Echota News Featured Properties at Echota

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Echota’s Quarterly Newsletter
Echota
133 Echota Parkway
Boone, NC 28607
newsEchota
Echota News Featured Properties at Echota
Find your perfect home away from home, while experiencing the tranquility of the High
Country. For details on the below listings or to learn more about Echota properties for sale,
call [800] 333-7601 or visit EchotaNC.com.
Red Tail Summit CJ-2 MLS 189600
Take in stunning long-range layered views of Valle Crucis and the Tennessee Valley with this
3-bedroom, 3-bathroom Chalakee condo. The 1,582-square-foot home boasts luxury upgrades,
including granite countertops, custom cherry cabinetry, birch hardwood floors, stainless appliances,
and custom timber-frame accents throughout. The open living and dining area has oversize windows
to bring the outside in, convenient breakfast bar, stacked stone gas fireplace with fir mantle, and builtin TV and storage cabinet. Entertain your family and friends on the spacious covered deck with the
built-in gas grill, with its granite surround. Starting at $399,900.
Photo courtesy of Mark Mooney
Rentals Galore!
Need a little more space to accommodate
friends and family, either for a long weekend or
long-term? Don’t forget we offer plenty of both
vacation and longer-term rentals at our Echota
properties. For more information on rentals
or how you can earn extra income by renting
out your own home, call the rental office at
[800] 723-7341
Discounts and Deals
One of the many perks of owning your own slice
of heaven at Echota? We offer plenty of area
deals and more. Pay less for tickets to Tweetsie
Railroad, Linville Caverns, and Grandfather
Mountain, and take advantage of discounts on
stays at Echota. Visit www.foscoerentals.com
for a list of current deals.
Bear Ridge 12-B MLS T39202327A
This furnished Bear Ridge townhome in Echota brims with curb appeal. Nestled between rock
outcroppings and mature rhododendrons, with beautiful landscaping, the 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom
home boasts hardwood floors throughout the living area and kitchen, a floor-to-ceiling stacked stone
fireplace, separate dining area, garage entry, half bath, and laundry on the main floor. The master
bedroom and bathroom feature his-and-hers closets, plenty of natural light, and a spacious en suite
with window seat storage bench. Upstairs boasts two spacious guest bedrooms and a full bathroom;
a spacious deck sits off the main level, and the unit features a 1-car garage. Offered at $370,000.
Wintergreens R721
MLS T39202912A
Beautiful entry-level 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom Echota on the Ridge condo with open floor plan. The
home features hardwood floors throughout living areas, a separate dining space, stacked stone gas
fireplace with hearth, custom light fixtures, and wooden blinds. The upgraded kitchen includes
birch cabinetry, granite countertops, tile backsplash, undermount sink, and breakfast bar. The guest
bedroom offer privacy with a bathroom and hallway set apart with a pocket door. The oversize master
suite includes plenty of windows, access to the covered deck, and a dressing area with vanity and
separate shower space. This one-owner home is offered unfurnished, but some furnishings may be
available for purchase. Offered at $283,700.
Grand Oaks RX-4 MLS 39201230
Located in the sought-after Echota on the Ridge community, this ideal mountain getaway offers some
of the area’s best views. The 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom condo comes fully furnished with all the upgrades
you can imagine. Hardwood floors, granite countertops, a stacked stone gas fireplace with cedar
mantle, stained trim, wormy chestnut cabinetry, and wooden blinds are just a few of the upgrades
throughout the home. High-end furnishings complement the home’s unique mountain aesthetic. Two
guest bedrooms each have their own full bathroom and plenty of closet space. The spacious master
bedroom gives way to an en suite master bath with double sink vanity, oversize soaking tub, and standup tile shower. The crown jewel of the home is the expansive covered deck with its unobstructed,
long-range mountain views. Offered at $399,900.
Echota
Photo courtesy of Mark Mooney
The View From Here
Echota’s Quarterly Newsletter
Summer 2016 | Volume X, Issue III
inIn this
thisissueissue
n
The First 15 at Echota
n
Fourth of July Party Wrap-Up
n
Chalakee Updates
n
Natural Swimming Holes
n
Featured Properties
n
High Country Summer Calendar
n
Meet the Owners: Bob and Carmen Pennington
n
Echota News
Time to Celebrate!
Remembering the first 15 Years of Echota.
Contact us
Fifteen years. For some it’s a milestone. For
others, it’s just a beginning. For a community
like Echota, who has welcomed scores of owners
and seen up and down economic times, 15 years
is both a lifetime and the blink of an eye.
In 2001, Mark and Missy Harrill had a vision
for the community that is now Echota. They
had something else too: a plan. They didn’t just
hope Echota would succeed, they planned on
it. Mark and Missy put together a 15-year plan
that mapped out when new properties would be
introduced, what amenities to include, and how
to bring Echota to life.
Echota
133 Echota Parkway
Boone, NC 28607
[800] 333-7601
www.echotanc.com
As we look over this past decade-and-a-half
and think about all we’ve accomplished—the
families we have welcomed and the memories
we helped make—we are filled with excitement
for the future. We see this time in Echota’s
history as not the “last” 15 years, but the “first
15 years.” We greatly appreciate the homeowners
that have been so instrumental to our success
thus far, and we look forward to welcoming the
new homeowners who choose to become part of
Echota’s extended family.
what’s new
It’s now 15 years later, and despite the real estate
bubble bursting in 2008 and the challenging
economic times that followed, that original
15-year plan came to fruition. Echota is now a
thriving community with premier residences
crafted at Chalakee, a full list of inviting amenities,
and a family of homeowners establishing new
traditions within its gates.
Here’s to the next 15 years at Echota, and all the
thrills it has in store!
Photo courtesy of Mark Mooney
What’s New at Echota?
Check Out Our Two-Bedroom Chalakee Units
Just a year after we broke ground on our twobedroom Chalakee condos, we’re excited to
report they’re a huge hit! “We’ve sold out the
entire first two-bedroom building,” reports Dan
Friess, Echota sales manager, “and we’ve sold
all but one in the next building, and have just
released our third two-bedroom building.”
The premier, in-demand Chalakee units feature
timber-frame accents, beautiful hardwood floors,
granite countertops in the kitchen, ceramic-tiled
bathrooms, and built-in gas grill on the deck.
The lower-level two-bedroom units are $289,900;
entry levels are $339,900; and the top-floor
condos are $394,900. For more information
on still-available properties, call us today at
(800) 333-7601!
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Celebrating the
4th with a Bang!
Living in the High Country
The Water’s Fine!
Hebron Rock Colony Falls
Meander along the river, down the Boonefork Trail accessed by the Julian Price Memorial
Park picnic area. Do not park along Old Turnpike Road. Then take the trail to around the
1.5-mile marker and begin making your way down a spur trail (shoes with good treads are a
must!). Your reward is at the bottom of those rocks—large, flat boulders interspersed with
Hebron Rock Colony Falls. Take a dip in the crystal mountain waters or climb up one of the
smaller falls. If the falls aren’t for you, head over to Price Lake and rent a canoe or a kayak.
Elk River Falls
One of the most popular falls in the area for good reason, Elk River Falls is impressively
powerful with its 50-foot fall and large, clear plunge pool. Formerly called Big Falls, Elk River
Falls provides plenty of space for swimming and flat rocks for sunning or picnicking. Walk
downstream a bit to check out some other smaller falls, including Twisting Falls. To get there,
drive to Elk River Road in Elk Park (about 40 minutes from Echota). The road ends at a
parking area, just a short hike from the falls.
Photo courtesy of Deborah Huso
Hike to one of our many natural swimming holes and hop right in.
Our community just keeps
on growing. And with it,
our 4th of July tradition
continues, gathering young
and old alike for good oldfashioned summertime fun.
On Saturday, July 2,
Echota residents gathered
at the Echota Clubhouse
for our annual 4th of July
celebration. The bash was a
huge success and just plain
fun. Our picnic featured falling-off-the-bone meats
and delicious sides from Woodland’s BBQ, plenty
of ice-cold beverages, a local bluegrass band, and an
array of kids’ activities, including a face painter and
a bounce house.
This was the first year we charged a nominal $10 fee
to cover the cost of the BBQ meal, beverages, music,
and activities—with children 12 and under free.
The Echota sales team also had a successful open
house at Chalakee following the party. It was a great
time for owners and their guests to see the new twobedroom condos.
welcome
Trash Can Falls
Located in the Sugar Grove area, the favorite falls are easily accessible via a well-worn dirt
path to the 15-foot waterfall with pool at the bottom. From US 421/321, bear left at the 321
split. Go about 10 miles down the highway, and you’ll come to a concrete bridge. There’s a dirt
parking area nearby. Climb down to the pool or test your mettle and jump off the rocks above
into the small gorge.
Thanks to all who participated. It’s residents like
you who truly work together to form our fantastic
community and make Echota the success it has
been and will continue to be. Our annual 4th of July
bash is one of the many testaments to the power of
the community and multi-generational connections
among neighbors. So, from all of us at Foscoe Realty,
a big thank you for carrying the torch!
Meet the Owners
The Pennington family has made their home at Echota … twice
Bob and Carmen Pennington haven’t been around
quite the entire 15 years that Echota has been
around, but pretty close. In 2002, the Durham,
N.C., couple began their search for a second
home in the Boone/Blowing Rock area. “Then we
walked into Teresa Pennington’s Blowing Rock
art studio, and she directed us to Echota,” says
Carmen.
Two days later, the couple put down a deposit on
a unit not yet built. “At that time, there were very
few units actually completed,” Carmen says of the
home they moved into in 2003. As the couple’s area
trips grew more frequent and they increasingly
entertained guests, they began searching for
something a little bigger. In 2011, they moved into
their just-built three-level townhouse in Echota,
right near Chalakee.
“We love the privacy Echota has afforded
us,” says Carmen. “Echota is also marked
by the details and thoughtfulness of each
building to make each owner feel their
unit is unique. The pristine care and
maintenance of the community is inviting
the minute you enter Echota.”
And, she adds, waxing nostalgic, “Whether
the sun glistens over Grandfather
Mountain or the rain falls gently like
a rainforest through the trees, or snow
blankets the area, there is never a lack of
peace and serenity here.”
Bob and Carmen Pennington with daughter, Taylor
Experience the best the area has to offer in late summer and early fall.
Photo courtesy of An Appalachian Summer Festival
August
Music on the Lawn
Art in the Park
June 17, 2016 – Oct. 14, 2016
[Blowing Rock]
July 16, Aug. 13, Sept. 10, Oct. 8
[Blowing Rock]
Free outdoor concerts held Friday
evening at the Inn at Ragged Gardens,
weather permitting! Enjoy classic
country, blues, bluegrass, and more.
An outdoor juried art and craft show
featuring 90 artists. Admission is free.
One show each month, May through
October.
www.ragged-gardens.com
www.blowingrock.com/artinthepark
Concerts on the Jones
House Lawn
June 03, 2016 – Aug. 26, 2016
[Boone]
On Friday evenings through the end
of August, beginning at 5 p.m., enjoy
some of the region’s best entertainers
in this beautiful outdoor setting. Bring
lawn chairs or a blanket, and a picnic if
you like, plus your camera and dancing
shoes to this free summer series.
www.joneshouse.org
Appalachian Summer
Festival
Held in Historic Downtown North
Wilkesboro, the Shine to Wine
Festival features live entertainment,
art, merchandise, wine, and food. This
year, the festival expanded to offer craft
beer from local and regional breweries,
in addition to spirits from regional
distilleries. General admission is free,
and wine/beer/spirit tastings are only
$20 ($15 in advance). Tickets allow
the purchaser to taste all wines, beers,
and spirits.
www.shinetowine.com
ART on the Mountain
Sept. 24, 2016
[West Jefferson]
Photo courtesy of Tweetsie Railroad
2016 Railroad Heritage
Weekend at Tweetsie
Aug. 27 to 28, 2016
[Blowing Rock]
Now celebrating its 32nd season, the
month-long event has emerged as one
of the nation’s leading regional arts
festivals, featuring the best in music,
dance, theatre, visual arts, and film.
Take a step back in time at Tweetsie
Railroad and celebrate the rich history
and tradition of our nation’s railroads.
Watch a Cherokee dance performance,
take a ride in a steam locomotive, and
participate in other historical activities.
Admission: $44 adult; $28 child; free
for children 2 and under.
www.appsummer.org
tweetsie.com/special-events/heritage/
July 2016
[Boone]
Begins Sept. 17, 2016
[North Wilkesboro]
calendar
July
12th Annual Shine to
Wine Festival
Photo courtesy of Ted Moree
September
RockFest 2016
Sept. 3 to 4, 2016
[Spruce Pine]
Celebrate the gem mining heritage of
the mountains at Emerald Village. The
home of 12 historic mines, guests can
participate in geology talks, treasure
hunts, and rappelling in the spectacular
setting just off the Blue Ridge Parkway
near Little Switzerland. Most activities
are free.
www.emeraldvillage.com
High Country Calendar
Events
Ashe County Arts Council’s Art on the
Mountain blends together local history
as well as West Jefferson’s flourishing
arts district.
www.ashecountyarts.org
October
Valle Fair at Valle Crucis
Oct. 15, 2016
[Valle Crucis]
Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the fair
celebrates local culture through music,
crafts, and food. Fun for the entire
family. Free admission. Parking
adjacent to the fair.
www.vallecountryfair.org
Wooly Worm Festival
Oct. 15 - 16, 2016
[Banner Elk]
In addition to the Woolly Worm
Races, the festival features crafts, food
vendors, live entertainment, and much
more. Last year’s festival attracted an
estimated 25,000 fans, 140 vendors, and
about 1,000 race entrants. Admission is
$5 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 to 12,
and free for ages 5 and under.
www.woollyworm.com