| With today's planned lifestyle communities, golf and | | | | "location, location, location" aside, one has to consider |
| boating enthusiasts have an opportunity to purchase | | | | whether the new property will serve as a primary |
| the home of their dreams just a chip shot away from | | | | residence, second home getaway or retirement |
| the green or stone's throw from the marina. In addition | | | | abode. The final location decision is generally based on |
| to an ideal home setting, golf and waterfront | | | | three primary factors: home use, surrounding area and |
| community residents enjoy an active and diversified | | | | local weather. |
| lifestyle experience complete with first-class golf | | | | For most of us working folk, our primary residence is |
| courses, marinas, beaches, spas, clubhouses, | | | | located within an hour or so of a major metropolitan |
| recreation areas, fine dining and countless other | | | | center. Don't fret, there are hundreds of golf and |
| amenities. | | | | waterfront communities centrally located within driving |
| Out of the 10,000 master planned communities across | | | | distance from most major metropolitan areas. If by |
| the United States, over 2,500 are built around golf | | | | chance you live near Dallas, you have several options |
| courses and pristine waterfront property. Making | | | | to choose from including Stonebridge Ranch in north |
| sense of all the options can be mind boggling. If you | | | | Dallas and Black Horse Ranch which is only 25 |
| are thinking about relocating to one of these golf and | | | | minutes from downtown. Washington D.C. commuters |
| waterfront communities, it is imperative to be able to | | | | are also in luck with conveniently located golf and |
| distinguish one community from the next and more | | | | waterfront communities in Virginia, Maryland and |
| importantly, know what to look for before you buy. | | | | Delaware. Belmont Country Club, a Toll Brothers |
| Community Types | | | | property, is a mere 40 minutes from Washington D.C. |
| In the past, golf and waterfront master planned | | | | in Ashburn, Virginia. These examples represent only a |
| communities catered to distinct segments of the | | | | fraction of the actual number of suburban golf and |
| housing market, namely middle to upper income empty | | | | waterfront developments. |
| nesters and retirees. Things have changed. Today, golf | | | | The location decision is a bit more complicated and not |
| course and waterfront developments are designed to | | | | as clear cut when one considers purchasing a second |
| accommodate budgets of all levels and generally fall | | | | home retreat or retirement residence. In this situation, |
| into one of two categories: multi-generational and age | | | | other factors come in to play such as the activity and |
| restricted. | | | | cultural richness of the immediate area and of course, |
| The construction of multi-generational communities | | | | local weather. If you are looking for a second home, |
| represents a recent trend in planned community home | | | | would you like to be nestled in the woods away from |
| building. The underlying idea is to attract a diverse | | | | the hustle and bustle of the city, located in a more |
| population of families including retirees and young | | | | suburban area or some in between? |
| professionals of varying income levels and | | | | Climate is also an integral factor to take into |
| backgrounds in order to establish a robust and vibrant | | | | consideration when purchasing a home particularly if |
| community. After decades of building age restricted | | | | you are feeling abused by recent harsh winters. This |
| communities, builders and developers have recognized | | | | may clearly point to a direction that takes you out of |
| that the traditional elements of planned community living | | | | your home state or even to another part of the |
| such as security, on-site amenities and low | | | | country. Conversely, the summer's never ending heat |
| maintenance housing appeal to home buyers of all | | | | may drive you to consider the cooler climates up north. |
| ages. | | | | Fortunately, there are 2,500 golf and waterfront |
| Most new communities are multi-generational | | | | communities spread out across the United States from |
| developments. Vistancia situated in the beautiful | | | | Minnesota to Texas and California to Massachusetts. |
| Sonoran desert outside of Peoria, Arizona is a recently | | | | What is clear in the case of retirement homes is that |
| opened golf community attracting individuals and | | | | good local health care and transportation facilities are a |
| families of all ages. Since home sales began in March | | | | must. For most retirees, living over 60 miles away from |
| 2004, almost 500 families have moved into this scenic | | | | the closest hospital or airport is just not an option. In the |
| development with 1,700 total acres of open space and | | | | end, it comes down to striking a balance between |
| a 900-acre mountain preserve. | | | | modern necessities and the beauty of the great |
| Conversely, age restricted planned communities are | | | | outdoors. |
| developed for the +55 home owner with amenities | | | | Amenities |
| and facilities for today's discerning empty nester and | | | | Once you have settled on a geographic location, the |
| retiree. Typically, the age restriction requires one | | | | next area to focus on is amenities. These can vary |
| household resident to be at least 55 in order to qualify | | | | greatly from one golf and waterfront development to |
| for home ownership. Over the last decade, an | | | | the next. Typically, these expanded 'goodies' fall into |
| evolution has occurred with the age restricted | | | | two categories: conveniences and lifestyle |
| community model of yesteryear making way for | | | | enhancements. Conveniences include such things as |
| contemporary activity based developments complete | | | | security services, home maintenance, gardening |
| with lavish amenities and world-class recreation areas, | | | | services, concierge service, on-site retail and office |
| not to mention the conventional facilities required by | | | | space, cable television and high-speed internet. |
| the +55 demographic. | | | | Lifestyle enhancements relate to recreation activities |
| The undisputed leader in age restricted master planned | | | | and rest and relaxation befitting an enhanced life of |
| community development is Del Webb. Since the 1960s, | | | | leisure. One can find a mix of facilities at planned |
| Del Webb has constructed numerous age restricted | | | | communities which support numerous activities like |
| golf and waterfront communities across the United | | | | tennis, hunting, boating, skiing, and hiking. To balance the |
| States. Del Webb's Sun City developments are | | | | rigors of recreation, planned communities provide |
| arguably the most recognizable line of age restricted | | | | residents with rest and relaxation amenities such as |
| communities stretching from coast to coast with Sun | | | | spas, clubhouses, wilderness preserves, pools, beaches |
| City Hilton Head in North Carolina and Sun City Lincoln | | | | and fine dining. |
| Hill in California. | | | | With real estate opportunities for every budget, isn't it |
| Location | | | | about time you looked into moving to a golf and |
| The most important criterion in selecting a traditional | | | | waterfront community that offers unbelievable vistas, |
| home is location and the same is true when deciding | | | | year round activities, low maintenance living and |
| on a golf and waterfront community. The old adage | | | | first-class amenities? |