What would the North Georgia Mountains be without the Mountain Real Estate report? Poorer for the experience says I !! Ha. This week we cover a great new listing that can be had for a great price. we also cover why winter is a great time to look at mountain property and homes. We talk about new contract changes in Georgia and the role of the Realtor as well. The Mountain Real Estate report is heard every Thursday on Wyyz Radio and on line her at ActiveRain as well as on our web site www.allmountainrealty.com Enjoy !!! 02/25/2010

For many of you you have seen on TV  the devastation that the ice storms this year caused. If you are in Big Canoe  near the top or on Monument Road in Pickens and Dawson County you have seen downed power lines and snapped trees. It almost looks like a tornado has gone through the area. This brinks me to the point of the post. When you are choosing a location you do not have to live on the tip top of a mountain. I am at 2500 feet and have a great view as well as cool and wonderful summers. Last summer we ran our A/C for the total of a week. So when you are considering the mountains consider North Georgia and consider 1 ridge down from the top. On those windy or stormy winter days you will be glad you did. .Here is the view I am talking about.   I don't know about you but this kind of vi... 02/23/2010

The Mountain Real Estate Report is heard every Thursday on WYYZ Radio . Broadcast out of Jasper Georgia. This weeks show focuses on tips for SELLING your home. If you are in Big Canoe, Bent Tree, Talking Rock Creek, or any of our mountain communities and are looking to sell your home then this show is a must listen for you. All Mountain Realty is proud to be bringing you valuable information whether you are buying ,selling , or investing in our North Georgia Mountains. You can visit us on line at www.allmountainrealty.com to listen to past shows that may be of interest to you. Thank you for listening and enjoy. 02/17/2010

The Mountain Real Estate report is aired every Thursday on WYYZ Radio as well as being simulcast on the web. In this weeks show we talk about the latest market numbers. We also have some 401K investing ideas. We couple this with some public service messages . So we cover a wide range this week in today's real estate market. Hope you enjoy the show 02/10/2010

This morning we awoke to sun and warmer temperatures. I took these photos from my porch as I actually could walk out on it without slipping and sliding. I am reminded of the story of Frosty the Snow Man. Everything is really pretty . But all is melting and may be gone around lunch time or later this afternoon. While it is sad that this beauty will go away it is also good. One of the things about the North Georgia Mountains is that you have 4 seasons. It does get cold and snowy but it is all manageable for the most part. Enjoy I guess I could have gotten up earlier for the sunrise on this but as it is this is really pretty. We had the wood burning stove going great and I was out splitting wood yesterday !!! If you are looking for the mountains the North Georgia Mountains are a great plac... 01/31/2010

As many of you know I do volunteer fire work. Last night we got a call out for a fire. I have posted safety tips in the past. I only post tips when a situation is odd and is something you could do with out thinking. Last night was one of those times. OK you have a great roaring fire going in the fireplace. This is one of the joys of mountain living. Maybe you have a take out dinner with some wine and decide to throw the bag, paper, the dinner came in on the fire. So far so good. But here what happened. The fire was hot so the heat pushed the bag up the chimney and the burning bag was trapped at the chimney top. The chimney looked like it was on fire and the bag blocked the exit for the smoke so smoke poured into the home , again making the home owner think there was a fire. In the end w... 01/28/2010

The Mountain Real Estate report is heard every Thursday on Wyyz Radio. In this weeks report we cover some of the sweeping changes that effect loans. These new regulations will impact all. While we hit some of the highlights of the changes in this report it is advised that you talk to your local boards or your real estate professional for additional information. Enjoy 01/21/2010

The Mountain Real Estate Report is heard every Thursday through out the North Georgia Mountains. This weeks show focuses on preventing or dealing with foreclosure situations. We also have some great property to sell. We talk about the market in General and try to put some of the numbers that are coming out in perspective. Enjoy the show. 01/14/2010

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about the coming winter and what you should do to be safe from a fire perspective. Since that post I have been out on 2 calls and listened to a third one. So I think since they all had the same cause it is time to update the blog. You are in your mountain home in the winter. You have a great fire going. It is time to go to bed . What do you do? You could time your logs so you have them burn down. So far so good. But then you have the hot ashes. Some folks have decided to take them outside and dump them. Cold does not mean fire proof. . So with leaves etc I have been on two calls in the cold at night because of this. Your fire place is made to keep the ashes. Make sure you have good screens. Also if you are in the mountains for a weekend and figure y... 01/13/2010

We are all staying home today and working out of our home offices. We had some snow and I think we may be in for a couple of days. Glad I made the food and wine run yesterday This is how thinks looked a little after day break from my back porch This photo is looking up at Sanderlin Mountain  in Big Canoe. No matter what time of the year it is pretty in the mountains. This snow may last a day or 2 and nobody is go anywhere soon Today is a great day to reach me as i am going to be in all day. Talk to us at All Mountain Realty about a great mountain get away 01/08/2010

Here's a fixer-Upper! It's a pretty famous building about 15 minutes from Big Canoe in the foothills of North Georgia. Who can guess what it is: Here are a few hints: It's on Yellow Creek Rd, originally part of the Old Federal Highway, and it wasn't a house. It looks like the house in the Blair Witch Project but there's nothing scry about it. I've only been here in Pickens County for about 5 years but all the local historians know about it. Does that help? 12/30/2009

As many of you know I do volunteer fire fighting here in the mountains. This time of the year is the worst for fires. They usually start around the Christmas tree, or a fire left to burn in the fire place with out being secure properly. Lets talk a minute about the Christmas tree. Most people are careful about their lights as the bulbs get hot. But the tree can usually take a whole bunch of heat. Now you should not leave the lights on over night of course. The real problem is the chords for the lights. The fires are mostly started by multiple strings of lights on extension chords. Eventually the chords short . The spark from the shorting chord is what sets the fire. So check your chords and make sure you do not over load them. This is the cause of most Christmas tree fires not heat from... 12/25/2009

I am now seeing signs here in the mountains that say Merry Christmas. These signs are replacing the happy holidays signs.  I am all for this. Personally you should advertise holidays period. So say Happy Hanukkah for example. I am not Jewish, but why should I be offended?  The answer is I should not. We as a nation were founded on principles, which among others, include religious freedom. So Vishnu bless you, or happy Ramadon, or, or, or, ....etc. Personally I think if more folks were truely spiritual, whatever that means for them, we would live in a better place. I get TIRED of folks making me conform to their wishes because they might be upset. This goes for religious folks as well as non religious folks. As this is the Christian season of hope and good will how about we all latch on ... 12/21/2009

Let's face it the market is tough. Some one who says no problem I can sell your home you may need to run from. At ALL MOUNTAIN REALTY here is what we can do for you. We will give you a good estimate of value based on research. We will list you on over 30 web sites We will talk about you on the Radio on the Mountain Real Estate Report We will present you property at our local board meetings We will put you on our company web site which has over 800 back links We will blog about you on ActiveRain. We will present your property, as part of our web site, often on the first page of Google. We do not want to get to know you for a long time. But we do value and respect you. We do not want to say we have X number of listings. We do not, no offense intended, want to make you a fixture in our com... 12/21/2009

some times it is hard to get going in the morning. But when you can get up and look at these kinds of sunrises it is some how easier. I think it is interesting that in the winter it gets cold and the leaves are all off the trees. Yet in the winter we have the best sunrises. So God gives and takes and for the cold and the brown that we get , we are given a great start of day in return. I don't know about you but I get up with my cup of coffee every day just to watch this happen. It gets me going.     12/16/2009

The Mountain Real Estate Report is heard every Thursday on WYYZ Radio in the North Georgia Mountains. It is sponsored in part by Capital Mortgage and The Steve Moranos Allstate Agency. If you are in North Georgia looking for a good lender or a company that will work with you to get your buyers insured give us a call at 706 579 1098. We will put you in touch with these great folks During this show Linda and I talk about what it means to be a smart buyer. Look for Value not labels. Enjoy ! 12/09/2009

If you are looking for a home in Big Canoe this is a great time to buy. Prices are really good right now. Yes you will have association fees but you do get a lot of things for your money. As my wife and I drive and look at beautiful North Georgia scenes we always end up saying, "OK after we sit on the porch for a couple of days then what?" Many folks who live and want to live in the mountains end up making the this mistake. They buy out in the country. Now this is fine if you want to farm or have hobbies that need room. But at the end of the day social interaction is part of the human condition. So you can be in a great mountain setting and if you wish, attend clubs, or play sports, or hike and fish and do tons of outdoor things then a community with amenities may be for you. Big Canoe ... 11/08/2009

I have posted a day like this before. But for those who have missed it I am posting sunrise today. No matter what you stop in the morning and say thank you for the day when it looks like this. So as the sun comes over the mountains this is the view from our deck. The second photo is through one of the wholes in the canopy This is Big Canoe and just one of the vistas. Homes start in the low 200's and work their way up. You can find some condos and "tree toppers " for under 200,000. So you know this view is from a house that today would be around 250 if you were to buy. 10/22/2009

Big Canoe is a unique mountain community. It is now fall and activity slows. But if you are looking for mountain property NOW is a great time to see Big Canoe. You can see it with the leaves off the trees. So you will see the exactly out of things . It is also a good time to buy as many folks who are here seasonally do not want to carry a home through the winter. So if you are looking for a mountain home with  golf, tennis, hiking trails, theater, pools, boccie, fitness center, 1/3 set aside green space, in house fire and police, gated, , with deer, turkey ,bear, fox,eagles, and so much more consider Big Canoe. The pros here at All Mountain Realty are you community experts that will help you discover this great mountain treasure. 10/17/2009

The pendulum is swinging wildly in our market. We as Realtors and Mortgage folks are constant having to adjust to a barrage of new Government regulations and guide lines. The fact of the matter is it was the fault of those were were supposed to regulate that were snoozing at the wheel that caused this problem. Now they have had a pot of caffeinated coffee and are hyper. One of the victims of this hyper activity is the Stated income Loan. This loan has lovingly been referred to by some as the "liars" loan. But here are the facts. NOBODY that got a W-2 should have been allowed to do a stated income loan.The stated income loan was meant for folks with good credit scores, a history of paying on time, who were in business for themselves. Many of these folks today are finding it hard to re-mo... 10/10/2009