Wooded yards overlook golf courses in Whispering Pines
Backyards overlook golf courses and lakes in Whispering Pines, an incorporated village 7 miles outside Pinehurst in North Carolina's Sandhills. Founded in 1959, Whispering Pines has a laid-back suburban feel with private, wooded lots and access to resident-only lakes and parks. "It doesn't feel like suburbia. It's full of trees and overgrowth. It's not the big, open cookie-cutter new subdivisions. You're just kind of buried in the woods," says Tim Venjohn, longtime Whispering Pines resident and broker/owner at Rhodes & Co. Real Estate in Southern Pines. Though the community feels rural, it's within commuting distance of Fort Bragg and a quick drive to restaurants in Southern Pines and shopping in Aberdeen.
Diverse suburban home styles set in subdivisions
Homes in the village were built from the second half of the 20th century to present day. Older homes include ranch styles, while newer properties include contemporary and Craftsman-inspired houses with two-car garages. "We've always had continuous growth in Whispering Pines. Any street you go down, you can find houses of nearly every decade," Venjohn says. Homes tend to sit on a half-acre of land or more and typically sell between $350,000 and $850,000.
While Whispering Pines has historically had a large retiree population, Venjohn notes that more young families have moved in. "The older people were living in those 1970s brick ranches, that's the style they liked. Retirees today have no interest; they aren't going to update a 60-year-old house. So younger people bought these and remodeled them," he says. "And newer subdivisions have popped up. They've filled up with a lot more younger people. Though we have had retirees move there, too." Whispering Pines has a CAP Index Crime Score of 1, much lower than the national average of 4.
Recreation in Whispering Pines includes golf, swimming, boating
The Country Club of Whispering Pines has two 18-hole golf courses that weave throughout the community and are open to the public. The Woods Golf Club is another 18-hole course in the village that's open to the public. Whispering Pines also has eight lakes and several parks where residents and their guests can enjoy a quiet afternoon on the water, surrounded by woods. Thagard Lake is the largest in the community and has a swimming area, playground, picnicking areas and a boat ramp. Although all eight lakes are used for recreation, Thagard Lake is the only one that allows motorized boats. "It's a big, beautiful lake, fed by a river. There's a little island out in the middle," Venjohn says. Some lower-lying properties and homes next to Thagard Lake in Whispering Pines can be vulnerable to flash flooding, particularly during hurricane events that are common in North Carolina's Sandhills Region.
Moore County Schools earns a B-plus
Moore County Schools serves the area and earns a B-plus from Niche. Students typically begin at McDeeds Creek Elementary School, which has an A-minus rating, and continue to B-plus-rated New Century Middle School and B-rated Union Pines High School. The high school offers career and technical education in subjects including marketing, hospitality and tourism, agriculture, health science, and business management and administration. High schoolers can also take dual-enrollment courses at nearby Sandhills Community College. Private schools nearby include Sandhills Classical Christian School, which has a B-plus from Niche, and The O'Neal School, which has an A. Both these institutions teach pre-K through 12th grade.
Shopping close to home and in Aberdeen, Southern Pines
Locals run errands at Provision Ace Hardware – the largest Ace Hardware in the country – and Harris Teeter next to the Moore County Airport. Food Lion is also nearby off state Route 22, and FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital is about 7 miles southwest in Pinehurst. For more extensive shopping, Aberdeen has major retailers like Walmart and T.J. Maxx less than 10 miles away. For a night out, Southern Pines has an array of dining options 7 miles south. Among other establishments, Hatchet Brewing Company has beer flights and a patio for hanging out, and Chapman's Food and Spirits has craft cocktails and elevated American fare. "Southern Pines is very vibrant. I can leave Whispering Pines and be in Southern Pines, any restaurant, in minutes. The reality is, you're close to everything," Venjohn says.
Community events in Whispering Pines celebrate the seasons
Families in Whispering Pines get together for events year-round. Neighbors deck out their golf carts, vehicles and bikes to parade around Spring Valley Lake for Independence Day. In September, residents celebrate the start of fall with fireworks and live music, and April means Easter egg hunts and Spring cleaning with a community yard sale.
Commuting to Fort Bragg, Raleigh
Fort Bragg, a major Army base just outside Fayetteville with over 50,0000 active military personnel, is about 30 miles southeast of Whispering Pines. Commuters can get there in about 45 minutes on state Route 690. Raleigh, North Carolina's capital city, is just over an hour's drive away via U.S. Route 1. Moore County Airport, bordering Whispering Pines, doesn't service commercial flights, but Fayetteville Regional Airport is about 45 miles southeast, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport is 65 miles northeast.
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Written By
Faith Wakefield
