Charlie Ragonesi 706- 579-1098

If you have client's looking in the mountains this is an update on the North Georgia Market.

We are really well priced. In fact the New York Times did a piece on us interviewing one of my brethren Realtors here. Since mountain property is the number 2 destination for retirees this blog may have relevance in your area.

Most people labor under the misconception that Georgia is flat. Their experience is either driving down I 95 on their way to Florida or a brief stop over in Atlanta changing planes.

There are great mountain destinations in Georgia. The Appalachian trail starts in Georgia. Elevations are as high as 4,000 plus feet. As much of our mountains are in National Forest the beauty will be with us and our children and their children. Weather wise it is cool here in the summer and not as cold in the winter as other mountain states. I tell folks the difference between 80 and 85 is not as bad as the difference between 30 and 35. Last summer it hit 92 in Asheville NC. While here where I am 2500 feet up we just made it to 90. So take away the misconceptions of heat and flatness and add to it our great prices and you have a gem in the rough.

Things like amenities abound. You are close to Chattanooga, as well as Atlanta. You have an airport that the family can fly into to visit, or you can fly out of. As far medical facilities go you have them in Atlanta or North of the city. So basically the stores, shopping , festivals and night life is here if you choose to use it. You are a couple of hours drive from Asheville, Chattanooga or about 4 hours fro the beach.

If you are considering mountain property check out North Georgia. You will be happy you did. Visit us on line at www.georgiasno1agent.com or www.allmtnrealty.com. As a transplanted NYC boy having been here 23 years I can tell you it was a great move.

A couple of weeks ago I posted some pictures of flowers and said spring is coming. Of course when I woke up this morning it was snowing like crazy. Now yesterday it was in the 60's. I am thinking did I say spring was coming? Was that me? Can I delete the blog so no one remembers ? I figured hey let me get out do some quick shopping and then get back up on my mountain. I was going to take a bunch of pictures and post them. Well guess what . The temperature is really cold. But the ground was so warm that the sun came out and melted the snow. So no pictures. Next week we are back in the 60's.

We have a saying in the mountains, "If you do not like the weather wait a couple of hours and check again." The beauty of the North Georgia Mountains is 4 seasons. Sometimes you get a couple in the same day

Tomorrow we leave for the Mountain Expo Show in Ft. Lauderdale. We at All Mountain Realty are very excited about this show. For one we are advertising it here as our way of bringing the mountains to the buyers.

We will be in great company with other exhibitors from all over the Mountains. If you are in Ft Lauderdale this weekend and want to stop by. The show is at the airport Sheraton. This is one way we make a difference for our clients.

Yes it is the end of Feb and we have one more month of winter to go. But spring comes early to the North Georgia Mountains. This is a spring, almost, picture. This is also why the North Georgia Mountains are such a great place to be.

If you are in the mountains anywhere here is the big gardening tip of the day. Deer do not eat daffodils. They eat a whole bunch of other stuff including plants you spray with that awful smelling Deer spray. I think they have learned to associate that smell with something good to eat. So they just put their hoofs over their noses and munch away. But daffodils ahhhh. They hate them. So plant away and enjoy the first green of late winter.

The other green you see in the picture is Mountain Laurel. As long as you do not fertilize it the deer do not seem to like it either.

The gated community of Big Canoe was founded in 1972. This makes it one of the older resort/mountain communities. There have been many other communities in the mountains that have started up since. Where is Big Canoe today in relation to the new comers as well as some of the older communities?

Big Canoe has 3 lakes for fishing boating and swimming. Big Canoe has 1/3 of the land within the community set aside for green space. Big Canoe has a range of homes and prices from 200,000 to 2,000,000. Big Canoe has 3 swimming pools. One is heated and indoors. There are tennis courts indoors and outdoors clay, lighted, and hard. Big Canoe has a fitness center. Big Canoe has 27 holes of golf on one of the course players say is the most beautiful they have ever played on.

In addition to amenities Big Canoe has underground utilities ,public water, and great paved roads. Elevations go as high as 3300 feet. The community is 50 miles from the Northern Suburbs of Atlanta. It has it's own security and fire department.

All in all Big Canoe is still a premier mountain community and very unique i all the mountains. For more information on Big Canoe contactus at www.georgiasno1agent.com. Big Canoe is a great place to visit , vacation or live year round.