11:41 a.m. Saturday, August 8, 2009

A remote getaway from city

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By Lori Johnston

For the AJC 

Larry and Catherine Smith saw the buyer’s market and troubled economy pointing them in the direction of buying a vacation home for pleasure and investment purposes. Larry Smith chatted about their cabin in Chatsworth, which they purchased this year.

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Catherine and Larry Smith relax with their bird Sunny on the back deck of their home in Chatsworth. Chatsworth is located in North Georgia.

Christopher Oquendo, for the AJC Catherine and Larry Smith relax with their bird Sunny on the back deck of their home in Chatsworth. Chatsworth is located in North Georgia.

Enlarge photo

Christopher Oquendo, for the AJC Larry and Catherine Smith's vacation home in Chatsworth.

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Why Chatsworth: “We live in Midtown in a high rise. We wanted to have something a little more remote and quiet and peaceful,” Larry said.

Their place: The cabin, which is larger than their two-bedroom, two-bath Atlanta condo, is on the top of a mountain looking down, with a view of two mountains on the other side, Larry said. Vaulted ceilings, glass doors and a huge deck accentuate the view. There are two decks, on the bottom level and top level. The downstairs is fixed to function as a separate unit with a bedroom, bathroom and small kitchen area. The Smiths use the bedroom on that level as a room for their pet bird. The home came with carpeting and tile, and they’re replacing it with hardwood floors to match the wood ceilings.

How they found it: They had looked for a couple of months in communities such as Big Canoe, Lake Arrowhead and Coosawattee River Resort in Ellijay, but they hadn’t found the right place. Agent Dawn McGuire with Century 21 Professional Realty Group in Blue Ridge showed them a few places in town, then told them about the Chatsworth home, which was in a remote location on 5 acres. They put a contract on the home, and after quick negotiations, they closed on it a little more than a week later, for 12 percent off the asking price and fully furnished.

“With the market being like it is, we wanted to take advantage of good deals,” Larry said. The couple previously owned a vacation home on a river in the Charleston, S.C., area.

How far from home: About 90 miles from Midtown.

How often they’re there: Every weekend, except for those that Catherine, a pharmacist at Piedmont Hospital, works.

What they do when they’re there: They’re still exploring the area, but they have already hiked at Fort Mountain State Park, a couple of miles from the cabin.

What they love about it: The contrast between condo living and the peaceful mountain lifestyle. Larry said he felt it was a smart investment opportunity after not wanting to further invest in the stock market and being disappointed by low CD rates.

“When things seem like they’re never going to get better, you find the best opportunities. At some point, housing will rebound. It’s a matter of when,” he said.

At a glance

Larry and Catherine Smith’s home in Fort Mountain Estates has 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, an office, a one-car garage, and about 2,200 square feet of livable space. They purchased it in May.

Community overview

Fort Mountain Estates is in Murray County, between Ellijay and Chatsworth. Listings are in the mid to high $200,000s, says Dawn McGuire , the Smiths’ agent. The community is near Fort Mountain State Park and the Cohutta Wilderness Area, which McGuire said provides spectacular views.

Info

● Murray County Chamber of Commerce

● www.murraycountychamber.org

● Century 21 Professional Realty Group

● www.thesouthernteam.com

● Fort Mountain State Park

● www.gastateparks.org/info/fortmt

Getting there

Take I-75 north to I-575 north, which becomes Ga. 515, and continue to Ellijay. In Ellijay, turn left onto Ga. 52 West (Chatsworth Highway) and travel about 14.6 miles. Travel past the Cohutta Lodge, and Fort Mountain Estates will be on the right.

For sale

$269,900: 614 Aztec Way, Chatsworth 30705. A 3-bedroom, 2-bath home built in

1980 with a master on the main, sunroom and a basement.

$299,900: 526 Apache Trail, Chatsworth 30705. A 3-bedroom, 3-bath home built in 1978 with renovated kitchen and bathrooms.

Recent sale

$345,000: 3 Flagpole Circle, Ellijay 30540. A new 3-bedroom, 3-bath home with a full finished basement and outdoor fireplace.

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