Neighborhoods in Brentwood TN; Which one to live in?
No matter if you are relocating or moving locally, it can be tricky trying to decide which neighborhood you want to live in, and that includes Brentwood neighborhoods (aka subdivisions).
What Are Brentwood Neighborhoods Like?
As you are looking at homes for sale, probably the first thing to know about Brentwood neighborhoods is that they generally have a lot of green space. While the lots vary in size, they are usually larger than other places you look. There is often a green-space buffer around the community.
Brentwood Home Density
The reason you see more green space and larger lots is partially due to Brentwood's density requirement which is a single home per acre. This does not mean every home today is on an acre, but you will see that in older communities such as Brenthaven and Brentmeade. Today, it means that the total area consumed by a community divided by the number of homes has to equal one acre or more. Total area for a community is going to include:
- Residential lots owned by homeowners
- The area that streets consume
- Green space that may lie between homes, but is owned by the community (HOA)
- Space that the amenities are built on
- Open areas that serve as drain or catch basins for rain water
- All the community-owned areas including any green-space buffers around the community
All of this contributes to the beautiful scenery you see in so many Brentwood neighborhoods. Visitors from more urban communities, or even surrounding communities such as Franklin with higher housing density frequently comment on how lush Brentwood is.
Gated Brentwood Communities
A gated community is one with protected access at the access points for the community. This is most often with automated gates that are activated by sensors, remotes, or IDs. Occasionally, a community has a guard post that is staffed around the clock. There can also be a mix of these if the community is large and warrants a number of access points.
Gated Communities in Brentwood
Brentwood Neighborhood Amenities
Amenities are things about a neighborhood that people perceive as having value. In other words, they make a community nicer and more beneficial. There is not a specific definition, so while there are some common inclusions, the range of what is considered an amenity is quite wide. Some of them include:
- Swimming pools
- Playgrounds
- Clubhouse
- Walking trails & paths
- Sidewalks
- Extensive landscaping
- Curbed streets
- Underground utilities
- Mature trees and wooded areas
- Gated entrances
- Security staff
- Golf courses
Again, there is not a specific set of items that qualify for amenities. Usually, buyers and sellers think about pools and clubhouses, but amenities are things that bring value to the community, therefore the spectrum can be wide on what they include.
New Construction vs Existing Homes
Brentwood spans both sides of I-65 which runs North/South from Nashville. What may be considered as the core of Brentwood is just south of the Brentwood/Nashville line which is also the line of Williamson and Davidson Counties. With Brentwood being 90% residential, there is not widespread commercial presence.
From the core (which is the Maryland Farms area), a lot of growth took place on the west side of I-65 along Granny White Pike and Franklin Rd, so many of those communities will be existing homes. There are a few newer communities that have spawned from the acquisition of farms, but much of the area consists of existing homes. Those include the communities like Belle Rive, McGavock Farms, Princeton Hills, Fountainhead, as well as others.
On the eastern side of I-65, communities like Carondelet, Brenthaven, and Brentmeade made up the growth of the northeastern part of Brentwood.
Eastern Growth of Brentwood
As Brentwood grew over the years, much of the growth has taken place on the eastern side of I-65. After all, growth goes where the land is. Along Concord Rd, communities like Hampton Reserve, Beech Grove, The Governors Club, Willowmet, and more popped up.
Just a little farther south, the Split Log Rd corridor caught the next wave of growth and spawned communities like Northumberland, Morgan Farms, Taramore, Glen Abbey, Tuscany Hills, and Sonoma.
Considering Growth Pattern When Home Buying
Although there will always be pockets of new construction - well, until the land is gone, and tear-downs begin (which they have), most areas have a growth pattern. Online MLS Brentwood real estate listings allow search by home age, but you can also get a feel for home age by knowing a bit about how an area grew.
For example, if someone wants homes under a certain age, knowing the growth pattern helps them know where they will find more homes meeting their criteria of age. In Brentwood, generally speaking, the farther south and east one goes, the newer the homes will be (barring the exceptions from newly acquired farms or in-fill projects).
Deciding Where to Purchase & Live
There is nearly an endless list of aspects to consider when considering Brentwood homes for sale. So many of the communities are spectacular. In addition to the home's characteristics and of course the purchase budget, also consider:
- Amenities
- Proximity to commute routes for work, school, and play
- Proximity to shopping / groceries
- Gated options
- Preferred age of home (or remodeled)
- HOA fees and assessments
