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I have some questions if you don't mind. I saw some places for sale in Cumberland Cove that look newish, nice and reasonably priced. So-how big are the lots, and how "crowded" to they feel. I'm currently on an end-of-road lot on 20 acres, and 1/4 mile or so from the nearest neighbor. As I go into retirement, I'm ready to downsize to a smaller lot (maintaining a larger plot is a lot of work). Now, a 5 acre lot can seem "crowded" if the lots are pie-shaped, or very narrow and deep, with the homes crowded together near the road, while a 1-2 acre lot can be nice if the surrounding lots are well spread out.
Cumberland Cove is separated between two counties, Cumberland and Putnam. Most of the lots on the Cumberland County side are 1 to 2 acres, but some are larger. Most of the lots on the Putnam County side average 4 acres. We purchased our 4 acre lot in 2007 and starting building our retirement home in 2017. When we purchased our lot in 2007, we had no neighbors on the adjoining lots on either side of our lot. Around 2011, one of the adjoining lots was purchased and a home was built on it. This home was built 26 feet from the property line, so it is always within view of our lot. However, it is not as bad a situation as we had prior to moving to Tennessee. We lived in a suburb of Sacramento on a 1/4 acre lot. The neighbor's house was 6 feet from the property line. Now, even with that home 26 feet from the property line, we still have much more privacy than we did in California. If you purchase a lot in Cumberland Cove, you may not ever have an adjacent neighbor. Some of the lots have very steep slopes which makes them difficult to build on. Some property owners have chosen to purchase more than one lot to help ensure their privacy, so that may be an option for you. If I still had to do this all over again, I would purchase no more than 2 acres as I now realize that it will be difficult to take care of my 4 acre lot as I get older. Cumberland Cove has approximately 6,000 acres of area which is developed for homes and another 2,000 undeveloped acres (England Cove and Icy Cove) in which our park trails are located. There are only about 550 homes in Cumberland Cove at this time, so you can still have a lot of privacy, if that is what you want. Even with significant increases in the cost of building material, we've seen an increase in the number of homes being built in the last 2 years. You mentioned pie-shaped or narrow lots. The lots that are on bluffs are usually pie-shaped or narrow, but the lots away from the bluffs are usually much wider.
What kind of limitations (they are referred to as CC&R) (codes, covenants and restrictions in my area) are there? Any problem with building an outbuilding (shop) on the property? How about storing a boat or RV? Any limitations on motorcycles (not a loud one!). What do the HOA fees run? Oh, are the community roads all paved? (I'm tired of living on a dirt road!)
We do covenants that property owners are required to follow. Our covenants provide "light" restrictions designed to protect property values. You can view our covenants at the link below.
You are allowed to build and outbuilding as long as you submit plans to our ECC (Enviromental Control Committee) for approval before you build. It is almost never a problem in getting an approval. Any structure must be placed a minimum of 20 feet from the adjacent property line. If you have a boat or RV, it cannot be visible from the road or by neighbors. Many property owners here have constructed buildings to house their RVs and boats. There are no limitations for motorcycles. We have a property owner's association here. Our annual assessment fee is $115.00 per year. All of our roads are county roads and all are paved, but some are not in good shape. The two counties have a very limited budget for road maintenance and we are not a high priority for either county.
Are there limitations on the number of pets? We currently have 4 dogs, two of which are older and won't be around too much longer. We don't plan to replace them. At our age we don't want to adopt animals that we won't be around to take care of (we'll be 60 and 63, so not a concern right now-but in another 15 years.... We also are "foster fails" and have a large herd of cats-some of which we hope to adopt out before the move.
There are no limitations on domestic pets (dogs & cats). I know of someone who has 10 dogs. Our covenants do not allow farm animals (chickens, pigs, cows, etc), but you can have up to 2 horses if you have a 4 acre lot.
Is CC all on "city" water? How about septic?
Water lines were installed in all of Cumberland Cove around 2009. The water is provided by the City of Crossville. Since we have no city or county sewer system, septic tanks are our only option.
In general (not just Cumberland Cove)-what is more cost effective these days-build or buy? Buy typically would seem less expensive, but in my experience, many designs are not well laid out, don't utilize space, or just don't happen to appeal to us. We like a more "rustic" design-a good bit of wood, not painted cabinets or trim. We have never lived in a log home and understand that there can be some issues, but would consider it. I also notice that quite a few existing homes, even nice ones, don't have a garage. That's something I consider a "need"-though if the price is right we could build one.
Building a new home will allow you to pick or design a plan that is well laid out. Another advantage is that you will end up with a new home that should not require repairs or much maintenance for many years to come. However, with the high cost of building material and high labor costs, my personal opinion is that it would cost you less to purchase an already existing home. If I had to do this over again, I would purchase an already existing home. Building a home can be stressful. Bad weather can cause delays. Our home took a little over 9 months to build. If you choose to build, I suggest you already be in the area so that you can monitor the building progress. Our POA Welcome Center can provide you with a list of home building contractors in the area. I agree with you that a garage is necessary. It will protect your vehicles from harsh weather conditions.
We're coming out to visit and get to know the area early summer, I'm thinking around Memorial Day. Is the weather still "bearable" then? We're from a rural, western state and get heat, but not humidity. We understand that July/August will be pretty "bad" (compared to what we're used to)-but frankly we lose more outdoor time due to snow/winter here, so we can tolerate that. In short-what's a nice time to visit that won't "turn us off" (especially my wife, that has never lived anywhere but here) with heat/humidity?
Yes, the weather is still bearable around Memorial Day, but you could experience a little humidity even at that time. The hottest and most humid days are typically in July and August. You might also consider early May. If you want to get the best view of lots and have more accessibility of lots, the best time to visit is before leaves start coming out on the trees. Growing vegetation, especially briars, can make it more difficult to get around on lots. If you visit in the summer, you could have an unpleasant experience with chiggers and ticks when walking on uncleared lots.
You will find most people here to be very friendly and always willing to help a neighbor. We have numerous state parks within a 1 hour drive which offer hiking, boating, camping, and other activities. Cumberland Cove has 4 parks for the exclusive use of property owners. These parks have trails that lead down into England Cove and Icy Cove (mentioned earlier). Our park trails will take you to many beautiful waterfalls and caves. I've heard one of the trails will take you to an Indian burial ground, but I have not had the opportunity to see this yet. We have an abundance of wildlife in Cumberland Cove. We often see deer, wild turkey, coyotes, rabbits, and many bird species. We had a bear sighting about 3 months ago.
All utilities (natural gas, electricity, telephone, water) are available in Cumberland Cove, but there are a few locations where natural gas lines have not been laid. If you find a lot you like, I suggest you check with Middle Tennessee Natural Gas before purchasing the lot. After years of having very poor internet service, broadband internet is now available throughout Cumberland Cove. Speeds of up to 1 gigabite are now available through a partnership between Volunteer Energy Cooperative and Twin Lakes. TV and land line phones are also available through Twin Lakes.
During normal times, we have many activities for residents of Cumberland Cove year round at our Welcome Center. The activities mostly coincide with major holidays. However, the last year has not been normal due to the pandemic. We have had to cancel most of the activities until it is safe to hold them again.
There are many homes and lots for sale right now in Cumberland Cove. A custom built home up the road from me just went on the market within the last couple of days.
I hope I've answered your questions. If not, let me know. I'm on the Board of Directors here, so I have a lot of knowledge of Cumberland Cove and I'm happy to help. I'd be happy to meet with you when you visit in May. Feel free to send me a private message.
Last edited by jguillot; 02-05-2021 at 01:32 PM..
Reason: ...
My wife and I are considering TN for retirement, hailing from SoCal (LA/IE/Palm Springs)... we were originally looking strictly at Cookeville but it seems like Cumberland Cove is more of what I want with some sacrifice- where as Cookeville was mostly compromise.
Aside from individual real estate and the POA website, any other useful places to do more research? Ideally like a site map with all plots?
My wife and I are considering TN for retirement, hailing from SoCal (LA/IE/Palm Springs)... we were originally looking strictly at Cookeville but it seems like Cumberland Cove is more of what I want with some sacrifice- where as Cookeville was mostly compromise.
Aside from individual real estate and the POA website, any other useful places to do more research? Ideally like a site map with all plots?
Hi Jaypeezee,
If you open Google Maps and do a close up view of the roads in Cumberland Cove, you will be able to see lot lines.
You can also go to the website below to see individual parcels. First, select the county (Cumberland or Putnam), then go to search type and select subdivision (type in Cumberland Cove).
We moved from the Sacramento area in 2017. Cumberland Cove is a beautiful area. We've got 4-5 inches of snow on the ground this morning, but that much snow at one time is rare here.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Last edited by jguillot; 02-07-2021 at 09:01 AM..
Reason: ...
You can also go to the website below to see individual parcels. First, select the county (Cumberland or Putnam), then go to search type and select subdivision (type in Cumberland Cove).
We moved from the Sacramento area in 2017. Cumberland Cove is a beautiful area. We've got 4-5 inches of snow on the ground this morning, but that much snow at one time is rare here.
You can also go to the website below to see individual parcels. First, select the county (Cumberland or Putnam), then go to search type and select subdivision (type in Cumberland Cove).
We moved from the Sacramento area in 2017. Cumberland Cove is a beautiful area. We've got 4-5 inches of snow on the ground this morning, but that much snow at one time is rare here.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
How did you fare up there during this last set of storms?
How did you fare up there during this last set of storms?
Hi JRR,
During the last set of storms, driving in Cumberland Cove became hazardous on hills and curves in certain places. We just stayed home until the roads were safe again. We had snow several times, but it melted away within a day or two each time. During one of the storms, we had a little freezing rain, but it was not enough to cause any major problems.
Thank you all for your comments! I was down there once again last week and did some driving, talked to some neighbors I ran into here and there and finally made a decision. Even though it was highly recommended by a neighbor down in Florida, I have decided to pass on Cumberland Cove and keep looking somewhere else.
I flipped houses for a living for 24 years in Florida and when I buy a property I'm always concerned with how fast I can resell the property and the resale value down the line. Most of the neighbors I spoke with mentioned that emergency services can take up to an hour to arrive, there is a fire station in Mayland but no one is there. Some expressed concern over the HOA board and the way the board is conducting itself, specifically they mentioned that the HOA discontinued a security service that had been in place for many years and it was never replaced. Also, as mentioned above by MYELSA, poor internet service and in some parts there is even no internet service whatsoever was mentioned by everyone. All these issues combined with the rough roads in many areas and cell service being sketchy, made my decision easy.
I've dealt with these issues before and I know for a fact that issues like these can bring your property value lower or worst, make a buyer walk away.
Again, thank you all for your comments!
I am a resident of Cumberland Cove. I know this is a posting from 2020, but I want to let everyone know about some changes that have taken place since this posting. The security service mentioned by the OP had virtually no power and their performance was in question. They were replaced with patrols being done by off duty Sheriff's Deputies. Their patrol schedule varies, so anyone up to no good will never know when a deputy is patrolling. The services provided by these deputies is far better than what was provided by the old security service as these deputies are sworn law officers who are trained and can make arrests, if necessary.
Broadband internet service is now available throughout Cumberland Cove with speeds of up to 1 gigabyte per second. This was made possible through a federal grant. Installation of the necessary lines was completed in December 2020 through a partnership with Twin Lakes and Volunteer Energy Cooperative.
The Putnam County Roads Department is currently in the process of re-paving some of the roads with asphalt on the Putnam County side of Cumberland Cove. We've heard that the Cumberland County Roads Department will be doing some paving after the start of their new fiscal year on the Cumberland County side of Cumberland Cove.
The number of homes being constructed in Cumberland Cove has significantly increased, even with much higher costs for building material. At this time, there are approximately 20 to 25 homes under construction. I know of 4 new requests for construction permits received this week.
I am not allowed to reply as a digital message for some odd reason. So, I am replying here to thank you for your help with may natural gas vs electric and lot address inquiry.
Thank you for the quick response.
Gas & electric makes sense.
My lot is apparently close to the road that you are on will be neighbors!
Last edited by JMT; 07-14-2021 at 01:57 PM..
Reason: Please do not post your address on here.
I have been a resident of Cumberland Cove for almost two years now.
The new fiber optic internet service has been stellar! I was connected in March 2021 and the service has been perfect. Not a single outage yet. I pay $49 per month for 250 MB (upload and download speeds) internet only service. You have the option of internet service with or without TV. There are (when I signed up) three speed options for internet, up to 1GB.
All of this year so far there has been a large amount new house being built.
So here in Cumberland Cove we have a country living environment but with high speed internet, municipal water and natural gas available. It's been great!
I have been a resident of Cumberland Cove for almost two years now.
The new fiber optic internet service has been stellar! I was connected in March 2021 and the service has been perfect. Not a single outage yet. I pay $49 per month for 250 MB (upload and download speeds) internet only service. You have the option of internet service with or without TV. There are (when I signed up) three speed options for internet, up to 1GB.
All of this year so far there has been a large amount new house being built.
So here in Cumberland Cove we have a country living environment but with high speed internet, municipal water and natural gas available. It's been great!
The rate quoted above is for the first year only and reflects a new user discount. It has now been increased to 500 Mbs service for the same price.
Always check with the carrier for the latest prices.
I have experienced one fiber outage so far after more than a year of service. It lasted a couple of hours. Not mentioned above, outage free service requires backup power for the fiber/Ethernet interface device that is installed on or in the premises.
Speaking of carriers, there are now two fiber carriers serving CC. Spectrum is the new and slower carrier. They are conducting an intensive marketing campaign. Our mailboxes are being flooded with their solicitations. Intrusive door to door solicitors are also at work, despite the no soliciting sign at the entrance to the community.
I don't know of anyone who has signed up with Spectrum. Less for more just isn't selling well here.
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Cumberland Cove, after buying land.
