Georgia Real EstateNorth Atlanta Acreage
Twelve active listings north of Atlanta that clear every box: 5+ acres, public water shown on the listing, heavily wooded, no HOA and priced at $1 million or less. Seven are vacant land and five come with a house, each with a professional breakdown and a link to the full listing.
The search
Search criteria
- North of Atlanta. Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall, Dawson, Lumpkin, Pickens, Bartow, Gordon, White, Habersham and Gilmer, plus north Fulton and Cobb.
- 5+ acres. Listed lot size of at least 5 acres.
- Water utility available. Public or county water shown on the listing; well-only listings excluded.
- Lots of trees. Heavily wooded according to the listing description (we quote the wording on each card).
- Empty lots and lots with houses. Both vacant land and homes on acreage.
- No HOA. No association fee on Georgia MLS and the CapCenter HOA field reads “No.” Recorded covenants and deed restrictions aren’t HOAs, but we flag each one.
- $1,000,000 maximum. List price at or under $1M, Active status.
About the HOA check: it is based on the MLS record (the GAMLS association-fee line and CapCenter’s HOA field, which both mirror MLS data). An HOA or recorded declaration can exist without a listed fee, so confirm with a title search and county records before you buy.
Where the picks landed
All 12 picks are in Bartow, Cherokee, Habersham and Hall counties.
The earlier Lumpkin, Gilmer and Pickens picks were dropped because each carries an HOA fee (see below). Forsyth, Dawson and White had nothing that met every criterion; the usual misses were water not stated as public, or land that was pasture or partly cleared. North Fulton and Cobb had almost no 5+ acre listings under $1M; those were in south Fulton and south/west Cobb. Gordon’s best candidate is listed as an alternate.
Removed by the No-HOA filter
- L1Lot 7 Norton Ridge, Dahlonega Lumpkin Co.$700/yr HOAListing
- L4Lot 19 Mt. Springer Rd, Ellijay Gilmer Co.$1,200/yr HOAListing
- H1285 Julep Circle #678R2, Ellijay Gilmer Co.$2,376/yr HOAListing
- H46100 Henderson Mountain Rd, Jasper Pickens Co.$385/yr HOAListing
Fee shown on both Georgia MLS (“Annual Assoc. Fee”) and CapCenter. All four were still active on Oct 10.
Market overview
North-metro acreage
Land supply is heavy relative to sales, and price per acre drops quickly as you move away from GA 400 and I-575. That gives buyers room to negotiate, especially on listings that have sat for months.
- Close-in costs more. Forsyth and Cherokee land asks roughly 3 to 5.4 times what Pickens, Gilmer, White, Habersham or Bartow ask (county medians, LOR calc).
- Water + trees + no HOA is rare close in. Few Forsyth and Dawson listings combined public water with heavy tree cover, and many of the mountain-county lots sit in HOA communities, so the picks cluster in Bartow, Hall, Habersham and Cherokee.
- Averages swing. A few big tracts move the monthly numbers. Dawson’s September 2026 average land sale was $1,032,143 on 7 sales; Pickens averaged $45,333 on 3. Read them as direction, not benchmarks.
- Time is on the buyer’s side. Several picks have sat 250 to 449 days.
Market counts: GAMLS Market Activity by County, Land Lots (all land-lot sizes, GAMLS only, checked Oct 10, 2026).
At a glance
Summary table
$/acre is list price divided by listed acres (our calculation). For homes it includes the house, so it doesn’t compare to raw land. Tap a property name to jump to its breakdown.
| Property | County | Type | Acres | Price | $/acre | HOA | Water | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L2140 Sherwood LaneCanton, GA 30115 | Cherokee | Land | 6.0 | $900,000 | $150,000 | No HOA | Public · MLS field only* | View listing |
| L30 GA Highway 369 (Lots 5 & 6, Creighton Rd Subdivision)Ball Ground, GA 30107 | Cherokee | Land | 12.144 | $450,000 | $37,055 | No HOA | Public · MLS field only* | View listing |
| L53859 Hwy 140 NE (Lot 8, Pine Log Estates)Rydal, GA 30171 | Bartow | Land | 14.87 | $371,750 | $25,000 | No HOA | Public · in listing text | View listing |
| L62300 Stonepile Road (4 lots)Clarkesville, GA 30523 | Habersham | Land | 45.9 | $889,000 | $19,368 | No HOA | Public · MLS field only* | View listing |
| L74431 Jim Hood RoadGainesville, GA 30506 | Hall | Land | 36.83 | $825,000 | $22,400 | No HOA | Public · in listing text | View listing |
| L80 Mullinax RoadTaylorsville, GA 30178 | Bartow | Land | 10.0 | $230,000 | $23,000 | No HOA | Public · GAMLS + text† | View listing |
| L94701A Cleveland HighwayGainesville, GA 30506 | Hall | Land | 7.0 | $250,000 | $35,714 | No HOA | Public · GAMLS + text† | View listing |
| H23845 Level Grove RoadCornelia, GA 30531 | Habersham | Home | 7.34 | $460,000 | $62,670 | No HOA | Public · MLS field only* | View listing |
| H3221 Shallowford DriveGainesville, GA 30504 | Hall | Home | 6.69 | $799,900 | $119,567 | No HOA | Public · MLS field only* | View listing |
| H525 Mountain Creek Trail NE (Mountain Creek Forest)Fairmount, GA 30139 | Bartow | Home | 5.0 | $759,900 | $151,980 | No HOA | Public · MLS field only* | View listing |
| H66354 GA-20White, GA 30184 | Bartow | Home | 5.0 | $490,000 | $98,000 | No HOA | Public · MLS field only* | View listing |
| H7530 Grandview AvenueMount Airy, GA 30563 | Habersham | Home | 5.84 | $355,000 | $60,788 | No HOA | Public · MLS field only* | View listing |
* MLS field only: for L2, L3, L6, H2, H3, H5, H6, H7, “Public” water comes only from the listing’s MLS water field. † GAMLS + text: for L8 and L9, water rests on the Georgia MLS water field and the listing description; the CapCenter (FMLS) record has no utilities field. L5 and L7 show it in both MLS records and the description. Confirm service with the county water authority in every case. “No HOA” is based on the MLS record; confirm with title/county.
Our shortlist
Top 3 picks
3859 Hwy 140 NE (Lot 8, Pine Log Estates)
Rydal, GA 30171 · Bartow Co.
14.87 wooded creek-front acres with public water and power, a permitted driveway, and no HOA or covenants per the listing.
4431 Jim Hood Road
Gainesville, GA 30506 · Hall Co.
36.83 acres of mature hardwoods with county water at $22,400/acre, below the Hall median. No HOA, but check the conservation covenant first.
3845 Level Grove Road
Cornelia, GA 30531 · Habersham Co.
All-brick 4 bd ranch on just over 7 wooded acres with a creek and a 30x30 shop. Public water, no HOA, no covenants stated.
Runners-up: H6, 6354 GA-20, White: a log cabin on 5 wooded, fenced acres for $490,000, the closest home to I-75. L6, 2300 Stonepile Rd, Clarkesville: 45.9 hardwood acres at the lowest $/acre in the set ($19,368), but farther out.
Property breakdowns
All 12 listings
Facts come from each public listing as of Oct 10, 2026. Quoted wording is copied from the listing. Drive distances and times are LOR estimates (mapped route from the listing pin to the nearest interchange), not listing figures. Orange tags mark covenants, restrictions and data conflicts to check. No listing photos are reproduced here; each link opens the full photo gallery.
Vacant land 7
140 Sherwood Lane
Canton, GA 30115 · Cherokee County · MLS #10800238
- Location & access
- East Cherokee off Trinity Church Road. Listing cites Publix about 5 minutes away and “convenient access to I-575 and GA-400”. About 12.8 mi / 23 min to I-575 and 13.9 mi / 25 min to GA 400 LOR est.
- Trees & terrain
- “surrounded by mature hardwood trees with high and dry terrain that ranges from level to gently sloping”.
- Utilities
- MLS water field: Public. Sewer: septic tank.
- Pros
- Closest-in location of the set (Creekview High district); no HOA; “Sale includes three 2-acre parcels”, which adds flexibility.
- Risks & due diligence
- Restriction flag Sits in a mini-subdivision (Sherwood Forest per the MLS); ask whether recorded subdivision covenants exist. Highest land $/acre in the set. Confirm whether the three parcels can be combined or kept separate, plus setbacks and driveway access; perc test on each parcel; FEMA flood map.
- Value view
- $150,000/acre, about 2.2x the $68,058 Cherokee median LOR calc. You are paying for proximity to GA 400, not for acreage.
0 GA Highway 369 (Lots 5 & 6, Creighton Rd Subdivision)
Ball Ground, GA 30107 · Cherokee County · MLS #10736620
- Location & access
- North Cherokee; two lots sold together as one 12-acre creek-frontage package. About 10.9 mi / 19 min to I-575 and 15.5 mi / 29 min to GA 400 LOR est.
- Trees & terrain
- “rolling, wooded terrain with multiple potential homesites on Lot 5”, plus creek frontage.
- Utilities
- MLS water field: Public. Sewer: none listed, so plan on a septic system.
- Pros
- 12 acres with creek frontage at roughly half the Cherokee $/acre median; no HOA.
- Risks & due diligence
- Restriction flag Part of the “Creighton Road Subdivision”; ask for any recorded plat restrictions. The listing states “Lot 6 includes areas of flood plain”, so get a FEMA/elevation review and treat Lot 6 as mostly buffer. Perc test on Lot 5; confirm road frontage and access. 176 days on market leaves room to negotiate.
- Value view
- $37,055/acre vs. the $68,058 Cherokee median LOR calc. Good value for Cherokee once the floodplain is priced in.
3859 Hwy 140 NE (Lot 8, Pine Log Estates)
Rydal, GA 30171 · Bartow County · MLS #10632088
- Location & access
- Pine Log Estates on GA 140 near Rydal, northeast Bartow. About 12.4 mi / 17 min to I-75 and 17.8 mi / 29 min to I-575 LOR est.
- Trees & terrain
- “a beautiful, wooded tract” with Pine Log Creek frontage and a “Level building spot”.
- Utilities
- “Public water and power available.” “Driveway and building site have been rough graded.” “Driveway permit approved.”
- Pros
- No HOA and no covenants per the listing. Near Pine Log and Garland Mountain trails. Low $/acre with water, power and a permitted driveway already in place.
- Risks & due diligence
- Restriction flag “Minimal deed restrictions. (no mobile home)” Get the recorded deed restrictions. Also: creek-side flood zone; state-highway frontage (traffic noise); perc test; 348 days on market, so ask about price history.
- Value view
- $25,000/acre, about 11% above the $22,500 Bartow median LOR calc, with site work already started.
2300 Stonepile Road (4 lots)
Clarkesville, GA 30523 · Habersham County · MLS #10837315
- Location & access
- North Habersham, “minutes from historic downtown Clarkesville”; the listing puts it 45 minutes from Gainesville. About 32.9 mi / 51 min to I-985 and 53.1 mi / 81 min to GA 400 LOR est.
- Trees & terrain
- “rolling hardwood hills, and mature forest”; “A scenic hardwood canopy surrounds the property” with a “year-round flowing creek”.
- Utilities
- MLS water field: Public. Sewer: none / septic tank.
- Pros
- Largest acreage and lowest $/acre in the set; no HOA; already divided into four lots (family-compound potential). Hydrology study and erosion-control plan available on request per the listing.
- Risks & due diligence
- Restriction flag The MLS lists the amenity as “Gated”; ask whether a shared gate or road-maintenance agreement exists. Longest commute to metro Atlanta; creek bottomland needs a flood-zone review; confirm where water lines actually run to each parcel; timber cruise.
- Value view
- $19,368/acre vs. the $22,811 Habersham median LOR calc. Below median for a large, wooded tract with water shown.
4431 Jim Hood Road
Gainesville, GA 30506 · Hall County · MLS #10688238
- Location & access
- North Hall, on a county road “just about a mile from Highway 129”. About 11.1 mi / 18 min to I-985 and 22.3 mi / 38 min to GA 400 LOR est.
- Trees & terrain
- “rolling hills and mature hardwoods”; an old roadbed crosses the land east to west.
- Utilities
- “served by county water”. Sewer: none listed, so plan on a septic system.
- Pros
- About 37 acres close to Gainesville at a below-median $/acre; no HOA; room for one homesite or several, per the listing.
- Risks & due diligence
- Covenant flag “This property is currently in a ten-year Conservation Covenant with Hall County.” It stays with the buyer. Confirm the remaining term, use limits and penalties with the Hall County Tax Assessor before making an offer, as the listing advises. Also: perc tests, survey, flood check along the valley; 250 days on market.
- Value view
- $22,400/acre vs. the $29,000 Hall median LOR calc. Strong per-acre value if the covenant fits your plans.
0 Mullinax Road
Taylorsville, GA 30178 · Bartow County · MLS #10770908
- Location & access
- Taylorsville, southwest Bartow, with “easy access to Cartersville, Rome” per the listing. About 21.3 mi / 34 min to I-75 and 33.2 mi / 54 min to I-575 LOR est; the farthest west of the picks.
- Trees & terrain
- “Beautiful wooded 10-acre tract featuring a mix of mature hardwoods and pines with gently rolling topography”.
- Utilities
- “electricity and public water available at the road”; GAMLS water field: Public. Sewer not stated, so plan on septic. The CapCenter (FMLS) record has no utilities field.
- Pros
- Lowest price in the set; a full 10 wooded acres; water and power at the road; no HOA.
- Risks & due diligence
- Data conflict The two MLS records show very different annual property-tax figures, so we left taxes off. Confirm with the Bartow County Tax Assessor. Also: perc test, survey, driveway permit and flood check; 140 days on market.
- Value view
- $23,000/acre, about 2% above the $22,500 Bartow median LOR calc. Fair value for an easy-to-build wooded 10 acres.
4701A Cleveland Highway
Gainesville, GA 30506 · Hall County · MLS #10566778
- Location & access
- North Hall with “90 feet of road frontage on Cleveland Highway (Hwy 129)”, “approximately 228 feet wide by 1,171 feet deep”. About 11.8 mi / 18 min to I-985 and 23.3 mi / 42 min to GA 400 LOR est.
- Trees & terrain
- “gently rolling terrain filled with mature hardwoods”, with “multiple homesite options”.
- Utilities
- “convenient access to city amenities, including water, power, and high-speed internet”; GAMLS water field: Public. Sewer not stated. Listing says “a new survey and approved soils already on record”. The CapCenter (FMLS) record has no utilities field.
- Pros
- Soils already approved, mature hardwoods, about 12 miles to I-985 LOR est, no HOA. “Adjoining property at 4701 Cleveland Hwy w/house can be purchased also.”
- Risks & due diligence
- Frontage flag Narrow lot with only 90 ft of highway frontage: expect traffic noise and a DOT driveway permit. Zoning conflict The GAMLS description says “zoned AR-IV”, but the CapCenter/FMLS record says AR-1; verify with Hall County. The listing mentions commercial use “pending county zoning approvals”, so check neighboring uses. 449 days on market leaves room to negotiate.
- Value view
- $35,714/acre, about 23% above the $29,000 Hall median LOR calc. Approved soils and the location near Gainesville explain part of the premium.
Homes on acreage 5
3845 Level Grove Road
Cornelia, GA 30531 · Habersham County · MLS #10807553
- Location & access
- Cornelia, Habersham County. About 19.3 mi / 24 min to I-985 LOR est.
- Trees & terrain
- “just over 7 wooded acres”; a “wooded backyard with seasonal Mt. Yonah views” and a “running creek flows along the back of the property”.
- Utilities
- MLS water field: Public. Septic tank.
- Pros
- “all-brick ranch” with a partially finished basement and a “30' x 30' detached metal shop” with 220-volt power. No HOA and no covenants stated. Second-lowest price and all-in $/acre of the homes.
- Risks & due diligence
- Creek-side flood zone; septic inspection; roof and HVAC age; confirm the boundary survey.
- Value view
- $62,670/acre all-in LOR calc; a strong all-round value for a move-in-ready house, shop and 7+ acres.
221 Shallowford Drive
Gainesville, GA 30504 · Hall County · MLS #10632005
- Location & access
- Gainesville (30504). About 4.9 mi / 9 min to I-985 and 16.6 mi / 27 min to GA 400 LOR est; the closest interstate access in the set.
- Trees & terrain
- “nestled on 6.6 acres surrounded by mature hardwoods, a small stream”. (MLS lot size: 6.69 acres.)
- Utilities
- MLS water field: Public. Septic tank.
- Pros
- “detached 2-bedroom, 1-bath apartment/guest house” for rental or family use; saltwater pool; “40x28 workshop”; covered RV bay. No HOA. Minutes to I-985.
- Risks & due diligence
- 1958 main house (inspect structure, electrical, plumbing); confirm the guest unit is permitted and the septic is sized for both units; stream flood check; 350 days on market suggests room to negotiate.
- Value view
- $119,567/acre all-in LOR calc; priced for the improvements rather than the land.
25 Mountain Creek Trail NE (Mountain Creek Forest)
Fairmount, GA 30139 · Bartow County · MLS #10867501
- Location & access
- Small enclave of acreage homes; listing says it “offers convenient access to I-75”. About 15.6 mi / 29 min to I-75 and 24.8 mi / 46 min to I-575 LOR est.
- Trees & terrain
- “private, wooded and peaceful”, with Pine Log Creek “trout-stream frontage”.
- Utilities
- MLS water field: Public. Septic tank.
- Pros
- Largest home in the set (4,569 sq ft, 2014), ranch over a finished terrace level; brand-new listing (5 days on market on Oct 10); no HOA fees.
- Risks & due diligence
- Covenant flag “Protective covenants help preserve the character of this small enclave”: no HOA fees, but recorded covenants apply, so get a copy. Creek frontage means a FEMA flood-zone and insurance check; septic inspection; exactly 5.00 acres, so no margin over the 5-acre minimum.
- Value view
- $151,980/acre all-in LOR calc, the highest of the homes because of the house size and age.
6354 GA-20
White, GA 30184 · Bartow County · MLS #10831527
- Location & access
- On GA 20 between Cartersville and Canton; listing cites “Red Door Vineyard, Lake Allatoona, Cartersville, and Canton”. About 8.8 mi / 12 min to I-75 and 12.5 mi / 17 min to I-575 LOR est; the closest home to I-75.
- Trees & terrain
- “5 beautifully wooded and fenced acres” with “mature hardwoods” and a “secluded drive”.
- Utilities
- MLS water field: Public. Septic tank. Whole-home Generac generator per the listing.
- Pros
- “custom log cabin”; “24' x 30' workshop” with a welder hookup, storage building, RV parking with 240 V. No HOA; quick interstate access.
- Risks & due diligence
- State-highway frontage means road noise and driveway sight lines; log-home and septic inspections; exactly 5.00 acres, so no margin over the minimum.
- Value view
- $98,000/acre all-in LOR calc; mid-priced among the homes for a turnkey wooded retreat.
530 Grandview Avenue
Mount Airy, GA 30563 · Habersham County · MLS #10847585
- Location & access
- Mount Airy, “adjoining the Chattahoochee National Forest and Lake Russell Recreation Area”. About 23.0 mi / 30 min to I-985 and 43.7 mi / 64 min to GA 400 LOR est.
- Trees & terrain
- Weakest tree evidence The listing only says “peaceful wooded surroundings”, which may describe the adjoining forest rather than the lot itself (the MLS lot field reads Level, Private). Check photos and aerials.
- Utilities
- MLS water field: Public. Septic tank.
- Pros
- Lowest price and lowest all-in $/acre of the homes; no HOA; “Step from your own property into the national forest”; “two detached workshops”; “newly renovated” per the listing.
- Risks & due diligence
- Small, older house (inspect septic, roof and crawl space); confirm the boundary with the U.S. Forest Service land; confirm actual tree cover on the lot.
- Value view
- $60,788/acre all-in LOR calc, the lowest of the homes.
Read before you call
Caveats & due diligence
- Order a survey and confirm legal access and road frontage.
- Perc/soil test for septic (most of these lots need one).
- FEMA flood map and elevation review, especially for creek frontage.
- Zoning and subdivision rules with the county planning office.
- Title search for HOA declarations, covenants, deed restrictions and easements.
- Timber cruise, and tax history with the county assessor.