Thinking of Buying on a Golf Course? Here Are 6 Things to Consider First

July 23, 2018

What’s not to love about the vast greenery, meticulously maintained grounds and rolling hills of a golf course? It certainly provides for a gorgeous backdrop for any backyard, and many residential communities are built around golf courses. And if you’re an avid golfer, having a course right in your own backyard is as convenient as it gets.

But should you buy a home located in a golf community? Here are a few things to consider first.

1. What is the Financial State of the Course?

Many things will impact the value of your property and the community that it’s located in, including the financial state of the golf course itself. Most likely, the course is a private one, which means it will be funded by HOA dues paid by all homeowners in the community. You’ll want to make sure that the golf course is financially strong or it could negatively impact your property value down the road.

2. What Are the HOA Fees?

Speaking of HOA fees, what are they? How much will you be spending to live on a golf course, and what else do they cover? You’ll most likely find that HOA dues in golf course communities are higher compared to other HOA communities, and rightfully so.

There’s a lot of money required to maintain the greens for a golf course, not to mention maintain and operate the clubhouse or any store or restaurant that may be on site. If you golf, it might make sense to pay these extra fees. But if you don’t, you should think hard about whether or not you’re willing to pay extra fees just for the scenery.

3. Are You Comfortable With the Foot Traffic?

If the home you’re looking at backs directly onto a golf course, will you be OK with the idea of having golfers regularly pass by your backyard all day long? Find out how busy the golf course gets, specifically at certain times of the day and days of the week and make sure you’re comfortable with all that traffic passing by.

4. What About Flying Golf Balls?

It’s not uncommon for golf balls to land in the yards of homes located in a golf community. This can become a nuisance and even a hazard if the balls hit someone on your property or even damage a window or other component of your home.

5. You’ll Be Subject to Deed Restrictions

Since golf communities are governed by a homeowners’ association, you’ll have restrictions and rules to abide by. Every HOA community has their own set of rules and regulations that all homeowners need to adhere to. These can limit what you can and can’t do with your home, including painting your garage doors a specific color, parking oversized vehicles on your driveway, or even how you can landscape your yard.

While this might sound like a bit of a nuisance, the premise behind these rules is to uphold the value of the community and the homes within it. That means you have some assurance that your property value will be maintained over the long haul. That said, you’ll still need to find out what the deed restrictions are and determine whether or not you can live with them.

6. Groundskeepers Will be Out There Early

Tee times start at the crack of dawn, which means groundskeepers will probably be out there even earlier before the first golfer of the day tees off.

In order to properly maintain the greens and fairways, groundskeepers use certain equipment which can make a lot of noise in the process. Depending on the proximity of your home to the tee boxes, greens, and fairways, you could find yourself listening to unpleasant sounds long before you’ve rolled out of bed. If you’re not an early riser, you might find it a real nuisance to listen to rumbling equipment before you’ve even had your morning coffee.

7. You Can’t Be Out on the Grounds if You Aren’t Golfing

Just because you live on a golf course community and are paying monthly dues to keep the course maintained doesn’t mean that you have access to the grounds whenever you like. If you’re not actually playing, the course will be off limits to you or anyone else who hasn’t booked a tee time.

The Bottom Line

Owning a home on a golf course can definitely provide you with gorgeous scenery to complement your home’s outdoor space. And if you love to play golf, having a course in such close proximity can be incredibly convenient. But there are also certain factors about golf course communities that could hinder your enjoyment of your home, so it’s important that you assess all facets of golf course living before agreeing to purchase a property in this type of community.