Real Estate News, North Carolina

What's New at Sunset Falls at Bald Creek - Waynesville NC

views from Sunset Falls at Bald Creek
Published on April 3, 2017

We’ve always had an affection for Sunset Falls at Bald Creek because of the stellar long range mountain views. Come to find out, Waynesville NC real estate developer, Michael Posey, just informed us that those million dollar are now protected forever!

In November of 2016, there were two very notable events that impacted the Sunset Falls at Bald Creek Community in a very positive way. The first is that the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy purchased not only 147 acres of what was to have been Phase II of the community, but also purchased 143 additional acres abutting Sunset Falls – Phase I on its upper eastern border. The acquisition effectively surrounded Sunset Falls on its northern and eastern borders with 290 acres of land that will be conserved and managed in perpetuity by the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy. The combination of hardwood forest and meadow views from Sunset Falls to its north and to its east will now forever be conserved for the enjoyment and peaceful lifestyle of the Sunset Falls residents.

The second notable event was actually triggered by the Conservancy’s acquisition, and that is that the Sunset Falls at Bald Creek Community is now debt-free; the acquisition and development loans have been fully retired with its lending partner, HomeTrust Bank. The common areas have been turned over to the Sunset Falls at Bald Creek Property Owner’s Association and the remaining home sites are free and clear of any mortgages or deeds of trust. Fifteen (15) original developer lots now remain available for purchase, most with spectacular, long-range, layered mountain views to the west and southwest. You’ll be hard pressed to find gated communities near Asheville NC that are debt free.

Where exactly is Sunset Falls located?

Sunset Falls is located in the Crabtree Township area of Haywood County in the mountainous region of Western North Carolina. The gated community is situated a short 30 minutes westerly from Asheville, (35 minutes from Downtown Asheville) and 15 minutes from Waynesville, one of the regions most affordable mountain towns. The entrance to the community is located approximately 6.8 miles from the Interstate 40/Exit 24 interchange. Crabtree Township is regarded by many as the most beautiful area within Haywood County. It is a picturesque, farming community where the valleys are filled with acres of corn and tobacco fields during growing season. Crop fields, rustic barns, sheds, and silos, livestock, hay bales and farm equipment dot the landscape all along the access route to the mountain community.

What kinds of activities does the surrounding area offer?

Sunset Falls is located at the very heart of the region that is generally known as Western North Carolina. The area is renowned for the quantity and diversity of its outdoor recreational opportunities, which includes: hiking, jogging and competitive running; mountain biking and cycling; fly-fishing, boating, kayaking, canoeing and rafting; camping and mountain-climbing; hunting, skeet and sporting clays; equestrian; skiing and snowboarding; and finally, golf and tennis. The vast majority of these activities are as close as a 15 to 45 minute drive and none are more than a day trip. In addition, the City of Waynesville boasts a state-of-the-art recreation center which includes 64,000 s.f of indoor recreational opportunities; and finally, the MedWest Regional Medical Center includes a 54,000 s.f. Health and Fitness Center as well. Both facilities are a 15 – 20 minute drive from the entrance to Sunset Falls.

Other points of interest:

Visit the Sunset Falls website and click on their “Location Tab”.  There you will find, in addition to the recreational activities noted above, information regarding the proximities of health care facilities, education, the Asheville airport, the Biltmore Estate, the Appalachian Trail, the Blue Ridge Parkway and other points of interest. Note that in addition to the Asheville airport, there are four additional airports within a reasonable driving distance that expand the alternatives for travel to and from the area. They are the Knoxville McGhee-Tyson airport to the west in Knoxville, Tennessee; the Greenville/Spartanburg Airport to the south in South Carolina; the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport to the east in Charlotte, North Carolina; and the Tri-cities Regional Airport to the north in Johnson City, Tennessee. Please also note that the listing of recreational amenities in the surrounding area is a mere sampling of the possibilities. The more you look, the more you will find and half the fun of living here is making daily discoveries of new places to fall in love with.  

How big is the mountain community?

Sunset Falls is comprised of 150 acres which includes 30 home sites, though our current pricing, recently revised in November of ’15, has provided for much larger acreage home sites through combining adjacent lots. The Waynesville NC real estate developer has a great deal of flexibility on homesite combinations to provide customers what they want in acreage and privacy. 

What about the home sites?

Home sites range in size from 1.55 to 10.43 acres in Phase I in one of the friendliest gated communities near Asheville NC. The home sites range in elevation from 3,200 to 4,300 feet. More than 2/3 of the home sites in Phase I have spectacular, long-range views to the west, southwest and south, capturing the various peaks and mountainous skylines of the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountain ranges.  (There are 16 peaks in Haywood County that exceed 6,000 feet in elevation, more than any other county east of the Mississippi.) They also have home sites with mid-range views, privacy sites that are more secluded, creek side and streamside sites and sites that are surrounded by common area greenways and hiking trails. Virtually every home site is wooded, with various species including Red and White Oaks, Sugar Maples, Red Maples, Poplars, Cherries, Black Walnuts, Basswood, Hickory, Birch and Locust trees.

What about the topography… the slopes and steepness of the terrain? 

Sunset Falls is blessed with an almost perfect degree of and variation in its topography. The ideal topography provides enough gentle terrain to allow for safe grades for the installation of and the travel upon roadways and driveways. It also provides for at least one, if not more, practical (not too steep) areas within each home site for the construction of a building pad without a costly foundation system. Then too, the ideal topography that they have also provides steeper grades falling away from the house pad, which increases the likelihood that a homeowner will have an easier time of opening up views. This is because the tree lines below the home, within the view corridor, will recede out of the view corridor more quickly if the terrain drops off more dramatically.

Does the Developer complete any home site improvements prior to our purchase?

Many of the home sites include a graded and rocked driveway, a cleared and graded building pad area and the primary view corridor opened up at one or more locations. The goal of these improvements is to facilitate your ability to clearly envision 1) the driveway access, 2) what they believe to be the most beneficial house pad location, and 3) the potential for views from the home. It also eliminates any concern you may have about the cost of putting in the drive and clearing the house pad that they’ve provided, as those costs are already included in the price of the home site. In addition to the above, all home sites are fully permitted for septic and drain field facilities and the location for the domestic water well has also be determined.

What does the amenity package include?

The amenity package includes a central mail facility and gate house providing secured access with decorative stone columns, gates and signage; hiking and nature trails carved throughout the common greenway system along with overlooks, gazebos and picnic facilities; and four custom large-timber vehicular wooden bridges. Recreational amenities abound outside of the community, so they prefer to keep the POA dues very low through the maintenance of a modest amenity package and common area, which affords our residents the choice of how they enjoy and pay for the outside amenities on an as-used basis instead of subsidizing internal amenities that they may choose not to use.

Can they help us with the design and construction of our home?

Absolutely. They currently have six custom homes that have been completed by Buena Vista Construction. A seventh custom home has just been completed by Blue Ridge Post & Beam. They have relationships with a number of local architects and they will build your dream home for you, working very closely with the architect, your interior designer (should you have one) and with you to establish the desired specifications and finishes that suit your budget and complement the unique lifestyle and personal home environment that suit your individual tastes.

In addition to the delivery of custom homes, they can also package a pre-designed home on our home sites from the numerous floor plans available through Moss Creek Designs. Moss Creek specializes in the mountain-style architecture that has been established in Sunset Falls and their designs pay particular attention to complementing the mountain retreat atmosphere that our clientele desire.

A third and very popular option is to begin with a Moss Creek floor plan and then customize the layout to your individual needs and desires. Whichever design process suits your wishes, Sunset Falls is there to guide you through the process; from architect and floor plan selection through specifications and finish material choices to the completion of construction and Certificate of Occupancy. Our goal is to make the home site acquisition, home design and building process as seamless as possible to avoid the potential complications and resulting stress of the homeowner having to manage the process. 

Will there be a Property Owner’s Association (P.O.A.)?

Yes, there is a recorded set of P.O.A. documents that include the Protective Covenants (Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions or CCR’s), Bylaws, Articles of Incorporation and Rules and Regulations. There is also a set of Architectural Design Guidelines that form the basis of the acceptable architectural styles and details that are permitted as well as outline the submission process and approval procedures for homeowners to follow who are seeking approval of their house plans for construction. POA dues for the current ‘17 fiscal year have been set at $71.68 per month. 

What about the communities’ Infrastructure?  The community is served by the Haywood County Electrical Membership Corporation, which supplies electrical power service to the area. Three phase power is complete along Sunset Falls Drive from the entrance all the way to the top of the mountain. AT&T provides local phone and long distance service as well as high-speed DSL internet service. CATV is not yet available to the area; therefore satellite is the option for premium channels. Natural gas may be handled privately by each homeowner through the installation of an underground tank on an individual home site basis. The roadway system will be fully paved and the paving of Sunset Falls Drive, from the entrance all the way to the top of the mountain, was completed in September of 2008. The roads and associated storm water drainage system will be privately maintained

What can you tell me about the climate and weather there?

The Western North Carolina region is at a latitude and elevation that typically enjoys mild winters and cool summers, with vibrant and colorful spring and autumn seasons. On our mountain, with elevations running from 3,200 to 4,300 feet, the hottest summer days rarely exceed 85 degrees and temperatures still dip into the upper 50’s at night during much of the summer. The area typically enjoys precipitation levels that keep the landscape green and vibrant and the creeks, streams, rivers and waterfalls flowing with energy. Winter temperatures range from an average low in the upper 20’s to low 30’s with an average high in the upper 40’s to low 50’s. Snowfalls are normally from 1” to 3” accumulations however periodic 6”-12” storm accumulations are certainly possible. Significant snow events usually occur perhaps 5 - 7 times throughout the winter, usually melting in a 2 – 5 day warming trend afterward. It is important to note that the POA has contracted with a very reputable firm to clear and salt the roads at Sunset Falls subsequent to any winter storm where there has been significant snow and/or ice accumulation. 

What about the pricing of the home sites?

The current pricing of the remaining home sites in Phase I range from $69,900 - $146,900. Our home sites are comprised of a substantial variety in size, views, orientation, proximity to amenities and numerous other attributes that affect value.  Pricing is subject to change and is affected by a number of market forces, so please check with us at the time you make plans to visit the Asheville/Waynesville area to tour the Sunset Falls community.

Do you know what the anticipated property taxes will be?

The property tax rate in 2015 for Haywood County was 54.13 cents (per $100 of assessed value) for the General County Tax and an additional 6.5 cents for the Crabtree-Iron Duff Fire District for a total of 60.63 cents per $100 of assessed value. So for example, in 2015, a home that was assessed at $500,000 incurred an annual property tax of $3,031.50. This makes Waynesville one of the most affordable mountain towns in the Asheville area.