. The planning from the very beginning is quite evident in how this development is put together. The foresight in its access to the lakes and the river are why this is such a great place to have a home.”

According to Doug Ehman of Cornelius, NC, location and accessibility to a variety of things was a draw to the mountains. “I own another second home and Echota is my favorite for a variety of reasons,” says Ehman. “They’ve done an outstanding job with the architecture and landscaping.

Plus, there is a pool and clubhouse to enjoy along with a great location in proximity to a lot of places, restaurants, and shopping. “Friends of ours lived in Echota, so we decided to check it out,” states Marty Lafare, who lives with her husband in their primary residence in Cornelius, NC. “It’s hard to find developments of this quality that are just a couple of hours from Charlotte. Foscoe has made it accessible and affordable and seem to have thought of everything … an indoor pool, workout room, party house, fishing ponds, ample parking and so much more. They really give you a lot of value for your money.”

Weather and expense have also played a key role in the shift toward mountain retreats. “We have been amazed to find that there is so much more to do in the mountains than at our beach property. Here, you can find year-round activities that take full advantage of the seasons,” states Al DeForest of Winston-Salem, NC, who owns and enjoys a variety of properties at Echota along with wife, Tricia. “There are ski resorts right around the corner, golf resorts, rafting, and the list goes on. Even the scenery can be enjoyed year-round, whereas the beach is only good for spring and summer and then there is always dodging the hurricanes. Plus, the upkeep on a beach house is a lot more, especially if it is located on the ocean.”

With the escalating costs for beach property, mountain properties are also gaining ground as a better value and return on investment. “The beach is still a popular destination for many people, but the mountain resort is growing in appeal and we’ve certainly realized a benefit in this trend,” concurs Rodney Allen of Lexington, NC, who owns units along with wife, Lisa. “We consider Echota to be such a good investment that we own three units. We’ve found our units an excellent return on investment. Foscoe knows the area and many of the people within Foscoe grew up here. You are getting an authenticity that others cannot replicate, yet they do it naturally because they know what they are doing.”

Nick and Debra Leonard of Huntersville, NC, also opted for a mountain retreat even though they found other types of resorts equally appealing. “We also find golfing, beach and lake areas appealing for a second home location, but our mountain place gives us a great deal of value for the money spent,” confirms Nick Leonard. “We consider the location excellent for what is available on the premises as well as what can be accessed just around the corner.”

Echota is a gated mountain home community located in Foscoe, NC, on 133 Echota Parkway off of Highway 105. The development offers condos, town homes and single-family homes in its first two phases, Echota and Echota on the Ridge. A total of 566 units are approved in the first two phases with 385 homes already sold since Echota’s introduction to the marketplace in 2001, making it the fastest selling mountain home development along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Amenities within the development include stocked fishing ponds, walking trails, an indoor/outdoor pool, workout facility, and clubhouse. A second outdoor pool and spa with outdoor entertainment bar and clubhouse is currently being constructed in Echota on the Ridge featuring a dramatic waterfall flowing behind the pool. The development has been named the High Country’s Best Planned Community two years in a row, as well as being recognized for its award winning design. Carolinaliving.com has named Echota a Spotlight community and among the Best of North Carolina’s Communities.

Morgans Ridge within Echota offers the added privacy and security of being a gated single-family custom home community within the gated Echota community. Home sites range from low maintenance quarter-acre lots to approximately 1.5 acres. All sites offer an elevation of more than 3,700 feet overlooking Grandfather Mountain, Valle Crucis or other Blue Ridge monuments. This is the first phase within the development to allow outside companies to design and build within the development. All amenities within Echota will be available to Morgans Ridge residents and their guests. As testimony to the appeal of the mountains, the 17 lots of Morgans Ridge sold out in one
day with a majority of buyers from North Carolina.



1/1/2008 - Echota Newsletter - Winter 2008

In This Issue

- Echota Owners Give Back

- What's New at Echota?

- Year in Review: Another Year Worth Celebrating at Echota

- Meet the Neighbors: Don and Betty Anderson

- Employee Spotlight

- Echota News

 

Click here to view the full version of Echota's Winter Newsletter

 

9/9/2007 - Echota’s Morgans Ridge Preview Event on September 9
Current Echota homeowners already stepping up to plate with 60% of Morgans Ridge’s current sales coming from existing residents

Foscoe, NC – Word of Foscoe Companies’ Phase III development, Morgans Ridge within Echota, being ready to break ground and presell lots spread like wildfire among current Echota homeowners over the past months. As a result, before even officially announcing the availability of lots to the public, the developer has gained commitments from current residents on this gated community of single-family custom homes.

The interest by current owners did not surprise Mark Harrill, founder and President of Foscoe Companies. “When we entered into Phase II of our development with Echota on the Ridge, we immediately found Phase I owners interested in buying properties to move into and then use their existing Echota property as an investment.” states Harrill. “The demand was so strong in Echota on the Ridge that we allocated 38 units in a ‘friends and family’ lottery. They were purchased quickly before all participants could choose, so we felt obligated to open an additional 12 units, which were immediately purchased by the remaining lottery participants.”

Currently, 40 families own or have purchased more than one property within the multiphase's of the development ranging from two to four condos, town homes or single-family units being purchased by a single owner since its opening in 2001. A combination of factors has played into this pattern of loyal repeat buyers with value, amenities and return on investment being at the top of the list. According to owner, Al DeForest of Winston-Salem, NC, who has purchased more than one unit with wife, Tricia, Foscoe has established a formula for success that has created a loyal following of current owners in whatever the developer ventures into next. “We originally looked
into Echota for a rental property, but as we saw it being built, we decided to keep it for ourselves and have already bought and sold another property at Echota on the Ridge,” states DeForest. “Echota is a first class operation in every aspect. These are excellent investments on top of being wonderful properties to enjoy.”

Several second-home residents have also made buying at Echota a family affair. Wayne and Cynthia Burris of Smith Mountain Lake, VA, have referred many and also have their daughter and son-in-law as a part of the community, who purchased a cottage unit in Echota. “We are so pleased with Echota that we have referred family and friends and are buying other units for pure investment reasons. Foscoe knows how to create a value-added experience in their homes, condos, and town homes. With each phase of development, you cannot help but want to get involved.”

James and Shirley Corriher of Cornelius, NC, have referred many to the first two phases of the development, proving current residents are also the development’s most powerful sales force. “Others have bought here as a result of our recommendation,” says James Corriher, “We consider Echota an exceptional place offering exceptional value. From the colors used on the architecture to their focus on not disturbing nature in working with the existing boulders, trees, and creeks, they have done an outstanding job preserving everything that makes the mountain area so appealing.”

A Preview Event of Morgans Ridge within Echota is planned for Saturday, September 9, 2006 starting at 8 a.m. Due to the demand, prescheduled appointments to tour the sites and amenities are strongly encouraged with bookings already well underway from current residents who have encouraged friends to check out the community. Those interested can contact the sales office at 800.333.7601 Monday – Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Morgans Ridge within Echota offers the added privacy and security of being a gated single-family custom home community within the gated Echota community. Home sites range from low-maintenance quarter-acre lots to approximately 1.5 acres. All sites offer an elevation of more than 3,700 feet overlooking Grandfather Mountain, Valle Crucis or other Blue Ridge monuments. This is the first phase within the development to allow outside companies to design and build within the development. All amenities within Echota will be available to Morgans Ridge residents and their guests.

Echota is a gated mountain home community located in Foscoe, NC, on 133 Echota Parkway off of Highway 105. The development offers condos, town homes and single-family units in its first two phases, Echota and Echota on the Ridge. A total of 566 units are approved in the first two phases with 385 units already sold since Echota’s introduction to the marketplace in 2001, making it the fastest selling mountain home development along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Amenities within the development include four stocked fishing ponds, walking trails, an indoor/outdoor pool, workout facility, and clubhouse. A second outdoor pool and spa with outdoor entertainment bar and clubhouse is currently being constructed in Echota on the Ridge featuring a dramatic waterfall flowing behind the pool. The development has been named the High Country’s Best Planned Community two years in a row, as well as being recognized for its award winning design. Carolinaliving.com has named Echota a Spotlight community and among the Best of North Carolina’s Communities.

Foscoe Companies is comprised of Foscoe Construction Company, Inc., Foscoe Realty and Development, Inc, with Foscoe Rentals as a dba entity of the development group. Mark Harrill founded Foscoe Realty and Development in 1987 and is responsible for many of the area’s most successful mountain home developments including Sugar Cottages, Hemlock Village, The Lakes Community, Hawk’s Peak Condominiums, Echota and Echota on the Ridge.

8/22/2006 - Developers Break Ground on New Pool and Clubhouse at Echota
Foscoe Realty and Development, developers of the mountain community Echota, have officially begun construction on the new pool and clubhouse for the community’s second phase, Echota on the Ridge.

“The pool and clubhouse should be available for next season’s opening, around spring, 2006,” said Mark Harrill, president of Foscoe Realty and Development. The structure, designed by Steve Skyes Architecture, PA, will be built in an Adirondack-style like the rest of the community’s architecture. It will feature an elevator and massage therapy rooms.

Developers expect the best feature will be the view residents will have while using some the of clubhouse’s amenities. “The clubhouse and pool are situated right along the edge of a mountain ridge, so they both will have amazing, long-range, rippling mountain views,” Harill said. “The clubhouse will also offer a hot tub and a waterfall pouring between a formation of natural boulders near the pool.”

Echota features Adirondack-style townhomes, condominiums and single-family homes in the heart of the High Country, a region known for its breathtaking mountain views. Echota on the Ridge will offer the same home styles on a compelling setting along the incline of Echota’s surrounding mountains. In addition to the new clubhouse and pool, the development’s amenities include a fitness center, hiking trails and stocked ponds for fishing. All community amenities are reciprocal for residents and visitors of both phases.

“Echota has developed a reputation not only as a second home opportunity, but as a great vacation destination in the High Country for all four seasons,” said Harrill. Many homeowners spend several weeks at Echota each year, and then rent their homes out to vacationers during peak seasons. For more information about Echota, call the sales center at 800-333-7601, or visit www.EchotaNC.com. The sales center is open Monday -Saturday, 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

ABOUT ECHOTA
Echota is centrally located within minutes of Boone, Blowing Rock and Banner Elk, and within two hours of Charlotte, Hickory and Winston Salem. The recent completion of the new Interstate 40 makes Echota accessible from Raleigh in approximately three hours.
Echota offers single-family homes, townhomes and condos from the $300s - $500s. The development is owned and operated by Foscoe Realty and Development, which also operates Foscoe Realty and Rentals, a vacation and resort home rental agency available for Echota’s homeowners.

9/16/2005 - Vacationers Chose North Carolina Mountains to Escape Summer Heat
BOONE, NC (PRWEB) September 16, 2005 -- With record temperatures and excessive humidity the norm in the Southeast this summer, many would-be beach goers found a logical, yet overlooked alternative for weeklong vacations and quick getaways.

The High Country of North Carolina - a group of towns in the Blue Ridge Mountains that include Boone, Banner Elk and Blowing Rock - was invaded by sweltering vacationers from Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and all over the country.

"With an average summer high of 78, the High Country region continues to be a more inviting destination for anyone suffering from the miserable heat and humidity," said Heather Lyons, operating director of Foscoe Realty Rentals, a vacation rental agency based in Boone.

Foscoe Realty Rentals manages privately owned vacation homes, town houses and condominiums. The company says the summer is its busiest season, but is also very active in the spring and fall. "It’s always been a destination for all four seasons, but the past few summers have really increased the need to getaway to cooler climates," added Lyons.

In addition to favorable climates, Foscoe Realty believes the High Country is a very inviting destination because of its many amenities. "The views and atmosphere of the mountains are breathtaking," says Mark Harrill, President of Foscoe Realty Rentals. Harrill develops and manages one of several communities where Foscoe’s can be found. He notes that the individual communities where the vacation homes are available make them appealing to families and couples alike.

"The nearby towns offer incredible cultural and shopping experiences, but for those who want a more intimate setting without venturing far, there’s plenty right outside the door," he said. "The mountains offer great natural amenities such as walking trails and fishing, and the developments have new pools and clubhouses."

Because of its relatively short distance from Raleigh, Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Charlotte, Foscoe finds that the majority of visitors throughout the year are from North Carolina. “We’ve already had over 200 visitors this year from North and South Carolina," said Lyons.

"Summer months, however, are just as popular with out-of-state visitors. We had 74 renters making the trip from Florida alone." Thus far, 38 percent of Foscoe’s renters traveled from East Coast states outside the Carolinas.

According to renter statistics from the past two years, Lyons finds the majority of the summer visitors come to stay in Echota and Hawks Peak condos for months at a time. “During Holidays people are looking for our cabins and houses. Skiers are looking for efficiency and availability nearest the resorts, usually condos in Seven Devils,” Lyons said. For more information about Foscoe Rentals, visit www.FoscoeRentals.com or call the sales office at 800-723-7341.

About Foscoe Rentals:
Foscoe Rentals was formed as a part of Foscoe Realty and Development in July of 1997 as a service to its real estate buyers. Providing full-service rental management and property management, Foscoe Rentals has grown into one of the largest companies in the High Country. The company strives to offer the best vacation home selection and the most enjoyable vacation experience in the High Country.

Request Info | Press | Directions | Sitemap | Developer | Calendar of Events