Dear friends and clients, as you know, our region has been devastated by the effects of Hurricane Helene. We had large amounts of rain that “pre-soaked” the region ahead of Helene’s arrival in the early hours of Friday, September 27. The added rain and high winds from Helene caused catastrophic flooding and road blockages. Fortunately, I can confirm that all of our agents are safe along with their families.
There is already plenty of media reporting on this natural disaster, so the purpose of this article is to let you know the following:
How Can You Help?
Many people have asked us how they can help. We have tremendous volunteer efforts on the ground and supplies are coming in constantly. Also, while Helene devastated multiple counties and towns across Western North Carolina, the information below is focused on the Black Mountain, Swannanoa, and Asheville areas.
***Please be very careful donating to groups or online fundraisers unless you can confirm they are legitimate. Unfortunately, scammers are already taking advantage of this situation.
The non-profit groups below are actively involved in providing for the immediate needs of people hit the hardest by this storm. Our agents have personally served on their boards of directors, are volunteering alongside them, or otherwise have close relationships with them. We know them to be effective at serving the community and we know that anything you give will be used to meet the most pressing needs. We will add to this list over time.
Monetary Donations
Monetary donations may be used immediately or over the next few weeks or months to ongoing needs. For the organizations we have spoken to, this is the preferred type of donation.
- Valley Hope Church (Swannanoa, NC)
- Black Mountain Home for Children, Youth, and Families (Black Mountain, NC)
- Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry (Black Mountain, NC)
- Christ Community Church (Montreat, NC)
- Buncombe County Young Life
Critical Supplies
Critical supplies are still needed, including the following:
- Gasoline
- Generators
- Chainsaws
- Propane
- Diapers
- Baby Formula
- Feminine Hygiene Products
- Toilet Paper
- Paper Towels
- Sanitary Wipes
- Bottled Water
- Non-perishable Food Items
- Perishable Food Items (only if you have a confirmed drop-off location that can safely store or immediately cook these items)
- Pet food
If you are able to deliver critical supplies, please double-check current road closures. Some roads are open one day and closed the next.
Volunteering
Of course, there are countless ways to volunteer. All of the non-profits mentioned above need help. If you have specific skills and would like to help, please contact us at the bottom of this page and we will try to connect you with the right person or organization.
Where to Find Updated Information
Here are some sources to find the latest developments in the Asheville area’s recovery.
- Town of Black Mountain Facebook Page
- Black Mountain Police Department Facebook Page
- Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page
- Asheville City Government Facebook Page
- WLOS (ABC 13 News)
What is the Effect on Real Estate?
Existing Clients
While our primary focus is on recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, we realize we have existing clients that have pending transactions or active listings. For any questions or updates, please contact your individual real estate agent. Contact information for all of our agents is available on our team page. Until reliable internet service is restored, text messages will likely be the best way to reach us if you need a quicker response.
Prospective Clients and Real Estate Information
If you are looking for general information on real estate in the Asheville and Black Mountain area, our website is still updated with the latest listings. There are also numerous blog posts about the local area and this page with real estate market statistics. Much of this data is updated automatically, and we will do our best to provide the latest info.
Thank You!
We have heard from many you, especially via text message. We thank you all for checking in on us. Our little mountain community has rallied around each other, and we will make it through this together. We will do so largely due to your help. We are extremely grateful for all the incredible support to date. Please keep it coming and please keep praying for us! If we don’t respond immediately to a text, a phone call, or an email, please know that we will. So many of you have reached out to see how we are doing, and we will respond. However, our immediate focus is on the well-being of our neighbors who have pressing and urgent needs.