The first six months of 2010 saw the number of residential sales in Fannin County ahead of 2009's sales, with the median sale price down. There were 199 units sold through June 30th of this year, compared with 148 sold in the same time period last year.

The median residential sale price this year was $185,000. That is down 15% from 2009's $216,250, and down a whopping 33% from 2007's high of $277,750.

In practical terms, that means that if you purchased a $300,000 cabin in 2007, you might expect to sell it for $201,000 this year. That's very bad news for sellers, but, oh!, what a time to be a buyer!

Sales of foreclosures made up an ever-increasing percentage of this year's market, 28% compared with 24% of last year's.

Mortgage rates have dropped to historical lows. Couple that with dropping prices, and you have an unprecedented time to buy a home in the North Georgia mountains.