About Fannin County, GA

On a chilly, gray day, I welcomed the opportunity to step into Cowan's Book Nook. As warm and inviting as it's name, Book Nook celebrated it's grand opening on Friday.

Owners Barry and Melinda Cowan -- who also operate Cowan's Book Nook in Ellijay -- recognized the need for a top-notch bookstore in Blue Ridge. A great addition to the town's thriving downtown area, the shop is full of a large selection of books including fiction, non-fiction, and best-sellers. The store also features an impressive array of children's and Christian books. The space is light and airy, with sitting areas so that after you've browsed and chosen a book from the shelf, you can sit and relax and leaf through your selection.

On hand to help celebrate the grand opening was cartoonist Don "Duck" Edwing. His cartoons have appeared in Playboy, Look, and The Saturday Evening Post, but Edwing is probably best-known for his work with Mad magazine, where he wrote the iconic Spy vs Spy comic strip for 12 years. A true character -- full of tales of his fascinating life and quick with a joke -- Edwing is in the process of making a move from Florida to Blue Ridge.

Also on hand for the celebration was author Jerry Roberts signing copies of his memoir entitled "My First Forty Years." Roberts didn't set out to publish a book, he just wanted to ensure that his children had a written account of his life. Once finished, he asked a friend who was in the publishing industry to give his manuscript a read, and the friend was very impressed with Roberts' writing, and encouraged him to publish the autobiography.

Stop in and visit Cowan's Book Nook in the downstairs plaza of the Mulberry Building at 576 E. Main Street, Suite C, in beautiful downtown Blue Ridge. 706-946-BOOK (2665)

Barry & Melinda Cowan

Oh, the simple pleasures of living in the North Georgia mountains. I came across this actual legal description for a property today:

Home sales in Fannin County are mirroring the national trend -- sales are up, but prices are down. September 2009 saw 33 residential sales, with a median price of $206,000, compared to 27 residential sales and a median sale price of $245,000 in September of last year.

Foreclosures account for about 20% of last month's sales. Since our local MLS didn't have a separate category for foreclosures last September,  it is difficult to ascertain what percentage of last year's sales were foreclosures. However, from personal observation, they are up this year over last year at this time. In my opinion, the increase in sales of foreclosures is part of what is driving prices down.

Another major factor exerting downward pressure on prices is our existing inventory. There are 822 active residential listings on the market today. At current sales levels, it will take about two years for all the homes on the market in Fannin County to be absorbed.

One difference between our area and most others across the country is that our increase in sales is not being driven by first-time homebuyers looking to take advantage of the tax credit by November 30. Our market is overwhelmingly a second-home market, so our sales are not being artificially propped up by the tax incentive. Hopefully, that is a sign that our market truly on the upswing.

That said, our backlog of available inventory, combined with foreclosures continuing to hit the market, point to a buyer's market in Blue Ridge for the foreseeable future. 

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."
- Albert Camus

The North Georgia mountains provide an ever-changing canvas upon which Mother Nature paints. Perhaps knowing the winter months will bring little opportunity for color, she pulls out all the stops and splashes the autumn canvas with a riot of reds, golds, yellows, and oranges.

Fall is a spectacular time in the North Georgia mountains. The colors rival anything you will find in New England, and, because we don't get early frosts, the leaves -- in all their splendor -- stay on the trees much longer, stretching leaf-watching season through November. The days are usually sunny and bright, and the average temperatures in October are 69 degrees during the day, and 42 degrees at night.

Because of the above-average rainfall we've had this year, experts predict a particularly colorful and long leaf watching season. So, grab your camera and head for the hills!

Here are some great resources for leaf-watchers:

Fall color information for the Chattahoochee - Ocoee National Forests

Georgia Forestry Commission's Fall Color Report

Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites Fall Leaf Watch 2009