About Jasper's Grandview Cove

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. What happened?

The Democratic party leaders split the movement by raising the issue of race. The party before this had black and white members. But by raising the issue of race the fat cats split the movement. In the end they were able to kill it. Divided the movement was too weak to survive. So something that was good and would have made positive changes for folks was derailed .

Today we have debate about heath care. WE NEED SOME TYPE OF REFORM. This post is not about what type but it is about the debate. The shouting and the rumor mongering going on today instead of debate is the new way of derailing the process. If we allow the process to get derailed by hate and fear mongers, then like the folks who allowed it to happen to them during the populist movement we will all be losers.

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 here tend to be less and the land you get with them tends to be more. Now this is very local as she is comparing North Georgia. But she is always remarking on how great the prices are and how big the yard is.

3 She asks about "Lease-hold" That is something in their market when you can "Buy" a home for 99 years. Of course you can sell it along the way for the remainder of the lease. An interesting concept.

4 She also remarks on the numbers of folks that own homes. Again this is a country view as in the cities the numbers of renters would be higher. But even in the English country side there are a number of renters.

5 We have no old homes. When we look at some homes and I say wow this house is almost 100 years old or even older in rare cases she looks at me with a puzzled , So what is the big deal look on her face.

6 Constrcution is very different . In England there is alot more stone and brick work and a lot less wood work. Even the framing is different.

7 Lastly she is always impressed buy the open spaces and the animals and trees she sees.

It is interesting to look at our market through anothers eyes.

Many of us in Rural areas do USDA loans. USDA is 100 percent financing and often works out to be less costly than FHA with 3 % down!!! One of the benefits to this type of loan is you can finance up to 102 percent of the appraised value of the home. This extra money is typically used for closing costs. However if you have a buyer that is getting a great deal on a fixer upper beware !

You do have to escrow money etc like you do for FHA repair loan. But there is a BIG difference. If the USDA Appraiser feels that a repair is a hazard then the repair must be done BEFORE closing. This can create problems when dealing with sellers or foreclosures.

In the case of a foreclosure the bank is not going to spend anything. If a non foreclosure is involved the Seller may not have the money. This leads to a situation wher the buyer would come out of pocket to make a repair and be rereimbursed at the closing. Does any one see THE potential problem with this ?

USDA loans are great loans and a vital source of financing in Rural areas. So when doing USDA with repairs needed be mindful of a repair that may be considered a hazard and advise your buyer accordingly.

The scenes below are very different. They do show the difference i the mountain views and settings that are possible. The first scene of lovely fields and green is on Yukon Road near the town of Ellijay. Ellijay is a great mountain destination and famous for its' apple festival. The land is green and even though it is in the mountains there are pretty green valleys where folks farm and grow stuff. Next picture is of Grandview Lake. In the back ground you can see Sharp top mountain. You see small boat houses along the shore line. What these very different photos have in common is they illustrate a different style of living. They show things how they were in quieter less hectic times. The North Georgia Mountains are a great place to live , raise a family or have a second home. Take from me a kid from the Bronx, living here puts a smile on your face

I am a transplanted New Yorker.I have been here almost 24 Years. Each section of the country has it's beauty . But it also has a uniqueness that adds the human touch to an area. The picture below is a typical North Georgia Mountain store. You can tell by the Chimney and the wooden structure that the building has been around for a while.

It is a Health food store. now aside from the appeal of the building there is a certain incongruity to this photo that is uniquely Southern. In the Land of North Georgia just outside Atlanta you can believe Coca Cola is considered a health food. I smile every time I see the front of this building. I thought You All would like it too.We all post pretty Pictures what about traditions makes your area of the country unique? Love to read about it