What are the ‘pros’ and what are the ‘cons’ you hear from prospective buyers about living on a course? What are your own ‘pros’ and ‘cons’?
“I represent Laterra Links, a development in King & Bear at World Golf Village that is surrounded by six holes of the golf course and seven lakes. Some of the purchasers are not avid golfers, but enjoy the natural beauty and privacy of being located on the course. Residents also enjoy the benefit of the clubhouse for socializing and entertaining.”
— Mary Gaskill, Davidson Realty, Inc.
“The ever-increasing labor causes increased fees. Now, it seems people who opted to live on a golf course now want to dump and run but are having a hard time finding a buyer. People have become more aware of the enormous chemical residue load from living on a golf course. I do think times have changed. Living on a golf course is no longer a big deal. It’s more like a negative. That has been my observation over the last 10 years.”
— Sarita G. May, Country Club Real Estate of Ponte Vedra
“First off, the pros are that it offers a nice view. If you have kids they can play on the course after the golfers are done. Also walking on the course to play a few holes after hours is nice. The cons are that sometimes your house gets hit by stray golf balls or there are golfers poking around your yard looking for lost balls. Overall, it’s a plus to live on the golf course.”
— Wally Sears, SunTrust Mortgage
“I can tell you from personal experience that you must be very careful about where on the golf course you live. I once lived too close to the teeing area on a par three. I felt an invasion of privacy and the cursing was a constant annoyance. I also would be careful about living in an area where wayward tee shots land. You would need a screened area or a helmet. The ideal area would be across a lake with the golf course in the background. That’s my two cents.”
— Bob Gedeon, Oceanfront Realty
“I feel there are a number of people who prefer living on a golf course. I personally live on a public golf course and we love it. You can walk to play golf. Once the day is done, it is so peaceful and quiet and there are always a lot of birds and wild life around. I have sold to two customers in my own neighborhood this year and they were only looking at golf course locations. Sometimes they are not golfers but just like being in the golf community.”
— Jean Hable, Century 21 John T. Ferreira & Son Inc.
“Life on the golf course has got to be really great if you enjoy golf, nature and have tolerance for others. It is definitely not the place to be if you enjoy privacy. Your backyard is open to the view of anyone passing by. If you have a pool, like to do yard work or just sit outside, you will have company. An occasional golf ball landing in your yard or, worse yet, into the side of your home or a window or screened enclosure can mean extra expense for the home owner or the unexpected company of a golfer in search of his or her ball. I do not have the request for golf course lots very often and when it does come up, the ideal situation seems to be one of a distant view rather than the golf course in your backyard — i.e. water to golf, preserve to golf, etc.”
— Dan Daniel, Prudential Network Realty
“Yes, as much for the open space than the golf. There are so many options out there from the traditional Deerwood, Marsh Landing and Amelia National to the North Hampton/South Hampton, Eagle Landing and Panther Creek areas. They offer open space, amenity options, some gated-some not, location, lot premium, prestige, schools, etc. There is always value to golf views just like there is always value to a water view. Know what your property rights are and insurance issues including broken windows and damaged siding. Expect loss of some privacy, ability to fence, have noise in the early morning, but enjoy more birds and wildlife, light and green space.”
— Jeff Kern, Embassy Mortgage and Real Estate
“Being in a golf course community is a selling point mostly to those buyers that golf as they place a higher value on that benefit. Nevertheless, some buyers also appreciate golf course communities even though they don’t golf. A prime example of this is the World Golf Village and Marsh Creek. The lifestyle that is provided there gives all buyers a sense of a secure investment in their home purchase. Homes that are directly on the golf course have a tendency to achieve a higher sales price than identical homes that are not. It is only a rare case where someone’s property is located in such a way as to become a lightning rod for stray tee shots that it could actually be a negative to the sale. Buyers don’t want to have to walk around with pith helmets in their backyards.”
— Dirk Schroeder, Century 21 St. Augustine Properties
“I love it. We live on the fourth green at Hidden Hills Country Club Estates. I have a big back yard that someone else takes care of. I like to be able to walk out in the evenings and hit a couple of balls. I also get some free balls once in a while. Except when Fred Whatley is playing! He never loses a ball!”
— Gene Jones, ERA Dan Jones & Associates
“In the Northeast Florida/Southeast Georgia area, I believe a well planned and maintained golf course will always be pro. The lifestyle represented by having a course in your neighborhood is the real draw. When looking to buy in one of these neighborhoods there are certain expectations of a close knit community that plays together not just on the golf course but at the clubhouse, gym, tennis courts, swimming pools and social events. LandMar even hires professional lifestyle directors to be sure a diverse array of special events including mom’s morning-out groups, kids’ swimming classes, cooking courses, expert speakers and the like are planned monthly so that the facilities are used. There is the cache of belonging in the ‘gated’ community. Some of the cons I hear include the high fees necessary to maintain the abundance, the amount of water used keeping the greens green, the lack of privacy if you live on the course, ‘Hey, have you seen my ball?’ and finally, some people just plain don’t like the game. I have enjoyed selling the neighborhoods that offer all the amenities of a golf course community, except the golf course.”
— Andie Patton, LandMar Group
“I don’t hear much either way. I would not like to live on a course unless there was a lake or woods between me and the course.”
— Michael Shurr, Watson Realty Corp
“Yes, living on a golf course is still desirable. You don’t have houses behind you that may have an unruly or disruptive neighbor. The property is always meticulously maintained without having to lift a finger to maintain it yourself. Also, there’s nothing like jumping out for a quick 18 holes after work without having to even get in my car. A con would be that one has to be sure that your kids don’t get bonked on the head by a wayward golf ball. A pro is that I have to buy a lot less golf balls now that I’ve gotten used to playing the assortment I find in my yard that others have hit there. Heck, for a guy who would never buy a Titleist Pro V1 ball, I get to play them fairly regularly!”
— Brad King, Wachovia Mortgage Corporation
“It may be an old cliché but to buy property on a golf course, the key is location, location, location. The benefits can be a breathtaking view that extends your yard and enlarges the value of your home. But, in order to get a good golf course location, you have to be there early to pick a sight that will not be looking into the back yard of another house when the development is built out. You also have to play a few rounds of golf before you buy to be sure the house is not in a line of fire from the tee box. Having a beautiful view gets old when you have to replace a window every few weeks. Living on a golf course does extend your yard, but you must be willing to see an endless parade of carts going past your back yard during the daylight hours. Having said that, golf courses are the quietest places in the world at night and they are generally filled with all sorts of wild birds and other animals, especially in the winter months.”
— Kathy McLearn, Watson Realty Corp.
“We live in a golf course community and really enjoy it. My husband is an avid golfer and that is why we moved here. Late afternoons he can just walk over and chip and putt. So that is a big seller here on Amelia Island. The views are nice and it adds a lot of ‘green’ to a neighborhood. However, some people who live on the most active parts of a golf course don’t like it. Golfers may hit balls in your yard and then they are coming in and out which hurts your privacy. It just depends on which section of the golf course your home is in. So when showing property this is something to be taken into consideration.”
— Josie Deal, Coldwell Banker Jasinsky & Associates.
“I can speak for Palencia. Golf is only one of the reasons families decide on a new community. But if great golf is at the top of a buyer’s want list, after playing at Palencia, they are sold. This includes the entire family. We are seeing more young people wanting to learn the game. The positive influence of young players like Natalie Gulbis and Tiger Woods encourages the youth to attend golf camp or take lessons. We have also just introduced a unique opportunity to learn the most under overlooked part of the game, The Palencia Putting Institute started June 8. We are one of the first in the nation to offer this.”
— Naomi Lumley, Palencia Realty, LLC Hines