Located on a 960-acre peninsula in the middle of Tellico Lake in Vonore, Tennessee, Rarity Bay is an active lifestyle community that welcomes homebuyers of all ages.
Less than an hour away from Knoxville and a three-hour drive from Nashville, Rarity Bay offers a gorgeous view of the Smoky Mountains in an area that celebrates all four seasons. The community offers a low cost of living as well as a laid-back, down-home vibe. Towns such as Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Oak Ridge, and Chattanooga, which celebrate a rich history of pre-Colonial times, are all within a few hours’ drive.
Oh, and did we mention that championship golf course nearby? We’ll get to that in a bit.
Rarity Bay Homes & Real Estate
Development of Rarity Bay began in 1994 with 1,600 homesites for a variety of housing options that range from condos to custom-built estate homes. The community is currently made up of a variety of neighborhoods with multiple styles of houses.
Condos range from around 1,200 to 1,600 square feet with one-to-three bedrooms and one-to-two bathrooms. Each unit also comes with one parking space in the building garage.
The Bay View neighborhood includes villa homes ranging from 2,400 to 3,000 square feet with three bedrooms, two-to-three bathrooms, and a two-car garage. These low-maintenance homes include private dock rights, screened-in porches, and open decks.
The Bay Pointe neighborhood is a private reserve near the edge of the peninsula with large estate and grand villa-style floor plans that range in size from 1,800 to around 2,650 square feet. These include three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and a two-car garage.
The Bluffs at Rarity Bay is a newer neighborhood with homes that have between 2,750 to 6,000 square feet of living space.
If you’d like a new, custom-built, single-family home, you can do that, too, complete with a mountain, water or golf course view. Keep in mind that to make sure your new home fits within Rarity Bay’s French Country theme, a committee must approve the design.
Amenities
Rarity Bay offers a variety of amenities for residents to enjoy. While some of them do require extra memberships and fees, the Activity Center is available to all residents and offers ample rooms and opportunities for games, classes, and more.
Located near the clubhouse is the Enrichment Center, where residents can work out in the fitness room or join an exercise class. It’s also popular for private functions or community events.
Some of the other community amenities include an equestrian center, dog park, miles of walking trails, a community garden, and a lake for fishing, boating, and sailing.
Membership Clubs
For those who don’t mind paying a little extra, Rarity Bay offers a number of membership options to the Grand Swimming & Tennis Club, a semi-private golf and tennis club with an outdoor pool and two lighted tennis courts.
Membership is also available to the Rarity Bay Golf & Country Club, which boasts an 11,000 square-foot clubhouse, dining facilities and meeting rooms, a gazebo, and an outdoor patio. And for you golf lovers, membership also includes access to the 18-hole Rarity Bay Golf Course, a golf pro shop, and practice facilities to work on that swing.
Groups and Activities
Boredom isn’t an option at Rarity Bay. There are plenty of classes, planned activities, and social groups to keep you busy. From bocce to bridge, from motorcycles to stitching, from wine tasting to fantasy football, there are so many opportunities to stay connected with the activities you love or to discover new ones.
Residents actively give back to the Eastern Tennessee area through service groups like the American Legion, Lions Club, Knights of Columbus and Rotary International.
Social Atmosphere
Surrounded by natural beauty, Rarity Bay has plenty to offer, with lakeside living, mountainous views, and lots of things to do with old friends and new. And if you don’t believe us, just ask retiree and resident Susan L., who gave it five out of five stars in her community review.
“We own a wonderful condo at Rarity Bay and absolutely love it,” she says. “Coming from a home with a big yard and tons of maintenance, it’s been a nice change of pace, not having to worry about all those annoying jobs around the house and around the yard. We have more time to enjoy life. We golf a lot, walk the trails, cycle and relax. The amenities here are wonderful and the views are breathtaking.”
