Jeanne Dufort, Madison and Lake Oconee GA

Madison Georgia horse farm owners will gather on November 15 to learn more about how property taxes are assessed on farm properties.

Georgia has a statewide program known as CUVA - conservation use valuation assessment - where qualified farm owners can reduce taxes on their land and farm buildings in exchange for a 10 year commitment to keeping the land in bonafide agricultural production.

Some people call it "welfare for farmers"

Other call it sensible tax policy, especially in light of the "Cost of Community Services" that documents how different land uses affect our local budget.

For example, comercial and industrial properties generally require substantial local expense for roads and bridges and police and fire safety.

Residential properties also create expense for that, plus health care and education.

Land in agriculture or timber production has a very low impact on those big ticket items on our local budgets.

CUVA helps ensure that farm owners pay their fair share of property taxes, considering the reduced cost of farming to local community budgets.

You can read the report at the Madison Morgan Conservancy's website .

Chris McCauley, executive director of the MMC will speak about this topic at the Morgan County Horsemans Association meeting on Monday, November 15, at Southern Cross Ranch in Madison. Dinner is served at 6pm sharp.

The Morgan County Horseman's Association is a non-profit group dedicated to promoting the horse industry in Morgan County Georgia. We will be having featured speakers and events throughout the year, including the annual fundraiser, EquiFest.

Sunday morning, 11am.

I'm relaxing watching the Sunday morning talk shows and preparing for a road trip, when my cell phone rings. Its a metro Atlanta exchange, so it might be a buyer calling about one of my listings.

Hello.

Hi this is Suzie-Q, and I'm working on an appraisal and I need some information about 123 Anywhere Street.

Hmnnn, this is a pending home, and I represent the buyer. So why is she calling me instead of the listing agent? As a very active listing agent, I get calls from appraisers all the time.

I'm sorry to bother you, says Suzie-Q, but as you know the listing agent is Idontdomuch Realty, and they won't ever return my phone calls. I'm working on a re-fi project, and have been asked to include pendings and actives in my report.

I practice the golden rule, so I chat with her for a bit and help her as best I can. In return, she shares with me some of her observations about my local market. A good exchange all around, and we both go on our way.

Why does this matter to a seller, you may inquire? Well, every opportunity I have to learn about local market conditions benefits my sellers when we are making critical pricing decisions.

Strategic advice is just one of many value-added services a full-time, full-service agent will provide. When its time to select a listing agent, be sure you understand the range of services available to you, and why they may be critical to your success.

I specialize in land and rural properties in the Madison and Lake Oconee area. Full service is the only way I do business.

Not enough jobs. Balancing the state budget. Stress on small businesses. Funding a struggling public education system.

Georgia faces tough problems, and in a few weeks we will go to the polls to choose the political leaders who will shape public policy for the next few years.

Have you asked your candidates whether they support allowing the people of Georgia to choose whether Horse Racing and Parimutuel Gaming should become legal.

The horse racing industry will create more than 10,000 new jobs, boost our local agri-businesses and land values, and raise money to bolster the HOPE scholarship program. If there is a new industry interested in coming to Georgia that could have a bigger immediate impact, I'm not aware of it.

I've asked mine.

Georgia House

District 113 (north Morgan): Suzy Compere (D) - yes. Hank Huckaby (R) - undecided.

District 112: Doug Holt (R-incumbant) - undecided

Georgia Senate

District 25 Floyd Griffen (D) - yes. Johnny Grant (R-incumbant) - undeclared.

Before you go to the polls - consider this. Don't you want to elect someone prepared to make bold choices to bring Georgia out of this slump.

For more information, check out http://www.geepforgeorgia.com/

Is the Lake Oconee real estate market on the road to recovery?

No one has a crystal ball, of course, but signs are pointing to a recovery.

Year to date sales volume through September 30 is up 20.8% compared to the same period in 2009, according to statistics compiled by the Lake Country Board of Realtors.

More Lake Oconee private lakefront homes have been sold in three quarters of 2010 than were sold in all of 2009, and the average price is up 25%!

Lakefront lot sales continue to be sluggish - perhaps because most buyers can buy more home than they can build in today's market.

If you want to take advantage of the current buyer's market for Lake Oconee re-sale homes and lots - give me a call.

Madison Georgia has a new source for locally grown food!

Madison and the greater Morgan County area is experiencing a resurgent of small family farms practicing sustainable agriculture, and Madison Locally Grown provides an easy way for locals and small farmers to connect.

Its even better than a farmers market - your order is harvested fresh for you and available right in downtown Madison each Wednesday afternoon, at the Madison Produce Company near the Courthouse.

From free range eggs, to milk and cheese, to grass fed beef and hogs and pastured chickens, plus honey and seasonal fruits and vegetables - if you and your family care about eating well you simply must make Madison Locally grown part of your weekly routine.

0ur temperate climate and farm friendly atmosphere make Madison and Morgan County Georgia well suited to support family farms. And we're conveniently centered - between Atlanta and Augusta along I-20, and between Athens and Macon along Hwy 129.

If you or someone you know wants to know more about the good life here in Madison - give me a call. I specialise in farms and rural properties, and I'd love to help you discover if this area is perfect for you.