The short answer
While you build, you have four options: stay in your current home and build from a distance, rent close by in Loudon, Lenoir City or Farragut, rent in Knoxville, or buy a finished home or townhome in the community first. Tennessee National, a private, gated lake and golf community on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee, has no deadline to build after you buy a homesite, so you choose the timing.
Key facts
- There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite at Tennessee National.
- Loudon is about 5 minutes from Tennessee National, Lenoir City about 15, Farragut about 20 and Knoxville about 30.
- Homes at Tennessee National are custom built and go through design review.
- Townhomes are one of five ways to own at Tennessee National, and finished homes are listed on the properties page.
- McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes from Tennessee National.
While you build at Tennessee National, you live in one of four places: your current home, a rental close to the site, a rental in Knoxville or a finished home inside the community. There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite, so you pick the timing.
That last fact takes the pressure off. A custom home takes time to design and build, but you are not racing a clock. You are choosing a window. Tennessee National is a private, gated lake and golf community on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee.
Where do you live while you build at Tennessee National?
In one of four places: your current home, a rental close to the site, a rental in Knoxville or a finished home inside the community. The right one depends on your timeline and how close you want to be to the work.
| Option | Fits when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Stay in your current home | You are building from another state, or you are in no hurry | Travel for site visits. You watch the build from a distance |
| Rent in Loudon, Lenoir City or Farragut | You want to be close to the site | Finding a lease that flexes with a build schedule |
| Rent in Knoxville | You want city life, or you fly often | About 30 minutes each way to the site |
| Buy a finished home or townhome here first | You want to live inside the gates now | Two purchases, and it depends on what is listed |
How long will you need a place?
For the whole build plus a cushion, and nobody can give you an honest number before they see your plans. Timing depends on the house, the builder, the site, the weather and design review.
So do two things. Ask your builder for a written schedule, then ask what delayed their last two jobs. And never sign a lease that ends the week the house is supposed to be finished. Ask for one you can extend month to month.
Our guide to how building a home at Tennessee National works walks through the steps.
What does each option look like?
Each one trades cost against how close you are to the work.
Stay put and build from a distance. This is the least disruptive choice if your timeline is long. Ask your builder how they keep out-of-town owners informed: photos, video walks, a calendar of decisions. Plan your trips around the moments that are hard to judge from a photo. Fly into McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), about 35 minutes from the gate, and stay in Farragut, about 20 minutes away, where the hotels are. Our guide to buying from out of state covers the long-distance side.
Rent close to the site. Loudon is about 5 minutes away, Lenoir City about 15 and Farragut about 20. Close means you can stop by on a normal day. You also learn the roads, the grocery stores and the restaurants before you move in. What we cannot tell you is what is for rent. Supply changes, and short or furnished leases are harder to find than a standard year. Start early, call a local property manager, and ask about lease length, extensions, pets and a garage or storage. Our guide to renting near Tennessee National explains how to search.
Rent in Knoxville. Knoxville is about 30 minutes away. You get city restaurants, hospitals and the university, and you are closer to the airport. The cost is the drive to the site every time you want to see progress.
Buy a finished home or townhome here first. Townhomes are one of the five ways to own, and finished homes are listed on the properties page. Living inside the gates puts the marina, the course and the trails outside your door, and checking on your build is a golf cart ride. Whether it makes sense depends on what is listed when you need it and what you plan to do with the first place afterward. Ask an agent before you assume it will be easy to sell or keep.
Can you live on your homesite in an RV while you build?
Do not plan on it without asking first. Whether a camper or other temporary housing is allowed on a homesite during construction is a rules question. The answer sits in the community's covenants, its construction rules and the county's rules. Ask the Tennessee National team and your builder before you buy the RV.
How does housing fit with the money?
Decide the housing plan and the financing plan together, because each one limits the other.
- Renting keeps cash free for the build but adds a monthly bill.
- Buying a first place here ties up cash but puts you inside the gates.
- Staying put adds travel and little else.
If you are using a construction loan, ask your lender how your current housing payment affects what you qualify for. If you sell before the house is finished, your furniture needs a home too, so get a storage quote before you list. See sell your home first or buy first for the order of operations.
Pricing for homesites, townhomes and Land & Home packages is in the info pack.
The honest trade-off
There is no free option. Staying put adds the least cost, and you see the least of your build. Renting nearby means two moves. Buying first means two purchases. Pick the hassle you mind least.
And builds can run long. Whatever you choose, choose something you can stretch.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a deadline to build at Tennessee National?
No. There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite at Tennessee National. That lets you choose when the build starts and plan where to live around your own schedule, not a rule.
Where can you rent near Tennessee National during a build?
The closest towns are Loudon, about 5 minutes from Tennessee National, Lenoir City, about 15, and Farragut, about 20. Knoxville is about 30 minutes away. Rental supply changes, so confirm what is available with a local property manager before you plan around it.
Can you live in an RV on your homesite while building at Tennessee National?
Do not assume so. Whether a camper or temporary housing is allowed on a homesite during construction depends on Tennessee National's covenants and construction rules and on county rules. Ask the community and your builder before you plan on it.
How long does it take to build a home at Tennessee National?
It depends on the house, the builder, the site, the weather and design review, so this guide does not quote a number. Ask your builder for a written schedule, and choose interim housing near Tennessee National that you can extend if the build runs long.
Can you buy a townhome at Tennessee National and build later?
Townhomes are one of five ways to own at Tennessee National, and finished homes are listed on the properties page. A buyer could live in one while building on a homesite, depending on what is listed. Pricing is in the Tennessee National info pack.
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.