Much like the Fannin County Residential Market Report, we have some positive news as well as some not so good news. I would like to begin with the not so good news and end this post on a positive note. Seller's are continuing to be plagued with the Foreclosure and Short Sale Markets. The median Sold Price for Union County is down 25%. That is a change of almost $50,000 from October of 2008. Our average days on market for the Homes For Sale In Blairsville, GA. is up 35%. Since August of this year, we have seen a decrease each month in the number of days on market which is again mostly due in part to the number of Foreclosures and the aggressive pricing that the Banks are placing on their REO's.

That's all for the negative, isn't that nice? Now for some good news. The number of Homes Sold in Blairsville Georgia continues to climb. Union County home sales are up 18%, which sounds a lot better than if I were to say 4 more than October of 2008. It is still positive news any way you slice it. The Residential Inventory in Union County is decreasing each month, down 15% or 137 fewer Homes For Sale this October. The number of Homes that are Under Contract or that have gone Pending is also up 7%, a change of 2 from last October. With new construction still very slow, our number of new properties listed are way down, 37% which is 40 less new listings than we had a year ago. This may not sound like good news, but I actually believe it is. We have  a lot of old inventory that we desperately need to get rid of so that more and more new construction can begin again. Finally, our Absorption Rate is down 17%. This tells us the number of months that it would take to sell all the Residential Inventory that we currently have at current market conditions. Right now that number is 23 months.

Thanks so much for coming up on "The Porch" for another North Georgia Mountain Market Report. I really appreciate it and hope that you do come back again real soon. If you know of someone looking to Buy or Sell North Georgia Mountain Real Estate, I would be grateful if you would pass along to them My Contact information. Even better, forward them this post or a link to The Front Porch View.

How many of you have procrastinated in downloading your pictures from your digital camera because you just don't want to take the time to process the pictures, re-size for uploads, add filters,  touch them up, or even organize them into folders? Well I know from experience that if you are in the Real Estate, pictures sells houses, and the more pictures you have the better the chance you have of someone taking a look at your clients property.

Well have I got a solution for you. Batchphoto is a powerful photo manipulation program that makes it easy to convert, re-size, watermark, annotate, touch-up, apply affects and rename hundreds of photos in a single operation. Instead of enhancing and adjusting pictures individually, Batchphoto lets you select a group of images, define a series of edits, and apply them in a single operation.

It is AMAZING! An absolute must for anyone who is constantly taking hours upon hours going through other inferior software products that make you re-size photos one-by-one. Before Batchphoto, it would literally take me hours to process photos for my listings. I would re-size all the photos that I would plan on using for the listings and put them in one folder, I would do the same for my Virtual Tours, and yet another for higher resolution use. It would take FOREVER! Now with Batchphoto I am done in minutes and I have so many more options that I love for use in my online social networking. One great feature that I love is the use of watermarks. I love taking photos of these beautiful North Georgia Mountains and sharing them online. Well, I noticed that many of my competitors were using my very own photos on their websites. Now that I have Batchphoto, I can put a watermark on the photos before I post them and it detours anyone from using my photos.  This is just one of many features that I have discovered using Batchphoto.

So, you no longer have to fret and pile all of those images on your memory card putting off the dreaded job of processing those pictures. Now with the use of Batchphoto, you can be done in no time and back out doing what you love to do....taking pictures! Give it a try, you will be glad you did I promise.

On Thursday of last week, United Community Bank and the Owen Glen Sales Team announced a limited time opportunity to reserve up to 2 lots from a selected few at drastically reduced pricing. Owen Glen, an affordable Mountain Golf Community currently has lots available from $30,000. In addition to the low prices comes low financing rates. For a limited time, United Community Bank will be offering special financing of 2.99% on a 15 year Amortization with a 3 Year Call with 20% Down.

Owen Glen is located in the Beautiful North Georgia Mountains just minutes north of Blairsville, GA. It is a 350 Acre Gated Master-Planned Community. There will be Architectural Guidelines as well as protective Covenants and Restrictions. As of now those guidelines and covenants have not been finalized. They did mention that the Architectural Guidelines would favor "Mountain Traditional"  but not leading to anything definite in plans. Home sites will be from 0.75 acres to larger 5 acres lots with golf, wooded and mountains views.

There are plans for several amenities for Owen Glen. The biggest of course is the Old Union Golf Course. This is a Denis Griffiths designed course, who by the way is the only American to design a golf course in St. Andrews Scotland. It opened in Summer of 2009 and I have had the opportunity to play Old Union and I can honestly say that it has the potential of being my absolute favorite course to play in all of North Georgia. It is a 7,667 yard championship length course, Par 72 with 5 sets of tees. There will be a practice facility with double tiered 400 yard grass range, two separate short game target greens, as well as a full putting green. The Golf Shop has plans to open by the end of 2009, but they are currently working out of a temporary trailer. There will be PGA Golf Professionals  on hand to offer lessons and clinics.

Other amenities include miles and miles of walking and biking trails, trout fishing in Ivy Creek, and future plans of a picnic area complete with playground, pavilion, Owen Glen Community House, as well as tennis courts and a pool. Nearby you can enjoy Lake Nottely, Lake Chatuge, and Lake Blue Ridge. The North Georgia Mountains are full of hiking and mountain biking trails, charming historic towns filled with unique dining and shopping experiences, mountain streams and rivers for rafting and fishing, festivals and the list just goes on and on.

If you would like more information on Owen Glen, or I have already peaked your interest enough to want to look into a Weekend Discovery Package, please Contact Me, or give me a call at 706.994.8686. This is a Bank Owned Property and I would greatly appreciate it if you would allow me to offer you the information on Owen Glen, but only if you first learned of Owen Glen from this website. A quick registration and you will be on your way to finding out all there is to know about this great Mountain Community. I promise you, my family and I will be grateful that you did.

Thank You so much for taking the time to learn a little more about this great new community in our North Georgia Mountains. Please come back and visit me on "The Porch" anytime that you see fit. You are always welcome.

Make it a GREAT day!

This is a North Georgia Mountain Home of a good friend of mine. It is looking out over the Cohutta Wilderness in the Mount Pisgah Development just outside of Blue Ridge Georgia.

This Log Cabin for Sale in Cherry Log, GA. is located at 409 Little Rock Creek Court. A beautiful drive up to the cabin just off of Highway 515 along Little Rock Creek, just outside The Rich Mountain Wildlife Management Area. Cherry Log is a small community within  Gilmer County , actually a little closer to  Blue Ridge, GA which is just inside the Fannin County line. Cherry Log was put on the map because of  The Pink Pig , a famous B-B-Q restaurant right in the heart of Cherry Log. Past  President Jimmy Carter has often been seen there frequently enjoying himself some Good Ole’ B-B-Q!

This Cabin has recently undergone many upgrades, expansions and renovations. To start with , the Kitchen cabinets and counter tops as well as some of the appliances have been upgraded. A very nice double door refrigerator with freezer on the bottom has been added. The Master Suite has been recently extended offering a spacious yet cozy feel. There is a sitting area in front, currently being used as a home office, as well as a very large walk-in closet. The main level bathroom features a separate tub, corner shower, and double vanities. It too has recently been upgraded with tiled flooring.

Click Here for more information on this Listing in the Beautiful North Georgia Mountains.

A good friend and business associate Art Miller who is also a Realtor here at Blairsville Realty, has been heavily invested in writing an article for the Blairsville Union County Chamber of Commerce about the 10 Best Reasons To Retire in the North Georgia Mountains. I asked Art if he wouldn’t mind if I posted his thoughts here on The Porch so that you will know “Why You Should Retire in the North Georgia Mountains!”

Reason 1: Why You Should Retire In The North Georgia Mountains

Our Weather, Climate and Change of Seasons!

Union County ranges in elevation from 1,600 ft. to 4,784 ft. above sea level. Because of its unique topography, Union County offers residents Four Distinct Seasons. Winters are generally mild, with an occasional dusting of snow. The average annual snowfall is 3 inches. Spring brings new life to the Mountains in the form of vibrant yellow-green leaves and many colorful wild flowers. Summers are mostly comfortable, with cool evenings. Autumns bring vibrant colorful changes in the leaves, making the North Georgia Mountains and particularly Union County one of the most popular for leaf-watching. Union County’s average rainfall is approximately 65 inches.

Thank you so much Art for allowing me to share your information here on The Porch. This will make a great series of articles that I am sure will be a great benefit to those who visit.

Thanks so much to you for stopping by and visiting me here on The Porch. If you have any questions or concerns about Blairsville Georgia, or any of the surrounding areas here in the North Georgia Mountains, I would be happy to answer them for you. Although I have been fortunate enough to have been born and raised here in these Mountains,  you can bet that it is still at the Top on My List on places I want to retire. Unfortunately it will be a few more years for me!

Come back tomorrow to find out Reason # 2 to Retire in The North Georgia Mountains.

Make it a GREAT day!

The retail price of gasoline is rising nationwide, now up 30 percent since the New Year.

It’s a similar run-up to what we’ve seen for retail gas prices in each of the last 5 Spring Seasons.

For people trying to time the mortgage markets bottom, clues about the future of mortgage rates may be at the local gas station.

Rising gas prices are indicative of the rising cost of energy and, indeed, crude oil is closing in on its 2009 high point.  As these energy costs grow, so do inflationary pressures on the U.S. economy.

Inflation, of course, is awful for mortgage rates. When it’s present, mortgage markets deteriorate and rates tend to rise — often sharply and with little advance warning.

So, for today’s home buyers-in-process and would-be refinancers, prices at the pump may fore shadow bad news for the future of housing affordability.  Even a modest, quarter-percent increase would have a palpable effect on payments, adding $372 in annual costs to a $200,000 home loan.

Since last week, gas prices are already up by 10 cents per gallon.

Here in the North Georgia Mountains, this unfortunately has a huge impact on the number of Home Buyer’s we have coming to the area. Since we are primarily a destination point and a Second Home Real Estate Market, when Gas Prices Rise I suppose folks are not as quick to jump in the car for a nice get-a-way to the Mountains. All we have to do is get you here, these North Georgia Mountains do all the selling for us!

If these Gas Prices don’t rise too much and you find yourself on I-75 heading North, please drop in and see me here at Blairsville Realty when you get into town. If you are just needing some information on the area, or you want to know a great place to eat, or just want to chat, I would be glad to assist you with any need you may have. We usually are solving the world’s problems in the foyer of the office anyway, so you might as well drop in and give us your two cents!

Make it a GREAT day!

Members of the Blairsville - Union County Chamber of Commerce today made an exciting announcement on the New Tourism Marketing Campaign. "Each Season...Something New" is the new theme that seems so fitting to our beautiful Mountain community. Blairsville Georgia is the "Escape from the Daily Routine of Life" declared Cindy Williams, President of the Chamber. It truly is a Fun and Exciting place to visit every season throughout the year. It seems there is always  something new, from a Festival or a  Concert,  to a Parade or Show going on in the community. Not to mention the most important, the beautiful seasons that we have here in the North Georgia Mountains.

There were over 160 in attendance today for the "Big Announcement" at the North Georgia Technical College. Many members of our community and merchants of Blairsville were in attendance with much anticipation. Cindy and her staff did an outstanding job in their presentation with the launch of our New Tourism Marketing Campaign.  A slide show was presented with many key statistics on our community and ways in which the committee for tourism will be working in the future to promote Blairsville, Ga.

A lot of emphasis was placed Read the rest of the Story Here.

In dealing with a recent transaction, I have become very aware of the dangers involved with Radon Gases in North Georgia. Radon causes Lung Cancer and kills thousands of Americans every year, in Non-Smokers and Smokers alike. As a matter of fact, Radon is the number 1 cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates. Overall, Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Unfortunately I know this to be true, I lost my Mother-In-Law to lung cancer very sudden in the Spring of 2007. She never smoked a day in her life.

What Is Radon Gas And Where Does It Come From?

You can’t see Radon, nor can you smell or taste it. Radon is a radioactive gas. It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up from the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can then build up. Any home may have a problem with Radon. This means new homes as well as older homes, well sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. To the right is an illustration showing the State of Georgia and the levels of Radon that have been detected through tests results taken by the EPA. Red indicates Higher potential results of indoor Radon screening. Orange, which the North Georgia Mountain Region falls under, indicates a Moderate potential screening level of 2 and 4 pCi/L. The test results of the recent transaction taking by Ron Gill with Pillar To Post home Inspections that I mentioned earlier, was higher than 6 pCi/L. Anything over a 4 pCi/L is an unacceptable level. Yellow indicates the Lowest potential indoor Radon screening.

If you would like to have your home tested for Radon, here is my recommendation. Ron Gill with Pillar To Post Home Inspections can conduct a Test for you using the lastest technology. The Radon Test will cost $200 without a Home Inspection, and $175 while performing a Home Inpection.

A must read is the The United States Environmental Protection Agency “Home Buyer’s and Sellers Guide to Radon.” This guide gives great tips on Why you should test, How to test, and What To Do if you get higher than average results of Radon Gas in your home. Read the rest of this entry »