Suburban living west of Fearrington
A couple decades ago, there wasn’t much on this side of Fearrington, just south of Chapel Hill. “This part of Chatham County was very rural until recently,” says Brandon Yapp, a Realtor with The Oceanaire Realty. “Parts of it definitely still lean very rural, but Briar Chapel has become pretty suburban. A lot of residential construction has gone in over the last 20 or so years.” Yapp lives in Briar Chapel with his family, in a relatively new planned community. “There are about 2,400 homes here, so it’s a fairly large section of the neighborhood,” he says, adding that he was drawn to the area for its peaceful atmosphere and convenient location. Movil Realty Realtor Cindi Honeycutt, who is based in the region, observes that those two factors are also a large part of Briar Chapel’s appeal for her clients. “Most of the area still feels very rural, but everything around here is growing. It’s desirable because it’s so close to Chapel Hill, where the University of North Carolina and the hospital system are, but it’s less crowded and more affordable.”
New builds abound
Most Briar Chapel homes are new builds, but there are a few midcentury ranch-style bungalows scattered in the countryside on the outskirts of the more modern planned developments. Yapp says that homes outside planned developments tend to be either cheaper or much more expensive, noting that older ranch-style homes fall on the lower end of the spectrum while sprawling, new, custom-built estates on multiple acres of land fall on the high end. Broadly, homes run anywhere from about $230,000 to more than $7 million. But more specifically, less-updated Minimal Traditional and ranch-style homes on the western, more rural side of Briar Chapel, tend to go for between $230,000 and $380,000. Larger, Modern Farmhouse, Contemporary or European-inspired homes on acreage properties start at around $1.3 million and can climb to $7.6 million. And Traditional, Modern Transitional and Craftsman-inspired homes in planned communities tend to sell for between about $430,000 and $900,000.
Highly rated Chatham County schools
The Chatham County Public Schools district serves students in Briar Chapel. Many go to Chatham Grove Elementary, which earns an A grade from Niche, and Margaret B. Pollard Middle, which earns an A-minus. Older students can continue to Seaforth High School, ungraded by Niche. Some elementary and middle schoolers may go to Willow Oak Montessori or Woods Charter School, public charter schools. Willow Oak, which earns an A from Niche, serves kids between kindergarten and eighth grade. It also offers a private, tuition-based preschool program for youngsters aged three through five. The A-plus-graded Woods Charter School serves kindergarteners through 12th graders.
Neighborhood parks, waterfront recreation nearby
Many of the subdivisions in Briar Chapel have their own community parks or playgrounds. At Great Meadow Park, residents can picnic at the pavilion or catch a summer concert at the amphitheater. The 5-acre park also has a playground, outdoor ping-pong tables and volleyball courts. There’s a fully fenced dog park nearby as well, for local pups. Briar Chapel’s Discovery Park, north of Great Meadow, offers hammocks and a fossil dig area. Nearby Boulder Park has sandy bocce ball courts, horseshoe rings and fire pits. The subdivision of Briar Chapel’s clubhouse is home to the community association, as well as a fitness center and an outdoor pool. Golfers can play nine holes at Twin Lakes Golf Course, near the middle of Briar Chapel. The Preserve Golf Club is on Jordan Lake, a few miles southeast. The semi-private golf course is open to the public; public and members-only tee times are available. There are more opportunities for outdoor recreation by Jordan Lake, too. The Jordan Lake State Recreation Area offers public boating and swimming access. More than 10 miles of hiking trails web through the lake’s forested banks. RV and tent camping sites are available, too. On the Haw River, which rushes along Briar Chapel’s west side, residents can canoe in calm waters or kayak on rapids. Old Bynum Bridge offers a scenic walk over the water not far from the Lower Haw River State Natural Area. It’s also close to Bynum Front Porch, a historic general store-turned-nonprofit organization that hosts regular concerts and storytelling sessions.
U.S. Route 501 shopping corridor and Fearrington Village
Much of Briar Chapel’s shopping and dining selection is concentrated along U.S. Route 501. Residents can grab groceries at Lowes Foods, Harris Teeter or Food Lion. There’s also an Ace Hardware and several gas stations with convenience stores on the main thoroughfare close to home. Breakaway Café serves American diner-style all-day breakfast. Next door, Town Hall Burger & Beer offers casual sports bar fare. Yapp says Fearrington Village, about 4 miles southeast of central Briar Chapel, is a popular destination for shopping, dining and entertainment. “It’s like an English-inspired community, with high-end clothing stores, boutiques and restaurants.” He says their afternoon tea service, in the Fearrington House Restaurant, is always a hit with his family. Reservations are required for high tea, which features classic tea sandwiches, pastries and jams. “They have miles of walking trails and animals on-site, too, that people take their kids to see,” Yapp says. “It’s kind of the local hotspot.”
Quick commuting to Chapel Hill and RTP
Chapel Hill is about 10 miles northeast of central Briar Chapel, typically a 25-minute drive via U.S. Route 501. Its secluded setting in Chatham County belies its convenience to the nearby city; Yapp says the commute to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a big local employer, is only about a 15-minute drive. “But you feel like you’re out in the country here, not right next to a university.” A park-and-ride lot on the Town of Chapel Hill’s Chatham County Express Route provides bus service from the north side of Briar Chapel to UNC-Chapel Hill’s main campus and adjacent hospital system. The Raleigh-Durham International Airport is about 30 miles east of Briar Chapel.
![Shannon Hopkins]()
Photography Contributed By
Shannon Hopkins
