Mountain view less than an hour away

Dahlonega’s Achasta neighborhood – the setting for the 2010 Ideal Living Home – has attracted Atlantans including Ed and Glenda Caine. The Caines were seeking a quick getaway with amenities such as a golf course they could actually enjoy, now that Ed has entered into semi-retirement after a career as a steel industry executive. The couple chatted about their vacation home in Achasta, where the Ideal Living Home is showcasing eco-friendly ideas through Dec. 19.

Why Dahlonega: They started by looking at the "usual" spots – North Carolina and Florida – but decided the drive was too much of a negative, Glenda said. "We wanted to have access whenever we wanted," she said. They defined an easy drive as one hour or less. The mountain view also won over a water view. "When we saw Achasta and the serenity of the mountains, that kind of clinched it," she said. They took about two years to decide on the location and type of home to purchase.

Their home: It's a three-bedroom, three full and two half-bath golf villa with a gorgeous golf course and mountain setting, Glenda said. "The view, really, just sold us on it." Their end unit provides views of the ninth fairway, 18th fairway and ninth green. Architecturally, the couple liked the stonework on the front, which also has a porch. A screened-in back porch allows them to enjoy the scenery year-round. Downstairs, there's a second kitchen with a bar and great room. The concept of a low-maintenance getaway also appealed to Ed. "I can walk in, put the key in the door, walk out, lock it up and not have to worry about it," he said.

How far from home: 45 minutes from Duluth.

How often they're there: Usually once or twice a week.

What they do when they're there: "Quite frankly, I have lived on five golf courses in the last several years and haven't gone on one of them. (I've been) very, very busy with business," Ed said. "Now that I am semi-retired, I look forward to starting to play golf again." They also enjoy the opportunities to play tennis, hike, and visit restaurants and activities in Dahlonega as well as Montaluce Winery and Estates and Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery.

Tips for buying a vacation home: Find a place that you and your family can enjoy. The Caines enjoy having their children, Tim and Michele, and grandchild Lex, 7, join them in Achasta. "So many of (my friends) have bought places that were so far away that you had long, long drives or had to fly there and the kids just never came," Ed said. "They put their second homes up for sale, either in Florida or down on the coast, because they were never being used."

At a glance

Ed and Glenda Caine’s home in Achasta’s Fairway Village section has three bedrooms, three full and two half-baths and about 3,500 square feet of livable space. They moved in during May.

Community overview

Achasta, a Reynolds Company development, is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Lumpkin County and set on the Chestatee River. Prices range from the mid $300,000s to more than $2 million. Amenities include a walkable 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course that is certified by Audubon International. In addition, there’s a clubhouse with a restaurant, lounge, locker rooms, swim/tennis complex, trout fishing, hiking trails, and community programs and events including an Outbound Adventure program. The community is near restaurants and shops in downtown Dahlonega and other attractions such as wineries and state parks.

Getting there

Take Ga. 400 north. Turn left at S. Chestatee/Ga. 249/Ga. 60/U.S. 19. Turn right at Birch River Drive and into the community.

Information

Achasta

www.achasta.com

Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce

www.dahlonega.org

Ideal Living Home

www.ideal-living.com/idealhome

Recent sales

$550,000: 25 Fairway Court, Dahlonega 30533. A three-bedroom, 3 1/2-bath golf villa with a master on the main and a screened porch overlooking the 18th fairway and the Chestatee River.