Ellijay - Blairsville - Blue Ridge GA

[Kristinia]

Hi there - we are thinking of leaving Texas for a place that has more places to hike and be more in the mountains. Had looked at Tucson but concerned about the heat.

Anyway anyone either living in this part of North GA and have an option one way or another? We do not want to buy right away so there would be time to make sure that this indeed is where we want to perm retire to

Thanks in advance!

 

[skyking1]

We have visited just a little more north of that, in Asheville NC. I would live there if anywhere east. it has great hiking and mountain access, and is quite a bit cooler than the lower land to the south.

 

[Bamaman]

We left Atlanta 19 years ago after overdosing on traffic, but I still keep a RV outside of Helen--20 miles south of the area you're interested in.

The NC/GA state line is a really great place to retire. You have Ellijay, Blue Ridge, Blairsville, Young Harris, Hiawassee and Clayton running from the west to the east in Georgia. Very large mountains run east and west to the south of these cities. You have TVA lakes in Blue Ridge, Blairsville and Hiawassee.

The region has substantial second homes belonging to the well to do of Atlanta.

My favorite area is between Young Harris and Hiawassee which is on islands in the middle of Lake Chatuge. If budget is no issue, I especially like the homes on Lake Burton (SE of Hiawassee).

Other popular places are Franklin, NC (10 mi. north of the GA/NC state line) and golf/tennis communities at Highlands/Cashiers, NC in the same county as Franklin.

The region is somewhat rustic, but there's sufficient culture, churches, shopping to suit most people. The folks living there are often easy going, and they're quick to laugh. The place just has a good vibe to it, especially for those into nature. The hunting and fishing is just great, and the mountains have ATV/UTV trails all over them maintained by the Forestry Service. And right now, the Fall colors are simply tough to beat.

 

[CaptTom]

My parents retired there, shortly before it blew up as a retirement destination.



Great area. And with the influx of people, services and shopping options are dramatically better than when they moved there.


I think it's still a great place to retire. Go for it!

 

[Accidental Retiree]

My bestie of 50+ years has lived in nearby Dahlonega for over 15 years, and she loves it, but she definitely notices the “blow up” in traffic and people.

It is a beautiful area.

 

[Franklin]

We left Atlanta 19 years ago after overdosing on traffic, but I still keep a RV outside of Helen--20 miles south of the area you're interested in.

The NC/GA state line is a really great place to retire. You have Ellijay, Blue Ridge, Blairsville, Young Harris, Hiawassee and Clayton running from the west to the east in Georgia. Very large mountains run east and west to the south of these cities. You have TVA lakes in Blue Ridge, Blairsville and Hiawassee.

The region has substantial second homes belonging to the well to do of Atlanta.

My favorite area is between Young Harris and Hiawassee which is on islands in the middle of Lake Chatuge. If budget is no issue, I especially like the homes on Lake Burton (SE of Hiawassee).

Other popular places are Franklin, NC (10 mi. north of the GA/NC state line) and golf/tennis communities at Highlands/Cashiers, NC in the same county as Franklin.

The region is somewhat rustic, but there's sufficient culture, churches, shopping to suit most people. The folks living there are often easy going, and they're quick to laugh. The place just has a good vibe to it, especially for those into nature. The hunting and fishing is just great, and the mountains have ATV/UTV trails all over them maintained by the Forestry Service. And right now, the Fall colors are simply tough to beat.

I agree with this post. I grew up in North Georgia and always loved Blue Ridge. Just returned from 2 weeks at Lake Burton and Highlands. You can't find a more beautiful area in the spring and fall. Summers aren't too hot and you will get some snow in the winter months. Good luck.

 

[LRDave]

My parents retired to Blairsville in the early 80s and lived there for 35 years. We visited often with our young family. The climate is pretty nice for year-round living. There are good hiking trails nearby. If trail hiking is a really big thing for you, the little community of Cherry Log (about halfway between Ellijay & Blue Ridge) adjoins the Benton-Mackaye Trail and has plenty of vacation/retirement homes.

I'd say Blue Ridge is the most upscale of the three towns you mention - higher prices, more chi-chi dining & shopping, artier community, etc. Ellijay is getting pretty darned close to being a bedroom community of Atlanta.

Good luck in your search. We strongly considered that area in our vacation/retirement home search (17 years ago) but couldn't find the right combo of acreage, affordability and buildability.

 

[CH47]

We moved from Texas back to North Georgia and don’t regret one second of it. We live in a gated mountain community called Big Canoe and couldn’t be happier. We are close to Jasper, Dawsonville, Ball Ground & Canton. We go to Ellijay (30 minutes) and Blue Ridge (45 Minutes) on occasion. I think they ruined Blue Ridge when the put a Hampton Inn downtown, but do love the Black Sheep Restaurant.

We love everything about Big Canoe. There is also the community of Bent Tree worth checking out. It was important to us to be closer to quality healthcare in retirement than Blue Ridge or Blairsville or Ellijay could offer.

Feel free to reach out with any questions. DW is a realtor that has extensive knowledge of most of the North Georgia area.

 

[Magus]

My aunt has lived in Ellijay for 15-20 years or so....she loves it. Moved from ATL. Could also look at the greater Asheville or Boone areas in NC as well. I have been to both those areas many times.

 

[audreyh1]

Hi there - we are thinking of leaving Texas for a place that has more places to hike and be more in the mountains. Had looked at Tucson but concerned about the heat.

Anyway anyone either living in this part of North GA and have an option one way or another? We do not want to buy right away so there would be time to make sure that this indeed is where we want to perm retire to

Thanks in advance!

I’m quite familiar with the area as I regularly visit family there. It’s very nice in the summer. Cooler in winter of course. Lots of seasonal tourists. Very small cities. But Atlanta is not that far for occasional major shopping.

 

[Franklin]

We moved from Texas back to North Georgia and don’t regret one second of it. We live in a gated mountain community called Big Canoe and couldn’t be happier. We are close to Jasper, Dawsonville, Ball Ground & Canton. We go to Ellijay (30 minutes) and Blue Ridge (45 Minutes) on occasion. I think they ruined Blue Ridge when the put a Hampton Inn downtown, but do love the Black Sheep Restaurant.

We love everything about Big Canoe. There is also the community of Bent Tree worth checking out. It was important to us to be closer to quality healthcare in retirement than Blue Ridge or Blairsville or Ellijay could offer.

Feel free to reach out with any questions. DW is a realtor that has extensive knowledge of most of the North Georgia area.

Plus 1 We luv Big Canoe as well. Have not been there in a few years but have always had a great time at Big Canoe. Close to Atlanta but so far in the mountains!!

 

[Scuba]

DH has family in Ellijay, and we’ve visited many times. It is scenically beautiful, but I like the vibe in Dahlonega and Blue Ridge better. Not sure how urban of a lifestyle you want, but if you’re used to and appreciate choices, you might find the area lacking. It has grown a lot for sure, but still the major store in Ellijay is WalMart. One of the nicest restaurants is Longhorn. It is pretty low COL, although the real estate is not that cheap compared to other places.

It’s not for us, but I can appreciate why many love it there. The people are friendly, the climate is decent, and natural scenery is pretty. We recently spent time in Greenville, SC, and liked that area better.

 

[Badger]

I built a house on 5.5 acres outside of Clayton on Charlie Mt off Lake Burton. It took me almost 10 years with dozens of trips at 900 miles RT to complete it. The idea was to have a home in Fl at the beach for winters and a home in the mountains in the summer. I bought the land 35 years ago and started construction 25 years ago when Clayton and NE Ga was a bit different. The area changed enough and I got tired of clearing around the house. Doing general maintenance got old having to take care of 2 houses so I sold it.

If I had to do it over again I would have just kept the land and not built so I could just use the property for camping and investment.
NE Ga has become popular and with it brings a lot more tourists. I get enough of that in Fl.

I would follow your plan and not buy yet. Visit a few areas at different times of the year to learn what it is like to deal with mountain roads and what it is like when winter comes with ice storms.


Cheers!

 

[GTFan]

Hi there - we are thinking of leaving Texas for a place that has more places to hike and be more in the mountains. Had looked at Tucson but concerned about the heat.

Anyway anyone either living in this part of North GA and have an option one way or another? We do not want to buy right away so there would be time to make sure that this indeed is where we want to perm retire to

Thanks in advance!

My Mom lived in Ellijay for a few years, it was a nice mountain cabin with a pond. Biggest issue you'll run into is the occasional snow/ice storm which can strand you for a long time, so get a backup generator and a good chainsaw.

 

[Jeffman52]

DW and I have had plans for years to retire in Blue Ridge. We have friends that retired there and when we lived in Georgia we visited there often.

 

[steiny]

I plan on moving near that area when I retire,

I go down twice a year for vacations and love the little towns.

I was in Dahlonega GA a few years ago when Hallmark was filming a Christmas movie

I have friends in Chatsworth GA and it is nice also

 

[Joylush]

Bought our second home in Blairsville in 2017. Best decision ever and hope to make it our full time home as soon as possible.

 

[CH47]

Plus 1 We luv Big Canoe as well. Have not been there in a few years but have always had a great time at Big Canoe. Close to Atlanta but so far in the mountains!!

I’m a big fan of Wes Moss of Capital Investment Advisors. In his brand new book, he speaks of the importance of staying active & socially engaged. Here’s an excerpt where he specifically talks about Big Canoe & the lifestyle it can provide. The names in the book have been changed to protect the anonymity of the person.

 

[lakerunner]

We have had a weekend home on Lake Nottely in Blairsville for a little over 20 years. I finally retired this past year and we re in the process of upgrading the house to be our long term home.

The area has taken off over the past year. I think properties are over priced. I considered selling, but I really like the area and we have developed some great friends. There is also a labor shortage for service industry jobs.

Happy to answer any specifics you may have.

 

[gattara]

I’m a big fan of Wes Moss of Capital Investment Advisors. In his brand new book, he speaks of the importance of staying active & socially engaged. Here’s an excerpt where he specifically talks about Big Canoe & the lifestyle it can provide. The names in the book have been changed to protect the anonymity of the person.View attachment 40735
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Thanks for suggesting this book. I'm in Atlanta so am a little familiar with Wes. I put the book on hold at the library.

My husband and I enjoy hiking in the GA mountains but have never considered moving up there. Interesting to read the comments here from people who enjoy living in the area. I live in a condo development and my elderly neighbors lived in Big Canoe, loved it. Husband has Parkinson's and dementia so they returned to Atlanta to be near family and specialists. The wife still speaks fondly of Big Canoe and misses her many friends up there. Seems like an easy place to make friends and socialize.

 

[Joylush]

We have had a weekend home on Lake Nottely in Blairsville for a little over 20 years. I finally retired this past year and we re in the process of upgrading the house to be our long term home.

The area has taken off over the past year. I think properties are over priced. I considered selling, but I really like the area and we have developed some great friends. There is also a labor shortage for service industry jobs.

Happy to answer any specifics you may have.

You summed that up well. We bought a vacation home in Blairsville four years ago and love it here so much we bought and additional 6.5 acres nearby last year to build a large garage/workshop. It’s taken us six months to finally get a foundation poured. The construction industry is booming here and there is definitely a worker shortage in the construction fields. We don’t regret the decision at all and hope to be here full time one day.