and surrounding areas....anybody familiar with the area? Thinking seriously about a geographical relocation. Thanks for any insights.
A lot of the county is national forest. If looking for raw land check for power, and water availability. I actually looked all over north GA before I built (1999) and I could find nothing better than where I ended up. Most land that I could afford was very remote(bad road("good all weather road" B.S.), no power(costly to get ran), no water(although drilling a well would have been possible on the ones I considered, just know in some areas dry wells are very possible, so talk to neighbors and well drilling companies to find out)), and just consider remoteness can be easy pickings for break-ins. Some areas are remote which can be both good and bad. Existing housing is starting to recover up here. Shameless plug: I just got married so I will be putting my house on the market soon. It's in far east Pickens on a mountain, surrounded by mountains at 1,800". I also have a building lot for sale. I am motivated, so be careful making an offer as I just might take it!
If I had children still in school and could not afford private school, I would not send them to their schools. Otherwise, it seems like a regular mix of hillbillies, retirees, church folk, summer tourists, halfbacks (yankees who move to FL then move 1/2 way back), etc.
Where do you plan to work mr bkite? You're an ER nurse, right? Not a whole lot of great options up here.