Of the neighborhoods (the Villas, the Bluffs, Oak Knoll and Ironside), only the Villas (duplexes) and the Bluffs (single-family homes) have actual dwellings for sale (the other two neighborhoods have home sites, some 1/2 acre or larger, for sale).   The Villas, designed to have the feel of a Tuscan village, are poised on top of a ridge and have beautiful, panoramic views of the surrounding hills.  Each unit has a 2-car garage, roughly 1,600 sq. ft., two master bedrooms (with fireplaces), a loft, two baths, stone or stucco exteriors, 9-ft. ceilings, tile or hardwood floors, granite countertops and cedar decks.  Prices start at $240,000.   The Bluffs come with a choice of exteriors, three to four bedrooms, two baths, 1,555 sq. ft. to 1,828 sq. ft., a designer kitchen, a soaker tub, 10-ft. ceilings, a covered deck, a 2-car garage, hardwood or tile floors and a fully landscaped lawn.  Prices start at $269,000.   Call (866) 334-7817 for more information.

And while prices here are above the national norm, buyers find amenities and an ambiance often reserved for more expensive communities.  The annual HOA fees are $2,100 (paid yearly but which average $175 a month), quite reasonable for access to two world-class golf courses (each has a dress code in place), a small (20-acre) lake with a full-service private marina (boat slips are for lease to owners on a first-come, first-served basis) and two large, very appealing new clubhouses with expansive views.  Branson Creek also has a rental program for owners that do not want to spend all year at Branson Creek.

Of the two golf courses, Branson Creek Golf Club is an 18-hole beauty that was designed by architect Tom Fazio and has been named by Golf Digest as the "#1 Public Golf Course in Missouri" and ranked #66 on the Top 100 list of "The Greatest Public Courses in America" by GOLF Magazine.  The Murder Rock Golf and Country Club is the newest course and is an 18-hole treat with a spectacular setting.  

Branson Creek does not offer a "come-check-us-out" package, but it does have nightly and weekly rentals in one of the two bedroom Villas or in one of the Bluffs.  Villa rates range from $179 to $328 per unit per night and from $1,718 to $2,005 per unit per week.  Bluffs' rates range from $415 to $525 per unit per night and from $2,190 to $2,652 per unit per week.  A 2-night minimum stay is required, and no pets are allowed.

This community is a quiet place not far from a very lively and entertaining town.  Branson has 52 live-performance theaters, a dozen museums, twelve golf courses, three lakes, an outdoor, lakefront shopping mall with more than 100 stores and a planned $250 million dollar European-themed development that will feature an indoor water park, an aquarium and themed restaurants and shopping.  The primary health care facility is 165-bed, non-profit Skaggs Community Health Center; another three hospitals are within 30 minutes.   It should be noted that Branson has a very high crime rate, but the vast majority of crimes are thefts, which is not surprising considering the number of tourists that come to town year-round.

Summer temperatures average in the upper 70s but can reach the 90s; winter temperatures hover in the mid 30s to mid-40s.  Precipitation, some of which can be snow, averages roughly 4 inches per month, and humidity is fairly high, starting out at around 85% in the mornings and dipping to 60% in the afternoons.