Homes for Sale in Bahama

There is a strong market for Bahama homes for sale. Bahama’s population is around 6,000, so it doesn’t offer the big city amenities found in Durham or elsewhere in the Triangle. However, its proximity to Durham makes it extremely attractive to home buyers who are priced out of the fast-growing Durham housing market. Small towns with smaller housing costs and cheaper taxes, located an easy drive away from bigger cities, become increasingly appealing. 

Bahama is just such an area! People look for real estate in Bahama when they want a little more land (or a lot more land!) and privacy, but still want to be close to Duke University, downtown Durham, Hillsborough, and Research Triangle Park (RTP). 

For example, on the lower end of the price range, you can find a home for sale under $200,000. Those homes may be on the small size, under 1,000 sq. ft. and with a max of 1,500. 

In price points between $200,00 and $350,000, homes usually sit on at least half an acre, with 2 or 3 acres common. Homes in this range are usually between 1,500 and 3,000 sq. ft. 

Luxury homes for sale in Bahama also range widely in price, and the low end of this range begins at around $500,000. These properties may have as much as 11-20 acres of land associated with them, with square footage starting around 3,000. 

Throughout the Bahama area, larger lots will also feature multiple outbuildings, workshops, or sheds. Many properties are suitable for horse farms. 

These larger lots lead to more outdoor living and listings often feature homes with screened-in porches, decks, and pools. Interiors often include large master baths, open floor plans, lofty ceilings, and dedicated storage areas.  

A curiosity of looking at homes in more rural settings is that the listings will often mention the available broadband service providers. If you’ve only been looking at homes in larger cities, this will be a surprise. 

History 

Bahama is pronounced Ba-Hay-Ma and not like the chain of islands near the Caribbean. Its name is derived from the combination of three prominent families from the area - Ball, Harris, and Mangum. Like Durham, Bahama evolved from a crossroads settlement into a larger community of commerce with the addition of a rail line. Its population has nearly doubled since 2010. 

Schools

Bahama is part of the Durham County School System. Its only elementary school, Mangum Elementary School, covers an attendance area over 70 square miles, from the Orange County line in the west to Granville County on the eastern border. Lucas Middle serves the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, as does Discovery Charter School. The high school is Northern High.

Outdoors

Lake Michie offers great largemouth bass fishing (fishing licenses required). The lake is open to the public from Friday through Monday, March to November. There is no swimming in the lake, but you can launch your boat, kayak, or canoe as well as fish from the banks. Some homes have land that goes back to Lake Michie as well.

Little River Lake, a smaller lake, is also available from March to November for bank fishing. Canoes and kayaks can be rented for up to six hours. Other nearby lakes are Lake Holt and Falls Lake. 

The Horton Grove Nature Preserve is Triangle Land Conservancy’s largest public preserve. There are eight miles of hiking trails, including one just for kids, the That Makes Sense Interpretative Trail. 

The Eno River State Park is a mere 20 minutes away, whose waters flow past mature forests in 30 miles of trails. 

Shopping, food, and drink

A small town is a small town, so it’s not surprising that the chain grocery stores are at least 15 minutes away. Bahama is only 30 minutes from major shopping areas at Brier Creek and Southpoint, as well as the  city of Durham. 

There is a Bahama Day held each fall for the entire community, featuring games, vendors, entertainment, and an antique car show. The Ruritan Club sponsors an annual Christmas parade and a BBQ Dinner.  

Historic site

Near Horton Grove is historic Stagville, which preserves the remnants of one of the largest plantations in North Carolina. Stagville is dedicated to interpreting the lives, families, culture, and work of the nearly 900 enslaved people on what was 30,000 acres owned by the Bennehan-Cameron families. Today, this historic site includes 165 acres of land, four original slave dwellings, a massive barn, and a Bennehan-Cameron family house.