The house that barter built

Home and Garden

The house that barter built

Faythe and Jerry Willis build their dream home in Banks County by bartering for goods and services.

The master bath also has granite counters, double sinks and mirrors decorated with iron floral patterns.

The roomy master bath includes a large spa tub and a tiled walk-in shower with a bench.

Concrete flooring runs throughout the main living areas and the veranda. It has been acid stained to achieve the different colors.

The stamped concrete flooring on the veranda has a different pattern than the floors inside.

A bed-and-breakfast fireplace backs up to the main fireplace. Willis built a large portion of the house using the talents of roofers, electricians and other construction experts who are part of the barter network.

The courtyard and outdoor fireplace.

Around the one-story tan stucco exterior is a wide wraparound veranda, floored with stamped concrete pavers.

The couple recently moved into their dream home, which was built on 3.5 acres of family-owned land.

The guest room has a built-in Murphy bed hidden behind double wood doors, offering the owners lots of flexibility for visiting guests and grandkids.

Faythe and Jerry Willis

The land the couple built on was family owned land. Here, Faythe Willis and Boondock the dog sit on the steps that led to the original house.

This 3-bedroom, 2,600-square-foot home in Gillsville was built with Tradebank credits worth $116,000 plus $250,000 in traditional loans. Using the barter network, she estimates she and husband Jerry saved about $60,000.

Faythe Willis has put her horse-trading sense to work for 20 years as an employee of Tradebank, a company that connects business owners with clients who want their services and have something to trade. Through the years, she stockpiled trade credits as part of her compensation. She used those credits to help build this house in Banks County.

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The master bath also has granite counters, double sinks and mirrors decorated with iron floral patterns.

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