Sanctuary Village, Franklin NC: Homesites and New Homes Near Main Street
Sanctuary Village in Franklin NC is a walkable, master-planned neighborhood at 49 Village Circle East, about five blocks from Franklin's historic Main Street. It is laid out as a Traditional Neighborhood Development, with homes facing the street, alleys behind the lots, and parks and paths connecting the neighborhood to downtown. This page covers what is being built, how buying a homesite or new home here works, and what to confirm before you sign.
What a Traditional Neighborhood Development Means Here
A Traditional Neighborhood Development, or TND, is a design pattern modeled on older American towns. In Sanctuary Village, that shows up in a few practical ways: - Porches face the street. Garages and parking are reached from alleys and mews behind the lots rather than from the front.
- Parks sit inside the neighborhood. The developer describes a lower park and a ridgetop park linked by a walking path called the Mews.
- Uses are mixed. The plan includes single-family homes, cottage clusters, mansion flat buildings served by elevators, and civic and commercial spaces where a business and a residence can share a building.
The developer's homesite listings describe the zoning as Traditional Neighborhood (mixed use). For a buyer, mixed-use zoning means a neighboring building may eventually hold a shop or office as well as homes.
Sanctuary Village Franklin NC Homesites and New Homes
According to the developer, Phase 1 includes 32 homesites, and 10 remained available as of May 2026 after early sales. Homesites in Phase 1 come ready to build, with paved roads and underground utilities already in place: electric, natural gas, water, sewer, and high-speed internet. The developer also builds and sells finished homes, and some homesites come with a building plan and completed permitting.
Lots are village-scale rather than acreage. That is the point of the design, and it changes the buyer's checklist compared with rural land for sale in Franklin, NC, where wells, septic permits, and long private roads usually drive the cost. You can see current Sanctuary Village homes and homesites on a map, with prices as currently listed. Water and wastewater | Public water and sewer in place | Often a private well and septic system |
Road | Paved community streets | Varies; often a private road |
Utilities to the lot | Underground electric, gas, internet in place | May need to be extended at the buyer's cost |
Design rules | Neighborhood design standards apply | Varies by restrictive covenants |
Walk to Main Street | About five blocks | Usually a drive |
Walking to Main Street and the Greenway
Try the Neighborhood Before You Buy
The developer operates a guest cottage in the community for prospective buyers. According to the developer, the cost of the stay is refunded if the guest goes on to buy a home or homesite. For an out-of-state buyer, a few days of walking the streets in the morning and evening and eating on Main Street answers questions a video tour cannot.
What to Confirm Before Buying in a New Development
Buying a homesite or a new home in a community still being built raises questions that don't come up with a resale home in an established neighborhood.
- Owners association and covenants. Read the recorded declaration, design standards, and association budget. In a new community, the developer often controls the association until a set point in the build-out, so ask when and how control passes to owners.
- Future phases. Ask what is planned next to your lot, including any commercial or multi-family buildings, and how long construction nearby is expected to continue.
- Design review and builder. Find out which plans are approved, whether you may use your own builder, and what the review process costs and takes.
- Town limits and zoning. Confirm the parcel's jurisdiction and zoning on the Macon County records and through our guide to Macon and Jackson County deeds.
- Inspections on new construction. A new home still deserves an independent inspection, and a homesite purchase benefits from a survey that confirms corners and easements.
Buying in North Carolina: What Out-of-State Buyers Should Know
North Carolina uses a due diligence system. Under the standard offer to purchase, the buyer pays a due diligence fee directly to the seller, and that fee is generally nonrefundable. The amount is negotiated in each contract; there is no set range. The buyer can end the contract for any reason before the due diligence period expires, and the separate earnest money deposit is generally returned if the buyer terminates within that period. The North Carolina Real Estate Commission publishes answers to common questions about both. A licensed attorney handles North Carolina closings, examines title, prepares the closing documents, and oversees the transfer. Remote closings are common, but the arrangements vary by attorney, so choose your closing attorney early and ask how they handle out-of-state buyers. What This Means If You Are Buying or Selling in Sanctuary Village
If you are buying, remember that the listing brokerage on a developer's homes and homesites represents the seller. You can hire your own buyer's agent to represent you, negotiate terms, and review the development documents with you. Budget for the full cost of a homesite purchase, including design review, construction, and association dues, before comparing it with a finished home elsewhere in Franklin.
If you are selling a home you own in Sanctuary Village, you will likely compete with the developer's new inventory. Price against recent resales and current new-home listings in the community, and have the association documents ready for buyers. A home valuation is the place to start. Working With Vignette Realty
Vignette Realty's Franklin office works with buyers comparing in-town Franklin neighborhoods, including buyers relocating from out of state, and can represent you as a buyer in Sanctuary Village. Commission is negotiable and is not set by law or by any association.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sanctuary Village in Franklin, NC?
Sanctuary Village is at 49 Village Circle East in Franklin, North Carolina 28734, about five blocks from historic Main Street. The Little Tennessee River Greenway is also within walking distance. Buyers should confirm a specific parcel's jurisdiction and zoning on Macon County records before comparing taxes and rules.
What is a Traditional Neighborhood Development?
A Traditional Neighborhood Development is a neighborhood designed like an older American town, with homes facing the street, garages reached from rear alleys, parks inside the neighborhood, and a mix of homes and small businesses. Sanctuary Village follows this pattern, and its homesite listings describe the zoning as Traditional Neighborhood mixed-use.
Are utilities already in place at Sanctuary Village homesites?
Yes. According to the developer, Phase 1 homesites are ready to build, with paved roads and underground electric, natural gas, water, sewer, and high-speed internet already in place. That removes the well, septic, and utility-extension costs common on rural lots in Macon County, though design review and construction costs still apply.
Can I stay in Sanctuary Village before buying?
Yes. The developer operates a guest cottage in the community for prospective buyers, and states that the cost of the stay is refunded if the guest buys a home or homesite. A stay lets you walk the neighborhood and downtown Franklin at different times of day before deciding.
Do I need my own agent to buy new construction from a developer?
You don't need one, but you can hire your own buyer's agent. The listing brokerage represents the seller on a developer's properties. A buyer's agent represents your interests, helps negotiate terms, and helps you review the declaration, design standards, and association budget during due diligence.
How many homesites are in Phase 1 of Sanctuary Village?
Phase 1 of Sanctuary Village includes 32 homesites, according to the developer, with 10 still available as of May 2026 after early sales. Availability changes as lots sell, so check current listings. Ask the developer what is planned for later phases and for the lots near the one you are considering.
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Talk with a Vignette Realty broker about Sanctuary Village in Franklin NC before you tour, so you know which questions to put to the developer.
Vignette Realty is a licensed North Carolina real estate brokerage with offices in Franklin and Highlands, NC. Vignette Realty is not the developer of Sanctuary Village and does not represent the developer. Community details on this page come from the developer's public materials as of September 2026 and may change; confirm current terms with the developer. Vignette Realty is the listing brokerage for River Green Condominiums, linked above; this is not an independent recommendation. This page is not legal advice. Equal Housing Opportunity.
