According to a U.S. News and World Report ranking, Nashville is the 15th best city (out of 125 cities) to live in the U.S. and the best in Tennessee. Nashville is no longer a hidden gem but a well-known and highly desirable place to call home. It’s also ranked the 7th best place in the country to retire.

The city’s population growth confirms the above findings. According to a report by The Tennessean, 85 people move to Nashville every day, a trend that began in the mid-2010s and has continued since. Even during and after the pandemic, people flocked to Middle Tennessee from across the state, country, and world.

Families interested in moving to the area look for Nashville custom home builders to work with, or they buy an existing custom home in Middle Tennessee. But where should one begin to look? Which are the best neighborhoods in Nashville? Where should one search when buying or building a custom home in Nashville?

Brentwood

Brentwood is an affluent town outside Nashville located in Williamson County. This community offers larger parcels to build luxury custom homes, and residents describe the community’s rural countryside feel as one of its best attributes. The city offers residents plenty to see and do, from exploring Radnor Lake or Long Hunter State Park to golfing at The Governors Club, plus food spots, including Etch Kitchen & Bar. Another draw for families is the schools. Brentwood has one of the highest concentrations of top-ranked public and private schools in Tennessee, including Jordan Elementary School, Lipscomb Elementary School, and Grassland Elementary School.

South Gulch

The Gulch made a name for itself in the mid-2010s as one of the best neighborhoods in Nashville, but today’s up-and-coming hip and local neighborhood is right next door, called South Gulch. This dynamic and walkable micro-neighborhood is Nashville’s most desirable place for a more modern, close-to-downtown, “live, work, and play” neighborhood. According to Jonathon Reeser, Director of Acquisitions Asset Management at SomeraRoad (which set up operations in South Gulch), “Location is unbeatable, character is unbeatable, and the future residential project is impressive. When you look at the center of the Gulch, it’s a lot of new, and when you look over this way toward South Gulch, you have a mix of character buildings like Voorhees and Antiques and you have new as well.”

Edgehill, Belmont, and 12 South

Tucked into a quiet yet vibrant residential community with 21st Ave to the west and I65 to the east, the Edgehill, Belmont, and 12 South neighborhoods offer residents the perfect blend of relaxing neighborhood living while still being near major thoroughfares that help residents reach downtown Nashville in under 15 minutes. Several of the homes are historic and iconic. The luxury custom homebuilders in this region seek to provide the best home design in Nashville that fits the neighborhood’s aesthetic while simultaneously providing residents with 21st-century amenities and modern upgrades.

West Meade

West Meade was once part of the Belle Meade Plantation. Hence, the parcels in this neighborhood tend to be larger, often including well-cared-for hardwood trees and custom homes tucked further back on the parcel, which provides an arboreal setting and the shade, privacy, and sense of peace and quiet that comes with such features. West Meade’s iconic hills and winding two-lane roads through rich, healthy forests make it easy to forget that one is just a 17-minute commute from the buzz and excitement of downtown Nashville.

Thompson’s Station

Graded as one of the top five best places to raise a family in the Nashville area, Thompson’s Station combines the peaceful nature and wilderness appeal of rural living with a well-designed town infrastructure and good schools. The community is active and engaged, with a population of just 7,011, and is home to many young professionals and new families. Thompson’s Station is also ranked one of the safest communities in Middle Tennessee.

Green Hills

The best custom homes in Nashville are often found in Green Hills, one of the region’s most iconic neighborhoods, where Nashville’s best homebuilders showcase their skills. As Nashville’s Music City periodical wrote, “Considered one of the most desirable areas to live in Nashville, Green Hills is an affluent suburban enclave known for upscale brands and boutiques. Hidden within an inconspicuous strip mall is the famed Bluebird Cafe, home to established and up-and-coming songwriters.” The community is also home to the Mall at Green Hills, Nashville’s premier shopping center. Homeowners can expect to find manicured parks, beautiful walking paths, greenscapes, and iconic homes tucked back on professionally designed parcels.

Forest Hills

The neighbor to Green Hills, Forest Hills borders the Edwin-Warner park system to the west and Radnor Lake State Park to the east. The community does its name justice, as many of the best Nashville custom homes in the neighborhood are located on forested hills, large parcels with preserved trees providing shade, privacy, and a sense of peace and quiet. Forest Hills feels like a rural paradise, yet it is centrally located. It provides easy access to shopping opportunities and excellent schools and universities in nearby Brentwood, Belle Meade, Belmont, and Hillsboro-West End.

Oak Hill

Oak Hill is a small community with I65 comprising its eastern border. The community is the home of the iconic Governor’s Mansion, and most homes in the area seek to capture some of the splendor of the mansion’s design in their construction. That makes opportunities to own homes in Oak Hill rare and highly desirable, as there are few of them to begin with, and they are highly sought after. One commentator wrote, “Local festivals and events throughout the year celebrate the culture and heritage of the people who live there. It is a great place to escape city life and enjoy peace and quiet. The community is close-knit with everyone helping each other out when needed. Living in Oak Hill, TN is like stepping into an oasis of natural beauty, friendly faces, and small-town hospitality.” Nashville luxury homebuilders design and build custom homes in Oak Hill with the utmost care and attention to detail, and they aren’t on the market long before they’re scooped up.

Belle Meade

Once a sweeping plantation, the Belle Meade neighborhood primarily comprises rolling hills, forested glens, pastures for equestrian activities, and iconic luxury custom homes carefully designed on sprawling parcels. Those residing in the community say living in Belle Meade offers residents a rural feel, and most own their homes. Belle Meade also has many restaurants, coffee shops, and parks, allowing residents to live, work, and play, all without going more than a few blocks from their front porch. The community is also home to the historic Belle Meade Plantation, a popular historic site and winery.

Sylvan Summit

Much like South Gulch, Sylvan Summit is being called the next upcoming best place to live in Nashville. This developing neighborhood borders Sylvan Heights and is just around the corner from the Parthenon, Centennial Park, and Midtown. Sylvan Summit’s proximity to I40, 440, and Charlotte Avenue allow residents easy access to any part of Nashville, especially the downtown districts. Boutiques, cafes, bars, bistros, and coffee shops along Charlotte Ave allow residents to stroll, meet friends, and spend the day window shopping, all without having to leave the comfort of their home neighborhood.

Go for Transparency: Choosing the Best Luxury Home Builder in Nashville

Families interested in buying a custom home in Nashville, building their dream home in Nashville, or moving to the area from out-of-state should choose the best custom home builder in Middle Tennessee. And while the Nashville Business Journal recorded 164 construction companies registered to do business in Nashville, only a few of them made the list for “People to Watch in Nashville Business in 2023.”

RK Junior made that list thanks to its commitment to client transparency. Transparency is so important to success between builder and client that the company put it as the guiding principle of all business operations, as in RK Junior’s innovative Cost-Plus system. Quoting RK Junior founder Ron Kelley, Jr., “Our Cost-Plus system is fully transparent. It empowers clients to enjoy a productive, positive relationship with our team, one that results in the exact home they want, precisely designed to meet their needs. This model works, and builders across Tennessee and the South are already replicating it.”

The best Nashville luxury homes are in the above neighborhoods, designed and built by RK Junior. Committed to setting the bar for Nashville home design and development, RK Junior doesn’t cut corners; it builds them. To create your perfect custom home in Middle Tennessee and Greater Nashville, click the “Book a Discovery Session” button below. To learn more about our current offerings of unique luxury homes in Nashville, click the “View Available Homes” button below. If you have any questions, please call our office at (615) 377-0759 or fill out our convenient contact form.

We look forward to hearing from you.

-Ren Brabenec
RK Junior Staff Writer