Why you need a Blue Ridge, GA Realtor when buying investment properties

For many years, Blue Ridge, Georgia served as a quick escape from the hectic city life. Located one and a half hours north of Atlanta through the I-575, it has been drawing visitors in need of a relaxing vacation to nourish both mind and body. 

Today, this idyllic mountain town offers plenty of opportunities for savvy investors and homebuyers who want a little change of scenery. There’s a lot to love about Blue Ridge, GA, from the quaint outdoor views to the limitless dining and entertainment options. Here, you can hike the Appalachian trail, explore the Chattahoochee National Forest, or sample the best local cuisine at the local restaurants.

But before moving to this serene yet thriving town, you’ll need someone who can show you the best houses in top locations and give you that much-needed advantage over other buyers. Whether you’re a homebuyer or an investor, you’ll need to work with a Blue Ridge, GA Realtor to make the most of your hard-earned money.

AN OVERVIEW OF BLUE RIDGE GA

Located in the mountains of North Georgia is the city of Blue Ridge, just 90 miles north of Atlanta. Despite its proximity to the city, its lush landscapes are enough to transport you into an entirely different environment. This shouldn’t be surprising, given that there are 106,000 acres of greenery found in the Chattahoochee National Forest, 300 miles of hiking trails, and 100 miles of trout streams.

These are just part of the reason why Blue Ridge has been recognized as one of the best places to live in the country. Southern Living Magazine also named Blue Ridge one of the South’s Best Mountain Towns in 2021, and one of the Top Small Mountain Towns for Retirement in 2019. 

Just last year, Blue Ridge became particularly popular among people looking for vacation homes. Vacasa’s 2021 Vacation Rental Buyer Report listed the town as one of the top places for vacation homes throughout the country. The report highlighted the town’s lush natural setting and abundant activities that offer memorable experiences to homeowners and visitors alike. 

It’s no wonder, then, that many people are dreaming of living in this small-town paradise. If you’re serious about moving to Blue Ridge GA, a local Realtor can easily show some of the area’s hidden gems.

How is the area’s real estate market?

Those eyeing Blue Ridge, Georgia either as their next investment locale or as a great place for settling down will be happy to know that the market is shifting gears with more balance between buyers and sellers. However, buyers are apparently having the upper hand as the most recent sale-to-list price ratio was recorded at almost 97% for this September, with homes selling 3.2% lower than their listing prices.

Homes in Blue Ridge, Georgia’s market are also taking longer to sell in September, registering a median number of 71 days – 23 days more than August figures and 25 days more than last year’s figures. Buyers are seen to be negotiating more aggressively for better contingencies and terms with sellers; hence, the longer the time a house stays on the market until agreements are forged and a sale is made. 

With the local market leaning more toward buyers this time, this is the perfect opportunity to drop your bid for a home in Blue Ridge. And what better way to realize the full potential of your investment than by purchasing your new Blue Ridge GA property with the help of an established local Realtor! 

RECENT REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Blue Ridge, Georgia may be seen by some as a “sleepy” town but recent developments and constructions in the area prove otherwise. Blue Ridge, after all, is a popular tourist destination – savvy investors aiming to capitalize on the town’s booming tourism industry are developing hotels and multi-purpose properties that cater to both homeowners and businesses.

In recent years, Blue Ridge has seen major real estate developments on the east side of its iconic Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. That’s why most of the proposed and ongoing developments are focused on the “other side” of the tracks, which is along West Main Street.

Take a look at the newest properties, along with some of the proposed developments, that you can find in Blue Ridge. 

Blue Ridge Station

Located just along West Main Street, this fairly new residential property has over 15 spacious lofts that you can use as a vacation rental or a permanent residence. This project, developed by Hawthorne Ventures, was estimated to have cost $6 million to complete. Residents of Blue Ridge Station can enjoy loft-style living and marvel at the scenic views of Blue Ridge and the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway.

Residents of Blue Ridge Station are also given top-notch services, with 24-hour security and a private paved parking lot. When it first went on sale, units were sold between $421,000 and $525,000. One unit was even sold for as much as $544,000.

Hampton Inn by Hilton Blue Ridge

Located just a stone’s throw away from Blue Ridge Station, Hampton Inn by Hilton Blue Ridge brings the Hampton brand of hospitality and luxury for the first time to the popular mountain town. This $18.5-million hotel has 109 hotel rooms, over 1,200 square feet of meeting space, and proximity to Blue Ridge’s best local restaurants. 

It also features the first and only rooftop bar and event space in the area, where guests can take in the stunning views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Guests of Hampton Inn by Hilton Blue Ridge also get access to free breakfast, complimentary WiFi, and an oversized fitness center.

Trackside Station

Also situated along West Main Street is a new retail space that could bring new business to Blue Ridge. Trackside Station, a $9-million property from Hawthorne Ventures, has 12 commercial spaces spanning 2,100 square feet each. Apart from these spaces that could serve as retail establishments or restaurants, Trackside Station also has a parking deck that can house up to 189 cars.

55 Mountain Street

A 12,000-square-foot property just around the corner from Hampton Inn, 55 Mountain Street is another multi-use development that could bring new homeowners and businesses to Blue Ridge. The $3.5-million property features two spacious loft apartments for homeowners, two large retail spaces for businesses, and a restaurant with a deck overlooking Downtown Blue Ridge. 

WHY HIRE A BLUE RIDGE, GA REALTOR?

All these exciting new developments might have already enticed you to check out the available homes for sale in Blue Ridge. Before you start looking for mortgages and making a wishlist, however, consider this: Investing in real estate is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make in your life. A single misstep could spell disaster that would cost you a lot.

That’s why you’ll need all the help you can get from a Blue Ridge, GA Realtor. With their extensive industry knowledge, along with their connections with specialists, they can guide you toward finding a home that fits your needs and your budget.

These are why a Realtor can be your trusted advisor in the entire home-buying process.

They know the market better than anyone else

The latest real estate market stats in Blue Ridge only tell part of the story. Other factors also come into play when you’re buying a home, like mortgage interest rates and even the local unemployment rate. These are the things that a trustworthy Realtor will know, and more.

A Realtor doesn’t know just the local market as a whole; they can also tell you whether a certain house you’re eyeing will have lovely views of the valley or if it has all the amenities in your list of home must-haves. They’re not just stuck on mere knowledge of average home prices – they also know details that could affect your home-buying-related decisions from the number of days a home for sale stays on the market to the nearest groceries and schools in a certain Blue Ridge neighborhood. 

Realtors can also point you in the direction of promising real estate developments that could be lucrative for investors. Having this wealth of knowledge will be indispensable when you begin looking at homes and properties in Blue Ridge. 

They can guide you with the price

With their intimate knowledge of the local real estate market and their connections to people in the know, Realtors can help you determine a property’s real value and let you know in case it is overpriced or underpriced. They can provide a comparative market analysis of sold homes in the neighborhoods you’re eyeing so you’ll have a better gauge of how much you have to prepare financially. 

They know what you’re looking for

In browsing through all the available homes for sale in a certain area, you will have to dedicate a lot of time and effort to the endeavor. However, more often than not, you end up finding houses that may meet your specifications but not your budget.

This is where a Blue Ridge, GA Realtor comes in. They have years of experience helping buyers and investors find properties that fit their wants and needs. Simply prepare two lists of home must-haves and would-be-nice-to-haves, give these to them, and they could come up with a shortlist faster and better than if you do it alone. There’s no need to worry about the prices, either, because your Realtor would’ve already factored in your budget beforehand.

They can spot a potential problem before it gets worse

This is every home buyer’s worst nightmare: they move into their new home, only to find out that it has a number of issues from faulty HVAC to leaky plumbing. 

Thankfully, Realtors can also help out in this aspect. The ones with years of experience in the industry will have been able to develop a sharp eye that could easily spot possible issues in a property. If they do encounter such an issue in a house you’re eyeing, they’ll let you know about this and elaborate on the extent of the said problem. From there, they can recommend the next course of action: you could either use these issues to your advantage during negotiation time or simply cross the property off your list.

A reliable Realtor will also recommend an equally trustworthy professional home inspector who can double-check the former’s findings and provide a more detailed inspection of the property. Based on the home inspector’s findings, your Realtor can bring these up with the seller to negotiate for reasonable repairs they have to make or a lower sale price.

They have an established network of connections

There are a lot of people involved in the process of buying a house or investing in a property. You’ll need professionals for your mortgage, a real estate lawyer for any legal concerns, an appraiser and an inspector to make sure you’re getting your money’s worth, colleagues in the industry for off-market listings — the list goes on. Thankfully, a Realtor usually has established connections with all of them.

You’ll know the breadth of a Realtor’s experience based on their network of connections. It’s part of their job to be connected to everyone and anyone involved in the home-buying process as this eases the burden of looking for these people individually on your own. This network has been carefully curated by the Realtor to ensure that the services they provide are top-notch. Even after you’ve finally purchased your new Blue Ridge home, you can still rely on your Realtor to recommend home insurers or even professional plumbers and electricians for home repairs.

They are impressive negotiators

Buying a property requires impressive negotiation skills – something that a Realtor has in spades. After all, Realtors are there to help you get the best deal out of your real estate transaction and they’ll always have your best interests in mind throughout the negotiation. 

At the end of the day, what you need is someone who relies on tried-and-tested techniques and knows what works and what doesn’t so they can secure the best price and terms for you.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A REALTOR?

Not all real estate agents are the same, and no two Realtors offer the same level of dedication and service to their clients. Choosing the right Realtor to work with is just as important as choosing the right house for you.

What makes a good Realtor in the first place? It’s someone who can make the entire journey of buying a home as easy and hassle-free as possible. They are duty-bound to prioritize your needs as a home buyer since you’re working toward the same goal: to find the right property for the right price.

Here are some qualities to look for in a Realtor.

• Unquestionable experience in the market. A good Realtor should not only know the market; they should also have a remarkable track record of helping previous clients to find their new homes.
• Glowing reviews from previous clients. Online reviews could give you an idea of what it’s like to work with a particular Realtor. Of course, positive reviews can only mean that the Realtor is easy to work with and that the process has been smooth for clients. The Realtor should also be willing to share with you a list of their previous clients who are willing to vouch for their integrity and success rate in their real estate transactions.
• Easy to talk to. Perhaps the most important part of working with a Realtor is maintaining an open line of communication with one another. Regularly updating clients on developments in their real estate transactions is only part of the package. A good Realtor should also be able to explain in the simplest of terms the technical nuances of the real estate market. Most of all, they should be able to tell you things you may not want to hear – like when the home you’re insisting on buying is way beyond your budget or has many structural issues that could bog you down financially in the long term. 

WORK WITH NATHAN FITTS, A TRUSTED BLUE RIDGE, GA REALTOR

In Georgia, as well as in Tennessee and North Carolina, you can find all these qualities and more in top-notch Realtor Nathan Fitts and his team. Working under the prestigious RE/MAX Town and Country brand, their brokerage is considered the best in the Peach State – delivering unmatched service and commitment to their clients.

A powerful quality that makes Nathan and his team the team to beat in the industry is the vast range of services they can offer on their own or with the help of their extensive network. Those looking to have their homes built from the ground up can get recommendations for the best builders in the state. They also have strong marketing moves for sellers as they have an in-house staging company to help garner attention toward clients’ homes for sale. As for those seeking home mortgages with reasonable terms, they also have a network of reliable lenders to recommend.

At the end of the day, it’s all about customer satisfaction, and Nathan is just the Realtor in Blue Ridge GA who can give you this and more. Get in touch with him to learn more! Call   706.632.3000  or send an email   here .