Asheville
Asheville is the largest city in Western North Carolina, with more than 83,000 city residents, and more than 238,000 residents in Buncombe County. More art deco architecture built in the late 1920s and early 1930s can be found in downtown Asheville. The largest private residence in North America, Biltmore Estate, is located in Asheville. This 250-room mansion, built by George W. Vanderbilt and completed in 1895, is modeled after the 16th century chateaux Blois, Chenonceaux and Chambord in France's Loire Valley.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the country's largest private, non-profit preservation organization, named Asheville one of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations, an annual list of the best preserved and unique communities in the United States. In recognizing Asheville, the National Trust singled out the city’s winning components: well-managed growth, dynamic downtown, commitment to historic preservation, interesting and attractive architecture, cultural diversity, an economic base of locally owned businesses, activities for families with children and walking access for residents and visitors.
Downtown Asheville is the site of Western North Carolina's center for education, arts and science: Pack Place. The Asheville Art Museum, Colburn Earth Science Museum and the Diana Wortham Theatre make their home at Pack Place, with the affiliated YMI Cultural Center located across the street at the corner of Eagle and Market streets.
Source: http://www.exploreasheville.com/press-room/press-kit/fact-sheet/
View the Asheville Real Estate Page
Brevard
People living in Brevard have a true sense of community. People donate their time to ensure this community stays a welcoming, caring, and trusting place. Don’t be surprised if a shop keeper asks you to ‘mind the store’ for a minute. Everyone keeps an eye out for their neighbors.
For families, this is an ideal place to live. With top notch schools and strong family values, children grow up with the same sense of community and a positive moral compass. Parents love that they can feel comfortable about their kids walking to town and enjoying a movie and a milk shake like they did as kids.
Brevard and Transylvania County is a wonderful place to call home, so if your looking to relocate to Western North Carolina you need to visit the Land of Waterfalls and check out everything it has to offer. Retirees, college graduates and families are attracted to the small town feel that Brevard offers and the protection that 50% plus of all the land in Transylvania County is State or National Forest.
Source: http://brevardnc.com/insiders/
View the Brevard Real Estate Page
Cashiers
Cashiers, a beautiful village in western North Carolina known as "The Heart Of The Blue Ridge Mountains", is located in the southern end of Jackson County. Sitting at 3,487 feet in elevation at the crossroads of Highways 107 and 64, there is a little bit of everything here to enjoy for native families, visitors, and part-time residents alike. Our singularly unique geography boasts hundreds of waterfalls, quiet lakes, stone mountains and amazingly beautiful forests.
Life in this mountain community is as multifaceted as its landscape. Cashiers is located on the highest plateau in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The highest peak in the area rises to 5,127 at Yellow Mountain, yet drops to 1,020 feet along the Horsepasture River. This area is spectacularly beautiful, and is unlike any other place in the world. Our elevation coupled with the abundant rainfall combine to create a lush, green rain forest filled with rhododendrons, laurels, mossy rocks, ferns and pine trees. These mountains are some of the oldest in the world and have abundant hiking trails, gorgeous scenery and intriguing legends.
Source: http://www.cashiersnorthcarolina.org/
View the Cashiers Real Estate Page
Glenville
Neighboring Cashiers is the community of Glenville. Glenville is the perfect accent to Cashiers and is located just next door, over the ridge top along the Western Continental Divide. Originally, this region of Glenville Township in southern Jackson County was known as Hamburg Township, settled in 1827. The township's name was later changed to Glenville as it is today.
Lake Glenville, also known as Thorpe Reservoir, is the highest man-made lake in the Blue Ridge-Smoky Mountains at 3,492 feet above sea level. The lake's cool, pristine waters are ideal for boating, skiing, swimming, and bass fishing.
Today the area is mostly residential, and vacation homes sit along the lakeside or among the rising mountain slopes, overlooking what was once a visible and accessible valley floor, now covered by the inviting cool waters of Lake Glenville. Some shops, a marina, and other services are located in Glenville along Hwy 107.
Source: http://theblueridgehighlander.com/jackson_county_north_carolina/glenville-north-carolina.php
View the Glenville Real Estate Page
Hendersonville
Located amidst the majestic mountains of the Southern Appalachians, Hendersonville has come to be known as the “City of Four Seasons” and as an ideal retirement community. Since the early 1900's, Hendersonville has attracted visitors and families seeking a gentle climate, lovely mountain scenery, and great recreational resources. It is located in Henderson County, which has a population of over 104,000, and is by far the largest city in the county.
Situated 2,200 feet above sea level, on a mountain plateau between the Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains, Hendersonville is blessed with a moderate and mild climate, yet the area still experiences the four seasons. With a mean summer temperature of around 70 degrees and 40 degrees in the winter, the climate is conducive to year-round outdoor recreation.
Tourism is a major industry in Hendersonville, with agriculture and industry also strong economic forces. Noted for its scenic beauty and tranquility, Hendersonville has industrial development restrictions that encourage small industries that will not disturb the peaceful quality of Henderson County life. Retirement development is also a major economic force in Hendersonville as retirees continue to flock to the area. Hendersonville also has a vibrant and modern visitor center located at 201 South Main Street downtown, and should be your first stop before exploring the area.
Blessed with an abundance of cultural opportunities, Hendersonville offers something for all ages. Symphony orchestra, theatres, libraries, and festivals throughout the year enrich the life of Hendersonville residents. Henderson County is also rich in parks, picnic areas, hiking trails and other outdoor attractions.
Over the years, Hendersonville has preserved its traditional downtown Main Street area from the decline which has happened in so many other cities. And Main Street has been transformed into a beautiful tree-lined avenue complete with flower-filled brick planters. A stroll down Main Street will surround you with sounds of classical music, sights of exquisite seasonal plantings in a hometown setting of boutiques, numerous antique and clothing shops and an old fashioned pharmacy, plus benches on which to sit and people-watch. Few hometowns have remained as beautiful, vital, and alive as historic downtown Hendersonville. The streets bring history to life and bring the best of yesteryear into the excitement of today.
Source: http://www.ashevilleguidebook.com/hendersonville/hendersonville.htm
View the Hendersonville Real Estate Page
Highlands
The Town of Highlands is located in Macon County, North Carolina. Legend has it that the founders of the Town, Samuel Truman Kelsey and Clinton Carter Hutchinson, drew two lines on a map, one between Chicago and Savannah and the other between Baltimore and New Orleans, and decided that this location would be a future cross-roads of commerce. Located at an elevation of 3850 feet on Main Street, Kelsey promoted Highlands on the basis of its healthy air and excellent potential for orchards and gardens. Because of its cool climate and scenic beauty, it quickly became a popular location for historic inns and churches, golf courses, seasonal homes, and a unique and thriving downtown business area.
A Natural Environment characterized by "magnificent beauty and unusual attraction" due to its outstanding biological diversity, scenic mountain vistas, unpolluted watersheds, and fortunate location in the midst of the Nantahala National Forest.
Residential Areas cherished for "their charm, upkeep, low density, and single-family orientation." Real Estate and home construction remain two of the Town's top industries.
A Commercial Area that is "a bustling area of activity." While many small towns are trying to stimulate commerce, Highlands is in the enviable position of needing to manage its high rate of growth. The downtown is successful because of its quaint shops and restaurants, clean environment, and rustic atmosphere that is not overstated. For many people, the downtown serves as a focus for social interaction, and the Town has strived in its general layout and streetscape to invite people to mingle and window shop. The Highlands Chamber of Commerce offers links to area businesses.
Source: http://highlandsnc.org/about/highlands
View the Highlands Real Estate Page
Lake Toxaway
Families have been drawn to the breathtaking mountain vistas and crystal clear waters of Lake Toxaway since 1903 when the Fords, Edisons, and Rockefellers came by private railroad car.
Today, Lake Toxaway is a premier resort destination with nearly 1,000 homes and homesites, vacation rentals, and four-diamond accommodations at The Greystone Inn. This unique community offers exclusive access to North Carolina’s largest private lake, dramatic mountain views, great hiking and fishing, a family-friendly country club, and award-winning golf.
Located minutes from Highlands, Cashiers, and Brevard, or an easy drive from Asheville, Atlanta, and Greenville, Lake Toxaway is a place where Mother Nature displays some of her best work twelve months a year.
Source: http://www.laketoxaway.com/
View the Lake Toxaway Real Estate Page
Sapphire
Sitting along US 64 and located just about three miles east of the city of Cashiers, Sapphire can be easily accessed if you are coming from cities such as Knoxville, Atlanta, Charlotte, Columbia and other Southeastern cities within half a day. From Sapphire, reaching Western North Carolina is a breeze through Interstates 40 and 26.
In terms of living here, Sapphire boasts a closeness to nature like no other. The community is surrounded by vast mountain woodlands, rippling streams and majestic lakes. True to what this town used to be, Sapphire is definitely a one-of-a-kind jewel sitting on the Highlands-Cashiers plateau. Some of this place’s most popular attractions include Wyndham Resort, the Sapphire Valley Ski Resort, and the always-lively pub called the Sapphire Mountain Brewing Company, where you’ll have a taste of the town’s cheerfulness and hospitality.
Source: http://www.sapphirevalley.com/about-sapphire-valley.html
View the Sapphire Real Estate Page
Waynesville
The American South and Southern Hospitality, defined by words such as generosity, friendliness, and graciousness, are exemplified by the residents of Waynesville, North Carolina. Waynesvile is nestled within the perfect setting of beautiful Appalachian mountain chains with many protected lands close by; including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Pisgah National Forest, Harmen Den Wildlife Refuge, and Nantahala National Forest. Those who come and visit Waynesville, N.C. are greeted with nods of welcome, inquiries of "how are ya'll", and a willingness to be lent a helping hand.
Waynesville is located adjacent to Maggie Valley, N.C. and close to the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Visitors to Waynesville can take in the beautiful vistas to be found on the Blue Ridge Parkway, or spend the day taking in the views from the rocking chair of their lodgings. Modern hotels, more personal bed and breakfasts, quaint motels, log cabins, and golfing resorts await visitors with all the latest amenities, while the surroundings slow things down to a more leisurely pace.
Activities range from those geared more towards nature enthusiasts such as hiking thru a plethora of forest and plant types, or shopping for handmade Appalachian crafts. Those who visit Western North Carolina can grab grits for breakfast and fried green tomatoes for dinner. Southern cooking is easy to find, as are more traditional cuisines or fine dining. Some visitors fall in love just looking at pictures of the Smoky Mountains, and when they experience it first hand they feel the desire to either relocate or look over Waynesville real estate options for the perfect home away from home. Whatever your reason for visiting Waynesville, N.C. we hope you enjoy your stay and "ya'll come back you hear".
Source: http://www.waynesville.com/
View the Waynesville Real Estate Page
North Carolina Community List: Brevard, Waynesville, Hendersonville, Asheville, Lake Toxaway, Glenville, Sapphire, Highlands, Cashiers.