2023

One Mile at a Time: Completing the Great Loop on a Tiny Sailboat The Local Tourist Mary Beard Grodsky I’ve long heard of “Great Loopers” coming through Pickwick Lake in the fall. The journey and what inspires the trip has always intrigued me, and through a local friend, I was encouraged to try to catch a few as they passed through this year. They’ll frequently come into town after the busy summer...

Buying a home is a significant financial decision that requires careful planning and strategy. When facing a higher interest rate environment, as a savvy buyer, it's crucial to navigate the market intelligently to ensure you secure a property that aligns with your financial goals. In this blog post, we'll explore key strategies to help you strategically buy a home even when interest rates are...

The Local TouristMary Beard GrodskyThe long-awaited new development at Deer Park is set to open August 31st at 5:30pm with a grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting with all local businesses and residents invited to attend. This area has been transformed and will be brought to life with southern contemporary style homes, setting it apart from the competition. Located right off...

Embracing the Charm: The Best Reasons to Live on Mud Island in Memphis, TNImagine waking up to picturesque river views, surrounded by a vibrant community and basking in the rich cultural heritage of a city with a soul. This dream-like setting is not fictional; it exists on Mud Island, an idyllic neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee. Nestled between the Mississippi River and downtown Memphis, Mud Island...

Bella Casa: The Ultimate Luxury at Eastport The Local TouristMary Beard GrodskyPreviously in my Airbnb series, I covered the revitalization of the Eastport area and the rental properties owned by the Casabella Family. Needless to say, if you are familiar with the area, you know Bella Casa, the family’s main home perched atop the hill as you travel into Eastport from the water. And...

The Local TouristMary Beard GrodskySpeak to any native Iuka resident who “grew up” on the lake and you’ll learn that usually means Eastport. For people seeking the quieter side of the lake, Eastport is usually the destination. With a good mix of permanent residents along with vacation dwellers, generations of people have enjoyed the lake homes here. But, with its longevity comes a...

Mother of Six Takes on Pickwick Villas, Creating a Luxury Lake ExperienceThe Local TouristMary Beard GrodskyCassie DiMento, new co-owner of Pickwick Villas, knows a thing or two about taking on challenges and managing chaos. A mother of six, Cassie decided to jump back into the work force when in 2019 she and her childhood friend, an established and experienced real estate investor out of...

Mary GrodskyThe Local TouristWhen kicking off this series on Pickwick Lake rental properties, it seemed fitting to start with Pickwick Cabin Rentals. With over 20 years in the business of renting lake properties, Beverly Milligan White and her team were the pioneers of helping lake owners utilize their homes for rental income when they’re not being used personally. Call any realtor...

Photography of kitchen courtesy Mark JacksonThe Local TouristMary Beard GrodskyOne of the most common avenues I see being used for investing or enjoying a vacation home at Pickwick Lake is to offset the monthly costs and prolonged downtime of not using the property by renting it on Airbnb or VRBO platforms. With soaring real estate prices and inflation, owning a secondary home has become tougher to...

The Local Tourist Mary Beard Grodsky Straight across from our lake place in Yellow Creek lies the old NASA facility. If you’re a local, you know exactly where this is. For anyone that visits the lake or for those not local, I’m constantly asked what that giant building is. Its proximity to Goat Island draws a summer crowd around that section of the lake, and ironically, hardly anyone believes me...