$200/sq foot is usually for a custom house from what ive learned. Are you putting high end stuff inside and some unique features? 1 story or 2 story?

Can't help you w/ the builder in the area but I would also say $200/sq ft. is pretty standard as far as what I have heard and my experience w/ our house. When we met w/ our builder the very first day and asked how he could compete w/ prices that were on the market for existing houses, he said he could not. The problem is that while the economy is bad and real estate values are not good, the cost of materials is only getting more and more expensive so building isn't nec. going to be cheaper due to the bad economy.

Ditto the above. Even though the economy is bad, it is not less expensive to build as a whole. The one benefit is the super low interest rates which means a mortgage payment on 600k will be significantly less today than it was say 5 years ago or so (rates have dropped over 2 points since then).

Now if you are talking about buying, you can buy something for much less than it costs to build in most areas of the country.

We will be building in Asheville this year as well. Most of our quotes also came in around $200 a square foot until we dug a little deeper. Contact me through my email and I'll give you some leads.

Thank you all for your responses. ncamy, I have sent you an email, I look forward to your suggestions!
To give more details about the home, it will be a 2 stories home, and the lot has minor slope so very little grading needed. It is also in a subdivision so water, gas, electricity is there.
For those who have already built in the area, I would welcome the names of any reliable builders you have dealt with, even at $200/sq.ft. I would be willing to wait another year to get the house of my dream if it is worth it!
Thank you again!!

Thank you all for your responses.
To give more details about the home, it will be a 2 stories home, and the lot has minor slope so very little grading needed. It is also in a subdivision so water, gas, electricity is there.
For those who have already built in the area, I would welcome the names of any reliable builders you have dealt with, even at $200/sq.ft. I would be willing to wait another year to get the house of my dream if it is worth it!
Thank you again!!