Pickens County

Starting next year (2009), it appears another educational opportunity will be available to residents of Pickens County, GA. Recently announced was an agreement between Gilmer County officials and the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, to establish a new instructional site in downtown Ellijay, administered by Dalton State College. This facility would allow students to pursue a

The new catch-phrase in Pickens County GA real estate, as with markets across the country, is "possible short-sale". In real estate terms, a short sale is the sale of a home for less than what is owed to the lender. This usually occurs when the borrower is substantially behind on mortgage payments and is faced with foreclosure, but in which the lender is willing to take an upfront loss rather

So, the voters have spoken once again (at least a narrow majority of those who actually voted), granting Pickens County GA officials permission to allocate $17-million dollars of a new SPLOST -- replacing the one about to expire -- toward either rebuilding or remodeling the present courthouse located on Main Street in Jasper. Fair enough. Justice needs a home. WARNING: Editorial content to

To continue on the topic of septic tank requirements in and around Jasper, GA . . . As previously posted on this subject, there are certain things for both buyers and sellers of homes and land in Pickens County GA to keep in mind when dealing with property requiring an on-site (septic) sewer system, rather than public sewer service. In Pickens County GA, for new development(s) with septic

Although not one of the most thrilling of topics to cover, it's one about which I quite routinely encounter questions . . . and one that anyone looking Pickens County, Georgia, homes for sale should keep in mind. As the title suggests, I'm speaking of the requirements for sewer, or more specifically, septic tank, systems in Pickens County, GA. (Told you it wasn't fun!) Generally, inside the

To follow up on my previous post regarding FHA loan limits in Pickens County GA, and FNMA / FMAC conforming loan amounts for the Jasper GA area, we finally have some answers. As of March 5, 2008, For the ATLANTA-SANDY SPRINGS-MARIETTA, Georgia (MSA ) which includes Pickens County, the good news is that the revised FHA mortgage limit is up to $346,250 for single-family housing. An increase from

For those of my blog readers / subscribers who also use my website to access listings of homes and land for sale in the Pickens County and North Georgia area, I have added a new functionality to make the search easier. Aside from my home page map showing Pickens County schools and neighborhoods (a partial list anyway . . . I'm adding when I get the chance!

A review of foreclosure sales data in Pickens County GA for the past three years (at least for those foreclosed bank owned homes that were listed in real estate), reveals one surprising fact . . . The number of foreclosure homes sold in the Jasper Georgia area actually declined from 2006 to 2007. With all the talk of a foreclosure crisis, the opposite outcome would be expected, but the number

In looking at foreclosure numbers for Jasper Georgia and surrounding parts of Pickens County (Tate, Nelson, Talking Rock, Marblehill, Ranger, etc.), my last post on the subject argued that the foreclosure numbers for Pickens weren't any cause for alarm. While I still maintain that position for right now, unfortunately, the statistics are looking a little less favorable . . . for those wanting to

Market activity for home and land sales in Jasper and Pickens County, GA, as we go into the holiday season, is something of a mixed bag . . . On the downside, inventory levels of houses for sale has climbed to 17.7 months. There are currently 615 active home listings in Pickens County, but only 417 homes have sold in the past 12-months (heightening the importance of sellers pricing their home

It's been a long time in coming, but I'm finally getting around to adding a few more images of Jasper and the Pickens County area. I will try to do better, (but no promises). Burnt Mountain, as seen from from Jasper. (Behind Crescent Bank in the Ingles shopping center). Burnt Mountain and Mount Oglethorpe hold claim to being the highest points in Pickens County, with peaks that reach

What a great place.  With several things to offer, it is a perfect family retreat.  Tennis Courts, 2 Playgrounds, Fishing Docks, Picnic Tables - this park offers something for every age.  It has a large playground that includes 4 slides, 4 swings, a wooden train, and a sand box - what else could a child ask for? The park also has a smaller playground that is very "toddler friendly."  The park’s walking trail is built around a lake.  Fishing and feeding ducks are a few more activities my boys love.  This park is in the heart of Jasper, a growing city in the mountains.  Take a picnic and enjoy the quiet ambiance of nature.  Brown Park is perfect for all times of the day.  A nice, cool morning stroll, a mid-day break, or an evening escape for the family. Share This

A snapshot of developed residential lots and raw land listed for sale in Pickens County, Georgia, reveals a total of 631 parcels (162 land tracts and 469 developed lots) for sale. A breakdown of these properties for sale in and around Jasper is as follows . . . For ACTIVE listings: Average Lot size is 2.76 acres at an average list price of $95,146Undeveloped Land averages 24.4 acres per parcel,

It's fall festival time in North Georgia again. With the leaves changing color and the roads filled with visitors, October is loaded with things to do and festivals to check out. Here are the dates for the Pickens & Gilmer festivals, with some happenings further afield included at the end: PICKENS COUNTY Jasper Georgia Marble Festival Sat & Sun, October 6 & 7, 2007. Here in Jasper, the

News on the foreclosure front doesn't seem to be getting much better for most of the country, and with continued rumblings about it possibly getting worse. With a couple of million homeowners looking at further ARM adjustments and increased payments in the near future, things could get even tighter as lenders disregard common sense in self-destructively digging every last dime from the shattered

A recent spate of Letters to the Editor in the local Pickens Progress newspaper have related to the Pickens County GA school system in two regards. The first was the dress code implemented by the school board, which proved to be quite a divisive issue, and more recently, there has been some sentiment from seniors against having to pay property taxes used to fund the school system's budget (that

A recent spate of Letters to the Editor in the local Pickens Progress newspaper have related to the Pickens County GA school system in two regards. The first was the dress code implemented by the school board, which proved to be quite a divisive issue, and more recently, there has been some sentiment from seniors against having to pay property taxes used to fund the school system's budget (that

Pickens County director of planning and development, Norman Pope, in a recent Pickens Progress interview, revealed some noteworthy numbers on new construction and development for the county: Among residential developments in Pickens County, of the 1,540 lots permitted for construction between January 2005 and December 2006, only 107 (6.95%) actually have homes completed or show signs of work in

Pickens County director of planning and development, Norman Pope, in a recent Pickens Progress interview, revealed some noteworthy numbers on new construction and development for the county: Among residential developments in Pickens County, of the 1,540 lots permitted for construction between January 2005 and December 2006, only 107 (6.95%) actually have homes completed or show signs of work in

The Pickens County School Board recently announced that their recommended millage rate for the 2007 school year would be a reduced millage of 14.470 mills (down .75 mill from last year's 15.220). Based on existing state and county millage rates of 0.25 mills and 6.26 mills respectively, that would put the total tax rate at a respectable 20.98 mills. On a $200,000 home, this only amounts to a tax

The Pickens County School Board recently announced that their recommended millage rate for the 2007 school year would be a reduced millage of 14.470 mills (down .75 mill from last year's 15.220). Based on existing state and county millage rates of 0.25 mills and 6.26 mills respectively, that would put the total tax rate at a respectable 20.98 mills. On a $200,000 home, this only amounts to a tax

While real estate prices in Jasper and surrounding areas of Pickens County GA seemed to have held to a fairly consistent average, the number of homes sold has shown a 21% overall decline for the first half of 2007, compared with the same period last year. The average sale price for single family residential homes through the end of June 2007 was $205,000 -- the same as it was through the end of

While real estate prices in Jasper and surrounding areas of Pickens County GA seemed to have held to a fairly consistent average, the number of homes sold has shown a 21% overall decline for the first half of 2007, compared with the same period last year. The average sale price for single family residential homes through the end of June 2007 was $205,000 -- the same as it was through the end of

Activities in the rolling hills that make up the North Georgia area are for the most part best suited to those who are slightly more active in their leisure pursuits, or who at least enjoy the outdoors. This semi-rural world of small towns and simple living is not much given to museums, galleries, theaters, auditoriums, stadiums and other pastimes found in more urban and developed areas. For

Activities in the rolling hills that make up the North Georgia area are for the most part best suited to those who are slightly more active in their leisure pursuits, or who at least enjoy the outdoors. This semi-rural world of small towns and simple living is not much given to museums, galleries, theaters, auditoriums, stadiums and other pastimes found in more urban and developed areas. For

Stop work orders or denials of land disturbing plans seem to be the order of the day for a number of local developments, keeping anticipated growth in check to some degree . . . which may not be all bad. In a previous post on North Georgia development, I addressed the issue that, in the face of a possible real estate slowdown, finding buyers for all the new subdivision homes and lots currently

Stop work orders or denials of land disturbing plans seem to be the order of the day for a number of local developments, keeping anticipated growth in check to some degree . . . which may not be all bad. In a previous post on North Georgia development, I addressed the issue that, in the face of a possible real estate slowdown, finding buyers for all the new subdivision homes and lots currently

According to the latest census info, for the period April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006, Pickens County holds a solid position among the 100 fastest growing counties in the country, coming in at 65th nationwide (with a growth rate of 29 percent for the period).Sixteen of the top 100 fastest growing counties in the nation are in Georgia. Leading the way is Forsyth County, with a 53.4 % population increase during this time . . . making it the 5th fastest growing county in the nation. Other fast growing counties in the North Georgia region are Cherokee County, with 37.4 % (24th out of the top 100) and Dawson County, with 29 % (barely beating out Pickens County in the #64 position).The 28-county Atlanta metro area (of which Pickens is a part) added 890,211 new residents during this 6-year period, making Atlanta the 9th largest metro in the US . . . and the fastest growing, with just over 5 million residents. Five Georgia cities made the top 100 growth list: Warner Robins, Dalton, Athens-Clarke C

According to the latest census info, for the period April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006, Pickens County holds a solid position among the 100 fastest growing counties in the country, coming in at 65th nationwide (with a growth rate of 29 percent for the period). Sixteen of the top 100 fastest growing counties in the nation are in Georgia. Leading the way is Forsyth County, with a 53.4 % population

According to the latest census info, for the period April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2006, Pickens County holds a solid position among the 100 fastest growing counties in the country, coming in at 65th nationwide (with a growth rate of 29 percent for the period). Sixteen of the top 100 fastest growing counties in the nation are in Georgia. Leading the way is Forsyth County, with a 53.4 % population

From all counts, today's residents of Pickens County appear to be for the most part a responsible, hard-working and fiscally responsible citizenry. There is however a particular oddity of the early history of Pickens -- dating back to the state legislative session of 1860, just 7 years after the formation of the county -- which can't help but lead to some speculation about the goings on of our

From all counts, today's residents of Pickens County appear to be for the most part a responsible, hard-working and fiscally responsible citizenry. There is however a particular oddity of the early history of Pickens -- dating back to the state legislative session of 1860, just 7 years after the formation of the county -- which can't help but lead to some speculation about the goings on of our

Based on the level of activity and interest this blog draws from outside of the county, I thought I might on a periodic basis start adding some pictures of Jasper, Pickens County and the North Georgia area in general to the site. We have such a wealth of beauty and points of interest, everything from natural flora, fauna and features, to historic buildings and places of interest (and yes, even people of note), that I thought this would add a nice feature to my posts to be shared with the world at large. Of course, for my local readers, you can also use this feature to share with friends and family outside of Pickens County.If I need to make setting adjustments to accomodate my email subscribers, please let me know. (Feedback is welcome from anybody, not just my subscribers, so send me your thoughts and comments. If you have ideas for suitable images to add, or have some of your own you would like to share, just let me know!)To start off the series, I thought I would use some shots I to

Based on the level of activity and interest this blog draws from outside of the county, I thought I might on a periodic basis start adding some pictures of Jasper, Pickens County and the North Georgia area in general to the site. We have such a wealth of beauty and points of interest, everything from natural flora, fauna and features, to historic buildings and places of interest (and yes, even

Based on the level of activity and interest this blog draws from outside of the county, I thought I might on a periodic basis start adding some pictures of Jasper, Pickens County and the North Georgia area in general to the site. We have such a wealth of beauty and points of interest, everything from natural flora, fauna and features, to historic buildings and places of interest (and yes, even

Pickens County is one of 155 Georgia counties recently designated as a primary natural disaster area by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As of August 2006, continued drought conditions throughout most of the state make qualifying farm operators eligible for low-interest emergency loans through USDA's Farm Service Agency. For more information on disaster relief, visit the Farm Service Agency site for Pickens County Georgia HERE.

The annual Georgia Marble Festival (held each fall here in Jasper Georgia) is fast approaching. This year it will be held the weekend of October 7th & 8th. After the Marble Festival parade through downtown Jasper kicks things off, events and activities include tours of the world's largest open pit marble quarry, over 100 arts & crafts booths, a fine art competition / exhibition, live music, dancing, food, a classic car show, and much more. Children under 12 - free. Students - $3. Adults - $4. Tour of the quarry at Georgia Marble Company's Tate operation - $10. Good fun for all ages and definitely worth checking out.