Not long ago I got an email asking about public access areas to the lake. This was the email: Tammy, We appreciate the information, but after review have decided we simply would not be comfortable putting that much of our savings into a home.  We want to be able to travel when we retire and just can't see putting that much into being on the water.  I saw a few things priced lower on your website that said "lake access", what exactly does lake access mean?  Perhaps this is something that could work for us. Thanks, Mr. Johnston  So I will answer the question here and then you too can know what your options are if your budget doesn't allow for owning waterfront property. First of all, there are free access areas a couple of places around the lake, one in the photo above, provided by Georgi... 01/30/2011

Having recently accepted a board position with the Lake Country Freedom Festival and having our first ever board meeting I'm excited to tell you that not only am I giving my time to this wonderful event that raises money for a very worthy cause, but I'm also putting my money where my mouth is. This time 5 years ago I was sitting pretty with money in the bank and getting ready to build a new office and to find a buyer I just had to show up and unlock the door and in a few minutes one would walk through the door... happened every weekend.  The past few years, not so much.  I certainly have cut back and changed my life-style.  At the board meeting yesterday one of the members who works for Camp Kudzu (the wonderful place the money raised goes) mentioned that children with Type I Diabetes n... 01/29/2011

Taking you back... Over the New Year's holiday while my mother was in the hospital and I was worried out of my mind I submitted a bit for a HUD house on behalf of a buyer client.  We waited and waited and waited until finally the email came saying we had the winning bid.  That email came on January 6th.  They said my buyer had to sign a contract that said he would close in 45 days.  We did and we overnighted it to the address provided. I then sent an email asking permission to have the buyer turn on the power for his inspection.  I also made them fully aware that my buyer and the inspector know the requirement to re-winterize the property. I was replied to  in a timely manner and told NO, DON'T, STOP, you MUST have signed contract in hand to do this. and we wait... After a week I send a... 01/17/2011

The first day I should have really stayed home. The little engine that couldn't didn't make it up the hill the first time. But my camera was at the office... I had to do get it. And maybe I should invest in a garage. Lots of homes here in the south don't have them. Maybe that should change. fetch it up wiggle The roads are getting much better now. 01/13/2011

Recently I received an email asking: Dear Tammy,You said that Lake Sinclair is a Georgia Power lake, does this mean all the lots are leased from Georgia Power Company? I don't think I want a lease the property, I want to own it.  Can you buy it from the power company.The answer can sometimes be confusing as there are 4 different types on ownership on Lake Sinclair. The standard answer that we provide to our clients is the following handout which explains the different types of ownership.  There are lots you own from the road to the water (in fee simple)  And we can define that as one of your requirements and only look at those properties.  If you have any further questions please feel free to call me.Different types of lot ownership on Lake Sinclair can be confusing. Do you have a lease... 01/13/2011

Okay, I have to admit I'm one of those people who can't stand it... I didn't stay home all day.  I got out and drove in the snow, ice and slush.  I only drove two miles to the office and frankly by the time I arrived at the office I was wishing I'd stayed at home.  I didn't stay long.  Only long enough to snap a couple of quick photos of the office in the "snow" and although it looks like snow it's really just slush, sleet and ice.  That was yesterday... today I'm at the office and the roads are wet, but the temps are much better.  It's only 34 with the expected high of 36.  But hopefully that's enough to melt the ice off the roadways. Here are some photos I took yesterday of the first snow of 2011 at Lake Sinclair. Mind you, I don't have tiny feet.  I have a size 8 and my Glen's paw is... 01/11/2011

Well gang, I couldn't hold out for the end... but I was up and taking photos until after 4 a.m.  It was fantastic.  Hope you enjoy these photos. The last photo is a still taken from my video footage.  The moon kept moving (obviously) and my little shoot the house tri-pod was not really up to snuff, so I spend a lot of time holding the camera and my video (although I will be keeping it) is not really what I had hoped it would be.  But I hope you enjoyed these photos if you missed the event last night because of weather or sleep. But with the next one in 2094 and the last one in 1638... it was a once in a lifetime event and I'm glad that I stayed up for most of it.  And I'm also grateful that my sweet Donald got up with the dogs and closed the bedroom door and let me sleep in a bit.   12/21/2010

Full Moon, Lunar Eclipse, Winter Solstice... all tonight December 21, 2010 Video   I'm a night owl anyway.  I rarely go to bed before 1 a.m.  Tonight I plant to stay up even later.  I think an event that only occurs once every 372 years might be worth missing a little sleep over.  It should begin on the east coast around 1 a.m. and end several hours later.  I'll try to get some good video and photos and post in the morning... just in case  you want to sleep tonight. I'm also going to get some full moon over the lake photos tonight too.  It's suppose to be clear, unlike when I shot the photo at left. And I have a new camera since that one was taken too. So tomorrow I hope to have some wonderful photos for you.  See you then.           12/20/2010

Last year, because I love to eat at Bone Island Grill, I became involved in a fund raiser.  Bone Island Grill always puts on a 4th of July fireworks show which is fantastic.  Someone popped in my office one day, I had a client at the time, and left a flier.  Well obviously you can't "give" to every charity/organization that asks, but I took a minute and read what "Freedom Fest '10" was all about. It was a fund raiser for Camp Kudzu,a camp for children with Type 1 Diabetes.  Anything "children" related pulls at my heart strings and it was happening at an event I attend at a place I love to eat, such a win win that I got involved, not only through a donation in the form of even sponsorship, but I spent some time volunteering that day as well.  The event was a huge success and raised over ... 12/18/2010

That was the message on my voice mail yesterday. I didn't sell his house when I had it listed.  I showed it a lot.  I marketed it, but no offers even.  Yet, the message said I have a client for life... so what gives... Well I got a call from a listing client that he was refinancing at a lower rate and was taking his home off the market.  I was happy for my client and knew how much he and his family seem to enjoy the lake when they are here on weekends so I understood and withdrew the property from the MLS. A few weeks later I got a call from this same guy who is obviously VERY upset.  (HVCC and out of area appraisers rears its ugly head again) Seems he had an appraisal that he just could wrap his head around.  He emailed it to me to look over and give an opinion.  Immediately the first ... 12/07/2010

I love this photo.  It's peaceful, like Lake Sinclair.  Even on the most difficult of days at the office I go home and walk my dogs and unwind and stop and they have a drink from the lake.  In the summer time they also have a swim from time to time.  But just to watch the water is so relaxing.  I've needed that lately.  That method of getting the "day" out of my system so I am not tense all evening. The deal is done though!  It closed.  It started closing BEFORE Thanksgiving when the buyer in California signed her documents and overnighted them back.  It finished yesterday afternoon at about 4:55 p.m., but my attorney is excellent and he still got the package out via UPS so that  he could disburse funds.  It was a tough one.  There have not been a ton of short sales in my area and I mus... 12/01/2010

December 4th it will be Christmas in the Briar Patch.  The parade will begin at 4:00 p.m. followed by Santa himself lighting the Christmas Tree. You can find craft vendors on the court house square and many of the stores will be open late with some very good specials. And all the children can have their photos taken with Santa.  There will even be live entertainment.  So pack up the children and head downtown Eaonton Saturday afternoon.  I heard there will hot chocolate, and hopefully the weather will cooperate.  And if you're there I hope to see you.  If you miss it, I'll try to take some photos for you to enjoy and post them this weekend.     Now I need to mention just one more thing unrelated to the event, but I have to send a very special thank you for the photos in this blog.  Mrs... 11/29/2010

My husband and I take turns walking our dogs.  He works a schedule currently of 6 days on and 3 days off.  On his 6 days on, I take the dogs for their evening walk after I get home from work.  This might prove a little difficult in a couple more months as it's nearly dark when i get home at 5:30.  But right now, this time of year, I really enjoy it.  The air feels great, the summer visitors to the lake are gone and it's a nice quiet walk.  Well that is, unless we see a deer, and then sometimes my dogs drag me deep into the woods until I finally get that liver treat out of my pocket and they give up the chase. Some of my neighbors have started their Halloween decorations.  My puppies usually bark at anything in the neighborhood that changes.  If a new flower has bloomed, they bark until ... 10/11/2010

All during the summer when I walk my dogs I am constantly having to get off the road for the traffic. And of course it's hot and well I don't like hot and I don't like cold.  But today, was a perfect beautiful afternoon for a walk with my dogs.  I got home a little late because I had a few things at the office that I just had to get finished before I left for the day.  I also have to be back early becuase the duty agent has an early morning appointment tomorrow. My puppies were great today.  Usually I walk them one at time because Laney weighs in at about 95 pounds and Glen at about 125.  But since I was running a little late today I leashed up both dogs and headed out.  We walked for about an hour.  I got my same amount of walking in, but the dogs got twice the walk.  Since I had them ... 10/06/2010

Well, one of our deals has hit a snag.  Surprise Surprise.  This time it's flood insurance.  I've been posting about this issue for a couple of years.  In 2008 FEMA mapped Putnam County.  The maps are perhaps (how can I say this nicely) a little LESS than accurate. It's a catch 22.  You can't avoid lender flood insurance without a LOMA (Letter of Map Amendment) after you submit an Elevation Certificate to FEMA for review(this is a lengthy process).  You can't get flood insurance in the amount you need from your insurance company unless you provide an Elevation Certificate putting you in the flood zone.  So for a buyer it usually means delays in closing. Today I talked with a seller and explained the new lender was requiring flood insurance even though the seller and I both know that his... 10/05/2010

Okay, this place is well, outdated, overgrown and smells a little.  We've attempted to correct as much as we can.  Carpets have been professionally cleaned and grounds have been cleaned up too. But still, the carpets need replacing, the kitchen is lovely original 1983 and the paint choices are well... not desirable to the masses.  But the family that inherited this home would rather you get a fantastic bargain and make your own choices rather than them spend the money and choose things they like.  You see, they live out of state ... in two different states and have decided to just take a lower price and let you "fix-er-up" So what's good about this house?  Well it's solid, they were building great houses in 1983.  It sits on 1 and 1/2 lots with 147 feet of shoreline and is located in a ... 09/23/2010

Did you know all Georgia lakes are man made?  Yup, there is not one natural lake in our state.  I'd like to tell you a little about MY lake.... Lake Sinclair is 15,300 acres of beauty.  It has 417 miles of shoreline and stretches through Putnam, Baldwin and Hancock Counties. Sinclair Dam construction began by Georgia Power Company in 1929, but was stopped in 1930.  The depression took hold and suspended the lake for more than 19 years.  Work on the dam resumed in 1949 under the supervision of B.W. Sinclair, the superintendent of power plant construction and operations (who the lake was named for) and finished in 1953.  The dedication of the dam took place on July 28, 1954 on the eve of B.W. Sinclair's retirement. Not only does lake Sinclair create power at the Sinclair Dam, but also at... 09/22/2010

Yesterday afternoon as I sat working on line at my computer I lost my Internet connection while updating my website.  I picked up the phone to call the report the outage after it lasted longer than I thought was a "glitch" and discovered I also had no phone service.  Uh oh!  I called from my cell phone and wasn't thrilled when they said they'd have it back up and running by 5:00 p.m. the next day.  I'm a business and more than 24 hours out of service is a bummer. I headed home to work from home and discovered the outage was larger than my office.  I soon discovered that my house, my entire neighborhood and even another agent from my office over 8 miles away were also out of service.  Apparently someone forgot you are supposed to "call before you dig".  Fortunately when I called from hom... 09/21/2010

I recently heard a story, it's was part of a book I'm listening to in my car, about people moving away from their hometown for work.  I sit and ponder that my little town has lost jobs over the past few years.  Some manufacturing jobs have been cut back and others lost all together.  I suppose I feel fortunate that my community has two colleges and a technical school, a VA center, a hospital and still two prisons in the area that employee people.  Do I worry about it?  I do.  Would I move to a city for work?  No, I would not. For me family has and will always come first.  I was a single mom for 14 years.  My daughter was and is the light of my life.  And I raised her right here in little old Eatonton, GA.  A place that many of my high school classmates fled from without so much as a gla... 09/16/2010

A former agent cross stitched this for me because I would always say it when those people who love the house, but go home to think about it or talk about it or JUST HAVE to look at home call in a couple of weeks to make an offer and discover that the house they've been at home planning to own has be purchased by some buyer who didn't hesitate. I certainly don't think people should make a hasty decision, but hesitate when you know it's the house you want and... have no lake house. 09/15/2010