Howard Bickerstaff, a self-employed real estate agent who has lived on Elder Mountain most of his 64 years, spoke to the Civitan Club of Chattanooga about life on the mountain and of the potential opening for new home-buyers.
Elder Mountain would be good for a family trying to get away from busy city life, Mr. Bickerstaff said. “It stays pretty quiet. There’ll never be anything commercial on the mountain, but you’re about seven or eight minutes from everything in the valley,” he said.
While he said that the mountain is only about “10% developed,” it has seen an influx of business in recent years. “For years there were only 30 to 35 families [living on the mountain] but now there’s about 100,” Mr. Bickerstaff said. While in the past the mountain was dominated by older citizens, Mr. Bickerstaff said that there are “a lot of families with young kids now.”
Residents of Elder Mountain may enjoy its large community swimming pool where cookouts are held frequently, and the natural scenery of the mountain is ideal for walks and bike rides.
Mr. Bickerstaff said that the smaller interior lots on the mountain sell for about $40,000 to $80,000. The most expensive houses on the mountain may cost around $10 million. “There are quite a few doctors,” he said.
The community manages its own quail and deer populations through hunting, and the mountain is not home to a great deal of political activity. “The biggest controversy is the deer community,” Mr. Bickerstaff said.
Those interested in owning property on Elder Mountain may contact their real estate agent or Mr. Bickerstaff at 821-2999.