268 acres! - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Property boundaries - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Formal entrance East side of property - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Gate on West side of property - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
View up to main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
View of Main Cabin and 2nd Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Second Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Third Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Home on Laurel Cove - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
5th home on property - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Garage building - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Greenhouse - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Pasture and greenhouse - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Overhead of pond - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Overhead of Pond - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Ridgetops - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Ridgetops - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Front porch of Main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Front porch of Main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Main Cabin lower level porch - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Basement Main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Upstairs Main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Upstairs Main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Basement Main Cabin - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Main Cabin Basement - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Second Cabin Interior - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Second Cabin Kitchen - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Second Cabin Basement - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Logging road trail - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Small Creek - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Logging road trail - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Paved road by logging road - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Over a mile of paved roads - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Paved Roads - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Creek at Laurel Cove entrance - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Overhead of pasture - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Overhead of main portion of property - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Pasture - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Ridge tops and pasture - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
AI image of potential home on ridgetop - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Pond - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
AI Pond image - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
Interior of greenhouse - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
AI greenhouse image - 961 Wilson Branch Road, Mars Hill
48 photos

$4,990,000

961 Wilson Branch Road
Mars Hill, NC 28754
Listed by Hadley Goodman Cropp · Asheville Realty Group
Bedrooms
3
Bathrooms
2
Living area
3,011 sqft
Year built
1982

About this home

Discover one of Western North Carolina's most extraordinary legacy properties. Spanning approximately 269 acres in the scenic mountains of Madison County, NC, this rare estate encompasses five existing residences, and offers an unrivaled combination of privacy, versatility, and long-term investment potential. Whether your vision is a private mountain retreat, equestrian estate, legacy family compound, boutique hospitality venture, corporate retreat, conservation property, or a thoughtfully planned development, this remarkable property offers the scale, valuable existing infrastructure, and natural beauty to bring it to life. Enjoy breathtaking long-range mountain views, rolling pastureland, wooded hiking and ATV trails, abundant wildlife, unmatched privacy, and countless potential home sites throughout the estate. The existing residences provide immediate flexibility for extended family, caretakers, guest accommodations, or rental income while preserving incredible opportunities for future growth. Conveniently located just outside the charming town of Mars Hill, with easy access to Asheville, Hatley Pointe, Wolf Laurel, skiing, hiking, and year-round outdoor recreation, this is a once-in-a-generation chance to own one of Western North Carolina's most significant large-acreage mountain estates. The property includes four move-in ready log homes plus an additional ranch-style residence, providing exceptional flexibility for multi-generational living, guest accommodations, staff housing, or income-producing rentals. Additional improvements include a large workshop/garage with an apartment, a picturesque pond, and a massive greenhouse, each ready to be restored. Over a mile of paved roads dissect the acreage with gated access on both the eastern and western boundaries. Underground utilities throughout the property provide a rare foundation for future expansion. Beyond the improvements, multiple rolling pastures give way to hundreds of acres of mature hardwood forest, where an extensive network of trails winds through peaceful valleys and along scenic ridgelines. Please NO DRIVE BYS and do not disturb the tenants.

Highlights

Fireplace

Property details

MLS
Canopy MLS
MLS #
CAR4397602
Property type
Single Family Residence
Subdivision
none
Status
Active
Days on market
1
On market date
July 21, 2026
Stories
N/A
Total bathrooms
2
Garage spaces
N/A
Parking spaces
N/A
Lot size
N/A
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Nearby schools

Within 10 miles. School directory data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), accessed via the Urban Institute Education Data API. Local Score is calculated by INNOVATE Real Estate; where a state rating is shown, it comes from that state's own official school report card.

Elementary
Mars Hill Elementary
6.57 mi away · Grades 0-5
Zoned school (attendance boundary, 2015-16 data)
3.3
Local Score (state rating (2025) blended 70/30 with student-teacher ratio) -- not an official state rating
State rating: C (2025)
Enrollment
497
Student:teacher ratio
13.4:1
District
Madison County Schools
Middle
Madison Middle School
12.28 mi away · Grades 6-8
Zoned school (attendance boundary, 2015-16 data)
3.6
Local Score (state rating (2025) blended 70/30 with student-teacher ratio) -- not an official state rating
State rating: C (2025)
Enrollment
439
Student:teacher ratio
11.6:1
District
Madison County Schools
High
Madison Early College High
11.42 mi away · Grades 9-13
Zoned school (attendance boundary, 2015-16 data)
3.1
Local Score (state rating (2025) blended 70/30 with student-teacher ratio) -- not an official state rating
State rating: B (2025)
Enrollment
271
Student:teacher ratio
27.1:1
District
Madison County Schools

Walkability

Blended score for Mars Hill's center, calculated by INNOVATE Real Estate from two sources: the EPA's National Walkability Index (street network, transit, land-use mix) and Google Places amenity data (what's actually reachable on foot from this point). 60% EPA National Walkability Index + 40% nearby-amenity density (Google Places).

15
Very car-dependent
out of 100
EPA National Walkability Index
4.8 / 20 -- Least walkable
Google Places amenity density
0 / 100
Restaurants & cafes0
Grocery stores0
Parks0
Schools0
Transit stops0
Pharmacies0

Market position

How this listing compares to current activity in Mars Hill, from live MLS data.

On the market 1 days -- 226 fewer days than Mars Hill's current average of 227 days.
For reference, the median list price across 240 active listings in Mars Hill right now is $237,000.

Mortgage calculator

Estimate only - actual rate and payment depend on your lender, credit, and loan program.

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Est. monthly payment
$30,200/mo
$998,000 down
$3,992,000 loan
Principal & interest$25,892
Property tax (est.)$4,158
Home insurance (est.)$150

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Data source: Listing information provided by Canopy MLS (carolina) via Trestle/CoreLogic. Last updated July 22, 2026.

Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed; all measurements, school assignments, HOA fees, taxes, and feature lists are approximate and should be independently verified. Equal Housing Opportunity.