Blue Ridge, GA

I thought that title might get your attention.

I had some really good news from our company's mortgage specialist that I thought I'd share. There's been enough bad news passed around...I feel we are all overdue something positive. According to her industry sources, (from figures derived from area appraisals and AVMs) in our county and surrounding counties (according to zip code), we have moved from the soft (declining) market list to the stable market conditions list! It's official...things are looking up!

AMEN! I've been so ready to hear those words. In our office, it has felt like things have been picking up, but I didn't want to jump the gun and get my hopes up too high, but this confirms what I've been seeing... the market is like a patient on the mend, and has moved from intensive care to patient discharge. Good health looks inevitable, and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The indicator from the finance companies underwriting engine has shown our area's zip codes in decline since early 2008, but now that our market has stabilized, LTVs should be on the rise for our Buyers, as well.

So I am all for spreading the word..."We have scraped bottom and are on our way back up." Buyers: Time to BUY... don't miss your chance.

One of the things I absolutely love about living in Blue Ridge Georgia is that even though we are far removed from the hustle and bustle of the modern world in many ways, in just over an hour, we can be in one of the largest cities in the United States: Atlanta.

Yesterday, we took the whole family to see “The Jersey Boys” a Broadway musical at the fabulous Fox Theater. This is not a review of the show, though it was fantastic…I’d recommend it to anyone, especially if you know anyone from Jersey.

It’s just so great to be able to access that level of performance from where we live. Pablo Picasso said that Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life, and life in Blue Ridge can get pretty dusty. It is so refreshing to take a day trip down to the city and briefly experience the energy and dynamics of city living.

Of course it isn’t long before the noise, traffic and crowded conditions work their magic, and we all long for the peace and solitude that abounds in Blue Ridge. Just the same, it’s amazing that every show I’ve seen on Broadway has come to Atlanta. There’s so much culture, arts & events every week that you can always find something to do there. And when I’ve had my fill of city life, I can go home and rest my head in my own log cabin in the mountains; where life runs at a slower pace, and so does my blood pressure. Amen.

Fannin Regional Hospital sponsors a Healthy Woman event occassionally and the latest one was a real

treat. Chef Hans Rueffert, renowned Southern Chef, and Sara Auman, local gourmet aficionado teamed

up to prepare some wonderful healthy dishes at the well appointed kitchen located in Town and Country

Furniture in Blue Ridge where cooking shows are occassionally videoed here. This beautiful store offers

quality rustic furniture and accessories for local log cabin owners.


Menu
Red Bean and Chickpea Salad

Dried Fruit and Nut Salad with Minted Yogurt

Rainbow Trout with Orange-Mustard Grenoble

Chef Hans Rueffert

If you haven't heard of Chef Hans Rueffert, you are really missing out, not only on great cooking ideas and techniques but a truly moving story of his battle with cancer. Hans grew up in Jasper Georgia over their family restaurant, the Woodbridge Inn. (Great place to eat by the way, put it on your list). Hans host his own cooking show and was selected out of 10,000 applicants to be one of the 8 finalist (the only Southerner in the finals) to compete on Food Channel's "The Next Food Network Star." Hans finished third in the competition. Check out his cookbooks and his blog.

Sara Auman

For great gourmet goodies, visit Proprietress Sara Auman at her upscale boutique "Out of the Blue" located in downtown Blue Ridge. Sara will introduce visitors to varied selection of the finest wines and foods from all over the world. Shop for fine French table linens, hand-painted Italian ceramics and furniture. This is the kind of gallery one will find in New York, Atlanta or Miami. Not what one would expect in our quaint mountain town of Blue Ridge at the foothills of the ancient Applalachians. Pleasantly unexpected!

Click Here for Healthy Woman Upcoming programs in June Fannin Regional Hospital Resource

If you would like a copy of the recipes Hans and Sara prepared, email me donna@ellijay.com

Donna Yates, Georgia Realtor
Specializing in North Georgia Blue Ridge Mountain Real Estate
Coldwell Banker High Country Realty
706-632-7311 x252 office
706-633-0644 cell (direct)
Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513

"Your best interest above mine, Everytime!"

THIS IS NOT THE MONEY YOU COULD HAVE SAVED WITH GEICO...IT'S BETTER!!!

There is good news for Georgia home buyers and sellers! This month, in addition to the federal $8,000 tax credit, Georgia has an additional state tax credit for home buyers in 2009. The tax credit legislation was signed into law on May 11, 2009 by Governor Sonny Perdue, with the help of House Sponsor Ron Stephens (Savannah), House Ways and Means Chairman Larry O'Neal (Warner Robins) and Senate Chairman Chip Pearson (Dawsonville).

The amount of the credit is 1.2% of the purchase price up to $1,800 non-repayable, to be spread equally annually, over the next three years. A great thing about the Georgia tax credit is that unlike the federal tax initiative, this money is not limited to just first-time homebuyers, but ALL single family residences (1 per family). The credit is only available to buyers of eligible single family residences who close between June 1 and November 30 of 2009.

There are also no income limits for home buyers, either. The only stipulation buyers should be aware of is that to qualify for the tax credit, the home must have been listed for sale prior to May 11th, 2009; as the intent of the law was to reduce the overstock of our state's inventory. Also, in our market, second-home purchases do not qualify for this tax credit. Still, this is one more nudge to move our economy in the right direction, and every little bit helps. GO GEORGIA!

I’m very excited to announce that I am part of a new Real Estate team that is representing our area’s first “Certified Green” development. At the beginning of this year, my self and two of m y co-workers decided to enroll in the real estate classes to receive our National Association of Realtors GREEN designation. We now, unoriginally, call ourselves “The Green Team.”

We did not get this designation just because we had an interest in the new eco-friendly trends that are influencing builders these days, though we do, but we were spurred on because we were trying to secure the listings of a new developer who is "Green" through and though. We have succeeded, and now are the proud representatives of Toccoa Camp in beautiful Blue Ridge Georgia .

This gated, six homesite community features homes that are not only certified at the highest level by EarthCraft, but also by Energy Star. Even the land, which is fronted on the Toccoa River, has special rainwater drainage filtration to insure that the run off is cleaned before it reenters the river.

There are only 2 building lots still available. There are also two spectacular waterfront homes for sale. The first Home is a Nantucket-style Lodge with all the “Green” bells and whistles, and boasts 4 Large Master Suites and 4 acres with frontage on a USFS stocked Trout Stream. The second is an enormous, sprawling Rustic Ranch retreat with soaring 18 foot ceilings and flanked by rushing riverfront rapids on 2 sides of its park-like stetting.

I am very proud to be a part of this project, because there is no place that needs “Green” more than Blue Ridge Georgia. Our county is surrounded by pristine National Forest and Wildlife Management areas, so keeping the landscape in tune with nature and preserving the natural beauty of our region is a major concern of the entire community. I hope this is just the first of many “Green” projects to come.