This article is part of our Retiring to Big Canoe: The Complete Guide

POA Fees, Amenities & the True Cost of Owning a Home in Big Canoe, Georgia

By Wanda Stewart, Associate Broker, RE/MAX Five Star — Big Canoe resident and full-time community specialist

It's one of the first questions I hear from buyers — usually somewhere around the second gate wave-through, when the mountain laurel closes in over the road: "This is beautiful. So what does it actually cost to live here?"

It's the right question. Big Canoe is a private, gated community of roughly 8,000 acres spanning Pickens and Dawson Counties, and everything that makes it feel the way it does — the staffed gates, the miles of paved mountain roads, the three lakes, the trails, our own fire and rescue services — is owned and maintained by the Property Owners Association. That takes money, and as a buyer you deserve to understand exactly where yours will go before you fall in love with a house.

So let's walk through it, plainly and completely.

1. The Monthly General Assessment (Mandatory)

Every property owner in Big Canoe pays a monthly general assessment to the POA. This isn't an amenity fee — it's the cost of running the community itself: gate operations, road maintenance across nearly 90 miles of paved roads, public safety, and the upkeep of commonly owned property.

As of this writing, the monthly assessment for homeowners is$415/month. Owners of undeveloped lots pay a reduced rate of$267/month. Assessments are reviewed annually by the POA board, so always confirm the current amount when you're budgeting.

2. The One-Time Capital Contribution (Paid at Closing)

When you purchase in Big Canoe, you'll pay a one-time capital contribution fee at closing, currently$5,000. This fee was increased for 2026, so if you're working from older articles or listing sheets, the number you've seen may be out of date. I'll always give you the current figure before we write an offer.

3. Amenity Memberships (Optional — and That's the Point)

Here's the part buyers are often relieved to hear: Big Canoe operates on an à-la-carte amenity model. If you don't use an amenity, you don't pay a membership for it.

Memberships are offered by category — golf, racquet sports (tennis, pickleball, bocce), wellness/fitness, swim, and fishing — and you can join one, several, or none at all. Day passes are available for occasional use and visiting family. A few practical notes from experience:

AmenityHow It's BilledGood to KnowGolfMonthly to your POA accountMultiple membership tiers; joining creates a 12-month commitmentRacquet (tennis, pickleball, bocce)MonthlyOne of the community's most social amenitiesWellness / FitnessMonthlyIncludes the fitness center; an out-of-state membership class exists for non-resident ownersSwimAnnuallyBilled once per year rather than monthlyFishingMonthlyCovers the stocked lakes

One detail worth underlining: joining an amenity creates a twelve-month obligation, so it's smarter to add memberships as you settle in than to sign up for everything on day one.

4. What About Property Taxes?

Because Big Canoe spans two counties, your property tax bill depends on which side of the line your home sits — Pickens County or Dawson County. The differences are real but manageable, and it's one of the first things I check for my buyers on any home they're considering.

5. Doing Your Financial Homework on the POA

A gated community is only as strong as the association behind it, and I encourage every buyer to look under the hood. The POA publishes governance information, and buyers can request the audited financial statements, current budget, and reserve details directly from the association. I'm glad to point you to the right contacts — informed buyers make confident owners, and confident owners make great neighbors.

The bottom line: the true cost of owning in Big Canoe is the monthly assessment, plus property taxes, plus only the amenities you choose. For most of my buyers, the surprise isn't that fees exist — it's how much those fees deliver: staffed gates, our own fire and rescue, three lakes, and 8,000 acres of maintained mountain community.

Thinking about Big Canoe? I've called this community home for years and have specialized in it for over a decade. I'll walk you through the current fee schedule line by line — no surprises at the closing table.

Wanda Stewart • RE/MAX Five Star • WandaStewart.com • 706-299-9515 • [email protected]

There's No Place Like Home.

Fee amounts and membership provisions are set by the Big Canoe POA and reviewed at least annually. Figures referenced here ($415/month homeowner assessment, $267/month undeveloped lot assessment, $5,000 one-time capital contribution as of publication) should be verified against the current POA fee schedule before publishing, since assessments are reviewed annually. This article is for general information and is not a substitute for the POA's official documents.