Blue Ridge Georgia (Atlanta, Roswell, Woodstock: real estate, mortgage broker, broker)

[InsideMan]

Have been vacationing in Blue Ridge for the last 3 years. My wife and I love it there. Problem is, every year we go back, the place becomes booming including surrounding towns Elijay, etc. Lowe's, Home Depot, Wal-mart are all building there. We were considering buying property to retire to in the next couple of years, however..................
I just can't believe how many people found out about this area in such a short time! Now we were looking around Hendersonville, NC.
Any comments on these areas?

[Tdiddy0027]

It makes me sick. I drove up 985 a few weeks ago up to Clayton, GA and the traffic and growth was unbelievable. It had changed so much since I last went that way a few years ago. I saw shopping centers and even a couple subdivisions. This can't go on. Those mountain counties really need to try hard at staying pristine and keeping development to a minimum-or at least eco friendly

[atlantagreg30127]

You need to understand that ANYWHERE within an 80 mile radius (or more) of Atlanta is eventually going to be swallowed up by development. Atlanta has been one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. since the early 1980s, and it's still growing at an average rate of 55,000 new people PER YEAR. They have to go somewhere - many go North.

Ever watch Star Trek? The alien race of robots call the "Borg"? "Resistance is futile - you will be assimilated into the collective!". Think of Atlanta as the "collective"... if you live anywhere in the extended area - you will be assimilated.

[Tdiddy0027]

55,000? It's more than that. In the ten ARC counties there has been an average increase of about 96,000 people per year, and that's not including many other growing exurban counties. The Atlanta MSA grows at an average yearly rate of about 120,000 a year

[xxman777]

Fannin County (which Blue Ridge is in) is working to institute strict zoning codes to keep the county rural and keep builders from building on hillsides and ruining the views. The county is expecting a lot of growth in the near future and is currently try to figure out how to manage it. Currently the county doesn't expect to turn into a suburb and instead expects to become a vacation destination.

It is realistic that you will soon see suburban type communities popping up in the county but they are planning for was to stay pristine and rural.

[InsideMan]

Thanks to all for you input. Maybe a friend of mine that will be retiring from the police dept. has the right idea. His intentions are to live somewhere near the Smokies and become a ridge runner. He can be where he wants to be, receive some small compensation, then go back home to visit his wife......hahaha......
Thanks again!

[brian_2]

I was up there last year looking at real estate when visiting family who live in Woodstock & Roswell areas. One problem is the hostility felt toward outsiders buying in No.GA. While many are looking to move up from Elijay to Blue Ridge, many more are looking to cash out and escape the current development taking place up there. Elijay has the relatively recent build out with the typical big box stores that follow the rampup of suburban development, and many established residents opinion about the growth appears negative. When you work with realtors to see some of these mountain creekside places, when you do your internet searches for data, and when you see the number of available properties on the MLS up there - you'll get the idea of the scope of turnover/speculation/demand, which is not to say that all older residents and many newer ones see these changes as negatives. Of course many of these homes are being purchased by second home buyers as investments and to use part of the year to escape the mad traffic of their lives in congested GA. How part-time residences affect a community has been discussed elsewhere - just keep in mind there are lots of them in these areas. Myself, I didn't get a good feeling about the hostility, and/or future growth and traffic. My brother-in-law is a mortgage broker for a big firm & works out of the Woodstock area, my sis is in collections, and what they tell me about the real estate, growth and financial situation of people is not such a pretty picture.

[michele]

My husband and I own a 2nd home in Blue Ridge. It is a beautiful place. Growing up in upstate of SC, my parents had a log cabin on 50 acres in Hendersonville NC. It is beautiful as well. But growth and construction continues to expand. I'd be happy to answer any questions about the area.

[JCarson]

I am one of those "outsiders" that have bought into the Blue Ridge area because of what it is, and because of what it WILL NOT become. Fannin County is only 35% developable (because of the national forest), and of that , a lot is not buildable. I suspect that development will begin to drop off significantly within 5 to 7 years. After that, it will be a wonderful place to live and as is my case, retire. I honestly believe that it will continue to have a distinctly rural dimension, and the people there will be friendly and most important....neighborly.

[JodyH48]

I moved to Ellijay 2 years ago, after buying property 8 years ago. I have seen absolutely no hostility to new people in the community. The current commercial development in Gilmer County is pretty much confined to one development in East Ellijay on Ga 515. While there are a lot of new s/d going in, most are large lots, on septic systems and wells. I would like Gilmer to adopt a more conservative zoning and development ordinance, but I think that contrary to other's opinions, the original natives are selling their property because it makes them rich beyond their wildest dreams. If you had been farming 100 acres all your life and only making a comfortable living and someone came by and offered you $2 million for your farm, what would you do? I suspect, just like them, you would sell to have a secure retirement.