A scenic drive away from the ‘rat race’

A half-dozen years ago, Eric and Pat Hoffmann joined friends to buy into a partnership on Lake Nottely. They liked the area so much they decided to build their own place, said Eric, 56, a produce broker.

“In 2003, Pat and I started out looking for a house and almost immediately ran into this lot,” he said. “It’s deep water and faces east. We liked the lot, found a local builder and the rest is history.”

Enlarge this image

Photo courtesy of Eric Hoffmann

Eric Hoffmann (shown below with wife Pat and grandson Garrett Herbough) designed their vacation home on Lake Nottely, near Blairsville. The house is approximately 3,800 square feet on three levels and includes a four bedrooms and 3½ baths. It also has two 60-foot-long decks that overlook the lake.

Enlarge this image

Photo courtesy of Eric Hoffmann

The pool room of the Hoffman home on Lake Nottely.

Enlarge this image

Photo courtesy of Shelly Herbough

The Hoffman family: Pat and Eric Hoffmann and their grandson Garrett Herbough.

Getting there

Take I-75 north to I-575. This turns into Ga. 515 going into Blairsville. Turn left on Ga 19-129. At Ga 325, turn left and travel about two miles to the Lake Nottely dam.

Georgia Second Homes
Vacation Homes in Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina & North Carolina - AJCHomeFinder.com 
An escape from the madness 
Where stress just peels away 

Designing a home: Hoffmann looked on the Internet and in magazines to find a floor plan he liked. “But I ended up having to put pencil to paper and design it myself,” he said, “and I might add it turned out pretty nice. Pat loves to cook up here, so she wanted a kitchen that wasn’t isolated from the rest of the activity.” The final design created an open space for kitchen, breakfast room, dining room and great room.

What they built: The Hoffmann home is approximately 3,800 square feet on three levels. The lower level has a card room, pool room, TV room, workroom, two bedrooms and a bath. Two more bedrooms and 2½ baths are arranged on the upper two floors. Two 60-foot-long decks overlook the lake. It’s a log home with a green tin roof to help it blend in with the lake and trees surrounding it.

Why they love it: “It’s the easiest 100-mile escape out of Atlanta on a Friday afternoon,” Hoffmann said. “There’s virtually no truck traffic, and the North Georgia mountains are always gorgeous. When I get there, I feel I’ve really left the rat race of Atlanta behind me.” The Hoffmanns drive up from their home in east Cobb about 40 weekends a year, with Bill, their German shorthaired pointer.

Playing on the lake: The Hoffmanns have a bass boat, a pontoon boat and two Jet Skis to entertain their son Mark, daughter Shelly,

son-in-law Charles and grandson Garrett. Hoffmann has recently purchased a motorcycle, and he’s eager to ride around in those North Georgia hills.

A place for family to retreat and relax: “Every summer since we bought the house we’ve held family reunions here. This summer we had 27 of my wife’s family and 17 of my family as well. We’re hoping to make that a tradition,” Hoffmann said. In the winter, the couple enjoys hiking and using their hot tub, reading books, building fires and just “chilling out.”

At a glance

Lake Nottely is a 4,180-acre lake located northeast of Blairsville. Regulated by the Tennessee Valley Authority for hydroelectric power and flood control, a substantial portion of the lake is bordered by the Chattahoochee National Forest. The state of Georgia stocks the lake with black and striped bass, walleye, rainbow trout, and bass for better fishing opportunities. For more information, check out Lake Nottely.

Family-friendly

“Families find Lake Nottely a fantastic vacation destination that they return to time and time again,” said Karyn Smith of Cozy Cove Realty & Marina. “Lake Nottely and the Blairsville area offer fishing, all types of watersports, hiking, horseback riding, golfing and seasonal festivals. … It currently has approximately 46 homes for sale, ranging from small cozy cabins to large custom homes.”

Current listings

$695,000: 1241 Holly Hill Drive, Blairsville; 3-bedroom, 2½-bath cabin-style home on deep water; approximately 200 feet of lake frontage

$399,900: 142 Kiutuestia Creek Road, Blairsville; 3-bedroom, 2-bath chalet-style home; large dock and approximately 150 feet of lake frontage

$1,250,000: 8440 Notla Vista 1, Blairsville; 4-bedroom, 6½-bath traditional-style home, separate three-car garage and in-law suite; approximately 120 feet of lake frontage