By Irby Park
When Dunlap, Tenn., brothers James and Barry Wagner left home to pursue medical careers, they had no thoughts of becoming land developers.
But when they started trying to assemble some investment property in their home county, they found themselves embarking on a new career which resulted in opening of the Wagner Brothers Land Company with a wide range of mountaintop and valley land and developments.
After Jimmy Wagner became involved in emergency medicine in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Barry Wagner joined Cumberland Medical Center in Crossville, Tenn., they began looking for land in the mountains that had become familiar to them in their younger days.
Being able to recognize the value of property and predict the rise in value, and helped by the opening of Corridor J to provide easy access to nearby Chattanooga, they have accumulated “over 2,500 unspoiled acres to choose from,” according to their advertising.
While Barry Wagner continues practicing medicine at Cumberland, Jimmy Wagner assumes the role unofficially of managing partner and says, “We have many different varieties of land to choose from including beautiful mountain creeks, spectacular views, mini-farms, deep woods, big trees, secluded mountain hollows and prime residential communities in the valley.”
He continued, “All of the properties are located in or near Dunlap, our hometown, which is only 30 minutes from downtown Chattanooga.”
Spectacular panoramic views are features of several of the developments of Jimmy Wagner, above, and his brother, Barry Wagner, who are offering both mountaintop and valley land through their Wagner Brothers Land Co. in Dunlap.The Wagner Brothers Co. properties include the mountain properties of The Woods, Laurelwoods, Greenfields, Deer Point, Sunset Ridge, Highland Acres and Bluff View. In addition, there are the valley developments of Ridge Crest, Riverview, Brookridge, Oak Knoll and other properties including commercial.
The Woods is being developed as a community of beautiful homes on large tracts in a rural mountain environment. Most tracts are 10 to 20 acres although the amount varies from 6.8 acres to more than 60 acres.
The land has been selling for about $3,500 to $5,500 per acre, but the price likely will increase as The Woods continues to develop and land becomes less plentiful.
Laurelwoods is on top of the Cumberland Plateau, 10 miles from Dunlap, and features deep woods, secluded hollows and mountaintop views. Deer and turkey roam the secluded hollows and ridges and a mountain stream meanders between the ridges where lush thick growth of mountain laurel thrives.
Although most building sites are 10 to 20 acres, there are some smaller and some larger tracts. They are selling at pre-development prices of $4,000 to $6,000 per acre, but prices may double, said Mr. Wagner, in less than two years.
Large tracts of mountain land with level building sites surrounded by the beauty of nature is typical of property offered in Greenfields in the Fredonia Mountain section.Atop Fredonia Mountain is a 2,200-acre tract of land “my brother and I bought several years ago for a long term investment.” On the Cumberland Plateau seven miles from Dunlap, he said the acreage features
“several major improvements to the property we have made during the past four years.
Improvements include water and electricity for most of the property, clearing, sowing grass and constructing a lake.
Included in the Fredonia Mountain properties is Greenfields with private lake lots, mountain stream tracts, mini-farms with ponds for horses, spectacular views and deep woods. Nearby is Sunset Ridge, 160 acres at the pinnacle of the mountain consisting of five private estates with spectacular views, giant boulders and a level plateau. Highland Acres consists of 1000 acres with three lake sites, creeks and panoramic views from bluff property.
Riverview Estates and Ridge Crest Estates are new luxury residential communities in the heart of the Sequatchie Valley just two miles from Dunlap. These two communities, said Jimmy Wagner, “Offer the valley’s most desirable location in a beautiful natural setting off the banks of the Sequatchie River. They are part of an old farm whose boundaries extended from the valley’s central ridge to the center of the river.”
These communities combine the tranquillity of country living with the convenience of being less than five minutes from the grocery store and only 35 minutes from Chattanooga. Although separate communities, Ridgeview Estates and Ridge Crest Estates share many of the same protective covenants with the primary difference being the minimum square footage. Minimum square footage for homes in Ridge Crest will be 1,600 square feet and in Riverview will be 2,800 square feet.
Mr. Wagner said, Although we frequently work with real estate agents, we sell only our own properties. The properties,” he added, “are excellent investments because of their quality, location and easy accessibility.”
The company office is located at 320 Rankin Ave. in Dunlap and has a Website at www.landintennessee.com. The company may be reached at (423) 949-7272.
The entrance to The Woods is easily accessible via Highway 111 and Whiteoak Swamps Road, a wide paved road that runs through the northwest corner of the tract.
Large rock formations add interest to the large tracts of the Sunset Ridge development on Fredonia Mountain, says developer Jimmy Wagner.
This five acre tract is located near the entrance to the Laurelwoods development which includes an old farm and several prime lots.