Madison County
Real Estate Agencies

Hot Springs — When we first came to Western North Carolina some 35 years ago, AAA told us the the only way from Knoxville was via US-25. Getting from Knoxville to Hot Springs was the easy part. From Hot Springs to Asheville was, literally, a nightmare! It is still easier to get in and out of Tennessee from Hot Springs than to any town in North Carolina. So why do folks come here? Ah, yes, why else did they name this town Hot Springs! You don't come here for a day; you spend a week or two - or even all summer. And while you are relaxing at one of the spas, who cares about Asheville! To be fair, there is another highway connecting Hot Springs to a North Carolina town: NC-209 to Waynesville in Haywood County.
   There are dozens of creeks in the area feeding the French Broad River so, if you're looking for waterfront property, it shouldn't be hard to find. Homes with a view are hot.

Real estate agent in Hot Springs:

• Mountain Home Properties, 1975 Indian Camp Rd, 800-220-8008

Mars Hill — When they rebuilt US-19/23 between Asheville and Mars Hil, Mars Hill became to first community in Madison County to have decent access to the rest of North Carolina. Now folks buy homes in Mars Hill and commute to the Asheville area. How times can be change just by the construction of a highway!
   Mars Hill is very much a college town. Mars Hill College, a Baptist college, is the focal point and has made for a very pleasant atmosphere. There are (mostly) paved roads in about every cove (that's valley for you Yankees) and there is a lot of nice mountain land parcels for sale. And, as you can see from the list, below, there is no shortage of real estate agents.

Real estate agents in Mars Hill:

• Appalachian Mountain Homes, 846 Carl Eller Rd, 689-3977

• Appalachian Realty Associates North, 139 S Main St, 689-0089

• Appraisal Carolina, 3444 Metcalf Creek Loop, 779-1261

• Boyd Eatmon Realty, 340 Carl Eller Rd, 689-5040

• Mountain Laurel Realty, 316 Wolf Laurel Rd, 689-4422

• New Horizons Realty, 745 Carl Eller Road, Unit #2, 689-9113

• Stoney Ridge Realty, 20 Wolf Laurel Rd, 689-7244

• Wolf Laurel Realty, 91 Village Lane, 888-689-5001
  The only real estate firm inside the gated community. Full-service including home and lot sales, rentals and property management. e-mail: Wolf Laurel

• Wolf Mountain Realty and Rentals, 383 Wolf Laurel Rd, 800-221-0409

• Wolf's Crossing Realty, 2827 Puncheon Fork Rd, 800-541-1738

Marshall — Does the highway make the town? Above, in the Hot Springs write-up, I mentioned how bad US-25 was (still is north of Marshall). The modernization of US-19/23 to Mars Hill made such a difference that the North Carolina Department of Transportation decided to build a freeway to Marshall; after all, Marshall is the county seat of Madison County! That 'new' US-25 did for Marshall what the US-19/23 freeway (which is now I-26, by the way) did for Mars Hill. And people flowed into the area and property values went up. If you are around here in the autumn during the leaf-viewing season, drive along the old US-25 (now labeled NC-251) which hugs the French Broad River like a long lost friend.

Real estate agents in Marshall:

• Cabins & Castles Real Estate, P.O. Box 816, 656-2424

• Country Places Realty, 5410 US-25/70, 649-0444

• Madison County Realty, 5145 US-25/70 Bypass, 800-808-6827

• Marshall & Madison Real Estate Co, 7 N Main St, 877-766-0660

• New Horizons Realty, 8586 US-25/70, 649-9100