The Local Touristby Mary Beard GrodskyWhile the summer season is what attracts most visitors in and around Pickwick Lake, I find that the cooler weather is actually the best time to enjoy some of the attractions that don't require the use of a boat. One of my favorites things to take advantage of is our access to the state parks. Pickwick Landing State Park is one of three nearby parks...

The Local TouristMary Beard Grodsky My mother was known for her homemade baked goods. Neighborhood kids always came straight from the bus to our house to see what the latest batch consisted of. Could be pies or cakes or various pastries, but her most popular creation was her chocolate chip cookes. People still ask me to this day for the recipe. Spoiler alert: they came from the side of a...

Fireplace MaintenanceA major part of the lake lifestyle doesn’t have to take place during the summer.  One of our favorite family traditions is to go to Pickwick Lake in the winter and light a fire in our wood-burning fireplace.  The kids love making s’mores and there is something truly peaceful about the stillness of the lake on a cold night with the roaring fire.  Recently, new construction homes...

One of my favorite sights of this time of year is driving down our area’s winding country roads and seeing every tree in a different color.  The past few years haven’t been as memorable as this one with seemingly every shade of orange, yellow, or red on display.  And once the leaves start changing, that can only mean one thing: Christmas will soon be here.  We haven’t even put...

Rising Interest Rates and What It Means for You When you look in the news each day, there seems to be a common theme: inflation and rising interest rates.  As inflation grows, the Fed raises interest rates to dissuade people from borrowing to lower the total amount of money in circulation.  But, how exactly does that affect homebuyers, especially a first time buyer or someone interested in building new...

The Local TouristMary Beard GrodskyIn a world where it’s hard to find people to work, the Happy Hippie doesn’t stop. An entrepreneurial spirit led Brian Riley to start his own business, offering concierge services to the Pickwick Lake area. This was a much-needed position, given how many people use their homes as secondary residences. A dream that started from deciding to rent his...

The Local TouristMary Beard GrodskyWhen I was in high school at TCHS, an Art IV class was introduced. I remember talking about it at the lunch table and questioned why we needed such an advanced class and was told it was because Brian Casabella and another student were so talented that the class was needed to get them into advanced college programs. Last week, I had the opportunity to...

Special thanks to Jack Inman for featuring me on his YouTube channel to discuss home ownership and rental options at Pickwick Lake. Here’s a recap of the interview: This week Mary Grodsky, a top agent at Crye-Leike, shares great insight into the process of buying a secondary home. Mary is an expert on second homes and knows the Pickwick area better than anyone. Consider the massive income potential of...

How Blue Oval City Will Spark the Real Estate MarketWhat is Blue Oval City?Late last year, Ford announced their largest investment since their first plant in 1903, a massive manufacturing campus in Stanton, TN called Blue Oval City.  The investment will be over $5B to make a fully sustainable plant to produce the new electric version of Ford cars and trucks, including the F-150.  On 3,600 acres, the...

The Fifty Mile Treasure HuntThe Local TouristMary Beard GrodskyTrash & Treasures Along the Tenn-Tom will soon be here, and if you haven’t participated in this local event, you are missing out. I know it sounds like a modern day pirate adventure, but participants will find themselves scouring the roads, searching for their own treasure. What are these hidden fortunes I speak of? I...