“When you’re on the water, you can go for hours without seeing homes; it’s like you’ve stepped back in time,” said Donald Flowers of Evergreen Properties, which is developing eight communities around Lake Russell. “It creates a very nice environment to own a second home as a private getaway where you can really enjoy the lake and the surrounding area.”
Lake Russell is primarily renowned for its world class fishing. According to the Army Corps website, “Russell Lake has gone through the classic new lake cycle and has settled into a quality fishery, dominated by anglers fishing for largemouth bass and crappie.” Currently, the lake boasts the striper bass South Carolina state record with a 63-pound behemoth being caught in 2009.

Beyond world class fishing, Lake Russell provides an abundance of recreational activities around the lake for the entire family. The 3,000 acre Richard B. Russell State Park has miles of hiking trails, a designated swimming beach, kayaking and canoeing, camping in either waterfront cabins, RV/camper and tent sites and top-ranked golf at the Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course, ranked 4 1/2 out of five stars by Golf Digest.

Evergreen Properties’ lakeside developments are designed to conform to the natural character of the land, Flowers said. Because only a limited amount of private land is available for development, Lake Russell is likely to remain less developed thant other area lakes.
“We’re embracing the conservation of the lake,” he said. “The state-owned land along the shoreline and  shoreline buffer itself allow the Corps to promote and protect wildlife and create a thriving fishing habitat. Beyond the management of the lake itself, the Corps land around the lake is planted in food plots in the spring and fall to enhance wildlife habitat by providing valuable sources of food and cover for deer, duck, turkey, dove, quail, and a variety of songbirds.”

A variety of Evergreen Properties homesites are available, ranging in size from .7 acre to almost 12 acres, including waterfront, water access and wooded lots, some with flat terrain for easy building, and sites suitable for walkout basements. Many have water views and owners can access the water via meandering paths to the shoreline.

Lots are priced from $9,000 to $80,000, with waterfront lots starting at $19,000.

“In the last 10 months alone, Evergreen has sold 35 homesites and we have six homes currently under construction.” Flowers said. “While many other developments throughout the Southeast have come to a standstill, we have found significant demand for a great product in the right location at reasonable price points. In this price-driven real estate market, people are finding tremendous value on Lake Russell and are taking advantage of the market’s lower building costs as well.”

Flowers also said the lake’s special protected status provides a rare level of privacy. Because it’s not crowded, it feels like having the lake to yourself.

“It’s very relaxing when you are on the lake; the pressures of work just fade away, ” he said. “Lake Russell is like a jewel that has yet to be discovered. Everybody who comes out simply falls in love with it.”

To learn more about Lake Russell and the Evergreen Developments, contact Donald Flowers at 866-530-0025.