Lake Margaret at the Highlands

Independent Assessment

The 55+ designation itself is well corroborated — the Highlands Community Association's own governing documents explicitly label this section 'Lake Margaret Sect. 1 (55+),' which is a stronger form of confirmation than builder marketing alone. What is genuinely unresolved is the builder picture: Eastwood Homes markets an active 55+ product directly under this community name, while HOA architectural records for the broader Lake Margaret section list a longer roster of builders (Carson Homes, CoynerCo, Eagle Construction, DanRich Homes, Lifestyle Builders, Quest Custom Homes, Schell Brothers, and Taylor Homes among them) without clearly separating which builders are active specifically within the age-restricted 55+ subsection versus the rest of Lake Margaret. Buyers should ask directly which builders currently have inventory in the 55+-designated section rather than assuming Eastwood Homes is the only option.

Who May Find This Community Appealing

Buyers who want new construction at a genuinely small, intimate scale — and who are comfortable being early residents of a section still filling in — are the best fit here. The lakefront setting, shared with the larger Highlands community, also appeals to buyers who want water views and fishing/paddling access without paying resort-community HOA dues for a large clubhouse they may not use heavily.

Homes, Builders & Development History

Lake Margaret at the Highlands is a 62-home, age-restricted 55+ section of The Highlands, a large master-planned community in southwestern Chesterfield County. New construction has been active since 2023. Eastwood Homes markets single-family 55+ product here; the Highlands Community Association's architectural review records for the broader Lake Margaret section also name several additional builders, so buyers should confirm which specific builder(s) currently have available homesites within the 55+-restricted portion.

Current Pricing & Market Positioning

Reported pricing for the 55+ section runs from the upper $500,000s into the $700,000s, reflecting both the newness of the community and The Highlands' broader positioning as one of Chesterfield's premium master-planned developments. Because this is active new construction with more than one builder potentially involved, buyers should get current base pricing and lot premiums directly rather than relying on any single aggregator figure.

New Construction vs. Resale Considerations

Lake Margaret is active new construction as of the last update, meaning a builder warranty applies but pricing, available homesites, and even the amenity build-out timeline can change month to month. Buyers should get current availability and a written amenity-completion timeline directly from the builder(s) active in the section rather than assuming everything shown in early marketing is already built.

Taxes, Insurance & Special Assessments

Homes here are subject to Chesterfield County real estate tax, assessed and billed at the county level. Because this section is new construction with pricing that has moved since 2023, buyers should confirm both the current county tax rate and the specific home's assessed value directly with Chesterfield County's Real Estate Assessor's Office rather than relying on a general market figure. Chesterfield County offers a real estate tax relief program for qualifying residents 65 and older that buyers approaching that age should ask about directly.

Community Layout & Lifestyle

Because Lake Margaret is a 55+ section embedded in the much larger, all-ages Highlands development, residents get access to an amenity package — lakefront pools, a fitness center, and an on-site restaurant — that a stand-alone 62-home community could not typically support on its own. The trade-off is that many of those amenities are shared with the broader, non-age-restricted Highlands population rather than reserved exclusively for 55+ residents; buyers who want an amenity space used only by age-restricted neighbors should ask specifically what, if anything, is section-exclusive.

Shopping, Healthcare & Airport Access

Lake Margaret sits within The Highlands, off Hull Street Road (Route 360) in southwestern Chesterfield County near Moseley, roughly 25 miles from downtown Richmond. The location trades big-city proximity for a more rural, lake-and-woods setting; commuting into central Richmond or the Midlothian/Route 288 retail corridor takes meaningfully longer than from communities closer to Route 288 itself.

Age Qualification & Material Ownership Restrictions

The Highlands Community Association's own records label this section 'Lake Margaret Sect. 1 (55+),' which is direct documentary evidence of an age-restricted designation rather than marketing language alone. The full HOPA compliance file (the 80/20 occupancy certification) for the section has not been independently reviewed, and buyers should still request that documentation, along with confirmation of exactly which lots fall inside the 55+-restricted boundary versus the surrounding non-restricted Highlands sections, before purchasing.

Tradeoffs & Limitations

At 62 homes, Lake Margaret's homeowners' association reserve fund is inherently young — construction only began in 2023, so there has been limited time to accumulate reserves for future capital repairs (roofing, pool resurfacing, shared infrastructure) relative to an established 700-home community with two decades of contributions. Buyers should also expect some construction activity to continue nearby as the section (and the broader Highlands development around it) builds out, and should clarify in writing which amenities are fully open versus still under development at the time of purchase.

Comparison With Nearby Communities

Within Chesterfield County, Lake Margaret is most comparable to Woolridge Landing and Villas at Dogwood as new-construction or recently built 55+ options, though at a meaningfully smaller scale than either — 62 homes versus Woolridge Landing's planned 165 or Villas at Dogwood's 97. Buyers who want the largest possible built-out amenity base should look at Woolridge Landing or CrossRidge (Henrico) instead; buyers who specifically want a small, lake-centered community and don't mind sharing amenities with a larger all-ages master plan are the better fit for Lake Margaret.

Current Listings

A connected local agent can provide current available homesites, which builder(s) are active in the 55+-restricted portion of Lake Margaret specifically, and recent comparable sales.

Is Lake Margaret at the Highlands legally age-restricted?

The Highlands Community Association's own records label this section 'Lake Margaret Sect. 1 (55+),' which is documentary evidence of an age-restricted designation. Buyers should still request the full HOPA compliance documentation directly before purchasing.

Is Eastwood Homes the only builder in this section?

Not necessarily. Eastwood Homes markets a 55+ product here, but Highlands Community Association architectural records for the broader Lake Margaret section list several additional builders. Confirm directly which builders currently have inventory inside the 55+-restricted boundary.

How many homes will Lake Margaret have?

Approximately 62 homes at build-out, based on aggregator and builder listings.

Are the lakefront pools exclusive to 55+ residents?

Remains unconfirmed either way. Lake Margaret's amenities, including the lakefront pools, appear to be shared with the larger, all-ages Highlands master-planned community rather than reserved exclusively for the 55+ section — confirm directly with the HOA.