An important recent trend in the development of neighborhoods is the focus on protecting the environment and employing “green” building practices. Community developers have utilized new techniques for clearing and preparing the land while preserving as much of the natural habitat as possible. New home builders who specialize in “green building” practices are constructing more energy efficient homes and using eco-friendly materials- all with the goal of minimizing the impact on the surrounding environment. Master-planned communities in all regions of the country are now featuring green spaces where buyers enjoy the preserve-view property and the knowledge that their community is helping to preserve the land it’s built upon.
‘Conservation development’ is an approach for development that seeks to protect and preserve natural resources from the impacts of development. Homes, roads, and infrastructure are clustered together, allowing the most sensitive ecological and natural features to be protected in perpetuity. Typically, each homeowner has access to all of the open space areas, which are permanently preserved by a conservation easement -a restrictive covenant forbidding any type of development at any time in the future. The community’s developer benefits from the lower infrastructure costs and the homeowners can benefit from a greater sense of community and access to acres of protected land to be preserved forever. This style of environmentally sensitive planning can also protect against flooding, protect wildlife habitats and preserve water quality.
Another common form of conservation is known as ‘sustainable development’, which combines conservation development and low impact development to consider how sites and buildings affect natural resources and the surrounding environment. An example of a sustainable development project would include energy-efficient homes and the use of recycled and non-toxic materials in construction.
See how nature’s beauty can be preserved and enjoyed responsibly at Therealestatehomeguide.com’ collection of environmentally sensitive neighborhoods.
Near Boone, in the High Country, is a mountain community offering dramatic long range views and superior amenities ideal for a private residence or getaway. Enjoy the panoramic views from the deck of the clubhouse, all–season swimming at the indoor pool, a unique amphitheater and a community garden farm in a restored barn. Phase I covers 340 acres, offering building sites ranging from 1 to 4 acres. The Headwaters at Banner Elk is located 30 minutes from Boone in Avery County near some of the highest peaks in the eastern Unites States. °
Send Me Free Information Now! View More Photos & InfoWith the breathtaking backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, The Cliffs at High Carolina will be known for providing a total mountain wellness lifestyle. Just a short drive from Asheville, North Carolina(NC) and encompassing approximately 3,000 acres at elevations reaching to 4,000 feet, this planned community will be home to Tiger Woods first designed championship golf course in America. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoSituated on 5,000 lush acres at the western edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains and surrounded by spectacular mountain peaks, tranquil valleys and dramatic waterfalls, The Cliffs at Mountain Park offers the award-winning lifestyle you have earned. These exceptionally beautiful mountain homes and homesites offer long range mountain vistas and expansive views of the new Gary Player Signature golf course. Located in the picturesque rolling terrain between Asheville and Greenville, South Carolina. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoAsheville’s only private golf community is set in an idyllic location where the mountains meet the meadowlands, just minutes from downtown. With the spectacular Pisgah National Forest as the backdrop for this 1,500 acre gated mountain enclave, The Cliffs at Walnut Cove offers Old World charm and inspiring views with world-class amenities including a Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoThe Cliffs at Keowee encompasses three world-class gated mountain-lake communities located on the shores of 18,500-acre Lake Keowee, one of the Southeast’s most pristine mountain lakes. Enjoy fabulous club membership featuring two Tom Fazio and one new Jack Nicklaus Signature designed golf courses. Located in the foothills of South Carolina’s spectacular Blue Ridge Mountains. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoEnjoy the private, lakefront setting of Wood Land Shores located on beautiful Lake Anna, Virginia’s second largest lake. This community features 20 oversized dockable waterfront, water view and water access homesites. Outdoor recreation abounds with superb boating and fishing on 13,000 acre Lake Anna and camping and hiking at nearby state parks. This remarkable property is within an hour’s drive of Richmond, Charlottesville and Fredericksburg with easy access to I-94 and I-95. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoIn the shadows of the Great Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, Tennessee National is a private gated community on 3.5 miles of Watts Bar Lake shoreline in Loudon, Tennessee. A scenic property offering lake view, fairway view and private wooded sites, homeowners enjoy water sports, hiking trails, recreational facilities and an 18-hole Greg Norman Signature Course. The community is located between Knoxville and Oak Ridge just 5 minutes from Interstate 75. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoAn easy 5 minute drive from the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway, the Western Carolina Blue Ridge Mountain master-planned community of Reynolds Blue Ridge entices potential North Carolina real estate buyers to embrace the unique lifestyle of mountain living. A short drive between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina, homeowners enjoy elevation homesites and an amenities package including championship golf, club venues and conservation trails. Minutes from home, residents enjoy shopping, fine dining, cultural events and winter sports. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoFind the peace and tranquility you’ve been looking for on the shores of 36,000 acre Lake Chickamauga within the gates of Harbour Crest on Lake Chickamauga. This Tennessee waterfront private community is located between Knoxville and Chattanooga and features fabulous waterfront, waterview and secluded wooded homesites. Take advantage of pre-development pricing and begin enjoying the relaxed, waterside lifestyle of Harbour Crest on Lake Chickamauga. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoBalsam Mountain Preserve, a gated community just off the Great Smoky Mountain Expressway, is the lowest density development in the North Carolina Mountains. With Asheville just 40 minutes away, life is family-focused and residents enjoy hiking, biking, equestrian facilities, golf, camping, swimming, and much more. Only 354 homesites are available and 68% of the community placed in conservation easement. Sustainable building principles and practices highlight the development. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoSunset Shores is a private gated community on Possum Kingdom Lake, deemed one of the cleanest in Texas. Located a short drive from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, the community affords homeowners with a wide variety of amenities including an infinity edge swimming pool and clubhouse, private boat ramp, scuba diving, water sports, hiking and biking trails. Residents are minutes from Graham known for its fine dining, shopping, spas and golf. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoOakwood Shores residents find themselves only minutes from all the recreational possibilities afforded by the Gulf of Mexico but not too far away from services found in Houston, Texas. With estate-sized homesites of 1-5 acres, potential buyers choose from waterfront or water access parcels accentuated with 100+ year old live oaks and dense woodlands. Homeowners enjoy water sports, fishing, hiking, biking as well as shopping and fine dining at Brazos Mall. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoDesigned in the SC lowcountry style, The Ponds, a Summerville, South Carolina master-planned private community designed to embrace the natural beauty of the 200 year old live oaks and other native trees make The Ponds the prefect Summerville, SC homes and homesites for sale. Residents of the Ponds enjoy the small town environment of historic Summerville, South Carolina just a short drive from Charleston and the coastal beaches. With a YMCA, nature trails, amphitheatre, Schultz Lake and the Ashley River, homeowners benefit from a wide range of activities. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoWith less than an hour drive from Greenville, South Carolina and Asheville, North Carolina, The Reserve at Lake Keowee is the ideal location for potential buyers looking for an active lakefront lifestyle. Just 20 minutes from Clemson University, the community is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Created by Greenwood Communities and Resort, the private community includes over $100 million in amenities including golf, a village center, fitness and tennis center, and marina. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoJust a short drive from New Mexico’s major cities, Corona Ranch affords owners another world surrounded by breathtaking views and wide open terrain reminiscent of a by-gone era. Large homesteads with environmentally sensitive building envelopes encourage preservation and stewardship. The community is about living in the Southwest with its rich heritage and diverse culture and draws neighbors who share a common bond over their love of the land. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoLocated in the foothills of the Mimbres and Black Ranges, just 15 miles from Hillsboro, New Mexico, Berrenda Creek Ranch has been developed to offer ranch-style living for those potential buyers seeking environmentally sensitive building envelopes. This working cattle ranch borders 3.2 million acres of public land and national forest that will never be developed, thus assuring residents with magnificent, unobstructed views. °
Send Me Free Information Now!View More Photos & InfoOne of South Georgia’s newest coastal communities has just about everything that a real estate buyer could ask for. The center of this GA coastal community is the deluxe Savannah Club which features fitness, swimming and a community lifestyle director. This coastal real estate development also features deep water access for both Atlantic and all the coastal estuary waters…just a fishing dream! Located in St. Marys, Georgia just an hour from Jacksonville, FL and convenient to the Jacksonville International airport. °
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