Diane Greene, Director of Community Outreach for the North Carolina Association of Realtors, speaks in this video about the housing affordability gap at this morning’s recognition ceremony at Pack’s Tavern. Video by Michael Muller
Over 50 real estate agents were recognized this morning for completing the Workforce Housing Specialist Certification Program, a course designed to help realtors learn about the federal, state and local programs available to potential homeowners who would otherwise have a difficult time affording their own homes.
Mayor Terry Bellamy recognized the graduates, who gathered in the banquet room upstairs at Pack’s Tavern for the ceremony. Also on hand were Buncombe County Commissioners Carol Peterson, Holly Jones, and K. Ray Bailey. Mayor Bellamy specifically thanked members of the Asheville Board of Realtors for its leadership in the area of affordable housing.
Asheville leads the nation in the number of people participating in the certification program, which was first created by the National Association of Realtors in 2009. The course was offered locally by the Asheville Board of Realtors between February and May of this year and is one of just three pilot programs in the state. Asheville was chosen because of the high proportion of its working population that is unable to afford to buy a home.
According to figures released by the North Carolina Board of Realtors, as many as 80% of Asheville’s workforce — including critical occupations like teachers, police officers, firefighters and journalists — earn less than what is needed to afford the average-priced home. “Wages are not keeping pace with housing costs in the Asheville area,” said Diane Greene, Director of Community Outreach for the North Carolina Association of Realtors who spoke at the event.
“The median home price in Asheville is around $180,000, which requires an income of about $57,631 to purchase,” said Greene. “A licensed practical nurse makes on average $36,439 annually; a police officer $45,802, a fire fighter $37,203 and an elementary school teacher makes $46,351. None can afford that home. And those are averages: entry-level wages are even lower.” According to the North Carolina Commission on Workforce development, about half the state’s new jobs will be considered “low-skill” jobs, which pay only about 60%of current average earnings.
These workers often make too much to qualify for typical housing subsidies but not enough to afford median-priced homes, so they tend to rent and often give up entirely on the idea of owning their own homes, according to John Newman, President of Homes4NC — a non-profit arm of the North Carolina Board of Realtors. He said that it’s better for people and their communities if these workers own instead of rent their homes: “Research shows that home ownership not only grounds workers in their community, but improves the educational performance of children, improves health and lowers crime rates.”
Bank of America is a major sponsor of the new certification program, and James McDuffie, Vice President for Business Development for BoA, travelled from Charlotte to thank the realtors for their hard work and commitment to serving all the members of the Asheville community. Several other organizations also participated in the program, including OnTrack Financial Education and Counseling, Mountain Housing Opportunities, USDA Rural Development, Habitat for Humanity, and the Self-Help Credit Union.
For more information on the programs designed to help you afford your own home and to find a realtor who has been specifically certified in this area, visit www.homes4nc.org
Graduating from the program today are the following Buncombe County realtors:
Antonia Anderson
Beverly-Hanks, Weaverville
John Austin
Beverly-Hanks, Weaverville
Randall Barnett
The Buyer`s Agent of Asheville
Randall Blankenship
Beverly-Hanks, Weaverville
Karey Brooks
Keller Williams Professionals
Candace Butner
Keller Williams Professionals
Carolyn Calloway
Mountain Vista Properties
Caleb Coaplen
ERA Sunburst Realty
Mary Duffy
Asheville , NC
Rosemarie Edgar
Betty B Williams & Associates
Larry Ellis
Coldwell Banker Kasey Real Estate
Michael Figura
ECO Concepts Realty, Inc.
Deborah Francis
Prudential Lifestyle Realty-S
Autumn Freeman
United Country Peregrine Properties
Kristie Frizsell
Century 21 Mountain Lifestyles
Timothy Gillis
Town and Mountain Realty
Deborah Hellman
Keller Williams Professionals
Paul Hornyak
Keller Williams Professionals
E. Andrew Huska
George Morosani & Associates
Jennifer Keleher
Town and Mountain Realty
Michael Keleher
Town and Mountain Realty
Danielle King
Prudential Lifestyle Realty
Michelle Klein
Kraft Professional Realty, Inc.
Alexandria Lord
Keller Williams Professionals
Mary Love
Love The Green, LLC
Debra Marshall
Century 21 Mountain Lifestyles
Joel Martin
RE/MAX Advantage Realty
Lyn McFarland
Trillium Properties Of Asheville
Lenoir Medlock
Preferred Properties
Sona Merlin
Appalachian Realty Associates
Dolly Moore
Home Selling Service, LLC
Suzanne Mari Noble
Keller Williams Professionals
Kurtis Prinz
Keller Williams Professionals
Andrea Purcell
Purcell & Associates Realty
Kim Schroeder
Snowy Cove Realty, Inc
Douglas Sherry
Preferred Properties
Diane Simmons
Keller Williams – Weaverville
Patricia Spaulding
ECO Concepts Realty, Inc.
Karen Svites
M7 Realty Solutions, LLC
Joy Thylander
RE/MAX All Stars Realty
Aidree Tolan
Tolan Realty
Charles Wagner
RE/MAX Advantage Realty
Nancy Waldrop
A Personal Touch Realty, LLC
Cindy Zinser
J D Jackson Associates, Inc.
Gordon Smith
July 13th, 2010 at 12:05 am
The Planning and Zoning Committee will meet on July 22nd at 4pm at City Hall to consider alteration in the UDO to allow for increased density on corridors and in neighborhoods.
Please attend and offer your input!
On the table is the alteration of the UDO so that the public will not have input into these types of zoning decisions, freeing up the boards and councils to pass many more projects, quicker. Be there and help push.