Why are Asheville Cabins Disappearing?
Facts-1. Asheville is growing rapidly.
2. Hotels are popping up everywhere.
3. Tourism has been the number one business in the mountains for decades.
So you would think that the vacation rental business would be a hot item. Well ,it is! It is so hot that the big guys have moved in and are still building hotels.That is a good sign, not bad. Every child grows up. Zoning has existed in the city, limits,which has made it impossible to rent vacation homes or cabins short term for at least 10 years, it was not strictly enforced, until recently. Then more growth came to the sleepy town. It happened, the county zoning changed May 2006, which eliminated cabin rentals in the counties close-in to Asheville.
What does this mean for the consumer? Always check the location of a rental on a map before booking. http://www.carolinamountainrental.com/ has provided affordable cabins for 10 years, for small family groups ranging from two to ten people, and still do.
As I said before, rules and regulations are not bad. The good part is cabins that have the zoning to offer accommodations will all be following the same list of rules that were actually put in place to help the tourist have a good experience. The consumer should ask what the zoning of the cabin is that they are renting in Asheville. Why???
If someone is renting without the proper legal right to do so, they do not necessarily follow safety rules or acquire the proper insurance that is specifically required for vacation property that will protect guests.
I have spoken to several people that advertise on by owner rental sites that are operating without the legal eagles' blessing. "So what. you say, maybe you will get a deal as a renter?" Not really. What if the tourist puts a deposit on the Tunnel Rd cottage the owner gets caught and shut down by the time the tourist arrive to see the leaves change? How does the consumer get their money back from a cottage that wasn't legal in the first place?
This situation was compounded by the slow-down of the real estate sales that took places in the fall of 2008. Even though Asheville was one of the few places in the country that did not have issues, those that decided to wait a year came up with the brilliant idea to rent their houses to tourists in the wait. This is with no regard to taxes, laws, regulations,permits, zoning, nothing, they just bought ads on Internet sites that don't ask questions, put some sheets on the beds and open for business. Thank goodness that this is a small segment of the tourism population. There will always be the majority in the balance that dont have to ask if doing the right thing, is the right thing to do. They just know the answer.
A company that always has and always will try to the the honorable thing from loving heart is Carolina Mountain Rentals, the original Asheville NC cabins.
http://www.carolinamountainrental.com/ has provided affordable cabins for over 10 years, for small family groups ranging from two to ten people, and still do. The prices range from $150-$350 per day, not per person. The cabins, chalets, and cottages are located fifteen minutes from downtown Asheville, either on the east or west side, a map is on the website, they have carried a consistent 98% guest approval rating, they are 5 exist away from the Biltmore Estate on Hwy 40, some cabins are 3 min from downtown Black Mountain, and 3 min from the lake. In addition from early morning until 10pm there is always a live person with a kind heart not just willing but enthusiastic about helping you. 800-859-7079. Oh!
And, yes all the cottages, and chalets have the r3 zoning designation.
Things that consumers should ask about are: What are the exact locations of the cabins? Check the map and your GPS for actual locations of cabins. An example of confusion for the consumer is, Google mapping for some reason is designating South Asheville off of Biltmore Rd and Hendersonville Rd as the center of Asheville. This is incorrect. It can take as much as 30 minutes just to get from Hendersonville Rd to downtown Asheville. Recently we found some "cabins in asheville" that state they were at the entrance of Pisgah Forest 15 min from Asheville. They were actually about 45 min from Asheville on a clear day.
Ask the question, Are rates charged per person?
Do you have vacation rental zoning? This is an important question. Regardless of the reasons for the zoning change, the rules have to be followed. If a cabin breaks the law to rent or is unaware of the zoning what other issue are they unaware of in the accommodations?
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