Old Batesville Gym Undergoing Clean-up and Repairs

What’s going on at the old Batesville Gym? That’s the question many locals are asking as a dumpster appeared outside of the building a couple of weeks ago. The building seems to have awakened like a sleeping Rip van Winkle after over a half-century of dormancy.

The Batesville Gym is the only building left standing at the site of the old Providence School house where many of the local northern Habersham students attended school while growing up in the area. The property is owned by Mary Kirk and Inez Orr who both attended the school there before its closure in 1963.

The building was considered “all purpose” as it was used as both a gymnasium and an auditorium during its time. It has a stage on one end with basketball goals on both ends that could be raised out of the way for non-athletic events.

The Batesville Gym was constructed as a result of the Kea Act, a law passed in 1920 in Georgia which required each child enrolled in a public school to partake in thirty minutes of physical education daily.  This act was passed because many Georgians were rejected for service during World War I due to physical ailments.

In 2010, two graduate students from Georgia State University were engaged to make application for the building to be added to the National Register of Historical Places. Lydia Ellington and Julie Federer took on the painstaking project that included extensive research, interviews, and documentation that is required to achieve the designation. No word back yet on the approvals for registry as the application has to go through the scrutiny of both State and Federal agencies.

Stay tuned as the mystery unfolds around the fate of this landmark building in the community of Batesville Georgia.

Lake Burton Construction Following Tornado Damage

I am always amazed at the resiliency of the real estate market and how it is able to survive the ups and downs of the economy. Real estate ownership seems to be one of the fundamental drives of human beings. People want a piece of the earth. It defines them. It gives them a certain sense of control and destiny. It makes them “master of their domain”.

This real estate down cycle has been one of the most destructive to home ownership in recent history.  As the real estate boom grew in the early 2000s, many people acquired more wealth in real estate than they ever thought possible, just to lose it due to a variety of factors that seemed to many to be out of their control.

Much of the wealth came too easily. Credit was handed out like candy to children. And we all helped ourselves to the candy bowl.

Can you blame us? After all, we’re only human.

Everybody admits now that things got way out of hand in how easy it was to buy a home, empty its value like it was a cash machine, and then sell it to move on to the next one and hope for an even better return.  And now we are all licking our wounds from getting battered around during the latest downturn of the market as it corrects itself from its excesses.

Metaphorically speaking, an economic hurricane has blown through the housing market that has left no one untouched.  As the destructive forces calm and the winds of change recede, we look around the landscape and notice that some people were harmed more than others.

Those who lost their homes (to foreclosure) stare in shock and disbelief at what has happened. They have questions like: Why did this happen to me? Where do I start? What’s ahead for me? Can I survive this?

Those who kept their homes may have survivor’s guilt: Why was I not harmed? How did I make it out okay while others did not?  What will others who were not so fortunate think of me?

Fortunately, adversity is also the mother of opportunity. When faced with personal adversity, people pick up the pieces of their lives and they start to dream again: dreams of a better life, dreams for their children, and dreams for their friends, neighborhoods, and communities.

Creative destruction in the real estate market is occurring right before our eyes. Those who lost homes will figure out a way to own a home again. The very homes that were lost by some will become the dream homes for others. And those who have never owned a home before now have the opportunity to buy a home at an affordable price.

As destructive as this economic storm has been for some homeowners, it has created opportunity for others to share in the American dream. Now it’s up to each of us to recalibrate our lives to the circumstances we find ourselves in and begin to re-build.

It’s what we do. It makes us human.

From the lofty heights of the real estate market of 2007, to the bottom of the re-sale market in 2009, the numbers have improved significantly in 2011 and have remained strong even through the end of the year. Home sales in 2011 for the four county region of Habersham, White, Stephens and Rabun surged an average of 23% over 2010’s results.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Land sales had an even greater percentage increase (57%) in 2011, since homebuilding almost completely dried up during the down market moving into 2008 & 2009. Even that number is skewed slightly due to the sale of multiple lots within subdivisions,  which are included in the land sale count.

Is the northeast Georgia real estate market healthy?

Now that’s another question all together. To use a medical analogy to describe the present market, we can say that the “patient” (i.e. the market) has been taken out of the emergency room and is now recovering  in “guarded” condition, although he needs plenty of nursing and vigilant care to keep from lapsing back into another recessionary coma.

If it wasn’t for the availability of government backed loan programs this year like FHA, VA, and USDA, we probably would have seen yet another down year for home sales in rural northeast Georgia. As foreclosures surged and home prices fell, new buyers entered the market whom might otherwise have continued to be renters. Record low interest rates was the third “leg” that propped up home sales. These three factors came together to bring some stability to an otherwise wobbly real estate market.

What’s ahead for 2012? Fortunately we live in an area of such natural beauty and desirable quality of life that we’ll continue to attract home buyers in spite of a lagging economy.  But until we bring new industry into our area to stimulate economic development, our local economy that relied heavily on building and construction prior to the housing collapse in 2007 is still fragile, and foreclosure sales will probably remain historically high throughout 2012.

Expect home prices to moderate slightly simply because inventories are down (especially Habersham, for instance) as a number of sellers have taken their homes off the market probably due to mortgage balances that exceed market value. Those who have enough equity in their homes to sell at current market prices will find willing and able buyers who want to own a piece of the northeast Georgia landscape at what are now very appealing  price points.

If you have questions about our real estate market in northeast Georgia, or you are looking to buy or sell your home or property, feel free to call me at 706-499-0367.

Regards to all,

Dale Holmes – Broker, Headwaters Realty

More than likely, your REALTOR is anxious about having to explain to you that your home is overpriced. It’s difficult to have to confront this fact in a listing relationship, but a seasoned REALTOR can sense it early on as your home doesn’t get the attention it should simply because it is overpriced.

What is the first warning sign of an overpriced home?

The first sign usually occurs during the listing appointment. It goes like this: During the appointment with your REALTOR, everything was going fine until the subject of pricing came up. Your REALTOR may have asked: “What do you think your home is worth?”

Many sellers will say: “Well, I’ve been researching what homes are listed for on-line and I think we should list it for ‘X’.” Or “Two years ago it appraised for ‘X’, so I think that is a good starting point.” This can be the defining moment in the listing relationship when the REALTOR decides just how much effort and expense they will put into marketing your home based on your answer.

If at that point your REALTOR doesn’t say something like:  “That’s a great price”, OR:  “I think your home could sell at that price!”, then you should know that your expectations are probably too high for your home’s selling price. In an effort to not hurt your feelings by confronting you with the truth about declining home values, many REALTORS will just fill in the list price you stated and continue on with the appointment without bringing up the subject again.

What just happened? You may have just contributed to the demise of the relationship early on by taking away one of the main reasons you hire a REALTOR, which is to help you set the right list price for the property.

It’s like a manager who hires an employee to do a job but then dictates to the employee exactly how to do it. Or like a parent who tells a child to “grow up” but then continues to try to control everything the child does. You can’t have it both ways.

If you don’t have the confidence in your REALTOR to have them set the list price, then either hire another REALTOR you do have confidence in, or have your home appraised by a competent local real estate appraiser. If the REALTOR’S price opinion or the appraisal is too low for you to sell, then don’t list the property. If you decide to list anyway at a price above the market value, prepare to be frustrated and to make your REALTOR frustrated as well while you hope someone will come along naive enough to overpay for your home.

The most important thing you can do is to price your home correctly when it first goes on the market; otherwise you will lose valuable marketing time and your relationship with your REALTOR will probably suffer as well. A home priced well will get showings, and your REALTOR will be excited about your relationship, and you will hear from them regularly.

A REALTOR will remain excited about a home they think they can sell, and that excitement will show through whenever they call you. In the end you will both be happier.

If you need a price opinion or would like to get a certified real property appraisal of your home, call Dale Holmes of Headwaters Realty at 706-499-0367.

Halloween in the Hay Field - Pea Ridge Road - Cornelia Georgia

Northeast Georgia Realtors received a treat in October as reported home sales dipped only 4% from September with 76 closings, a startling 43% increase over October 2010. There were only 126 newly or re-listed homes for sale for the month as total listed inventories dropped to 1,656, a near 10% monthly decrease.

Distressed home sales inched down slightly to 43% of total sales, with Habersham and Stephens counties still leading the pack at 57% and 64% respectively. The monthly median sales price remained below $100,000 for all counties except Rabun.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

No commentary on individual counties this month as we continue to evaluate which Multiple Listing Service (MLS) to use going forward that will give us the most accurate number of reported sales without having to compile information from multiple sources. The increase of homes  in the area (especially bank-owned) being listed in any one of three different MLSs makes it more difficult to report consistent trends in sales activity each month. We plan to determine by year-end the method and duration of reporting to provide the most reliable sales information possible.

Call or email me with questions or comment below.

Regards to all,

Dale Holmes – Headwaters Realty – 706.499.0367

Just around the corner from Chattachoochee River access is Savannah Ridge, a quaint subdivision built out in the late 1990s with homes ranging in assessed value from the low-100s to the mid-200s. Several of the homes have seasonal and full-time views of the mountains to the north and west.

Homebuyers interested in this area of Habersham County should see 134 Savannah Ridge Trail in Demorest Georgia, a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home over a full-unfinished basement with seasonal mountain views. This home is listed at $134,500, making it affordable to a range of buyers who may want to finance their next home or pay cash at closing.

On the interior, the owners have chosen warm earth-tones for the walls with select upgrades like hardwood and tile flooring in the living areas. Vaulted ceilings in the kitchen, living room, and master bedrooms create an open and comfortable feel to the floor plan.

The functional kitchen layout includes custom cabinetry, upgraded sink fixtures, SS appliances, and tile floors. The adjacent laundry room serves as a second exterior entrance with access to the back deck and fire pit garden. The dining area provides ample room for meals and entertaining.

It’s easy to relax and unwind in the sunroom overlooking the wooded lot, or warm yourself near the tasteful stacked-rock gas fireplace in the living room. From the living room enter the master bedroom that has paladium-style windows bringing plenty of natural light into the private space, with adjoining bath and walk-in closet. Two guest bedrooms and guest bath complete the sleeping space off the hallway on the south wall of the living room.

Downstairs you’ll find the drive-under two-car garage served by a paved driveway and RV parking area. Here you can use your imagination to finish out the full basement with stubbed bath, or take advantage of the extra storage space available to you.  Or spend time outside enjoying the terraced wooded 1 acre lot with a variety of hardwoods and indigenous shrubs that provide a level of privacy many seek in similar mountain homes.

Savannah Ridge is only 10 minutes from the Cornelia shopping district which includes chains like Lowe’s, Super Walmart, and Longhorn Steakhouse. Also nearby are primary transportation routes to Atlanta, Athens, and Asheville NC.

For more information on 134 Savannah Ridge in Demorest Georgia, or to schedule a showing, call Dale Holmes of Headwaters Realty at 706-499-0367.

Property Details

Photos of Property (Click on a photo to open the Gallery)

Property Location

It’s uncertain how long the window of opportunity will remain open for the incredible buys in northeast Georgia. Whether or not buyers seize the unique opportunity before them will most likely play out over the next 6-12 months.

Home sales for September 2011 in northeast Georgia came in 4% higher than September 2010, keeping the trend alive for improving home sales throughout 2011. The Realtors in the four-county area recorded 79 home sales in MLS, a 14% drop from August, but still 4% above 2010.

In line with recent trends, distressed sales ran about half (48%) of the total sales with 38 bank-owned property closings, as Habersham and Stephens feel the brunt of a higher number of mortgage defaults. The monthly median home sales prices for three of the four counties were below $80,000, with Rabun the exception at $181,500.

Home inventories receded to 1,724 listed homes for sale, a seasonal phenomenon as the traditional peak buying period begins to wind down for the year. But according to anecdotal evidence cited in a recent National Association of Realtors (NAR) Realtor Mag article, seller reluctance to sell at steep discounts could also be a leading factor.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County sold the most homes of the region at 25 home sales, with 18 of those homes under $100,000. Habersham also hit its highest ratio of distressed sales for the year at 64% of total sales.

White County lost a little more ground for the second month in a row with home sales dipping to 18 for September. White’s monthly median home sales price was $70,750, the lowest it’s been since we’ve been tracking it for the past three years.

Stephens County dropped back from a stellar showing in August with just 14 home sales for September, matching sales numbers for September 2010. Distressed sales remained high at 64% of total sales.

Rabun County had a exemplary month for September with 22 home sales, matching April 2011 for the highest monthly sales since July 2009, with sales spread across all price ranges. Around a third of the sales in Rabun for September were distressed, as Rabun has fared the best of the region with the fewest reported number of foreclosures.

Comment below or call me at 706.499.0367.

Regards to all,

Dale Holmes – Headwaters Realty

“Reverse Mortgages are a new paradigm for retirees,” says Bob Parker, loan officer specializing in Reverse Mortgages with Allied Home Mortgage in Cornelia Georgia.  “A Reverse Mortgage affords the opportunity to purchasers 62 years of age and older, who are able to establish the required equity, to finance the balance of the purchase price without monthly mortgage payments. “

“The clients I work with may want to purchase a home that better fits their physical or family needs, or they just want to relocate to the North Georgia foothills. At the same time, they don’t want to saddle themselves with monthly mortgage payments if they don’t have the funds for an all-cash purchase.”

Even though Reverse Mortgages have been around for a while, few seniors understand how a reverse mortgage works. Even fewer know that a reverse mortgage can be used to purchase a home. Some of the benefits of a Reverse Mortgage include:

• No monthly mortgage payments
• Tax free income
• Protection against further declines in the real estate market
• No disqualification or rate adjustment for a low credit score and recent discharged bankruptcy
• No required mortgage balance for borrower’s heirs to pay off
  
• FHA mortgage insurance that protects lender, borrower, and heirs

“Reverse Mortgage borrowers sleep better at night not having to worry about monthly mortgage payments,” explained Bob. “And the ‘no recourse’ feature of the program acts as a hedge against a further decline in real estate values, which can give you even more peace of mind.”

Bob offers a free consultation to anyone considering a Reverse Mortgage. “The consultation will explain how a Reverse Mortgage works, review the various options available, and provide the customer with scenarios and information for mandatory HUD counseling,” said Bob.

“If you like what you hear, you and your co-borrower are then interviewed by a HUD counselor, which can be accomplished over the phone. When you receive your HUD counseling certificate, the Reverse Mortgage application can then move forward. It’s just that easy to get started. “

“Most seniors would rather spend their limited income on travel, entertainment, and grandchildren than a mortgage payment,” emphasized Bob. “As more seniors become familiar with the benefits of a Reverse Mortgage, they may find it to be the best solution for them to have the comfortable retirement they always wanted.”

Bob Parker - Loan Officer - Allied Home Mortgage Corp.

6K Starting Line Warm Up

October brings out the colors in the northeast Georgia mountains, and with them the many visitors who like to enjoy the local festivals and outdoor events taking place in the fall. For those who prefer a little more exercise and a chance to win a hand creation from Mark of the Potter, plan to participate in the fifth annual Soque River Ramble 6K Run & Walk held on the banks of the Soque River in Batesville on October 22.

The event is quickly becoming know as “one of the most scenic runs & walks in Georgia” as its route winds along the gravel and paved roads through the Soque and Goshen Valleys in northern Habersham County. Marlan Wilbanks has made his property on Old Chimney Mountain Road available again this year to stage the event by the Left Fork Soque where a riverbank restoration project was completed a few years ago.

Registration starts at 7:30 AM with a one mile fun run at 8:30, with the 6K following at 9:00AM.  Bring the whole family to enjoy a crisp cool morning in the mountains. Dogs on a leash are also welcome to join in the fun!

Possum Valley Bluegrass Trio

Refreshments are provided by Springer Mountain Farms (bottled spring water), Hawg Wild BBQ (hot muffins & coffee), and Ingles Markets (bananas & apples). The Possum Valley Bluegrass trio will perform traditional bluegrass tunes for the crowd before and during the event.

After the Ramble plan to attend the Batesville Days Celebration held from 10AM – 4PM at the historic Batesville crossroads, near the intersection of State Hwy. 197 & Hwy. 255 next to the Batesville General Store and Restaurant.

Visit the Soque River Ramble web site now to pre-register for this year’s event to insure that you get a great looking Soque River Ramble T-shirt the same day.  You can also get more information on the race route and directions to the Ramble site at www.soqueriverramble.com.

Proceeds from the Ramble go to the Batesville Community Association and the Soque River Watershed Association. For more information, call Dale Holmes at 706-499-0367 or email Dale at dale@soqueriverramble.com.

The Soque Roast is a primary fundraiser for the Soque River Watershed Association and is held on the property of Marlan Wilbanks off Old Chimney Mountain Road in Clarkesville Georgia. Come and join association members, local business people, river lovers, and Coach Dooley for this celebration held along the headwaters of the Soque River.

This year’s annual event will feature a Pig Roast dinner, Springer Mountain Farms smoked chickens prepared by Hawg Wild BBQ, locally crafted wine & beer, and a silent auction of local art, furniture, and river-related goodies. Tickets are $75 per person, and all proceeds go towards projects to protect the Soque River.

For tickets and information, call 706.754.9382 or visit the SRWA website where you can also purchase tickets by email.

Fly Fishing on the Soque River

]]> http://landandmore.net/4696/the-soque-roast-a-pig-out-on-the-river/feed/ 0 http://landandmore.net/4656/august-home-sales-galloped-along-in-northeast-georgia/ http://landandmore.net/4656/august-home-sales-galloped-along-in-northeast-georgia/#comments Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:43:26 +0000 Dale Holmes http://landandmore.net/?p=4656 Read More]]>

"Hey mister, could you spare me another cup of oats?" Ol' Joe at Sunburst Stables near Batesville Georgia

Home sales for August in northeast Georgia bolted out of the gate and never looked back. Total home sales reached 92 closings, a 26% increase from July, and the best numbers we’ve seen in two years. Except for some weakness in the numbers for August in White County, the other three counties of Habersham, Stephens, and Rabun had well over a 50% improvement month over month. When compared to last year, this month’s results showed a combined 59% increase in home sales over August 2010.

What’s behind the apparent surge in the local real estate market? It takes just a little “horse sense” to understand why:

• Fifty-eight of the home sales were under $100,000, which were 63% of the total sales.
• 45% of the total sales in the area were foreclosures.
• The median home sales price in August for all four counties was under $95,000, the first time that’s happened since we’ve been keeping records for over four years.
• Interest rates are again dipping to record lows.
• Government insured USDA (100% financing) & FHA (96.5% financing) loans dominate the mortgage market.

Investors, first-time home buyers, and rent refugees have been given the opportunity of a lifetime to purchase homes at near fire-sale prices, many with little “skin in the game”. While buying up distressed home inventory will eventually bring some stability to home prices, still more homeowners inch further under water every month as home values dip lower and defy rational thought.
Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham’s home sales numbers reached a near two-year high at 29 closings, a 53% pop over both last month and August 2010. Meanwhile home inventories continued to shrink in Habersham County for the ninth month in a row.

White County took a breather this month with 21 home sales after a stronger June & July, but still a 40% improvement over August 2010. Nine of the sales in August were in the Resort & RV category.

Stephens had its best month as far back as we could count (January 2007) with 24 home sales,  showing a 167% increase over August 2010. Even though 15 of the sales (63%) were under $100,000, five Lake Hartwell sales in August help to spread the action across the higher price categories as well.

Rabun County bumped back up for August with 18 home sales, but had the highest percentage of distressed sales for the area at 56%. August was the first month that we’ve seen the median monthly sales price fall below $100,000 in Rabun County since we’ve been tracking it for the past two years.

Bookmark this site to get the monthly home sales statistics for northeast Georgia, or call me at 706.499.0367 if you have specific real estate issues you want to discuss.

Regards to all,

Dale Holmes – Headwaters Realty

This custom home built in 1997 has the rustic features that you look for in a lake community home with rough-hewn cedar siding, wraparound decks and porches, and low-maintenance landscaping. Inside you find California white pine tongue & groove walls and vaulted ceilings, wide-plank pine flooring, flagstone hearths, and an open but efficient floor plan.

The main level has two spacious master suites, each with their own generous-sized baths flanking the common living room, kitchen, and dining area. A masonry flagstone fireplace adds a warm centerpiece to the comfortable living space.

The L-shaped kitchen allows enough counter and cabinet space for preparing meals for family and friends, while the mid-room dining area easily adjusts to the number of dining guests. A laundry closet opposite the kitchen efficiently serves the needs of a visiting or full-time household.

The terrace level boasts two large suites, a common full bath, galley-style kitchen & separate laundry room for guests or multi-generational privacy. Similar to the main floor, a handsome flagstone hearth with gas logs gives a focus to the casual rustic living area.

The main level and terrace level both open out onto screen porches through custom sliding pocket doors that allow you to “throw the doors open” throughout much of the year and invite the seasons inside. This unique architectural feature compliments the “lodge-feel” of the home and helps to create the sense you are living among the trees. The porch has also been wired and reinforced for a hot tub to add another dimension to relaxing in the natural environment.

The home has zoned high-efficiency heating and cooling systems for those times of the year when temperatures reach extremes. Double pane windows and storm doors and multiple ceiling fans help to keep you comfortable during any season.

Outside you’ll find a detached 4-car carport with plenty of space for parking your boat, RV or vehicle of choice, with a fully-gravelled driveway leading up from the paved Ringgold Lane. Across Ringgold Lane but still part of the lot is a spring branch descending down towards the lake’s shore, with a small deck for sitting and communing with nature.

A short drive away is LaPrade’s Marina where you can lease slips or dry storage for your watercraft, or take advantage of their daily rental rates for pontoon boats and jet skis. Dine in at the Chop House, LaPrade’s in-house restaurant, to enjoy a meal inside or dockside overlooking Lake Burton.

Lake Burton has long been a favorite destination for tourist and weekend vacations on the water, but now the Lake Burton area is also the home of organic farms, wineries, art galleries, specialty shopping, and fine dining in the communities of Clayton, Tiger, Sautee-Nacoochee, and Clarkesville.

With advances in technology and mobile communications, it’s now possible to live comfortably and work from home in a stress-free environment in the northeast Georgia mountains. It’s time to consider Lake Burton as your next choice for a second home, vacation home, or even full-time living.

See Video Tour Here

For more information or to schedule a showing of the home located at 56 Ringgold Lane, Clarkesville Georgia, call Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty at 706.499.0367.

Property Details

Photos of Property (click on a photo to open the gallery)

Map of Property

New Front Entrance of Hawg Wild BBQ

Like the mythological phoenix rising from the ashes, Hawg Wild BBQ is back as a major player in the Clarkesville Georgia restaurant scene after a devastating fire to their building last fall. Hawg Wild BBQ just completed the rebuild of their restaurant and is once again open for business, bigger and better than ever.

I recently visited with Bonnie Edmonds, general manager for Hawg Wild BBQ, and she reflected back on the date of November 15, 2010, when she got a call at 1AM in the morning.

“I’ll never forget it,” recounted Bonnie. “Nobody calls you in the middle of the night unless something bad has happened. It took the fire department over six hours to put the fire out.  I sat out on the curb crying for what seemed like days.”

Bonnie knew that she and owner Jeremy Patrick would eventually re-open again, but it took a while to work through the details of the new building with the city, county and insurance company.

Covered Deck for Parties & Banquets

“There had been some things we wanted to change all along, like the deck,” explained Bonnie. “The old deck . . . the only time we could use it was October and April during the season changes. Otherwise it was too hot or too cold without a roof.”

“The new deck is really the main improvement to the building,” said Bonnie. “Part of the idea for the new deck was to have more group events. We can now easily have sporting events, banquets, rehearsal dinners, and wedding parties. We’ll be able to use it for events up to 150 people.”

“We also expanded our kitchen to forty feet, and we added a bakery display area,” said Bonnie. “Now we can seat up to 200 people in the restaurant.  The way it was laid out before, less than 120.”

Hawg Wild’s most popular menu items are the pulled BBQ pork, ribs, and fried catfish. New items on the menu include char-grilled steaks, a club sandwich, and cornbread.  “Can’t eat greens and pinto beans without cornbread,” laughed Bonnie.

Bonnie is most proud of the quality and freshness of their menu.  “I go to Osage Farms regularly to get fresh vegetables,” said Bonnie. “Everything is home made . . . sauces, rubs . . . from scratch. We have hand-cut french fries and onion rings.  Nothing is store-bought.”

Bonnie Edmonds & Jeremy Patrick

How did Bonnie end up managing Hawg Wild BBQ?

“Jeremy [Patrick] always wanted a BBQ place as a hobby,” explained Bonnie. “When he was searching for a restaurant manager, Jeremy knew of my experience and told me my name kept coming up, so he gave me a call.”

“I’ve worked at several eating establishments.  I usually start off as a server, but end up in management. I guess I have a ‘take charge’ personality. . . even with Jeremy, bless his heart, it’s so hard not to! As general manager, the way I see it. . . it’s my baby . . . I own it!  Jeremy just signs the checks!”

Like any good manager, Bonnie has lots of praise for her staff: “I have a great group of people here.” After speaking with a couple of staff members, I could tell that they are equally fond of working for Bonnie, which is compliment to her management style, and ultimately leads to a better dining experience for everyone.

“I’ve heard the comment before that somebody [on the staff] has to die for you to get a job here,”  said Bonnie with a wide grin on her face. “I admit it . . . for me, it’s home here. It’s in my blood. I love it.”

Hawg Wild BBQ is open Tuesday-Saturday from 11AM – 9PM, and Sundays 11A-3PM. The restaurant is located at 515 Grant Street in Clarkesville, which is about a quarter-mile north of the square. Hawg Wild BBQ offers dine-in, take-out, or catering for any size party. Phone: 706-754-4323.

The home is located about 2 miles north of the Batesville General Store at 13651 State Highway 197 North, across from Hickory Flat Pottery. Years ago the home was the neighbor to the “Wikle Store”, an old landmark for travelers for years who visited the Lake Burton area.

During the 1990’s Ed and Deanna Moreaux purchased the property from longtime owners and converted it into gallery and retail space. Since then the Moreaux’s have run a successful rock & gem shop from the location.

Although some of the square footage of the home was converted into display and gallery space, much of the building retains architectural features of the 1920s & 30s including the original oak flooring and interior wood trim & moldings from the period. Behind the gallery walls is living space including 2 bedrooms, kitchen space, and a bath, allowing an owner to reside in the home while still having a retail operation.

Outside the gallery are two outbuildings, a tin-roof carport, and a commercial grade “panning sluice” that could easily be put back into operation as a tourist attraction. The front porch serves as a retail display area that can easily be seen from road.

The bright red brick building already has good curb appeal due to its unique style and location in the valley alongside Raper Creek. The property has high visibility on Hwy. 197 North which is the main thoroughfare to lakes Burton, Rabun, and Seed.

Recently, the City of Clarkesville and Clarkesville Better Hometown announced their plans to have State Highway 197 designated a Georgia Scenic Byway. Having the Scenic Byway designation will serve to attract even more visitors, tourists, and new residents to the area, helping to breathe new economic life into Habersham County and surrounding communities.

Consider it the right time to “get ahead of the curve” and to “claim your higher ground” for having your own retail store in northeast Georgia before the crowds return. Although the owners are advertising the sale of the building only, they will consider selling their present business and inventory in a separate negotiated transaction.

The address for this property is 13651 State Hwy. 197 North, Clarkesville Georgia 30523.  For more information or to schedule a showing of the property, call Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty at 706.499.0367.

Property Details

Photos of Property (Click on a photo to open the gallery)

Map of Property

1: period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere
2: a period of stagnation or inactivity

While the “Dog Days of Summer” aptly applied to the hot and muggy weather northeast Georgia experienced in July, “a period of stagnation or inactivity “ did not accurately describe the local real estate market during the same period.  In fact, that sound you heard in July that you thought was your brain cooking was more likely the simmering real estate market as the sales results for the region rose 7% over the same period for July 2010. Granted, no real fireworks here as the total number of home sales for July was down 5% from June, but it was still a welcome improvement for 2011 and a hopeful sign of market resiliency for local REALTORs.

Home inventories ticked down 2% from June’s peak for the year at 1,863 homes for sale, while the percentage of distressed sales to total sales ticked back up nearly 10 percentage points to 52%. The monthly median sales price for all four counties measured in the region fell below $130,000, primarily due to the absence of closings of higher-priced homes in Rabun County for July.

If you were to take a random sampling of local REALTOR opinions about the market prospects in July, my guess is that 8 out of 10 agents would tell you that buyer activity (inquiries, showings, offers, etc.) increased noticeably over the past few weeks. In spite of a plethora of negative geopolitical & economic news and decreased consumer confidence, the continued historically low interest rates and temptingly lower home prices appear to be drawing more buyers into the local real estate market.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County  matched June’s results with 19 home sales recorded, but that was down 9% from July 2010.  Distressed sales for Habersham remained high at 53% of total sales with seemingly little relief on the way in the next few months.

White County had the best month for the region with 31 home sales, a 35% improvement from July 2010 and a 24% bump up from June. Over half the total sales for White in July had closing prices under $100,000.

Stephens County also showed some strength with an 8% increase in July over a mediocre June,  and a 44% increase over July 2010.  Distressed sales were 54% of total sales, consistent with previous months so far this year.

Rabun County closed the fewest number of sales for the region at 10 home sales, and the lowest number since January 2011’s results of 8 sales. Also, 7 of the 10 sales in July were distressed, the highest that ratio has been for Rabun since the housing downturn began.

Call or email me with questions or comment below. I always welcome feedback.

Regards to all,

Dale Holmes – Headwaters Realty

Well, the opportunity has arrived.

I recently listed this 15+ acre tract at the intersection of Hwy. 356 (Unicoi Hwy.) and Hwy. 197, just up the hill from where the Soque River passes under Hwy. 197, and one-half mile north of the Batesville General Store. The intersection is the primary turning point for tourists and visitors who either go north to Lake Burton and the Clayton/Tiger area, west to Sautee and Helen, or south to Clarkesville.

Prospective buyers will appreciate the extensive highway frontage (over 1100 ft.) that offers many advantages when it comes to dividing the property for development if you choose to build more than one home, or have plans for an agricultural or retail-based business. Part of the property is in the eight year of a tax-advantaged ten-year county agricultural use covenant, which a new owner/buyer can renew for the remainder of the term that ends December 2014.

A feeder stream to the Soque River flows through the heart of the property, emptying into the Soque a few hundred yards further south on an adjoining farm. A small pond is located toward the upper end of the creek that could serve as a watering hole for small livestock or for raising pan fish for the table at home.

Near the creek are two separate power service poles with meters installed, which could make excellent temporary parking spots for RVs or travel trailers. Also, a large cleared building site lies across the creek and adjacent to the improved driveway.

A freshly graded gravel driveway extends down the hill from the highway and across the creek to a cleared pasture area that runs just east of the creek and around the pond site. Three separate woods roads lead up to the highest points on the property, including to a partially cleared building site facing west towards Tray Mountain and Chimney Mountain.

This property has a variety of desirable features that interested land buyers frequently look for in a mountain setting, plus it is centrally located between Lake Burton, Clarkesville, and the Sautee-Nacoochee/Helen recreation areas. If the idea of owning a small acreage tract with high visibility in northern Habersham County appeals to you, this property could meet your needs.

For more information on this property or to schedule a private showing, call Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty at 706.499.0367.

Property Details

Photos of Property (click on a photo to open the gallery)

Map of Property

The Rhododendron section of Chimney Mountain subdivision lies to the south of and between the Left Fork Soque River  and Hwy. 356. Here you discover 255 Rainbow Court, a 4 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath cabin home for sale built in 1983 that rests up the gentle mountain slope above the river below.

This cabin home is located in a private wooded setting surrounded by a variety of hardwoods and native plants, including mountain laurel and rhododendron. Access is via Lara Lynn Trail, a gravel road off Hwy. 356, less than one mile from the Habersham-White County line.

From the driveway off Rainbow Court, one of the first features of the home you notice are the full-length rocking chair front porches on the main and lower levels. Wrapped in rough-hewn cedar siding, the home exterior is in pleasing visual harmony with the hillside behind it.

Enter the home through the basement exterior door at ground level, follow the steps up to the main floor deck, or take the gentle-sloped ramp up to the picnic table next to the kitchen entrance. But before you go inside, take a seat in your favorite rocker and listen to the gentle timeless roar of the river in the valley down below.

Inside on the main level you find two bedrooms, a common bath, living room & dining room area, and kitchen with pantry closet. Hardwood floors and natural moldings highlight the living areas, with plenty of windows on all walls to bring in the filtered sunlight.

Step downstairs to find a mostly finished basement, including extra bedroom space, large den or recreation area, and unfinished laundry room & storage. Or instead walk upstairs to the half-story sitting area, half-bath, and additional sleeping area, complete with tasteful dormers and hardwood floors.

This home at 255 Rainbow Court in Clarkesville Georgia is perfect for your seasonal vacation home, or live here full time to enjoy all the year-round recreation venues available to you just minutes away. To the east is U.S. Forestry land where you can hunt, hike, or explore for miles.

You can choose to take a short drive to Lake Burton and Rabun and enjoy lake fishing and boating; make your way gently west to see Unicoi, Helen, and the Sautee Valley area to sight-see, shop, or visit a winery, or; take the scenic drive down Hwy. 197 to enjoy exceptional dining in the quaint town of Clarkesville.

For more information or to schedule a showing of 255 Rainbow Court, call Dale Holmes, Broker/Owner of Headwaters Realty at 706.499.0367.

Property Details

Photos of Property (click on a photo to open the gallery)

Map of Property

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXei0yWNuwE

Everyone enjoys eating locally grown fruits, vegetables and other fresh farm products when they can find them, but who has time to drive to multiple Saturday markets and produce stands to get it?  What if you had a way to pick out exactly what organically grown produce you wanted, and get the local farm quality you expected, all from your computer or smart phone?

Enter Northeast Georgia Locally Grown, a new web-based market giving local residents a convenient way to buy fresh local farm foods from farmers who use chemical-free and sustainable farming techniques. Justin Ellis, SRWA executive director in Clarkesville, helped to organize the effort in April 2010.

“When I had first moved back from Athens a couple of years ago, I had grown accustomed to buying and eating food from organic farms,” explained Justin.  “I had assumed that I would be able to purchase locally grown foods, but it was hard to find at first.”

“As I found local farmers I could buy from, I learned that everyone that was growing food here had an interest in selling their produce to the local market, but they were struggling with a good way to do that. The locally grown market in Athens had a system where you could go on line on the weekend and shop for your favorite produce from a choice of local farmers. I had never really thought that we would start a market like the one in Athens, but I thought it was a good idea, and I mentioned the idea to some of the local producers.”

Chuck Mashburn, the farmer for Mill Gap Farm in Tiger, Georgia called Justin up one day and said, ”Well, I reckon we oughta start a locally grown market up here.” After some more meetings with other local farmers, the group put a web site together and found out how easy it was to be up and running. “Within a month and a half of that first meeting, the market was launched,” said Justin.

Locally Grown subscribers get an email on Sunday night telling them that the market is open. From Sunday night through Monday night, subscribers have that time to shop on the market.

“When you click on your choice of produce, you are actually ordering directly from that farm,” remarked Justin.  “The farmer prints out a label with your name on it, labels the package at the farm, and brings it in to the market on Wednesday afternoon. By late afternoon, the customers come in to pay for and pick up their produce.”

There are currently two pickup locations for buyers: one at Grace Calvary Church parking lot in Clarkesville, and the other at Mill Gap Farm in Tiger.

“This year we have twenty-two farms participating with about 224 different products listed for sale on the web site,” said Justin.  “That includes a lot of fruit and vegetables, the mainstay of the selection, with almost anything you can imagine, including beets, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers . . . unusual stuff too . . . fennel, kohlrabi, lots of greens. But we also have goat cheese, fresh eggs, breads, mushrooms, herbs, ground cornmeal, flour, even chocolate cake.  One of the most exciting things about the market is seeing how creative the local growers and food producers can be in coming up with products that people want to eat.”

“Locally Grown is unique in that it is a web-based market, which is very different from a Saturday morning market,” Justin explained further. “One of the common limitations for farmers is the time required to spend at a local market. Also, farmers in general take on a certain amount of risk since they have no idea how much of what they produce will be bought.”

“From the farmers’ perspective, the great thing about Locally Grown is that everything is pre-sold. When a farmer gets a web order, they go out and harvest just what it takes to fill that order, which takes some of the risk out of it. The other benefit is that they can drop that order off and then go back to the farm and continue working.”

“Locally Grown is a great example of marrying technology with the local agrarian community, and it seems to be catching on well here,” said Justin. “We want people to begin to realize that northeast Georgia is a place that grows good quality food, and we hope it’s going to get bigger and bigger.”

Visit the Northeast Georgia Locally Grown web site to learn more about buying local farm foods online.  If you are interested in joining the network to become a Locally Grown producer, contact Justin Ellis at the SRWA office at 706.754.9382.

]]> http://landandmore.net/4311/northeast-georgia-locally-grown-%e2%80%93-fresh-from-your-local-farm/feed/ 0 http://landandmore.net/4289/june-home-sales-point-to-quiet-strength-in-real-estate-market/ http://landandmore.net/4289/june-home-sales-point-to-quiet-strength-in-real-estate-market/#comments Wed, 13 Jul 2011 01:36:20 +0000 Dale Holmes http://landandmore.net/?p=4289 Read More]]>

"Pardon me, sir, but do you have any Grey Poupon?" A Curious Goat on Family Ties Lane in Demorest GA

The summer doldrums that can sometimes characterize the June real estate market failed to materialize, much to the pleasure of local REALTORs, as the early summer market appeared to plateau rather than dip.  Closings stayed on schedule despite the fact that three of the four counties were declared disaster areas after the April tornado damage, requiring lenders to order re-inspections of homes under contract.  June home sales (77) for northeast Georgia nearly equaled May’s result (78) as the spring sales surge leveled off during the first month of summer. Even though individual county sales results were either up or down by a third month-over-month, total year-over-year sales were up 5% for June, primarily due to improving sales numbers in White and Rabun Counties.

  Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Even though Habersham’s sales were down for the month, it currently has 30 homes that are “contract pending”, which could help to prop up sales numbers in July and August. For the seventh month in a row, Habersham’s distressed sales were over half of the total sales.

White’s results were aided by 14 home sales in the under $100,000 category. While half of those were Resort & RV homes, buyers continued to snatch up great deals in cabin homes as well. That helped to drive down the median sales price to $85,000, the lowest since August 2010.

Stephens’ closings dropped off 40% for the month, but the county’s numbers YTD are still 17% better than the same six-month period in 2010.  Stephens’ monthly median sales price remains the lowest in the four-county area coming in at $66,250, while distressed sales are still a high percentage of total sales.

Rabun’s home sales numbers have surged year over year significantly more than Habersham, White, and Stephens with a 41% improvement over 2010 for the first six months of the year. Rabun continues to attract buyers across all price categories for 2011, including 2-3 sales monthly on the higher-priced micro markets of Lakes Burton, Rabun, and Seed.

Have a real estate question you want answered? Comment below or call me at 706.499.0367.

Regards to all,

Dale

Many of the values have been assessed lower this year than previous years, which is consistent with the decreasing market value of homes throughout the area. However, you may feel that this year’s assessed value is still too high and not representative of the actual market value.

If you recently purchased real property, a new Georgia State law now requires that the assessed value be equal to or below the sales price for the year following the sale, as long as it was an arm’s length transaction. If you purchased a property in 2010, then the assessed value should probably be no higher than the price you paid at the closing table. If it is, then you should find out why during the appeals period.

To appeal an assessment, you have to produce clear evidence of actual property sales that are comparable to your property. For instance, you can visit your county’s tax assessor’s web site and look up specific properties to see the deed activity that will tell you what price the property last sold for, assuming the deed was recorded after the sale.

You may want to contact your local REALTOR and ask them to assist you in finding sales comparables in their local MLS records. Or you can engage a Certified Real Property Appraiser to complete a real estate appraisal on your property, which could give you the strongest evidence for your position of value to present for appeal.

The key is not to wait to long to get started. At the top of your assessment notice you’ll find the “Notice Date” and the “Last Date to File Appeal”. Pay close attention to these dates as they give you specific legal rights on your time frame for appealing.

Additional information on the appeal process may be obtained at: https://etax.dor.ga.gov/ptd/adm/taxguide/appeals.aspx.

"Pigs get fat. Hogs get . . . a second helping." Orphaned wild piglets in the care of local Batesville residents.

The bloom was still on the rose in May as northeast Georgia home sales trended in line with tempered expectations for a late spring rebound. Local REALTORs  reported a total of 78 homes sold in May, down 6% from April, but still a 4% improvement over May 2010. In fact, local home sales numbers for the first five months of 2011 are 13% higher than the same period in 2010. Listed home inventories for the four-county area increased only 3% in May to 1,869 homes for sale, offset by the modest number of closings during the same period.

May was the first month in 2011 that the percentage of distressed sales to total sales dipped below 50%, even if only by 1 percent. Habersham and Stephens still led the pack at 57% and 53% respectively for distressed property sales, while Rabun (40%) and White (44%) trailed only slightly.

Anecdotal evidence among local REALTORs suggests that a surging number of buyers are still out shopping the many bargains available among the bank-owned homes and from sellers who have enough home equity to sell at distressed-priced levels. There is much to be said for the quality of the real estate in northeast Georgia that is bringing in buyers from other parts of the country who cannot resist the apparent bargains in this market.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County had 12% fewer home closings in May (21 sales) than April (24 sales), but looks to overcome that slight dip during June due to the nearly two dozen home presently under contract slated to close before July 1. Habersham also continues to have the lowest inventory as a percent of the number of monthly sales when compared to the other counties measured.

White County fared slightly worse with 18 home sales in May, a 22% decrease from April. The median monthly sales price increased for the third month in a row to $143,500, partially driven by four sales in the $250,000+ price category, the best results for that category since December 2008.

Stephens County improved 36% over April with 19 sales, 14 of which were priced under $100,000. That makes this May the second highest month for total sales in Stephens since June 2008; however, the higher number of lower-priced home sales drove down the median monthly sales price to $62,000, the lowest since August 2009 for all four counties.

Rabun County home sales were down 9% for the month from April’s results, but were 54% higher than May 2010. Even with discounts ranging from 20%-46% off the ask price on some of the higher priced homes, Rabun was still able to close sales at lofty price points that are almost non-existent in the other three counties.

Please comment below or call me at 706.499.0367 if you want sound advice on the local real estate market.

Regards to all,

Dale

The Northeast Georgia Arts Tour held this June 10-12th provides visitors a way to go at their own pace and explore the many art galleries, charming shops, and studios in the region. Visitors can choose venues based on a variety of art mediums such as jewelry, painting, pottery, wood, fiber, or stained glass.

Local Art on Display - Burton Gallery & Emporium

“The Northeast Georgia Arts Tour showcases many of the fine artisans and crafts people we have in our beautiful area of the state,” says Marlene Eck, owner of Burton Gallery & Emporium. “What’s unique is that you can plot your own course and take in however many venues you want in a single day or over the entire weekend.”

The tour is fondly referred to as “Where to Go for Art” in Habersham, Lumpkin, Rabun & White Counties. Over one hundred local artists participate in the weekend event, but most of the venues are open year round. While you are enjoying the tour, stay at local lodging, dine at the many eateries, sample wine at the regional wineries. . . there’s something for everyone’s tastes.

Visit the event’s web site www.artstour.org where you can download a brochure and map out your own self-guided tour based on your own individual tastes in art or county of preference. Once you are on the road, look for the yellow signs along the highways directing you to participating artists and art-related businesses.

There are two open houses every year in June and November. Take advantage of the opportunity this summer to roam freely through the mountains and experience the arts at your own pace.

The Northeast Georgia Arts Tour is a non-profit organization representing art based businesses and affiliates in Rabun, Habersham, White and Lumpkin Counties. For more information, visit www.artstour.org.

Photos provided courtesy of Image Control Plus and Burton Gallery & Emporium.

SOLD 9/23/11 – $215,000 (Home + 13.08 Acres)

Find your private sanctuary on a mountain ridge with this 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath modern log-sided home in eastern Lumpkin County. With an estimated 3500 square feet of finished living space on 1.5 stories and a full finished basement, you have more than enough interior space to compliment the five-acre lot with the end-of-road solitude you’ve been seeking in a natural setting.

Located at the White & Lumpkin County line off Hwy. 115, follow the paved private road (Cimmaron Road) for one-half mile till it ends at the gravel easement drive a few hundred feet from the home. The approach to the home is from the north facing the two-car garage with overhead bonus room.

It’s a few steps away to the front porch to enter the front foyer with a bedroom/office space to your right. A half bath on your left is conveniently placed in the short hall that leads by the 1st floor full bath and a 2nd bedroom.

From there the living room opens up with a two-story vaulted ceiling with two sets of french doors leading out onto the back porch facing east. Rough-hewn pine planks line the walls throughout the living room as well as through much of the home’s living spaces, creating the rustic country atmosphere you’ve been looking for in your next rural home. A wood stove with a floor-to-ceiling stacked stone hearth takes the chill off the air on a cold winter night.

Choose between the 40 ft. screen porch or its “sister” covered porch to sit outside and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Selectively remove a few trees at the edge of the yard to give yourself year-round views of Piney Mountain (elevation 2300 ft.) to the east.

Adjoining the living room is a spacious kitchen with upgrades like solid-surface counter tops, oak cabinets, and tile floors. Serve yourself meals in the breakfast area provided, or entertain friends and family while dining beneath the vaulted ceiling.

Upstairs on the half-story is the master suite with an exterior door leading out onto the elevated deck. With two walk-in closets at the opposite end, you also enter the master bath with cultured marble double vanities, separate shower, and jetted tub. Walk from the master suite and across the landing that overlooks the living room below to the enormous bonus room finished with rustic pine interior walls and dormers to bring in the natural light.

From the living room, descend into the finished basement to find a the apartment or mother-in-law suite, giving you even more expanded living space to suit your individual needs. Two bedrooms, a full bath, a second laundry room, and full kitchen with all appliances, and exterior entrance completes the living arrangements below.

The home is served by a private well and septic system. Two separate heating (gas furnace) and air systems provide the warmth and cooling to keep you comfortable during any season. Underneath the back porch is a large RV or boat parking area and a workshop to practice your hobby or handyman skills.

Outside, the yard lays level immediately around the home, then gently slopes down to the creek that borders the entire eastern frontage of the 5-acre lot. The lot is mostly wooded with a small area cleared for grass or a garden. An adjoining 8.08 acres is also available for purchase (GA MLS # 3069672), affording you even greater privacy and space between you and civilization.

All these features make this property a compelling buy, not to mention the great investment potential afforded to you at this price point. The property is conveniently located within commuting distance of Cleveland, Dahlonega, Gainesville, Dawsonville and the greater Atlanta area.

132 McGregor Lane – Plat

For more information on this property or to schedule a showing, call Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty at 706.499.0367.

Property Details

Photos of Property (Click on a photo to view the Gallery)

Map of Property

If you’ve been reading my blog posts summarizing the monthly home sales, you’ve noticed the increasing numbers and increasing percentage of foreclosures in our area of the state. Over the past two years, I have warned readers that the increasing number of foreclosures would place a drag on non-distressed property sales, and prices have come down steadily here in our region just as they have across the nation.

Foreclosures and short sales peaked last month to over half of the total sales for northeast Georgia, and that’s just the stats I have been tracking that are reported by REALTORs in our MLS. I don’t track the multiple private sales that are occurring between banks and individuals for unlisted properties, which, in my opinion, pushes us well beyond the 50% mark for distressed sales, and may be as high as 7 in 10 sales.

From a valuation point of view, an appraiser has to consider all current sales, and cannot pick and choose from the “cream of the crop” when appraising a home that is not deemed “distressed”. Appraisers also have to consider the inventory of available homes and the absorption rates in evaluating how marketable a home would be at an appraised price.

An appraiser will use non-distressed sales first if there are good sales comparables available. But appraisers are  now frequently required by loan underwriters to provide four closed sales comparables and two active listings for each appraisal. Of the four closed sales comps, two must be within the last 90 days. Since over 50% of the market are distressed sales, there’s no way to avoid not using foreclosures as sales comparables, no matter what price category of home you are appraising.

Also, many people are under the assumption that foreclosed homes are in poor condition, but that is not always the case, especially for higher-end homes. A bank-owned property sale cannot be categorically disallowed or ignored on the grounds that it is not “market ready”.

Lenders are certainly trying to protect themselves as underwriting standards are now much stricter than they were in previous years. Poor economic conditions following the burst of the housing bubble in 2007 that may have caused many homeowners to default on their mortgage have also led to more regulations and increased scrutiny of potential buyers and the properties they wish to purchase.

Property owners need to understand how all these factors are coming together to affect the outcome of an appraisal. This is just another challenge in our current real estate market that appraisers have to deal with in determining market value.

If you have questions about the value of your home or need a home or property appraisal, call Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty, at 706.499.0367.

When Firehouses Burn . . . Nature's Fury Unleashed on Wildcat Creek Fire Station - Lake Burton GA

“The devastating tornadoes that struck northeast Georgia this spring were a metaphor for the hoards of  buyers advancing on the local real estate market as home sales picked up speed in April.”

Okay, maybe that’s a little too much hyperbole. But looking purely at the sales numbers for April indicates that the effects of pent-up demand, depressed prices, and historically low interest rates finally touched off a torrent of new buyers  that have arrived on the scene to share in this unprecedented exchange of wealth taking place in the northeast Georgia real estate market.

April home sales for northeast Georgia came in a full one-third better (34% increase) than April 2010, with all four counties individually showing improvement. Total home inventories edged up barely a percentage point higher for the region. Cumulatively, distressed property sales (foreclosures, REOs, short sales, etc.) accounted for 59% of total sales, matching last month’s record for the category as reported by local REALTORs. When you realize that private sales between banks and investors don’t get recorded in MLS, I currently estimate that nearly 7 in 10 homes are now being sold by institutions.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County matched March’s sales numbers and increased 4% over April 2010. Habersham continues to give the other counties “a run for their money” with distressed sales reaching 63% of total sales for the second month in a row, which were prevalent across all price categories.

White County had a 44% gain in home sales over March and April 2010. Foreclosures are becoming more common in the $100,000 – $200,000 price categories, which is helping to keep the inventories level at those price points.

Stephens County backed off a little from March’s sales, but still surpassed April 2010′s results by 8%. Closings for distressed homes reached the highest number (9) in over a year.

Rabun County experienced the biggest “pop” in monthly sales with 22 homes closed, a 38% increase over March and 120% improvement from April 2010. Rabun also set a county record for distressed sales at 13, as it now seems to be playing catchup in that category with Habersham, White, and Stephens.

Leave your comments below or call me at 706.499.0367 if you have questions about our local real estate market.

Regards to all,

Dale

At its highest elevation of nearly 1800 feet (well over 100 feet above the valley below), the tract “levels off” on a knoll that would be an ideal location to build your second home or recreational cabin. With selective tree removal along the uppermost ridge line you could choose mountain vistas extending east from Chimney Mountain and Tray Mountain Wilderness area, and north to Charlie Mountain at Lake Burton or west towards Oakey Mountain.

The recorded plat indicates that the property has over six hundred feet of frontage along U.S. Forestry Service land on its west & southwest border, affording the opportunity to hunt wild game or just explore at leisure. The land is accessed by an easement road near the bridge over Old Chimney Mountain Road, which is about .7 mile from the Batesville General Store. Old Chimney Mountain Road is a county maintained gravel road that connects State Hwy. 356 with the intersection of State Hwy. 197 and State Hwy. 255 in Batesville.

The property is currently zoned agricultural which limits development to one home site per 10 acres, but which also may help it qualify for a tax-advantaged ten-year county conservation covenant. (Contact Habersham County Tax Assessor’s office for details.) A conservation convenant could help keep the annual holding costs of the property much lower over time as you determine the best personal use of the land in the future.

The location of the property is convenient to other outdoor recreation venues including Lake Burton, Lake Rabun, Helen, Unicoi State Park, Sautee Nacoochee, and the Soque River.

11.75 Acres – Old Chimney Mtn. Rd – Plat

For more information or to schedule a showing of the property, call Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty at 706.499.0367.

Property Details

Property Photos

Map of Property

Female Luna Moth on a Windy March Day - Batesville Georgia

March home sales for northeast Georgia didn’t exactly come in like a lion, but fortunately didn’t leave like a lamb either. After February’s robust rebound from a lackluster January, March improved at a steady pace over the previous month (up 15%) and over March 2010 (up 9%). This is fairly consistent with the seasonal trends as the home market typically heats up as we move into the spring buying season.

Listed home inventories increased nearly 8% for the four county area with newly or re-listed  properties surging 26% as more sellers entered the market, or chose to re-list with their favorite REALTOR. Habersham was the only county that lost more sellers than it gained in March.

Distressed sales (REOs, foreclosures, short sales, etc.) for northeast Georgia as reported in MLS set a new three-year record for the category at 42 sales, which is 59% of the total sales for the month. Habersham, White, and Rabun set individual records for distressed sales reaching 63% of total sales for each county.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham had its best month since September 2010, and also the highest number of sales under $100,000 since June 2008. Eleven of 12 sales under $100,000 were distressed, a continuation of last months trend.  Habersham also had its best month for homes $250,000 and above since May 2008, while over a quarter of those sales were also in the distressed category. Total inventory ticked back down in Habersham in March, which was a little unusual since there were 57 newly or re-listed properties.

White’s inventory began moving back up, although the 2011 first quarter inventories were at their lowest in over two years. With no sales over $200,000 in March, White would be looking to see a new surge of home sales in that price range in the coming months as inventories are high and eventually sellers will have to nudge down their ask price to attract the buying action that is needed to bring some equilibrium back to the market.

Stephens had the best month since June 2010 with a 36% increase over February and March 2010, and had a lower number of distressed sales than the other three counties.  Three Lake Hartwell sales between $200,000 – $300,000 made up for all but one of the sales over $100,000 in March, which is evidenced by Stephens’ monthly median sales price at $67,000.

Rabun improved 33% over March 2010 for total home sales, primarily at the low end and at the high end of the price points as measured against the other counties. Rabun also had more distressed sales at higher price points than the surrounding counties. Rabun’s inventory surged to 612 homes listed for sale, the highest it has been since I began tracking this statistic in July 2009.

By all means feel free to comment below, email, or call me at 706.499.0367 if you want to talk northeast Georgia real estate.

Regards to all,

Dale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSKMUyNZjr0

Last week I answered a question on a on-line forum that read: “What is it like to live in Clarkesville Georgia?” I should have handed the question over to Mary Beth Horton, Clarkesville Better Hometown Manager who has a great story to tell about the town of Clarkesville, a rising star in the foothills of the northeast Georgia mountains.

As a sixteen-year resident of Habersham County and former Assistant Director to the MainStreet Program in Newnan, Mary Beth also has a degree in public relations and marketing. Mary Beth recently took on the challenge of managing the Clarkesville Better Hometown program in its second year of operation.  “My goal in life was to be able to see the results of my own work in my own backyard, to have a voice in my own community.”

“I have three children of my own, and I wanted to raise my children here,” she said. “Clarkesville was once better known as a retirement community, but it’s also a city for college students, young parents, and really all ages. Our quaint community offers pieces for of all these.”

What makes Clarkesville unique?

Flower Gardens Behind Mauldin House

“We have what I call a mix of  ‘laidback and upbeat’,” explained Mary Beth. “We have a signature vibrant downtown square, but we also have wonderfully peaceful rivers, parks, and recreation. Think about it . . . how unique is it to live in a town that people come here to vacation. That says a lot about what we have to offer.”

“Our town theme ‘Experience Clarkesville’ was the result of branding sessions where we worked to create an identity for Clarkesville to market to the rest of the world. We decided that you just have to experience it to get it. You have to walk the greenways, eat at our restaurants, visit the festivals, and enjoy the seasons and recreation available everywhere around you.”

What’s happening in Clarkesville this year?

“We’re focusing on increasing downtown traffic by having more frequent events to keep people coming back. Every year we’re attempting to create what we hope to be ‘signature events’ for Clarkesville that will continue into the future because of their local and regional popularity.”

This year Clarkesville Better Hometown has introduced The Magical Gardens of Mauldin to give young children something to do to expand their imagination in our beautiful gardens behind the Mauldin House in downtown Clarkesville. This will be the third year for Friday Night Flicks and second year of Home Made Jam, both free outdoor movie and music events in Pitts Park, and A Taste of Clarkesville, which is designed to showcase the culinary talent of the award winning wineries and restaurants we have in our area.

Mauldin House - Clarkesville Better Hometown Office

“A Taste of Clarkesville was tremendously successful with its debut last year with over 30 food and wine vendors,” said Mary Beth.  “This year should be even bigger.”

(See a complete calendar of events for Clarkesville Georgia or visit the Taste  of Clarkesville web site.)

The Clarkesville Better Hometown program has been a catalyst for promoting Clarkesville and keeping it in the spotlight. After all, the local economy in Clarkesville and Habersham County is highly dependent on tourism, so the emphasis is to make Clarkesville a frequent destination for vacationers and weekenders.

“We hope to see the momentum continue as more people visit and find the hidden treasures here in Clarkesville. In ten years I would like to say we are still a quaint and friendly community with even more events and amenities to enjoy.”

“What’s really great about Clarkesville is that there is so much here in our own backyard,”  touted Mary Beth. “It’s a great place for young people, retirees, artists, musicians . . . everyone can find their niche here. “

For more information about Clarkesville, feel free to contact Mary Beth Horton, Clarkesville Better Hometown Manager, at 706.754.2220, or you can email her at mbhorton@clarkesvillega.com.

Quaint neighborhood charm and great curbside appeal describe this 4 bedroom, 3 bath ranch home with finished basement found in rural Mt. Airy, Georgia. With 2570 SF of immaculately-maintained interior living space, there is more than enough room here to live comfortably on the main level and still have the flexibility to expand into the downstairs when needed.

From Deerfield Circle you approach the home facing the 2-car garage with a generous concrete driveway and turnaround at street level. Only a few steps to the front porch and then through the front door into the foyer that leads to the living room with vaulted ceiling. On your right you’ll appreciate the separate formal dining room with access into the kitchen.

Kick back and relax in your favorite chair in the open living room space highlighted by a low-maintenance gas fireplace on the north wall. Or if you prefer some outdoor air, step out onto the 12  x 17 deck overlooking the wooded backyard and enjoy standing eye-to-eye with the squirrels and songbirds that inhabit the hardwoods just a few feet away.

Cook your favorite meal or make a spot of tea for yourself in the kitchen with adjoining breakfast dining space illuminated by daylight from the rear exterior windows. Conveniently located behind you is the interior door to the garage with wall space suitable for utility shelving and light storage.

A large palladium window greets you with natural light as you enter the master bedroom with walk-in closet. The adjoining master bath completes the master suite with double vanity, garden tub, and separate shower.

A hallway to the left of the front door leads to two guest bedrooms facing the front yard and street, with a guest bath tastefully placed at the end of the hall. Open the basement door to your right and take the stairs down to the large finished recreation or family room with finished 4th bedroom and 3rd full bath.

Your storage needs have finally been answered with over 600 SF of unfinished interior space accessed by a separate interior door at the bottom of the stairs. Another exterior door leads out from the finished basement to a patio where you can walk out to view the naturally wooded back yard and the small branch on the back property line of the .83 acre lot.

The home is wrapped in maintenance-free vinyl with double pane windows and separate heat pumps for each level which helps to keep utility bills under control. A variety of flowering trees and shrubs provide landscape focal points throughout the year.

Deerfield subdivision was first platted in 1989 and offers tastefully designed homes on generous lots with mature landscaping. Deerfield is located only a few minutes from the new Habersham Central High School (under construction), Hwy. 365 transportation corridor, and the Cornelia shopping and primary retail district of Habersham County.

181 Deerfield Circle, Mt. Airy GA – Plat

For more information or to schedule a showing of the property at 181 Deerfield Circle, Mt. Airy Georgia, call Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty at 706-754-5101.

Property Details

Photos of Property (click on photo to open Gallery)

Map of Property

Let’s look at five misconceptions about buyer representation that  keep Buyers from using buyer’s agents:

Misconception #1:  I can pay less by eliminating one agent (agent’s commission) from the transaction.

I don’t know if listing agents reduce their fee for service when buyers come directly to them, but I have on occasion seen buyers pay more for comparable homes when they were not represented by a buyer’s agent. What does it matter if only one agent gets paid commission if you end up paying more at the closing table?  A competent buyer’s agent can help ensure that a buyer gets great value for their money.

Misconception #2:  I can negotiate better without a buyer’s agent.

How can you negotiate effectively as a buyer when you don’t have an agent advocating for you like the seller does? That’s two against one! The listing  agent’s agreement clearly states that the agent is representing the seller, not the buyer. If you don’t have a buyer’s agent, then you are contractually at a disadvantage.

Misconception #3:  The listing agent is so nice; I know he/she is looking out for me.

The listing agent, no matter how nice they are to you, is legally bound to do what’s best for the seller, not you. If the listing agent leads you to believe that they are also looking out for your interest as a buyer, then he/she may be acting as a dual agent, a fact that must be fully disclosed in writing to you and to the seller, as required by Georgia Real Estate License Law.

Buyer Misconception #4:  If I hire a buyer’s agent, I have to pay the buyer agent’s commission.

Every buyer’s brokerage agreement clearly states that the commissions will first be paid based on the listing agent’s offer of compensation, which is typically published on multiple listing services (MLS) for cooperating agents who bring buyers for their listed properties. Buyers may agree to pay  the commission for unlisted properties but that should be negotiated in advance.

Buyer Misconception #5:  I’ve been doing all my research on-line; getting another agent involved would be a waste of time.

Over 90% of real estate consumers start their search on the web where the can preview the entire inventory of  listed properties without ever leaving the comfort of their own homes. It’s no wonder that buyers feel more “empowered” today to make their own buying decisions without the assistance of a buyer’s agent.

But a buyer’s agent does more than just show you homes; a buyer’s agent is an advocate for you in helping you make one of the most important decisions in you life.

A good buyer’s agent will:

• Interview you at length, listening to you intently and asking probing questions, and develop a list of your interests, concerns, and needs as a future homeowner.
• Help you get pre-approved with a lender before ever touring the first home.
• Thoroughly research listed homes that meet your requirements and recommend the best examples of homes available.
• Schedule and coordinate home showings and accompany you on every occasion.
• Produce a comparative market analysis (CMA) or suggest an appraisal of the property of your choice to verify market price.
• Provide you with relevant public information on the home or area that may not have been provided by the listing agent, and to the extent possible, help you verify the information provided by the seller.
• Carefully write offers on homes that give you the most protection as a buyer if things go “sideways” between parties during the inspection phase and before closing.
• Provide the names of home inspectors, contractors, and other professionals who have expertise in other services relevant to the home buying process.
• Constantly advocate for you from the time you enter into the buyer’s brokerage agreement and start seeing homes and throughout the closing of the real estate transaction.

If the examples above represent the level of service that you want and expect from your real estate agent when buying a home, then always insist on buyer representation. To learn more about buyer representation, visit the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council web site or contact Dale Holmes at 706.499.0367.

Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty has earned the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) REALTOR® designation. The ABR® Designation is awarded through the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council, or REBAC, which was founded in 1988 to promote superior buyer-representation skills and services. REBAC is an affiliate of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).

February Daffodils - A Welcome Sight

Improved home sales results along with unseasonably warm February weather took the chill off the air for local REALTORS in the northeast Georgia area. Total home sales for the four-county region came in at 62 home sales, a 51% improvement over January. The timing of real estate closings is partly responsible for monthly fluctuations in the results, but the year over year comparison is encouraging with a 38% improvement over February 2010.

Inventories of listed homes remained relatively low through February in comparison to recent historical trends. It will be interesting to see if more home sellers decide to “put their pole in the water” and list their home going into the traditional spring home buying season, or wait for further positive signals from the market.

Distressed sales (REOs, foreclosures, short sales, etc.) for the area hit the second highest number (31 homes) and second highest percentage (50%) to total sales since we’ve been tracking the results on this blog for the last two years. A combination of cash-flush investors and qualified first-time home buyers continue to reap the benefits of these “turn of the century” prices, while a growing number of homeowners who are underwater with their mortgage just bide their time, wondering when their home will begin to appreciate in value again.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County led the pack with 21 home sales, a 62% improvement over January and 11% better than February 2009. Over half (11) of the sales were under $100,000, bringing the median home sales price to $99,000, which is a three-year low for Habersham. Thirteen of the sales were distressed and occurred across a broad range of price points, setting yet another record in the category for the county. The bright spot?  Habersham’s inventory of listed homes is at the second lowest point in years, which could cause home prices  to “slingshot” back up once all the distressed properties are gobbled up.

White County also snapped back from its 12-month low in January with 14 home sales in February, a 56% month over month increase, and a 17% improvement from February a year ago. Nine of the 14 sales were under $125,000, as were all but one of the 7 distressed sales, which made up half of the total sales for the month.

Stephens County was “Steady Eddie” in February with 11 home sales for the fourth month in a row, blowing away last February’s paltry 5 sales with its 120% spike year over year. But Stephens also continued the trend of a high  percentage of distressed sales with 6, moving back up to 55% of total sales.

Rabun County improved 100% over January’s weaker results with 16 home sales in Februry, and 78% over February 2010. Rabun remains the most unique and highly-fragmented home sales market in the region, with this month’s sales ranging from a $30,000 mobile home REO to a $2.8 million Lake Burton home. Ironically, both homes were within a mile away from each other “as the crow flies”. Once again, the large spread between the average sales price ($416,293) and the median sales price ($118,750) is indicative of how more of the sales in Rabun are occurring at the lower and higher ends of the market.

Please comment below or call me (706.499.0367) if I can help you make sense of this current real estate market.

Regards to all,

Dale

SOLD 9/16/11 – $36,000

For the future mountain dweller looking to build his/her custom home in the Batesville area, you should consider this 4.21 acre building lot for sale located on State Hwy. 197 North just 2 miles from the southwestern-most tip of Lake Burton. Anyone familiar with the Hwy. 197 corridor will recognize this scenic stretch of highway just north of the Batesville community and the Unicoi highway.

You begin to appreciate the property’s natural beauty as you enter the lot from the paved curb-cut access that follows the old woods road up the sloping hillside. The lower portion of northern property line has 350+ ft. frontage on small branch that empties further downstream into Raper Creek, a feeder stream to the Soque River.

A good stand of mature hardwoods provides a scenic shaded setting for your chosen home site that overlooks the pastoral valley below. Selectively remove some of the trees for year ’round views of Moats Knob and Oakey Mountain to the east.

As part of Doe Heights subdivision, this lot has light covenants in place to help protect your investment. Doe Heights has both part-time and full-time residents with quality-built homes on gorgeous wooded lots, some with year round mountain views.

The location of this property places you within easy reach of recreation areas like Lake Burton, Lake Rabun, Helen, Sautee-Nacoochee, and the Soque River, and well-known landmarks like Anna Ruby Falls, Tray Mountain Wilderness Area, Raper Creek Falls, and Minnehaha Falls.  Take advantage of the opportunity to own this fine property in one of the most coveted areas of northeast Georgia.

4.21 Acres – Hwy. 197 N – Plat

For more information on the property or to schedule a showing, call Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty at 706.499.0367.

Property Photos (click on a photo to open the gallery)

Property Location

January Snowfall on Chimney Mountain

“Record cold, frequent ice, and heavy snowfall kept home buyers on sidelines.”

I wish we could blame it on the January weather, but as we all know, January sales were primarily the results of contracts written in prior months. But  you can expect to see that headline if national home sales numbers don’t meet expectations this spring. About the only prediction one can make with any degree of accuracy is that buyers will continue to rule the market for some time to come, as they are doing so now with a vengeance.

For the four-county area of northeast Georgia, January’s 41 home sales fell way short of December’s 66 sales, but were only down 4% from January 2010. Total home listings available ticked up to 1,671 from 1,599 in December, with 176 new or re-listed homes entering the market.

Distressed sales as a percentage of total sales moved up to 51%, the highest number we’ve seen yet since we’ve been reporting the data for over 3 years. Based on news reports and reading the legal section of the local papers,  you can look for that record to be tested throughout the remainder of 2011 as  more REO properties come on the market.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County nearly matched December’s results with 13 home sales, and just one sale above January 2010’s 12 home sales. Not a bad showing for the two months which traditionally have some of the lowest sales numbers of the year, but 8 of the sales in January were distressed, putting the ratio of REOs at 62% of the total sales for Habersham.

White County took a breather from December’s red-hot pace of 26 home closings with only 9 home sales in January. Apparently late-year buyers and sellers made it a priority to close before January 1, inflating the sales numbers somewhat for December. Four of the 9 sales in White County in January were  in the distressed category.

Stephens County held its own in January with 11 home sales, equaling December’s results, and showing an 83% improvement over January 2010. With 8 of the 11 sales qualifying as distressed, Stephens once again set the new record for the highest ratio of REO sales to total sales at 73%.

Rabun County also stepped back a bit in January with only 8 home sales, the lowest number of sales recorded in a month since we began tracking Rabun in July 2009.  Of course, you can’t deny that the higher number of lake home sales on Burton and Rabun helped to prop up Rabun’s results in the last quarter of 2010.

Comment below or call me if you have questions at 706.499.0367.

Regards to all,

Dale

What is Buyer Representation?

Buyer representation (a.k.a. buyer agency, buyer brokerage) requires that  the buyer enter into a written Buyer’s Brokerage Agreement stating the terms and responsibilities of the parties in a client relationship. This agreement raises the bar for the level of responsibility that the agent has to serve the buyer’s interests above everyone else.

The term “buyer’s agent” is not synonymous with “selling agent”.  A selling agent is the agent that brings a buyer, but may not necessarily represent the buyer. For example, a listing agent can also be the selling agent in the same transaction, while still only representing one party, the seller.

Are you a Customer or a Client?

Some agents prefer to work with buyers without a buyer agency agreement. In those situations, agents have what is called a “customer” relationship rather than a “client” relationship. An agent who works with you as their customer will often say that they represent neither party (buyer or seller), or they may refer to themselves as a “transaction broker”.

When you are a customer, an agent is more like a salesperson than an “advocate” for you. In a customer relationship, the agent’s duty to the customer is limited to:

Honesty
Accounting
Reasonable Skill
Agency & Material Fact Disclosure

If you are working with an agent without a signed agreement, then legally the agent does not represent you (Georgia License Law). In fact, the agent may actually be acting in the seller’s interest without you knowing it. It’s important to understand this when you first start working with an agent before you unknowingly give away your position in the transaction and lose your negotiating power.

In a client relationship, where the buyer or seller has a written agreement with the agent, the agent’s duty to the client includes:

Reasonable care and diligence
Accounting
Loyalty
Obedience
Disclosure
Confidentiality

The Advantage of Being a “Client”

When you have a client relationship with an agent, then you are empowered with the knowledge, experience, wisdom, confidentiality, and fiduciary responsibility of that agent, and as such you can expect a much higher level of service from that agent. The Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council (REBAC) web site has published a table called “Are you a Buyer-Customer or a Buyer Client?” which compares the differences between a client and customer agency status and explains what you should expect from your agent depending upon your chosen agency status.

The next time you ask a real estate agent to help you find a home, make sure you discuss early on what the agency relationship will be between you and the agent.  If the agent is reluctant to sign a buyer’s brokerage agreement with you, you may want to “shop around” further for another agent who will have your best interests at heart.

Finding an experienced buyer’s agent could be one of the most important decisions you make even before you start your home search. To learn more about buyer representation, visit the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council web site or contact Dale Holmes at 706.499.0367.

Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty has earned the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) REALTOR® designation. The ABR® Designation is awarded through the Real Estate Buyer’s Agent Council, or REBAC, which was founded in 1988 to promote superior buyer-representation skills and services. REBAC is an affiliate of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).


Western Exposure - Stone Accents

CURRENTLY RENTED. Located in the Hwy. 197 corridor just minutes from the Soque River and Lake Burton, this classic 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath true log home in Clarkesville Georgia with rock accents and finished basement is priced to sell and available for immediate occupancy in the northeast Georgia mountains.

Built in 2007, the  interior has over 3000 SF of finished living space under a massive ribbed vaulted ceiling of laminated and milled exposed beams soaring over the living room, kitchen and half-story sitting area. T&G walls and pine flooring give the living areas coveted rustic appeal while natural lighting pours in from a generous arrangement of windows on all sides. You can enjoy the seasonal mountain and forest views through the windows facing south or sit out on the covered screen porch to catch the gentle mountain breezes.

Breakfast Bar

A rough-hewn log mantle highlights the river-rock fireplace that stretches floor to ceiling in the living room. The natural T&G and wood finishes extend into the kitchen with custom knotty-pine cabinetry and solid-surface countertops, including a breakfast bar and adjacent dining area looking out over the wooded lot. Kitchen appliances include a refrigerator, dishwasher, stove/range and built-in microwave.

Just off the main living space resides the master suite, walk-in closet, and master bath with true-log walls and pine flooring. The master bath includes a garden tub, separate shower, and slate tile floors.

From the half-bath in the front foyer area, you can venture up the oak staircase to the half-story reading area overlooking the living room. A full bath (shower) and separate bedroom upstairs are ready to accommodate guests or a family member.

Basement Bedroom or Home Office

Or instead take a walk downstairs into the finished basement area to find a second guest bedroom, another spacious full bath, additional living space that doubles as a 4th bedroom or home office, and access to the single-car basement garage. For convenience and cost savings, the entire basement is climate controlled by a separate heat pump.

Go outside and appreciate the spacious 2.13 acre wooded lot far enough from your neighbors for year-round privacy but close enough to feel comfortable and secure. A 100 ft.+ concrete driveway extends to the house from the paved cul-de-sac with ample space for RV parking, additional workshop or outbuilding next to the house.

The neighborhood has light covenants that are non-intrusive and help to protect your real estate investment. With just a ten-minute drive south on scenic Hwy. 197 to Clarkesville, you get the rural mountain experience you’ve been looking for but with easy access to the amenities of shopping, restaurants, medical care, and outdoor recreation.

For more information or to schedule a showing of this property, call Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty at 706.499.0367.

Property Details

Photos of Property (Click on a photo to open Gallery)

You can easily see on the graph above the precipitous fall from the lofty 2007 sales numbers, followed by the small but welcome bounce in 2010 as the market appeared to regain some footing. (Full year stats for Rabun County were unavailable until 2010.) The perceived values available in buying foreclosed and bank-owned homes (REOs) helped to give 2010 a boost in total home sales while  average home sale prices continued to dip through the end of the year.

We haven’t covered land sales too much in 2010 simply because there’s been such little activity to highlight. When spec home building came to a screeching halt in 2008,  lot sales hit the skids as well.  White County alone bounced off its lows in 2009 to make a noticeable comeback in 2010. As long as the REO home inventories remain relatively high as they are now, don’t count on many new homes being constructed for the foreseeable future.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Subscribe to Land and More.net by email or call 706.499.0367 if you have questions.  I promise not to spam you back!  And always feel free to comment (below) on any post.

Regards to all,

Dale

Looking for a small farm to get away to in the northeast Georgia mountains? This rustic mountain farm house for sale on a sprawling 15.77 acres in Sautee-Nacoochee Georgia has many of the traits of an ideal mountain retreat that so many buyers often seek in our area of the state.

Located at the foot of Chimney Mountain, this property features a converted barn-to-dwelling (2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths) overlooking level to gently-rolling pasture land separated by groupings of hardwoods, rhododendrum, and mountain laurel. The land tract is bordered by State Hwy. 356 to the south, Chimney Mountain and Raccoon Road to the west and north, and adjoins U.S. Forest Service land to the east.

A small cold-water creek enters the property at the head of a half-acre trout pond perfect for raising your own catch of the day, or use it for a watering hole for horses, cattle, goats or other farm animals of your choice. Two ample-sized rustic outbuildings between the home and pond are suitable for multiple farm uses including equipment or vehicle storage.

Take a walk across the pasture to appreciate the creek as it ambles southwesterly to join Snake Branch further downstream. Look back over your left shoulder to see the massive rocky face of Chimney Mountain (3357 ft.) staring back down at you in the valley below.

Across the creek is a 28 x 38 modern pavilion with an installed septic system and well water supply. The pavilion fronts and is visible from Hwy. 356, with a driveway and farm gate already in place, creating new opportunities to engage the public with the valuable state highway frontage.

Chimney Mountain Road starts at the southwest corner of the property and winds along in a northwesterly direction to McClure Creek, from where you can follow a Forest Service Road (FS 79) up alongside Chimney Mountain to access trails to the summit. If you are even more adventurous, continue on further for a few miles to Tray Gap (3841 ft.) to access the Appalachian Trail.

Whether you want to grow a garden, raise some trout, have some livestock,  start a highway business, hunt wild game, or take a hike in the national forest, it’s rare to get all of these choice land features in a prime location like the Sautee-Nacoochee area. At the property you are just minutes away from visitor destinations like Unicoi State Park, Anna Ruby Falls, Alpine Helen, Sautee-Nacoochee Community, and Lakes Burton and Rabun, each offering their own brand of outdoor fun and recreation.

Topo Map of Area

Plat of Property

To get more information on this property or to schedule a showing, call Dale Holmes, Broker for Headwaters Realty at 706.499.0367.

Property Details

Property Photos  (click on photo to open gallery)

Property Location

]]> http://landandmore.net/3169/rustic-mountain-farm-house-for-sale-in-sautee-nacoochee-georgia-275000/feed/ 0 http://landandmore.net/3132/local-home-sales-improve-in-december/ http://landandmore.net/3132/local-home-sales-improve-in-december/#comments Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:15:06 +0000 Dale Holmes http://landandmore.net/?p=3132 Read More]]> Santa made good on his promise to local REALTORS in December by bringing cheerful home sales numbers to the four-county area of northeast Georgia with 66 home sales, a 35% improvement over November’s 49 sales, and an 18% improvement over December a year ago. While each county’s numbers were at least equal to or better than November’s, White County soared above the rest with 26 home sales, a whopping 73% improvement for December. Distressed sales for the area came in at a combined 36% of total sales.

Remarkably, the median sales price (MSP) for Habersham, White, and Stephens Counties were all within $800 of each other; the overall increase in the MSP in December was due to more sales in the higher-priced home categories, a welcome change from much of 2010.  Meanwhile, Rabun’s MSP came back down to earth ($229,000) from November’s meteoric spike ($810,000) due to the higher percentage of lake home sales closing in that month.

Habersham County “received delivery” of 14 home sales in December, including one estate sale (home and large acreage) at over $1.1 million, skewing the average sales price higher for the month. Habersham’s 7 distressed sales were 50% of  the county’s total sales in December.

White County “wrapped up” 2010 with the second best sales numbers since August 2008 and 53% better than last December. Although improvement was shown across all price categories, individual sellers were probably not as happy in December since 42% of the sales did fall into the distressed category.

Stephens County “spread good tidings” as they matched Novembers sales numbers (11 sales) while improving 38% over December 2009. Boosting Stephens average sales price to the highest in a year ($164,036) was a rare sale in the Currahee Club development at $415,000 which happened to also  be one of Stephens’s 5 distressed sales for December.

Rabun County “polished off” December with 15 home sales, including 4 lake home sales, which helped to make the lake home category a top performer for 2010.  Rabun had only one distressed sale for December, as Rabun has had the lowest percentage of distressed sales for the entire region over the last 18 months.

Check back with this blog in the coming weeks for year over year comparisons as we look back at the boom & bust cycle we have seen since we’ve been keeping records available from our local and regional MLS.  Better still, Subscribe to Land and More.net by Email to receive email notifications of posts when they are published.

If you have comments or specific questions about how real estate is performing in our area, please leave your comments below or call me at 706.499.0367.

Regards to all,

Dale

Some of the Tax Bill provisions include:

The capital gains tax rate will remain at 15% for assets (real estate) sold or disposed of in 2011 and 2012. Small investors in the lowest tax brackets may pay zero capital gains.

Section 1031 exchanges (limitations on) used by real estate investors to defer capital gains will remain the same as 2010.

Tax credits for energy-related improvements to existing homes were extended for another year through December 31, 2011. More rigid standards apply and the credit is available only for improvements to your principal residence.

Owners of commercial buildings may also qualify for tax credits for investments in certain energy efficient improvements that are installed by December 31, 2011.

Read NAR’s Tax Bill Summary article for further information and be sure to consult with your tax advisor or CPA for how the provisions may affect your specific financial situation.

Regards to all,

Dale

Early November Fall Colors

As the vibrant fall colors quickly gave way to early signs of winter, home sales in northeast Georgia for November 2010 left us with a somewhat “mixed bag” of results. When you look across all four counties, total inventory of listed homes came in at 1,822 homes for sale while total home sales dipped to 49 in November from 53 sales in October. Meanwhile the percentage of distressed sales to total sales rose to 41% as compared to 32% in October.

While overall sales were down 26% from November 2009, the categories of home sales, including price range and proportion of distressed sales, conveyed both a pessimistic and optimistic picture of the local real estate market. While Habersham hit a 4-year low point for it’s average and median home sales price, Rabun vaulted to a 17-month high based on the same metrics as lake home sales dominated the county’s November results.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County scratched out 11 home sales in November all under $200K,  with 6 of the sales under $100K. Distressed sales (6) were more than half of all sales for the month.

White County managed 15 home sales with 14 of those sales under $150K. (The one exception closed at $399,900!) Distressed sales (8) were 53% of the total number of sales.

Stephens County matched Habersham with 11 home sales with only 4 distressed sales, which was an improvement over most of 2010. Two sales occurred on Lake Hartwell as savvy investors stand ready to buy highly-desirable lake real estate at value prices.

Rabun County came in with 12 home sales with only 2 distressed sales. What stands out about the Rabun real estate market was the  proportionately higher number of lake sales (7 sales) for November, averaging between $800K and $1.8 million. This pushed up Rabun’s average sales price and median sales price for November  to $821,582 and $810,000 respectively.

Monday Morning Visit To Tray Mountain

What are we to make of last month’s results? Sales numbers have historically trended down at the end of the year so there’s really no surprise to see this occur again in November. It’s still painful to see the continued proportionately high number of distressed sales and the downward pressure that it is having on home prices.

With the scant few healthy sales occurring in the $200K – $500K price categories, coupled with a fairly unhealthy local economy, it’s going to take a new wave of buyers from outside the area to get the local real estate market going strong again. Northeast Georgia remains one of the most scenic and desirable places to live in the southeast.  Given just a little more time and economic healing, the quality of life we offer here won’t go unnoticed for long and the next housing “boom” for us may be just around the corner.

Feel free to comment below or call me at 706.499.0367 if you have questions  or need to discuss real estate.

Regards to all,

Dale

Regards to all,

Dale

Why? Most homeowner’s policies are purchased during the loan underwriting period prior to closing on a home. The Buyer receives a call from the Realtor or lender informing them of the need to purchase “hazard insurance” for their future home prior to closing. Since emotions run high in the days prior to purchase, the Buyer rushes out to buy a policy that may satisfy the lender’s needs, but not necessarily the Buyer’s.

“The average consumer doesn’t know what’s covered in their homeowner’s policy until they have a claim, and that may be too late,” says Matt Mixon, State Farm Agent in Clarkesville Georgia. “It’s very important to sit down with an agent in the weeks before closing on your future home and take the time to understand what should be in your policy, and then make a well-informed decision when you buy.”

Matt offered five important considerations that you should look for in a homeowner’s insurance policy:

1) Make sure you protect the property to value. There is a big difference between market value and replacement cost. With more distressed homes for sale today, it’s possible to buy a home at a price that you could never rebuild it for.  You have to insure your home for a dollar amount that would replace the structure at today’s cost to build.

2) Know what’s covered and what’s not covered. A homeowner’s policy is not a home maintenance policy. Normal wear and tear on a home is the responsibility of the homeowner, and unfortunately some people take better care of their car than they do their own home. You have to take preventative action to prevent freezing pipes, falling trees, etc. “Most people don’t realize that in the state of Georgia damage from earthquakes, floods, and backed up sewer are not covered in a typical policy,” said Matt. “They can be covered, but in a separate endorsement.”

3) Make sure your coverage is current. Often people expand their living space (square footage), finish out a basement, build a garage, or make other improvements but never notify their agent of the changes. Every three years is a good time to visit with your agent to make sure your coverage is current.

4) Protect your personal property. Everyone accumulates personal property in their home over their lifetime and they usually don’t have adequate documentation of it in case of a loss. It’s a good idea to take photos or video of your possessions and store the digital records in a safe deposit box.  “When you unpack your belongings in your new home, that’s a great time to take inventory of your personal property,” explained Matt.

5) Larger deductibles save you money in the long term. Georgia homeowners on average have a claim every twelve years. You’re better off taking a slightly higher deductible, generally around 1% of the covered amount. ($ 200,000 replacement cost = $2000 deductible) Over the long haul you’ll end up saving money on your premiums if you raise your deductible.

“Make sure you are comfortable with the policy and with the agent when you purchase a homeowner’s insurance policy,” said Matt. “One big advantage of a local agent is that you have someone you can sit down with and talk directly about your issues. You don’t always get that feeling with a 1-800 number. Once you’ve had a bad experience over the phone, you’ll see the value of a local agent.”

To contact Matt Mixon for a review of your homeowner’s insurance needs, call 706.754.4131 or drop by the State Farm office in Clarkesville at 854 Washington Street, Suite 100, just south of the City Hall building.

Small Creek/Branch Around Property

Want rural living in an established neighborhood but prefer to build? Take a look at these two (2) building lots in Mt. Airy Georgia as potentially the perfect location to build your next home in northeast Georgia.

Located in Deerfield Subdivision in a rural part of southeastern Habersham County, these adjoining lots represent a great value due to their total acreage (3.12 acres) and scenic character. Lot 12, 13 – Deerfield Circle Mt. Airy, Georgia – Plat Both lots have mature hardwoods and towering pines that shade the gently-laying terrain with nature trails along the perimeter and through the heart of the property.

A small creek or “branch” runs along the border of Lot 12 giving you a beautiful water feature to enjoy from the park benches placed along the well-manicured paths. The lots contain many species of indigenous trees including Pine, Oak, Dogwood, Maple, Poplar and Sycamore.

Lots have "Park-like Setting"

Access to the lots off Deerfield Circle is via a paved easement driveway that adds to the privacy of the property. Utilities including power, telephone, & public water are available to both lots off the easement drive. Some board fencing extends along portions of the lot(s) property lines.

You could build your home on one lot or the other while maintaining great privacy with all the green space available to you. Or construct your home in the center of the property for an even greater buffer and feel like you are really “in the woods”, but still be able to borrow a cup of flour from your neighbor.

Deerfield Subdivision was first surveyed and platted in March 1989 with a variety of primary and second homes constructed during the 1990s. Most of the lots in Deerfield have already been built on so this offering represents a rare opportunity to build a custom home to your specs in an established neighborhood.

New High School Near Completion - Mt. Airy Georgia

Deerfield is a great neighborhood conveniently located in rural Mt. Airy just a few minutes away from the new Habersham Central High School nearing completion.  Less than 3 miles away you can easily get to  the I-985 & Hwy. 365 corridor which is the primary transportation artery into greater Atlanta or the gateway to the Appalachian Mountains.

For more information on this property or to schedule a showing, call Dale Holmes of Headwaters Realty at 706-499-0367.

Property Details

Property Photos (click on a photo to open gallery)

Property Location

Impending Doom for the Housing Recession?

Were home buyers in northeast Georgia spooked in October, or was the combined 30% decrease in home sales just a  monthly statistical hiccup?  Although total home sales for the four-county area were down from September’s more stellar numbers, year-over-year results showed only a modest 7% decrease. As Habersham, White and Stephens County sales decreased 44%, 44%, and 57% respectively from September, the “boutique” markets in Rabun County heated up substantially with an 89% increase. Credit the election results, surging stock market, or continued pent-up demand, but maybe, just maybe, we are seeing a turning point in market sentiment.

The other night I received a call from a prospective buyer in San Diego.  San Diego. When buyers are calling from the west coast interested in our tiny market in northeast Georgia, then something could be afoot here.

Purely anecdotal evidence, I know. I’ve heard that when your shoeshine boy is giving you stock tips, it’s time to sell (stocks). But when you get calls from the west coast from interested buyers because our market looks that compelling, does that signal the time to buy (real estate) again?

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County – Inventories decreased more than 5% for yet another month to 409 homes for sale, the lowest in nearly two years. Distressed sales made up 42% of total sales for October. A glance at this week’s legals from the local paper revealed an astonishing 87 properties (my count) ready for the courthouse steps. Habersham is not close to being out of the woods on housing defaults, so expect prices to remain flat at least through the coming winter months.

White County – Inventories edged down slightly for October, but remain the highest (616 home listings) relative to other counties in the area. Even though sales were down from September, October’s results were 14% better than last year. There were fewer closings of distressed properties (4) for October, but expect that number to increase again due to more defaults in the pipeline.

Stephens County - Inventories leveled off but sales decreased (6 sales) to numbers consistent with October ‘08 & ’09, and well off this years peak in June with 20 sales. Four of the six sales were distressed, including one Lake Hartwell sale at $335,000.

Rabun County – Rabun bucked the trend in October, especially in the “boutique” markets around the lakes, with 17 home sales in the county, six of which were on the lakes. Five of the six lake home sales ranging from $500,000 to $1,170,000 sold for discounts of up to 52% off their original list price. Smart resort home buyers appear to be stepping in to snatch up lake deals at prices we may never see again in the northeast Georgia lake market. As of November 11, there were as many as 10 more lake home sales  in pending status that could likely close before December 31.

Given the sluggish local economy and the number of homeowners who are now underwater with their home equity, it’s likely we’ll see more bank-owned properties for sale for at least another 6-9 months. But if buyers are convinced that prices are approaching the bottom, then supply and demand should start to normalize again, making for a more healthy market.

It’s always darkest before dawn. Could we be approaching the final hour of darkness in the local housing market?

Call me 706-499-0367 or comment below if you have questions or want to discuss specific real estate needs that you may have now or in the near future.

Regards to all,

Dale

The winter months are some of the busiest times on the lakes for construction  projects related to recreation on the water, including boat house construction and repair, sea walls, docks, retaining walls, pressure washing, etc. If you are looking for reputable contractors who can help you with your outdoor fall & winter projects on your lake or mountain home, use the contact form on this blog or call Dale Holmes of Headwaters Realty at 706.499.0367.

The traditional exterior wood siding compliments the natural setting of this home that overlooks the bottom lands where Raper Creek exits the national forest to join the Soque River further downstream. Inside you find classic rustic interior finishes in a western motif. Pine tongue & groove walls surround you throughout the living space. Overhead are vaulted tongue & groove ceilings with open beams tying the exterior walls to the interior structure. Wide plank stained pine flooring and western-style window headers & frames detail out the kitchen, dining, and living room.

Carefully crafted cabinets line the kitchen walls. Tiled counter tops and modern appliances were chosen to compliment the custom feel of the kitchen space. Generous windows and french-style glass doors bring natural lighting in from the southern exposure to highlight the central living space.

The home has central zoned heating and cooling to keep you comfortable year round in any part of the house. A blazing fire in the living room’s stone fireplace keeps you even toastier during the colder seasons. There’s plenty of room to expand your lifestyle in the full unfinished basement stubbed for bath or shower. A detached pole barn doubles as garage space or storage for your outdoor equipment, pontoon boat, or RV on the sprawling 4.37 acre wooded lot.

From the expansive  front deck you can enjoy the seasonal views of Crow Mountain and Sillycook Mountain to the south and Oakey Mountain to the east. While sitting in your own porch rocking chair, enjoy the primordial sounds of Raper Creek spilling down the hillside on the adjoining USFS land. Take a five minute walk from the property down a primitive nature trail to experience Raper Creek Falls as it roars over a massive outcropping of bedrock. (See additional photos of Raper Creek Falls here and here.)

Unlimited outdoor recreation is literally at your doorstep: national forest lands to your east, Lakes Burton and Rabun to the north, Helen and the Tray Mountain Wilderness to the west, and the Soque River and the quaint town of Clarkesville to the south.  Seldom will you find so many of the benefits of mountain living available to you in this special part of northeast Georgia.

View a Virtual Tour of the Property

View a Survey Plat of the Property

For more information or to schedule a showing of this property, contact Dale Holmes at 706-499-0367.

Property Details

Photos of Property (click on a photo to open the gallery)

Property Location

This angel has been spotted behind a prominent business in Clarkesville Georgia as she takes her shape from the hands of a sculptor. No information yet as to if and when she will be introduced to the general public.

Have you seen her? If you know anything, give us some background on why she is her and what she is up to.

Regards to all,

Dale

Don't Worry . . . Be Happy!

September Home Sales Show Improvement in Northeast Georgia

Late September brought a slight chill to the air in the mountains of northeast Georgia, while the local real estate market heated up. Area home sales numbers increased and  listed home inventories decreased giving REALTORS hope for further stabilization of  residential home prices. Home sales improved by 31% over August and 49% over September 2009. Inventories decreased 3% from 2,016 homes for sale in August to 1,939 home listings in September. Distressed sales and/or bank owned properties were a combined 42% of total sales (32 of 76) for the month.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County made a good showing in September with 25 home sales, a whopping 150% improvement over September 2009. Eight of those sales were distressed and made up 32% of the total sales. Habersham’s listed home inventory decreased 6% to a two-year low of 433 homes for sale, in spite of the 54 new or re-listed homes coming on the market. Is this a sign that many Habersham home sellers are now content to “sit this one out” until next Spring’s buying season?

White County had its best monthly home sales results (28 sales) since April 2008’s 29 sales, and 56% higher than September 2009. White ended eight months in a row of increases in inventory with 627 homes for sale at the beginning of October, even with 73 homes being newly or re-listed in September. For September, White gets the unenviable notoriety of having the largest number of distressed sales in the four county area with 13, or 46% of the total number of sales in the county.

Mountain Apples for Sale - Fritchey's Garden - Clarkesville GA

Stephens County also ticked up its home sales in September with 14 sales, a 56% increase over August’s 9 sales. As a percentage of sales for each county, Stephens still led the pack in distressed sales with 8 sales, or 57% of the total for the county. Those distressed sales were spread fairly uniformly across all price ranges.

Rabun County showed the area’s only decrease in September with only 9 home sales, a 40% shortfall from August’s 15 home sales. The fewer total sales, along with a handful of lake home sales, caused the monthly average and median sales price to bump up substantially to $745,989 and $370,000 respectively. Rabun’s distressed sales came in at 3 sales or 33% of the total sales for the month.

Comment below or call me (706.499.0367) if you have questions or need more details  about real estate in northeast Georgia.

Regards to all,

Dale

The event site is on Old Chimney Mountain Road, 11 miles north of Clarkesville Georgia.  Registration begins at 7:30 AM, the one-mile fun run at 8:30 AM, and the 6K Run & Walk follows at 9:00 AM.

The Soque River Ramble starts on the banks of the Left Fork Soque River, and its route takes you through the Goshen Valley over the Right Fork Soque and down scenic Hwy. 197 and over the Soque River proper. Since most of the Soque is on private property, this event allows the public a chance to see and experience the river up close and personal.

The Soque River Ramble helps to kick off the annual Batesville Days Celebration held in the Batesville Community at the intersection of Hwy. 197 North and Hwy. 255 North.  The Batesville Days Celebration features old mountain arts demonstrations as well as wares for sale created by local artists and skilled craftsmen.

Proceeds from the Soque River Ramble are donated to the Soque River Watershed Association and the Batesville Community Association.  For more info or to register for the event, visit the event website at www.soqueriverramble.com or call Dale Holmes at 706.499.0367.

Is there really gold in “them thar’ hills?”  Located within the geographic area known as the Dahlonega Gold Belt, this private 50 acre tract offered for sale near Cleveland Georgia with rolling hills, waterfall, and remnants from the early Gold Rush days offers an alluring prospect for interested buyers of estate-sized properties in northeast Georgia.

The presence of abandoned gold mine pits and shafts on the south end of the property are said to date back possibly to the first gold rush in the United States prior to the Civil War. There you find two deep (+/-50 feet) abandoned gold pits, the remains of a gold shaft, and the leftover series of trenches used to bring water into the area for placer mining.

Gold Pit

This portion of the property appears to have been left untouched for decades, maybe even as far back as when gold was first discovered in north Georgia in the early 1800s. The first Georgia gold rush abruptly ended in 1849 when rumors surfaced of easier pickins’ in California, and the Georgia miners rapidly joined the California “forty-niners” in the nations most famous gold rush. Mature hardwoods and limited undergrowth now provide the shade and “cover” for what remains of the original rudimentary mining operation found on the property.

Within a mile or two of the property are two active gold mining areas: the Loud Mine and a retail gold panning tourist spot known as Gold’n Gem Grubbin. These mining operations provide public access to gold panning where it is said that a great deal of placer gold has been obtained through the years.

Northeast of the gold pits is a large branch that meanders southeast and becomes the eastern border at the lower third of the property. Water from the branch would have been useful to gold miners who diverted the flow of water through the gold ditches for purposes of placer mining. Abruptly the branch then narrows and spills over a large outcropping of exposed rock, creating a scenic waterfall followed by a series of rapid drops in elevation as it descends to the lowlands and eventually joins Town Creek in the valley to the south.

The entire tract is accessed from a private easement road off of Town Creek Road and north of Sandy Flats Road. The road enters from the north end and then traverses the length and heart of the property, giving you access to all the land and water features without the need for further clearing of the natural landscape.

A well and septic system have been installed at one of the highest elevation points on the property, which could serve as a potential building site for a primary or second home. Currently a 38-foot 1987 Terry fifth-wheel trailer is parked at the site and could be used for your future overnight stays. The tract is situated in southwestern White County near the Lumpkin County line, convenient to State Hwy. 115 for an easy commute to Cleveland, Dahlonega, Dawsonville, or Gainesville.

View a Plat of the Property

If you are interested in learning more or would like to schedule a showing of this property, call Dale Holmes at 706.499.0367.

Property Details

Property Photos (click on a photo to open photo gallery)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMDDHj6LHyA

If you think the days of having your own personal automotive mechanic are over, think again. Since first opening its doors in 1947, Clarkesville Motor Company has defied the odds by remaining a small thriving automotive repair business in an age when car dealerships & big box chain stores threaten to dominate the marketplace.

“Automobile service has changed dramatically since 1974 when my father and I first bought this business,” says owner David Irvin. “We’ve gone from changing out points and plugs and radiators back then, to diagnosing electronics, sensors, and on-board computers today. The image of repairing your car with a screwdriver and a crescent wrench under a shade tree in the back yard is a thing of the past.”

According to David, to survive as an auto mechanic today you have to be at the top of your game in modern automotive technology. But to really thrive in the business requires more than just having the most expensive equipment or the best mechanics.

“You can’t make it just on your knowledge of cars,” David explained further. “It requires a broader knowledge of what I call the ‘automotive business’.  What we’ve managed to do is to stay current with the technology while retaining the people part of the business that has kept us going strong for two generations.”

“For example, our mechanics are all ASE certified automotive technicians, trained in the most sophisticated computerized equipment required to correctly diagnose and repair a modern car’s systems. We use proprietary software, on-line manuals and on-line training to stay current on the latest technological advancements in automobiles.

“But technology is just as important in the front office in how you manage your customer base and keep your customers satisfied,” remarked David. “I have around 3,000 customers in my business data base, each with their own unique history of repairs and service records.

“You see, cars are very personal to people,” said David. “Customers still take it for granted that you should remember their car and everything you’ve ever done to it. Since automobiles last much longer than they used to, keeping good records on each of your customers is vital to maintaining a high standard of service that customers expect out of you.”

David's NASCAR Collectibles on Display

Years ago a lot of David’s business came from the town merchants who would drop off their vehicles for service during normal working hours. “I grew up in Clarkesville and everyone knew us,” said David. “My customers are also my friends, my neighbors. I go to church with them, I see them on the street, I eat in the same restaurants with them. Early on I learned the value of a customer’s trust and loyalty.”

When asked about the key to his continued success, David reflected back on the principles that he and his father always felt were the most important: “My father and I built this business on a strong foundation of honesty and integrity,” said David. “More than anything, people want to feel like their mechanic has been fair and honest. . . that they have paid a fair price for a honest day’s work.  I get the most satisfaction when a customer walks out of my shop happy about the work we did for them.”

Clarkesville Motor Company is located north of the square of Clarkesville at 202 Grant Street. Service hours are Monday – Friday, 7:30 AM – 6PM. Phone 706-754-4157.

Topo Map of Property Area

PRICE REDUCTION OF $50,000! Beautiful mountain acreage  with a small waterfall is for sale ten miles north of Clarkesville near the Batesville community, surrounded by recreational venues including the Soque River, Lake Burton, Tray Mountain Wilderness Area, and Helen/Sautee. The property consists of two tracts totaling 8.6 acres, with over 1600 feet of paved road frontage on both Watts Mill Road and Raper Mountain Road. A large tract of USFS property borders the western side of the subject tracts, with three separate branches descending down from the highest point (1920 feet above sea level) on the adjoining government land.

At the point where one branch enters the property is a small waterfall spilling over a shelf of exposed bedrock and then gently cascading down the hillside before joining the other branches further downstream. An old logging road provides a pathway from the lowest point on the property up the sloping eastern exposure w/seasonal views of Oakey Mountain.

Waterfall on Property near USFS Border

This area of northern Habersham County is some of the most scenic that you will find in northeast Georgia and replete with many species of wildlife . As you travel the winding roads in the region you find scattered private lands interspersed among the thousands of acres of national forest.

Just a two-minute walk due east from the property down Raper Creek Road will lead on to USFS lands where you can access Raper Creek, a cold water trout stream that is also a feeder stream for the Soque River.  Back to the west on Watts Mill Road less than 2 miles away you pass over the Soque River as it enters the site of Blackhawk Fly Fishing, a privately owned trout fishing outpost, and you find Mark of the Potter which was once a grist mill and is now widely known for hand-made pottery creations.

Follow Raper Mountain Road north for three miles to scenic State Hwy. 197 where you can enjoy the shopping, restaurants, and recreation available to you locally,  or to reach the shores of Lake Burton, Lake Seed, and Lake Rabun within minutes of leaving the property. The town of Clarkesville lies approximately 12-15 minutes south of the property location by following Oakey Mountain Rd & New Liberty Road, or by the better known route on State Highway 197 as it winds alongside the Soque River.

Take a look at the plats and a tax map of the property.  Signs for the property are placed on both Watts Mill Road and Raper Mountain Road. For further information or to schedule a showing, call Dale Holmes at 706-499-0367.

Property Details

Photos (click on a photo for the full gallery)

Where's Your Head At Today?

As a REALTOR, I am frequently asked the question these days: “How’s the real estate market?”

We REALTORs are in a precarious position when asked about the condition of our local real estate market. After all, REALTORs are salespeople. For the most part, REALTORs are paid from commissions on the sale of a property. REALTORs get paid for their work  only when they bring a buyer and seller together and “close the deal”.

If a REALTOR is working for a Buyer, then there is plenty of home inventory to choose from at a great price, and loans are available at historically low interest rates. Lately the glass is more than half-full. It’s running over.

Conversely, if a REALTOR represents a seller with a property listing who, despite market conditions cannot or is reluctant to lower the price of their property enough to sell it, then the glass is well under half-empty . . . maybe even bone dry.

So the next time you ask a REALTOR “how’s the market”, what they say may depend on which side of the aisle the REALTOR is working on . . . at any given moment.

If your REALTOR seems a little dysfunctional or even schizophrenic lately,  just know that it’s perfectly normal behavior for them in these abnormal times.

August in Full Bloom on Old Chimney Mtn. Road - Batesville Community

Northeast Georgia Home Sales for August 2010

As summer was coming to an end in northeast Georgia, the local housing market continued to languish as home inventory levels increased and home sales decreased for the second month in a row across the four-county area.  June home sales started off the summer strong, but total sales numbers then faded in July and August. The only exception was Rabun County which recorded 15 sales for each of the past three months.

The most noteworthy statistic for all four counties continues to be the decrease in the median sales price; Habersham, White & Stephens were all under $100,000 for August, indicating the price range where much of the home sales activity is still occurring. Also, the percentage of distressed sales ticked back up above 40% for Habersham, while Stephens’ percentage of distressed sales is averaging near 50% for the past six months.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County – While sales were down slightly from July, the home listing inventory also dropped for the third month in a row, which may indicate that many sellers in Habersham are content to wait out the  effects of the downward pressure on home prices caused by more bank-owned properties coming on the market.

White County – Home sales numbers retreated to match March’s 15 sales;  five of those sales were Resort and RV properties.  White’s  inventory of listed homes for sale increased for the eighth month in a row at the end of August.

Stephens County – Although the number of distressed sales decreased to just four in August, that’s still high percentage wise (44%) compared to  the nine total sales recorded on GA MLS.

Rabun County – Rabun has been the most consistent recently in the number of closings per month (15 in June, July, & August) and was last bettered by October 2009′s 17 sales. The median sales price slipped to $125,000, the second lowest point since July 2009.

Comment below or email me with questions at dale@landandmore.net.

Regards to all,

Dale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buH8fKYDezI

What used to be called a “sleepy little town” in northeast Georgia, Clarkesville has awakened recently to revel in its growing name recognition among city dwellers and “flatlanders” who make the town a frequent weekend destination.  Clarkesville is the county seat for Habersham County, geographically described as the “foothills” of the Appalachian Mountains, and in the past served as a popular vacation spot for the well-heeled in Atlanta going as far back as the 1820s.

Clarkesville relies heavily on a service economy driven by tourists, retirees, and second home residents responsible for the ebb and flow of visitor traffic responding to the seasonal attractions found throughout the area. Today, the quaint little town boasts heritage tourism sites, lively festivals, a variety of dining choices, unique shopping, fine arts, and loads of outdoor recreation outlets just minutes away.

Historic Square - Clarkesville Georgia

What’s going on in Clarkesville lately? We don’t have to look any further for answers than Lane Gresham, Clarkesville’s Better Hometown Manager, who is always ready to enthusiastically share with you what Clarkesville has to offer. After spearheading the original effort for Clarkesville to have the Better Hometown designation, Lane has been tenacious about designing and promoting events that not only showcase the towns character, but also help nurture the community and the folks who make it great. We caught up with Lane recently with a visit to her office in the Historic Mauldlin House just off the town square.

“Clarkesville ‘s been widely know for it’s signature downtown square by those who on occasion vacation here or are just passing  through, but there’s never been a concerted effort to promote the events around Clarkesville to help make the most of visitor traffic to our area,” said Lane. “We want people everywhere to know that each season offers something unique in our vibrant little town.” (See current schedule of events for Clarkesville Georgia.)

Mauldlin House - Clarkesville Better Hometown Office

“Clarkesville’s Better Hometown program focuses its efforts on downtown renewal in four areas: organization, design, economic restructuring and promotion,” said Lane.  “We are working to enhance Clarkesville’s existing assets while adding new elements of interest through our work.”

“This year we have added new downtown events, including the wildly popular free outdoor movie series Friday Night Flicks, and we look forward to having live music on the downtown square with the upcoming Homemade Jam concert series, scheduled from 3-5 each Saturday in September and October.  Our broader focus  is on promoting Clarkesville throughout the Southeast and we look forward to continuing our long tradition of warm hospitality.”

Rumors were recently confirmed that Clarkesville and other select locations around northeast Georgia will be the setting for portions of a major motion picture called Wanderlust starring Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd. Details of the film shoot remain sketchy but upscale homes on the Soque River and Lake Burton have been discreetly leased for members of the cast during their stay in the area.

Although Lane may say that she personally had little influence in the decision to film the movie locally, there’s no doubt that she will make the most of this opportunity to promote all the good things about Clarkesville while it is in the spotlight, which could very well help shape the future of the town. With Lane at the promotional helm, Clarkesville can be confident that the town won’t be called “sleepy” anymore.

To learn more about Clarkesville and other events in Habersham County, call the Clarkesville Better Hometown office at 706.754.2220 or visit the City of  Clarkesville on Facebook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBiEAjLfubs

Signs, signs, everywhere are signs . . . but what are they really saying? According to Julius Miller, owner of Orchard Valley Signs in Clarkesville Georgia, signs speak volumes about you and your business.  “Signs are not just arrows pointing your business out to someone,” said Julius, “They are symbols of your business and convey meaning and purpose, especially that important first impression to a potential customer.”

Julius has over 30 years experience in marketing and creative design, including working on dozens of major marketing accounts during his career. Julius and his family moved to Clarkesville in 1990 to start a new business with more emphasis on his creative design skills.

“I am first and foremost an artist, and I love to take a marketing idea and give it form and meaning,” said Julius. “When I decided on the sign business, I  wanted to focus on the most creative aspects of the trade. I love it when a customer gives us a new and challenging idea for a sign and we can bring it to life.”

Orchard Valley Signs can create any type of sign imaginable, from ordinary plastic lettered signs to intricately carved works of art signs made from wood, synthetic resins, aluminum & steel. “Recently we completed a three-dimensional sign for The Nest, a retail boutique in downtown Clarkesville, which drew the attention of a sign magazine,” explained Julius.  “The result is we made the cover of this month’s Sign Builder Illustrated, a trade magazine which has global distribution, so we’re very excited about that.”

Riding down Washington Street in Clarkesville you can see Julius’s work on many of the storefronts. Since the city has a sign ordinance that requires conformance to a old town theme, Julius is  frequently asked to design signs that have historic and aesthetic appeal.

Last year Julius was called upon by Babyland General Hospital, the maker of the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls, to produce a 14 foot-tall “magical tree” for their new location in Cleveland Georgia. “It was a massive project made up of steel and  concrete that involved creating the tree trunk, limbs and leaves in several pieces, transporting them separately to the new location, and re-assembling them on site,” said Julius.

Julius’s work is on display both locally and regionally on everything from highway theme signs, subdivision entrances, professional office buildings, and even tourist attractions like Dollywood in Tennessee. Julius has  recently introduced uniquely-carved three dimensional family crests and now offers  hand-made rustic lake and cabin home signs for sale in his retail space in Clarkesville.

“A sign that is both informational and aethestically pleasing can convey to the rest of the world that your image is important to you, that you value their opinion, that you care about the details, and that you are open and ready to do business,” said Julius. “You should never underestimate the power of a well-made sign.”

Orchard Valley Signs is located off the square in downtown Clarkesville at 1329 Washington Street. Call Julius at 706-754-6351 or visit their website at www.ovsigns.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWq-RxpZN9U

If you’ve ever taken a drive up Historic Hwy. 441 in northeast Georgia, you may have waited for the train to pass in Cornelia Georgia.  Cornelia has a rich history with the railroads serving as the primary catalyst to growth which brought in tourists in the late 19th century and helped to create the many mountain resort towns that dot the landscape in northeast Georgia today.

Like many small towns in southern Appalachia, Cornelia grew up around the railroad; in fact, the original geographic town center was the Railroad Depot station that today now serves as a railroad museum and home of the Cornelia Better Hometown office. The depot is also the site of the most well-known landmark knows as the “Big Red Apple”, around which many of the town’s traditions and events center.

But the train doesn’t make stops in Cornelia anymore, and Cornelia wants to be  more than just being a whistle stop memory of times past. Andrea Harper, Better Hometown Manager is working hard to help make that happen. “The city of Cornelia has a lot to offer,” says Andrea, “and we’re trying to get the word out to the rest of the world to come and enjoy our shops, restaurants, parks, and historical monuments, all within walking distance of the town center.”

The Big Red Apple & Depot Museum

Besides the annual events that have become a tradition in Cornelia like the 23rd annual Big Red Apple Festival coming up in October, Andrea is excited about  several new projects that are either recently completed or ongoing.

“The new trail at Big City Park  is a wonderful addition to the city’s amenities,” explained Andrea. “Shaded by towering hardwoods and convenient to downtown, the park is a great place for families to gather as well as recreational walkers and runners to enjoy the beautiful setting.”

“In our shopping district on the northwest side of town, a new Super Walmart is planned for completion by Spring 2011. The store is being touted as ‘environmentally green’ with features like low exterior lighting, not to mention that they recycled much of the present store materials to have a minimal impact on the local landfill.”

“One of my favorite long-term projects  is the conversion of the old Tallulah Falls rail line into a ‘Rails to Trails’ starting in Cornelia and traveling to the state line. The project envisions a linear park or greenway open to walking, jogging & biking, while preserving the historical value of the old railroad route, and creating new opportunities for residents, visitors, and the historic downtown commercial districts like ours.”

Andrea added: “I believe that projects like the ‘Rails to Trails’ that help celebrate our history will also have a dramatic and lasting economic impact on Cornelia and keep us on the map as a great place to live and to visit.”

For more information on Cornelia including a calendar of events, visit www.corneliageorgia.org. or call Andrea at 706-778-7875.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0ppGyx5zOA

How important is your advertising slogan to your business? According to Byron Barron, owner of CertaPro Painters of Northeast Georgia, it depends on whether you mean what you say and you can back it up with results.

“At CertaPro we refer to the three ‘P’s . . . Painting, Passion, & Professionalism . . . which describes our approach to every job we do for a customer,” said Byron.  “In the painting business, it requires excellence in all three of these areas to meet or exceed customer expectations and build a good referral network. Otherwise, you won’t get calls for new work in the future.”

Byron knows a little about excellence having retired from a 27 year career in the U.S. Army as an Airborne Ranger. When he left the service, Byron was looking for an opportunity to use the skill set he had acquired as a Command Sergeant Major in the Army to build a business in northeast Georgia. Byron discovered a good fit for his background when he bought a CertaPro Painting franchise in 2007.

Byron made Dahlonega his home based on his familiarity with the military college there and his love for the north Georgia mountainous area. Out of his Dahlonega office Byron and his two adult children serve a customer base “stretching from Lake Lanier to Rabun Gap, and from Hiawassee to Hartwell.”

“CertaPro franchisees use a very systematic methodology to painting to ensure consistent quality and customer satisfaction every time, and we stand behind our work with one of the best guarantees in the industry,” explained Byron. “Like many other big franchise names people enjoy doing business with every day, you can expect our standards to be high and our work results consistently predictable. Because of that approach we have earned the Service Magic Seal of Approval, which requires a rigorous background screening to achieve.”

“For instance, when you call us for an estimate, the process of the initial on-site consultation takes less than an hour, including discerning the scope of the work, inputting the dimensions,  wall size, etc. into our proprietary software, and printing out a detailed proposal and quote right on the spot. There’s no need to wait for a painting contractor to call you back. You know immediately the final cost, the preparation needed, materials to be used, the scheduled completion date, and a written guarantee of workmanship.”

“We are very competitive due to our nationally discounted pricing from Sherwin-Williams and our leveraging of technology, including phone, texting, email, and a dedicated call center that helps us make more efficient use of our time and keeps us in touch with our customers. Customers appreciate our way of doing business and know what to expect from start to finish.”

Spend a few minutes with Byron and you’ll be convinced that he means what he says, exuding the kind of character and integrity you want to see in a painting contractor. “That’s the way I was trained in the military and that’s the way customers can expect me to conduct myself and my business, each and every day.”

CertaPro Painters of Northeast Georgia specializes in residential and commercial interior and exterior painting. You can reach Byron and/or his support staff by calling 770-554-9275 (toll free 866.389.3717) or visit the CertaPro corporate website at www.certapro.com.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbL-Zk_ufoc

“The mortgage market is alive and well in northeast Georgia. “

That’s the word from local mortgage lender R.M. (Bob) Parker of Southern Bank & Trust (SB&T) based in Clarkesville, Georgia.  “In fact, mortgage rates are near historical lows,” said Bob.  “If you are considering refinancing your current home or looking to buy either a new primary residence or second home, you would serve yourself well to at least investigate your options with a seasoned mortgage specialist.”

Bob joined SB&T in 2006 as a mortgage professional with 28 years experience in the mortgage and financial services industry. “My wife and I fell in love with Clarkesville years ago, so I jumped at the opportunity to live here and work in a community bank setting,” said Bob. “SB&T shares my vision of offering world-class service with lots of personal attention to customers . . . the kind of opportunity found in a small town like Clarkesville.”

Is it as bad as we hear in the news about mortgage availability?  “There’s no question that credit and underwriting requirements are tougher than in years past,” said Bob.  “But there are still loan programs available to applicants at all income levels that are very popular in northeast Georgia, provided you have reasonably good credit and a stable employment history.”

“For example, Congress recently voted to re-fund the USDA Rural Development loan program which offers 100% financing to qualified applicants. This has been a very popular loan program locally, especially for first time home buyers.  Sometimes buyers can finance all closing costs and get their earnest money back for moving expenses.”

“Seasoned home buyers with money to put down can use 80% financing  loan programs for primary residences and vacation homes while rates are extremely attractive and  mortgage money is  readily available. I also encourage luxury home buyers to move forward now that “jumbo” fixed rate mortgages (over $417,000) are once again available at attractive rates.”

“FHA reverse mortgages are growing in popularity for seniors who want to move to north Georgia before home values fully rebound where they currently live.  With a FHA reverse mortgage, seniors can settle for less on the sale off their present home and borrow what they need to buy their new home without any monthly payments.”

What is Bob’s advice to those sitting on the fence?  “Anyone interested in either restructuring their present loan, or if they want to take advantage of the great buys available in the local real estate market, should give me a call so we can discuss the best mortgage options available to them.  You don’t want to be kicking yourself a few years from now because you didn’t take action now to lower your monthly payment or to purchase the home you’ve always wanted.”

You can call Bob Parker at 706.754.0001 to discuss your mortgage options or stop by and visit him at his office in the Southern Bank & Trust building located on Toccoa Highway in Clarkesville across from Ingles Markets.

That's One Way to Beat the Heat!

While we were all broiling in the sweltering July heat, the local real estate market in northeast Georgia was only “lightly simmering” as the monthly sales results  declined 16% from June’s numbers, which were the best so far in 2010.  Still, July 2010 home sales were a welcome 5% improvement over July 2009. Distressed sales made up only 31% of the total sales in July, which was the lowest the ratio has been since 2009.  Although there were a few more sales in the upper price categories causing an uptick in the average monthly sales price, the median monthly sales price declined across the board for all counties as we continue to see higher numbers of home sales in the under $100,000 price category.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Observations:

Habersham County had ten sales under $100,000 which brought down the median monthly sales price to $103,000, the lowest in three years. The number of distressed sales improved to only four sales in July.

White County also had ten sales under $100,000, but six of those were “Resort and RV” homes. White County was credited with one $1,000,000 sale on Tray Mountain, and had their highest number of distressed sales for the year at seven.

Rabun County hit fifteen home sales again in July matching June’s results, with four lake sales ranging from $409,000 to $1,235,000.

Stephens County’s sales fell 55% in July over June’s results, with five of the nine sales in the distressed category.

Call or email me anytime with questions  or post your comments below.

Regards to all,

Dale

What’s sweet about Sweetshrubs? From a gardener’s point of view, Sweetshrubs Garden Center in Mount Airy, Georgia not only carries a healthy selection of nursery landscape plants, but they offer great advice backed up by years of experience.

I asked Jason McCarty, the owner of Sweetshrubs, why he chose that name for his business. “My grandmother, who I was quite fond of, used to carry around a Sweetshrub bloom in her purse when she was a teenager,” he said. “Since Sweetshrubs are a native plant to this area, it just seemed to be the perfect way to remember her.”

Sweetshrubs has on hand a wide variety of annuals, perennials, flower & vegetable seeds, evergreens, native landscaping plants as well as fertilizer, insecticides, soil conditioners, organic gardening and birding supplies.

Jason differentiates himself from the “big box” stores by offering advice based on 15 years of real life experience in the business of design, installation, and landscaping care.  Jason has expertise in organic gardening and farming and can give guidance on soil conditioning, natural pest control, and growing techniques.

“We offer on-site consulting for landscape design issues or problem areas,” explained Jason.  “Many gardeners want to do their own planting, or are maybe not in a position financially to hire a professional landscape architect. We can help with sketching out a design and giving them options on what plants go where and how to do it, and even help them with the planting process.”

You can hear Jason on Saturday mornings at 11AM on his new radio show on  WCHM AM1490 in Clarkesville. The “Sweetshrubs Show” covers seasonal gardening topics and gives advice to listeners on a variety of landscape related issues.

Call Jason at 706.839.1002 or visit Sweetshubs Garden Center located at 2110 Cody Road, Mount Airy, Georgia near the intersection of Cody Road & Hwy 365  across from Habersham Cinemas.

Asking Justin Ellis about the Soque River is like asking a  grandparent about their grandchildren . . . grab a chair and get prepared to listen for a while.

“The Soque River is really the Heart of Habersham County,” explained Justin. “. . . so much of our local economy and quality of life here is linked in one way or another to this unique natural resource which is contained entirely within the borders of  our county.”

As executive director of the Soque River Watershed Association (SRWA), Justin has his hands in a dozen or more projects related to everything from water quality issues, sustainability practices training, rainwater harvesting & conservation, stormwater treatment, stream restoration, and organic farming.

This spring and summer the SRWA helped sponsor an organic community garden near the Old Clarkesville Mill with around 26 plots and 40 participants. Other recent projects include  a model rain garden installation at North Georgia Technical College,  a sustainability tour of farms in Habersham and neighboring counties, and a rain barrel installation for residents of Tallulah Falls.  (You can even get instructions on how to make and install your own rain barrels here!)

You have to admit that Justin’s passion for the Soque is contagious. He can make a “true believer” out of you in no time as he describes the truly unique character of the river and the importance of taking care of it. “Habersham County completely controls the fate of the Soque,” said Justin, “which is both a burden and responsibility, and a real opportunity to do some amazing things with this river.”

The SRWA encourages participation in its mission either though donations or membership in the organization. Many of the projects SRWA is involved in extend into perimeter communities and surrounding counties – a look at the association’s calendar includes a bevy of upcoming events to suit varied interests in the outdoors.

The Soque River Watershed Association (SRWA) is a nonprofit, membership organization made up of individuals and institutions interested in the preservation and protection of the Soque River Watershed.  If you are interested in getting involved with the preservation of the Soque, or want more information on becoming a member or making a donation to SRWA, visit www.soque.org.

It’s not a bad idea for a home owner to have his/her home inspected by a local certified home inspector prior to listing the property with a REALTOR to find any problems that could otherwise make a real estate transaction “go south”. If your home is fairly new, renovated, or you’ve replaced the major systems in it, you may feel that you have nothing to worry about with a home inspection. But sometimes it’s the little problems that a home inspector finds that can quickly get big in the eyes of a nervous buyer and lead him/her to legally walk away from a contract and look for another home.

I asked Eric Hotle of Hotle Home Inspections in Toccoa Georgia to name five  problems he frequently encounters during a home inspection that could be prevented or easily corrected for relatively little cost. Some of these problems can be solved by the unskilled homeowner; others may require the expertise of a plumber, roofer,  or licensed contractor. The point is to get these issues taken care ahead of time so they don’t show up when your house is under contract and tensions are running high.

Gutters Need Cleaning!

1) Gutters Leaking/Full of Leaves - This can be an easy homeowner fix, but if neglected over time can cause rotting soffits and eaves, drainage problems around foundations, and poor curb appeal. Adding  screens to your gutters can help prevent this problem and can make them easier to maintain.  If you don’t have a ladder tall enough or are not capable of climbing on one to clean out the gutters yourself, you can usually hire a service to have your gutters cleaned for around $100.

Needs Elbow & Outlet Pipe

2) Lack of Grading/Slope Away around Foundation - Even the best home foundation waterproofing or foundation drain can’t prevent water penetration when allowed to  pool or stand against the foundation wall. Make sure that the ground around the foundation slopes away at least slightly from the foundation wall and keep ditches open that channel the rain water away from your home.  Sometimes all that is needed is a short plastic pipe extension (around $5) placed on the end of the gutter downspout to route the rainwater away from the foundation.

Cracked Plumbing Boot

3) Leaking Plumbing Boots on Roof - You may have a “thirty-year shingle” on your roof, but the boots that are installed around the vent pipes will fail well before the shingles do, usually in as little as 5-10 years.   The rubber boots dry out, crack, and split open around the vent pipes and allow water to penetrate into your attic, wet your insulation and drywall, and eventually leave the telltale stains on your ceiling. A handyman or roofer can usually replace each boot for under $100 each.

Deck Not Bolted to House. . . Yikes!

4) Decks not bolted to house – Building codes require that exterior decks be properly attached to the side of your home or be free standing and are usually attached with bolts. Bolt type, sizing and placement is also important. Prior to the year 2000 many decks were merely nailed into the house framing. Over time the nails rust, break free, and catastrophic failure can result, often when someone is standing on it. Hiring a contractor to install the needed lag or machine bolts  through the decking into the house framing is relatively inexpensive (depending on the type of framing you have) as compared to the potential expense, not to mention liability, of a falling deck.

Pressure Relief Valve Drain Line Missing

5) Water Heater Pressure Relief Drain Line Missing – All hot water heaters are required to have a pressure relief valve installed as a safety feature on the unit, and modern building codes require that a drain pipe be installed to the valve with the outlet leading to  a safe location, usually to the exterior of the home terminated in a downward position. Homeowners should test the pressure release valve on their hot water heaters periodically, but it’s often the case that no drain line was ever attached to the relief valve to direct the scalding hot water to a safe place. This issue can usually be solved with just a little CPVC pipe and a few fittings.

As Ben Franklin once said “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”, and it certainly holds true for Sellers when it comes to dealing with the potential pitfalls of a home inspection. A little preventative maintenance on your home BEFORE you get an offer to purchase can go a long way in making the buyer stick around until closing.

To contact Eric Hotle of Hotle Home Inspections to discuss a home inspection, feel free to call  him at 706-886-5185 or email him at ehotle@windstream.net.

New Wendy's Going Up Next to SB&T in Clarkesville Georgia

Construction is well underway on the new Wendy’s Restaurant going up next to Southern Bank & Trust on Highway 17 in Clarkesville Georgia.   According to the construction superintendent I spoke with at the site on Friday, a Wendy’s Restaurant can be completed in as little as eight weeks after the initial grading begins. That would mean a possible opening date by the first of October for this restaurant.

Although the style of this Wendy’s is an existing design already available to franchisees, it will have many appealing features including rock accents not unlike those of SB&Ts building next door.  I look forward to seeing the progress as the building takes shape in the coming weeks.

Regards to all,

Dale

BEFORE

AFTER

We’ve finally moved in! After weeks of my amateurish carpentry and plumbing work, debris removal, yard work, fresh exterior paint, and a new sign, our public office location for Headwaters Realty in downtown Batesville is now officially “open to the public!”  Our 911 address is 11937 State Highway 197 North,  Clarkesville Georgia, which is across the road from the Batesville Fire Station and the Batesville General Store.

I’m still searching  for old photos of Batesville that I plan to use along with sample pieces from local merchants to put on display for visitors to get a flavor for what our area has to offer. Call (706.499.0367) or email me if you have historic photos of the area that I could copy and hang up for the public to enjoy.

Regards to All,

Dale

Northeast Georgia REALTORs reported a total of 81 home sales in June, an 8% increase over May, and the best results we’ve seen since this blog began reporting sales results late in 2008.  June’s improved home sales results were due possibly in part to the last push by REALTORs to get buyers “under the wire” to close and qualify for the First Time Home Buyer tax credit  prior to June 30. (The closing deadline was since extended until September 30 by legislation signed into law on July 1.) But you also can’t deny that with the continued offering of bank-owned properties at prices that are beginning to look more and more like the early 2000s, its hard for any capable buyer to not to want to get in on the action in the local real estate market.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Other Market Observations:

• Habersham and Stephens continued to “lead the pack” with increased  numbers of distressed sales and total sales in June; however, the total inventory of listed homes has been stabilizing over the last four months, further improving absorption rates for the two counties.
• On the other hand, White and Rabun listed home inventories have consistently been edging up since January without a corresponding increase in home sales, which will lead to stagnating or lower absorption rates in these counties.
• Stephens County’s average ($155,780) and median ($112,500) sales price were propped up in June by four (4) sales on Lake Hartwell with sales prices ranging from $277,500 to $450,000.
• Habersham County’s highest sale was $242,000, with only three (3) sales in the $200,000 and above price categories.
• White County had only one (1) sale in the $200,000 and above price categories.
• Rabun County is averaging about two (2) lake home sales each month, but the two sales in June were each discounted more than 25% off the list price.

Since nearly 4 in 10 home sales in northeast Georgia recently are of bank-owned properties, and we all know that the banks need to get these non-performing assets off their books as soon as possible, the sale of those properties can only have a further depressing effect on market prices.   I continue to read about a “shadow inventory” of homes that are in foreclosure or near foreclosure, and if they were to all come on the market in a short period of time, it would do even further damage to home prices. I believe that we are now in extraordinary times in terms of the how much home you can get for your money. Pay attention to what you see in real estate values around you . . . one day you can tell you grandchildren about how low prices were and what you could have bought if only you had the cash, credit, or guts to do so.

Call or email me with questions or you can comment on this blog below.

The local real estate market marched onward and upward in May with 75 home sales recorded in MLS for the four-county area. The surge of pending home sales in April as reported by The National Association of Realtors (NAR) predicted that the number of closings would be higher on average across all markets for May & June in order to meet the June 30 deadline to qualify for the Home Buyer Tax Credit. The 21% increase over April’s 62 home sales makes for good headlines; however, you can see that the “devil is in the details” from the table and comments below.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Observations:

Habersham County – Home sales were up 50% over May 2009, while the inventory of listed homes remained stable with April. Distressed sales approached 49% of total sales as REOs offered the most compelling values for home buyers, with 5 bank-owned home sales in the $150,000 to $250,000 price categories.

White County – Home sales increased 44% over both April 2010 and May 2009, but the monthly median home sales price came in at $90,000. Why? White had 13 reported sales in the under $100,000 price category, 6 of which were fee simple RV lot sales that qualify as single family residential in White County.

Stephens County – Home sales increased by two for the third month in a row, with a 15% month over month increase and a whopping 150% increase over May 2009. Of the 15 total home sales, 12 were under $100,000. With 8 distressed sales for May, Stephens now has the highest average (50%) of “distressed sales to total sales” for the four-county area for 2010.

Rabun County – Home sales increased 30% over April, with one of the county’s 5 distressed sales occurring at the $1.25 million price tag (Waterfall on Lake Burton). The fact that local absorption rates have increased substantially as you move up in price range would explain how Rabun (highest priced homes in the area) currently carries on average the lowest “sales to list” price, which came in this month at 83%. It appears that sellers of higher priced homes are receiving lower offers and/or are negotiating more on their sales price.

Feel free to comment below or email me with questions at dale@headwaters-realty.com.

Come build your mountain home on this generous 3.3 acre lot in Glen Ellen Subdivision in western Habersham County near the Sautee Valley and Sautee Nacoochee GA. Glen Ellen is just 10 minutes away from Helen, the Sautee Arts Community, and the growing Wine Country in White and Habersham County. Enjoy the end of road privacy on this cul-de-sac lot suitable for  basement home w/seasonal views of the mountains to the northwest. Driveway has been roughed-in off cul-de-sac.

See Virtual Tour

Directions: From Clarkesville, Hwy 115 W to right on Hwy 17 N, right on Hwy 255 Alternate (Ben T. Huiet Hwy), right on Seye Wailo, travel to end, see sign on hillside to the right.

April’s 62 total home sales for Habersham, White, Rabun & Stephens Counties came in fairly close to March’s 65 home sales. The National Association of REALTORS (NAR) reported that agents were scrambling in April to help buyers get homes under contract before the eligibility deadline of April 30 for the Home Buyer Tax Credit. Local agents may differ in opinion as to whether the tax credit had that much impact on April’s buyer activity in our area of the state. It will become clear how much the deadline affected home buying by observing the number of current pending contracts that close in next two months. The table below summarizes April’s home sales results by county as reported by local REALTORS:

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Allow me point out a few trends that deserve notice:

1) The percentage of distressed sales to total sales for the four county area has consistently remained around 40% for 2010, which is slightly above the national average of 36% according to a recent article at REALTOR.org. Until we see a substantial decrease in this percentage, home prices will remain under pressure.

2) As expected, the number of home listings is increasing significantly as would be expected in the spring when sellers commonly list their properties to sell by the end of the year. This is a seasonal phenomenon, but it could also be a sign that sellers believe the market is improving and see a better opportunity to find a buyer in the coming months. But if an increase in sales doesn’t follow as expected, then home prices will have to fall further to entice buyers into the market.

3) For the past two months, Habersham and Stephens counties have had nearly twice the “sales to list” percentage (number of home sales vs. number of homes for sale) than do White and Rabun counties. In other words, some counties seem to be “absorbing” the available inventory better than others are.  One major factor affecting the absorption rate is the willingness of sellers to lower their list prices enough to solicit offers from able buyers, helping to create a more fluid market.  Habersham and Stephens counties have had a higher proportion of distressed sales, which definitely puts pressure on home prices in those areas.  But those distressed sales also help reduce the overall inventory for the two counties and should make for a faster return to a healthy real estate market.

That’s my opinion . . . what’s yours? Feel free to comment below or email me with questions at dale@headwaters-realty.com.

With distressed sales still running at some of their highest numbers and the highest percentages of sales since I’ve been tracking them on my blog, sellers are now suiting up with helmets and body armor to protect themselves from the onslaught of low-ball offers that are now commonplace among buyers. In spite of new sellers (on the advice of their REALTOR) now pricing their homes at “pre-housing boom” levels, many buyers are relentless in demanding further discounts with offers that sometimes frankly are beyond insulting and maybe even just plain “stupid”.  Some buyers seem to be under the assumption that all sellers are desperate and are willing to take the first offer that comes along, regardless of the seller’s equity interest in the property. Unfortunately, the market sentiment pendulum has swung a little too far against sellers as can happen with any market correction.  Buyers would be better served by working with a REALTOR in a buyer’s agent capacity who can properly advise them on good market comps and guide them to make prudent offers with a realistic chance of negotiation and acceptance by the seller.

You’ve noticed that I’ve changed the monthly report format slightly to be a “quick read” for subscribers by having all the stats together in one table for easy comparison. My goal this year is to have more frequent blog posts with more local content on a variety of both real estate, visitor, and community issues. This format will allow me to spend more time researching and reporting on subjects of interest to locals and newcomers to our area.

I’m making progress on the improvements at my new office in Batesville and plan to be open for business there around May 1. I commented to several people that the ongoing repairs on the building have been like operating on an old man who fell out of an airplane . . . and lived. To date I’ve hauled away around 3000 lbs. of trash and discarded lumber to the landfill.  After multiple surgeries I think the “patient” is almost stabilized and ready to meet the public again.

My apologies for running late this month on getting this information published. Email me anytime at dale@headwaters-realty.com.

Listing Price: $ 34,900
Address: Tract 3, Doe Heights
City: Clarkesville
State: GA
ZIP: 30523

MLS #: 91201, 2849964
Square Feet/Acreage: 3.07 Acres
Bedrooms: N/A
Bathrooms: N/A
Basement: N/A

Secluded & spacious 3.07 acre building lot with private access and surrounded by beautiful hardwoods and towering pines in the favored development Doe Heights in northern Habersham County near  the Batesville Community. Doe Heights development spans up to the top of the ridge line from scenic Highway 197 with seasonal views of Raper Mtn./Oakey Mtn. to the east and Tray Mountain to the west. Escape to this natural retreat replete with wildlife and within minutes of outdoor recreation including Lakes Burton and Rabun, trout fishing on the Soque River, artist’s studios & restaurants along Hwy. 197, and access to National Forest lands for your enjoyment. This building lot has already been soil tested and the site pre-approved for your mountain home.

See Virtual Tour

From Clarkesville, Hwy. 197 N to Batesville, then continue north approximately 2 miles to Doe Heights on left, follow Doe Heights up to Anns Alley on left, follow Anns Alley for 150 ft. & turn left in front of white lattice gate (320 Doe Heights), park and walk down easement drive to property.

Sales of homes in northeast Georgia moved up modestly in February from January’s numbers, but the results were mixed by county as reported by local REALTORs. A total of 45 homes sold in January, a 5% increase from the 43 home sales in February. Nothing to write home about, but we’re moving in the right direction as the spring buying season approaches. Total home listings came in at 1,777 homes for sale and 216 newly listed/re-listed properties. Still in sync with national trends, the 18 distressed sales were 40% of the total sales as the local market continues to digest properties that have defaulted or are under pressure to be foreclosed upon by lenders.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County home sales increased 42% over February’s 12 sales with 19 home sales, two home sales more than February 2009. Habersham had 8 distressed sales, or 42% of the total sales, and 7 of those sales were under $125,000. Three home sales occurred in the $250,000 and above price category; two were creek-side properties and the third a bank-owned home. It’s good to see buyers around still capable of purchasing quality homes in the above-average price ranges. Habersham began the month of March with 477 homes for sale and 65 newly listed/re-listed properties on the market.

White County improved slightly in February with 12 home sales, a 9% increase over January’s 11 sales. Five of the 12 sales were distressed, and like Habersham, made up 42% of the total sales for the month, but were also confined primarily to homes under $125,000. There’s still a lot of ground to be made up for home closings in the $125,000 – $150,000 and the $250,000 and above price categories with only 8 sales over the past 4 months and nearly 170 properties competing for buyers interest. White’s total home listings ticked up to 554 including 70 newly listed/re-listed homes.

Stephens County lost a little momentum in February with 5 home sales, 1 less than January but consistent with months during last winter as the market slowed from the previous two years of higher sales. Two of the 5 sales qualified to be distressed, which were 40% of the county’s total reported numbers. All 5 sales were under $100,000, a statistic only matched by the February 2009 total of 2 home sales, which were also both under $100,000. Stephens entered March with 250 homes for sales, 38 of which were newly listed or re-listed homes.

Rabun County also stumbled as its home sales numbers dropped 36% to 9 sales in February vs. 14 sales in January. Three of the 9 sales were in the distressed category, coming in at 33% of the total sales. Once again Rabun’s average sales price ($619,196) and median sales price ($91,000) were skewed dramatically by 2 lake sales ($1.08 million & $3.8 million) and by the 5 sales that were under $100,000. As long as the number of home sales for all four counties remain low in general, the deviations from the average will appear more exaggerated from month to month. Rabun started March with 496 homes listed for sale with 43 newly listed or re-listed homes.

With only two months left to qualify for either of the Home Buyer Tax Credits, you can expect there to be an uptick in buyers (and REALTORS!) feverishly working to get properties under contract by the April 30 deadline. Sellers really need to “fine tune” their homes both for appearance and price in order to be in the best position possible when a potential buyer takes an interest in their house. Be prepared to negotiate on price (it’s expected!) and bend over backwards to resolve issues that can arise during the inspection period. Sellers should realize that the first offer from a prospective buyer may be their last offer so plan carefully on how you will respond to keep that buyer from going elsewhere. Remember, this ain’t yo’ mama’s real estate market anymore!

Feel free to email me at dale@headwaters-realty.com.

At first glance, January 2010 home sales numbers might make you think the local real estate market was in a deep freeze, as was much of the rural mountain landscape. January is one of the seasonally low months for home sales in northeast Georgia, so expectations were not high that we would see a stellar month. However, increased buyer activity in January has created a promising number of pending home sales in early February. Let’s hope those homes under contract translate into more closings in the near future.

The four-county area finished January with 43 home sales, down 6% from December’s 46 home sales, but fairly comparable to January 2009’s numbers when our local market was starting to feel the “pinch” of the housing recession. Total listings this January predictably ticked up 9% to 1758 homes for sale, with 241 homes newly listed or re-listed during the month. Distressed sales remained high at 18 homes, which were 42% of the total sales for the area.

Source of Statistics & Data for Blog

Habersham County reported 12 home sales, a 29% decrease from December’s 17 home sales, but down only 8% from January 2009. Habersham lost some ground in the under $100K category with only 3 home sales, but had its best month since August 2009 for homes selling $200K and above with 4 sales. Habersham had 7 distressed sales, equally spread across all price points, and was the highest percentage of total sales (58%) for the area. Habersham’s monthly median sales price came in at $141,250, with a total of 488 home listings for sale going into February, and 60 newly or re-listed properties.

White County also eased significantly to 11 home sales, a 35% decrease from the previous month’s 17 home sales, but 22% better than January 2009’s 9 home sales. With 8 fewer sales in January from the previous month in the $150K to $250K home price categories, the monthly median sales price edged down to $120,000. White had 4 distressed sales, which was 36% of the total sales, all occurring in the $150K and under price categories. White reported 78 newly or re-listed homes for sale in January, with a total of 545 home listings as of February 2.

Stephens County had 6 home sales, 2 less than December (a 25% decrease), but like White County, was an improvement over January 2009’s 4 home sales. All of Stephens sales were below $125K, helping to drastically lower the monthly median sales price to $60,250 in January from $150,600 in December. (The fewer number of total home sales each month, the more likely the median price will fluctuate substantially.) Stephens’ distressed sales (3) were half of total sales.  Stephens entered February with 234 homes listed for sale, with 47 newly or re-listed properties during January.

Rabun County matched December’s results with 14 home sales in January, a notable achievement after missing out on the jump in sales that other counties apparently received in November 2009 from the timing of the First-Time Homebuyer’s Tax Credit expiration. Three lake home sales and two other sales above $250K helped to move the monthly median price higher as it marched upward to $182,500. Rabun had its highest number of distressed sales in six months at 4 sales occurring across multiple price points, which was 29% of the total number of sales, one of which was a foreclosed lake home sale at $525,000. Total listings for Rabun County stood at 491 homes for sale in early February, with 56 newly and re-listed properties coming on the market in January.

Zillow reported recently that U.S. home values continue to decline and estimates that “more than 20 percent of U.S. home owners owe more on their mortgages than their properties are worth.” It appears that foreclosures and other distressed sales in our area will continue to have a dampening affect on home prices in the coming months. Although I believe we’ve hit the bottom in northeast Georgia in terms of the number of homes sold each month, we’ll likely see more distressed sales occurring with homes at higher price points, which will create some great bargains in housing for those capable of buying in this economic climate. This re-setting of prices should continue throughout 2010 for homes in higher price categories as sellers capitulate to market forces (absence of buyers) and settle for less return on their real estate investment.

I’m always available to answer your real estate questions at dale@headwaters-realty.com.

Habersham County reported 226 home sales for 2009, 35% less than 2008 with 347 sales, and 52% less than 2007 with 471 home sales. The trend line for Habersham County has been fairly stable since the summer of 2009. From a peak of 50 home sales in May/June of 2007 to a low of 10 home sales in September 2009, the general mood among Habersham REALTORs is that we have seen the worst and that the market is on a course to recovery.

White County reported 189 home sales for 2009, 27% less than 2008 with 258 home sales, and 57% less than 2007 with 445 home sales. White County’s trend line took a greater dip early in 2008 as second-home sales decreased more significantly, helping to accelerate the quick slide in just five months from a high of 51 home sales in August 2007 to 14 home sales in January 2008, and finally hitting a three-year low of 9 home sales in January 2009. Since then White’s sales have stabilized more to within a range of 10-20 home sales each month.

Stephens County reported 91 home sales for 2009, 32% less than 2008 with 116 home sales, and 47% less than 2007 with 173 home sales. Stephens County’s trend line reflects a better turnaround in the market during 2009, after the fall from a high of 22 home sales in March 2007 to the low of 2 home sales in February 2009.  Since MLS data from multiple sources was used for Stephens County, it’s possible that some REALTOR sales were not captured accurately and are not reflected in the totals.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Feel free to call or email me with questions or comments at dale@headwaters-realty.com.

Listing Price: $ 89,500
Address: 235 Orchard Drive
City: Clarkesville
State: GA
ZIP: 30523

MLS #: 90139, 2802935
Square Feet/Acreage: .91 Acres
Bedrooms: N/A
Bathrooms: N/A
Basement: N/A

Premium golf course lot for sale in The Orchard in Clarkesville GA overlooking the 15th hole tee box with expansive view of fairway and rolling hills surrounding building site. This beautiful knoll-top lot has mountain laurel and small hardwoods with a view of small lake with some tree removal.

The Orchard Golf & Country Club is a 1000+ acre private gated community with an 18 hole championship golf course located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in northeast Georgia. Just a short drive from Atlanta and minutes away from well-known recreation areas including Tallulah Gorge, Lake Rabun, Lake Burton, and the Soque and Chattaooga Rivers, The Orchard is the perfect location for your primary or second home with year-round views of the mountains and all the amenities you expect from a premiere golf community.  To learn more about The Orchard Golf & Country Club, please visit http://www.theorchardclub.com/.

See Virtual Tour

Directions: From Clarkesville, Historic 441 N through Hollywood and past Turnerville Post Office, left on Orchard Road, right into The Orchard on Orchard Drive, follow Orchard Drive until corner of Orchard Court, lot on right between Orchard Court & Red Delicious (next street).

As the year came to a close, REALTORs counted their blessings that the local real estate market fared better than what many areas of the country experienced during 2009. December’s slightly lower number of home sales  in northeast Georgia were consistent with seasonal expectations in spite of any Grinch’s prediction for a coming “double-dip” recession and its possible effects on the national housing market. (Full year results and three-year comparisons for the local real estate market will be covered in a future blog entry in January.)

REALTORs reported a total of 56 home sales in the four-county area, a 15% decrease from November’s 66 sales, but still better than the six-month low of 51 sales this past September.  The total inventory of listed homes decreased again to 1615 homes for sale as of January 2, which was 200 homes less than early December’s inventory, with 146 new or re-listed homes coming on the market in December. (Note: Typically a higher number of listings expire December 31, but many of the expirations are re-listed within the month of January.) Distressed and REO sales accounted for 32% of the total sales in the region, although most of those sales occurred in 2 of the 4 counties.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County home sales decreased 29% with December’s 17 sales vs. November’s 24 sales, surpassing only the month of September’s 10 sales for the six-month period. The monthly median sales price remained fairly low at $115,000 due to 8 sales (47% of the total) occurring in the $100,000 and below price category. Total distressed sales as a percentage of total sales ticked back up to 41.2%, with 6 of the 7 distressed sales occurring in the $100,000 and below price category as well. Home listing inventory levels also decreased to 454 homes for sale at the end of December, with 44 new or re-listed homes coming on the market during the month.

White County matched Habersham with 17 home sales in December, a 10% decrease over November’s results of 19 sales. The monthly median sales priced moved up again for the 4th month in a row to $180,000, due to the increasingly higher number of home sales in price categories $150,000 and above, or 58% (11 sales) of all recorded sales. Distressed sales totals reached some of their highest numbers of the year in White County at 9 sales, which were over half (52.9%) of all White’s sales in December, occurring across all price categories but confined mostly to second home or income properties. It was inevitable that White County would eventually see defaults occur from some of the speculative buying in resort and investment properties that was popular around Helen during the previous housing boom. White ended the month of December with 508 homes for sale, with 49 new or re-listed homes becoming available for purchase.

Stephens County also moved down with a 27% decrease in home sales, from 11 solds in November to 8 solds in December. The monthly median sales price moved up substantially to $150,600, skewed higher by 2 Lake Hartwell sales in the $250,000 and above price category. For the second month in a row, Stephens Realtors recorded no distressed sales on MLS. Stephens’ home listing inventory decreased to 200 properties for sale at the end of December, with 27 new or re-listed homes recorded in December.

Rabun County was a “bright spot” among the four counties with a 17% increase in home sales, from 12 solds in November to 14 solds in December, an improvement from the 30% drop in November as recorded in last month’s statistics. The monthly median sales price increased to $174,000, aided by 2 lake sales at the $1.37 million and $1.39 million price points. Rabun Realtors recorded 2 distressed sales, which were 14.2% of the total sales, occurring in the under $100,000 and over $250,000 price categories, respectively. Rabun entered the new year with 454 home listings on the market, helped by the newly listed and re-listing of 27 homes for sale.

If you were to ask a handful of local REALTORs the question “how’s the market”, you would probably receive a mixed bag of responses depending on how their individual business was doing. Some REALTORs did quite well during 2009 and sold more real estate than ever, while others fared poorly and some even left the industry for a new career. Presently there appears to be some momentum to the higher number of buyers looking at homes, but that may not necessarily translate into future home sales. But timely factual statistical data don’t lie – that’s why I suggest you to stay tuned in to this blog each month to get a more accurate picture of the real estate market in northeast Georgia.

Speaking of changes for 2010, Headwaters Realty will be re-locating its Clarkesville office in February to 11937 Hwy. 197 North, which is in the heart of unincorporated Batesville directly across from the Batesville General Store.  I’m excited about the location and highway visibility as we continue to grow our business niche in one of the most scenic areas of the state. You can see from the photo below that the building needs a little “freshening up” to say the least. I wanted to show my readers the “before” condition of the building as I begin work soon to transform it into a point of pride (hopefully) for the local community.

As always, I welcome your comments or questions at dale@headwaters-realty.com.

Listing Price: $ 474,000
Address: Odis Barron Road
City: Clarkesville
State: GA
ZIP: 30523

MLS #: 94004, 2992512
Square Feet/Acreage: 23.41 Acres
Bedrooms: N/A
Bathrooms: N/A
Basement: N/A

Seasonal trout stream estate property for sale in Clarkesville GA that adjoins the Tray Mountain Wilderness Area and lies just northwest of Batesville. With over 1200 feet of frontage on the Left Fork of the Soque River just as it decends out of U.S. Forestry Service land, this acreage is the jewel of north Habersham County with rushing shoals, mountain views, and paved county road access. The pasture fronting the river is a level 13.03 acres composed of two separate county approved lots of record, each with a 50′ setback off the river. On the other side of Odis Barron Road is an additional 10.38 acres on a wooded knoll facing Chimney Mountain and overlooking the Soque Valley. Here you find potential building sites . . . take a few trees down and have unbelievable year-round mountain and valley views. Over 400 feet bordering U.S. Forestry Service allows you easy access to hike, hunt, and explore the national forest right at your backdoor. This property is currently zoned agricultural and the pasture is grazed by cattle and cut for hay during the growing season. Replete with deer and turkey (and an occasional bear!), hunt, fish, picnic, farm, or get in touch with nature here as you enjoy all the recreation available to you in one of the most beautiful areas in north Georgia.

See Odis Barron Road Acreage Video

Additional photos and information is available at http://www.soqueriver.com/.

Directions: From Clarkesville, take Hwy. 197 N thru Batesville, turn left on Hwy 356, travel 1.5 miles to right on Odis Barron Road, then travel .3 mile to corner Odis Barron Road and Allen Trail Drive, property is left and right side of Odis Barron Road.

If you have questions or need more info, call my cell at 706-499-0367.

Total home sales for Habersham, White, Stephens, and Rabun Counties grew for the third month in a row to 66 solds, an 11.6% increase over the 57 solds in October, and were the best numbers since the year’s highest in August.  Local REALTORs anticipated improved results for November due to the scheduled expiration of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit on November 30, which was instead expanded AND extended into 2010. Listed home inventory levels continued to fall off on a monthly basis to 1815 homes for sale, 11% lower than the high of 2034 home listings in July, with the most recent number of new listings down to 153 homes. November’s distressed sales numbers were in line with previous trends; REOs and short sales accounted for around 27% of all closings.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County had its second best month of the year with 24 home sales, an increase of 26%  month over month. Of the 24 homes sold, 21 were priced $150,000 and below; thus the median sales price of $107,450 trended very close to October’s results, influenced also by the 8 REO sales (33% of total sales), which were all at price points below $110,000. Listed home inventory (501 homes for sale) and newly listed/re-listed homes numbers (66 listings) were close to level with October.

White County home sales increased 36% to 19 home sales in November from 14 home sales in October. White’s monthly median sales price ticked up considerably to $158,000 from October’s $134,450 due to a higher sales numbers (10 sales) in the $150,000 to $250,000 price categories. This was a welcome relief in the market as increasing inventory levels in that price category have been uncomfortably outpacing sales for months now, creating a scenario where sellers would eventually have to discount properties even more to attract buyers. The 7 REO/short sales reported were 37% of total sales, averaging slightly above previous trends in White County. Home inventory levels stood at 581 listings with 41 new or re-listed homes during November.

Stephens County also improved with a 57% increase in home sales (from 7 home sales in October to 11 home sales in November). Although all the recorded home sales were below the $150,000 price point, the median sales price in Stephens ticked up this month to $93,500 from $79,900 in October, with no REO sales recorded in November on the MLS. Total home inventory came in slightly lower at 234 listings with 24 new or re-listed homes as of November 2.

Rabun County results were a little disappointing as sales dropped 30% from October’s 17 home sales back down to only 12 home sales in November. I can only speculate that the market in Rabun County did not attract “first time homebuyers” as it appears other counties in the region did, so there was no rush to buy to meet the November 30 deadline.  In the absence of any high-end lake home sales recorded in MLS, the average sales price ($213,492) and the median sales price ($150,000) both dipped for the month of November. Rabun REALTORs recorded 3 REO sales all under the $90,000 price point. The listed homes inventory in Rabun shrank further to 499 home listings with just 22 newly & re-listed homes in November.

I’m curious to see the direction the market will take this winter in what is seasonally a slower period for real estate sales in our area.  According to a recent survey by HomeGain of over 928 real estate agents and brokers, “The vast majority of REALTORs expect prices to remain the same or increase in the first six months of 2010,” stated HomeGain’s General Manager Louis Cammarosano.  Questions remain like:  Will the bargain hunters flush with cash finally emerge from the shadows and begin making value-minded offers? Will sellers who have been holding out for their price finally concede to the slower market and make any deal so they can move on with their lives? Even though overall home inventory levels are trending lower which generally is a positive sign for sellers, there are literally years of home inventory available in higher price categories, and it’s difficult to predict when buyers for those homes will return to the market. And no one can deny that more foreclosures are most certainly headed our way soon, keeping home values in check at least for the near term.

Here’s hoping that Santa brings each of us a healthy dose of optimism for 2010 along with all the good cheer. Email me anytime at dale@headwaters-realty.com. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Local REALTORs reported on MLS a 12% increase in home sales in October (57 sales) over September (51 sales).  Listed home inventory levels edged down 1% in October to 1901 homes for sale from 1922 homes for sale in September, with 186 homes being newly or re-listed on MLS.  Distressed and REO sales accounted for around 23% of the total sales in October in the four county area which is near the average of previous months. Home sales numbers remain sporadic from month to month with no clear trends developing yet in our local real estate market in northeast Georgia.

Source of Statistics and Data for Blog

Habersham County home sales numbers advanced 90% (notice the see-saw trend of the market!) off the near three-year lows of September’s 10 home sales to 19 home sales in October, slightly above the monthly average for 2009. The monthly median price of homes sold ticked down to $107,000, the lowest since December 2008, which indicates that most of the sales activity was in the price ranges below $150K. In fact, the 5 REO sales reported in October (26% of total sales) were all BELOW $100,000. Home inventory numbers (501 homes listed for sale) and newly listed/re-listed homes numbers (62 listings) for October in Habersham were consistent with previous monthly results.

White County numbers decreased 32% to 14 home sales in October from 18 home sales in September. White’s sales numbers were spread more evenly across all price categories than were Habersham’s, with a monthly median sales price of $134,450, consistent with previous monthly results. The 4 REO/short sales reported (29% of total sales) in White County were all ABOVE the $100,000 pricepoint. As of November 2, the home inventory stood at 622 listings with 55 new or re-listed homes during October.

Stephens County moved downward 36% to 7 home sales in October from 11 home sales in September. Of the 7 sales recorded in MLS, 2 homes (29%) were classified as REO sales. The monthly median sales price in Stephens was $79,900, not completely out of line from previous months, as 5 of the home sales were under $100K. Total home inventory came in at 240 listings with 31 new or re-listed homes as of November 2.

Rabun County ticked up 42% from its quarterly low of 12 home sales in September to 17 home sales in October, as predicted in last month’s blog entry based on the pending home sales in October. Rabun’s extreme range of sales prices (5 sales below $100k; 3 sales above $2 million) really does drive home the point that “all real estate is local” (read further below). The monthly median sales price remained fairly consistent at $165,000, even though the average sales price skyrocketed to $685,503 due to 3 lake sales ranging from $2.1 million to $4.6 million. Sales in micro-markets like Lake Burton and Lake Rabun (“shoreline properties”) can really skew the county-wide statistical averages and have to be looked at uniquely when evaluating the overall health of the local and regional real estate markets. MLS records indicate that 2 REOs (12% of total sales) closed in October. The number of listed homes in Rabun has been trending down 2-3% each month since July 2009 and stood at 538 home listings in early November with 38 newly & re-l