A cabin to escape to at a moment’s notice

By Lori Johnston

For the AJC 


David and Julie Pereira, owners of Georgia Star Plumbing, built their first vacation home on 1.8 acres on the Cartecay River in Ellijay’s Horseshoe community about seven years ago. Julie chatted about their vacation home.

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Christopher Oquendo, for the AJC David and Julie Pereira’s vacation home on the Cartecay River in Ellijay’s Horseshoe community has a rustic feel.

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Christopher Oquendo, for the AJC The family tries to visit the cabin, which sits on 1.8 acres, every six weeks or so. They sometimes spend entire holidays there. They enjoy fishing and floating on the river.

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The place: Their home has 4 bedrooms and 2 ½ baths, plus a bonus room with a pool table and TV that has access to a second deck. “We’re right there at the bend, so our property starts up at the top of the hill, like a pizza pie, and once it goes down (toward the river), it fans out,” Julie said.

A screened porch runs two-thirds of the back deck. “The kitchen is open to the living area, then you’ve got your screened area to the right off that with large bay windows looking out over the water,” she said. “You’ve got a hammock on the front porch and a little settee on the back. There’s just areas that if you wanted solitude, you could definitely find it.”

The décor: The cabin’s rustic feel is emphasized in the furnishings, which has bear and fish motifs, and rod iron among the materials. Elk and deer heads are displayed on the walls. “My husband’s a huge sportsman,” Julie said.

How far from home: Less than an hour from their primary residence in Woodstock. “It’s nice for us to have a place to go to on a moment’s notice,” Julie
said.

How often they’re there: They sometimes spend entire holidays at the cabin, but with busy sports schedules for the kids during the rest of the year, they typically make it there every six weeks or so. The Pereiras have begun to rent their cabin, so that it will be used when they’re not able to visit.

What they do when they’re there: Enjoy fishing and floating on the river. They installed a zip line along the property and a rope swing that goes over the water for their three kids (Natalie, 10; John, 7; and Bryce, 5). A firepit they built allows them to cook s’mores and other food on the campfire.

At a glance

David and Julie Pereira’s vacation home has 4 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths, and about 2,792 square feet of livable space.

Community overview

The Horseshoe subdivision has homes built between 2001 and 2008, said Dawn McGuire with Century 21 Professional Realty Group in Blue Ridge. Sales have ranged between $295,000 and $800,000, she said. Most of the rustic cabins have frontage on the Cartecay River. The neighborhood is 3 miles from downtown Ellijay.

Info

Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce

The Southern Team Realtors

Getting there

Take I-75 north to I-575 north. Travel along I-575, which turns into Ga. 515, for 56 miles to Ellijay and make a right toward Ga. 52E. Turn left at Ga. 52E and travel 1.8 miles, then turn right onto Riverfront Drive in the Horseshoe community.

For sale

$579,000: 195 Neshoba Court, Ellijay 30540. A 4-bedroom, 3 ½-bath riverfront cabin with a waterfall and features such as three fireplaces.

$595,000: 529 Fugue Drive, Ellijay 30540. A fully furnished, 3-bedroom, 3-bath lodge on the river.

Recent sales

$425,000: 1971 Dial Road, Ellijay 30540. A 3-bedroom, 2-bath riverfront log home with covered porches and a patio with a fire pit.

$324,000: 380 Whispering Pines Lane, Ellijay 30540. A 2-bedroom, 2-bath cabin on the river with a full basement.