Wednesday, March 7, 2001
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Wednesday, March 7, 2001 |
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Inside Fayette's BIG houses -- the Top 10 Even in affluent Fayette, these million-dollar mansions stand out By DAVE HAMRICK It's well known that Fayette is an affluent county filled with fine, expensive homes. With an average home price of $197,000, the county is well above the average for the Atlanta/Fulton County area, at $173,092. But even in a county filled with expensive homes, there's expensive, and then there's expensive. Some of the finest homes in Fayette County stand out for all to see. They're on major highways. For instance, drive along Sandy Creek Road anytime and you can see the home that World Changers Church International recently bought for its well-known pastor and televangelist, Creflo Dollar. Others are tucked away in subdivisions or along back roads. Some are owned by celebrities, others by people who are lesser known. Using the county's new property tax database, The Citizen has compiled a list of the 50 most expensive residential properties in the county, has further narrowed that to the ten most expensive homes, and has gathered as much information on those as possible for this "Life-styles of the Rich and Famous" series of articles. The list may not be entirely accurate, because it's based on the tax assessors' best guesses, which may or may not coincide with exactly what a home would sell for. But it includes the largest taxpayers in the county. Some are large tracts of land being held for future development, but most in the top 50 are homes, ranging in value from Evander Holyfield's highly visible mansion on Ga. Highway 279 to number 50, a $719,030 home. Like similar homes across the country, most of Fayette's most expensive homes are not paid for with so-called "old" money, according to Beverley Mobley of the Board of Realtors. "Most of them earned it," she said, "and mostly through hard work." Two of Fayette's most expensive homes are owned by sports figures: Holyfield's and the home of baseball star Delino and Tisha Deshields on Shady Brook Walk near Fayetteville. Also in the top ten is the home of Deborah Lenox and her husband, Peachtree City Mayor Bob Lenox, on Bradford Point. Valued by the tax assessors at $1,262,000, the Lenox home is a labor of love, as attested to by a plaque placed by Bob Lenox on the exterior wall: "This home was built by Debi Lenox. She did it with skill, determination and courage along with hard work and her blood, sweat and tears. I am proud of this home, but prouder of her. With love, admiration, pride and deep respect, Bob 1994." Rounding out the ten most expensive homes in Fayette are: Harry and Cindy Peaden's $1,564,140 home on Ga. Highway 92 south of Fayetteville. The home of Lou Seals on Redding Ridge, at $1,470,000. Patricia Hamrick's Brooks home, valued at $1,393,020. The home of Carol J. and Michael Brady, valued at $1,243,000, on Vanderwall in Peachtree City. Greg and Rhonda Lloyd's Pebble Beach Drive home in Fayetteville, valued at $1,211,000. Jesse and Belinda Campbell's home on Wimbly Point, Fayetteville, assessed at $1,169,700.
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