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GUIDING YOU HOME
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Hi there,
Welcome to the first issue of Guiding You Home! We promise to keep it short, local, and worth your time. Fall in North Georgia means cooler mornings and a local calendar that fills up fast. As sweater weather and pumpkin spice season roll in, here's what's happening around Lake Lanier and North Georgia this month.
Is there a topic you'd like us to cover? Just reply to this email or reach out anytime. We'd love to hear from you.
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Where the water stands
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As of Oct. 5, Lanier sat at 1,063.94 feet, about 7 feet below full summer pool (1,071 ft), based on the USGS gauge at Buford Dam. Georgia EPD's statewide Level 1 Drought Response remains in place. If you're buying on the water, or your dock sits in a shallow cove, depth at your slip matters more than the headline number.
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Shore Sweep, by the numbers
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The Lake Lanier Association's 38th annual Shore Sweep ran Sept. 19, with more than 1,000 volunteers registered across 15 cleanup sites around the lake. Thank you to every boat, kayak, and trash bag that showed up.
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Golf after dark at Lanier Islands
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The Six, Lanier Islands' fully night-lit par-3 course, is open to the public Thursday through Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m. Six holes, 56 to 91 yards each, about an hour a round. Walk-ons are welcome until 8; later tee times need a reservation.
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Cumming City Center: October lineup
Free concerts at the Lou Sobh Amphitheater
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- Oct. 9: NÜ Wave ATL
- Oct. 16: Stereo Superstar
- Oct. 17: Carpool (The Cars tribute)
- Oct. 23: Murder of Crowes (Black Crowes tribute)
- Oct. 30: Clapton Comes Alive
- Oct. 31: Nightshades
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Also at City Center: Farmers Market (every Saturday), UGA Game Day Watch Parties, Cornhole Leagues, Touch-A-Truck (Oct. 16), the Haunted Cruise-In (Oct. 22), Howl-oween and Movies Alfresco (Oct. 24), and the TORQ car event (Oct. 31).
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Cumming Country Fair & Festival
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Cumming Fairgrounds, 235 Castleberry Rd. The 32nd annual fair brings the midway, farm animals, live entertainment, and the Heritage Village. Gate admission is free on opening day, Oct. 8, courtesy of Northside Forsyth Hospital. Details ›
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Gainesville Chicken Festival
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Lake Lanier Olympic Park, 3105 Clarks Bridge Rd., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details ›
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Mountain Moonshine Festival & Car Show
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Main Street Park and the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame, Dawsonville, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The 59th annual festival brings a car show, a Saturday morning parade, live music, and vendors. Admission is free; parking is by donation, with a shuttle available. Details ›
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The Gathering at South Forsyth: grading is underway
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Krause Sports and Entertainment began major grading in early September on more than 90 acres of the 100-acre site near Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Union Hill Road. Site preparation is expected to take about five months, followed by utility and electrical work, with vertical construction planned for summer 2027. The NHL has not confirmed a franchise for the area, and under the county's agreement the arena can't move forward without one. The full $3 billion district is planned in phases over seven to ten years.
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Separately, Alpharetta approved a North Point Mall redevelopment in August that includes a 20,000-seat arena, contingent on an NHL franchise commitment by August 2031.
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GA 400 Express Lanes: plan for night closures
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Heavy construction has been underway since spring on 16 miles of toll express lanes from the North Springs MARTA station to just north of McFarland Parkway. GDOT expects the lanes to open in 2031, and nightly lane closures are posted as work moves through the corridor.
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Mortgage rates
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Freddie Mac's 30-year fixed averaged 7.28% for the week of Oct. 1, up from 7.03% the week before. The 15-year fixed averaged 6.60%. A year ago, the 30-year sat at 6.34%.
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Gainesville homestead exemption on the Nov. 3 ballot
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City of Gainesville voters will decide whether to approve a homestead exemption from city ad valorem taxes for municipal purposes, in the amount of $10,000 of the assessed value of the homestead, for residents of the city. The deadline to register is Oct. 5, and early voting runs Oct. 13 to 30.
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Help shape Hall County's next 20 years
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Hall County is updating its Comprehensive Plan, the long-range guide for growth, transportation, housing, infrastructure, parks, and greenspace. Residents can take a 15-minute community survey and mark specific places on an interactive map. Public meetings run 6 to 8 p.m. on Oct. 6 at the Hall County Government Center, Oct. 13 at East Hall Community Center, and Oct. 20 at the Hall County Library, Blackshear Place.
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Bought a home this year? File your homestead exemption
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In Georgia, the exemption only applies once you file, and it isn't automatic after closing. Forsyth County's online filing portal opens in November for 2027 applications, with the filing window closing April 1. Hall County follows the same April 1 deadline. If you closed in 2026, this one's on your list.
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Lake Lanier market snapshot: Q3 2026
Lakefront single-family homes on Lake Lanier, July through September:
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- 76 homes sold (77 in Q3 2025)
- Median sale price: $1,084,000 ($1,070,000 in Q3 2025)
- Median days on market: 42 (55 in Q3 2025)
- Sale-to-list price: 95.6% on average
- 203 active listings as of Sept. 30, about 8 months of supply at the Q3 sales pace
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Source: FMLS. Lakefront single-family homes on Lake Lanier, closed July 1 to Sept. 30, 2026, compared with the same period in 2025. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
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Curious how your home fits into these numbers? Reply and we'll run it for you.
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Lake Lanier Water Levels: What Full Pool, Drawdown, and "Deep Water" Mean for Your Dock
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How water levels affect dock depth, and how to check depth before you buy.
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Lake Lanier Dock Permits: Transfers, Ownership, and How to Verify Status
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What happens to a dock permit when a lake home sells, and how to confirm its status.
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Got a dock question, a move on the horizon, or just curious what your home would sell for today? Reply to this email or call 678.846.2373. We're always happy to hear from you.
Enjoy every bit of fall,
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Holli Clem & Team | KW Luxury
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