Property Intelligence Report
Property Snapshot
Sparta Connected Farm Tract
62.5± acres · White County, Tennessee · near Sparta
🟡 Conditional Candidate
Premium rural acreage with strong infrastructure signals, but the price and key due-diligence unknowns keep it from ranking as a clear strong candidate.
Core Facts
- Price: $1,437,500
- Land: 62.5± acres with pasture, timber, fencing, and internal roads.
- Property type: Farm / rural residential / recreational land.
- Best fit: Premium homestead, family retreat, small farm, or connected rural base.
Resilience Read
- Water: multiple creeks are reported by the listing; floodplain and domestic-water details still need verification.
- Infrastructure: city water, electric, and fiber are claimed at the road; provider confirmation is required.
- Access: paved highway frontage improves everyday use and emergency access compared with many rural tracts.
- Use potential: pasture, timber, fencing, and internal access support a practical homestead or retreat buildout.
Source: Mossy Oak Properties listing
Reviewed: 2026-05-15 · Listing coordinates: 35.960818, -85.611774
Property Media
A compact review of listing photos and verified source media. Images use cropped listing-source variants; media remains linked from the original source.
Listing video: Vimeo embed tested and available below.
If the player does not load in your browser, open the source video ↗.
Media source: Mossy Oak Properties listing. Source media is linked/embedded; nothing is downloaded to Resilience Atlas servers.
Executive Summary
This 62.5± acre tract near Sparta, Tennessee stands out because it combines several features that are often difficult to find together: usable pasture, mature hardwoods, perimeter fencing, multiple creeks, an internal road system, paved road access, and claimed road-side utilities including city water, electric, and fiber-optic internet.
From a Resilience Atlas perspective, the property is interesting because it appears to offer a practical bridge between rural resilience and modern livability. It is not a raw off-grid parcel that would require every system from scratch. The listing claims core infrastructure is available at the road, while the acreage itself appears suited for livestock, food production, hunting, recreation, and future residential use.
The biggest strengths are water features, access, utility availability, fiber availability, pasture/timber diversity, and proximity to Sparta, Cookeville, several lakes, and Nashville International Airport. The biggest concerns are price, unknown zoning/building restrictions, unverified septic suitability, survey status, exact floodplain/wetland exposure along the creeks, and the actual cost of extending utilities from the road to the desired build site.
Initial Verdict:
This property is worth deeper investigation for a buyer seeking a high-quality Tennessee homestead or rural retreat with modern connectivity. It should remain a conditional candidate until zoning, survey, septic, water, floodplain, and utility-extension details are verified.
Key Strengths
- 62.5± acres with a useful mix of open pasture and mature hardwoods.
- Multiple creeks listed as natural water sources for livestock and wildlife.
- Fully fenced, with established interior roads for access and land management.
- Road-side utilities reportedly include city water, electric, and fiber-optic internet.
- Paved state-road access from Smithville Hwy / Hwy 70.
- Strong recreational context near Center Hill Lake, Cordell Hull Lake, Dale Hollow Lake, Burgess Falls, and Rock Island State Park.
Key Concerns
- High acquisition cost: $1,437,500, or about $23,000 per acre based on the listing.
- All tracts are listed as needing to be surveyed; final boundaries and acreage should be confirmed.
- Septic/perc status is not stated in the listing.
- Zoning and rural-use restrictions are not confirmed.
- Creeks improve resilience potential but require floodplain, drainage, wetland, and build-site review.
- Utility availability at the road does not guarantee low-cost service to interior build sites.
Location Analysis
Regional Context
The property is in White County, Tennessee, near Sparta, in the broader Middle Tennessee / Cumberland Plateau region. The area has a rural character with a mix of farms, wooded tracts, recreation land, and small-town services.
Sparta is close enough for routine supplies and local services, while Cookeville provides a larger regional service base. Nashville International Airport is approximately 116 km / 72 miles by road according to an OSRM route check, with an estimated drive time of about 1 hour 41 minutes.
The region is generally suitable for resilient living because it offers a moderate climate, meaningful rainfall, agricultural history, timber, water features, and access to small-town infrastructure. Due diligence should still review storm exposure, tornado risk, local drought patterns, and floodplain status.
Access and Roads
The listing states the tract is conveniently accessed from Smithville Hwy / Hwy 70 and identifies road frontage as state-road / asphalt road access. This is a significant advantage compared with parcels dependent on rough private easements.
Emergency access appears better than average for rural acreage because of the paved road context. However, driveway placement, internal road condition, culverts, gates, and year-round usability still need field inspection.
Distance to Services
- Downtown Sparta: about 14 km / 8.7 miles by road; approximately 12-15 minutes.
- Grocery: Save-A-Lot and Floyds Cash Saver in Sparta appear roughly 11.5–12.4 km / 7.1–7.7 miles straight-line from the coordinates.
- Hospital: Ascension Saint Thomas Highlands Hospital in Sparta appears about 12.2 km / 7.6 miles straight-line from the coordinates. Cookeville Regional Medical Center is about 33.7 km / 20.9 miles by road, approximately 35 minutes.
- Fuel: nearby fuel options appear within the broader Sparta / lake / highway area; verify exact nearest full-service station during a site visit.
- Fire: Sparta fire stations appear roughly 11.5.0–14.4 km / 3.1–8.9 miles straight-line from the listing coordinates.
- Police: Sparta Police Department appears roughly 14.6 km / 9.1 miles straight-line from the listing coordinates.
- Hardware/building supplies and feed/farm supply: not fully verified in this pass; likely available in Sparta/Cookeville, but buyer should confirm practical drive times and supplier capacity.
Land and Terrain
Acreage Usefulness
The acreage appears more usable than many wooded or steep recreational tracts because the listing describes open pasture, mature hardwoods, fencing, multiple creeks, and an established interior road system. This combination supports grazing, hunting, gardening, recreation, and future homesite exploration.
Actual slope, drainage, rock depth, erosion, and buildable envelope must be verified by walking the property and reviewing topography, survey, floodplain, and soil data.
Soil and Growing Potential
The listing’s pasture and current agricultural use are positive signs for food-production potential. The property may support gardens, orchards, chickens, and small livestock if soils, water access, fencing condition, and local rules cooperate.
Soil testing is still required. Buyers should confirm soil depth, pH, fertility, compaction, drainage, and any history of chemical use before planning serious food production.
Water Features
The listing claims multiple creeks providing natural water sources for livestock and wildlife. That is a major resilience asset, but it should not be treated as automatically potable or legally usable for all purposes.
Due diligence should verify creek flow seasonality, water rights, livestock watering legality, floodplain status, riparian setbacks, wetland issues, and whether any reliable domestic water source exists beyond city water at the road.
Utilities and Infrastructure
Power
The listing states electric service is available at the road. This improves development practicality but does not answer the full cost question. The buyer should obtain a written utility quote for the preferred homesite, including poles, trenching, transformer needs, and service timeline.
Because the tract includes open pasture, it may also offer good ground-mount solar potential, pending shade, slope, soil, and placement review.
Water
The listing states city water is available at the road. That is a strong livability feature, but the buyer should verify tap fees, meter availability, line extension cost, water pressure, and whether multiple dwellings or agricultural use would be allowed.
No well is listed. A resilience-oriented buyer may still want to investigate well potential, rainwater catchment, and non-potable water options for irrigation and livestock.
Septic and Waste
No septic system or perc test is stated in the listing. This is one of the most important unknowns. Tennessee septic permitting typically requires appropriate soil/site approval before residential buildout.
Before purchase, confirm perc suitability, reserve area, number of bedrooms supported, and whether any desired secondary dwelling, cabin, RV, or farm-support structure is permitted.
Internet and Communications
The listing claims fiber-optic high-speed internet is available at the road. If true, this is a major advantage for a rural resilience property because it supports remote work, communications, monitoring, and media operations.
Still verify provider, installation cost, actual serviceability at the build site, upload speeds, outage history, and backup options. Starlink, cellular hotspots, GMRS/ham radio, and a basic emergency communications plan remain worthwhile as redundant systems.
Off-Grid and Resilience Potential
Solar Suitability
Open pasture improves the odds of a usable solar location. A ground-mounted solar array with battery storage could work well if there is a clear south-facing exposure outside flood-prone areas.
Tree cover, slope, shading, driveway routing, and utility interconnection rules must be checked before rating solar as confirmed.
Heating and Cooling
Future structures could likely use a practical mix of heat pump, wood backup, propane backup, and passive solar design. Mature hardwoods may support long-term woodlot management, but harvest rights, sustainability, and safety need review.
Food Production Potential
This property has above-average food production potential for the Resilience Atlas criteria. Pasture, fencing, and agricultural use point toward livestock, chickens, gardens, orchard blocks, and possibly greenhouse use.
The limiting factors will be soil quality, water legality/reliability, fencing condition, predator pressure, slope, and the buyer’s budget for agricultural infrastructure.
Security and Privacy
The acreage gives room for privacy, setbacks, gates, and controlled internal access. Paved-road frontage and multiple nearby services improve daily practicality but may reduce the “deep remote” feel.
A site visit should assess visibility from Smithville Hwy, neighboring homes, boundary conditions, gate locations, and whether there are multiple practical entrances or only one preferred access point.
Legal, Zoning, and Buildability
Zoning
Zoning is not confirmed in this initial pass. The property appears outside the immediate urban core of Sparta, but buyers should verify whether city, county, subdivision, or state-road rules apply.
White County’s Planning Commission states that it oversees and approves subdivision of property within the county. Sparta also maintains municipal planning/zoning materials. Because the listing mentions multiple tracts and all tracts to be surveyed, subdivision and final plat status matter.
Permits and Restrictions
Known unknowns include covenants, HOA, easements, road maintenance obligations, driveway permits, utility easements, mineral/timber rights, floodplain, wetlands, and conservation restrictions.
White County has a residential building permit process; the county page states residential building/plumbing/mechanical permits are handled through an application process and provides a county contact number. Septic should be confirmed through the appropriate Tennessee environmental health/permitting process.
Risk Assessment
Environmental Risks
- Flooding: creeks require floodplain and drainage review before selecting build sites.
- Storms/tornadoes: Middle Tennessee has severe weather exposure; plan hardened shelter space and backup power.
- Drought: less severe than many western regions, but irrigation and livestock water planning still matter.
- Erosion/drainage: rolling land, creeks, and internal roads should be inspected after rain.
- Wildfire: generally not the same risk profile as western states, but wooded areas still require defensible-space planning.
Financial Risks
- Premium price point at roughly $23,000 per acre.
- Potential added cost for survey, driveway work, fencing repair, utility extensions, septic, and homesite preparation.
- Resale depends on local demand for premium rural acreage and whether development potential is confirmed.
- If subdivision or multi-dwelling use is a goal, regulatory uncertainty is a major financial variable.
Practical Risks
- Not remote enough for buyers seeking deep seclusion.
- Too expensive for buyers seeking a low-cost preparedness retreat.
- Potentially excellent on paper, but dependent on unverified septic, survey, zoning, and utility-extension facts.
Estimated Development Path
Phase 1: Due Diligence
- Confirm zoning and permitted uses with White County / Sparta authorities as applicable.
- Obtain final survey and legal description.
- Confirm legal access and driveway permit needs from Smithville Hwy / Hwy 70.
- Verify city water tap, electric service, and fiber service with written utility/provider responses.
- Order septic/perc evaluation for preferred homesites.
- Review FEMA floodplain, wetlands, and creek setbacks.
- Inspect fencing, gates, interior roads, culverts, drainage, and creek crossings.
- Confirm taxes, insurance availability, restrictions, easements, and mineral/timber rights.
Phase 2: Basic Use
- Clean up and mark access routes, gates, and boundaries.
- Establish a temporary equipment/storage area if legal.
- Test cell service and confirm fiber installation path.
- Assess solar locations and backup generator placement.
- Repair fencing and water access for livestock if needed.
- Begin soil tests for garden/orchard areas.
Phase 3: Resilient Buildout
- Build primary home or cabin on confirmed high, dry, legally buildable ground.
- Add solar + battery backup, with grid connection if cost-effective.
- Develop gardens, orchard, chickens, and small livestock systems.
- Add rainwater catchment for irrigation and redundancy.
- Install redundant communications: fiber, Starlink or cellular backup, and radio capability.
- Improve internal roads, drainage, gates, and security lighting/cameras where appropriate.
Property Scorecard
The scorecard below weighs the property against Resilience Atlas criteria. Scores are preliminary and depend on due diligence confirmation.
Strong rural-small-town context with Sparta nearby and Cookeville/Nashville access.
Excellent features, but premium pricing requires careful comp analysis.
Paved state-road access and interior roads are strong advantages.
Creeks plus claimed city water at road; domestic water details still need verification.
Electric at road plus apparent pasture solar potential.
Claimed fiber at road is a major rural advantage, pending provider verification.
Pasture, fencing, and agricultural use support livestock, gardens, and small-scale production.
Mixed pasture and timber provide some privacy, but road frontage and nearby development limit seclusion.
Buildability appears promising, but zoning, septic, floodplain, and permit details need confirmation.
Interior Tennessee avoids coastal hazards but still requires tornado, storm, heat, and floodplain review.
Existing access and roadside utilities help, but purchase price and due diligence unknowns keep this from being simple.
A useful resilience-property candidate if the main due diligence questions check out.
Final Recommendation
🟡 Conditional Candidate
This property may be worthwhile, but only if the key unknowns are resolved.
For the right buyer, this could become a highly capable Tennessee homestead or rural retreat with modern connectivity. The combination of acreage, pasture, timber, creeks, fencing, internal roads, city water, electric, and fiber is compelling.
However, the price is high enough that due diligence needs to be disciplined. Do not treat the listing’s utility, creek, and development language as a substitute for written provider confirmations, county approvals, survey work, septic evaluation, and floodplain review.
Rating context: Candidate levels reflect how well the property fits Resilience Atlas criteria after weighing infrastructure, water, access, buildability, communications, risk, and unresolved due diligence.
Questions to Ask Before Moving Forward
- Is legal access confirmed from Smithville Hwy / Hwy 70?
- What zoning or land-use rules apply to this tract?
- Is there a recent survey, and what are the final boundaries?
- Has a perc test been completed for the preferred homesite?
- What is the city water tap fee and line-extension cost?
- What would electric installation cost to the desired build site?
- Which provider offers fiber, and is this exact tract serviceable?
- Are RVs, cabins, tiny homes, barns, or multiple dwellings allowed?
- Are any areas in a floodplain, wetland, or required creek setback?
- What are the annual taxes?
- Are there easements, covenants, deed restrictions, or road agreements?
- Are mineral, water, and timber rights included?
