About Jasper's Bethany Moorings

I work with a lot of buyers here in the mountains. The following advice is for those looking to buy in communities.

Community living is great. Whether you have a lot of amenities or few amenities community living offers a lot. Some communities are gated others are not. So the first thing to know is generally in gated communities you pay for the roads. If the monthly dues are zero or very low and you are in a gated community then down the road,no pun intended, you could be faced with a nasty assessment surprise.

The second thing to look at is why live in a community at all? After all you are moving to the mountains to "get away from it all". While that idea is appealing unless you want to farm or do other things that might violate covenants and restrictions, isolation is not all it is cracked up to be. You can be on homes on 1 or 2 acres and have the great country feeling in the mountains. Many many people I have met are looking to sell their mountain home because it is too far out there.

The third big pitfall I see is many try to buy in new communities. There are great incentives and glitzy brochures . But at the end of the day you need to know how the development is funded. Many many folks are now stuck in 1/3 or 1/2 built communities with little hope of selling. So work with a knowledgeable Realtor in the MOuntains and consider some of the points I have raised here.

As a Realtor the single most important thing we bring to the table is knowledge. In today's financing climate knowing your lender(s) is key. Do not be sucked in by programs and incentives from lenders you do not know. If you are going to use a new lender investigate them . Find out how they write loans and how they work. Talk to other Realtors that may have used them. If you have a solid mortgage specialist or broker make sure THEY are not shopping your loans to banks they have not worked with before.

We were supposed to see the credit markets open up with the bailout but it has not happened yet as far as I can see. But having said all that remember there are some great programs out there.

If you are a first time buyer you may qualify for Rural Development in your area. This is a 100 percent loan. You may qualify for VA another potentially 100 percent loan. FHA is only 3% (going to 3.5 % in January) . With FHA there are options for construction and even HVAC money that can be built into the loan. The seller can contribute up to 6 percent. On a different note FHA is really good if you use this 6 percent instead of lowering the price of the home because after all aren't you helping to keep the homes value up this way !!!. And there is conventional financing as well. You may even talk to people about using and being a part of credit unions. While credit unions are generally strict in lending they are straight foreword and don't usually change the rules on you in the middle of the game.

Locally you may have programs for police, fire, or teaching professionals. So at the end of the day the exciting part about being a a Realtor is that knowledge is a key for us. I think it will make us in the end a more sought after and respected profession. This change in our image may be the silver lining of the mortgage /housing mess we find ourselves in. Look at this market as a chance to enhance your image. Growth in knowledge will make you a more sought after and respected professional. Learn and thrive.

Bethany Moorings in Jasper Georgia is a fairly strong selling Pickens County subdivision of newer homes with an average sale price under $180,000. Conveniently located in South Pickens County GA (approximately 7-8 miles from Jasper / shopping), just off Highway 108 / Waleska Hwy, and not far from the Cherokee County line, Bethany Moorings provides a good selection for buyers looking for affordable new or newer homes north of Atlanta.

Houses for sale in Bethany Moorings are all spec built homes, starting with resales dating back to 2004, all the way to new homes still under construction going into 2008. Virtuallly all Bethany Moorings houses for sale have full or partial basements, with no more than a handful built on a slab or crawlspace. Floor-plans and styles are fairly standard for the area and contemporary builder / buyer preferences -- some variation of ranch, split-level, or other gabled multi-level design.

Most homes have vinyl siding exteriors, with occasional stone or brick accents on higher-priced homes. Interiors are generally some combination of carpet, laminate (wood), or vinyl floors, and laminate counter-tops. Some resale houses or higher priced new construction offer concrete siding, hardwood floors, solid surface counters and other upgrades.

Lot sizes on the 200 or so platted lots run from around 3/4 acre to one-acre plus, with yards ranging from level to gently or steeply sloped. Landscaping varies between homes, but generally front yards are grassy, with few trees, while many back yards are partially wooded and some even offer small creeks and mountain views.

Bethany Moorings is one of the few communities outside of the main city of Jasper area to be served by a sewer system, rather than the septic tanks more commonly found out in the county. It also has public water and the standard utilities one would expect -- hi-speed Internet access, phone, cable, electric. There are no swim, tennis, sidewalks, playgrounds or other community amenities, however there are also no annual association dues.

With quick access to Highway 515, a price point below the county average, and a selection of newer homes to choose from offering wide appeal to a number of home buyers, Bethany Moorings strong sales history is likely to continue.

For a complete email list of homes for sale in Bethany Moorings, more information on any homes or land for sale in Pickens County, GA, or daily email updates of price changes, foreclosures, and homes new to the market in Bethany Moorings, just send Send Us An Email with your request. You can also use the Property Search feature to search all Jasper Georgia homes for sale by neighborhood.