George Real Estate Group Radio Broadcast

Community Service Spotlight: The Storehouse Celebrates 25 Years of Impact

• George Real Estate Group

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When does real estate become more than just buying and selling houses? When it weaves together with the fabric of community service and local impact.

Take a journey through Henderson County's evolving market landscape as we share the latest statistics: an average home price of $542,000, 632 active listings, and approximately 126 sales monthly. But beyond the numbers, we're witnessing meaningful shifts - days on market extending to 63 days (up 37%), sellers receiving 95.7% of asking price, and the time from listing to closing stretching to 116 days.

Our special guest Lynn Staggs from The Storehouse brings warmth and urgency to our conversation as they celebrate 25 years serving Western North Carolina. Their current "Spark the Change" 4th of July matching campaign seeks to reach $150,000 to fund their annual operations - with multiple local churches providing matching contributions that double every donation's impact.

Lynn shares a moving story about helping a woman living in her car, providing not just food but dignity: "She said you did not treat me like I'm a crazy person, you treated me like a normal human being." It's this human connection that bridges the prosperity of our region with its hidden needs, especially as hurricane recovery continues to challenge many families.

The Storehouse operates almost entirely through volunteer power - 75 dedicated individuals supported by just 2.5 paid staff members. These volunteers discover both purpose and perspective, often returning from deliveries saying, "I had no idea" about the level of need in their own community.

Whether you're navigating real estate decisions or seeking meaningful ways to give back, this episode reminds us that community happens when we see beyond transactions to the human stories behind them. How might your next move - whether in property or purpose - create ripples of positive change?

Speaker 1:

Hello friends, thank you so much for being here. This is the George Real Estate Group podcast, which is a production of our live weekly radio shows hosted on multiple radio stations here in Hendersonville, north Carolina. The George Real Estate Group serves Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina and it is a privilege to share positive news about our local real estate market and community. Thanks so much for subscribing and, of course, if you have any real estate questions or if we can help you in any way, be sure to reach out. Visit us at georgerealestategroupradiocom for more information. Good morning and welcome to the Georgia Real Estate Group live radio broadcast here on the queue every Monday morning, sharing the positive news about your local real estate market and community. We're so grateful to be here with you this Monday morning. I trust you had a wonderful weekend. I don't know about you, but was your air conditioning able to keep up with the heat? I mean, if so, good for you. I talked to a lot of different people and a lot of air conditionings were struggling this weekend but hopefully some relief coming up. But again, grateful, I mean compared to other areas. I mean our area here with the mild climates for the most part, not the humidity, like some of our friends in Columbia, south Carolina, but so grateful to call Western North Carolina home the four distinct seasons, the mild climate, all the wonderful things that our community has to offer. If you're tuning in for the first time ever, the George Real Estate Group, we're located in Flat Rock. We serve all of Western North Carolina and the upstate South Carolina. We have incredible staff, incredible agents and we are so passionate and enthusiastic about helping our clients navigate through life. And whether you're buying or selling, or investing or a career in real estate no-transcript find us on your favorite podcast platform.

Speaker 1:

Just a quick snapshot of the market In just the last seven days in Henderson County there's been 24 new listings. Now this is a trend that continues. 67 price reductions. There's been healthy demand still. I mean there's been 42 homes go under contract excuse me, 44 homes go under contract the last seven days and then 25 homes closed. We certainly will see that number increase over the next few days because typically you see a lot of closings happen towards the end of the month, but we're averaging some 126 single-family homes a month selling over the last 12 months. We've seen more homes sell year-to-date this year versus year-to-date last year.

Speaker 1:

The the average single family home price in Henderson County is at 542. Average single family home price in Henderson County 542. There's some 632 available single family homes in the market. We still see about a third of our homes sold or purchased with cash, and so the interest rates of the interest rates, the economy's economy, we know real estate happens around life. Life happens, therefore, real estate happens.

Speaker 1:

So if you're curious what your home is worth, if you're curious, do you buy before you sell? Do you sell before you buy? Maybe you have a real estate investment property you're deciding what to do. Maybe you've inherited property, or maybe you're thinking about your own estate and how you want to plan ahead with that. We work with tax consultants, financial advisors, an incredible team from our lawyers and everybody involved that we can help navigate through all of your questions in regards to real estate. Give us a call 828-393-0134, 828-393-0134. We'd love to connect with you and have the conversation. We love helping our clients navigate through real estate. We have one of our regular special guests with us, lynn Staggs of the Storehouse. Good morning Lynn. Good morning Noah. How are you on this? Have you had your coffee yet this Monday morning? I'm not a big coffee person.

Speaker 1:

Well, we're so grateful to have you here with us this morning. You guys have been working so hard, I mean since the storm, and we'll have that conversation too. But you have right now the 4th of July matching campaign going on right now.

Speaker 2:

Yes, this is year 13,. I believe year 14.

Speaker 1:

I'm losing count with all the years going, but this is year 25, though of the storehouse. That's right. You got the t-shirt too.

Speaker 2:

Yes, of the storehouse, that's right, you got the t-shirt too. Yes, it's our 25th anniversary, and so we're here celebrating the 4th of July. Spark the Change, where we have groups come together and they put up some matching and the community matches, and we had a pretty lofty goal this year and we're about halfway there and we've got two more weeks.

Speaker 1:

We got time, we got time. But it's pretty amazing. You have a community sponsors that you're working with that are matching the funds.

Speaker 2:

Yes, we have Advent help. East flat rock. First Baptist church, ebenezer Baptist church, first Baptist church, fruitland Baptist church, grace Lutheran church, hendersonville church of God, hendersonville Presbyterian Church, reformation Presbyterian Church and St James Episcopal.

Speaker 1:

So how can our listeners be part of this?

Speaker 2:

Well, anything that you send in, it'll be part of the match. You can go online at storehouseonlineorg or you can call us at 828-692-8300 and we'll give you our mailing address. You can stop by when we're in the office. Right now, just for right now. We're located at 1049 Spartanburg Highway and we're getting excited because we're getting closer and closer to our move.

Speaker 1:

That's amazing. And the new building.

Speaker 2:

Is coming up faster than I can get the details wrapped up. I did not realize how fast it would go and I also did not realize how many tiny details there were going to be in this. And there are at least 55 shades of white. I just want you all to know that White is not white anymore. There's 55 different shades of white. I just want y'all to know that White is not white anymore. There's 55 different kinds of white.

Speaker 1:

So that's in process and again. But this campaign you have going on, Spark the Change yes, this is a significant portion of your annual budget.

Speaker 2:

Well, this usually meets our entire running budget for the year, covers our food, our expenses, power bill. We still have to function. It takes care of all that. So right now we're at about $75,000. We had a goal of $150,000.

Speaker 1:

Well, there's still time.

Speaker 2:

Yes, and we did lose our primo spot on Four Seasons to put our banners up. So I think that people it's not right in front of them all the time. The ticker count over there is really high.

Speaker 1:

Well, that's why we're here this morning we want to continue to spread the news and share the story. Speaking of stories again, this is your 25th year serving the community and maybe I am going to put you on the spot. Is there a recent story that really touched your heart or reminded you why you do this work and why this work matters?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, this past week we had a lady come in and she was living in her car and she had nothing, really no food, and I mean I was like, oh my goodness, we got to feed her before she leaves here. So we took her to our break room and we made sure she had something to eat. We had some little disposable ice chest. So we gave her some ice and ice chest and got her set up the best we could for the conditions that she had, and she was so thankful. She was like y'all have been so kind to me. She said you did not treat me like I'm a crazy person, you treated me like a normal human being. And I think that's the mission. I mean, we're Christ-centered, we have to be the church, not just say we are the church, but act like the church and be kind to people.

Speaker 1:

And you're meeting people where they're at.

Speaker 2:

Yes, and she was there there and she was hungry, so we met her right there.

Speaker 1:

You know, a lot of people may or may not realize this, but nonprofits, you know, are the first responders for families when they're facing food insecurities, housing instability, financial crisis and it's providing these essentials food, clothing, utility assistance and the thing about your organization and this word comes to mind is it's with dignity and compassion and it's when people are at their most vulnerable moments.

Speaker 2:

Yes, I mean, she had nothing she could ask for nothing, well, she could ask for nothing. She well, she could ask for everything. But she really just was worn down. And so to meet her right where she was and to try to get her the things that she needed, making sure you know that we had little small comforts for her just bottled water and the ice chest with ice in it. She was so excited about that because, you know, it's been hot and when you're staying in your car, having a way to keep something cool is is a wonderful thing. So we were able to, you know, do the little ice chest for her and get her some bottled water in there, and she took what she she wanted out of what we had and you know we sent her on her way when she was done.

Speaker 1:

It's so important to remember these stories and to share these stories because, again, I think, when people are thinking of nonprofits and the thousands of people that you guys serve every single year to remember, it's these individuals and their individual stories that are it's.

Speaker 2:

It's when you yes, and you know, and we had a school counselor from not a school counselor, but one of the teachers from one of the elementary schools. They came in and they got snacks for the kids, because they make sure that all the kids at the school have snacks during the week, and so they come in and pick up little bags of chips or honey buns. Nutrition absolutely not, but when kids are hungry it's about calories more so than anything else.

Speaker 1:

Well, the food insecurity here in our community is significant.

Speaker 2:

Well, because the gap is so large, there's no middle here.

Speaker 1:

It's either have or have not, and there's really nothing in the middle.

Speaker 2:

And that's where, again, nonprofits like yourself are filling in. The gap is so huge.

Speaker 1:

It takes all of us to make Henderson County this wonderful place that we live in, because there's so many people that walk around totally oblivious to the need here and that's where there's two sides of the coin, which we talk about incredible prosperity and there's also great need here and we see the generosity of the community stepping up, filling in the gap. And again, nonprofits are. You're filling in the gap with people that you know families that don't qualify for government assistance, seniors that are isolated. You know, children whose meals outside of school are non-existent Right.

Speaker 1:

And so you guys are filling in the gap.

Speaker 2:

I sat down with one of my delivery drivers the other day and he said the most just a simple thing to me, but it kind of stuck with me. He looked at me. He said this is the most humbling thing I've ever done. He said until I started doing this I had no idea. And he lives right here in town.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, puts perspective.

Speaker 2:

It really has and it's it's really changed. You know, when he come in, at first he was a little bit gruff and you know, thinking, oh, I'm just, I'm going to do this. And then, when he got into it, he's fully vested now and he'll be like I know some people are lying to me. He said but there's a lot of people out there that really need this. It's significant. Yes.

Speaker 1:

We're so grateful, lynn, to have you here this Monday morning on the queue, and we're going to continue the conversation. We have another segment coming up right after this break, but the 4th of July sparked the change Fundraisers going on matching fundraiser. Right now, they're halfway there. There's still time to give yes, and so I encourage you to go to their website, storehouseonlineorg. Yes, or?

Speaker 2:

828-692-8300. Give us a call and I'll figure out another way to get you to us.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely, and so we'll continue the conversation. I want to actually talk more about volunteering and how important that is, again for the community, but also for the person volunteering and for the nonprofits. I mean, it's on the backs of volunteers that anything's possible. It's the only way we get anything done. Radio broadcast here in the queue every Monday morning. Again, just grateful to serve the community through real estate. We're grateful to help champion our nonprofits that are making a difference in our community, because that's what it's about. It's about the relationships, about serving, it's about giving and it puts things into perspective. And again, we do live in such a prosperous community and consider giving of your time and your resources. Whether it's the storehouse or any other nonprofit, it matters. Your time matters, your finance matters and your resources, whether it's the storehouse or any other nonprofit, it matters. Your time matters, your finance matters and your gifts matter. So we're here every Monday morning right after the 9 o'clock hour. We have a short break coming up, so stay tuned in, we'll be right back.

Speaker 4:

Streets Automotive, formerly CarStars, reminds you that they service all makes and models any year, any make, any condition. They service all makes and models any year, any make, any condition. Streets Automotive has expanded with more bays and more auto specialists for repair work. They also sell everything automotive like tires, batteries, air filters and more, and they can take care of alignments. Streets Automotive is our go-to shop and should be yours too. After all, they are a AAA-approved auto repair shop. Streets Automotive, formerly CarStars, on Upward Road.

Speaker 5:

Lightning strikes on Wednesday and Thursday every week. Get all local news every week in the Hendersonville Lightning Wednesday from newspaper vending machines all over Henderson County, or enjoy the convenience of getting your lightning delivered to your home on Thursday. Either way, you will get local information from a local source who understands and appreciates Henderson County. Call 828-698-0407 to start your mailed subscription, or visit HendersonvilleLightningcom and click on subscribe. Hendersonville Lightning the fastest name in media.

Speaker 6:

Dish Girl is now located at 424 North Main Street, the new location of the Emporium on Main. Open seven days a week Monday through Thursday from 10 to 6, friday and Saturday 10 to 7, and Sunday 11 to 6. Dish Girl for Fiesta Dinnerware Swedish Cloths, nora Fleming Dream Farm Kitchen Gadgets and Kitchen Towels Something for everyone.

Speaker 3:

The Laurels of Hendersonville has been serving this community since 1992. Many changes have occurred during these years, but what hasn't changed is our mission to exceed the needs and expectations of those we serve. We are dedicated to providing quality, compassionate care to our guests. The team at the Laurels of Hendersonville provide short-term rehab with our dedicated therapy staff, extended care and respite services. Check out our website at thelaurelsofhendersonville extended care and respite services. Check out our website at the laurels of pendercivillecom and our Google reviews. This is Bob Pompeo for the laurels of Penderciville. Give me a call for more information.

Speaker 1:

Good morning and welcome back to the Georgia real estate group live radio broadcast here in the queue every Monday morning. It's fun those conversations. In between the live spots we were talking about college basketball coming up. You've got your Duke fans, you've got your Carolina fans, you've got your Florida fans and of course we've got to get through football season first. But I mean North Carolina, being the basketball state that it is, it's always a conversation year-round, which is great. So again, thankful to be here with you this Monday morning on the Q, the Georgia Real Estate Group live radio broadcast. Love sharing with you about what's going on in the community, whether it's real estate or in the nonprofit world. We're grateful to have Lynn Staggs with the storehouse of Henderson County.

Speaker 1:

Again, just a quick snapshot of the local real estate market. I mean the average single family home price over the last 12 months is at 542. The number of active homes on the market 632. And then we're averaging 126 single-family homes a month selling. You know days on market are getting longer. That is certainly one of the components. The days on market are up 37%. You know, days on market until the sale is at 63 days it was at 46 days. It's all relative and then list to. The close date from listing to going to closing is now at 116 days. That's up some 17%. So days on market's longer. We're seeing more price reductions. The percent of original list price received is now at 95.7%. So sellers are coming off their prices a little bit and that's because of the increased inventory. But prices are holding. We've had a slight decline. The median sales price year-to-date through the end of June is at 440. But the 12-month average price is at $540. Again, just some stats there.

Speaker 1:

If you're curious about your specific home, your specific situation, we'd love to interview for the job. You can call us at 828-393-0134. You're welcome to stop by our office I joke, it's a dangerous location next to the Flat Rock Bakery and Hubba Hubba Barbecue, campfire Grill and Hubba Lou all those great friends of ours there and the Wrinkled Egg. So stop by and visit us at the George Real Estate Group there on Rainbow Row in Flat Rock. We serve all of Western North Carolina and the upstate.

Speaker 1:

So if you're curious about your personal home, maybe it's your investment property or maybe you inherited some land and again, whatever it is, we work with a team of tax consultants, attorneys, also our financial advisors, and collectively we're able to provide clarity and information for our clients that are navigating through the impact of real estate. And we know real estate happens around life. It's not the interest rates or the interest rates. The economy is the economy, the market's the market, but life happens. Therefore, real estate happens and we'd love to have the conversation. Give us a call 828-393-0134. We have Lynn Staggs with us here this morning and we're just having the conversation Again. The work you guys have been doing for the last 25 years in Henderson County and it's those individual stories which you shared earlier about the impact that you're having on a one-to-one basis, every single day you're having that impact.

Speaker 2:

We try, we really do try.

Speaker 1:

So you know this is. So let's talk about volunteering. You know, volunteering is truly one of the best things you can do for others and yourself. And you know, and when you, when people think about volunteering, you know they often picture giving time or helping others, and while that's absolutely true, there's also a whole nother side of it. You know, volunteering can just can change you.

Speaker 2:

Well, I mean, I really feel like it's had an effect on the people at our office. We have a complete volunteer staff of about 75 people over the different days and the different jobs that there are, and we only have two and a half paid staff in the whole organization.

Speaker 2:

In the whole organization period. Everybody else is a volunteer, from the lady who comes in and cleans, the people who come in and unload the pallets, the people who go pick up the food, the shoppers, the box packers, front desk everybody's a volunteer and they have a good time. And what cracks me up is when we get them all together. The Wednesday people get to meet the Thursday and Friday people. It's like they have their little days separated and then they meet new friends. So it is an amazing thing to get them all together and just have fun with them.

Speaker 1:

Well, for a number of reasons and again, you guys are doing this every single day I mean it brings you faith, it can connect you to the community.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

I mean volunteering brings you face to face with the people, the stories and the real needs of our town, and so you're not just living in your community, You're, you're actually being part of building it building it up participating in your community and our volunteers.

Speaker 2:

A lot of times when they're taking the boxes out, they'll come back in when they're usually, when they're new, and they'll just look at you and go. I had no idea. Yeah, just totally had no idea.

Speaker 1:

Well, and it, and it really can. It gives you a sense of purpose, I mean especially, I mean putting things into perspective. Right, volunteering can give you a reason to get out of bed, it reminds you that you matter and you can have a big impact, even just a few hours a week, and so there's, I mean, it's so powerful.

Speaker 2:

And we've recruited our neighbors the guy who lives beside us and the lady who lives behind us. So everybody in the neighborhood is kind of becoming storehouse volunteers.

Speaker 1:

I love it. They also you know, they've actually done studies on volunteering it can actually boost your mental health. I mean it actually volunteering lowers stress, fights depression, boosts your mood and because when you serve others there's so many components of it- and then the friendships that have been created out of this, the people who wouldn't have known each other any other way.

Speaker 2:

They are having so much fun when they're in there. It's like y'all are just too loud today. Just too loud.

Speaker 1:

They're having a lot of fun.

Speaker 2:

They're having a little too much fun some days but they're still getting the work done and that when they're having fun and they're laughing and they're doing something that makes them feel good, that goes directly to the client. Oh, for sure Because then they have that spirit of happy that they're giving to them.

Speaker 1:

That's amazing. Something I've heard you share as you set your volunteers up for success, is when people volunteer, there could be some fear I might have to do something I'm not comfortable with or something I'm not good at, but you really work at matching their skill set up with something that they're going to thrive in.

Speaker 2:

That's my secret power, figuring out what people are good at. So I like to sit down and talk to them and you know, like, what did you do before you got here? You know what is your skill, what's your gifting, what do you like? I have some people who are extremely secretarial or organization Excel, spreadsheet, everything. I am not. They are in spades and I love that because it takes a village to raise a Linn. It really does.

Speaker 2:

It's really Linn's support group. Some days it is that way and so many. I have so much fun with school teachers that we've had throughout the system and they're coming back in and volunteering.

Speaker 1:

We just have a good crowd and every day is a different flavor yeah, well, speaking of schools, that's one of the things part of your mission and part of your. What you guys do every year is partnering with the Henderson County school system and identifying families and children that are in need and working with the school counselors. You guys have been doing this since the beginning working to make Christmas possible.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, the counselors and the social workers. Henderson County has the most amazing workers. Henderson County has the most amazing counselors and social workers that I've just ever met in my life. So we work with them and in October we start doing intakes, we get it all put in the computer, we create the tickets and then that turnaround from October till December, at the beginning of December when we pass it all out, it's a quick turnaround, a very quick turnaround.

Speaker 1:

And last year. This is part of the impact of the hurricane. Normally you guys have been doing about 2,000 families, 2,000 children.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

Some 700, 800 families this past Christmas.

Speaker 2:

It was existential it was 2,700 kids and it about broke the land. It was 2,700 kids and it about broke the Linn. We were all exhausted but we had such an outpouring, not just from this community but from different states and different groups. People drove 18-wheelers from Minnesota. They sent things from New York, south Carolina, Wyoming, alabama, you name it. It came from Minnesota. They sent things from New York, south Carolina, wyoming, alabama, you name it. It came from everywhere. And that was such an amazing thing because people were not just asking for toys, they needed clothes, they needed bedding. The hurricane wiped out everything and everybody it's like oh, it's a year later, Everything's back to normal. No, it's not.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's a marathon of a recovery it is, and it's going to take five to seven years for everything to kind of get back to normal. So this year's Christmas may not be as big as last year, but it's still going to be significant.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and you guys are in the process of I mean, that's ongoing.

Speaker 2:

I booked it last year while we were sitting there. I book a year ahead. It's an all year long planning. So each month we do something in the planning of Christmas. So right now we've got it planned out for volunteer training in October.

Speaker 1:

Well, let's talk about that so volunteers can start thinking about that right now to volunteer for Christmas. But the volunteer training is coming up in October.

Speaker 2:

Yes, October 1st through the 3rd we train people on how to do intakes, and then the 6th through the 13th or 14th that second week, we're doing intakes those two weeks and then it'll be data entry and then it's printing and passing out. So it doesn't stop starting in October, Right?

Speaker 1:

Well, I would encourage our listeners if you've not experienced the storehouse, if you've not volunteered, if you're not given reach out, go to storehouseonlineorg. You know it's contagious. You know when you volunteer it inspires others. You know you can inspire your kids, your co-workers, your friends. It can actually. You know there's a ripple effect of kindness and generosity in the community, and so you just never know that impact.

Speaker 2:

I mean it is the combined effort of the churches, the businesses, the individuals in this community that make Christmas go off and that also make our food pantry successful year round.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's important, the work you're doing. We're so grateful, lynn, to have you join us on the radio and we're going to. I'm sure we'll have to get you on the schedule again to come back. We're so grateful for what you and your organization is doing in Henderson County 25 years and again right now you have two more weeks of 4th of July. Spark the Change.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

And there's opportunity to give of your time and of your resources.

Speaker 2:

Yes, please do.

Speaker 1:

We're so grateful, lynn. Thank you for the work you're doing and we love supporting our nonprofit community and grateful to have time here to share about what's going on. It matters, giving matters, volunteering matters, making a difference in the community matters, and while we're not a nonprofit, we are passionate about making a difference in the lives of our clients through helping our clients through real estate. Real estate is part of life and it's usually at some of the biggest crossroads and it could be a really positive reason why you're buying or selling. It could be a very challenging reason and we find ourselves at these major crossroads of our clients' lives and we don't take it lightly. And it's an honor and privilege to serve our community through real estate. So if we can help you in any way, give us a call at 828-393-0134, 828-393-0134. Find us online at realestatebygregcom. Also, be sure to subscribe to our podcast. We podcast all of our radio shows. But have a wonderful week, have a wonderful day and we'll see you next Monday.

Speaker 1:

Maybe the house feels a little too big these days, the stairs a little steeper, the pace of life a little too fast. But what if your next move wasn't about letting go? It was about making space for peace, for freedom, for what matters most. At the George Real Estate Group, we understand that real estate isn't just about the house. It's about transitions, timing and trust. We've helped thousands of families in Western North Carolina make smart, thoughtful moves closer to nature, closer to family, closer to home. So when you're ready to right-size, simplify or start fresh, we'll be here. The George Real Estate Group Local, trusted, proven. Call us today, 828-393-0134. Find us online at realestatebygregcom, because your next chapter deserves to feel just right.

Speaker 7:

The George Real Estate Group has the experience of selling over 1,200 properties and serving over 1,200 families with their real estate needs in Henderson County and throughout western North Carolina. The George Real Estate Group is located in Flat Rock, North Carolina, near Hendersonville in Henderson County. You can find them online at realestatebygregcom. The George Real Estate Group can be reached at 828-393-0134 or stop by their office at 2720 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, North Carolina. Flat Rock, North Carolina. Tune in live each week on Monday mornings at 9.05 on WTZQ FM 95.3 and 1600 AM or stream online at WTZQcom.