We are excited to announce that Hartwell now has its first brewery, Southern Hart Brewing Company.  The ribbon cutting celebrating the opening will be on Friday, 1/18/19, at 10:30 AM.   They will be open immediately following with food and beverages available.  (It's 12:00 somewhere.)  I can't wait to visit and support one of the new local establishments that help to make our area great.  Make sure to save some time to let us help you find your spot on the lake.  We can drive.

You can't help but be aware of all of the new companies that will guarantee to buy your home without ever showing it. It seems too good to be true. Why wouldn't everyone want to do this? There is one primary answer: you should expect to net 10-25% less on the sale of your home if you select this option. The guaranteed offer from the company is frequently below the current market value of your home. If you accept, they will typically do an inspection, and then ask for a reduction in price due to the repairs that need to be made. In addition to the low sales price and repair reduction, you also have transaction fees that range from 7-13%.  They will then do some minor clean-up and put your home back for sale at or above the full market value. I have researched company websites and public reviews, and while you do see some satisfied sellers, these are mainly people that put an extremely high value on making the experience easy and fast, without concern for maximizing their net proceeds from the sale. There was also a high number of bad reviews from buyers purchasing homes from these companies. I don't want to presume that there is never a time when this might be a good option for a seller, but I do know that we helped 110 clients buy or sell last year, and we have 102 4 or 5-star reviews at this public website. By the way, if you know someone that might want to sell their home below market value, please reply to this note - asking for a friend. :)

One of my past clients, Bill Powell, captured this moment on 1/1/19.  I hope all of you had a fun and safe New Year's Eve and welcomed the New Year with family and friends.  Our work schedule was a little more relaxed over the holidays, but our SpotOnTheLake team was able to finish the year strong.  We helped 110 people buy or sell real estate in 2018 generating over $23 million in sales, making it our best year ever. We are especially grateful to the clients that took time to let us know how we did by submitting an online review here.   If you have been considering buying or selling a lake property, we hope we will have the chance to work with you in 2019.  Let us know how we can best serve you.

Lake Hartwell has its share of avid fisherman, and many of them love to find their catch after dark.  You will likely see the night vision fish finders on a lot of angler's Christmas wish list.  This festive fisherman took it to the next level by illuminating his whole boat.   I am not sure if the lights helped him find the fish or scared them all away, but you can bet he had fun looking for them.  For more photos of more Christmas light boats, click here.  I hope you have a Merry Christmas!

The end is in sight at the Lake Hartwell dream home.  Our builder has been completing flooring, interior trim, painting, kitchen cabinets and tile work in the bathrooms.  The driveway has also been poured, which has been a welcome addition given all of the rain that we have had.  Click here to see more photos and make sure to contact us if we can help you find your spot on the lake.

No - I'm not talking about the second-ranked Clemson Tigers football team. There is another group of athletes at Clemson who train year-round to compete in the National Collegiate Water Ski Association.  Clemson is one of the only schools in the country that has a water ski training facility (Lake Hartwell) on campus.  Boat and ski equipment manufacturers are happy to share their gear freely with some of the nation's best skiers.  Athletes compete in slalom, trick and jump events against other collegiate teams around the country.   Take a quick look at this fun video that WYFF news aired a couple of weeks ago to see what the team is all about.  And don't forget to save some time to let us help you find your spot on the lake.

As we roll into December, most of us are looking forward to spending time with family and friends while celebrating the holidays, but we are also faced with the realization that tax time is fast approaching.  If you want to make your Georgia state income tax count for something, you may want to take advantage of the rural hospital tax credit program that the legislature has put in place.  This program allows a 100% tax CREDIT (not a deduction to income) to go to a rural hospital of your choice, including Lake Hartwell's St. Mary's Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia.   Individuals can receive a credit of up to $5000, and couples filing jointly can receive up to $10,000.  Click here for more information and to apply.

You guys know the song: "I am woman, hear me roar....." Meagan Ethell takes the mantra, "strong woman" to the next level. She is one of the world's strongest wakeboarders, male or female. As the temperatures have finally gotten cooler, I thought we should take a moment to look forward to the fun we could be having on Lake Hartwell next spring.   Now is the time to lock in your spot on the lake.  Click here to see if Meagan can land this trick.

Many lakefront restaurants shut down for the season, but we are fortunate that The Local Pub and Eatery in Anderson stays open year-round for dinners Wednesday through Saturday. The restaurant offers a full bar and a menu with many locally sourced options, including burgers, pizza, wings, steaks and seafood. The Pub also has an eclectic wine list, refreshing cocktails and lots of domestic, import and craft beer selections. Click here for hours, location and a full menu. Make sure to save some time to let us help you find your spot on the lake. We work year-round, too.

We have received quite a bit of interest in the release of our first three custom homes: The Choestoea, The Eastanollee and The Tugaloo.   Several of you have asked about a larger floor plan more suitable for full time living.  Today, we are releasing The Seneca.  This lodge-style plan has three bedrooms and two baths on the main level which all open to a huge great room.  But when the weather is nice, you will likely be enjoying one of the four patios, porches and decks overlooking the lake.  If you need more space, most lake lots will be perfect for a finished terrace level which has the same footprint as the main level.  To see floorplans and photos of a finished home, click here.   If you already have your lot and are planning to build, or if you need our helping finding the perfect spot, just reply to this note.