From Fried Catfish to $10 Million Estates

I still remember arriving at Lake Oconee in 1997. We had been living near Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square—surrounded by convenience, energy, and city life. So when Ted brought me here, I said, “I’m not living here for more than six months.” I meant it.

A few days later, he decided to show me “the local mall.” We drove out to Greshamville, and he pulled up at a gas station. “This is not a mall,” I said. “This is a deer processing center.” He laughed and said, “Look at the sign.” And there it was: Greshamville Mall.

Life back then was simple in a way that’s hard to explain today. The closest thing to a grocery store was Jerry’s Bait and Tackle. You could walk in for fishing bait and leave with fresh vegetables and a good steak for dinner. If you wanted to eat out, there was one place everyone talked about, a little shack on the lake called Lakeview. It was only open on Fridays and Saturdays, and if you got a table, you ordered the fried catfish. That was the experience.

Traffic? That meant getting stuck behind a slow truck on a two-lane road. And what is now Silver Moon, one of the area’s favorite gathering spots, was once Mike’s Place, a modest bar where locals went after 5 p.m. to unwind with a cold beer. There was no Amazon Prime. No Instacart. No overnight anything. What we lacked in convenience, we made up for in something far more meaningful: Community.

Change came quietly, but it came.

Then came defining moments: President George W. Bush became a frequent visitor. The creative influence of Zac Brown, bringing music, and a different kind of energy while grilling steaks at his Zac’s Place. The opening of The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee was a turning point. That’s when I knew Lake Oconee had become a destination.

I’ll never forget the ribbon cutting of Publix. Standing beside its president, he told me it would be the prettiest Publix they’d ever build. Soon, we will have two.

When I first started in real estate, a $700,000 lake home was considered luxury. Today, I walk into homes that exceed $10 million, homes that rival any in the country.

Ted and I didn’t just move here. We built our life here. Our children were born and raised here. They are now 20 and 23, and I can say, without hesitation, there is no better place to raise a family.

This is a place where a stranger will offer to help you. Where neighbors become lifelong friends. Where kindness is not a gesture, it’s a way of life.

And now, I’m seeing something even more meaningful. The families who moved here to retire are now welcoming their children, and their grandchildren, back to the lake. And I have the privilege of helping those next generations find their place.

Despite all the growth, the heart of Lake Oconee remains the same. Yes, there are luxury estates and world-class amenities. But the warmth, the charm, never left.

People often ask me if Lake Oconee is becoming the Aspen of the South. I always say… No. It’s becoming something even better: It’s becoming itself.

And those six months I promised?

I never left.

Because somewhere between Jerry’s Bait and Tackle, a plate of fried catfish, and a community that welcomed us as its own… Lake Oconee became home.

About Riezl Baker and Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group

Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group is a premier, award-winning brokerage based in Greensboro, Georgia, specializing in lakefront and golf community properties throughout Lake Country and Reynolds Lake Oconee. Co-founded by Riezl and Ted Baker, the firm has redefined the standard of excellence in Georgia’s luxury real estate market through its commitment to integrity, personalized service, and innovative marketing. With a proven track record representing some of the region’s most exclusive properties, Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group continues to set the benchmark for exceptional results and client experience. (www.luxurylakeoconee.com; www.riezlbaker.com)