What Are the Pros and Cons of Living on a Golf Course?

Golf course homes can be highly sought-after for some buyers, but at the same time, these properties can have downsides that you have to consider.

Before buying a home on a golf course, you need to do research. You need to, of course, think of it like you would any other investment and not get too wowed by the amenities to the point that it clouds your long-term financial judgment.

The following are both pros and cons to think about before you purchase a home in a golf community.

The Pros of Living on a Golf Course

The following are the upsides of golf course living.

Amenities

The number one reason people tend to buy in communities on a golf course is because of the amenities. If you’re a golfer, that’s obvious, but even if you aren’t a golfer, there can be upsides.

For example, these communities will usually have a clubhouse that you can join with things like swimming and tennis. There may also be restaurants within the community and parks.

There are regular social activities, so you can meet people pretty easily when you live in these communities if you’d like to.

Scenery and Views

Even if you don’t play golf personally, there’s no doubt that looking at a beautifully-maintained course is tranquil and scenic.

If the course hosts tournaments and events, you’re going to have a great view built-in. You can host events in your backyard that coincide with the course events.

When your primary view is the course, you don’t have to think about looking back into a neighbor’s yard that’s not well-kept.

Maintenance crews are going to invest time and energy into making sure the course looks beautiful.

Safety and Security

A lot of communities that are on a golf course are going to have security. They might have a guard gate and surveillance. You could like the idea of living in a gated community.

Resale Value

Sometimes, living on a course can make your home sell for a premium. It’s important to understand that it can also be a downside in terms of your resale value, which we’ll talk about below.

The Cons of Living on a Golf Course

Now, for the possible downsides of living in a golf community.

Restrictions

Nearly every golf community is going to have a homeowners association. The homeowners association can be a good thing as far as making sure everyone’s home is well-maintained and follows certain guidelines. However, homeowners’ associations can also be expensive, frustrating, and overly restrictive. You will have to go through the HOA before you make a lot of changes to your own home.

You need to carefully look at the rules and the restrictions of an HOA before buying.

Noise

Landscaping maintenance is usually done very early in the morning. You may have to deal with high noise levels when you’d otherwise be sleeping or trying to enjoy a peaceful cup of coffee.

If your bedroom is facing the course, there’s a high likelihood your sleep will be affected unless you’re an early riser.

There’s also going to be noise throughout the day as people are playing, and large tournaments can amplify this issue even more.

Understanding the course layout before you buy is going to help you know whether a home is close to a gathering spot for golfers, which is going to be the noisiest area.

Privacy

In some ways, there are benefits of living on a golf course as far as privacy. You aren’t staring into your neighbor’s home every time you look out of your back window. There are going to be golfers, and they might be walking right by your deck or patio.

Plus, there’s always a chance a ball will hit your house and could break a window or hit your car.

Resale Value

Finally, as we said above, resale value can be an upside and a downside, depending on how you’re looking at it.

While some people seek out golf communities, for other people, it’s a turnoff. There are a lot of extra costs, and many golf course homes require that buyers also purchase a club membership. That can be tens of thousands of dollars in initiation fees. If you were to sell your home, you might have to lower the price to compensate for the club fee.

Buyers may also want to avoid HOA fees, so you could be limited in your pool of potential purchasers if you were to sell your home at any point.

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