Buying in The Cliffs means buying into two things at once: a home and a club membership that spans seven communities across the Carolinas. Both deserve diligence. The buyers who are happiest years later are the ones who asked the right questions before they signed.
Here are the ones David walks every Cliffs buyer through.
The club side of a Cliffs purchase.
Cliffs membership comes in tiers (typically Sport, Golf, Founders) with different initiation deposits, dues, and access. Match the tier to how you’ll actually use the club, not the aspiration. HOA/POA & membership →
A membership grants reciprocity across all seven Cliffs clubs — three on Lake Keowee, four in the NC mountains. If you’ll move between Keowee and Asheville/Brevard seasonally, that’s the structural advantage to understand. Cliffs portfolio guide →
Ask about the initiation deposit, any capital contributions, and the refundability terms — these change over time and materially affect total cost.
Choosing among the three Cliffs communities on the lake.
Keowee Falls (a Jack Nicklaus Signature course, the Falls Lodge), Keowee Springs (Tom Fazio, the family-focused Beach Club), and Keowee Vineyards (Tom Fazio, marina and equestrian) each draw a different buyer. Tour all three before deciding. Communities compared →
Be honest about whether you’re a golf-first, lake-first, or both buyer — it points clearly to one community over another.
The communities differ in age mix and social calendar. The right one matches how you actually want to spend your time.
The real-estate side of the decision.
About half of Cliffs buyers purchase existing and half build. The right answer is a side-by-side of specific homes vs. specific homesites. Build vs. buy →
Add membership, POA, dock maintenance, and insurance to the purchase price and underwrite the 10-year all-in — not just the sticker.
Ask how a given home and community have held value, and what drives demand at resale. David grounds this in actual market evidence before you offer.
The questions buyers and sellers ask David first.
The club and the real estate are separate, but the membership is central to the lifestyle. Review the tiers, costs, and what transfers before you buy — David walks you through the current structure.
It depends on whether you’re golf-first, lake-first, or both, plus age mix and calendar fit. Falls, Springs, and Vineyards each suit a different buyer — touring all three is the fastest way to know.
A membership grants access across all seven Cliffs clubs — three on Lake Keowee and four in the NC mountains — which is the main structural advantage for buyers who split time across the Carolinas.
Roughly half of buyers do each. The right call is a side-by-side analysis of specific existing homes versus specific homesites, including the all-in build cost and timeline.
A 30-minute conversation is the fastest way to get a confident next step.
