Choosing where to buy in Highlands can feel surprisingly complex for such a compact mountain town. You may love the idea of walking to dinner and local events, or you may picture a quieter setting with more space and club-style amenities. The good news is that both options can fit the Highlands lifestyle beautifully, depending on how you plan to use your home. Let’s break down the differences so you can choose with confidence.
Why This Choice Matters
In Highlands, the decision is often less about distance on a map and more about how you want daily life to feel. The town’s resident information points to a downtown core with municipal services, recreation facilities, a town greenway, and a Chamber Welcome Center on Main Street.
That creates two clear lifestyle paths. You can choose a home that feels connected to the Main Street loop, or you can choose a more private mountain setting centered around club amenities and a second-home atmosphere.
What Living In-Town Looks Like
If you want to be close to the everyday rhythm of Highlands, in-town living often stands out right away. It offers convenience, shorter trips, and easy access to shared town amenities.
The town highlights several public recreation options within or near downtown. These include the Civic Center, Recreation Park with tennis courts, picnic areas, playgrounds, hiking trails, and a Greenways Trail that runs throughout town. Highlands also offers an ice rink, dog park, and year-round pool complex through Parks and Recreation.
In-Town Perks
For many buyers, the biggest advantage of living in-town is simple: less driving. If you enjoy being able to head into town quickly for dinner, shopping, or recreation, this setting can make everyday use of the home feel easier.
You also have access to municipal services within town limits and much of town. According to the town, electric service is provided throughout town limits, water is available across most of town, sewer is available in certain areas, and regular trash collection is provided.
Common In-Town Home Types
In-town Highlands is not limited to one type of property. The zoning code allows a broad mix of residential development, including detached and attached single-family homes, apartments, condominiums, townhouses, cottages, duplexes, and related outbuildings.
That means the town core can be a practical fit if you are looking for a cottage, condo, townhome, or a smaller single-family home. If your priority is a lower-maintenance property with easier access to town activities, in-town options may line up well with your goals.
In-Town Tradeoffs
Convenience usually comes with a few compromises. In-town homes may offer less privacy, smaller lots, or a setting that feels more connected to neighbors and daily activity.
There are also seasonal factors to keep in mind. Downtown parking is managed through a town map, some businesses adjust operating hours in the slower winter months, and seasonal owners should plan for subfreezing weather and winterization.
What Outlying Areas Offer
If your Highlands vision includes more privacy, more land, or a resort-like community feel, the outlying areas may be a better fit. These communities generally trade immediate Main Street access for space, seclusion, and a more amenity-driven lifestyle.
Many of the surrounding communities are private or invitation-based. Their descriptions consistently focus on golf, dining, fitness, trails, lakes, and social events, which gives these areas a very different feel from the town core.
Privacy and Space
One of the biggest draws outside town is the sense of retreat. Buyers often look to these areas when they want a home that feels tucked into the mountain landscape rather than connected to the center of town.
This can also mean larger homes, larger homesites, and a more distinct second-home experience. For buyers coming from larger metro areas, that privacy can be a major part of the appeal.
Club-Centered Amenities
Outlying Highlands communities often stand out for their on-site amenities. Depending on the community, that may include golf, tennis, pickleball, swimming, fitness, dining, trails, social programming, or lake-oriented recreation.
For example, Highlands Falls Country Club lists golf, croquet, pickleball, tennis, bridge, mah-jongg, fishing, swimming, dining, fitness, and an RC-boat yacht club. Wildcat Cliffs includes clay tennis courts, a fitness center, a heated indoor pool, a hot tub, pickleball, and social activities.
Old Edwards Club offers golf, dining, clay tennis courts, a heated outdoor pool, a fitness center, and regular events. GlenCove by Old Edwards adds trails, a community garden, a lake setting, wellness-focused amenities, dining, and a 12-hole par-3 course.
Some buyers look for a middle ground with a closer-in club option. Highlands Country Club is one example, with amenities that include golf, croquet, tennis, canoeing, personal training, yoga, dining, and nearby hiking and shopping.
Common Home Types Outside Town
Outlying areas often include a wider range of larger-format properties. Cullasaja Club, for example, describes homes and cottages as well as mountain retreats, mountaintop homes, lakefront residences, and private villas.
Its real estate information also notes homes ranging from about 2,700 to more than 15,000 square feet. That gives you a good sense of how different the outlying market can feel compared with the more compact in-town housing mix.
In-Town vs Outlying Areas at a Glance
| Feature | In-Town Highlands | Outlying Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Lifestyle feel | Connected to Main Street and town activity | More private, retreat-like setting |
| Convenience | Shorter trips to shops, dining, and town recreation | More driving for town access |
| Amenities | Public recreation and municipal services | Club and community amenities may be central |
| Home types | Cottages, condos, townhomes, smaller single-family homes | Club homes, larger residences, villas, lakefront and mountain properties |
| Best fit for | Buyers who want walkability and easier day-to-day access | Buyers who want privacy, space, and resort-style living |
How To Decide What Fits You Best
The right choice usually comes down to your routines, not just your wish list. A beautiful home in either setting can be the wrong fit if it does not match how often you will use it and how you want your time in Highlands to feel.
Think About How You’ll Use the Home
Start with the basics. Is this going to be a full-time residence, a seasonal getaway, or a second home used throughout the year?
If you expect to come up often for shorter stays, in-town convenience may feel especially valuable. If you want your home to function more like a private retreat, the outlying areas may better match that goal.
Decide What Amenities Matter Most
It helps to separate public-town convenience from private-community amenities. In-town buyers often prioritize access to downtown, parks, trails, and town services.
Outlying buyers are often looking for a more curated amenity package within a private community. If golf, club dining, fitness, tennis, or a strong social calendar are central to your lifestyle, that can point you more clearly toward a club setting.
Match the Property Type to Your Lifestyle
Your ideal home type can narrow the search quickly. If you want a cottage, condo, or townhome, in-town options may offer more of what you are looking for.
If you are drawn to a larger lot, a club home, a lake-oriented property, or a more expansive mountain residence, the outlying areas may offer stronger choices. This is especially true for buyers seeking a classic second-home feel.
Plan for Seasonal Ownership
Seasonal use deserves special attention in Highlands. The town notes that winter conditions can drop below freezing, so owners should think ahead about winterization.
That matters whether you buy in-town or outside town, but it can shape your priorities. Some buyers prefer an in-town property with simpler upkeep, while others are happy to trade more maintenance for space and privacy.
A Simple Way To Frame the Decision
If you picture yourself walking to dinner, spending time near Main Street, and enjoying public town recreation, in-town Highlands may be the better choice. If you picture a more private mountain base with club amenities and a stronger retreat atmosphere, the outlying areas may feel like home.
Neither option is better across the board. The best choice is the one that supports the way you want to live, relax, and use your property in Highlands.
Buying in this market is often about more than square footage or lot size. It is about finding the version of Highlands that feels right for you.
If you want help comparing in-town homes with private club and mountain properties, Collin Taylor - Main Site can help you sort through the options with clear local guidance and a high-touch approach.
FAQs
Should I buy an in-town home in Highlands if I want walkability?
- If walkability, short trips, and easy access to Main Street, parks, and town recreation matter most to you, in-town Highlands is often the better fit.
Are outlying Highlands communities better for privacy?
- Outlying areas often appeal to buyers who want more privacy, more space, and a mountain setting that feels more like a retreat.
What types of homes are common in-town Highlands?
- In-town Highlands can include cottages, condominiums, townhouses, apartments, duplexes, and single-family homes under the town’s residential zoning framework.
What amenities do Highlands-area club communities usually offer?
- Depending on the community, amenities may include golf, dining, tennis, pickleball, swimming, fitness, trails, lake access, and social events.
Is Highlands a good place for a seasonal second home?
- Many buyers use Highlands as a seasonal or second-home market, but you should plan for winter conditions and property winterization if the home will sit vacant during colder months.
