Want to see what's for sale?
Who this area suits
Is this your part of the lake?
Buyers who want a newer, larger home in a planned community with amenities, golfers, and second-home owners driving up from North Carolina.
Boater's shorthand: Blackwater channel, upper half.
A different look than Bedford County
Franklin County's shoreline reads newer and more residential — larger brick, stucco, and hardiplank homes in planned developments, rather than the cottage-and-chalet mix on the Bedford side. There are more than 200 subdivisions on the Franklin side.
The amenity communities live here
Waverly with its private 26-slip marina, The Water's Edge with an equestrian center and championship golf, The Boardwalk with the lake's only Nantucket-style boardwalk, and The Coves with its solar and eco-conscious design.
Second-closest to the Carolina drive
Coming up US 220, Union Hall is about two hours from Greensboro — fifteen minutes past Penhook, and well short of the Bedford side.
Quieter water
The Blackwater arm sees less traffic than the main Roanoke channel. Good for paddling, fishing, and people who want the boat ride to feel like a boat ride.
One thing to watch here
Amenity communities come with HOA dues, and the dues vary enormously — from nominal to four figures a quarter, sometimes with a separate club membership on top. Get the full carrying cost in writing before you fall in love.
The practical facts
- County
- Franklin County
- Towns
- Union Hall, Glade Hill, Penhook (below)
- Westlake
- 20 min
- Rocky Mount
- 20 min
- Roanoke
- 50 min
- Greensboro NC
- about 2 hrs
Schools
Franklin County Public Schools — Franklin County High School.
Communities in and around Union Hall & South Shore
A starting point, not a complete list — there are more than 320 waterfront subdivisions across the lake.
| Community | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Highland PointeCondos · Deeded Slips | Union Hall, Franklin Co. | Pool, hot tub, tennis and pickleball, boat ramp — with deeded covered boat slips included and short-term rentals allowed. |
| WaverlyWaterfront · Marina | Union Hall, Franklin Co. | 138 acres and 119 home sites served by a private 26-slip marina. |
| The BoardwalkWaterfront | Union Hall, Franklin Co. | Over 100 acres built around the only boardwalk on Smith Mountain Lake, in a Nantucket style. |
| The CovesWaterfront · Eco | Union Hall, Franklin Co. | Solar arrays, eco-conscious design and a community amphitheater. |
| South HarbourWaterfront | Union Hall, Franklin Co. | Half-acre to 2.5-acre lots on the Blackwater channel; 40 properties, 28 of them waterfront. |
| Park PlaceWaterfront | Union Hall, Franklin Co. | A wooded waterfront community in Union Hall near the Virginia Wine Trail. |
What are you looking for here?
The agent who is right for a waterfront estate in this area is not the agent who is right for a condo. Pick what fits.
Waterfront Homes
Waterfront homes for sale at Smith Mountain Lake: deeded shoreline where the dock is yours. The most sought-after — and most technical — purchase at this lake.
What to knowOff-Water & Water Access
Lake life for a fraction of the price — if you know exactly what "water access" includes.
What to knowCondos & Townhomes
Lock the door and go. The lake's lowest-maintenance path to the water — and often the easiest one to rent out.
What to knowLuxury & Estates
Above $1.5M the market gets thin, quiet, and relationship-driven. The right agent here isn't the right agent at $400K.
What to knowOther parts of the lake
Moneta & the Bedford Shore
The classic lake side. Cottages and chalets tucked into wooded coves, the State Park, and the county where short-term rentals are permitted.
Explore this areaHuddleston & the East End
Deep water, wide views, and the quietest stretch of main channel — the lake between the bridges and the dam.
Explore this areaWestlake & Hales Ford
The center of gravity. Groceries, the clinic, Bridgewater Plaza, and the bridge everyone crosses — plus the lake's densest cluster of condos and townhomes.
Explore this areaThinking about Union Hall & South Shore?
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