Newswire Residential

Rising North Carolina Land Values Put New Focus on Blue Ridge Mountain Property

Photo courtesy of National Land Partners

A limited collection of 1 to 3+ acre high-elevation Blue Ridge Mountain properties will come to market September 19, 2026, as North Carolina land values continue to trend upward and outdoor recreation remains a significant part of the U.S. economy.

National Land Partners, a recreational and residential land development company with more than half a century of industry experience, is bringing the offering to market, with properties starting at $34,900. Interested buyers are encouraged to reserve a private property tour before the sale by calling 877-888-0226 or visiting NCMountainLandSales.com.

The September 19 offering comes against a backdrop of rising land values across North Carolina. According to 2025 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, North Carolina farm real estate average price per acre was up 5.4% from 2024. Nationally, farm real estate values averages increased 4.3%.

While agricultural land values are not directly comparable to individual residential and recreational properties, the figures provide broader context for the direction of land values in North Carolina. USDA data also show North Carolina farm real estate values increasing roughly 15% over four years.

Land Ownership Meets a Growing Outdoor Economy: The broader economic significance of outdoor recreation provides another lens through which to view demand for recreational property. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that outdoor recreation generated $696.7 billion in value added in 2024, accounting for 2.4% of U.S. gross domestic product.

That economy spans activities such as boating, hiking, fishing and hunting, as well as travel, tourism and supporting industries connected to outdoor experiences. For recreational land buyers, access to those can add to a property’s practical and lifestyle value.

The Blue Ridge Mountain region illustrates how those factors can converge. The area surrounding the September 19 offering provides access to approximately 1.4 million acres of national forest across North Carolina and Georgia, including mountains, trails, waterfalls, rivers, streams and protected wilderness. Multiple mountain lakes, golf, resorts, spas, whitewater rafting and watersports are also within reach, with easy access to the major metropolitan cities of Asheville, Chattanooga, Atlanta and Knoxville.

“Ten years ago, one of the first questions might have been price per acre. Today we’re just as likely to hear questions about proximity to a lake and outdoor recreation, fiber internet, whether buyers can build later, or how far the property is from a major city or airport,” said Hank Rogers, sales manager for National Land Partners.  “Buyers are increasingly balancing privacy and recreation with practical consideration such as connectivity, services and access to large cities” Rogers added.

What Buyers Should Evaluate When Purchasing Recreational Land: Based on more than five decades of land development and sales experience, National Land Partners says recreational buyers should evaluate several factors beyond acreage and price, including topography, road access, utilities, internet availability, building flexibility, financing and proximity to recreation.

Those factors can affect everything from views and access to future construction costs, timing and how frequently an owner can realistically use the property.

National Land Partners encourages private property tours so buyers can walk individual homesites, compare terrain and views, understand available infrastructure and consider how each property aligns with their long-term plans.

“Land is personal because every buyer is looking for something a little different,” said Chip Watkeys, partner at National Land Partners. “Walking the property gives buyers the opportunity to evaluate the things that can’t always be understood from a listing, including the terrain, views, surroundings and how the land feels in person.”

National Land Partners will release the limited collection of 1- to 3+ acre Blue Ridge Mountain properties on September 19, 2026. Additional information about the offering and private property tours is available at NCMountainLandSales.com or by calling/texting 877-888-0226.