What towns in NC mtns for 2nd home?

Steve, My daughter lives on 8th Ave downtown Olde Naples,quaint area for sure. You are correct Linville Ridge CC is a Lutgert development. I picked LinvilleRidge CC for great golf, amazing Fall vistas,climate, great accessability,and a safe and secure area,to name a few reasons.I built my home using a local contractor, 8.5 acres 4 car garage plenty of parking. I belive there are still some choice lots avail, in the Split Rock sub-div of LRCC, some Spec homes and resales also.Local supermarkets are Food Lion,and Lowes Foods, within 2 miles of the front gate.Harris Teeter in Boone about 12 miles. There are several Naples part time residents here also.WP

 

We really love Mediterra, but way too hot and humid in the summer, so we head for the hills of NC. WP

 

There are so many very nice places, but I would pick Highlands (make sure you stay at the Old Edwards Inn) http://www.highlandsinfo.com/, or this new community at Banner Elk, The Lodges at Eagles Nest http://www.eaglesnestbe.com/

 

I moved to Boone/Blowing Rock area from Orlando about 3 years ago and havent looked back. This part of the country is great and my wife and I love it. The people are great and we really enjoy having seasons and the mountains. I am a general contractor up here so I get to see a lot of the different areas and you can find some wonderful lots with acreage to build on or just buy a house. I am not sure if you are looking for a gated community or simply a nice place to put some roots down. No offense to Hyroller but I dont really recommend the gated communities around here because frankly they are full of Floridians and many like Linville Ridge, Elk River, Eagles Nest, Grandfather Club, and the like can be overpriced and quite snooty/uppity and some become ghost towns when winter comes. There is a new development in the heart of Boone called Council Oaks that has some beautiful lots. Very secluded but literally a few minutes from downtown Boone. I am actually thinking about building a spec home in there. There are plenty of great properties you can get all around the area. There is so much to do if you like the outdoors and there are always little community events going on all over. There is plenty of great dining here too. I think our only complaint so far is that there isnt a Target close by but we go to Hickory for that. And the Walmart here isnt like the stressful shopping you get in the ones in Florida. And the other is that the Ocean is a days drive away. Lots of people complain about these places being so far away but I remember in Orlando it could take me 45 minutes to go 6 miles so its all relative. My house is at about 4300 ft and the weather here is always nice. A hot day here is a cool day in Florida. We take day trips when we miss the big city life but I tell ya after a while you miss it less and less! And yes the back roads are so much fun.

Hope this helps,
Nate

 

Might consider something in the Burnsville or Spruce Pine areas. Quite a bit closer to Asheville than Blowing Rock, though I'm only at around 2500 feet at my place in Burnsville. Could always find a place just across town in Wolf Laurel for 4800 feet if you prefer something a tad cooler..

http://www.wolflaurelpreserve.com/

Much fewer tourists & less crowded than some of the highland areas, and likely cheaper too!

 

Shark49, No offence taken. I agree that many of the gated communities do empty out for the winter. Lots of Floridians in my community also, all here for the same "cool" reason, however many from Tenn ,Ohio, SC, NC and VA as well. On the positive side if you want golf course living with mountain views and a gated community then the Linville and Banner Elk area is worth looking at. By the way if you decide to stay for the snowy months , both Sugar and Beech Mts ski areas offer many winter sports and are within minutes drive of the BE area.

 

I think the Banner Elk area is really nice, and a high elevation (as well as the Linville area). The Cashiers area is at a high elevation but I don't find the same quality of locals that you would find in the Boone / Banner Elk / Blowing Rock areas. Black Mountain is a good easy access alternative to the Blowing Rock location. Valle Crucis is one of our favorite places since you can get to Boone or Banner Elk in about 15-20 minutes, and the Valle makes you feel like you are in a Swiss countryside in my opinion. Lots of high quality homes int the area so your efforts won't be wasted on a minimal return.

BT
Edit: we plan on moving up to the area of Winston-Salem when our youngest daughter finished high school in 6 years. I can't wait!

 

Update...I spent the morning at Eagles Nest and looked at a $5.1m home for sale at 5700 or so elevation and spectacular views. Absolutely gorgeous. That's right up your ally, Steve!

 

Haha, high indeed but blame your neighbors in Naples for the prices in NC!

 

Great idea. Is that as nice as Pahokee? Port-au-Prince has nothing on the place.

 

Pahokee is famous for its mud (and their high school football players). It is one of those little Lake O. towns like Belle Glade...

BT

 

let me know when you are in the Boone BR area too.

 

Bill, that's the most polite description of Pahokee I've ever heard

I "discovered" that treasure by the lake en route the scenic way from Naples to my first Cavallino. Cruising thru town top-down in my red 360 Spider was a problem waiting to happen. That place is positively 3rd world.

And I live in Eastern NC...

 

We passed thru on our round trip of Lake O' also called the Okeeburgring... One of the few entertaining drives I can think of in this area!
Check it out:
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=209114
My wife likes Blowing Rock the best. I prefer Blairsville, GA just because there is nobody around and the roads are pretty much vacant. That NC 208/209 north opf Asheville in Hot Springs is one of the best roads I have ever been on, and NC 215 is always great.

BT

 

If you get around Asheville give me a holler. Not sure we'll be up this weekend, but if we are it'd be nice to meet you.

 

The Boone and Blowing Rock area is probably best. Highlands, Cashiers, Brevard, Waynesville, Hendersonville and Ashevillle are all hostile to Floridians .

 

I'll be in Bryson City this weekend. Luca and I are going to check out the railroad scene and the model railroad museum. Weather forecast permitting, we'll take the Ferrari.