About Fannin County, GA

I have good news and bad news. First, the good news; the Real Estate business is activity; the bad news is ACTIVTY DOESN’T ALWAYS = CONTRACTS. My phone is ringing off the hook with leads, listings and showings; even Buyers, but noone seems in a hurry to make a move. There’s more bad news.

All this activity keeps me busy, but I have no time left to Blog. I feared this would happen, and I hear it all the time. Blogs bring success…success leaves little time to Blog. I am just taking some time tonight to report that although my blogging has been a little lax, I am going to utilize my time in the airport waiting for my flight to rectify this situation.

Everyone was waiting for the “bottom” of the real estate market to hit. Of course there is no absolute “bottom” to hit, but most market reports suggest the “bottom” has come and gone. The reaction in the market is a flurry of activity, but there is an understandable hesitancy to today’s Buyer.

In other words, a year of people listening to the horror stories and staying inactive, paralyzed with fear is not shaken off over night. However, we have seen this past month, people get out there and start to make purchases, reducing the inventory and eliminating the surplus properties, so eventually, the market will begin to follow and move in a positive direction, but as predicted, it’s not gonna happen with any speed, despite the need.

I believe this is one of the best times in the history of our country to buy real estate. The low rates and low prices are some of the best we have ever had available, and it is not a mistake to make a move and buy now if you have the means. There are enough great opportunities for everyone to get an amazing deal in the current market, but if you are just waiting for the dust to settle, perhaps you should reevaluate. What are you waiting for? Help yourself, help the economy…buy a new home.

This weekend is one of my favorite events in Blue Ridge Georgia; Arts In The Park.

This festival brings all types of artists together in outdoor diplays throughout the downtown Blue Ridge green. Sponsored by the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association, individial artists submit their works for approval to be on diplay in what has become one of the largest arts festivals in the Tri-State area. The genres used by the artists range from wood and natural materials, to photographers, painters, sculptors and a plethora of unique offerings.

Of course, you'll find food vendors there, so you can make it through a full day of art viewing and shopping without having to take a break. My favorite vendor at the event is the homemade soda pop stand, with Sasparilla, Root Beer, Cream Soda, Cherry Wine, and other old fashioned concoctions you’ve only heard tell of in old stories.

The combination of May’s breath-taking weather, the eye-catching displays, and the leisurely pace of strolling through the park and gravitating towards whatever catches your eye makes for a most enjoyable day that leads to a deeper understanding of why "Art" is considered good for the soul.

Blue Ridge is less than 90 minutes from Atlanta, Georgia and Chattanooga, Tennessee, so get creative and take a day trip to the mountains. "Arts In The Park" will be held Memorial Day weekend, Saturday & Sunday, May 23rd & 24th. Admission is usually free, but due to budget cuts for the arts, a 3 dollar donation is suggested to help the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association.

Blue Ridge will host its 33rd annual Arts in the Park Festival this Memorial Day weekend. Now a premier event, drawing artists and craftspeople from around the country, the festival had humble roots. The first festival, held in 1977, displayed local children's artwork hung on a clothes line.

Sponsored each year by the Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association, this year's Arts in the Park Festival is expected to bring over 15,000 visitors to this wonderful community nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. With over 150 booths filled with a full spectrum of fine arts & crafts, a wide array of food available, and bluegrass and mountain music performances, there is something for everyone, from serious art lover to casual people-watcher.

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.

Today, I got my son ready for his first Prom. It's a little different than when I helped my daughter get ready for her first prom. In both cases, my lovely wife was Missing In Action; off at a writer's convention both times, which shows how long she's been writing, and how old I'm getting.

I can remember when I helped my daughter 5 years ago, I was in the middle of splattering 20 dancers in white unitards with several colors of dye, and then hosing each one down, in order to color the costumes, when my "little girl" pulled up in her prom gown and said, "I need you to do my hair, mom's gone and you have to do it"...of course I did. It was a skill of the trade.

Today, I am in the middle of 7 real estate deals, between contracts and listings, and once again, Dad takes a break for Prom prep. My son has never worn cuff links, never worn button covers, never worn a tie. Our culture has gotten away from formal dressing on special occasions in favor of "Keeping it Real".

When I was young, young men always wore a suit at Easter, and for Christmas, sometimes even Thanksgiving. We wore ties every Sunday at church, and we all wore ties in our High School yearbook photos. We dressed up if we went to the theater or a concert, and for school dances. By the time I was 12, I had been well schooled in how to tie a Windsor knot and a 1/2 Windsor knot in a tie, and Catholic High School cinched the knot with a daily dress code of tie and suit jacket.

Needless to say, I had no trouble schooling my hip teen in formal attire, but it was much less stressful than when I was helping my daughter. He was so calm, so I decided to prep him not just on how to dress & behave, but also how to be understanding of his girlfriends emotions, being she was probably much more invested in this dress up event than he was. He explained that he already had figured that out by the way she'd been acting so stressed all week. Ah, young love...so glad I'm long married and through with all those turmultuous hormone-filled days. (Who am I kidding, there's always menopause).

The only disappointing part of getting my son ready was in the photo opp department. With my daughter, I got to take photos of the young man who came to claim my daughter, and his date; the lovely couple... whereas now, I just have pictures of my son in a tux.

Oh boy, here's a shot of him driving to pick up said prom date, but I have no pictures of his first official girl/boy thingy. I'm sure he will get formal shots done at the event, but I love those informal in the front yard shots that reek of tacky parental nostalgia. And what if he acts kewl and doesn't smile in his photos, or worse, acts goofy, as he is prone to doing in serious events. (Doesn't get it from me)

Its just funny, when I was looking at him all dressed up, it's too easy to imagine him getting married. Then, I thought of the suit I got married in that I have saved all these years, and that he is probably just about ready to fit into it. Heck, he's alot closer to fitting in it than I am. It just seems that these life events are like snapshots you remember all your life, and you wonder what happened to the time in between. Where'd it all go, and what did I do with it?

I look back five years ago, to when we left Florida and our business of twenty years; setting out to find something more "real." Now, five years later, I got the "real" part right anyway...REAL ESTATE, but I'm still busy working all the time.

Still, I have had time with my kids, and I am still able to take a break from my busy work day to help my son get ready for something he will probably always remember, or the next time he puts on a tux; maybe his wedding day. He'll remember that I was there, and that's the most important thing we've gotten from this move.

Yes, mountain country is truly beautiful, and the community is charming, but the most important thing for me is that I have been able to be there for all these events that matter, and that's what matters most to me and my family. No matter where life takes us, nothing will ever take away this time we've had with our kids. And there's nothing more real than seeing your kids happy.