Spectacular Seasons in the North Georgia Mountains!

Discover the beauty and spendor of the North Georgia mountains. Mild summers provide a cool refuge for those who live further south. Spring is abound with new sprout, new starts, and beautiful floral and fauna color. In the Fall our trees transform from cool greens to flaming colors of splendor, in the clean mountain fresh air. Mild winters in the North Georgia mountains make it a great time to celebrate an authentic Blue Ridge mountain Thanksgiving or Christmas. Curl up by a fire and take in the wonders. You might even stumble upon a crystal white Blue Ridge mountain snowfall.

North Georgia is an ideal setting for the year round lifestyle. Award winning architect/builder Henry Zuckerman designs and builds exceptional custom homes in the North Georgia mountains, and he’s been doing it for more than twenty years. Now, StoneyBrooke Homes is Henry’s latest vision of adapting today’s lifestyle to casual mountain living. StoneyBrooke Homes are earth-friendly and can adopt as much of the latest green technology as you may desire.

North Georgia and it’s famed Blue Ridge Mountains hold a multitude of surprise for any lifestyle activities. Quaint antique shops, authentic homestyle dining, whitewater rafting, tubing, and welcoming state parks make this sure stop for Looking for a refuge? Find a cabin or home with an outdoor deck, grab a book and a rocking chair and breathe in the cool mountain air as you gaze over the mountains.

After Century of Growth, Tide Turns in Florida

By DAMIEN CAVE

Published: August 29, 2009

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — The smiling couple barreling ahead on the cover of Liberty magazine in 1926 knew exactly where to go. “Florida or Bust,” said the white paint on the car doors. “Four wheels, no brakes.”

So it has been for a century, as Florida welcomed thousands of newcomers every week, year after year, becoming the nation’s fourth-most-populous state with about 16 million people in 2000.

Imagine the shock, then, to discover that traffic is now heading the other way. That’s right, the Sunshine State is shrinking.

Already, the state’s hold on retirees is weakening, with thousands of disenchanted “halfbacks” moving to Georgia and the Carolinas in recent years. Stanley K. Smith at the University of Florida nonetheless predicts modest population increases when the economy picks up — growth of 150,000 to 200,000 people annually.

Special Offers in North Carolina

August is a great time to explore the mountains of Western North Carolina. Cool mountain waterfalls, whitewater escapades, charming bed and breakfast inns, all set amid the natural wonders of the mountains. And with incredible fall rates, golf packages, and other late summer sales, check out the VisitNC list of special offers

Greenville, SC named one of the best places to live the simple life due to its rich culture, great food, low stress. http://su.pr/2O15wv

Best Places To Live The Simple Life

Greenville, South Carolina was named one of the best places to live the simple life by AARP Magazine due to its rich culture, great food, and low stress.

Dubbed as family-friendly fun, from “penny candy” to goat-cheese pizza, Greenville’s median housing price is just $151,080. When the most relaxing way to spend an afternoon is hiking the pristine mountain woodlands of Jones Gap State Park, just 25 miles outside Greenville and simple fun for less than $10 means grabbing a cup of coffee or an ice-cream cone at Spill the Beans, how could you go wrong?

Read the full article by Sarah Mahoney

Enter to win the Lake Lure & The Blue Ridge Foothills Sweepstakes! http://su.pr/1bLkSn

Lake Lure & The Blue Ridge Foothills Sweepstakes

From majestic peaks to hip and historic small towns, Lake Lure and the Blue Ridge Foothills offer everything you need for a getaway that will help you renew your senses. With great food, fun things to do, and amazing things to see, the lake may lure you – but the spectacular scenery and abundant activities will make you want to stay awhile.

Now, you can win a family trip for four to the area that Frommer’s Budget Travel called ‘a lake not to miss’. The winner will receive:

• Two rooms for four nights and breakfast for four at the historic Lake Lure Inn and Spa
• Admission for four to Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park and a picnic lunch provided by the park’s Old Rock Café
• A one-hour Lake Lure Boat Cruise for four.
• A 90-minute eco-kayak tour for four and a ½ day pontoon boat rental from the Lake Lure Adventure Company.
• A half-day guided fishing trip for two from Granddaddy Fly Fishing.
• A two-hour guided scenic horseback tour for four from Cedar Creek Riding Stables.
• $100 gift certificate for MSquared Restaurant
• $100 gift certificate for the Anna Rose Restaurant
• $100 shopping voucher
• $500 travel voucher

Enter today! The sweepstakes ends August 31, 2009.

Courtesy of www.visitnc.com

Facebook Fan Pages: Quality Over Quantity

To maximize the growth potential of your Business Fan Page on Facebook, keep in mind that it is not the quantity of fans but the quality of your posts that creates long term success. Know your fan base and understand why they became a fan, so you can focus on relevant posting content, links, photos and video that will be interesting enough for your fans to share and promote, and to recommend your fan page to others.

Connect With Your Facebook Fans

You could have 1,000 fans that don’t read what you write which carries a higher risk of your existing fans leaving your fan page. Or you could have 100 devoted fans that tell their friends which in turn increases your fan base. This strategy helps to accelerate your presence on the web which will gain you a greater following for the long term. Be patient and concise in your FaceBook Fan Page strategy and watch your business grow!

Cool Off in the Mountains This Summer

If the summer heat has you frazzled, consider a trip to the mountains and lake regions of the Southeast U.S. The lake breezes and higher mountain elevations ensure a cool down to soothe your stress.

If quiet ambiance is your dream vacation, consider a cabin rental through a vacation rental agency. Quaint small towns are filled with shops, diners, and local artisans and crafters.

But if adventure is your escape, consider whitewater rafting, canoeing, kayaking, or a more rigorous mountain trail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, TN offer a plethora of adventures such as horseback riding, Dollywood, Ober Gatlinburg, shopping, dining, the Gatlinburg Aquarium and so much more.

Visit http://www.floridahalfbacks.com/ to connect with lodging and adventure options throughout the mountains and lakes of the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and more.

What Makes a Good Listing

Property owners often ask how they can get more bookings, lead and inquiries on the Leisure Linx collection of websites. By following a few simple tips, your listing will stand out and encourage visitors to interact with you:

1. Visual Enhancements: Pictures form the visitor’s first impression. If your photos pique their interest, visitors are much more inclined to review the text and contact you.
   a. Make sure that you upload high quality photos for best results. Use higher resolution photos. Both 640 x 480 resolutions and 800 x 600 is the best compromise between size and download speed. Consider hiring a professional photographer or using an SLR digital camera for premium clarity and lighting.
   b. Include a variety of interior and exterior shots, along with lifestyle/activity and seasonal weather variation photos for a complete property perspective.
   c. Include interior shots with good lighting for your main living areas such as living or gathering rooms, kitchen and master bedroom. Also include entertainment photos, such as pool table, hot tubs, and/or entertainment centers. Any areas where people may gather such as breakfast bars, fireplaces, and resort features and facilities are also important.
   d. Visitors are turned off by websites that are cluttered with flashing, streaming or pop-up ads. The Leisure Linx collection of websites is designed with the visitor in mind. Our clutter-free professional designs lead to longer visitor sessions.
   e. Include a few local scenery shots –sunset, resort grounds, beach and surf, or ocean/lake scenic shots. These are important because they convey an important feature for buyers and renters: location.
   f. Add descriptive text to each picture. Although you may think visitors will intuitively know what they’re looking at, it helps to highlight and point out features.

Create Inviting Text
a. Whether you are renting or selling your property, the opening description is the most important piece of text to pique visitor interest. Keep it short and simple, around 2-4 sentences. Make sure to include text that is concise, authentic, and descriptive. Examples include:
b. If your property offers mountain views, create an authentic and concise phrase such as “Sweeping long-range Smoky Mountain views from every room.”
c. “This beautiful home offers an architectural mix of Spanish and French Country style featuring a comfortable front porch with ocean view, inviting exterior courtyards, and two expansive rear yard decks. Offering 3 bedrooms and 2,562 square feet this home creates the perfect environment to enjoy the natural beauty of its coastal-close location.”
d. “Relax and enjoy this 2400 square foot vacation home built in 1999. It is single story with two bedrooms and two bathrooms that will sleep eight for true hospitality. The distinctive beauty and charm of Birdson Cottage Floor Plan sets this apart from the rest.”
e. You can also add special touches if your property is located in a lesser-known locale or in a newly developed area. For example, most people don’t know that “La Jolla del Cabo” is located on the tip of Baja California, Mexico, next to the famous city of Cabo San Lucas. Your introduction should make this clear: “This beautifully appointed 1 bedroom 1 bathroom condo is located in the five star La Jolla resort. The La Jolla is a magnificently landscaped beach front resort just a few minutes from quaint San Jose del Cabo or 20 minutes from Cabo San Lucas.”

1. Give your visitors plenty of options to contact you, including email address, website URL, phone numbers, and leading social network links (if applicable)
2. Provide guest/client testimonials to build your credibility. Authenticity is important, so ensure that your testimonials portray a real guest/client comment and are NOT pre-written by you.
3. Provide value-added opportunities for your visitor. A special offer can be presented in the form of a discount or a reduced price OR consider other offers:
   a. For a rental property, consider packaging up amenities, meals and/or nearby attractions with your rental rates. Or think about providing gas cards or discount coupons for area attractions with every rental.
   b. For a property for sale, consider offering a discovery weekend package that includes a discounted stay either at the subject property or other accommodations nearby coupled with a personalized property/area tour in a one-on-one environment. Or think about providing an extended warranty package or home-improvement store discount cards to your clients.
4. Amenities, Activities and Attractions
   a. The amenities section serves to describe your accommodations and highlight your property’s best qualities. Write with a warm inviting tone to make your visitor feel welcome: Examples include:
   b. “Your home away from home lends itself to a relaxing, fun vacation in the Smoky Mountain area. The dining table seats eight in a bay-window area decorated with moose and pine trees.”
   c. “A spacious open living room has a cathedral, vaulted ceiling of knotty pine, and rustic decor adding to the cabin atmosphere.”
   d. “A floor to ceiling wood-burning fireplace invites warm family gatherings.”
   e. “The kitchen is arranged to suit your cooking style while you entertain your guests with warm hospitality.”
   f. Many visitors may already know the activities and attractions associated with your location. attractions in your locality, the purpose of this text is to reconfirm and reinforce the fact that guests can do these by booking your property because of your vacation home’s great location. Keep your description short, including only the primary and nearby activities. Indicate distances in miles or driving minutes. Mini marts and grocery stores nearby are not as important unless your location is far-removed from civilization, so only include these less-significant features if they are important for visitors to know.
   g. Rental Policies and Conditions are important pieces of information to convey. Only present those that are essential to the guest experience such as minimum length of stay, pet policy, children policy, maximum occupancy, etc. Save the details of deposits, booking fees, form of payment and other details for your website.

With a little time and creativity, you can create an appealing and informative listing to maximize visitor response, leads, and inquiries.