Luxury real estate in Cashiers, NC
Cashiers sits at 3,500 feet elevation in Jackson County, roughly 15 miles south of Highlands and about 60 miles southwest of Asheville. It is one of the most established luxury resort communities in the Southeast, with a buyer profile that has included old-money Southern families, corporate executives from Charlotte and Atlanta, and increasingly, high-net-worth buyers from Florida who want a cool-weather second home without the travel burden of a mountain property in Colorado or Vermont.
The real estate market here is defined by a handful of premier gated communities. Wade Hampton Golf Club is one of the most exclusive private clubs in the country and the properties surrounding it represent the top of the Cashiers market. High Hampton, recently reborn as a luxury resort and residential community, has drawn significant attention and new buyer interest. Burlingame Country Club offers lake access on Lake Glenville alongside golf, and represents strong value within the Cashiers luxury tier.
The broader Cashiers plateau, which includes the communities of Sapphire, Glenville, and the surrounding Jackson County area, gives buyers options ranging from estate-level gated properties to more accessible mountain homes that still deliver the elevation, the views, and the summer cool that defines the appeal of this market.
Who buys in Cashiers
The Cashiers buyer profile is distinct from Asheville and Blowing Rock. This is primarily a second-home and legacy market. Primary buyers do exist, particularly retirees who have spent years visiting and decide to make it permanent, but the majority of transactions involve buyers purchasing a retreat rather than a primary residence. Florida buyers escaping summer heat represent a significant and growing share. Atlanta executives and Charlotte families with multigenerational ties to the plateau make up another meaningful segment. Buyers from the Northeast who have found that Cashiers delivers a comparable mountain experience to the Adirondacks or Vermont at a lower price point with better access.
Key communities
Wade Hampton Golf Club properties sit at the top of the market. High Hampton, following its major renovation and repositioning as a luxury resort-residential community, has new inventory and significant buyer interest. Burlingame Country Club offers lake-access and golf in a gated setting. Big Sheepcliff and other private enclaves on the plateau attract estate buyers who want privacy above all else.
What to know before you buy
Cashiers transactions require a true specialist. Private club community rules, right-of-way considerations on mountain properties, well and septic systems on estate lots, and the specific dynamics of the plateau market all require local knowledge that a generalist mountain agent will not have. The right agent for a Wade Hampton property is a different profile than the right agent for a Burlingame transaction.
Nearby luxury markets
Buyers considering Cashiers often compare Blowing Rock and Asheville. View all Mountain NC markets.