Dragan Family Compound

Decision dashboard - two-family compound search

Last updated: May 26, 2026

Phase 1 complete — quiz results in

Phase 1: Quiz - COMPLETE Phase 2: Discussion + property search Phase 3: Funding stack Phase 4: Legal structure
Western North Carolina — Bryson City / Sylva area
4/4 decision-makers chose WNC as their gut pick. East Tennessee is the strong #2 that everyone accepts. Texas and Florida are eliminated. Family discussion needed before starting property search — key tensions below.

Phase 1 results: Region votes

Western North Carolina
Bryson City / Sylva — mountain valleys, dramatic scenery, cooler temps
Travis: Top pick Krystal: Top pick David: Top pick Rhonda: Likes it Andrew*: Likes it
Gut pick: All 4 decision-makers
East Tennessee
Cumberland Plateau / Crossville — rolling highlands, four seasons, Appalachian foothills
Travis: Likes it Krystal: Likes it Rhonda: Likes it David: Likes it Andrew*: Top pick
Strong #2 — universal acceptance, may win on practical grounds
Texas Panhandle
Wide open, flat, dry — eliminated by family
Travis: Concerns Rhonda: No Krystal: No David: No
Eliminated — 3/4 hard no
Florida Panhandle
Marianna area inland — eliminated by David's hurricane dealbreaker
Travis: Likes it Rhonda: Concerns Krystal: Concerns David: No
Eliminated — David: "hurricane is a dealbreaker"

* Andrew is advisory only — not a decision vote. His picks are shown for context.

What everyone agrees on

Winter preferenceUnanimous — mild, minimal snow/shoveling
Summer preferenceUnanimous — upper 70s to low 80s ideal
HumidityUnanimous — moderate OK, no Florida-level humidity
TexasUnanimous — not happening
FloridaEffectively eliminated — David's hurricane dealbreaker
Icy roadsNon-issue for all — lived in MN their whole lives
Airport proximityNon-issue for all
Walmart within 20 minImportant to all — rated 4-5 across the board
Internet reliabilityAll want reliable internet — fiber or fixed wireless preferred
Very rural and private3/4 decision-makers; Rhonda wants some community nearby
Mostly natural land use3/4 want mostly natural; Krystal wants active homestead mix

Notes & comments from the quiz

Rhonda ⚑ Needs follow-up Other regions to consider
"I would like to explore a few other areas before it's decided."
Rhonda didn't name a specific region — this needs to be asked directly before the property search starts. Could be the Ozarks, Carolinas outside WNC, or somewhere else entirely. Open question #7 tracks this.
Rhonda Dealbreaker
"I don't want Texas. Or Florida."
Krystal Dealbreaker
"Not Texas, to hot to dry. I am to white for that."
David Dealbreaker
"Texas"
Andrew Advisory Other concerns
"Humid areas" — flagged as a concern, though both WNC and TN have moderate humidity. Not a hard no on either region.
Travis No notes submitted
No open-field comments.

Key tensions to discuss before searching

⚠️
WNC terrain vs. Rhonda's flat-land preference
Rhonda said she "actually prefers flat land — easier to work and build on." WNC mountain valleys have limited flat buildable land and it commands a premium. The TN Cumberland Plateau is literally a flat highland — much easier for two homes, a barn, gardens, and outbuildings. This is the biggest practical tension between the gut pick (WNC) and the better-fit region (TN).
🏥
Hospital access: WNC may be too far for Rhonda and Dad
Rhonda wants within 20-30 min. David wants within 45 min. Harris Regional in Sylva is small. Mission Hospital (Asheville) is the nearest full-service facility — roughly 40-60 min from Bryson City. For ongoing oncology and cardiology, this needs verification before WNC is confirmed. TN Plateau has Cookeville Regional ~45 min from Crossville and Vanderbilt within ~90 min for specialist care.
📡
Internet in WNC mountain hollows
Travis said Starlink is acceptable as a fallback. Everyone else wants fiber or fast fixed wireless. Rural WNC mountain properties often lack fiber entirely — hollows and ridges are frequently Starlink-only. The web business depends on reliable internet. This must be verified property by property in WNC. TN Plateau (Cumberland County) has more fiber buildout through its rural electric co-op.
💰
WNC land prices vs. TN Plateau affordability
WNC (Bryson City/Sylva area) has seen significant appreciation. 10+ acre properties with any existing structure near those towns will likely run $400k-$600k+. TN Plateau (Cumberland County) offers more acreage for less money and has more available flat parcels. Given the combined budget ceiling of ~$340k all-in, WNC may require more creative financing or a smaller footprint than expected.
🏘️
Rhonda's community need vs. everyone else's privacy preference
Rhonda wants "close enough to a town to have some social life and amenities." Travis, Krystal, and David all want "very rural and private — land, not community." Rhonda also said she'd like to explore more areas before deciding. Both Sylva/Bryson City (WNC) and Crossville (TN) have small-town amenities nearby — this is solvable but needs to be part of property selection criteria.
🤧
Travis's allergy concern in both regions
Travis rated allergies as "significant — real quality-of-life issue." WNC Appalachians have high tree pollen (oak, birch, cedar) especially in spring. TN Plateau is similar but the elevation of the Cumberland Plateau can reduce some pollen exposure. Neither region is allergy-free. Worth researching pollen data for both before committing.

Andrew's input (advisory)

Andrew is 15, not a decision-maker. His gut pick was East Tennessee (Cumberland Plateau). He picked WNC as #2. His responses are overlaid here for context — no strong objections that would change the direction.
Gut pickEast Tennessee (Cumberland Plateau)
Dealbreaker mentioned"Humid areas" — both TN and WNC have moderate humidity, manageable
Fiber internetSays fiber is non-negotiable — worth noting for property selection
Community feelWants small-town community feel — in minor tension with adults' privacy preference
Land useMost enthusiastic about active homesteading of anyone — chickens, ducks, goats, gardens
Overall assessmentNo hard objections. East TN preference doesn't block WNC — he rated WNC positively.

Phase 1: Quiz — COMPLETE

Travis Dragan
Decision-maker
submitted
Krystal Dragan
Decision-maker
submitted
Mom (Rhonda)
Decision-maker
submitted
Dad (David)
Decision-maker
submitted
Andrew (age 15)
Advisory only
submitted (advisory)

Cash position tracker

T+K

Travis & Krystal

10-15% ownership stake

Starting equity$60,000
Target reserve$20,000
Max budget~$40,000
Projected spendpending property selection
Budget headroom$40k of $60k
M+D

Mom & Dad

85-90% ownership stake

Starting equity$400,000
Target reserve$100,000 - $150,000
Max budget$250,000 - $300,000
Projected spendpending property selection
Budget headroom$275k of $400k (midpoint)
Combined ceiling
~$340k
All-in max deployable
WNC caution
High
Land prices elevated — verify listings
TN Plateau
Better fit
More acreage per dollar
Properties evaluated
0
Pending family discussion

Action items — Phase 2

All 4 Family discussion: Review the 5 tensions above. Confirm WNC vs TN or agree to search both in parallel. Rhonda's flat-land preference and hospital access are the most important items to resolve before searching.
Travis Verify hospital access reality in WNC — call Mission Hospital Asheville and Harris Regional Sylva to confirm drive time from Bryson City area. Compare to Cookeville Regional from Crossville TN.
Travis Run preliminary Zillow/LandWatch search in both regions: 10+ acres, $250k-$400k list price, existing structure. Compare availability and price per acre to assess whether WNC budget is realistic.
Travis Research internet infrastructure: Cumberland County TN (CVEC fiber buildout) vs. Jackson/Swain County WNC (Charter/fixed wireless coverage maps).
Travis Start looking for real estate attorneys in target region(s) who handle multi-family rural property and LLC co-ownership. Good ones book out 4-6 weeks.
Rhonda Think through what "some social life and amenities" looks like specifically — monthly farmers market? A church or civic group nearby? Knowing this helps narrow the search radius from any town center.
David Check with oncologist: any specific hospital system or facility needed within the 45-min window? Or is any accredited cancer center acceptable?
Krystal Document homestead must-haves: existing fencing? Barn vs. starting from scratch? Pasture acres minimum? This feeds directly into property filtering.

Open questions — ownership and legal

1.How do parents' 85-90% pass on death - to T+K automatically, to all siblings equally, or something else?
2.Cost-sharing: property tax + insurance + shared maintenance — proportional to %, equal split, or hybrid?
3.LLC confirmed as vehicle — but which state to form in? TN foreign registration required regardless if property is in TN or NC.
4.If one family can't pay carrying costs for 3+ months — what's the process? Buy-out formula? Payment plan?
5.Life insurance on parents to cover any mortgage — ensures T+K aren't forced to liquidate if parents pass with debt outstanding.
6.Phase 1 housing for T+K if no second structure on day one: RV, mobile home, or rent nearby?
7.Rhonda said she'd "like to explore a few other areas before it's decided" — is there a specific region she has in mind?
ATTORNEY REQUIRED — do not close on anything before consulting a real estate/estate planning attorney. This dashboard is planning reference only, not legal advice.
Dragan Family Compound - Planning Dashboard. Not legal or financial advice. All program information requires independent verification.