Mark Hendry : Blue Ridge Real Estate Pro in the North Georgia Mountains

Several months ago, I noticed someone opened a little bookstore in a tiny, white building down the street from where I live. Because it is located in a remote section of town, you wouldn't necessarily come across it, but I pass it daily, on my way to and from town. I don't know what took me so long to check it out, but last week I finally pulled in to the two empty grassy spaces under some Oak trees designated as the parking lot. This building was once a small, white, one room church set back from the main road in a grove of trees. Now it's Higdon's Bookstore, an intimate used bookstore that offers discount and used books for a fraction of their original cost.

I'll admit, this store set back on a quiet road on the outskirts of town didn't strike me as all that promising an enterprise, but as I entered the small establishment, I realized you should never judge a book (or a book store) by its cover. Imagine a fictional store in a sentimental movie that strives to create an atmosphere so charming it will make moviegoers sigh and say, "those were the days"... That's Higdons.

Anyone who loves books could lose themselves in the simplistic, non-materialistic atmosphere created in this old church. The walls are lined with wonderful used books of all genres and interests. There are sections for mysteries, romances and New York bestsellers, but a huge section of Georgia authors, history, non-fiction, DVD's, cookbooks and classics too.

Two stained, well-worn chairs are set up in a corner inviting customers to sit and read and the woman sitting at the desk is as friendly and delighted to see you as your own grandmother would be. She was reading The Life of Pi, so we began a casual conversation about the book. Soon we were talking about all sorts of books and authors. When I told her I was interested in the Georgia authors, I received a local history lesson along with an overview of the creative contributions made by local residents who moved here because they love art as much as they love nature. Blue Ridge is a place that nurtures both.

I am a writer, and I often go to the Margret Mitchell House in Atlanta to hear authors speak. I recalled the last speaker mentioning Anne Rivers Siddons, so when I spied an entire shelf of this author's novels, I picked up several to take home. I also found a section of big print novels. My mother-in-law, an avid reader, needs larger print now and I can't seem to keep her stocked up no matter how I hunt for more reading material. Large print novels are rather difficult to find, not to mention costly so I was delighted to pick up several romances (her favorite) for a fraction of the price I spend even when I find them used on Amazon. I even picked up some renowned literary novels by Toni Morrison and Alice Munro for our library at home, proving this used bookstore doesn't only focus only on paperback gene novels or best sellers (though they have plenty). It has something for everyone. I even found a new book by Bill Bryson for myself, and eyed several others that I plan to go back for when I catch up on my ever growing "to read" pile.

I spent $43.00 and came away with a grocery bag full of books. As I checked out, the woman working the desk encouraged me to bring in my books for trade. I warned her that I could fill half the store if they let me.

She said, "We're hoping people like you will get involved in our exchange. Please bring in whatever you're finished reading so it can be shared with others."
The store credits customers for used books and puts the amount in an in-store account. You must pay ½ of your sale in cash for new purchases, but your in store credit can be used for the other half, a fair and economical system for all involved.

One of the things I missed most when I first moved to Blue Ridge was a Barnes ‘N Noble. I love the windfall of books on display at super bookstores, love browsing for things I don't' really know I want until I see them. The problem with having to shop at Amazon (which has been my bookstore of choice for some time) is that you have to have an idea of what you're looking for, narrowing your exploration. Today, I realized the adorable little bookstore nestled on the back roads of Blue Ridge is better than any big franchise could be. It's intimate, cost effective, and has a friendly aura that adds charm to the reading experience.
I've always been disturbed by the way cookie cutter franchises make the world feel like a generic place. I confess, I'm particularly enchanted by the uniqueness of a place like Higdons Bookstore. I love that there's history in the building and that's it's owned by people (in this case Brenda and Glen Higdon) who love books enough to choose to open a business in a subtle way, creating a shopping experience like no other. As I poked through the shelves at the store, I thought all that's missing was a coffee bar to make this the perfect book browsing experience- that is, until I remembered that expecting a latte with a novel proves I'm a victim of social training. Coffee in a book store is a distraction when you think about it - a vehicle to get people to come in and hang around longer than necessary so they'll spend money on things unassociated to reading. Coffee increases the profit margin and the traffic in the power bookstores, but personally, I strive to break the cycle of marketing hypnosis that had me under the spell all those years I lived in the bustling suburban world. Who needs coffee at a bookstore? Not me, but I bet I could bring my own thermos, pull up a chair and share a cup a joe with the woman at the register At Higdons if I really cared to.
I love when you discover something special right in your own backyard.

Higdon's bookstore is a perfect example of the quaint and original sort of shopping experience so rare today, a throwback to the world before big conglomerates took over and created "formula" stores for mass appeal. I'm grateful that Blue Ridge you still offers regional flavor and unique, privately owned businesses with southern ambiance and hospitality their key ingredient.

As the cashier put my purchases in a recycled bag, I knew I'd become a regular at Higdons. I wished the woman at the front desk the best of luck with the new enterprise and told her I'd tell everyone I know just what a find this little hidden book store is. Consider yourself told.
Interested? For information, visit their website at www.higdonsbookstore.com.
Their STORE HOURS are Wed-Fri 10AM-6PM And Sat 8AM-2PM, or call (706) 964-6677

*Entry by Ginny Hendry

I am so grateful to be a successful real estate agent, these days. It’s not so much about being able to make a living, as it is being able to feel positive about life. You see, in my line of work, I get to experience what’s happening in the market first-hand, moment to moment. Because I am an active agent, I feel like I play a part in making things better. It’s a PROACTIVE kind of energy that helps me combat all the negativity running amuck these days

Truth be told, this past month has been a-buzz with activity in our office. Everywhere you look, everyone is busy. We have already written a couple dozen contracts this year, and I have been slammed with eager buyers. I can’t speak for the rest of the country, but here in Blue Ridge Georgia, things are looking up.

This is definitely one of the best times in history to invest in real estate. The interest rates are at all time lows, and so are property prices. For builders; the land, the rates and the building materials are all down. How often does that happen… never.

It is clearly a good time to move your money in this direction. Stocks may rise and fall, but real estate never disappears the way companies can.

This recent flurry of activity makes me glad to see people are finally overcoming the daunting headlines of doom and taking action in the marketplace. Of course, seeing things as moving in a positive direction is not the generally accepted viewpoint. So often, when people ask me “How’s Real Estate?” and I answer, “Busy,” they look at me with a shocked expression. “But, according to the news, you should just kill yourself,” they all too often say. I hate to admit it, but in order to stay positive for my job, I have just about cut myself off from the news sources. That way, I can just react to my real life experience of the market, which, as of late, has been very positive.

The problem I face is that when I go home to my wife, I often find her in a state of panic. She often ends up in the throws of a full-blown anxiety attack after listening to all the doom and gloom on the news and NPR. All things considered, I refuse to listen to All Things Considered. I feel strongly that I need to stay positive to bring about a positive change. I’m with President Roosevelt: THE ONLY THING TO FEAR IS FEAR ITSELF.

If you read excerpts from the inaugural speech he gave, when taking office after Hoover and the Great Depression, you’d be shocked to find that it is as applicable and inspiring today as it was so many decades ago. In fact, it is almost like it was written for the president’s speech today.

To me, when I read what was said over 75 years ago, and see how it applies today, I think, “Well, we’ve been here before as a people, and we persevered and prospered, so I have faith will we do it again.” I also realize that despite our best efforts, we may see this darkness return some day, but we need to remember, it’s always darkest before the dawn, but if you look hard enough, you can usually see light at the end of the tunnel; and from where I’m sitting… I see light.

… This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.

...In such a spirit on my part and on yours we face our common difficulties. They concern, thank God, only material things. Values have shrunken to fantastic levels; taxes have risen; our ability to pay has fallen; government of all kinds is faced by serious curtailment of income; the means of exchange are frozen in the currents of trade… Faced by failure of credit they have proposed only the lending of more money… Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort. The joy and moral stimulation of work no longer must be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits. .

…It can be helped by preventing realistically the tragedy of the growing loss through foreclosure of our small homes… We must act and act quickly… there must be a strict supervision of all banking and credits and investments; there must be an end to speculation with other people’s money, and there must be provision for an adequate but sound currency.

…We face the arduous days that lie before us in the warm courage of the national unity; with the clear consciousness of seeking old and precious moral values… We do not distrust the future of essential democracy. The people of the United States have not failed… they want direct, vigorous action.

Source: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Inaugural Address, March 4, 1933, as published in Samuel Rosenman, ed., The Public Papers of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Volume Two: The Year of Crisis, 1933 (New York: Random House, 1938), 11–16.

From where I’m sitting, I can easily see that the glass is both half-full and half-empty, but the issue in Fannin County has been more concerned with what type of liquid is in that glass, and whether or not it was poured in the city or the county. Yes, here in Blue Ridge, things have been pretty dry up to now. This month, the Fannin County Board of Commissioners approved enacting an ordinance to regulate the sale of beer and wine. Oh, change, it is a comin’.

As a lightweight drinker, the lack of having a drink with dinner out really hasn’t significantly impacted me, but over the past few years, I have watched our local governments decision to prohibit the serving of alcohol in licensed establishments take it’s toll on many of our area restaurants. Too many businesses just could not make it financially without the ability to serve a drink with dinner. In light of the economic downturn in the Real Estate market, it’s become a matter of boosting the wavering health of the local economy.

When I first came to Blue Ridge five years ago, I was told by my Real Estate Agent that the main industry in the area was Real Estate; the building and selling of homes. Now that the market has all but shut down that industry countrywide, the ability of other businesses to come in to our area and flourish is a serious necessity.

Now, it only takes one visit to Blue Ridge to know you're in a special place. It’s almost like stepping back into a simpler time, to when life was slower paced and people waved to you as you passed by. They run the little shops, the mom & pops, the unique boutiques and bistros that populate this quaint commonwealth. Most people in this area are happy with making a living, and aren’t trying to make a killing. They work hard, put family first, and know their neighbors. They like the community lifestyle, and they don’t want to see things change. Living here, after living in modern, commercial, suburbia, I can’t say I blame ‘em.

That said; a major concern for area residents here is the possibility of an onslaught of franchise restaurants flooding the area. One thing that makes this area special is the unique shops and eateries that you won’t find anywhere else but here in Blue Ridge. People are fearful of those small businesses being squeezed out by the big food chains, and no one wants to see our quaint, sleepy community become another faceless frantic suburbia. It’s a legitimate concern, but so is an unemployment rate that is doubled from last year 100 percent. Our residents need jobs, and these businesses that may come to town could provide them.

In the end, I believe what will bring about the end of our dry county rules will be this communities caring for it’s citizens. That’s really what makes this place special. It isn’t the antique stores, or the little bistro on the corner. It’s the members of this community that know each other and care for each other. I can actually tell you I know all my neighbors, and they are a lot more spread out than my sardine-like neighbors in my Florida subdivision. In the end, I believe our residents and our county leaders will put the people’s need to make a living, above our need to keep things from changing.

Besides, alcohol isn’t “bad” in itself. Why, even Jesus Christ himself turned water into wine, and served it to the masses. Bet he didn’t even have a liquor law back in those days. People need to remember, excess is the only evil, and only we can overcome that with our own moral character. I believe in the character of the members of this community, and I have no fear of the liquor law turning Blue Ridge into Sin City.

Want immorality in our community? Take away people’s ability to make an honest living and give them no alternatives to make enough money to live. Desperate times can bring about moral decline at the least. Or, bring in new enterprise into the area, create new jobs, and you avoid the den of moral inequity poverty can create.

I must admit, even I hate to see things change, but how silly is that. CHANGE may very well be the only constant in life, and our ability to control life, and stop change is an illusion, at best. Just remember, when things are getting dark, dawn is always just around the corner, and change can be a most welcomed sight.

There’s nothing like that feeling when snow is falling in the mountains. Huge, fluffy white flakes dance around in the breeze, transforming the landscape into a literal winter wonderland. Warm and cozy in your home, you look out from your windows and it’s as if you live inside of a snow globe that’s been perpetually shaken. Nothing beats snuggling in front of a roaring fire, crackling in the fireplace, while you sip a warm cup of cocoa. Nothing, that is, unless you’re still in school.

For my kids, snow takes on a whole different meaning. Although snow means sledding, snowball fights, and the possibility of building a snowman, first and foremost, snow equals days off school, in Blue Ridge, Georgia.

We are blessed to live in a climate where once or twice a year we are blessed with a beautiful blanket of snow. Although we experience the occasional snowfall, there’s not enough activity to actually prepare for snow seasonally. The result is, even with a mere flurry of snow activity, the schools are usually closed. In fact, last week, because the temperatures stayed low, and the snow compacted to ice in the higher elevations, the kids managed to snag three days off, with only 1 actual day of snow.

I grew up in New England, where it took a veritable blizzard to get a day off due to snow. Everyone had snow tires, and plows, and it took at least 10-12 inches to get the schools to actually shut down, so these Georgia “snow days” are rather amusing to me. Not only do the kids get snow days off, they get personally notified the night before.

Growing up, we had to get up in the early morning, as usual, to get read for school, and then we’d listen to the radio, anxiously awaiting our town’s cancellation. Now, with automated phone systems used by the school system, we get a telephone call the night before to inform us there is no school due to inclement weather. My kids not only get the day off school; they get to sleep in, too.

One of my co-workers came in this morning, touting the local newspaper. She’s originally from New York, where, like New England, they get their fair share of snow in the winter. The headline read, CHILDREN ENJOY HEAVY SNOWFALL. “Look at the picture,” she scoffed. “You can see the grass showing through the snow. How do they get off calling this a Heavy Snowfall”?

And that’s what I love about Blue Ridge. Only here, can you get all the beauty, activity and privilege associated with snow, including days off, without ever needing so much as a pair of rubber boots or a shovel. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Whence did the ancient mystic art arise
Of painting speech and speaking to the eyes?
That we, by tracing magic lines, are taught
To colour and embody thought.

To blog, or not to blog…that is the question. I have been tossing this decision around in my head for quite a while now, but blogging is all about getting thoughts out of your head and into the world. My wife has been an avid blogger for several years now, and has developed quite a following, but I must admit I have had been on the fence regarding the whole blogging movement. On the one hand, it requires one to be a bit of an exhibitionist, at times, authors offering a bit TMI, but it also offers a way of connecting and sharing valuable information with others. In my business, listing and selling Real Estate, the new trend is blogging to share related news and information about the area industry, but in the end, personal viewpoints and perspectives are the crayons that color all good blogs.

Up to now, I have been very voyeuristic in my blogging interests. I enjoy the safety of watching others from a distance, with the infrequent adventure of posting a comment, when I’m feeling brave. I have wrestled with the decision of whether or not to take the plunge and venture from the comfort of enjoying my perspective as an observer, to daring to share my perspective and observations with others. I know that when I put it that way, the difference seems minimal, but really, it’s not.

Blogging entails putting your thoughts out there for anyone in the world to see. What is even worse is, unlike in speaking your thoughts, where you can clarify misinterpretations on the spot, a blog puts those thoughts into writing, where you are caught black and white and read-handed, unable to correct or color your intent with tone.

I have also worried about the time commitment blogging can require. Intermittent blogging is somewhat acceptable, but real success in blogging comes from consistency in one’s entries. My job as a Real Estate agent can keep me extremely busy, sometimes seven days a week, and very long hours, so I worry about whether or not I will have the time for an undertaking of this nature?

When I bounced my concerns off my wife, she was actually enthusiastic about the idea of my starting a blog. I think she believes it will grant her some type of mystic access into the inner workings of my mind. More importantly, she has offered to share in the writings of this blog, as I want it to include reports of area interests, and activities, which my wife is always looking for, and partaking in.

I have decided to embark on this blogging journey, and am looking forward to sharing some of my perspectives on the area, the real estate market, and life. So here it is…my first blog entry. Wish me luck. I think I might need it.

www.MarkMovesMountains.com

Questions or comments about this article, contact me at

Mark@MarkMovesMountains.com

If I can be of assistance in your Real Estate endeavors, it would be my privilege to be of service.

© Copyright 2009 – Mark G. Hendry – All rights reserved.