Welcome home! Take the circular driveway right up to the front door. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Main living areas and primary suite open onto spacious decks facing mature forest. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Enjoy nature at tree canopy level. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Open main-level floor plan centers on a wood-burning stove. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Primary suite with it's own private deck. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
3.77 acres of forested land in a private development. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Main entrance is easy access. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Single Family Residence at 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill, photo 8 of 42
Front room on the left serves as a nice office with forest views. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Front room on the right is great for a cozy reading/music space. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Main-floor powder room - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Main-floor laundry room also serves as a mudroom to recently hydro seeded side yard. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Side porch off of laundry room connects to recently hydro seeded side yard. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Entertain guests with an open-concept kitchen, living room, and dining room. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Stay warm in the winter with this central wood-burning stove. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Dining room sits off the kitchen and next to screen-in porch - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Open kitchen plenty of countertop space. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Single Family Residence at 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill, photo 18 of 42
Brand new deck boards. Outdoor fireplace perfect for entertaining. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Main floor deck with fire place opens up to mature forest. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Screened-in porch opens to kitchen/dining room and to the spacious back deck. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Primary bedroom fits a king-size bed. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Primary bedroom has it's own private deck. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Spectacular forest and sky views from the primary suite deck - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Large closet in the primary suite. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Primary suite includes a walk-in shower and separate bathtub - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Primary suite with dual sinks. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Beautiful wood doors throughout the house. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Second upstairs bathroom is spacious with bathtub. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Upstairs bedroom 1 - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Upstairs bedroom 2 - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Single Family Residence at 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill, photo 32 of 42
Single Family Residence at 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill, photo 33 of 42
Large and clean basement space waiting for your creative use. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Clean utility room in basement. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Workshop space in basement. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Firewood storage along the circular driveway. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Southside of house opens onto a recently hydro seeded yard. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Single Family Residence at 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill, photo 39 of 42
Single Family Residence at 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill, photo 40 of 42
Drive along the Ivy river to reach this property. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
Forested private driveway. - 553 River Bend Drive, Mars Hill
42 photos

$624,000

553 River Bend Drive
Mars Hill, NC 28754
Listed by Alex Hooker · Town and Mountain Realty
Bedrooms
3
Bathrooms
2.5
Living area
2,017 sqft
Year built
2004

About this home

A private forest retreat awaits you just minutes from Mars Hill and Weaverville. Follow the scenic Ivy River to this modern Arts & Crafts home, nestled on 3.77 wooded acres with a circular driveway leading directly to the front door. Inside, the spacious, open main-level floor plan centers on a wood-burning stove and opens onto a large deck with a built-in fireplace—an ideal setting for relaxing or entertaining while surrounded by nature. A screened side porch offers the perfect place to enjoy an afternoon rain while listening to the chorus of songbirds. The home features 3 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms, with numerous recent improvements, including a brand-new HVAC system and Furnace, new deck boards, rebuilt primary shower, hydro seeded lawn, and more. The primary suite opens onto a private deck that places you at tree canopy level, creating an immersive forest experience. The clean, unfinished basement opens to the backyard through French doors, offering excellent potential for additional living space, a studio, or workshop. A peaceful mountain setting with room to make it your own, all within easy reach of town.

Highlights

Fireplace

Property details

MLS
Canopy MLS
MLS #
CAR4418089
Property type
Single Family Residence
Subdivision
River Bend
Status
Active
Days on market
17
On market date
August 28, 2026
Stories
N/A
Total bathrooms
2.5
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
3.13 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
9.39 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
6.66 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).

16
Very car-dependent
out of 100
EPA National Walkability Index
5.3 / 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 17 days -- 213 fewer days than Mars Hill's current average of 230 days.
For reference, the median list price across 236 active listings in Mars Hill right now is $217,250.

Mortgage calculator

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

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Est. monthly payment
$3,908/mo
$124,800 down
$499,200 loan
Principal & interest$3,238
Property tax (est.)$520
Home insurance (est.)$150

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Data source: Listing information provided by Canopy MLS (carolina) via Trestle/CoreLogic. Last updated September 14, 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.