We have just listed a totally energy alternative home here in Murphy, NC, nestled in the Smoky Mountains. The builder/owners went to school in order to insure a great finished product, and they accomplished this task wonderfully. Located about 20 minutes from the center of town, the home is surrounded by approx. 15 acres of beautiful mountain land. While the attractive exterior finish is designed with 6 inches red cedar cordwood and concrete walls, the main living floor features ceramic terra coota tile, yet maintaining the mountain or cabin theme throughout. Power sources are 1/3 solar and 2/3 hydro. A nice stream located on the property provides the hydro-power system with more than sufficient flow to runs the hyro-system. The 24ft X 24ft barn houses the entire power system, and the price includes a replacement system in the event you might ever need one. The 6 burner gas stove would make any cook jealous! The roof is the setting for the garden, while the rear of the house is protected by it's earthen sheild. With a great southern exposure for the front of the home, this is definetly a well designed alternative energy home. Listed for $209,500. If you're interested, please call Bill or Cyndi Daves at Century 21 Jan Romans Realty, 1-800-662-1522 for more details.

-- Bill Daves (C21teamdaves@aol.com), January 20, 2001

Answers

PRETTY NEAT FREE AD SPACE HERE AT COUNTRYSIDE SITE.....

Perhaps we need a category for this too.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), January 20, 2001.

Boy, for sale by owner is one thing, but listings by professional real estate salesmen. I'm writing to Ken/Countryside suggesting professional ads be removed.

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), January 20, 2001.

Wish I had that kind of money!

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), January 20, 2001.

I think this is the kind of ad appropriate here. Many of us profess interest in alternative energy. It isn't pushy and they didn't harvest names/addresses to send spam, so why is this different from selling pigs or chickens? Is it the value?

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), January 20, 2001.

Not a value to me at that price .I don't really mind if its on the forum or not .

-- Patty {NY State} (fodfarms@slic.com), January 20, 2001.

No, Anne, it's not the value, but a professional agent. Ads by homesteaders I would not think to be a problem. Do you remember a few weeks ago JD was talking about "freeloaders". People using the forum, but not buying the magazine. I see this in the same vein, but much amplified. They could BUY an ad in the magazine to reach over 100,000 people, after all the commission for selling the house should be something like $15,000!!! Hopefully Ken can do something about it.

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), January 20, 2001.

Hey Guys, chill. They probably got this site confused with the old Yuppy Countryside Mag. It's good for a laugh anyway.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 20, 2001.

I raised the question to Dave. Both of us are neutral on the matter. It is the first time it has happened, and it seems to have been a special circumstance given the interest on the Forum on Alternative Energy. Personally I found the ad interesting since I have an interest in hydropower. If the thread had been worded differently - e.g., here's a listing in the local area - I doubt it would have raised an eyebrow. Let's let it ride and see what happens in the future on this type of thread. (And they might consider an ad in Countryside... where the notice would reach many, many times more people.)

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), January 21, 2001.

Thanks Ken et all.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), January 21, 2001.

Thanks Ken. Would hate to see this forum get comerical(sp), I think your wait and see attitude is just right. I don't think this forum will support this sort of thing.

-- Tina (clia88@newmexico.com), January 21, 2001.

As the author of the ad that described the alternative energy home for sale here in Western North Carolina, I want to say thank you for your feedback. Most of the responses were positive, and it's obvious that it generated conversation that may result in new policy(s) for the bulletin board. I do apologize to those that felt that I may have been using the forum as a free advertising medium, which in reality is what I did. With the exhorbitant cost of large distribution advertising, we all look for the least expensive manner in which to ditribute information, and to recieve it as well. I must mention too that I spent a great deal of time on your site, gaining an insight into philosophies that are different than most, and it was really very refreshing. I was born and raised in Tampa, FL, and left that town and my many "roots" in order to seek a different way of life. Our town, Murphy, is small, about 14,000 total, and offers it's residence many things. Nothing in the way of big malls or superhighways, public transportation, or 3 minute response times for medical or law enforcement, and the Wal-Mart just recently became a supercenter. Again, I apologize if anyone was offended. Thank you for the opportunity to respond.

-- Bill Daves (C21teamdaves@aol.com), January 22, 2001.