Tennessee National vs Jasper Highlands: Lake or Mountaintop?

Two names come up when people shop for a place to build in Tennessee: Jasper Highlands and Tennessee National. Both are places where people buy land and build a home. After that, they are about as different as two communities can be. One sits on top of a mountain. The other sits on a lake.

We will not describe someone else's community for them. Here is what is plainly true about each, and what to ask both on a visit.

Where is each community?

Tennessee National is on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee, and Jasper Highlands is on a mountain near Jasper, Tennessee.

Tennessee National is in Loudon County, about 30 minutes from Knoxville and about 10 minutes from I-75. McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes away.

Jasper Highlands is in Marion County, west of Chattanooga. Chattanooga is its nearest city. From Tennessee National, Chattanooga is about an hour and a quarter south, so you can see both communities on one trip.

Is the choice really lake or mountain?

Mostly, yes. The setting decides what you do on an ordinary afternoon.

A mountaintop gives you elevation, long views and the feeling of being above it all. That is a real thing to want. If you also boat or golf, ask each community what is on site and what is a drive away.

Tennessee National gives you the water at your feet. Watts Bar Lake has more than 39,000 acres of water and 722 miles of shoreline. The marina has 140+ boat slips. The Greg Norman Signature course is 18 holes, 7,393 yards and par 72. Kendall's restaurant, the pool, the fitness center, pickleball, tennis and walking trails are a golf cart ride away. See marina and lake life.

Here is a quick test. Picture a Tuesday in October at four in the afternoon. Are you on a porch above the valley, or on the water with the course behind you? Whichever picture came first is your answer.

What should you ask about the land itself?

Ask how the homesite gets its water, sewer, power and internet, and what it takes to build on it. Those answers vary from one homesite to the next in any community, and they change your budget.

Questions for both:

• Which utilities reach this homesite, and what does it take to connect?
• Is the homesite on sewer or septic?
• How steep is the site, and what does that mean for the foundation and the driveway?
• What is the road like in winter weather?
• What internet service is available at this address?
• Is there a deadline to build?
• What does design review require, and can I choose my builder?

At Tennessee National there is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite. Homes are custom built and go through design review. For the rest, ask us about the specific homesite. How to read a homesite explains slope, orientation and views.

What should you ask about fees and daily life?

Ask for every recurring cost in writing, then drive your errands from each community.

• What are the owner association fees, and what do they cover?
• Are there separate club, amenity or membership fees?
• Which amenities are open today, and which are planned?
• How long is the drive to groceries, a hospital and the airport?

From Tennessee National, Loudon is about 5 minutes away, Lenoir City about 15, Farragut and Turkey Creek shopping about 20, and Knoxville about 30. Pricing is in the info pack. Golf membership questions go to the club.

For Jasper Highlands, ask them. They are the only reliable source for their own fees, rules and amenities.

How do you meet people in each place?

Ask each community for last month's calendar, and ask whether you can go to something while you are there. A list of amenities does not tell you whether people use them.

At Tennessee National there are 22 social clubs and 180+ events a year. Trivia, live music, wine tastings, holiday parties. Clubs for wine, books, cycling, tennis and cards. People get around by golf cart, so you see your neighbors a lot. See social life.

The honest trade-off

Tennessee National does not have a mountaintop view. It sits low, beside the water. If the long view is the whole point, a lake community will not scratch that itch.

What a lake community does well is put a boat slip and a tee time a golf cart ride from home. If neither is part of your week, do not let them sway you.

If you do not golf, that works here too. Do you have to golf to live at Tennessee National? answers that.

See both on one trip. Bring the same list to each. Confirm current details directly with Jasper Highlands. We can only speak for Tennessee National.

Facts about Tennessee National come from the community. Lake facts come from TVA. Rules, taxes, loans and insurance change, so confirm anything that affects a purchase with the right office or professional before you buy.