Retiring in Tennessee? Tellico Village vs Rarity Bay

If you're thinking about retiring in Tennessee, sooner or later you land on Tellico Lake — and then comes the real question: Tellico Village or Rarity Bay? They sit right next to each other, but they're built for two different buyers and two completely different lifestyles. Most people don't find out which one actually fits them until they've already toured the wrong one. After 20+ years helping retirees relocate to East Tennessee, Rick Smenner gives you the honest, side-by-side comparison first. 👉 Schedule a discovery call with Rick Smenner: 📱 Call/Text: (865) 696-9002 📨 Email: [email protected] 🔗 Discovery Tour (your 3-day test drive): https://tellicolakehometeam.com/2025/... TELLICO VILLAGE vs. RARITY BAY: THE HONEST COMPARISON ✅ Lifestyle — Tellico Village is the active one: 200+ clubs, "soup to nuts." Rarity Bay is gated, country-club, slower-paced. ✅ Membership model — Tellico Village is pay-to-play: no mandatory golf or yacht club fees. Rarity Bay has a social membership fee plus a separate golf membership fee. ✅ Scale — Tellico Village: ~8,000 homes. Rarity Bay: ~1,000 when fully built out. ✅ Price sweet spot — Tellico Village: $500K–$700K (≈2,000 sq ft, 3 bed / 2.5 bath). Rarity Bay: $600K–$900K. ✅ Lakefront & lakeview — Rarity Bay has far more lakefront ($1.5M–$2M) and lakeview homes ($1M–$1.5M, lake + mountain views); these are rare in Tellico Village. ✅ Boating — both have detached marinas. Want a covered boat slip? That's Rarity Bay. ✅ Building — more lots available in Rarity Bay; Tellico Village is nearly sold out. Remote out-of-state builds handled by Platinum Builders (Danny Cantrell). ✅ Equestrian — Rarity Bay has an on-site equestrian center and ~110 acres of riding trails. ✅ Property taxes — the East Tennessee tax story: a Buffalo, NY client went from $25,000/year to $1,900/year on a similarly priced home. 📍 Tellico Village — Active lifestyle, 200+ clubs, lake access, golf, pickleball, tennis. Pay-to-play. One POA fee: $186.98/month. 📍 Rarity Bay — Gated country club community, golf course, marina with covered slips, equestrian center. Smaller scale, slower pace. 📍 WindRiver — True luxury, the highest price point on the lake. New 26,000 sq ft clubhouse, huge private marina. From ~$1.5M. 📍 Kahite — Part of Tellico Village, ~20 minutes out, more rural. Its own 18-hole golf course, clubhouse, restaurant. A true golf-cart community. From ~$600K. 25 minutes to Knoxville. 45 minutes to the airport. Everything you need, nothing you don't. Rick Smenner has specialized in 55+ retirement communities on Tellico Lake for over 20 years and has helped people relocate from across the country — many from high-tax states like New York, Illinois, and the Northeast. Whether you're weighing the best places to retire in Tennessee, comparing Tellico Lake communities, or just starting your search, Rick gives you the honest conversation, not the sales pitch. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 – Tellico Village vs. Rarity Bay: Two Lifestyles 0:18 – Inside Tellico Village: Active & Pay-to-Play 1:19 – The Sweet Spot: What $500K–$700K Buys 1:34 – The Property Tax Shock ($25K → $1,900) 2:13 – Inside Rarity Bay: Gated Country Club Living 3:00 – Rarity Bay Prices, Lakefront & Lakeview Homes 3:36 – Building a Home From Out of State 4:10 – Boating & Marinas 4:26 – WindRiver & Kahite: The Other Two Communities 5:27 – Recap + Your Next Step #RetireInTennessee #TellicoLake #TellicoVillage #RarityBay #BestPlacesToRetire #MovingToTennessee #EastTennessee #55PlusCommunities #ActiveAdultCommunities #TennesseeRealEstate #WhereToRetire #LakeLiving #RetirementCommunities #GatedCommunity #TennesseeLakeHomes