Lake Lanier Homes | Lake Lanier Real Estate Blog

Lake Lanier Dock Permits and Homes

Nesa Kleinheksel — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:32:56 +0000

We’re well into summer and everyone that enjoys Lake Lanier is just grateful to see the lake levels finally near full pool. It’s been a long couple of years for those of us that live and play on Lake Lanier. Now that we’re out of the drought period, real estate is looking good for those homes that currently have docks on the lake and those homes that will be getting dock permits in the upcoming months. The Corp of Engineers just recently announced it is holding a lottery for those homes on the shore of Lake Lanier that want a dock permit. There are only 174 dock permits remaining of the 10,615 allowed. What a fantastic opportunity for those who own a home here to increase their selling value! I encourage any of you that are in this situation to really consider applying. You have until October 13th, 2009 to submit your application. You can contact me for additional information.

Aside from the new dock permits that will be issued, those homes on the lake that currently have docks will most likely hold their value much more than say a year ago. Although there are many cool homes I can show you with lake access, one home in particular has caught my eye in the last few months. Its’ a quaint log cabin in Flowery Branch with a ton of character. I see so many homes ranging from large single family homes to authentic lofts, but this home is one of homes you just don’t forget. As I mentioned, the entire home is a log cabin. When you enter the front door from the porch you are in the main living/dining area. Immediately you get a warm, rustic feel. There’s a fabulous stone fireplace which still smells of burning wood. Upstairs overlooking this room is a open loft area that could be used as a bedroom or media room. Both bedrooms are on the main floor. Off the kitchen is a large screened in porch and an awesome backyard that is perfect for a BBQ or summer get together. Downstairs is a finished basement with a bar and a fireplace. Perfect for entertaining! I think the coolest thing about this place is that every single fixture and detail is rustic in nature….down to the trash receptacles and doorknobs! You truly feel like your in the woods in a log cabin. Although it’s not directly on the water, it does have it’s own dock on Lake Lanier that you can access with the golf cart (they are throwing this in with the sale of the house). So, all you need to do is load your coolers on the golf cart and you’re on the lake! How fantastic is that?

If you’re interested in this viewing this home or any other home on Lake Lanier, please contact me at 404.579.9307 or shoot me an email at nesa@greatlakelanierhomes.com.

Chateau Elan Homes

Nesa Kleinheksel — Tue, 05 May 2009 14:51:01 +0000

The Legends at Chateau Elan

One of the most well known communities in Georgia is the prestigious Chateau Elan in Braselton GA. Although it is not on Lake Lanier, it is only about a 20 minute drive, so it is still pretty close to hop over too. Chateau Elan is very well known for their winery and luxury hotel, which I have done the winery tour a couple of times and although it’s a pretty cool tour, the wine itself is not so great. Anyway, I am not wine connoisseur by any means but I do know Real Estate and that is one thing that Chateau Elan delivers is high quality homes.

The homes at Chateau Elan consist of over 2000 homes and is broken up into groups which is determined by their location to the private and public golf courses and the style of home. The first group of homes are called The Legends at Chateau Elan, which these homes typically overlook the private golf course. The pricing at The Legends is higher than the other homes since it overlooks the course and most of the homes do include membership to the golf course. For homes at The Legends at Chateau Elan, the pricing will start at 1.2 million and up, however, there are couple of foreclosures right now so there are couple of homes that are available for right at 1 million!! The next set of homes is the Woodlands at Chateau Elan which are situated on the Woodlands golf course. Pricing for the Woodlands will start at $500,000 and up. An additional set of homes is Oxley Village, which personally is my favorite style of homes.

Chateau Elan Home

The homes at Oxley Village Chateau Elan were designed and built to look like an Old World Village. There are also a few new upcoming phases which will be on a smaller scale of homes, one section will have just 29 homes and another with just 42 homes.

There are also plenty of other amenities at Chateau Elan which don’t get much attention like the golf courses, but should. The Sports Club is a multi million facility which consists of a fully equipped gym, indoor basketball courts, tennis courts, indoor walking track, and activities for adults and kids. There is also an ADULT LAP POOL!!! HOLLER!

There is also an Equestrian Center, 6 restaurants on site and plenty of walking trails.

If you have been thinking about buying a Chateau Elan home, now is the time to seriously think about it. Currently, there are 16 FORECLOSURES AVAILABLE, priced between $399k to $1.9 million. Most of them fall between $500k to $800k.

See all Chateau Elan Homes For Sale

Lake Lanier Luxury Homes

Nesa Kleinheksel — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:00:56 +0000

If you are looking for a luxury home on Lake Lanier there are plenty of homes to choose from. Personally, I have always been a big fan of the “cabin” look in a luxury home. If you like lake living then I would think a lot of people would like it to, however, it is actually pretty rare to find a luxury log cabin or features that remind of you cabin on Lake Lanier.

Lake Lanier Luxury Home

There is one particular listing that I found while searching the MLS system that has some exquisite “cabin” features and it is truly a Lake Lanier Luxury Home. This 5 bedroom home is located in the Cumberland on Lanier subdivision, which is in Gainesville off Browns Bridge Road. What kind of hardwood floors would you expect to find in a home like this?? Antique Pine Floors, of course! I love the look of pine floors, it really brings that old look feel to a home! It also has a floor to ceiling stone fireplace, vaulted wood ceilings, Gourmet Kitchen with farm sink , a pet shower in the laundry room, hammered copper sinks in all the baths, and a heated gunite pool. But what really makes a luxury home?? The outdoor space! This home has a very large screened in porch with fireplace, 2 outdoor decks and a stoned path leading down to the 900 sq.ft boat dock. All this for just 2.6 million!

What to take a video tour of this home? Click here to view!

Don’t like the cabin feel look, no problem. How about a luxury home with lofts of amenities? Like a private tennis court and a private beach? Well, you’re in luck! There is another listing in Gainesville with 5 bedrooms that has all these amenities and it is very secluded! Just take a look at the picture! This home definitely has more a traditional look on the inside but if you like to entertain, this might be the perfect home!

We also compiled a list of additoinal Lake Lanier Luxury homes which can be found by clicking here.

If you still need help with your search for a Lake Lanier home, please feel free to contact me at nesa@greatlakelanierhomes.com or 404-579.9307 – Nesa Kleinheksel – Real Estate Broker – 9 Mile Trolley Realty

Lake Lanier Rentals

Nesa Kleinheksel — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:47:35 +0000

Due to the slow housing market right now a plethora of owners are now renting their homes out instead of selling. Looking at the home rental inventory in Hall county there are over 100 homes for rent that are either on or near Lake Lanier. These are long term rentals(1 year lease) and not short term vacation rentals. Typical rental ranges are from $1,200 up to $6,000 per month. If you are looking to rent a home as a long term rental we have compiled a list of available homes to rent on or near Lake Lanier. Most of these rentals are located in Hall County including Buford, Flowery Branch, Oakwood and Gainesville. To see the complete list of Lake Lanier Rentals please click the following link. Lake Lanier Rentals . If you need assistance with finding Flowery Branch Home Rentals, Gainesville Ga Home Rentals, Buford GA home Rentals or Lake Lanier Rentals, please feel free to contact me at nesa@greatlakelanierhomes.com or 404-579-9307. Nesa Kleinheksel

Oakwood GA Homes

Nesa Kleinheksel — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:36:17 +0000

The other day I stopped in to take a look at a couple of homes on the market at the Pointe West subdivision in Oakwood GA. If you are not familiar with Oakwood, GA it is sandwiched between Flowery Branch and Gainesville and is still part of Hall county. Pointe West is located off Stephens Road and is a secured gated community with tennis courts, swimming pool and fitness center. Most of the homes at Pointe West were constructed in the late 1990’s but there are a few newer homes that were built in the last couple of years too. From most of the homes there are decent views of Lake Lanier there are also a few higher priced homes that have private docks and sit right on the lake. Driving around the neighborhood, you can tell that it is very established neighborhood. I also liked the fact that most of these homes did not set too close to one another which you will find in alot of the subdivisions in Oakwood. They must have a good association too because all of the yards were nicely landscaped and did not any junk in people’s yard. All of the homes looked very well maintained and I could see that they were pretty well constructed. Most of them are constructed out of brink and stucco.

Currently, there are 6 homes on the market ranging in price from $495,000 to $1.5 million. Two of the homes are short sales and there is one that is a foreclosure. The foreclosed home is a 5 bedroom, 4 1/2 bath currently priced at $539,900. According to the tax records it has over 4300 sq.ft. Nice large home! It has lots of upgrades including cherry cabinets in the kitchen, 2 story foyer and trey ceilings throughout. This home once sold at $650,000 a couple of years ago, so at $539k there is instant equity. The short sales at Pointe West are priced at $495k and $539k. The home priced at $495k has about 3300 sq.ft and the main living area is an open space with coffered ceilings and beautiful hardwood floors. This house also has double decks which is great for entertaining. The other home priced at $539k also has about 4300 sq.ft. I did not go into this home but from the pics it looks really nice.
If you are looking to find a home in Oakwood GA you must check out the homes at Pointe West. Now, is a great time to pick up a quality home for a cheap price at Pointe West. Don’t miss out on these opportunities! Here is a list of homes for sale at Pointe West which contains information and pictures. If you would like to take a look at any of these, please feel free to give me a call at 404-579-9307. – Nesa Kleinheksel

Buford GA Homes

Nesa Kleinheksel — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:04:50 +0000

Looks like another developer fell on rough times and fell into a foreclosure. This time it is over at Waterside at Lanier Springs, which is located just 2 miles from the Buford Dam Park. There are a total of 6 foreclosed homes at Waterside and they are all brand new. The lowest priced home is a 5 bedroom going for $339k and the most expensive home is a 5 bedroom for $399k, all of these homes have breen reduced by over 100k!
Waterside at Lanier Springs is a a terrific community, all of the homes are nicely appointed with quality features. It’s not your typical cookie cutter subdivsion in Bufurd! All of the homes really look like model homes even though they are foreclosures! From the coffered ceilings to the custom built ins, Waterside at Lanier Springs are a terrific deal. Plus 2 new schools will be opening in up in the fall of 2009, White Oak Elemetary and Lanier Middle School. If you would like more information about homes in Buford GA or at Waterside at Lanier Springs please contact me at nesa@greatlakelanierhomes.com or click here for more information!

Gainesville GA Homes

Nesa Kleinheksel — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:22:00 +0000

There are some really good opportunities to purchase homes located on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, GA. The other day I came across a beautiful listing at the prestigious Pointe South Subdivision. Pointe South is located off Mcever Road in the West Hall High School District. The price range for Pointe South starts from $550k up to 2 million. This particular listing is a foreclosed home that contains 6 bedrooms and 6 1/2 baths. The tax records are reporting the sq.ft around 8000 sq.ft. This house once sold at 1 million back in 2005 but is currently on the market for $729,900! Although it does not sit directly on the lake it does have wonderful views of Sunset Marina. The best feature is that is has a ton of windows with 2 levels of outdoor balcony space for entertaining. It also a 3 car garage and 2 master suites. This home was built in 2003 and is in prime condition. In a good market this home probably would sell for 1.1 million, if not more!

There are also a couple other higher priced homes at Pointe South worth mentioning as well. Both of these homes have private slip docks and have direct access to the lake, they both have deep water too! The first home is a 5 bedroom house priced at $1.59 million with a 7 car garage and a swimming pool. The second home is a 7 bedroom home priced at 1.9 million with pool and hot tub. Both homes have drastically reduced their pricing.

To sum, it is great time to purchase a home in Gainesville GA! Here is a list of all the homes for sale in Gainesville GA .

Lake Lanier Homes and Foreclosures

Nesa Kleinheksel — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:00:59 +0000

What a great time to purchase a home on or near Lake Lanier right now. Interest rates are low, home pricing is down but the water levels are starting to come back. One of the best opportunites is to pick up a home that went into foreclosure. There is usually a 50/50 chance that a foreclosed property will need some repairs but every once in awhile a foreclosure comes along that is in good condition and is move in ready. Right now we are seeing a trend of developers that are in financial trouble and projects going into foreclosure. The reason for this is due to the developer building homes before they have contracts on it, with the downturn in the market these developers got hit hard.
I also have been noticing that the inventory for homes has gone drastically as well, homeowners are starting to realize that this is not the best time to sell so the remaining homes on the market tend to be foreclosures, corporate owned or homeowners that need to sell for financial reasons or are getting relocated. I could totallly see us going from a buyers market to a sellers market just because of the lack of inventory.
I did come across one Lake Lanier home in Flowery Branch that is priced very well for everything that you get. It is a 7 bedroom, 4 1/2 bath home listed at $784,000.This home was built in 1998, has a 3 car garage, swimming pool, hot tub and a single slip dock! According to the tax records it has just over 6200 sq.ft. Typically a home like this would probably be priced in the $900k range. Great house, great location! – If you would like more information on this Lake Lanier Home please contact me at nesa@greatlakelanierhomes.com or 404-579-9307. Nesa Kleinheksel – 9 Mile Trolley Realty

Four Seasons On Lake Lanier

Nesa Kleinheksel — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:38:47 +0000

If you are not familiar with the Four Seasons on Lake Lanier it is located in Flowery Branch right off Gainesferry Road. It is a newer subdivision with inventory remaining through the developer. They have dropped their pricing over the last few months and they have one home that is a really good deal. This 4 bedroom home, 4 and 1/2 bath home is currently listed at $899,900. It has lake views(well, not right now anyway), but if the lake was at full pool this home would be worth over 1.2 Million! Plus, it has rights to put in a private dock as well. I’ve been through the Four Seasons on Lake Lanier a few times and have really enjoyed the craftmanship and quality the developer put into his homes.

So, if you haven’t lost all your money in the stock market, you might want to check out this home! I have included pictures and information which you can find here.If you are interested in touring this property please feel free to contact me at 404-579-9307. – Nesa Kleinheksel

Picasso Restaurant Review in Historic Downtown Buford

Nesa Kleinheksel — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:05:12 +0000

So I know this is a website about homes and purchasing homes, but we are going to intermittently add reviews of businesses and restaurants. I think we can all agree that the restaurants and retail that surround us are important. That’s why the mixed developments have been popping up everywhere. Who doesn’t want to get up late on a Saturday morning and walk across the street to the coffee shop?

Although Downtown Buford is not a mixed-use development, it is walkable from plenty of homes and is a short drive from Flowery Branch. I love going down there on a weeknight and just strolling the streets to see what’s new. One day when I was driving through I noticed a new restaurant name Picasso. “What a cool name” I thought. And I put it on my list of new restaurants to try out in the near future.

Well, a month or so passed by and I was on one of my favorite websites, www.restarant.com (make sure its without an ’s’). If you’re not familiar with this website, this information alone is worth the time it takes to read this posting. restaurant.com offers $10 gift certificates for $3 and $25 gift certificates for $10. The catch is you can only use 1 at a time and 1 per table. Not bad, though. Heck you’re saving 15 bucks! Anyway, I was browsing through the restaurants on there and wouldn’t you know it, Picasso Restaurant in downtown Buford came up! Well, if that isn’t a sign, I don’t know what is.

I purchased a gift certificate and finally used it last Friday night (you have a year to use it). Because of my experience, I thought this information would be beneficial for all you readers that live in the area and might contemplate coming to Picasso at some point. Just a note, Sperata is a well known high-end restaurant a few doors down that is the sister restaurant of Picasso. Sperata has fabulous food, but I will save that for another review.

Ambiance

The decor at Picasso Cafe Wine Bar is really cool. It’s got a relaxed, swanky sort of feel. The kind of place you get served 4 star food, but can dress casually. My favorite kind of place. The artwork was well chosen with some abstract paintings that looked to be somewhat industrial. Again, one of my favorite types of artwork. Definitely a cool lofty feel in the place with a great bar. Even if I don’t sit at the bar, it’s always nice to see a cool bar when I walk into a restaurant. There’s just something about it. All in all, I’ll give Picasso 3.5 Stars (out of 4 stars) for ambiance.

Staff

The staff at Picasso was professional and didn’t hover. No one likes a hovering wait staff. When that happens it ends up ruining the whole dining experience. They were informed on the dishes (since I asked a ton of questions about the ingredients…I know, annoying). When a question was asked that the waitress didn’t know, she promptly went to the Chef to ask him first hand. Now that’s something you don’t see often. Every staff member we came in contact with that evening was knowledgeable and courteous. Picasso gets 4 Stars for the staff.

Food

Great ambiance and courteous staff are both a plus when dining out, but obviously the food is the big draw to keep us coming back to a restaurant. Right off the bat, I liked the menu. Lots of different types of things to choose from, but not so many that your head spins around. From Butternut Squash to Scallops and Shrimp Carbonara to Gorgonzola Crusted Beef Filet, there is definitely something for every taste. My dining companian and I chose to start with the Sesame Toasted Ahi Tuna. Once you’ve had good ahi tuna, you can spot the fakes a mile away. Well, this one is definitely genuine. It was seared just right and the teriyaki wasabi glaze was a perfect match. Unfortunately, there are only 4 small pieces to this appetizer, so it was gone pretty quick. Aside from the portion size, though, the tuna was great. I will probably go back again just for that.

For our main dishes at Picasso my companion had the Butternut Squash Ravioli and I had the Beef Filet Milanese that had a side of peppers, mushrooms, gnocci, red wine paprika sauce and a dab of sour cream. I went back and forth on whether I should get the gorgonzola filet, but I wanted to taste of the gnocchi. My companion absolutely loved the Butternut Squash Ravioli and she mentioned it often during the meal. My filet was cooked absolutely perfect, which is hard to get is some places. The flavors were fantastic, too. Kind of a southwestern flare that I couldn’t get enough of. The gnocchi was cooked really well and everything just worked with this dish. I ended up eating the entire thing! Picasso gets 4 Stars for taste and presentation of the cuisine.

I made a comment to the waitress about how good the chef did at cooking the food and she was very gracious. She talked (more like raved) about Christopher Alan Hope, the Executive Chef. Obviously, there is a great amount of respect for him there. How, refreshing it was to see this admiration of someone’s boss. Very cool. Anyway, she then said the chef that was cooking tonight was trained by Christopher and had only been at Picasso for 2 weeks. Wow, either that guy can train or the chef was a quick study. My guess, is that it had to be both.

After our discussion she told the chef our comments and the chef came out to meet us personally. Are you kidding me? You rarely get this at any restaurant…well maybe McDonalds This chef’s title is Chef D’ Cuisine and his name is Danny Kistle. Danny, thanks for taking the time to meet us and thank you for a fabulous dinner. We will definitely be back.

OK, you probably want to know about pricing. Appetizers range from $3 to $9 and main dishes range from $16 to $29. My particular dish was $22 and worth every penny. That’s when you know you’re in a good restaurant….you don’t regret what you spend on the food. Drinks, are a little pricey, though, at $11 for a Mojito. I wanted to try one, but I just couldn’t justify spending that much.

Well, hopefully this gives you a little more insight on Picasso in Downtown Buford. Definitely give it a try. It’s not well known here, so you won’t have to deal with reservations and long lines. Once you try Picasso, it’ll become a family favorite.

For more information on Picasso, such as their location and their menu go to: http://www.picassocwb.com!

Bon Appetit!