“It’s now mountain sophistication,” says listing agent Marc Castillo, with Coldwell Banker Realty. “I had seen this home before my clients bought it and thought it was a huge project. It was a little gaudy and over the top and very specific. My clients lightened and freshened it up.”

The 8,480-square-foot home in Dahlonega is listed for $2,299,000.

From foreclosure to fixed-up

Built in 1999, the home was in foreclosure when the sellers picked it up a few years ago as an investment property.

“It has been a labor of love. They redid all of the systems in the home,” Castillo says. “It’s definitely now a transitional house with some mountain flavor.”

The home features plenty of marble and chandeliers. The huge chandelier in the two-story dining room is worth $40,000, according to the listing agent.

“It is a great focal point in a very large space,” he says.

There’s also plenty of space to spread out, including three bedroom suites.

The primary suite “is repeated on all three levels of the home, so there are really three [primary] spaces each with a really large spa bathroom, walk-in closet, a bay window seating area, and fireplace,” Castillo explains.

One of the primary suites has a bathtub right in the bedroom.

“It goes back to the days of the romantic motor lodge motels or something like a honeymoon suite in Las Vegas or something like that,” Castillo says with a laugh. “The original owner was a bit eccentric and actually had a pond inside the home at one time. My current client took it out. [The bathtub] is just something that’s unique to this house.”

There are three additional bedrooms.

Other highlights include a terrace level with a bar and billiard room, an office over the garage, and two kitchens.

Eye-popping elements

Unusual design features include the slim front door and an elaborate, dual staircase on the back of the house.

“The way the house is set on the property, from the front of the house, you don’t realize how big the house really is. From the back of the house, you really get the scale,” Castillo explains. “The staircase is to take advantage of the views and give access from the back of the house down to the water.”

The home sits on 4.6 acres along the Chestatee River. It has a gazebo and a cabin overlooking the rapids.

“It’s an interesting part of the river where the water starts moving very fast. You can hear it from the house, and it’s so relaxing and peaceful,” Castillo says. “You can go down there and fly fish or wade in the waters.”

The home is currently a vacation rental going for around $700 a night and has about $100,000 in bookings for this year.

Castillo says there are two possible types of buyers.

“One would be someone who wants an investment property. This would be very low maintenance and it’s already up and running, so it wouldn’t take much for an investor who just wants something turnkey and walk into a working operation,” he says. A multigenerational family could be the other type of buyer.