If you’re drawn to The Ramble, one of the first big decisions is not whether to buy there, but how to buy there. Do you choose a completed home and move forward with more certainty, or buy a homesite and create something tailored to the land? If you’re weighing both paths, it helps to understand the tradeoffs before you commit. Let’s dive in.
The Ramble offers two distinct paths
In The Ramble Biltmore Forest, buyers generally have two options: purchase a completed home or purchase a homesite and build. According to the community’s official inventory, current completed homes range from about 3,572 to 5,145 square feet, with asking prices from $2.295 million to $4.475 million.
Homesites are also available, including options on streets such as Ramble Way and Tea House Drive. Current land pricing spans from the mid-$600,000s to $2.4 million, depending on factors like location, size, and view potential.
That creates two very different buying experiences. One path emphasizes speed and a known end product, while the other emphasizes customization and site-specific design.
What new construction means in The Ramble
Buying land in The Ramble is not the same as buying a lot in a build-anything setting. The community requires home designs to go through the Ramble Design Review Committee, and lot materials note that setbacks are governed by The Ramble Design Guidelines.
Lot sheets also show that some details are refined during review. For example, final driveway locations are determined through site design review rather than being fixed from day one.
That structure matters if you are planning a custom home. It means you have flexibility, but you are working within a community design framework intended to shape how homes fit the landscape.
Customization is still a major advantage
Even with design review, The Ramble allows meaningful freedom in the build process. Buyers may work with any architect and approved builder they choose, and the community highlights a range of featured builders.
The community’s materials also suggest a broad design range, from modern homes to forest-inspired lodge styles. In practice, that means your home can respond to natural light, topography, and wooded surroundings while still aligning with the community’s design standards.
For many buyers, that is the biggest appeal of new construction. You have more control over finishes, layout, site placement, and how the home lives day to day.
New construction usually takes longer
The main tradeoff is time. Before construction begins, a homesite purchase adds a design-review stage, and then the home still has to be built.
For general context, a 2026 NAHB study estimated about 1.3 months from lot sale to start of construction and 6.3 months from start to completion for single-family homes built for sale. In The Ramble, the actual timeline may be longer or shorter depending on the homesite, design-review process, and builder schedule.
If your goal is to move quickly, that timeline can feel long. If your goal is to create a home around a specific lot and vision, the extra time may be well worth it.
What a completed home offers
If you want a simpler route, a completed home can be the better fit. The Ramble’s official homes page currently includes finished homes available now, with examples on streets such as Stansbury Drive, Belle Isle Way, Kelmscott Lane, Brookline Drive, Upperfell Court, and Moraine Court.
With a completed home, you are choosing from an existing layout, finish package, and site position. You are not waiting on architectural review, construction scheduling, or the many decisions that come with a custom build.
That can bring a real sense of clarity. You can walk the home, experience the setting, and know far more about the final product before you go under contract.
Completed homes are usually faster to close
A completed-home purchase is typically the faster path to occupancy because the home is already built. Once you move through contract, financing, and closing, there is no separate design and construction phase ahead.
As a national comparison point, Zillow reported that U.S. homes averaged 16 days on market in April 2025, followed by a typical 30- to 45-day closing period. While The Ramble is a unique luxury market and local timing can vary, that benchmark helps show why a completed home is usually the quicker option.
If you are relocating, planning a second-home purchase on a tighter timeline, or simply prefer fewer moving parts, that speed can be a meaningful advantage.
How budget planning differs
For many buyers, the biggest difference between new construction and resale comes down to how the budget is structured.
With a completed home, most of the investment is concentrated in the purchase price. That can make planning more straightforward because the home, lot, and many of the major decisions are already wrapped into one number.
With new construction, the budget is more layered. You purchase the homesite first, then build on top of that cost.
New construction has more moving pieces
In The Ramble, current homesite pricing ranges from the mid-$600,000s to $2.4 million. From there, buyers also need to account for architecture, builder costs, site work, landscaping, and carrying costs during the build period.
Lot-specific conditions can also influence the final number. The official homesite materials note factors such as driveway placement and setbacks, which can shape how the home is designed and built on the site.
That does not make new construction the wrong choice. It simply means you will want a clear, realistic budget from the start and a good understanding of the process.
Completed homes trade flexibility for predictability
A completed home may come with a higher up-front price for certainty, especially given that current available homes are already in the multimillion-dollar range. In return, you avoid much of the uncertainty tied to lot selection, design review, builder coordination, and construction timing.
For some buyers, that tradeoff is easy. If you value a more predictable path and fewer unknowns between contract and move-in, a completed home often feels more manageable.
Which option fits your goals?
The right choice in The Ramble usually comes down to your priorities, not just the inventory itself. Both paths can lead to an exceptional property, but they serve different kinds of buyers.
If you are deciding between the two, start by asking yourself a few practical questions:
- Do you want to move on a shorter timeline?
- Do you want to personalize layout and finishes?
- Are you comfortable managing a longer process with more decisions?
- Would you rather pay for certainty now or build around a very specific vision?
- Are you buying for immediate use, future enjoyment, or a long-term legacy property?
Those answers tend to point clearly in one direction.
When new construction makes more sense
New construction is often the better fit if you want the home to reflect your exact preferences and respond to a specific homesite. That can be especially appealing if you care deeply about orientation, wooded privacy, natural light, view potential, or a floor plan built around the way you live.
It can also be a strong option if you are comfortable with a longer runway. Buyers who enjoy the creative side of the process often find real value in shaping the finished product from the ground up.
When resale makes more sense
A completed or resale home is often the better fit if you want to simplify the path to ownership. You can evaluate the property as it exists today and move toward closing without adding a separate build phase.
This route is often attractive for buyers who are relocating, those who want to begin using the home sooner, or those who prefer a more defined budget and timeline. In a community like The Ramble, that convenience can carry real value.
Final thoughts on buying in The Ramble
In The Ramble Biltmore Forest, the choice between new construction and resale is really a choice between customization and certainty. A homesite and custom build can give you more control over the final home, while a completed property can offer faster timing and a clearer path to closing.
Neither option is universally better. The best fit depends on how you balance timing, budget structure, design goals, and your comfort with complexity.
If you want help comparing current homes, homesites, and the practical tradeoffs between the two, Shaun Collyer can help you evaluate your options with local insight and a tailored approach.
FAQs
Should you choose new construction or resale in The Ramble Biltmore Forest?
- If you want more customization and are comfortable with a longer process, new construction may be the better fit. If you want a faster move-in and a more predictable path, a completed or resale home is often the better choice.
What is the price range for homes in The Ramble Biltmore Forest?
- Based on the community’s official inventory cited in the research, current completed homes range from $2.295 million to $4.475 million.
What is the price range for homesites in The Ramble Biltmore Forest?
- Current homesite pricing in The Ramble ranges from the mid-$600,000s to $2.4 million, depending on the lot’s location, size, and view potential.
Can you build any home you want in The Ramble Biltmore Forest?
- No. Home designs must be approved by the Ramble Design Review Committee, and setbacks are governed by The Ramble Design Guidelines, though buyers can still work with their own architect and an approved builder.
Is buying a completed home faster in The Ramble Biltmore Forest?
- Yes. A completed home is generally the faster path because you do not need to wait for design review and construction before moving toward closing.
