East Texas · Gated · Member-Owned
Welcome to Emerald Bay, a gated lake & golf community.
560 homes on Lake Palestine. 18 holes of free unlimited golf (no green or trail fees), a clubhouse, lighted tennis courts, community boat ramp, and a 24/7 guarded gate, 12 miles from Tyler in the East Texas piney woods.
Currently Available
Featured Emerald Bay homes
A handful from what's currently inside the gate, ask John for the current list of Emerald Bay homes for sale.
0Homes
0Holes · Par 71
24/7Guarded Gate
0Acres of Lake Palestine
Your Neighbor Inside The Gate
He lives in Emerald Bay. Nobody knows it better.
John Cordova doesn't just sell Emerald Bay, he lives here, behind the same gate, on the same lake, playing the same course. No outside Realtor knows this community's lake homes, golf course homes, and gated-community homes, the HOA, the golf membership, or the waterfront the way a neighbor does. When you call, you get John, not a call center.
John Cordova
Broker · CHS · RENE · CMS · PSC · CLHA · TREC #0508870
Tennessee-born. Emerald Bay resident. No outside Realtor knows this community and Lake Palestine like a neighbor who lives here every day, plays the same course, and holds the same gate pass.
John specializes in lake homes and waterfront properties on Lake Palestine, golf course homes in Emerald Bay, homes with land and acreage, farms and ranches, and investment properties. As a Certified Home Stager, he prepares your home to sell, not just lists it.
CHS · RENE · CMS · PSC · CLHA · Diamond Elite Premier Service
Full background, education, aviation career, military service & recognition
Education
BS Political Science, The Citadel (1967–1971)
MBA Finance, Southern Illinois University (1973–1975)
Aviation Career
Captain, American Airlines, retired (1978–2011)
Lt. Col. USAF Reserve, retired (1971–1994)
Instructor Pilot: B-777, B-767, B-727, MD-80, DC-10, C-141
Ratings: ATP, Instructor, Flight Engineer, Seaplane, Glider
Military Awards
Meritorious Service Medal · Air Force Commendation Medal · Distinguished Presidential Unit Citation · Combat Readiness Medal · Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal · Vietnam Service Medal · Humanitarian Service Medal · Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Real Estate Recognition
Top Company-Wide Producer, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Multi-Million Dollar Producer
Diamond Elite Premier Service Award, 2006
Proof, Not Pitch
John's home, inside the same gate as yours.
Same guardhouse. Same fairways. Same lake. When John walks a house with a buyer, he's already walked past it on the way home. That's not a marketing line, that's a driveway three streets over.
Thank You For Your Service
A veteran discount when John represents you.
John Cordova is a retired U.S. Air Force Reserve Lieutenant Colonel. Veterans who buy or sell a home with Cordova Real Estate can receive a discount on John's commission at closing. It's our way of thanking those who served. Call or email John to confirm the current offer.
Payment of the discount is subject to the consent of the party John represents, lender approval, and other restrictions.
Why Emerald Bay
On Lake Palestine. 12 miles from Tyler. Inside a gated, member-owned community.
Emerald Bay is a member-owned, debt-free, gated community of roughly 560 homes on the shores of 26,000-acre Lake Palestine. A championship 18-hole course (no green or trail fees), lighted tennis courts, a community boat ramp, a clubhouse, and a 24/7 guarded gate, all run by a member-elected board that serves without pay.
- Championship 18-hole course
- No green fees · no trail fees
- Lighted tennis & basketball courts
- Community boat ramp for members
- Clubhouse with dining, bar & events
- 24/7 guarded gate · debt-free Club and HOA
- Community church (VBS & two Sunday services)
- Junior Golf Camp each summer (Club-sponsored)
- Tyler regional airport, domestic & international connections
Inside The Gate
What you'll find at Emerald Bay
A walk through the place, the parts members love, the parts visitors notice first.
Buying & Selling Inside The Gate
Buying or selling in Emerald Bay?
We've represented buyers and sellers behind this gate for 24 years, and we live here too. Here's how we help on both sides.
Buying in Emerald Bay
Most Emerald Bay homes sell between about $250,000 and $800,000, with lakefront and custom homes above $1 million and homesites starting around $30,000. As resident members, we help you navigate the parts outsiders miss:
- Golf membership transfer and what dues really cover
- HOA, gate access, and dock & boathouse rules
- Which streets get the best water and fairway views
- Off-market homes we hear about before they list
Selling in Emerald Bay
Selling inside the gate is its own market. Buyers aren't just buying a house, they're buying the lifestyle, the membership, and the neighbors. We price and market to the people really looking here:
- Pricing built on real Emerald Bay comps, not county averages
- Marketing to lake-and-golf buyers in DFW and beyond
- Photography that sells the amenities, not just the rooms
- A member network that brings qualified, motivated buyers
From Our Clients
What Emerald Bay families are saying
A few words from the folks who live behind the gate.
★★★★★
It is like vacationing or living in a resort all the time. The golfing is wonderful, the lake is beautiful, and the pool and tennis courts are always a big hit with the kids. What I appreciate most is the people, I've never lived in a neighborhood where more warmth and friendship is shown.
★★★★★
We were looking for a golfing community when we ventured into a place that offered so much more. From the time we enter the gate, we are welcomed with smiles and waves. A retirement community? … No … Emerald Bay is where people come to live!
★★★★★
Emerald Bay is the best kept secret in Texas! I moved here 21 years ago. Then my parents moved here. Then my brother and his wife moved here. If you visit and meet the people, you will want to live here too.
Common Questions
Emerald Bay real estate, answered
The questions buyers and sellers ask us most about life inside the gate.
How much do homes cost in Emerald Bay, TX?
Most Emerald Bay homes sell between about $250,000 and $800,000, with lakefront and custom homes reaching beyond $1 million and homesites starting around $30,000.
Is Emerald Bay a gated community?
Yes. Emerald Bay is a member-owned, gated community with a 24/7 guarded gate on Lake Palestine in Bullard, Texas, about 12 miles south of Tyler.
Is golf included for Emerald Bay members?
Yes. Members enjoy free, unlimited play on the 18-hole, par-71 course with no green fees or trail fees, and may use their own golf carts.
What amenities does Emerald Bay offer?
A championship 18-hole golf course (no green or trail fees), a clubhouse with dining, lighted tennis and basketball courts, a community pool, a community boat ramp for members, and a non-denominational community church, all behind a 24/7 guarded gate.
What do Emerald Bay membership dues cover?
Emerald Bay is member-owned and debt-free. Dues cover free, unlimited golf, the clubhouse and amenities, and 24/7 gated security. We'll walk you through the current dues schedule and exactly what transfers to you at closing.
Why work with a Realtor who lives in Emerald Bay?
The details that decide an Emerald Bay sale, golf membership transfer, dock and boathouse rules, which streets hold their value, and off-market homes, rarely show up in a listing. John Cordova has lived inside the gate for years and has represented buyers and sellers here for 24 years.
How do I buy or sell a home in Emerald Bay?
Work with a resident Realtor. John Cordova of Cordova Real Estate lives in Emerald Bay and has represented buyers and sellers inside the gate for 24 years. Call 903-520-5321.
