North Georgia's Birch River has introduced a new section of the 1,043-acre community which has already received great response from the public. Bear Paw Ridge features spectacular homesites that present long range mountain views, some 30 to 40 miles. At Birch River homes are built on upland slopes and ridges offering majestic, non-invasive views of not only the signature Nicklaus Golf Club but also the Chestatee River, mountain laurel thickets and pristine, long-range mountain views. With this, golfers can also enjoy Nicklaus’ course and the nature that surrounds it to the fullest.
The sale of homesites at Bear Paw Ridge, Birch River’s most recent offering, has been particularly gratifying to the community’s development team.
“Bear Paw Ridge homesites present long range mountain views – some 30 to 40 miles – which were not available in the earlier offerings of homesites at Birch River. That’s why we’ve already sold 12 homesites since last March,” said Pete Calabro, president of Habersham Investment & Development Corp., the master developer of the planned mixed-use mountain community.
At 1,500 feet elevation Bear Paw Ridge is the highest neighborhood to date to be developed at the 1,043-acre property just off Georgia highway 400 in Dahlonega, where homesites were first offered for sale in September 1999.
According to Garry Osley, a member of the development team, the priority for Birch River has always been the preservation of the property’s natural beauty. Approximately 600 acres of the property will forever be natural green space.
“The entrance to Bear Paw Ridge is just beautiful, and I think it will be the most magnificent mountain neighborhood in north Georgia,” remarked Craig Kritzer, a former Atlanta attorney and resident of Buckhead, who has lived at Birch River for two and a half years.
Homesites in Bear Paw Ridge range in price from $80,000 to $400,000, while homes in the new section will vary in price depending on the owner’s vision.
Kritzer purchased two of the original offered homesites in Bear Paw Ridge. He intends to build two $1 million mountain homes incorporating post and beam, timber frame construction on these homesites in the near future.
Since the first home was occupied in 2000, 92 family residences have been completed and 12 additional homes are under construction at Birch River. To date 185 homesites have been sold for nearly $17 million, and home sales have accounted for an additional $34.5 million.
One of the mountain community’s premier amenities is the Nicklaus Golf Club at Birch River, an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus signature course. The club’s facilities include a well-appointed clubhouse with Nicklaus memorabilia on display as well as a nearby cabana, which services the lighted tennis courts and junior Olympic swimming pool and many exciting additional amenities are planned for the future as the development continues to grow.
“I started playing golf at Birch River three years ago and brought my wife Judy up to see the community,” said Steven Funk, an Atlanta-native and commercial real estate consultant, “With over 20 years experience working in residential real estate, currently with Harry Norman Realtor, once she saw the community we knew it would be a great investment and the view from our homesite is fantastic.”
At Birch River homes are built on upland slopes and ridges offering spectacular, non-invasive views of not only the golf course but also the Chestatee River, mountain laurel thickets and pristine, long-range mountain views. With this, golfers can also enjoy Nicklaus’ course and the nature that surrounds it to the fullest.
Retired executive Jerry Smith and wife Debbie moved to Birch River five years ago after selling their successful high tech business in Lilburn, Ga.
Even though the Smith’s spacious home is near the golf course, they were impressed Birch River was a mountain community unlike others they visited which were overwhelmed with homes built all around the golf courses.
“Once you are here, you realize the lifestyle is far better than you anticipated it would ever be,” Smith revealed, “every home and available homesite has unbelievable views of nature, and they are all different.
“We looked all over north Georgia and just fell in love with Birch River,” he added, “the experience up here is just not available in Atlanta, which is only 50 minutes away.”
For more information about Bear Paw Ridge homesites and other offerings at Birch River please visit www.birchriver.com or contact the Sales Center at 706-867-1660, toll free at 888-988-6222. The Sales Center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
Contact:
Mike Wilson / Heather Dewald, 404-365-9000
MIKE WILSON PUBLIC RELATIONS, INC.
hdewald@mikewilsonpr.com
