Foreclosure rate still high - 08/31/09 12:46 PM
The national foreclosure rate reported today is still high. As of this time today the markets have reacted in a negative way. So what is the problem?
The Government bail out program and loan re-modification programs have actually worked! Some of these programs were started by the last administration and modified and expanded in this one. So again the question is, what is the problem?
The problem pure and simple is the lagging indicator in a recovery called the unemployment rate. Folks who are in trouble now are folks without a job . These folks do not qualify for modification. They … (4 comments)

The North Georgia Mountains Summer review - 08/30/09 10:10 AM
The North Georgia Mountains usually get busy in the summer. This is when we see many of the buyers. This summer started slow but picked up some as the summer went on.
We are seeing prices in places like Big Canoe adjust downward as the sales volume starts to pick up. In other areas we are seeing a lot of first time buyers come out. The traffic of second home buyers is slow.
Land sales are really really slow as it is tough to get financing and new home starts are sluggish.
So the net for our mountain market I think … (0 comments)

Land for Sale - 08/29/09 05:23 PM
We have a unique opportunity here in the mountains. We have some good flat land for sale. We have a 9 acre tract at 10k an acre firm. This is relatively flat and not heavily treed. It would make a good horse farm. We have 28 acres 1/2 in pasture at 13000 an acre . This tract has county as well as well water . We have smaller flat tracts at 12-14k an acre . These are 2 plus acre tracts. What makes them unique is they are relatively flat and are good builds. For more information call us at 706 … (4 comments)

Two totally unrealted events of today - 08/29/09 05:00 PM
Event 1 . I keep my camera in my car for photo opportunities. When I got in my wife said, "too bad you took the camera. There was a bear in the yard and guess what he was doing?' That's right he was Sh&&^^&^&ing in the woods. I missed a golden opportunity to have this photo to post. I would have been able to document beyond a doubt the answer to the age old question, Does a Bear  S@#$@t in the woods.
Event 2. Because I have been nagged to death by far flung relations Yesterday I joined face book. Almost … (6 comments)

Great New Listing in Ball Ground Ga - 08/28/09 01:28 PM
We have a great new 3/2 listing in Ball Ground The link to the property is:     HTTP://rwrt.us/fik

This home sits on almost an acre and is in a cul-de sac. It is in a great neighborhood and many of the homes in this neighborhood are priced much higher

The main room has a lovely fire place as well as hardwood floors

This very pretty kitchen along with the rest of the home is being priced very attractively at 199,900. Many homes in the area are significantly more!. Address is 2049 Laurel Cove
                                                                           In Laurel Lakes Ball Ground
… (3 comments)

Introducing Big Canoe - 08/26/09 02:01 PM
Big Canoe Georgia is one of the best kept secrets East of the Mississippi. It is a community of approximately 10,000 Acres. It features 27 holes of Golf. A fitness Center. * out door tennis courts in a Beautiful Mountain setting as well as 3 pools one indoors.
Big Canoe is in the North Georgia Mountains. Elevations can be as high as 3200 feet. Yet you are only 1 to 1/2 hours from Atlanta. Going the other way you are close to Chattanooga as well as Asheville N.C.
Big Canoe is gated. But 1/3 rd of the space is set aside … (3 comments)

Looking to Start a Real Estate Career in the North Georgia Mountains pt 7 - 08/24/09 12:56 PM
This is the last part in the series. I hope you all enjoyed it. The last thing we have not covered is choosing a firm to associate with.
Like many other areas you have choices. But if you choose a big name make sure they are established in the mountains. If you are new to mountain real estate this is key. There are not a lot of us up here.So chances are the folks in your firm will know a lot about the counties and areas you want to deal with. In my county for example there are 20,000 people. I … (2 comments)

Great New home for sale in Big Canoe - 08/23/09 10:50 AM
I am saying listed however it is not yet listed on the Market. This is a rare opportunity to own a home with a million dollar view. The asking price is 990,000 so you could say you get a million dollar view with the house thrown in for free!!!

The white building you see in the distance is the Amicalola lodge. The line to the left of the building is Amicalola fall. These falls are the highest  falls East of the Mississippi. Also the Appalachian trail starts in that area so your views will be lovely for a long time … (5 comments)

Looking to start a Real Estate Career in the North Georgia Mountains pt 6 - 08/22/09 05:16 PM
After the sale
You have a contract on a house and are going to a closing. What more is there to do ? There are a lot of things you should be doing. But since this is about the North Georgia Mountains we will limit those things to things that are unique to our area
1 Wild Life management. You decide to put out bird feeders and maybe a humming bird feeder or 2.  Then one morning you walk to your window and see a 300pound Bear munching away. I have seen them climb up deck polls, the metal ones, over … (0 comments)

Lake Lanier Listing 3133 Lee Circle - 08/21/09 03:53 PM
We have a great home listed on Lake Lanier. The home is in a cove and HAS A DOCK. Those of you who know Corp Lakes know how valuable this is. The sale also includes a Pontoon boat.  Asking is 359,900 ! This is a GREAT price for a house with private Lake access.

The home is all brick and is a 3 bedroom 2 bath home .
 

This is a view of the kitchen leading out to the back deck . This home is CLEAN,CLEAN,CLEAN !!!
You can view about this home at  http://rwrt.us/fil
Or text 88000 … (2 comments)

Morning Photo - 08/21/09 03:11 PM
Last night we had the Thunder, lightening,  and rain as the storm front moved through. But this morning it was calm and really pretty. We were up early and took this picture from our back deck as the sun started to come up over the mountains. Want to know why I am so blessed? Look below.
 

 
… (7 comments)

Looking to start a Real Estate Career in the North Georgia Mountains Pt 5 - 08/21/09 08:18 AM
In this part we will look at working with Buyers. There are a couple of different types of folks who buy in the Mountains. Remember 32% of retiring baby boomers want mountain property. So we will focus on the buyer moving here. Advise your buyer. If your buyer is coming from out of the area and especially from coastal areas you need to talk to them before they get here.
1 What to wear. Flip flops and sandals do not work if you are looking to buy that great 5 acre tract to put your dream home on. You need a … (1 comments)

Let's hear it for us !!!! - 08/20/09 04:22 PM
Our board of Realtors is very active in the community doing many things to help. In general even the community I live in is very active in the county. Today at a meeting it was announced that per capita Pickens County had more volunteers involved in the community than any other county in Georgia !
But wait, the good news does not stop there. We are actually number 3 !!!! in the country. This was great news. I am a volunteer for governance and the fire department where I live so I am doing my part.
Many of the communities here … (1 comments)

Looking to start a career in Real Estate in the North Georgia mountains Pt 4 - 08/19/09 07:33 AM
In this post in the series we are going to cover the "tools of the trade." I am not talking about lock box keys and things we all have in common. But let's talk about things a mountain Realtor should have.
1 A compass. This is a really important gadget for a mountain Realtor. You are standing on a deck looking into the mountains with a buyer and they say. "What direction are we facing?" If you think you are going to look for the moss on the North side of the trees forget it Hawk Eye. That does not work. … (4 comments)

Looking to Start a Real Estate career in the North Georgia Mountains Pt 3 - 08/17/09 08:12 AM
In parts 1 and 2 we covered getting started and land sales. It is now time to move on to housing. In the mountains you will run into homes that are different from other areas.
1 Log Cabins. You will have buyers who want the cabin feeling and look at log homes. You are not an expert but it is good to know some things. The number one question is maintenance. I would suggest going to a log home show. Learn from all the builders there. So in the South for example ,white pine tends to hold up better to humidity … (1 comments)

The answer is ...... - 08/17/09 07:57 AM
Remember the amazing Karnak? Well here is a prediction from me. It may be as valid as Karnak.
If you are counting on an extension of the 8K credit don't. The merits of the credit , which are many, aside, there is an over riding issue. The issue is budget deficit. I think that pressure from our creditors will make us very careful in any measure that would increase debt. After all the market is picking up so you could say the credit has done it's work.
This is not a popular opinion I know. In fact it raises another issue. … (4 comments)

Big Canoe McDaniels Meadow photos - 08/16/09 04:56 PM
The mountains are great. But a lot of times they present challenges to folks who like to walk or want to get back into shape and walk. In Big Canoe we have over 100 miles of hiking trails. One such walk is McDaniel Meadows.
McDaniel Meadows is a wild flower meadow. It has been planted and trails that are gravel lined have been placed through it
Even in the dog days of Summer there are many flowers to see when walking Through the meadows

Many of the flowers are spent by this time . But this photo shows the paths … (3 comments)

Looking to Start a Real Estate Career in the North Georgia Mountains pt. 2 - 08/15/09 03:39 PM
So you have read Part on and you are funded. You have your license and are ready to go. The North Georgia Mountains are beautiful and there is a large amount of land available for sale . So you are getting involved in land sales. You figure hey they are not as complicated as a home.
Did you know that E & O insurance generally runs higher if you do a lot of land sales ? Here is why
1 You need to consider first and foremost is the lot buildable? In Georgia a level 3 soil test is the first … (0 comments)

REMEMBER TO DISCLOSE Informational Post - 08/14/09 03:18 PM
This year we have been involved in 3 listings that belonged to others and we are the second party in to try and sell the home. What makes these 3 unique is the homes were built before 1978. In all three cases when we presented the seller with the REQUIRED Lead Paint Disclosure they looked at us and said , "What's this?"
In Georgia you are required to disclose, if the house was built before 1978, the fact that there might be lead based paint. Yet in all three of these cases the disclosure was not done. I am going to … (8 comments)

The Populist Movement and the Health Care debate a Lesson - 08/12/09 08:27 AM
At the turn of the 20th  and near the end of 19th Century  there was a big , what we would call today, grass roots movement in the South. It was called the Populist movement. It featured such colorful characters as Sock-less Jerry Simpson, and famous figures like William Jennings Bryan.
There were a lot of poor folk in the South and this movement was aimed at changing and empowering these folk. Now the party that controlled the South was the Democratic party. So this movement really challenged the fat cats in the Democratic party and was a threat to them. … (7 comments)

The Club house at Lake Sconti - 08/11/09 02:04 PM
The club House at Lake Sconti is a great place to relax and eat. Whether you are eating inside or outside you will be in for a treat. The dining room is in a beautiful building and can host good size events
The Club house really does look like a mountain lodge from the outside. Inside it is large and spacious. If you are not up for indoor eating and want to go a little more casual. The Black Bear pub is attached to the club house and affords a relaxed atmosphere.

So I did mention it was on … (2 comments)

Motivational Monday - 08/10/09 01:30 PM
The following 2 quotes caught my eye and for the first time I thought I would participate in Motivational Monday
"It's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse"
Adlai Stevenson
I love this quote because in our business it is so true. You really do have to believe in yourself in order to get others to believe in you.
   AND
"If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich."
Lyndon Johnson
Positive energy for me is the name of the game. It … (4 comments)

Old Fashion Barber Shop Photos in small town America - 08/09/09 11:18 AM
The Old Fashion Barber shop is exactly what it says it is. A small building on South Main Street in Jasper Georgia.
The Barber poll works and is the traditional advertisement. There is a bench outside where you can sit if you do not want to wait inside. This shop has many things that make it a wonderful experience.
It is not called a boutique, a salon, or a hair emporium. It is a Barber shop. And it really is a barber shop in the many ways that some of us who have gray hair can remember.

Yes that is … (6 comments)

Jasper, Big Canoe Mountain Builder Jerry Hynes - 08/07/09 10:37 AM
Jerry Hynes  aka to us up here as Hynes in the pines is a quality mountain builder. Jerry owns his own company . His attention to detail and the way he warrants his product is second to none. Unlike big tract builders Jerry is small enough to monitor all the projects he has going on.
Jerry has a small office in Marble Hill Georgia where he meets and designs for clients.

This photo is of the inside of the office.  From the time you walk in you get the feeling you are working with a real pro. Jerry may not … (0 comments)

The Terraces Big Canoe photos - 08/05/09 12:20 PM
The Terraces in Big Canoe are a place where great things happen. The Terraces are owned by the Big Canoe Chapel. But they are not reserved for Chapel members only. Every summer the Terraces put on a series of concerts open to the general public. Some of these concerts are free. Some are pay events. They all are great fun.
We get there early and tailgate before setting up our chairs to settle in for an evening performance. One of the things that make the Terraces summer concerts special is that proceeds from the events go to worthy causes like hope … (4 comments)

Wed photo The cabin with a Preachers porch in Big Canoe - 08/05/09 11:55 AM
When folks think of Big Canoe they think of many things. But not usually old log Cabins
This home was built in the 1830's. It started life in South Georgia . It was moved and reassembled in Big Canoe. The beauty of this cabin is that it is being used today as a vacation getaway by the current owner.
The cabin is special as it features a preachers porch. A preachers porch was a place for traveling preachers to stay the night . Today we call this a front porch. Preachers back then moved from town to town preaching the word … (3 comments)

An Interesting Dilemma - 08/03/09 09:13 AM
Last week the Federal cash for clunkers program ran into trouble. The trouble was success. This program makes so much sense it is hard to believe it comes out of Washington. After all if we get better gas mileage we reduce our dependence on foreign oil as well as help the environment. We also create scrap we can sell to reduce  the balance of payments. We help car dealers and the folks they employ. We buyers get a rebate!. This is so cool.
What this program and the tax credit for home buyers really illustrate is given the resources Americans will … (8 comments)

Zondervan Farms North Georgia Real Estate - 08/03/09 08:43 AM
Zondervan farms is a new addition to our North Georgia Landscape. North Georgia has a very active and large horse loving community. Whether you are attending steeple chase in Alpharetta or riding our trail North Georgians love their horses. Zondervan farms specializes in Dutch Warm Bloods
Thatcher is a Champion Warm Blood. Here he is being handled by co-owner of the farm Jody Cunningham. This is a family owned business.  The folks here take care of their animals and work to provide only the best to their clients

Check out this great little guy. The folks at Zondervan breed their … (4 comments)

Big Canoe new listing 41 41 Laughing Fox Knoll - 08/02/09 03:50 PM

4141 Laughing Fox Know in BIg Canoe is a great new listing. It is 3 bedrooms and 3 full baths. All three floors are complete. The exterior is log clad and has recently been painted and sealed for added durability. This is a great home in Big Canoe close to everything . There is a rushing stream behind the property
The interior really shows off the cabin features of this property. As you can see there is plenty of wood. Floors are pine and interior wood is pine and in great shape. Home was built in 2001 so it is … (5 comments)

 
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Charlie Ragonesi Big Canoe homes Big Canoe, Jasper, North Georgia Pros

Big Canoe, GA

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AllMountainRealty.com

Address: 10436 Big Canoe, Jasper, Ga, 30143

Office Phone: (706) 579-1098

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