Look out your window right now. What do you see? Is it a bunch of other houses? Perhaps it's a busy street? If you're one of the few who owns a golf home, you are likely looking at the beautifully manicured fairways of a golf course.
Studies have shown that the presence of a golf course can increase the value of nearby houses by 7.6%. This goes to show how much value people place on golf courses.
Are you a golf enthusiast? Does lounging in your backyard with a picturesque view of a golf course sound perfect for you? Are you looking for a home in the Sunshine State of Florida?
If so, read on.
Florida is home to many countless beautiful golf communites, some of which are available in Lakewood Ranch, the number one selling Master-Planned Community (MPC) in the country.
Here are the top five things you should look for when searching for your perfect Florida golf home.
1. Privacy
When looking for a golf home or homesite there are some important considerations regarding privacy.
You'll want to pay attention to the location of the tees and greens since this can have a major effect on the number of balls coming into your yard. You don't want your house to be the one sitting 250 yards directly in front of a par 5 tee box!
Cart paths are another major consideration, particularly whether the path is located on your side of the fairway or the other. If it is on your side, consider the distance from your house, and whether the normal play on that hole will have people stopping right behind your property often.
If you want the most privacy you'll want a home backing to preserve area. You won't get the fairway view, but you also won't have to worry about people looking at you lounging in your pool. You'll still get the benefit of living in a beautiful golf community.
2. View
The view is certainly one of the biggest advantages of owning a home on a fariway, and fariway views are what many people come to FL for. Waking up every morning to a manicured fairway, lush greens and beautiful water hazards can be an amazing way to start your day!
If you are a big fan of golf and are on a fairway, you can sit out on your lanai and watch the golfers go by, providing you free entertainment while they curse and throw their clubs.
If you are a golfer yourself, regardless of the position of your golf home, then you get easy access to your home course where you can enjoy the view every day. Not a bad way of life.
3. HOAs and Fees
If you are looking to buy a golf home, make sure to pay attention to the regulations and additioanl fees that come attached. Almost all golf homes are part of a homeowners association (HOA), and these fees will generally be a lot higher than similar communites with no golf.
Many communties also charge a one time Captial Contribution ($2,500 is common) which goes to either the general HOA fund or course maintenance fund. Of course, this money goes directly to the upkeep of the golf course and community, so it's money well spent.
There also may be fees attached to the use of the golf facilities in particular. Whether you're a member of the club are paying to play, you'll likely have a $25 cart fee either way.
4. Upkeep
Golf courses are expensive to upkeep. This means that lower end country clubs may skimp on the maintenance costs. Pay attention to the condition of the course, greens and common areas.
A well-run golf club can raise the value of your property and will make it much more enjoyable to live in. If the administration running the golf course lets it deteriorate, or worse, the course goes out of business, then the value of your property could drop substantially.
Luckily, the golf courses in Lakewood Ranch are some of the best in the country, and will never be in any danger of going out of business.
You can get information of local country clubs through reputable realtor agencies. Additionally, when you check out the property, make sure to set up a tour of the country club itself.
5. Community
The community can play a large part in determining whether your golf home will lead to a peaceful life, or... not. Walk around and talk to the neighbors and people/members at the golf club. They are the best source of infomation on what life is like living there.
One of the advantages of golf communities — and of gated communities in general — is that they have much lower crime rates than non-gated communities. If you're looking for a safe community to retire to, or just to live in comfortably, a golf course community might just be the thing for you.
Find Golf Homes That Are Right for You
Well, that's all great, you may be thinking, but how can I actually find these golf homes?
You can use this handy interactive map to locate golf homes in Lakewood Ranch. Golf communites are identified by the golfer icon.
When you click on a community in the map, all homes for sale in the MLS will be displayed.
If you don't see a property that's perfect for you, don't worry! You can always check back later to see if new homes are on the market. You can also set up detailed searches using the MLS Search area of our website.