canton: The Populist Movement and the Health Care debate a Lesson
- 08/12/09 01:27 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)
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canton: Jasper Georgia Real Estate and Radio WYYZ
- 07/30/09 06:23 AM
WYYZ radio in Jasper is the epitome of a local business. They broadcast Gospel as well as talk radio. They have won numerous awards and in fact this year alone they one 4 merit awards from the Georgia Association of Broadcasting.
We present the " Mountain Real Estate Report" on Wyyz weekly. But that is only part of the story. The folks on WYYZ have been featured by the New York Times. I was honored when they asked me to help interview U.S. Senator Isakson about his housing bill. Wyyz also cover events in the mountains. You can get local events … (4 comments)
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canton: Where are we in our market ?
- 07/24/09 08:39 AM
Every Market is different but in different areas I am hearing the same thing. Yes there are buyers out there. Yes there are loans out there. However buyers are coming in with really low prices and negotiations are tough.
Some of you are lucky in that your market has not gone through the pain that others have gone through. The pain is different from location to location and varies in severity. But the market here at least and from what my friends in Atlanta tell me is still out of balance. You can buy an existing home for less than it … (3 comments)
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canton: Visitor from England
- 06/25/09 01:04 AM
My Sister-in-law is here visiting us from England. She loves looking at homes. So while my wife is working I take her around with me as I preview homes and communities. It is interesting to note the observations of a visitor to our country.
1 Most of the homes here seem bigger to her. Yes we have all seen shows with stately mansion in PBS but they are the exception. So to her most homes here are a lot bigger than you see in England. Also the homes here have more Loo's (bathrooms) than they do there.
2 Prices for homes … (2 comments)
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canton: Launch me Father not NASA Style Photo
- 06/21/09 02:35 AM
This photo was taken 15 years ago. My hair was dark then. My son and I went to a wedding of one of my cousins. It was his first time in a suit and his mother was not there. So we made a deal. In Feb in South Carolina we went to the pool so he could swim and burn of energy. Along the way I ended up burning off energy too. My Mother caught this photo of us.
The boy got dressed wore a suit and tie and even would not take his jacket off at the reception. Every body … (3 comments)
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canton: Gardening in the Mountains
- 04/20/09 04:00 AM
Gardening in the Mountains can be a real chore. We have a hill full of a few different types of Daffodils. The problem is they need to be split and moved to keep flowering. This leads to gardening in the Mountains. Mountains are after all rock covered with dirt. You do not have to dig far down to hit rock. But also what holds the dirt on the side of a mountain? Trees! So yes if you miss the rock you usually hit some roots. Here you Garden with a pick ax.
Ever see that guy on Victory Garden? He takes … (4 comments)
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canton: Give me Land.....
- 04/02/09 12:41 AM
Currently in North Georgia land sales are slow. The reasons for this is are clear.
1 Investors have become skittish or in fact were over extended and have been forced to pull back
2 Land loans are not as easy as they once were
3 People are not buying as much to build as the inventory of existing homes is high, and priced well.
4 Construction loans are harder to get than conventional loans
Given all of the above if you are looking for great land deals, Now is the time to buy. We see great tracts consistently under 15,000 an … (0 comments)
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canton: Big Canoe Real Estate update. Obey the rules !!
- 09/17/08 01:04 AM
Recently the board at Big Canoe proposed a capital initiation fund amendment to our bylaws. This fund is proposed and out to the voters in Big Canoe. The purpose of this post is not to discuss this local issue. Although if you ask me I am against it. This post is meant to remind Realtors of their obligations.
Even though this fund has not been approved, or turned down, it is now an item for disclosure. The GAR rules are pretty clear. Many think that until the rule is passed they do not have to deal with it. However the rules … (1 comments)
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canton: Spring
- 02/09/08 05:01 AM
What I love about the North Georgia Mountains is it is almost spring !!!. Here we are in February and the daffodils are poking their heads up as if to say, "Can we come out now?" The Lenten roses are up and flowering and the crocus is out. There are buds starting to form on the trees.
The days are getting noticeably a bit longer too. This is not 100 percent a good thing. I used to be able to get up at 7:20 and still catch the sun rise. Now I have to get up at 7. Small price to pay. … (1 comments)
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canton: 2008 Will be Fantastic I promise
- 01/01/08 11:50 PM
OK before we get to the real reason 2008 will be fantastic lets talk about some conditions.
1 The jumbo problem will play itself out and the upper end of the market will pick up.
2 First time buyers will hear the message about low rates, good prices, and large selection and buy.
3 Certain areas will see an increase in buyers due to retiring baby boomers.
NOW FOR THE REAL REASON
Every New Years day a Florida Realtor, who will remain Nameless, and I predict how the year will be in real estate. This has been a long standing tradition between us , for the last … (8 comments)
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canton: Looking into the Crystal for 2008
- 12/26/07 08:38 AM
Hey it is inevitable. It is the time of year we look ahead. Here is how I see the year shaping up
1 It is an election year. Elections bring about uncertainty. When we have uncertainty people tend to stay on the couch. Just look at this year. The uncertainty the press in part created made many fear about the housing Market. So I think the election will be a drag on the market maybe in the late summer months.
2 We see more and more folks buying tracts of land. I think this is an indicator that the smart money expects a … (5 comments)
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canton: Real Estate; The ABC's of Mountain Land Buying
- 12/20/07 12:16 AM
OK, so you want to buy land. You are singing , "Don't fence me in" and got the bug. If you are looking in our North Georgia Mountains and maybe elsewhere there are some things you should watch out for.
There are two broad categories to choose from Developed and undeveloped land.
Developed. This word can mean many different things. Usually it means that electricity is some where near by. It also means that the lot you are looking to buy is bordered by similar lots. The zoning is probably residential. There may be some covenants in place aimed at protecting your … (1 comments)
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canton: Real Estate: Advising the first time investor
- 12/17/07 12:29 AM
We are all saying now is the time to buy. But buy what ? I work with a lot of first time investors. So here is how I think about it.
First of all a first time investor is someone who maybe already owns their home and is looking to invest some money in real estate OTHER than their home investment.
I apply the sleep test. If you have this investment do you worry about or do you sleep well knowing you can make the payments. I always believe the investor should feel comfortable with his decision. As an example there is … (3 comments)
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canton: Ready, Set, Go !!!
- 12/13/07 12:10 AM
If you are involved in the selling or working with Mountain property then get ready. This year in our mountains we grew about 6 percent in price . That's pretty good against a tough market. Now sales were down 20-25 percent. People ask me what does this mean? What I think it means is a shift in buyers.
75 million baby boomer's are starting to retire. Mountain property is the second most popular destination. Georgia prices and values are some of the best bar none. So what we have are higher end buyers coming into our market. This is the shift and … (0 comments)
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canton: Real estate Mountain property 2008
- 12/10/07 05:07 AM
The year is almost over. Hard to believe I am saying that. What is in store for us in the North Georgia Mountains for 2008. The crystal is cloudy but I think there are some interesting trends. Let's start with the gated communities.
Big Canoe is in my opinion the best overall mountain community in North Georgia. It is gated and about 10,000 acres. It has more amenities than you can imagine. Another great thing is all the green space. You can see bear, play golf, watch deer, play tennis, swim in one of 3 pools or fish in one of the … (0 comments)
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canton: I saved a buck and lost my shirt !
- 12/03/07 02:40 AM
In all the buyers brains it has been drummed in that it is a buyers market !!!! Some where in the drumming another message has slipped in . The message is that since this is such a buyers market and sellers are so desperate why use a Realtor? Don't use one and save a buck. Let's save a buck and lose our shirts by buying in the following ways
1 Buy land on Ebay. This is a new and growing phenomena. People are buying land really cheaply . They are saving a buck. How many of those buyers are checking EPA sites … (12 comments)
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canton: Selling in the Mountains
- 12/01/07 02:00 AM
Selling your home or your land in the mountains is like selling in any other area in many ways. However there are a few differences.
In the mountains we are often selling to a second home buyer. So when you are looking for a Realtor you need to know a lot about their marketing. At All Mountain Realty we market on line on Optimized web sites. We also blog. We have Rss feeds and are active on the radio in Georgia and Florida. So If you are in the North Georgia mountains we are a company to consider.
Another aspect to mountain selling … (0 comments)
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canton: Real estate; Benttree
- 11/27/07 07:02 AM
Last blog I wrote was about Talking Rock Creek a pretty Mountain Community here in the North Georgia Mountains. This time I would like to introduce you to a different gated community Benttree.
Benttree is a really pretty community in Pickens County Georgia. It is very close to Jasper. If you live in Benttree you can commute to work to Canton Jasper Ellijay and beyond. What makes Benttree special is it's combination of amenities and great prices.
Benttree has a beautiful mountain golf course. There is a boating/fishing lake central in the community. There is a tennis center. They have an equestrian … (1 comments)
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canton: What do we really Know about this Market ? I want a HOUSE
- 11/01/07 01:56 PM
It's time to talk realistically about this market.
First there are things like fire, drought natural disasters that effect a market. But since we really have little or no control over them they are what they are and that's that.
Then there are the things that we do that effect the market. The sub prime mess coupled with the really big mess of investors being WAY over extended has created our housing problem. It is interesting that we do not talk enough about the investors who bought 6 or 7 houses couldn't close on any of them and went under.
So the question … (2 comments)
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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.
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