Thoughts on Hayesville, NC (real estate)

[Cohutta68]

Looking at a property just outside Hayesville. Half pasture and a half wooded mountainside.

Just about 5 miles south west of town.

Thinking of buying as a secondary property.

Anybody have an idea on value/cost per acre in the Hayesville area?

Any other general thoughts? Hunting, locals, etc.

 

[done911]

I am in the area.... pm me the location... is it in NC or over the GA border?

 

[imawoodsman]

It is BEAUTIFUL up there.
Been a few times

 

[Gunfanman]

Looking at a property just outside Hayesville. Half pasture and a half wooded mountainside.

Just about 5 miles south west of town.

Thinking of buying as a secondary property.

Anybody have an idea on value/cost per acre in the Hayesville area?

Any other general thoughts? Hunting, locals, etc.

I grew up there. Before I got married and moved to GA, I lived in Hayesville for over 35 years. My family was there before what is now Clay County... was even designed as a county (was cut out if Macon and Cherokee Counties). Land prices are up for sure. The housing crazy has slowed somewhat from like a year ago. Sometimes you can find small tracks of land for good deals. But, anymore everyone wants top dollar mostly.
The little town is growing. Keep in mind when I was little there was no red lights, ingles, the pharmacies, the fast food places, no 4-lane section...there was nothing really. Anything you see on the bypass or in town around the square etc., Has been built during the last 30 years or so. Now, everyone moves here from Florida or metro-Atlanta primarily. Some do come from the North East as well. Everything has changed from a town of local farmers to a retirement community mostly. This is good and bad. Many locals have been overtaken with progress. Now, the places I use to hunt and fish as a kid are mostly gone. Hundreds of houses have taken thier place. Now, so many mountain are gone. Everyone put up " Keep out", "private property", and "posted" signs. If you hunt or fish....will likely be on your land or government land. But, this can make it harder as everyone is hunting/fishing the same places a good bit of the time. I understand why people do this today. In the old days this wasn't necessary. A shooting range on forest service land 8 miles + away from the nearest house was put on hold ...do to "liberal ...winey people that moved there complaining." This proposal didn't bother them or their land. It would have gave everyone a safe place to shoot. But, that's the kind of issues facing the town and county.
As far as the locals left. Well, you have two kinds. The real kind that has been here for generations. And then the others that are "posers" / "wannabes" that try to tell people they are. So many people move to Hayesville and after a year or two they start saying things like "well where I came from we did this or we did it that way." True locals have had enough of that. This is the number one way to ruffle feathers. However, if you don't do that and you are sincere, respectful, and don't try to change everything...then the vast majority of locals are very welcoming. Truly..... Most don't care if your not a local as long as you are a good person. The true is Hayesville will change regardless of what kind of people move there. And to be honest I don't blame people for wanting to go there or anywhere in the mountains. If I lived in Florida or Atlanta I would want to come here too. I just wouldn't try to change it into what I was running away from etc. Also, you mentioned for a second home, a lot of the retirement community does this. FL people leave in the winter. Northern people come down for the winter. You can find the type of places you are looking for if one looks around. There are also a sleu of real estate people (mostly moved here themselves) ready to help you. ..Clay County has as very high number if Churches / Capita if you are looking. Meth, Heroin, and drugs are here now more than ever...
But, it is for the moment a good place to live.mostly. I'm rambling at this point. I hope this helps give you some local perspective.... Anyway, good luck to you. I still have family there / go there often, maybe someday see you around.

 

[Cohutta68]

I am in the area.... pm me the location... is it in NC or over the GA border?

Done

 

[Cohutta68]

I grew up there. Before I got married and moved to GA, I lived in Hayesville for over 35 years. My family was there before what is now Clay County... was even designed as a county (was cut out if Macon and Cherokee Counties). Land prices are up for sure. The housing crazy has slowed somewhat from like a year ago. Sometimes you can find small tracks of land for good deals. But, anymore everyone wants top dollar mostly.
The little town is growing. Keep in mind when I was little there was no red lights, ingles, the pharmacies, the fast food places, no 4-lane section...there was nothing really. Anything you see on the bypass or in town around the square etc., Has been built during the last 30 years or so. Now, everyone moves here from Florida or metro-Atlanta primarily. Some do come from the North East as well. Everything has changed from a town of local farmers to a retirement community mostly. This is good and bad. Many locals have been overtaken with progress. Now, the places I use to hunt and fish as a kid are mostly gone. Hundreds of houses have taken thier place. Now, so many mountain are gone. Everyone put up " Keep out", "private property", and "posted" signs. If you hunt or fish....will likely be on your land or government land. But, this can make it harder as everyone is hunting/fishing the same places a good bit of the time. I understand why people do this today. In the old days this wasn't necessary. A shooting range on forest service land 8 miles + away from the nearest house was put on hold ...do to "liberal ...winey people that moved there complaining." This proposal didn't bother them or their land. It would have gave everyone a safe place to shoot. But, that's the kind of issues facing the town and county.
As far as the locals left. Well, you have two kinds. The real kind that has been here for generations. And then the others that are "posers" / "wannabes" that try to tell people they are. So many people move to Hayesville and after a year or two they start saying things like "well where I came from we did this or we did it that way." True locals have had enough of that. This is the number one way to ruffle feathers. However, if you don't do that and you are sincere, respectful, and don't try to change everything...then the vast majority of locals are very welcoming. Truly..... Most don't care if your not a local as long as you are a good person. The true is Hayesville will change regardless of what kind of people move there. And to be honest I don't blame people for wanting to go there or anywhere in the mountains. If I lived in Florida or Atlanta I would want to come here too. I just wouldn't try to change it into what I was running away from etc. Also, you mentioned for a second home, a lot of the retirement community does this. FL people leave in the winter. Northern people come down for the winter. You can find the type of places you are looking for if one looks around. There are also a sleu of real estate people (mostly moved here themselves) ready to help you. ..Clay County has as very high number if Churches / Capita if you are looking. Meth, Heroin, and drugs are here now more than ever...
But, it is for the moment a good place to live.mostly. I'm rambling at this point. I hope this helps give you some local perspective.... Anyway, good luck to you. I still have family there / go there often, maybe someday see you around.

Thanks. Thats the general kind of info I’m looking for.

 

[KOMRAD]

I grew up there. Before I got married and moved to GA, I lived in Hayesville for over 35 years. My family was there before what is now Clay County... was even designed as a county (was cut out if Macon and Cherokee Counties). Land prices are up for sure. The housing crazy has slowed somewhat from like a year ago. Sometimes you can find small tracks of land for good deals. But, anymore everyone wants top dollar mostly.
The little town is growing. Keep in mind when I was little there was no red lights, ingles, the pharmacies, the fast food places, no 4-lane section...there was nothing really. Anything you see on the bypass or in town around the square etc., Has been built during the last 30 years or so. Now, everyone moves here from Florida or metro-Atlanta primarily. Some do come from the North East as well. Everything has changed from a town of local farmers to a retirement community mostly. This is good and bad. Many locals have been overtaken with progress. Now, the places I use to hunt and fish as a kid are mostly gone. Hundreds of houses have taken thier place. Now, so many mountain are gone. Everyone put up " Keep out", "private property", and "posted" signs. If you hunt or fish....will likely be on your land or government land. But, this can make it harder as everyone is hunting/fishing the same places a good bit of the time. I understand why people do this today. In the old days this wasn't necessary. A shooting range on forest service land 8 miles + away from the nearest house was put on hold ...do to "liberal ...winey people that moved there complaining." This proposal didn't bother them or their land. It would have gave everyone a safe place to shoot. But, that's the kind of issues facing the town and county.
As far as the locals left. Well, you have two kinds. The real kind that has been here for generations. And then the others that are "posers" / "wannabes" that try to tell people they are. So many people move to Hayesville and after a year or two they start saying things like "well where I came from we did this or we did it that way." True locals have had enough of that. This is the number one way to ruffle feathers. However, if you don't do that and you are sincere, respectful, and don't try to change everything...then the vast majority of locals are very welcoming. Truly..... Most don't care if your not a local as long as you are a good person. The true is Hayesville will change regardless of what kind of people move there. And to be honest I don't blame people for wanting to go there or anywhere in the mountains. If I lived in Florida or Atlanta I would want to come here too. I just wouldn't try to change it into what I was running away from etc. Also, you mentioned for a second home, a lot of the retirement community does this. FL people leave in the winter. Northern people come down for the winter. You can find the type of places you are looking for if one looks around. There are also a sleu of real estate people (mostly moved here themselves) ready to help you. ..Clay County has as very high number if Churches / Capita if you are looking. Meth, Heroin, and drugs are here now more than ever...
But, it is for the moment a good place to live.mostly. I'm rambling at this point. I hope this helps give you some local perspective.... Anyway, good luck to you. I still have family there / go there often, maybe someday see you around.

Perfect summary here.
I moved to Franklin, down the Rd from Hayesville in the middle of high school from Houston. Now I'm in my mid 30s and moved to Atlanta about 3 yrs ago for work.

The locals up there, definitely dont want change. Depending on the crowd, in the early years I avoided talking about where I was from and how I felt about the community developing more.

The local economy has little to no middle class except for those who are retired or those with a 2nd homes in the mtns. Job market is rough. Largest employers are the Casinos, Walmarts, Drake tax software, Ingles, and Hospitals.

I was young and met many good friends and I miss the mountains.
Perhaps I will move back one day.
Until then it will be a possible bug out destination for the apocalypse.

 

[webicknell]

I am in Young Harris, just inside GA a few miles south of Hayesville..... A great area. Moved up here after 25 yeas in the Snellville, working in mid-town ATL..... Never looked back.
5 miles SW of Hayesville.... Maybe in the Warne, NC area... Close to John Campbell Folk School.... Another great reason to be in this area...

 

[chester]

I grew up there. Before I got married and moved to GA, I lived in Hayesville for over 35 years. My family was there before what is now Clay County... was even designed as a county (was cut out if Macon and Cherokee Counties). Land prices are up for sure. The housing crazy has slowed somewhat from like a year ago. Sometimes you can find small tracks of land for good deals. But, anymore everyone wants top dollar mostly.
The little town is growing. Keep in mind when I was little there was no red lights, ingles, the pharmacies, the fast food places, no 4-lane section...there was nothing really. Anything you see on the bypass or in town around the square etc., Has been built during the last 30 years or so. Now, everyone moves here from Florida or metro-Atlanta primarily. Some do come from the North East as well. Everything has changed from a town of local farmers to a retirement community mostly. This is good and bad. Many locals have been overtaken with progress. Now, the places I use to hunt and fish as a kid are mostly gone. Hundreds of houses have taken thier place. Now, so many mountain are gone. Everyone put up " Keep out", "private property", and "posted" signs. If you hunt or fish....will likely be on your land or government land. But, this can make it harder as everyone is hunting/fishing the same places a good bit of the time. I understand why people do this today. In the old days this wasn't necessary. A shooting range on forest service land 8 miles + away from the nearest house was put on hold ...do to "liberal ...winey people that moved there complaining." This proposal didn't bother them or their land. It would have gave everyone a safe place to shoot. But, that's the kind of issues facing the town and county.
As far as the locals left. Well, you have two kinds. The real kind that has been here for generations. And then the others that are "posers" / "wannabes" that try to tell people they are. So many people move to Hayesville and after a year or two they start saying things like "well where I came from we did this or we did it that way." True locals have had enough of that. This is the number one way to ruffle feathers. However, if you don't do that and you are sincere, respectful, and don't try to change everything...then the vast majority of locals are very welcoming. Truly..... Most don't care if your not a local as long as you are a good person. The true is Hayesville will change regardless of what kind of people move there. And to be honest I don't blame people for wanting to go there or anywhere in the mountains. If I lived in Florida or Atlanta I would want to come here too. I just wouldn't try to change it into what I was running away from etc. Also, you mentioned for a second home, a lot of the retirement community does this. FL people leave in the winter. Northern people come down for the winter. You can find the type of places you are looking for if one looks around. There are also a sleu of real estate people (mostly moved here themselves) ready to help you. ..Clay County has as very high number if Churches / Capita if you are looking. Meth, Heroin, and drugs are here now more than ever...
But, it is for the moment a good place to live.mostly. I'm rambling at this point. I hope this helps give you some local perspective.... Anyway, good luck to you. I still have family there / go there often, maybe someday see you around.

Great report, right on.

 

[chester]