How I Spent My Summer Vacation Real estate agents don’t like to leave town - something always happens when they do. In fact, my husband likes to say that I should leave more often since I always seem to get new business when I’m gone. But there is one get-away I never want to miss - visiting with good friends at their lake house in Lake Burton, Georgia. Yes, I never heard of it either until I went there. Lake Burton is the largest of several lakes that were originally the Tallulah River. The original town of Burton is now buried underwater. Our friends lived in Atlanta for many years and Lake Burton (nearest town is Clayton) is a popular vacation spot for the well-to-do in Atlanta. Homes on Lake Burton are not that different from homes in Winnetka or the North Shore - magnificent and pr... 09/06/2018

Last Thanksgiving, I wrote about my old friend, Mr. Ed, an 88 year old World War II veteran who had just celebrated what we felt was his last Thanksgiving.  His poor old body was worn out, but his mind was still good enough to give thanks for Christmas and to celebrate the arrival of the new year. But, a couple of weeks ago, that tired body gave up the fight and Mr. Ed left us early in the morning. His funeral was held on Wednesday morning in Gallatin, Tennessee.  Visitation was the previous afternoon and hundreds of his friends and the residents of Gallatin who had known him and his family for 80 years gathered to pay their respects.  His three children were there and most of their children were there,too.  Everyone who could come dropped by to pay their respects.  It was as it should ... 01/31/2010

Our local Rabun County Board of Realtors just passed a vote to change to Georgia MLS. Till now we have had or own local system.  The thought was only we could list the properties in our county in the MLS system so listing with a local agent was the only sensible solution for a seller. We thought it a little irresponsible for an agent from another area to list because the local agents would not see it on our MLS system.  Of course, I still believe it makes more sense to list with an agent that lives in the area of your property for sale, but sellers do have a choice. It will be interesting to see how this plays out but it could open the market both ways in a positive manner. When the market saw a slow down we saw more traffic from out of town agents bringing in customers to show property... 04/08/2009

March 2009 Rabun County Events       2         Monday                 ANTIQUE AUCTION Golden Memories Auction Company, 5 p.m. www.goldenmemoriesauctions.com   10        Tuesday               FULL MOON SUSPENSION HIKE AT TALLULAH GORGE Tallulah Gorge State Park, 7 p.m. www.gastateparks.org/info/tallulah   12      Thursday                CLAYTON MUSIC, LITERARY AND VISUAL ARTS CLUB Clayton Rock House, 2 pm Guests and visitors welcome. For more info, please call Ron Arden, 706.212.0230.   14     Saturday                           CELEBRATE ST. PATRICK'S AT TIGER MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS with Irish cheeses paired with six award-winning wines and Irish fiddling by Marie Dunkle and Kelly Smith. Hours: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission: $10 The winery is located at 2592 Old Highway 441, Tiger. See www.tig... 03/10/2009

The sun is shining. The sky is blue. We're in the mountains. Wish you were here,too! Seriously, this is a great weekend to hop in the car and ride up to Georgia's Mountain Lakes.  The leaves aren't yet on the trees and you can see forever! If you would like to ride through and see Waterfall at Lake Burton - let me know.  I'll be here all weekend. Take 985 toward Gainesville and keep on coming to Clayton. Take a left onto Ga Highway 76 and head west for 10 miles.  You'll cross over a bridge over Lake Burton and then Waterfall will be on your right. Hope to see you!   03/05/2009

Spring Comes To The Mountains of NE Georgia My first spring spent in Rabun County was heralded with the blooming of one tree in particular that I'd never seen before.  Covered in small white blossoms, the trees were obviously native because they were sprinkled all over the faces of the mountains.  Since no other trees yet had any leaves and nothing else was yet blooming, I began to ask my newly made acquaintances about the tree.The first lady I asked told me it was a wild plum.  Now, I've seen wild plums before and know that they tend to be more bushy, but I thanked her and went on my way. The next fellow told me that trees covered in white blossoms were dogwoods.  Now, I definitely knew better than that.  Having lived in the south all my life, not only do I know a dogwood when it is bl... 03/02/2009

Waterfall at Lake Burton is a private golf community with gated access. It is situated on a mountain top overlooking the pristine waters of Lake Burton and layers of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.  Below you will find facts and information about the club and the development.  If you would like more information or if you are going to be visiting the area and would like to see Waterfall, please contact Lynda Hester at 770-480-5161 or by email at lynda@lyndahester.com. WATERFALL AT LAKE BURTON Development Size: 450 +/- Acres (Approximately 198 individual home sites)  Location: Clayton, Georgia (Rabun County) - the most north-eastern county in the state.  Approximately 76% of Rabun County is protected from further development by being either a part of the U.S. National Forrest or Ge... 02/17/2009

  Lake Burton Facts Lake Burton covers 2,775 acres and has 62 miles of shoreline It is the highest Georgia Power Lake in Georgia Elevation is 1,866,5 feet above sea level Of the total 1,172 lake lots, 328 are fee simple lots and 844 are Georgia Power lease lots.... 72% of the total lots are Georgia Power lease lots. Lake Burton History In the early 1800's until the time of its removal in 1917, the town of Burton was the largest community in Rabun County with a population of approx 200.  The Tallulah River supplied power for number businesses in and near the city.  Commerce grew and by the time the town was bought by the Georgia Railway and Electric Company in 1917 it boasted three general stores.  One of the purchasing agents for the railroad was John LaPrade, whose land on what now is ... 02/17/2009

  The MAGIC of LAKE BURTON Day dreaming while riding in a boat on Lake Burton, it's easy to forget the troubles that plague your life. Comfort is inevitably found in the gentle rocking motion of the vessel and the sound of lapping waves as you stare into the robin's egg blue sky and watch the Red Tail hawks and an occasional bald eagle soar overhead.  Life on Lake Burton is simple, yet sophisticated.  The mix of lifestyles is evident as are the variations of architectural styles of both the homes and the boat houses.  While some houses are large and elaborate, others are quaint and their humble beginnings as mere fish camps are obvious.  It's always fun to take first time visitors for a tour around the lakeshore to look at the boathouses.  Many are more elegantly constructed than the ho... 02/17/2009

The New York Times recently referred to Georgia's 'mountain-lakes' area as 'the Hamptons of Atlanta".  Rabun County, Georgia - "Where Spring spends the Summer" - is unique in that while the area can be accessed in under two hours from any part of metro Atlanta, Asheville, Greenville, Gainesville or Athens, these mountain lakes are still a well-kept secret.  The three lakes in Rabun County are Lakes Burton, Seed and Rabun.  All three were built in the early 1900s by Georgia Power and remain three of the most pristine lakes in the United States.  Fed by the Talulah River and numerous smaller tributaries ,but no longer used primarily for producing hydro-electric power,  the lakes offer boating and water sports and numerous other opportunities for family fun.  In addition, visitors and resi... 02/17/2009

The New York Times recently referred to Georgia's 'mountain-lakes' area as 'the Hamptons of Atlanta".  Rabun County, Georgia - "Where Spring spends the Summer" - is unique in that while the area can be accessed in under two hours from any part of metro Atlanta, Asheville, Greenville, Gainesville or Athens, these mountain lakes are still a well-kept secret.  The three lakes in Rabun County are Lakes Burton, Seed and Rabun.  All three were built in the early 1900s by Georgia Power and remain three of the most pristine lakes in the United States.  Fed by the Talulah River and numerous smaller tributaries ,but no longer used primarily for producing hydro-electric power,  the lakes offer boating and water sports and numerous other opportunities for family fun.  In addition, visitors and resi... 02/16/2009

Dear Friends, For such an 'out of the main stream' place, there is a lot going on in Rabun County! I'm going to try to keep you updated on a regular basis about things to do and special events, but if you ever have a question about planned events in this area, feel free to send me a message and I'll find the answer to your question. Come to see us! Your friend in Georgia's Mountain Lakes, Lynda Hester Rabun County Upcoming February Events 14-15 WINE & CHOCOLATE WEEKEND at Tiger Mountain Vineyards in Tiger 15 OPENING OF NEW EXHIBIT & RECEPTION Georgia Heritage Center for the Arts 16 ANTIQUE AUCTION Golden Memories Auction Company in Mountain City 19-21 CIRQUE VIII "Baggio" Rearden Theater, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School in Rabun Gap 21 MARDI GRAS NEW ORLEANS DINNER at The Beechwood Inn in C... 02/13/2009

It's early in the morning as I write this and my head is filled with memories of Saturday, February 14, 1976.  It was my father's 50th birthday. Our family had always celebrated Valentine's Day in a special way, probably because it was Dad's birthday, too, but my elementary school years were a time when we made Valentine Boxes out of discarded cigar boxes begged from the local mercantile.  Covered with fancy paper, lacey cutouts made from doilies and sprinkled liberally with glitter, I'd never seen anything prettier. And the joy of finding a Valentine in that box from every child in the class!  Some were given more weight than others of course.  To have a Valentine that read, "Will you be mine?", and signed by a cute - normally shy- little boy who sat two rows over was cause for days an... 02/13/2009

There is so much information available on the Active Rain blogs.  It's just about mind boggling ( that's boggling - not bloggling). I've been reading and reading in the hope of finding something I could comment on knowledgeably and perhaps be a bit of help to someone else since I've been learning all sorts of things reading blog after blog after blog.  In fact, I was beginning to get a bit bogged (not blogged) down when I ran across a posting asking why many times there is a such great disparity in the suggested prices given by Realtors who visit open houses.  Now, that's a question for which I have an answer as well as a tip that really works! The Realtor who hosts the open house and asks the agents who attend to record their best idea of the market value of the property is generally t... 02/13/2009

For those who would like to have the most recent news about the stimulus bill and the proposed housing credit. This information was taken directly from the email sent this afternoon from NAR Goverment Affairs. Please note the changes to the Homebuyer Tax Credit. TO: State and Local Association Government Affairs and Communications Directors FROM: NAR Government Affairs RE: Economic Stimulus Bill DATE: 12 February 2009 The Economic Stimulus Bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, H.R. 1.) has been reconciled by the House and Senate. The details of the legislation have not been finalized but we expect the legislation to include a number of important housing provisions, including the remedies for the housing crisis that NAR prescribed at the annual meeting in Orlando, Flo... 02/12/2009

It's what each of us who works in the luxury and resort real estate market hopes will happen...one day the phone will ring and there will be someone whose name is recognized in most households  asking about a listing. First thought," Okay, which one of my friends is pulling my leg?" Second thought, " Oh my gosh, is this really _________?" Third thought, " Try not to sound 'star struck'." After all those thoughts fly around for a bit, we come to discover that many of these folks aren't so different from us.  They want a place where they can have a quiet dinner with friends and no one asking for their autograph.  They want to be able to get out of their boats at the local marina and have a hamburger with their kids without having body guards hanging around.  They want to be able to sunbat... 02/12/2009

Although I was very busy in the last few days showing property, I always manage to to take a few photos here and there. Today, my adventures took me near Black Rock Mountain State Park in Clayton Georgia. So I decided to take a quick detour and take the short hike to Ada-Hi Falls. The falls don't have a lot of volume, but they are over 50 feet tall and easily accesses after a quarter mile hike. Although the short trek consumed less then an hour of my time, I was refreshed and a bit invigorated after the climb back to the car! There is beauty all around us, if we just take the time to enjoy it! All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of ER... 01/10/2009

One of my many avocations is being an e-PRO Trainer for the National Association of Realtors and the Internet Crusade who administer the certification for NAR. This involved traveling to nearby boards and associations of Realtors to deliver the e-PRO message and give a short presentation about what the course will do for you to bring you up to speed with today's technology. Yesterday (July 24th) I had two associations to visit. First up was the Haywood County Association of Realtors located in beautiful Waynesville, North Carolina and about a hundred miles southeast of Knoxville. It's a beautiful drive along Interstate 40 skirting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I was here last year; great people, and Lisa Brown the AE is a e-PRO graduate. She told me she was able to build the ... 07/24/2008

IT'S FINALLY GETTING WARMER IN THE  MOUNTAINS--TODAY'S TEMPERATURE SHOULD BE 65 AND SUNNY!  AND THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IS HEATING UP, TOO!  SINCE JANUARY, WE ARE NOTICING ANXIOUS BUYERS READY TO LOOK SERIOUSLY!  THE INTEREST RATES HAVE DROPPED, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW 1031 EXCHANGES THAT ARE IDENTIFYING PROPERTIES, AND THERE ARE CASH OUTS FROM REFINANCING AT THE LOWER RATES.  THOSE PEOPLE WITH CASH OUTS ARE TAKING THEIR CASH AND BUYING SECOND HOMES. PRICING IS HOLDING STEADY FOR TWO REASONS--OUR COUNTY IS 70% NATIONAL FOREST--USFS--WHICH INCLUDES GA. POWER LEASE LOTS ON OUR THREE BEAUTIFUL LAKES, AND WE DON'T HAVE MANY SUBDIVISIONS, SO THERE ARE VERY FEW NEW HOMES JUST SITTING AND WAITING FOR A BUYER.  A BUILDER WILL BUILD ONE HOME AND NOT BUILD ANOTHER UNTIL THAT ONE SELLS.  I AM TROUBLE... 03/02/2008