Luxury Homes in Mt. Juliet, on and near Old Hickory Lake

When people ask me about luxury homes in Mt. Juliet, they usually mean one of three things: lake frontage, a few acres, or a custom build on a quiet street. Those are very different lives. Most of my luxury conversations here start with Old Hickory Lake, so that's where this page starts.

The Mt. Juliet side of Old Hickory Lake

Old Hickory Lake is a Corps of Engineers lake on the Cumberland River. It covers about 22,500 acres with about 440 miles of shoreline, and it filled in 1954. It's a run of the river lake, so it stays close to its normal pool of 445 feet above sea level most of the year. On the Mt. Juliet side, Cedar Creek Marina and the Corps campground and swim beach at Cedar Creek are off Saundersville Road.

Lake neighborhoods on the Mt. Juliet side (Wilson County, 37122)

• Hickory Isles. At the north end of Mt. Juliet off Saundersville Ferry Road. Some homes have lake frontage and a private dock. Others have lake views and no dock. It goes house by house.
• Horseshoe Cove. Off Nonaville Road, wrapped around a cove on the lake, with streets like Singing Springs Road and Horseshoe Court. Many homes were built in the 1990s and have lake views. Cedar Creek Marina is close by.
• Lake Forest Acres. A small, older neighborhood on Shadow Lane, reached from Lake Forest Drive. Homes back up to the lake, and some have docks. Expect septic, not sewer.
• Port Spencer. On a peninsula off Burton Road, on Pointview Circle and Burton Point Road. Several homes are lakefront, and some have existing dock permits.
• Camelot Cove. Off Burton Road, on a shallow backwater cove of Spencer Creek. In a past review, the Corps kept this shoreline as mowing only, with no private docks, because the water is so shallow. Lake views, yes. A private dock, don't count on it.

The Corps dock rules that drive lake value

On a lake home, the dock can matter as much as the kitchen. These are the Corps of Engineers rules for Old Hickory Lake, from its 2020 Shoreline Management Plan:

• The shoreline is public land. Most lakefront lots end at a Corps property line, not at the water.
• Only some shoreline areas allow private docks. Others allow mowing only, and some allow neither. Even where docks are allowed, a permit is not promised.
• To qualify for your own dock, you have to own the lot that touches Corps land, with no road or common area in between, and the lot has to qualify for a residential building permit.
• You need at least 65 feet of allocated shoreline. Docks must sit at least 50 feet apart, and it's one dock per person.
• Docks must float at normal pool. Fixed piers, fixed walkways, and fixed docks are not allowed.
• A permit gives you no exclusive rights to the water around the dock. The shoreline and the water stay open to the public.
• The permit does not transfer with the house. A buyer applies for a new one in their own name.

Before a sale, the owner can ask the Corps for a "realtor letter." It shows the shoreline class next to the lot and flags any problems with the current permit. I ask for one early, so there are no surprises at closing.

Percy Priest is a different lake

The south side of Mt. Juliet sits near Percy Priest Lake, and it is not a dock lake. The Corps does not issue private dock permits on Percy Priest. People keep boats at one of the commercial marinas, use a public ramp, or trailer in. The water level moves, too. The Corps starts drawing Percy Priest down in early October, from 490 feet to 483 feet by early December, and fills it back up from late March to late April. If you're looking at a view home near Percy Priest, see it in the fall or winter as well as the summer.

How I check a luxury home for buyers

The finishes are the fun part. Here's what I look at past them:

• The setting first. Lake frontage, acreage, or a custom build? I want to know which one you really want before we tour, so we're not comparing a lake home to a five-acre lot.
• The dock paperwork. Can the lot have a dock, is the permit current, what's the shoreline class, and how deep is the water where the dock sits or would sit? Coves can be shallow.
• Where the lot ends. I want a survey that shows the Corps property line.
• Flowage easement and flood lines. Some lake lots include flowage easement land, which the Corps can flood if it needs to. You can't build on it, and fill dirt is limited. I also have buyers check the FEMA flood map and price flood insurance.
• Septic. Many lake lots aren't on sewer. On a home, ask for the septic permit and an inspection. On a lot, find out early whether it can support a system at all.
• The build. Who built it, when, and are there warranties or plans you can get? I look at the roof, the HVAC systems, and the drainage around the house, not just the kitchen.
• The HOA. Some neighborhoods have strict rules on fences, outbuildings, and short-term rentals. Read them before you're under contract.
• The comps. A luxury home should be priced against other luxury and lake sales nearby, not the average house in town.

Selling a luxury home in Mt. Juliet

There are fewer luxury sales, so the comps take more work. I match on the setting, like lake frontage, acreage, or a custom build in a smaller neighborhood, not just square footage. Your photos need to show the lake, the lot, and the outdoor space, taken at the right time of day. Have records ready for the roof, the HVAC systems, the pool, any additions, and permits. On Old Hickory Lake, have the Corps dock permit and a realtor letter ready too. And plan for a longer timeline. There are fewer buyers at the top of the market, so the right one can take a little longer to find. That's normal.

More on the lake and the area

For the whole lake, including the Old Hickory side, read my Old Hickory Lake homes guide.

For schools, commuting, and the rest of town, see my Mt. Juliet realtor guide.

Looking farther east in Wilson County? See Lebanon, TN.

Looking at luxury homes in Mt. Juliet? Call or text me at 615-762-7556, and I'll walk the property with you.