Watauga Lake homes for sale
Waterfront, view, and lake-access listings on Watauga Lake as they appear in the Tennessee/Virginia Regional MLS feed — with the Forest Service shoreline, dock permitting, and elevation notes that decide what frontage is worth on this lake. Tennessee listings only.
Current on-water listings
Active listings around the Watauga Lake shoreline whose MLS data indicates water frontage, dockage, or deeded lake access. Frontage and dock rights are advertised by the listing brokerage and must be independently verified.
Active16 days on market$6,700,000
Address withheld at seller's request
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9999321 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of KW Johnson City
Active141 days on market$1,760,250
710 Gordon Ridge Road
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9993496 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Misty Oaks Real Estate
Active15 days on market$1,550,000
175 Lakeside Drive
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9996849 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Berkshire Hathaway Greg Cox Real Estate
Active71 days on market$1,175,000
191 Bear Ridge Drive
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9996891 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Berkshire Hathaway Greg Cox Real Estate
Active77 days on market$1,049,000
589 Harbor Point Road
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9979990 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Misty Oaks Real Estate
Active85 days on market$980,000
Tr1 Smith Hollow
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9996260 · Land
Listing courtesy of Rainbow Realty & Auction
Active162 days on market$898,000
232 Farmhouse Village Trail
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9992475 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Lake Homes Realty Smithville
Active162 days on market$898,000
136 Farmhouse Village Trail
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9992472 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Lake Homes Realty Smithville
Active162 days on market$898,000
190 Farmhouse Village Trail
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9992477 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Lake Homes Realty Smithville
Active236 days on market$850,000
Tbd Buntontown & Norris Road
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9935665 · Land
Listing courtesy of Lake Homes Realty Smithville
Active112 days on market$849,000
237 Candlewood Lane
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9994984 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Landmark Mountain Real Estate
Active59 days on market$725,000
397 Lake Cabin Lane
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9997454 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Foundation Realty Group
Active49 days on market$700,000
282 Ripshin Lake Road
Roan Mountain, TN 37687
MLS# 9997918 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Exit Realty Tri-Cities
Active42 days on market$699,900
505 Scott Street
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9998214 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Collins & Co. Realtors & Auctioneers
Active84 days on market$680,000
465 Big Oak
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9996301 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Beycome Brokerage Realty, LLC
Active88 days on market$675,000
807 Vista Road
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9996141 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Sunrise Real Estate
Active142 days on market$599,000
342 Ripshin Lake Road
Roan Mountain, TN 37687
MLS# 9993408 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Premier Sotheby's North Carolina
Active490 days on market$550,000
Lot 14 Cable Hollow Road
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9979185 · Land
Listing courtesy of Berkshire Hathaway Greg Cox Real Estate
Active144 days on market$539,500
2210 Norris Road
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9993364 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Weichert Realtors Saxon Clark JC
Active82 days on market$524,900
206 Ripshin Lake Road
Roan Mountain, TN 37687
MLS# 9996394 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Greater Impact Realty Jonesborough
Active49 days on market$519,000
512 Norris Rd ( Bridle Path) Road
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9984069 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Lake Homes Realty Smithville
Active236 days on market$499,000
476 Norris Rd ( Bridle Path) Road
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9979504 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Lake Homes Realty Smithville
Active236 days on market$499,000
477 Norris Rd ( Bridle Path) Road
Butler, TN 37640
MLS# 9980008 · Single Family Residence
Listing courtesy of Lake Homes Realty Smithville
Active452 days on market$475,000
Tbd River Road
Elizabethton, TN 37643
MLS# 9980997 · Land
Listing courtesy of eXp Realty, LLC
What decides value on Watauga Lake
Four things separate frontage that holds its value from frontage that only looks good in a summer photo.
Most of the shoreline is national forest
Watauga sits inside the Cherokee National Forest, so private frontage is genuinely scarce compared with the lower-elevation TVA lakes. A great many homes here are view or deeded-access properties rather than true frontage, and that distinction is the single biggest driver of price. Read the listing language carefully and confirm what the deed actually conveys.
A dock is a TVA permit, not a given
Docks, boathouses, and shoreline structures require a TVA Section 26a permit, and on a forest-bounded lake the additional federal land agency review can rule out new private facilities entirely. Never assume an existing dock transfers as-is or that frontage is permittable — verify with TVA before you write.
Elevation changes the whole calculus
At roughly 1,975 feet full pool, Watauga runs cooler and clearer than Cherokee or Douglas, with a shorter warm-weather season and real winter weather on the access roads. Grade, driveway, and snow access matter here in a way they do not on the Lakeway reservoirs.
Short-term rental rules vary by jurisdiction
Carter and Johnson County rules, plus city limits and any subdivision restrictions, all bear on whether a lake home can be rented nightly. If rental income is part of your plan, get the current rules in writing for the specific parcel before making an offer.
Shoreline by area
Frontage does not price the same everywhere on the reservoir. These are the stretches we work most.
- HamptonCarter County side, closest to Elizabethton and US-321.
- ButlerJohnson County shoreline, marina and boat-ramp access.
- Roan MountainHigh-elevation access south of the lake.
- Mountain CityJohnson County seat, ridge and view property.
- ElizabethtonService town for the lake, 20 minutes out.
Want the on-water listings before they hit the portals?
Tell us your cove, depth, and dock requirements and we'll send matching Watauga Lake frontage as it comes up — plus a private valuation if you already own here.
Equal Housing Opportunity & Fair Housing Notice
Spring Mountain Realty PLLC complies with the federal Fair Housing Act, the Tennessee Human Rights Act, and the REALTOR® Code of Ethics. Content on this page describes reservoir geography, TVA permitting, and general market context only — it is not a representation about the makeup of any neighborhood, school assignments or quality, crime, or the suitability of the area for any particular buyer or household. Buyers are encouraged to conduct their own independent research and consult the relevant public agencies, including TVA and the applicable county offices.
Images on this page are illustrative and do not depict specific properties for sale.
Listing data courtesy of Tennessee/Virginia Regional MLS
Listing content is provided for consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the MLS or Spring Mountain Realty PLLC. All measurements, acreage, room counts, and permitted uses are approximate and should be independently verified by the buyer.
Properties marketed by brokerages other than Spring Mountain Realty PLLC are identified with the listing office name. Listings that a seller has excluded from internet display are not shown, and addresses are withheld where the seller has requested it.
Spring Mountain Realty PLLC is an Equal Housing Opportunity brokerage. We do not provide guidance on schools, demographics, or the composition of any area. Buyers are encouraged to research those subjects using independent public sources.