New York City and New York City real estate have a way of focusing the mind -- this is a tough town, as you might've heard, and an interesting one. For those of us who care about NYC and the market for rental apartments in NYC, the ebbs and flows of the Manhattan real estate scene can come to seem like the most important news in the world. If you're searching Manhattan rental listings, it might well seem like it, but the national real estate market is plenty interesting in its own right. That's the reason -- well, mostly it's that we sometimes like to ogle North Carolina mountain homes and South Carolina golf homes, but also that -- why your Luxury Rentals Manhattan blogger often finds himself checking in with Southeast Discovery, a full-service real estate site serving, yes, the Southeast.
The idea behind Southeast Discovery isn't really all that different from the one behind Luxury Rentals Manhattan -- where we aim to put NYC dwellers in the right Manhattan rental apartment in the right Manhattan neighborhood, Southeast Discovery looks to do the same for people looking for golf homes, vacation homes, mountain homes, and so on in states from Tennessee to Georgia. No, Southeast Discovery's listings don't have quite the subway access or Central Park views that Luxury Rentals Manhattan's apartment listings do. But they sure are purty. If you need a break from Manhattan real estate and want to, say, check out golf homes on Sea Island, Georgia or Reynolds Plantation, a beautiful lakefront community in Georgia, this would be where to do it.
Here are our top 10 most crushworthy Southeast Discovery communities:
- Reynold’s Plantation, in Lake Oconee, Georgia - Located nearby Atlanta, on Georgia’s second largest lake: Lake Oconee, Reynold’s Plantation covers 374 miles of shoreline that are of exclusive use to the families that live in the development. The community has six award-winning golf courses that ultimately ended in Reynold’s Plantation golf receiving the award for “Best Golf” of any golf community by Golf Magazine Living.
- Gorges at Lake Toxaway, in Cashiers, Highlands & Lake Toxaway , North Carolina - Homes for sale at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway are surrounded by a 640 acre lake, wildlife sanctuary, and the Blue-Ridge Mountains. A community surrounded by nature on all sides, Gorges state park has 10,000 acres of beautiful land with horse and biking trails throughout.
- Tennessee National, in Knoxville, Tennessee - This Knoxville golf community has its own private golf course sitting along Watts Bar Lake. Houses are set up in traditional neighborhood design with backyards and front porches and are easy to maintain. Plans for a Clubhouse and Marina are being discussed.
- Bright’s Creek, in Western North Carolina - Bright’s Creek is perfect for the outdoorsy-types who love to hike, fish, and kayak. This community is well-know for it’s equestrian center and golf course; the Bright’s Creek equestrian center is considered one of the best in Western North Carolina and the Tom Fazio Golf Course hosts the BMW Charity Pro-Am each year. Fun Fact: Some of the movie, “Dirty Dancing”, featuring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, was filmed at Lake Lure, near Bright’s Creek.
- Fairvue Plantation, in Nashville, Tennessee - Fairvue Plantation is a Tennesee golf community with two 18 hole courses. Lake Hickory homes are located on the lake itself and are just 20 minutes northeast of downtown Nashville. Fairvue Plantation is the only lake and golf community in the Nashville area.
- Headwaters at Banner Elk, in Western North Carolina - Most of the 915 acres in the community of Headwaters at Banner Elk overlook the Pisgah and Cherokee National Forests. There are natural waterfalls that add to the beauty of this community. For those outdoorsy-types there are activities year-round, like skiing, fly fishing, white water rafting, golf, and hiking.
- Vista at Bill’s Mountain, in Western North Carolina - Located just five minutes from Lake Lure where some of “Dirty Dancing” was filmed, Vista at Bill’s Mountain stands on its own mountain with 360 degrees of spectacular views. This North Carolina mountain community has its own clubhouse, tennis courts, and hiking and nature trails. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy Chimney Rock State Park by rock climbing, viewing waterfalls, and attending many events held at the park.
- Carolina Colours, in New Bern & Oriental, Coastal North Carolina - Carolina Colours is a coastal golf community ideal for those looking to purchase a second/vacation home or retirement home. This community sits only 10 minutes from the historical waterfront town of New Bern which is full of cafes and unique stores and boutiques.
- Sunset Falls at Bald Creek, in Western North Carolina - Located in the mountains of Haywood County, just 15 minutes from the historic Waynesville, Sunset Falls at Bald Creek’s North Carolina mountain homes have spectacular long-range panoramic views of the county’s 18 mountain peaks. Valleys of corn, tobacco, and hay bales lead the way to the entrance of Sunset Falls which gives the impression of peacefulness and if this community is anything, it’s peaceful.
- Lake James 1780, in Western North Carolina - Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Lake James 1780 is home to Camp Lake James: a center for activities. These North Carolina vacation homes have properties that range from two to eight acres. Along with boating activities, residents of this community can participate in plenty of outdoor activities to keep them connected to nature.
