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5 tips to consider if you’ve been thinking about buying a home in a golf course community

Tip 1:

While living across the street from the fairways offers a homeowner additional privacy (no neighbor in front), it also provides a bird’s-eye-view to golfers – especially those wandering through your yard to retrieve balls. Choose your location within the golf community carefully. Homes along the right side, nearest to the tee box, are statistically at higher risk for wandering golfers searching for errant balls and the damage those balls can cause. You may want to play the course to help determine if the home you have your eye on is ideally located.

Tip 2:

I stress the importance to all homeowners interested in purchasing a home in a managed community to read the HOA documents thoroughly, it’s even more critical when considering a home on a golf course. Is netting prohibited? Are there rules against entering the course from your property?

Tips 3:

While golf participation throughout the country is stabilizing, and fewer courses are closing, keep in mind that it’s still a buyers’ market in many communities in this real estate niche. You are in the drivers’ seat, by and large, in negotiations.

Tip 4:

You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy golf course living. In fact, it’s estimated that only about a quarter of residents who live on or near courses play the game. They purchased the home to enjoy the scenic view, the enjoyment of not having a neighbor’s home facing theirs and the peaceful evenings.

Tip 5:

If you do play, you may want to restrict your search for a golf course home for sale to communities that offer other amenities as well, such as tennis courts, walking trails, swimming pools.

Thinking of selling your golf course home?

Realtor.com analyzed listings of homes for sale in 273  U.S. counties. They found that those listings that included the word “golf” took, on average, 75 days to sell. These homes eventually sold for 14 percent more than the median sale price for the area and nearly 30 percent more than the nationwide median home price.

Of course, all real estate is local and markets change so the “mileage” here in our area may vary.  Feel free to reach out to me for a complimentary, no-obligation determination of your home’s likely market value.