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Head for the Hill5
A Special Real Estate Section
MOUNTAIN LIFE
Outdoor living, small town charm draw homebuyers
By Kathy Dean
Just north of Atlanta, the foothills
of the Appalachian Mountains offer a
relaxed lifestyle, scenic views and friendly
communities - all within a two-hour car
ride from the city. It’s the perfect place
to unwind, and that’s made the area a
popular choice for second homes and
vacation hideaways.
“The attraction of the North Georgia
Mountains is definitely the mountain life
atmosphere - little traffic, a small town
feel, friendly people, an easy commute
to Atlanta and Chattanooga,” said
Nathan Fitts of Nathan Fitts & Team,
REMAX Town & Country in Blue Ridge.
“Outdoor enthusiasts come here for the
natural beauty and outdoor attractions,
like recreation on Lake Blue Ridge,
hiking and mountain biking trails.”
Springer Mountain, in the Blue
Ridge Mountain Range, is the beginning
point of both the Appalachian Trail
and the Benton MacKaye Hiking Trail.
The Toccoa River offers trophy trout
fishing, kayaking, canoeing and tubing.
The Ocoee River, the site of the 1996
Olympics whitewater course, has rafting
and nearby waterfalls, horseback riding
trails, zip lines and canopy tours.
“Blue Ridge has a strong arts
community, too,” Fitts added. “The Blue
Ridge Community Theatre is superb, and
there are many yearly festivals. Some of
the most popular are the Blues & BBQ
Festival, Arts in the Park, Paws in the
Park, Jazz & Wine Festival, Taste of Blue
Ridge and Fire & Ice Chili Cook Off.”
According to Jennifer Blake, Broker-
in-Charge at Highlands Cove Realty at
Old Edwards Club in Highlands, NC,
people enjoy Highlands’ small town
elegance, dining and shopping, but
mostly the cool summer temperatures.
She explained that the area owes its
cooler weather to its altitude and gentle
summer breezes.
“At just over 4,100 feet on the
Eastern Continental Divide, Highlands
is one of the very rare locations at this
latitude with an average high of only 78
degrees in July, far lower than the rest
of the South,” Blake said. “We also have
Harris and Cliffside Lakes, as well as the
Cullasaja and Chattooga Rivers - it’s a
fishing paradise.”
Known for its rainbow, brown and
brook trout, Cliffside Lake is an especially
popular destination. The Pisgah and
Nantahala National Forests offer miles of
hiking trails, and many provide access to
the amazing waterfalls of western North
Carolina.
The Old Edwards Club, set along
one of the East’s highest ridges, features
an 18-hole, Tom Jackson-designed
championship golf course. Other
amenities include clay tennis courts,
outdoor heated mineral pool, fireside
patio and panoramic views from the Grill
Room Restaurant and Clubhouse Bar.
Members enjoy year-round privileges and
discounts at the Four-Star Old Edwards
Inn and Spa - a world-class retreat
known for its European-style luxury and
peaceful, rustic setting.
“Both Highlands and Cashiers, NC
offer shops that specialize in antiques,
arts, jewelry, home decor and more,”
Blake noted. “In Highlands, the Scudders
Galleries auction season begins each
June. These two communities offer the
grace and allure of yesteryear, with placid
streets and well-manicured landscaping.”
The Highlands Playhouse, Bascom
Art Center and Performing Arts Center
feed the artistic souls of visitors, as do
the art galleries, home and garden tours,
culinary weekends and breathtaking leaf
season.
“There are multiple reasons for
coming to North Georgia,” said Kim
Knutzen,
Managing
Broker, Harry
Norman
Realtors, Blue
Ridge Office.
“We have
the National
Forest and
many rivers
and lakes for
the outdoor
amenities
that draw
people for
hiking, biking,
canoeing,
kayaking,
At left: A view of the Blue
Ridge Mountains from
inside a mountain retreat.
Below: Checking out the
shops in Highlands, NC.
Bottom left: Drifting
down the Conasauga
River.
tubing and boating. A new golf course
is now on target to be finished this year,
which will add that last component this
area was missing.”
She added that there’s a slower pace
in North Georgia, much more laid back
than Atlanta. The atmosphere attracts a
sector of high wealth that wants to escape
the pressures of their everyday work and
unplug for a while. Being just 90 minutes
from Atlanta, it’s convenient for a day,
weekend or weeklong getaway.
“The quaint downtowns, as in Blue
Ridge, feature high-end restaurants,
wineries, boutiques and art galleries,”
Knutzen said. “There’s also the Blue Ridge
Scenic Railway, and the area hosts many
festivals, like the Blues & BBQ Festival,
Apple Festival, Arts in the Park, Fire &
Ice Festival, Adventure Races, Triathlons
and 4th of July Fireworks on the Lake.”
The peace and quiet of a mountain
home is nearby in Jasper, Georgia’s First
Mountain City. Situated in beautiful
Pickens County, Jasper is only one
hour from Atlanta via 1-575/515. It’s
home to Bent Tree Community, a gated
neighborhood that’s owned and governed
by property owners.
“For folks interested in a second or
vacation home that won’t be occupied full
time, it’s highly recommended to select
a gated community for security,” advised
Ben L. Torrey, Broker & Realtor, Torrey
Mountain Properties, Inc. “Bent Tree has
a lake, world-class 18-hole golf course,
indoor and outdoor tennis and two
swimming pools.”
The 110-acre swimming and fishing
lake (no gasoline engines allowed) is well
stocked each year with trout and crappie.
Bent Tree also has stables that board and
rent horses for picturesque mountain
trail rides.
“One Bent Tree home on the market
has four bedrooms, three and a half
baths, two bonus rooms and a two-
car garage. It’s situated within walking
distance to the golf course pro shop and
19th-hole restaurant, and is a bargain at
$250,000,” Torrey said.
Another example of the type of
property available in Jasper is a 20-acre
Gentlemen’s Horse Farm, fully fenced
and pasture ready for horses, cattle or
both; it includes a two bedroom and
two bath log cabin with a two car garage
and a 12x24 tractor barn and workshop.
With the exception of personal items, the
property is being offered for $379,000
with furniture, appliances and shop tools
included.
Knutzen noted that the Blue
Ridge office services multiple counties
including Gilmer, Fannin, Union and
Towns as well as sections of Tennessee
and North Carolina. “We have a good
mix of vacation and second homes. The
area lacks in hotels but thrives in cabin
rentals. Some investors are looking for a
return on their money while having the
opportunity to also enjoy it when it’s not
rented.”
Blake has also seen strong interest
from investors looking for vacation rental
properties, and said that their market
covers approximately 80% second homes
to 20% vacation. In fact, Highlands
boasts the #14 slot in Barron’s Top 20
Places for Second Homes.
According to Fitts, a large percentage
of the market is the Atlanta-based crowd,
but there’s also a huge vacation market
from south Florida since the Appalachian
foothills are the closest mountains to
them. “Historically, our market has been
primarily vacation homes,” he explained.
“Approximately 70 percent of our sales
were vacation or second homes vs. 30
percent primary and retirement homes.”
Over the last 24 months, however, he
has watched those numbers change. Now
about half of the market is second homes
and the other half is retirement and
primary homes. He reported that there
are plans in development for master-
planned communities and retirement
‘active adult’ communities.
“Many more people are looking to
move to our area full-time, and many of
the homes that people bought previously
as second homes are becoming their
primary residences as they retire. All
these things add up to an economic
growth forecast over the next few years
that’s expected to be great.” G51
44 June 2015 | INtOWIl
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