A quiet lifestyle in the Western North Carolina mountains
Fairview is a peaceful Blue Ridge Mountain community on the outskirts of Buncombe County. “It’s less a town and more of an area where there are houses and some developments, surrounded by farmland, surrounded by mountains,” says Taryn Schneider of The Boulders Realty, primary broker for The Boulders gated subdivision in nearby Balfour. Fairview’s central commercial corridor, while not quite a walkable downtown district, has several stores and local restaurants. It’s also the headquarters of The Fairview Town Crier, a monthly community newspaper. “This area is much quieter than Asheville, which can be a whole mix of crazy businesses, but you’re not in nowhere land,” Schneider says.
Single-family homes with spacious lots and mountain views
Fairview’s streets are wooded and hilly, following meandering mountain streams rather than a typical suburban grid pattern. Common housing styles include New Traditional, Colonial Revival, classic ranch and split-level. Vintage farmhouses, midcentury modern-inspired new construction and manufactured homes are also available. Prices start just under $200,000 and go up to about $850,0000. Sprawling mountaintop estates run anywhere from $855,000 to more than $3 million.
The streams and smaller creeks are prone to flooding in heavy rains and hurricanes. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene hit Florida as a Category 4 hurricane before sweeping through Buncombe County as a tropical storm. Much of the county is still recovering from high water and landslide damage.
Highly rated schools in the Buncombe County system
Buncombe County Schools earns an A-minus from Niche. The district serves more than 200,000 students between preschool and 12th grade with an average student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1. School choice is unavailable, but most kids start at A-minus-rated Fairview Elementary. Older students may go to A.C. Reynolds Middle, which gets a B, and A.C. Reynolds High, which gets a B-plus. Buncombe County students entering ninth grade choose one of four courses of study to follow in high school: career prep, college tech prep, college/university prep or occupational.
WNC Cheese Trail stops and shopping/dining on Charlotte Highway
Fairview has several stops on the Western North Carolina Cheese Trail, including Barn Door Ciderworks, known for small-batch, barrel-aged ciders. Hickory Nut Gap Farm, also a member of the WNC Cheese Trail, has been around since the early 1900s and sells freshly butchered meats and more. Food Lion and Dollar General are on Charlotte Highway, the central commercial corridor, close to eateries like the Local Joint, a classic diner, and Sky Mountain Pizza. Whistle Hop Brewing Company and Brewksies are popular local breweries.
Recreation at Spring Mountain and Cane Creek parks, hiking nearby
Spring Mountain Community Center hosts an annual community picnic, weekly yoga classes and regular quilting bees. Its picnic pavilion overlooks a playground, a small community garden and outdoor exercise equipment. Cane Creek Park, a few miles south, features a community center, a picnic area and a playground. Cane Creek Pool is a heated outdoor pool open from June to August. Catawba Falls, Bull Mountain and Bearwallow Mountain hiking trails are accessible within 30 miles of Fairview.
Quick commuting to Asheville area amenities
U.S. Route 74 Alternate/Charlotte Highway connects northwest toward Interstate 40 and beyond to Asheville, about 12 miles away. Without traffic, the drive usually takes about 15 minutes. Asheville Regional Airport and the AdventHealth Hendersonville hospital are within about 13 miles southwest of most homes. While fixed-route bus service is not available, Mountain Mobility provides paratransit bus services to the area.
