DEL.ICIO.USSecond Home: Sunshine Mountain, Blue Ridge
‘It’s a different world up here’
For the AJC
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Who: Sisters Debbie and Carolyn Harbin. Debbie works in the banking industry; Carolyn works for North Fulton Regional Hospital.
Where: Sunshine Mountain, Blue Ridge
Photos by Christopher Oquendo / Special
Debbie Harbin and her dog Quincy sit on the deck of the vacation home she and her sister Carolyn bought on Sunshine Mountain. A mountain view was important to both sisters.
Activities in the area include whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River, but Debbie Harbin adds that ‘sitting on the deck reading is just great.’
Getting there
From Atlanta, travel I-75 north to I-575 north to Blue Ridge. One of the first major intersections will be Ga. 5 (at McDonald's). Take a left on Ga. 5 and travel about 5 miles. At Fannin Regional Hospital, turn right on Professional Road. Make a left on Old Ga. 5. Turn right onto Walnut Way, which leads to Sunshine Mountain.
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An escape from the madness
Where stress just peels away
When purchased: April
Their home: A three-bedroom, three-bath cabin with two master bedrooms and extras such as outside fireplaces.
How they found it: They started the search in February with a mountain view as a priority. “It’s something we had thought about for a while, but the market was down and the prices were so good that we just jumped on it,” Debbie said. The sisters grew up in Jefferson, northeast of Atlanta, and would visit North Georgia for football games, but they had not spent a lot of time in the area. They were charmed by the character of the town of Blue Ridge.
How far from home: An hour and 15 minutes from Marietta.
How often they visit: Almost every weekend.
What they do when there: Everything from whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River to hiking to treating themselves to a spa appointment at Serenity in the Mountains. Then some days, they just do nothing. “Sitting on the deck reading is just great,” Debbie said.
What they love about it: “The ease of coming up here. In an hour, you’re away from everything,” Debbie said. “It’s a different world up here. It’s so different from Marietta. You totally forget everything when you’re here.”
Sunshine Mountain
Sunshine Mountain and Thunder Mountain (which backs up to Sunshine Mountain) have traditional full-time homes in addition to weekend gateways, said Realtor Scott Nichols with Coldwell Banker High Country Realty.
Home listings in the area range from the high $200,000s to the $400,000s.
The area appeals to vacation home owners and full-time residents because of the easy access, with some of the roads paved and proximity to downtown Blue Ridge, less than 10 minutes away, and Fannin Regional Hospital, Nichols said. You have a mountaintop-getaway feeling without the long drive, he said.
Active pursuits include whitewater rafting on the Ocoee River, the 1996 Olympic kayaking site, as well as hiking and mountain biking.
Recent sales
No homes are listed as being sold on Sunshine Mountain or Thunder Mountain in the past year, but here’s an idea of sales nearby with similar views and home styles.
$340,000: 180 Big Sky Trace, Higdon 30513. New three-bedroom, two-bath chalet-style home with mountain and pond views, two stone fireplaces, porch and deck on 3.4 acres.
$427,000: 571 Sun Rock Mountain Trace, Blue Ridge 30513. Three-bedroom, three-bath fully furnished home built in 2003 on 1.94 acres with three fireplaces, decks and a screened porch.
Resources
Fannin County Chamber of Commerce
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