Unbrochure

Independent true-cost guides to retirement destinations.

Tennessee retirement-buyer comparison

Tennessee retirement communities: compare four buyer files

Four headline dues figures do not create a fair ranking. Compare what the public file establishes, what remains unresolved and what the exact parcel still needs.

Every figure verified

Fairfield Glade, Lake Tansi, Tellico Village and Cumberland Cove are often considered by people planning a move or retirement in Tennessee. They should not be ranked from four headline dues figures. The public records do not even present four equivalent figures.

This desk compares what a buyer can document now, what remains unresolved and which free Unbrochure worksheet can turn a listing into a parcel file. It does not call any community the best, cheapest or safest. The phrase “retirement communities” describes the buyer search, not a claim that every community is age-restricted.

The short answer

For a Fairfield Glade home with sewer and trash, the reported 2026 Community Club assessment is $137 a month, or $1,644 a year. The reported one-time amenity reserve fee for a home purchase is $6,000 at closing. A 2024 local report says either party may pay or the parties may split it by negotiation; the contract should say. 1 2 3

Tellico Village publishes a 2026 POA assessment of $186.98 a month, or $2,243.76 a year, per lot or living unit. That is one community-wide line, not the total cost of a parcel. The current at-closing charge remains a written-confirmation item after Tennessee changed the relevant statute in April 2026. 6 7 8

For Lake Tansi, no authoritative public 2026 regular-dues amount, complete current assessment schedule or parcel membership classification was located in the official-source search dated September 11, 2026. A 2022 annual-meeting report said the 2023 dues would be set at $285. That prospective 2023 figure is not a 2026 quote. 4 5

Cumberland Cove's official shop displayed a Dues 2026 item, listed under Annual Dues, at $152 on September 17, 2026. The shop did not label it per lot, but the governing documents establish a per-lot method. The buyer therefore needs the lot count, parcel ledger and every other balance or assessment before using it in buying arithmetic. 9 10 11

Those four paragraphs do not establish which community costs less to own.

What the reviewed public file supports

Four community records checked through September 19, 2026
CommunityPublished recurring lineAt-closing or parcel limitationFirst buyer action
Fairfield GladeReported 2026 home rate with sewer and trash: $137 monthly, $1,644 annuallyReported $6,000 amenity reserve fee for a home purchase; allocation can be negotiated and should be stated in the contractObtain the exact parcel ledger, property type, current schedule and closing statement
Lake TansiNo authoritative public 2026 regular-dues amount or parcel membership classification locatedNo complete current public assessment and closing-charge schedule locatedObtain the membership class, number of billable memberships, current dues and every assessment in writing
Tellico VillagePublished 2026 assessment: $186.98 monthly, $2,243.76 annually, per lot or living unitA current at-closing amount was not established by the official material checked after the April 2026 law changeObtain the parcel account, any second association, utility record, current closing charges and settlement statement
Cumberland CoveOfficial shop displayed Dues 2026, listed under Annual Dues, at $152; governing documents apply the assessment per lotThe shop figure is not a parcel quote or a complete cost estimateConfirm the number of lots, ledger, county, recorded instruments, septic and project file

The comparison deliberately leaves unresolved amounts blank. It does not convert a missing figure to zero, infer that a larger assessment buys more value, or treat a lower-looking line as lower total ownership cost.

Normalize the objects before comparing the numbers

The Fairfield Glade figure above is for a home with sewer and trash. The Tellico Village assessment is levied per lot or living unit. Cumberland Cove's governing documents use a per-lot calculation. Lake Tansi's current membership class and billable count still need written confirmation.

Before placing two figures side by side, label each one:

  1. monthly, annual or one-time;
  2. per home, lot, living unit, membership or account;
  3. mandatory, optional or use-based;
  4. current, historical, proposed or unresolved; and
  5. community-wide or parcel-specific.

Without those labels, a tidy comparison can still be wrong.

The community fee is not the ownership total

A useful buyer file keeps at least these lines separate:

  • regular association assessment;
  • second association or neighborhood charge;
  • special assessment or unresolved charge;
  • property tax;
  • insurance;
  • utilities and waste service;
  • amenity or user fees;
  • one-time closing charges; and
  • property-specific work, including septic, shoreline, access, clearing or construction where applicable.

One community can have the lower published association line and the higher parcel total. A blank is a request for evidence, not a discount.

Different communities require different files

Fairfield Glade

Start with the 2026 home assessment and reported amenity reserve fee, then confirm the parcel's property type and separately recorded instruments. A buyer considering rental income should use the Fairfield Glade rental-rule page rather than infer permission from a listing. The 1997 declaration and 2021 property guide do not answer every property type or stay pattern.

Lake Tansi

Do not use the prospective $285 amount announced for 2023 as a 2026 dues quote. Ask for the current membership class, number of billable memberships, dues, assessments, balance and governing file. Waterfront buyers also need the exact lake, shoreline and project records. Holiday Out is a distinct property and membership situation inside the wider Lake Tansi relationship; its listing figures should not be imported into a conventional Lake Tansi parcel. 4

Tellico Village

Use $186.98 a month or $2,243.76 a year only as the published 2026 POA assessment, subject to parcel confirmation. Keep optional golf, dock and recreation charges separate. Obtain the account record, any second association, current utility position and every closing line. An old proposal does not fill the unresolved current at-closing field.

Cumberland Cove

The $152 Annual Dues shop item belongs in the dated record, but the parcel calculation depends on lot count. Cumberland Cove also crosses Putnam and Cumberland counties, so a Monterey mailing address does not choose the public office. Confirm county, legal description, road and utility facts, septic feasibility, recorded covenants and the Environmental Control Committee file for the exact project. 12

A five-step comparison that survives the showing

  1. Choose one actual parcel in each community.
  2. Fill the recurring, one-time and optional lines from dated written sources.
  3. Leave every unresolved amount blank and write down who must answer it.
  4. Test the intended use: full-time, seasonal, rental, waterfront, building or amenity-heavy ownership can require different documents.
  5. Compare the resulting parcel files, not the community marketing lists.

The goal is not to crown a winner. It is to stop a community-wide headline from standing in for a property decision.

Questions people ask first

Which Tennessee retirement community has the lowest HOA or POA fees?

The reviewed public record does not support a four-community winner. The figures use different units and scopes, and Lake Tansi’s current public amount was not established. Compare parcel-confirmed totals instead.

Is Tellico Village more expensive than Fairfield Glade?

Its published 2026 recurring association line is higher: $186.98 a month against Fairfield Glade’s reported $137 home rate with sewer and trash. That does not establish a higher total. Fairfield Glade also has a reported $6,000 amenity reserve fee for a home purchase, while Tellico Village’s current at-closing amount remains a confirmation item.

What are Lake Tansi POA dues in 2026?

No authoritative public 2026 regular-dues amount and parcel membership classification was located in the official-source search dated September 11, 2026. Ask the POA for a written parcel-specific quote and ledger.

Are Cumberland Cove annual dues really $152?

The official shop displayed a Dues 2026 item, listed under Annual Dues, at $152 on September 17, 2026. The governing documents establish a per-lot method, so the figure alone is not a parcel total. Confirm the lot count, ledger and every other charge.

Which community is best for retirement?

This page does not rank them. The answer depends on the actual parcel, the household’s use, confirmed costs, access to needed services and the unresolved items the household is willing to carry.

Source trail

  • Fairfield Glade 2026 figures: 3B Media News, November 26, 2025; FGCC 2026 budget approval report, December 2025; Glade Sun / Crossville Chronicle, October 30, 2024.
  • Lake Tansi dues method and historical amount: Lake Tansi Restated By-Laws, October 2017; 2022 Treasurer's Report announcing the prospective 2023 amount.
  • Tellico Village assessment amount: TVPOA 2026 Budget Presentation, November 13, 2025; assessment unit: Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions, Article X, Section 3 (Basis and Maximum Annual Assessment); closing-charge context: Tennessee Public Chapter 727, April 2026.
  • Cumberland Cove dues method: official shop checked September 17, 2026; March 2024 bylaws and October 2024 covenants.
  • Every linked Unbrochure community page carries its direct sources, dates and limits.

Sources behind the comparison

  1. Fairfield Glade faces sharp assessment hikes in the wake of Wyndham exit . 3B Media News , November 26, 2025.
  2. FGCC Board of Directors approves 2026 budget . Syndicated news report, via Yahoo News , December 2025.
  3. Increase in property transfer fee hasn't hurt FG home sales yet . Glade Sun / Crossville Chronicle , October 30, 2024; premium article body independently rechecked September 16, 2026.
  4. Restated By-Laws . Lake Tansi Property Owners Association , October 2017 file currently linked by the POA; rechecked September 13, 2026.
  5. Meeting Reports 2022 and linked annual-meeting report . Lake Tansi Property Owners Association , 2022 Treasurer’s Report announces the 2023 dues setting; rechecked September 14, 2026.
  6. 2026 Budget Presentation . Tellico Village Property Owners Association , November 13, 2025.
  7. Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions, Article X . Tellico Village , December 1985.
  8. Public Chapter 727 . State of Tennessee , approved April 14, 2026.
  9. Dues 2026 and Late Fee 2026 shop listings . Cumberland Cove Property Owners Association , rechecked September 17, 2026.
  10. Bylaws . Cumberland Cove Property Owners Association , March 2024 public file; rechecked September 17, 2026.
  11. Covenants and Restrictions . Cumberland Cove Property Owners Association , October 2024 public file; rechecked September 17, 2026.
  12. Local links and phone numbers . Cumberland Cove Property Owners Association , rechecked September 17, 2026.