All Forum Posts by: Holly Barrett

Holly Barrett has started 14 posts and replied 195 times.

@Shirley Dimitro Since it looks like these communities are an hour apart, it might make sens to have a Realtor in each market. I am a Realtor so I am 100% not trying to take away her business. BUT if you are looking for an investment and you feel bad asking her to drive that far to see a property then you could be missing out on a deal. Sometimes buyers are hesitant to ask their Realtor to drive a distance because they feel bad (and you should not feel bad) and sometimes it is because the Realtor gives the vibe or even straight out tells you that they don't want to make the drive often (which is wrong). Also, she may or may not know both markets which is not good to represent you in a market she doesn't understand or know. We were working with a Realtor in Florida who said they worked from Tampa to Naples. There is not a single Realtor out there who can help a client in that big of an area. They can't really know the market in a way to help the buyer. Just my two cents :)

Ok I would like to weigh in on this. I totally hear you Esta. However, let me share from a North GA Realtor's perspective. North GA is rural, hills / mountains, windy roads, forestry to navigate around etc. Point being it takes me 30min to get just about anywhere. Driving an hour to show a property is nothing here. If we focused in on a 30min drive time radius, we probably wouldn't be selling many houses ;) lol

I routinely drive 2 hours to show properties actually. Lucky for us our drives are beautiful and not stressful at all, since we have no traffic, its like a joy ride - I listen to a LOT of podcasts and CSPAN!

That said, not all North GA realtors want to drive that much, and some do focus in on their little mountain towns. So I'm not speaking for everyone. Me personally, I am an STR and North GA expert. My husband is from Helen, and I lived there during elementary school. So I LOVE Helen. My hubby also is a white water kayaker and pre-children I spent most weekends camping all around North GA and beyond w/him near the wild creeks & rivers he'd run.

I say all that to paint the picture that some realtors really do cast a wider net for their geographic selling span and it is justified in cases like this when we are more sparsely populated. :)

Hope that is helpful!

2 Votes

Quote from @Shirley Dimitro:

Hi Esta, you could be very right. I have thought of finding a realtor in Helen since mine lives around the BR area and is definitely more knowledgeable about that area. I was just trying to stay loyal to a buyer's agent, since I know how much leg work is involved. But that's definitely somethng I will have to consider on my next visit there. Thanks for the input.

Hey Shirley, I am a North GA based realtor. One thing you could do is share that w/your current agent and see if they would like to refer you to an agent more familiar w/the Helen market. That way he/she can still earn a referral commission and not have to deal w/driving to Helen (they may prefer that option anyway!) Everyone wins :)

0 Votes

Quote from @Neil Doldo:

Quote from @Pragati Soni:

Quote from @Neil Doldo:

Hi Mark!
My wife and I own three properties in the Blue Ridge area and she also co-hosts for two others. Our three did very well in 2022, grossing $113k, $149k, and $36k (in service just two months). The two co-host properties are just starting but we anticipate grossing about $80k (2br/2ba with a view) and $200k (4br/4ba new build with a pool). Right now the market is pretty competitive, but if you have a great view, are on water, or have some other awesome amenity, it will do great. The sweet spot is a 2/2 with a view, or 4br+ that can sleep alot of people. Our best performers don't have views or water, but have insane amenities. One has a 1100sq.ft. arcade and theater room, and the other has a theater room, pool, game room, and is 10 min from downtown. I have included the links so you can see four of the five properties.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/50432995?guests=1&adults=4&children=2&s=67&unique_share_id=cc99d7e2-09db-462b-99e7-c659f45f4cb4

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/839040993900203407

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/615272595622105553?guests=1&adults=4&children=2&s=67&unique_share_id=74550085-1893-49a6-9c35-6e96cf36e550

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/742574515648264600

Best,
Neil

Hi Neil, great properties! When did you buy these properties? I am also looking for STR in Blue Ridge or Helen. Do you have any in Helen as well? What's your opinion on Helen?

We purchased our first in May 2021 (the 4BR with insane views), and then October 2021 (the one with the garage arcade). The pool cabin was purchased in Sept 2022. The 2BR in Ellijay was actually a flip we did in Jan 2023 and my wife is now a co-host for the buyers.

Helen is a great little town, but much different than Blue Ridge. BR is much more upscale with the focus being on the amenities the property offers. Helen is all about being as close in proximity to the downtown (preferably walking distance). The condition of the property and the amenities are much less important in Helen, but would certainly help differentiate you. The issue is there is significantly less inventory in Helen that is suitable for STR. If you want any more detail, feel free to DM me

Neil is correct about inventory in Helen - primarily bc outside of Helen city limits (which is tiny) STRs are not allowed w/o a special use permit, no guarantees of approval, and no way to know if they will approve you before purchasing :*( I'd steer clear of White County outside of Helen. Helen itself is still a slam dunk imo due to the purchase price to occupancy rates (I'm seeing hosts fare better there than BR, unless you have a super cool unique BR property, maybe Neil disagrees).

Helen properties tend to move fast when they pop up if they are priced right.

I run a North GA STR Hosts Group and this is the feedback I've been hearing.

0 Votes

Quote from @Amy Lemaistre:

@Holly Barrett thank you! What would the best way to get a more accurate occupancy number? The listing gent? Also, if a property says “great rental history” will the agent provide the details?

If it is currently an STR the listing agent should hopefully have Financials & Occupancy Rate info. Work w/an STR savvy buyer's agent to ascertain that info. If it isn't a rental, you can use airdna (your buyer's agent might have access to some of that thru Remine software) and round down, be conservative. Pull STR comps, seasonal ADR, and come up w/your own ADR x Occupancy for property in question. Then run the numbers w/that.

Also, many changing ordinances (**Not for the better) in NGA. So buyer beware! Don't take your agent's word for it, it's hard for us to keep up even if we are paying attention, go straight to the municipality sources for info & get any potential approval in writing.

2 Votes

@Branden Jordan

I’d look at Hall County (Agra jobs on the rise and Gwinnett residents shifting north) and there are a lot of jobs coming in the Solar space in the coming years up in Dalton.

2 Votes

Atlanta, Georgia

@Doug Davis

Not to toot our own horn, but I really suggest you work with an agent on here! We know this story and how to navigate these waters.

We know what lenders work best for your situation. An investor savvy agent like any of the ones on this page will take a lot of the guesswork out of your search.

Just a thought ;)

1 Vote

Atlanta, Georgia

@Amy Lemaistre

I usually ballpark $500 a month and based on the other responses that sounds about right.

Helen is higher occupancy but I would still aim lower using 70%

2 Votes

Hey David, I'm on the other side of the lake in Dawsonville, hit me up!

0 Votes

Atlanta, Georgia

Congrats! I started w/EXP as a new agent and have had a great experience. I think REAL is super cool and their video marketing rocks, but EXP training is tough to beat in the virtual world IMO. They are both awesome options though and largely will depend upon your mentor & group you go in w/.

A virtual brokerage is good for:

People who have worked remote / 1099 careers before

Tech Savvy / Proficient

Self Reliant / Resourceful / Self Starter

My two cents :)

1 Vote

Tampa, Florida

I concur with the above posters on the in law suite situations. Another option if could be building an ADU, currently in Atlanta, ADUs are allowed on R-5, R-4, and R-4A-zoned lots.

However, I believe there is a current proposal to expand that, not sure what the latest is on that measure.

1 Vote

Atlanta, Georgia

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All Forum Posts by: Holly Barrett

Holly Barrett has started 14 posts and replied 195 times.

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