Bellaire and Shanty Creek

Bellaire is the county seat — a small, pretty village wrapped around a historic county courthouse. Its compact downtown holds cafes, a brewery, shops, and the county offices. The village sits on the Intermediate River, between Lake Bellaire and Intermediate Lake. Both are part of the Chain of Lakes, so water is never far. Bellaire is split between Forest Home and Kearney townships. It’s the natural place to handle business if you live in the central part of the county.

What really put Bellaire on the map, though, is Shanty Creek. The large four-season resort just outside town has downhill skiing at Schuss Mountain, several golf courses (one of them a well-known Arnold Palmer design), lodging, dining, and a spa. Between the resort, the lakes, and the rolling countryside, this area draws a steady flow of visitors and second-home owners.

For buyers, the Bellaire area covers the spread: in-town village living, lakefront on the Chain of Lakes, and wooded acreage in the surrounding hills. Homes outside the village run on wells and septic (see the well-and-septic note). And it’s always worth checking what each township allows, since zoning and short-term-rental rules are set locally.