Karin Elliott

I have a great fully furnished listing in the Big Canoe Community that is the star of the show as far as my listings go! This home is only 3 years new and has probably been slept in less than 30 nights total. Four bedrooms and 3.5 baths with ample deck space and a 2 car detached garage. The owners have recently vista pruned for an even better view. Walk to the marina or even the pool. enjoy a gentle snowfall while warming up in frront of either of 2 stone fireplaces. Only a short drive to the North Gate. This would make a great weekender, full timer or even a rental. Pictures are way better than writing. Please see my link for big pics. This home is only 399K!

Big Canoe is a gated golf, lake, mountain resort community with swimming, fishing, tennis, clubhouse/restaurant, miles of waterfall laden trails, and all the peace and quiet you can handle!

In Big Canoe, like all over the country, investment properties are hot right now, really hot.. Buyers want to snap up a home, or condo that will either pay it's own mortgage through full time renters or pay for part of the mortgage with weekend rentals. Sellers with seconds home want it rented because they want the income as long as they still own the home. I had NO problem with this whatsoever until now.

I have had a listing for years that has great potential. It's centrally located in Big Canoe, fully furnished and the price was just reduced to "nearly ridiculous". It needs work but the price reflects that. This home has proven to be a great weekend rental. It's so great that I was unable to show it on the weekends due to all the renters. However the owner has now put it on a month to month rental with full time occupants that I call the renters from you know where and here is why:

• They don't return calls
• They are always home but don't answer the door.
• They have moved all the remains of their prior home into this small 2 br furnished rental
• They cancel appointments at the last minute
• They have used up all the parking spots with tarp covered work trucks

I have firmly called the owner/my client several times about it. We even had an offer site unseen that actually got to due diligence but was canceled only because of the location on the corner. My client doesn't seem to want to be bothered with it and I'm stuck on the phone with agents that are aggravated because they can't show it. He MUST be getting letters from the POA because of the cars but hasn't told me. I know this guy needs to sell his house and I really believe it will sell if these folks move out.

For the record I know I will be upside down with this listing even if I sell it myself. I don't need the aggrivation but I don't want to dump the listing. This is one for the books...Any advice?

Oh please take the time to read through my last few posts starting from last Tuesday. You will see the progression of fiery excitement due to the pending snow in Big Canoe.

Here's the Readers Digest Version

Day One, Tuesday:we get the call that there would be a half day on Wednesday due to the fore-casted snow for the afternoon. My husband (Grrrrr) shouts out in front of the kids "Let's just keep them home all day". So we did.

Day Two, Wednesday:Spent over half the day saying "I don't know when the snow will start"! It finally started around 2ish

Day Three, Thursday:School was canceled because there really was snow! This was the best day of all. Lots of snow, sledding, hikes, and fun.

Day Four, Friday: Snow on ground, NO SCHOOL. I'm sore now from all the sledding and hiking. The kids are not. SO I had to be outside to keep my eye on them. Still had fun hiking to the waterfalls.

Day Five, Saturday: The roads were plowed but icy and kind of gross. Ventured out to the store to get much needed red wine and munchies. The kids are now bored and relying on us for entertainment.

Day 6, Sunday:Ventured out again to Alpharetta with the kids to see my mom who was driving through to LA from NJ. Feeling happy that life will get back to normal soon!

Day 7, Monday:SCHOOL CLOSED! Big Canoe roads were ok but some of the main roads outside the gates were too icy for buses. Grrr!!! THE PHONE RINGS AROUND 5:00..............NO SCHOOL FOR TUESDAY!

Not to Sound EVIL but...HELP!!!! It's been nearly a month of having my wonderful children home...but I'm Ready to get back to work.

I am writing my second post tonight because I was inspired by a fairly new AR member, Sue Neff. Real estate is such a wide open field. You have a license and can sell anything you want as long as it's in the category of real estate. BUT, the big questions is, WHAT is your specialty?

From the eyes of a potential buyer, if I am looking for a certain type of property or a certain neighborhood I don't just want any old agent, I want an expert in the field, aka a specialist. I consider myself a "Specialist" in Big Canoe, Georgia and I consider myself "an agent" in Snellville, GA which is about 60 miles away. Big Canoe is where I live and what I love. I know all about it and rarely have to flip through any books to get info. 99% of it is in my head.

What is your specialty? Sue specializes in horse properties in Tennessee. She has and knows horses. I would not ask Sue to show me apartments in Chattanooga unless she was a family member or good friend. She would probably be happy to help you find an apartment, but it isn't where her heart is. I know horse lovers, and she has truly found her niche. As a horse lover myself (but not yet a horse owner) I admire her for not spreading herself our to thin and sticking to her guns! good Job Sue!

Be a specialist and you can make an honest living selling what you know and love!

(Now I have to find an appropriate picture for this post??? Hmmm?)

Karin Elliott, IBA Mountain Homes

So many of my buyers come from Atlanta looking to live in Big Canoe but they don't want to drive the extra 20-25 minutes once they reach the gates. They want to enjoy life in a gated resort community full time rather than owning a second home here and they are willing to make the 1 hour commute into Atlanta. Blackwell Creek is the perfect commuter neighborhood and the homes there have become very affordable.

Blackwell Creek has trails that meander through a hemlock forest and a crystal clear and wide creek with mossy boulders and abundant wildlife. A quick run on the trails either in the morning or after a stressful day of work feels exhilarating. Big Canoe's amenities include golf, tennis, pools, a state of the art fitness center, fishing, and a marina.

This is my listing in Blackwell Creek. Approximately 6000+ square feet with 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths , 4 stone fireplaces and a 3 car garage. The chef's kitchen has all high end ss appliances including a built in wine cooler, double ovens, gas range and gorgeous granite counter tops. The seasonal view lot is very private and located at the end of a quiet cul de sac, perfect for children.

For more pictures and info about 9369 Wilderness Trail, please click on this link

The Atlanta traffic will always be there, so why not make the extra drive and come home to serenity in Big Canoe?

Karin Elliott, IBA Mountain Homes