My wife and I just recently bought a little place in the mountains of NC. It’s nothing fancy but it is really special to us. It’s 12 acres of land in Bat Cave, NC. It has a 15 yr old double wide trailer on it. We call it the “double wide in the sky.” It needs some fixing up but for the most part it’s ready to go. The property itself is truly amazing. It has trees that seem taller than any here at home and bigger round than a Prius. It has sheer rock walls that are taller than any building certainly in Zebulon and most in Raleigh. It is for us the definition of “the mountains.” You can hear a breeze coming from 50 miles away and see just as far in certain places. Every morning I walk down the path to open the gate which is a drop of 750 feet in elevation. Needless to say the return trip is my exercise for the day. Each time I see a host of deer and turkeys. On this trip I noticed these bright red berries which I had thought to be just briers. A local friend told me they were called wine berries. They are so delicious. I can see bears making meals on the ones I didn’t get.
I could go on and on but I will get on to how I’m better off now. We drove into a neighborhood near Lake Lure, NC. It promised 120 mile views and unspoiled nature. I was bitterly disappointed. As a builder I understand the need for new housing to meet public demand, economic vitality, and job creation. But here in such a beautiful place that God had created, humans had not done their job to be stewards of the land. All of the land had been clear cut, there were washes and gullies all over the place, and homes didn’t fit in to what natural surroundings were left. With proper planning, quality construction of infrastructure, a commitment to our earth and the customer, development doesn’t have to be this way. They were right in the fact you could see forever, but at what cost. A price I consider way too high for everyone to pay, even the folks who purchased lots for up to $500,000. It just didn’t feel like the “mountains” my wife and I envision and now own a piece of for a short while. That means my ownership of such a special place for a short time is a gift. We will always respect all land. Yes that means even as a developer of land. You can achieve both if you try really hard. Having said that there are some special places that should never have buildings and houses on them, and that’s ok to. I went off to relax but came back a better steward.
