Real Estate Sales in SWFL Golf Communities…Pandemic and After

When the entire economy essentially shut down around mid-March 2020, it appeared to be absolute destruction for the real estate industry. However, designation as an “essential industry” quickly changed that. Then, over time, “working remotely” kicked into gear and employees in a multitude of industries realized that they could satisfy their job requirements and responsibilities from more satisfying locales. Additionally, concerns about personal and family safety in high-population areas; unacceptable local and state taxes; disagreement with the decisions and direction of local politicians; and, universal dislike of cold weather, prompted millions of folks to pull up stakes and head to more acceptable areas. Florida, more than ever, became a prime target of these migrants.

At the same time, people were finding out that golf was one of the few sports that could be played safely during the pandemic, and it went through a massive rejuvenation. People coming from northern and midwestern states sought out residency in golf communities more than ever…and nowhere in Florida could they satisfy their golf “appetite” more than in Southwest Florida, the home of over a hundred golf communities and over 150 golf courses.

Southwest Florida golf community real estate sales skyrocketed…2020 sales, beginning in May—when people started traveling—were phenomenal. 2021 real estate sales in these golf communities accelerated to record-setting levels. Buyers were happy, sellers were excited, and real estate brokers and agents were experiencing sales volume that hadn’t been seen since the doomed “funny money” years of 2004-2006. And, the really good news was that this sales boom was on a significantly more sound financial basis than that previous period.

Then the unexpected happened. Because of the continuing sales explosion, and because fewer homes than normal went onto the market in late-2020/early-2021 due to decreased number of owners (especially from Canada) coming to Southwest Florida due to Covid concerns and restrictions, inventory dried up. Large golf communities of 3000-6000 condos and houses that normally had hundreds of homes for sale at any point-in-time, dried up to 10-20 active daily listings, offering inadequate selection. Popular medium-sized golf communities of 800-1500 homes quite often had zero homes available for sale. Ironically, the tragic pandemic had exacerbated Southwest Florida real estate sales to record levels, but the over-whelming sales results had, in turn, left us with minimal inventory to sell.

Buyer demand is continuing to be extremely strong, but buyers are now operating in a “seller’s market” and prices are going up at an unrealistic pace. New listings are tied up with a full schedule of showings their first few days on the market (if they last that long), getting multiple offers, and selling for generous premiums over asking price.

Here are some suggestions that might help you win the bidding war on your “dream” golf home…

1.  Watch new listings on a daily basis—If you’re comfortable using some of the national apps and websites, continue using them. However, if your target is a home in a Southwest Florida golf community, my personal website (GolfHomeGuru.com) and personal iPhone/iPad/Android App (Golf Home Guru) are the most comprehensive, informative, and user-friendly Southwest Florida golf community-specialized resources that you will find.
2. Be willing to buy sight-unseen—If you’re not already in Southwest Florida, you probably don’t have time to fly down and look at the home you like online. If you really want it, you’re going to have to rely on online photos, virtual tours, and FaceTime or Zoom sessions with your real estate agent. There’s no time for hesitation in this market if you’re committed to a particular home.
3. Be willing to pay premium dollars—In some cases, this may be significantly over asking price; the surplus amount varies a lot from home-to-home. One of my recent clients offered $950,000 for a home that was listed at $895,000, and they lost it to a $1,000,000 offer. Don’t get too far out of line, though…eventually there will be a market correction…
4. Be a cash buyer…or at least be willing to waive your financing contingency—Sellers are giving priority to cash offers so that they don’t have to wait 30-45 days for financing approval from the buyer’s lender. They’re also doing it so that they don’t need to worry about an appraisal not working out because of their inflated price.
5. Be willing to close fast—Title companies, attorneys, lenders, etc. are so busy now that this is sometimes tough to do, but sellers want to be free of costly HOA fees, golf dues, special assessments, real estate taxes, etc. as soon as possible. If possible, shoot for 30-days-or-less.
6. Be willing to take furnishings you normally wouldn’t buy—Every seller has their “hot button”, and for some it’s that they don’t want to mess with liquidating furnishings when they sell the home. If furnishings are included in the sale for a reasonable amount, accepting them might save your purchase.
7. Be willing to buy “As Is”—“As Is” makes you responsible for any repairs that are required; however, if they look too costly, you can terminate the contract, so you’re properly protected. Some buyers are currently offering to waive inspections, but I wouldn’t advise this for anything other than a new/newer home.
8. Eliminate other miscellaneous contingencies—Keep the contract as simple as you can in these very competitive times…sellers will reject bids loaded up with contingencies.

 Because of wariness about the current market, many prospective buyers are considering rental instead. However, available supply for rentals is also extremely limited…and expensive. Buying is still probably your best option…you just need to be alert, 100% committed, and willing to respond quickly per my above suggestions.

As I start my 16^th year of specializing in Southwest Florida golf community residential real estate sales, the question that I get asked most frequently continues to be… “What is the best private golf community in Southwest Florida?” But with over 100 different golf communities and over 150 golf courses in the area, it’s not feasible to select just one community. In addition, the golfers/golf home buyers that gravitate to SWFL have a very diverse list of needs, wants, and preferences that can’t be satisfied by just one golf community. So, 7-8 years ago I decided to develop a “Top 25 Southwest Florida Golf Communities” list that would enable my tens of thousands of annual website (GolfHomeGuru.com) visitors—most of whom use this website as their primary source of information regarding SWFL golf community and housing alternatives—to narrow down our broad assortment of private golf communities, and focus on the handful-or-so that come the closest to satisfying their personal budgets, golfing habits and ability, and family lifestyle. The goal was to make their final selection of an ideal private golf community a lot easier and quicker.

The exclusive “GURU Top 25” list has been fine-tuned over time, and it’s now the #1 most frequently visited individual page on my website, which so far this year has experienced over a half million total page visits. The list is based on 15-years of experience of showing and comparing properties in almost 90 different golf communities…and ultimately selling in almost 60 of these communities. It’s updated annually, and it primarily consists of the communities that are most often chosen by my buyers, reflecting their appreciation of the housing offers and pricing, and the amenities offerings and improvements that are available in these individual communities.

The following is the 2020 “GURU Top 25” list, with the individual communities listed in alphabetical within each category. Go to GolfHomeGuru.com for a plethora of additional details and specifics regarding each community. The website also includes a list of “Honorable Mention” golf communities for each category.

TOP 5 “BUNDLED” PRIVATE GOLF COMMUNITIES (A Golf and/or Social Membership is included in the price of the home you buy in these private communities, and you pay no membership initiation fee)

Bonita National (Bonita Springs) –18 holes; Golf course designer, Gordon Lewis

Esplanade (Naples)—18-holes; Chris Wilczyski

Heritage Bay (Naples)—27-holes; Gordon Lewis

Naples Lakes (Naples)—18-holes; Arnold Palmer “Signature” course

Pelican Sound (Estero)—27-holes; Chip Powell

TOP 5 “AFFORDABLE PRICED” PRIVATE GOLF COMMUNITIES (Golf Membership initiation fees between $5,000-$39,999)

Gateway (Ft. Myers) –$8,000 initiation fee; 18-holes; Tom Fazio

Greyhawk at Golf Club of the Everglades (Naples)–$39,000 (couple); 18-holes; Rees Jones

Pelican Preserve (Ft. Myers) –$6,500; 27-holes; Chip Powell

Quail Creek (Naples)–$25,000; 36-holes; Arthur Hills

Verandah (Ft. Myers) –$22,500; 36-holes; Jack Nicklaus & Robert Cupp

TOP 5 “MEDIUM PRICED” PRIVATE GOLF COMMUNITIES (Golf Membership initiation fees between $40,000-$49,999)

Kensington (Naples)–$45,000; 18-holes; Robert Trent Jones

Pelican Landing/Pelican Nest (Bonita Springs) –$42,000; 36-holes; Arthur Hills

Vineyards (Naples)–$40,000; 36-holes; Mark McCumber

The Quarry (Naples)–$45,000; 18-holes; Michael Hurdzan & Dana Fry

TwinEagles (Naples)–$40,000; 36-holes: Jack Nicklaus & Steve Smyers

TOP 5 “PREMIMUM PRICED” PRIVATE GOLF COMMUNITIES (Golf Membership initiation fees between $50,000-$79,999)

Fiddler’s Creek (Naples)–$50,000; 18-holes; Arthur Hills

Fiddlesticks (Ft. Myers) –$50,000; 36-holes; Ron Garl

Gulf Harbour (Ft. Myers) –$60,000; 18-holes; Chip Powell

Miromar Lakes (Ft. Myers/Miromar Lakes) –$64,000; 18-holes: Arthur Hills

Palmira (Bonita Springs) –$50,000; 27-holes; Gordon Lewis

TOP 5 “ELITE PRICED” PRIVATE GOLF COMMUNITIES (Golf Membership initiation fees between $80,000-$200,000)

Bonita Bay (Bonita Springs) — $95,000; 90-holes; Arthur Hills & Tom Fazio

Grey Oaks (Naples)–$160,000; 54-holes: Robert Cupp

Mediterra (Naples)–$150,000; 36-holes; Tom Fazio

Pelican Bay (Naples)–$130,000; 27-holes; Arthur Hills

Quail West (Naples)–$120,000; 36-holes; Arthur Hills

Every year I get 2-3 phone calls from local golf community General Managers, BOD members, or Membership Directors asking why they aren’t on the “GURU Top 25” list…and what they need to do to get on it? If their community has some obvious deficits that are impending their attractiveness to my clients—such as overly-high mandatory membership fees; missing key amenities, such as outdoor dining, pickle ball, bocce’ ball; outdated facilities; a high population of homes that need updating inside; etc.—I graciously provide them with this feedback. However, the reality is that most of these communities don’t have glaring defects…and some even have unrecognized or under-appreciated advantages over communities on my list. That’s one of the reasons why I continue to show my clients homes in ALL communities that appear to best fit their parameters, regardless of whether they’re on my list or not. It’s also why I update/revise my list each year. SWFL is blessed with some of the best overall golf/social communities and best golf courses in the nation, and what doesn’t appeal to one of my clients may be another client’s favorite feature. The 2020 list, for instance, contains seven golf communities that weren’t on it a year ago and another 4-5 were added this year to the “Honorable Mention” lists, predominantly due to my clients’ recognition and appreciation of their key advantages…and my clients’ subsequent desire to buy a home in these communities. My advice is to use my list as a tool to narrow down your search due diligence, but don’t definitively rule out the other applicable golf communities until we have a chance to personally discuss whether they might work for you.

For most of my real estate customers, golf is a passion…and is the number one reason they want to buy a house or condominium in a Southwest Florida golf community.  They live for golf, and their overall lifestyle revolves around golf…and, in well over 50% of the cases, this fervent love of golf is shared by both spouses.  If they’re not playing a round of golf, they’re hitting balls and chipping and putting.  A major part of their real estate purchase decision is determined by the community that has the best course(s); the best practice facilities and/or golf instructors; the best reciprocal offering for the off-season months; and, in many cases, the up front and annual golf fee structure that best fits their personal budget.  Constant updating and improvement of the club’s course(s) and related golf facilities are an absolute necessity in order to get these folks’ attention…AND their purchase of a home in the community.

But the reality is that even the most diehard golf enthusiasts can’t be on the course or range at all times, and they require a number of other activities to keep themselves engaged and gratified.  So, they gravitate to the communities that not only satisfy their voracious golf appetites, but also offer the additional array of amenities that they personally prefer.  In most cases, newer is better, so they target in on new communities and on the mature communities that have made an obvious commitment to updating and upgrading their offering of amenities.  

If you review the premier SWFL golf communities that I feature in my exclusive “GURU Top 25 SWFL Golf Communities” list on my website (GolfHomeGuru.com), you’ll see that the common theme of my “GURU Comments” section is that these select, preferred communities have all made major financial commitments to their non-golf amenities in the past 1-3 years.  Golf may generate the biggest revenues in each club; however, without a well-rounded, current assortment of other activities and amenities, most—if not all—of these country clubs would cease to exist.  Their savvy BOD’s and informed memberships have recognized that wise improvements and additions to their mix of non-golf amenities would enhance the value of their residential real estate…and they voted in favor of these “investments”.

What key non-golf amenities are most often requested by golf community real estate buyers these days…and what are the latest trends in new amenities?  Here are the key ones… 

• CLUBHOUSE—One of the most memorable amenities a prospective buyer will see when I show them a SWFL golf community is the golf clubhouse.  Its external appearance, internal color scheme, spaciousness, and overall appeal make a lasting impression on the people who are considering buying in the community and becoming members.  Everyone, of course, has their own individual taste and design preference, but the community’s clubhouse has a major influence on the ultimate decision of the buyers.  As fitness centers and casual dining currently undergo a trend of moving to separate buildings outside of the clubhouse, people still want an impressive clubhouse, with many seeming to prefer an open, light and bright coastal look.
• DINING—Let’s face it, Naples/SWFL residents and visitors like to eat out.  One of my buyers once told me that she only wanted a kitchen in her new home for resale value when she and her husband decide to sell it…they didn’t plan to use it!  Many of our country clubs offer coffee, pastries, or full breakfasts…as well as lunch and dinner everyday in-season.  Fine dining is still high on the list of many country club members, but casual dining has seen strong growth over recent years, especially with the advent of outdoor, open-air, pool-side and green-side cabanas and chickee huts.  These dining facilities—with multiple TV’s and a sports bar atmosphere—have pretty much replaced the traditional “19th Hole” as a place to congregate after a round of golf, for evening gatherings, and for Saturday college football/basketball and Sunday NFL football.  And, because almost all SWFL golf communities allow personal golf carts for transportation around the community, you don’t have to risk driving a car home after consuming an adult beverage.    
• RESORT-STYLE POOL—This has always been high on the “wish list” of country club members, but the addition of the previously-mentioned pool-side bars/restaurants has made these main community pools even more desirable.  They’ve gotten bigger and more impressive, with many of them also offering lap lanes, waterfalls, water slides, and even beach volleyball. 
• FITNESS CENTER—Supervised fitness centers with multiple health and fitness instructors are also very common, and their diverse daily calendars offer a ton of variety and activity.
• RACQUET SPORTS—Tennis has always been a favorite of many of my golf community customers.  However, interest in pickle ball has grown exponentially in the past 6-7 years, and most SWFL golf communities have responded to this demand by adding 2-8 courts.  Naples hosts the National Pickle Ball Championship Tournament every spring, which has helped drive local participation in the sport.
• BOCCE BALL—This sport has also caught on big in many SWFL golf communities, and many others have had to add bocce courts in order to placate their current members and attract new members.  Bocce aficionados tend to love the fact that they can effectively “compete” with a ball in one hand and a drink in the other!
• WALKING/JOGGING/BIKING PATHS—Fitness is still the rage, and many real estate buyers are influenced by the quantity and quality of the community’s jogging paths, with some winding through natural preserves, mangroves, and around bodies of water.   
• MARINA—Obviously, this isn’t an amenity that can be added like pickle ball and bocce ball, so the lucky few SWFL golf communities that also have a marina have a distinct advantage if a home buyer is looking for this feature.  Some of these communities are on large rivers with Gulf of Mexico access.  A couple of others are on inland fresh water lakes and offer active boating and fishing. There are also a few golf communities that don’t have their own marina, but do offer boating capabilities with a boat launch and boat storage; and, a few others that are located on smaller inland water that can accommodate canoes and kayaks. 
• BEACH CLUB/BEACH ACCESS—A number of SWFL’s more elite golf communities have their own private beach clubs on the Gulf of Mexico, and a few others have shuttle boats to Gulf beaches.  One well-known Naples golf community borders right up to the Gulf of Mexico and its residents can just walk or golf cart shuttle to their community’s private beach club.

As all Southwest Florida residents and visitors know, our private golf communities are plentiful and world class. However, many of our golf-enthusiast visitors don’t have sufficient time to play enough rounds of golf during the season to justify a house/condo purchase in even our most reasonably-priced “bundled” private golf communities. The best option for these folks are gated residential communities that are built around public golf courses.

These communities typically have lower prices on single family homes and condominiums and more affordable annual HOA/Condo fees, assessments, and real estate taxes than their private golf community counterparts. They provide the opportunity to live in an appealing golf course environment, but without the expenses of an initiation fee or an annual golf fee…you simply pay-as-you-play each round of golf. Some of them do, however, offer annual and/or seasonal golf “memberships” to their residents in order to save them money and give them tee time scheduling priority.

Even with their lower overall annual expenses, most of these communities still offer basic country club-type amenities such as community pools, fitness centers, tennis and pickle ball courts, and limited dining. Even though their greens fees/cart fees do spike somewhat in-season (ie January thru April), they’re still a superb value for golfers that can’t be in Southwest Florida much of the year; or, for one reason-or-another, can’t play many rounds of golf when they’re here.

To learn more about these public golf communities, please check out the “Top 5 SWFL Public Golf Communities” list on my website, GolfHomeGuru.com. Please contact me if you have any questions or need any additional information about them. And, if you’re in SWFL, I’d love to show you their homes!

”What is the best private golf community in Naples and Southwest Florida?” This is—by far—the question that I get asked most frequently. My answer is always the same…there’s not just one; there are a large number of private golf communities that appeal to the varying needs and wants of our world-wide assortment of buyers. But finally, a few years ago, I decided to develop a “Top 25 Southwest Florida Golf Communities” list that would allow my thousands of website (GolfHomeGuru.com) visitors and my many customers to narrow down our 100+ private golf communities, and focus on the few that come the closest to being their #1 option. From there, the final selection of the ideal private golf community becomes a lot easier.

My exclusive “Top 25” list has been fine-tuned over time, and it’s now based on 15-years of showing and comparing properties in 80+ different golf communities, and ultimately selling in 50 of these communities. It essentially consists of a compilation of the communities most often chosen by my buyers, whose diligent, well-researched buying decisions have been predicated on a number of very important considerations. Although my individual buyers had different rankings of the elements that were most important to them in choosing a private golf community, the following ten are probably the most worthy of consideration for YOU to select the one in which you want to buy.  I’ve also indicated key questions/points that you should address for each one.

LOCATION—Do you want to be close to…the Gulf of Mexico and beaches; shopping and dining; 5th Ave. in Naples; the River District in Ft. Myers; near Southwest Florida International Airport; etc.?

COMMUNITY HISTORY—Who is/was the developer of the community; how old is it; what is its financial condition; how progressive is it; how active and involved are its members?

COMMUNITY SIZE—How many homes does it have; will it be tough to develop friendships, and organize activities groups?

GOLF COURSE—How many holes do they have; who designed the course(s); how “player friendly” is it…for both men & women; how recently was it renovated; are there any existing, or planned, special assessments for golf course renovation?

GOLF MEMBERSHIP—Is a golf membership mandatory or optional; is there an initiation fee…if so, how much is it and is it refundable; are there any new member purchase incentives; can you sell your golf membership to someone who is buying your home; how much is the annual golf fee; what is the maximum number of golf members; how many golf members do they currently have; how hard is it to get on the course in peak season (ie January thru April); can you have your own golf cart…if so, how much is the annual trail fee; how extensive is the off-season reciprocal list?

MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS—What types of non-golf memberships do they offer; are there initiation fees for them…if so, how much is each and are they refundable; are there any new member purchase incentives; how much are the annual membership fees; what amenities does each type of membership allow you to utilize; are the non-golf memberships mandatory or optional; do they have separate memberships for private beach clubs and/or boat storage?

CLUBHOUSE—Has it been updated recently; is it big enough to accommodate the size of the community; are there adequate dining facilities; are there any special assessments?

AMENITIES & FACILITIES—Do they have a full array of amenities and facilities, including today’s “hot” items…an updated outdoor bar/dining area, pickle ball, and bocce’ ball; what key amenities are they missing…and are there plans to add them in the near future; if so, will there be a special assessment, and how much; do they have a private beach and/or beach club on the Gulf; do they have boat docks and/or boat storage on-site; are there any special assessments for recent renovations?

TYPES OF HOMES AVAILABLE—Do they have single family estate homes, slightly smaller single family homes, attached villas, coach homes, carriage homes, verandas, basic condos; do their condos have garages; do they have new construction; what are the HOA or Condo fees for each type of home; what are the real estate taxes for each type of home?

HOUSING SALES HISTORY—What’s the average age of homes in the community; how many homes have sold in the past year; how many are currently for sale…and what is their average number of days on the market?  

Undoubtedly, it’s going to be too time-consuming for you to get answers to all of these questions. However, if you focus on the ones you deem the most important to your efforts to select the private golf community that will best fit your personal budget, golfing habits and ability, and family lifestyle, you’ll be well on your way to making a solid, long-term decision.  Or, in golf jargon…no “mulligan” necessary!

Fifteen years of selling real estate in our spectacular Southwest Florida golf communities has been an extremely gratifying and enlightening endeavor.  Regardless of whether my clients came from the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, etc., they’ve all had the common objective of finding the golf home/golf community that would best fit their individual budget, family lifestyle, and golfing habits and ability.  However, the diversity of their personalized needs and wants is what has made my job truly challenging and exciting!      

The purpose of this article is to present you with some of the most common requests I’ve gotten from these folks…requests that reflected their individual preferences and priorities.  If you’re currently in the process of looking for a home in a Southwest Florida golf community, some of these requests might resemble your own.  If that’s the case, my answers will hopefully point you in the direction of the golf community, or communities, that will work best for you. 

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We’re from Michigan and we live on a lake.  We want to buy in a golf community, and also be able to boat and fish in a freshwater lake.  What golf communities would you suggest?”

ANSWER:  The Quarry (Naples) and Miromar Lakes (Fort Myers) have 500-700 acres of freshwater lakes for boating enthusiasts, along with challenging championship-caliber golf courses and superior amenities. 

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We’ve determined that we want to be in a bundled golf community with new construction.  What Naples bundled golf community works best for us?”

ANSWER:  Esplanade, an upscale bundled golf community, is still under development in north Naples and it offers amazing amenities and golf course. 

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We’re members of a private club in Chicago with only 250 members and we don’t have to set up tee times.  What Naples club, with less than a $50,000 initiation fee, would you recommend?”

ANSWER:  Greyhawk at Golf Club of the Everglades, also under development in north Naples, is restricting golf membership to 300-golfers, with no tee times required. 

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We have a big sailboat that we want to bring down here with us from New Jersey.  What golf communities in Southwest Florida also have a marina, with access to the Gulf of Mexico?”

ANSWER:  Your best golf community options for bringing along your sailboat or yacht are Windstar (Naples), Bonita Bay (Bonita Springs), and Gulf Harbour (Fort Myers)…all, obviously, very upscale golf communities. 

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We live on an Arnold Palmer golf course in Pennsylvania and we love its design and playability.  Did Arnie design any courses down here that we should consider?”

ANSWER:  Naples Lakes (bundled; Naples) and Wildcat Run (non-bundled; Estero) both feature Arnold Palmer “Signature” golf courses. 

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We’ve already determined that we want to be in a bundled golf community—preferably with 36-holes of golf—and we also want to use our personal boat to access the Gulf of Mexico.  Will any of the bundled golf communities work for us?”

ANSWER:  Pelican Sound (Estero) is the only bundled golf community west of Highway 41, and it has its own boat launch into the Estero River, along with shuttle boats to take resident members to Lover’s Key Island. 

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We won’t be able to be down here much the first few years we own our Southwest Florida condo, so we’ll probably just play public courses then.  But, after we retire, we’d like to have the option to join a private club.  Will any local golf community satisfy both desires?”

ANSWER:  Lely Resort, with two well-maintained public courses (The Flamingo & The Mustang) and one private course (The Classics), offers a great solution for this request.

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We want to buy in a Naples golf community—preferably with no more than $50,000 initiation fee—and we want to walk the course when we play.  What would be our best option(s)?”

ANSWER:  Eagle Creek, Kensington, and Greyhawk—all in Naples—allow golfers to walk at any time.  Some others allow walking with certain time restrictions. 

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We live on a TPC course in the Northeast, and we heard that there’s one in Southwest Florida that was co-designed by Arthur Hills and Hal Sutton.  Where is it?”

ANSWER:  Treviso Bay, located in southeast Naples, is the only bundled golf community in the TPC line-up of courses.

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We don’t like carports…we want to be able to put our car, and possibly a golf cart, in a 2-car garage.  However, we’re on a tight budget so we want a condominium in a bundled golf community, priced under-$250,000.  Any suggestion?”

ANSWER:  Naples Lakes condos—their least expensive properties—all have 1-2 car garages on the first floor of the building, with the condos located directly above them on 3-floors.  Many are priced under-$250,000, with furnishings included.

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “Money is no object with us.  We’re looking for a very large estate home with at least 7,000sf in one of your most prestigious golf communities.  We must have at least three 18-hole courses to play.  What communities come to mind?”

ANSWER:  Fabulous Grey Oaks (central Naples) has 54-holes of golf, and top notch amenities. Spectacular Bonita Bay (Bonita Springs) has 90-holes of golf, with three courses on-site and two courses located in north Naples.  Bonita Bay also has a marina, with Gulf access.

CUSTOMER REQUEST:  “We will only buy in a golf community that has its own Beach Club on the Gulf of Mexico…and we want to be in Naples.  Who do you recommend?”

ANSWER:  Pelican Bay, Fiddler’s Creek, and Mediterra—all in Naples—all have private Beach Clubs on the Gulf of Mexico.  Pelican Bay residents can walk, bike, or take a golf cart shuttle to their on-site Beach Club; the other two require auto or shuttle transportation.

If you’re in the market for a Southwest Florida golf home, I hope one-or-more of the above scenarios will enhance your search. This information, and much, much more regarding our 100+ local Southwest Florida golf communities can be found on my website, GolfHomeGuru.com.  Please check out my EXCLUSIVE “GURU Top 25 SWFL Golf Communities” web page, and feel free to contact me at any time for answers to your questions and/or help with your search.

One of the KEY “perks of owning and living in a Southwest Florida golf community is the off-season reciprocal play system.  Virtually every SWFL private golf community offers its members a “Reciprocal List” of 40-60 area golf courses that they can play during the period of May 1 through October 31.  In most cases, the cost of the round is equivalent to just slightly more than the cost of a cart fee; and, quite often the hosting club will throw in a heavily-discounted lunch/beverage in an effort to lure golfers into their dining facilities.

Whether your home community is a bundled or non-bundled private club, the “Reciprocal List” of each community will typically include an outstanding mix of each of these types of golf communities.  During the summer period, each golf community shuts down one day per week for minor on-going maintenance, and shuts down two-to-three times, for one-to-two weeks at a time, for major maintenance (aeration, etc).  The reciprocal system allows individual members and group foursomes to play other high-quality, challenging golf courses during these shutdown periods.  And, the process for setting up tee times is quick and easy…just call your local club pro and he/she will contact the reciprocal club and set up your preferred tee time.

After playing 40-60 (or more) rounds of golf on your home course during January though April—and getting to know every yard of fairway landing area, and every inch of break on the greens—the reciprocal program offers you a very affordable opportunity to test your finely-honed golf skills on a course that you can’t play in your sleep.  As all golfers appreciate, playing a golf course for the first time can be an interesting—but often humbling—experience…and it also enables you to discover other courses, and golf communities, that you really like.  You may like some of them so much that you’ll play them multiple times during the reciprocal period, and play them from year-to-year; and, in the extreme case, you’ll possibly relocate to one of them in the near future.

If you haven’t bought in Southwest Florida yet and you’re in the process of scouting out housing and golf communities, please be sure to ask each club’s Membership Director and/or Golf Pro to give you a copy of their most recent “Reciprocal List”.  In some cases, you can access this list on the community’s website.  If you already own in one of our wonderful area golf communities, you’ll automatically receive a “Reciprocal List” online and/or via handouts or mailings.

As you review each list, I’d suggest that you look for the following golf courses.  These are all outstanding golf venues, and ones that you’ll thoroughly enjoy playing.  If you compare this list to my exclusive “GURU Top 25 SWFL Golf Communities” list on my website (GolfHomeGuru.com), you’ll see that all of them are also on that list.  There’s no coincidence here, as a major consideration in formulating this list was the quality and playability of the golf course, as determined by my past/current customers, and by me.

• Bundled Golf Communities
• Naples: Naples Lakes; Vanderbilt; Esplanade; Treviso Bay. Bonita Springs: Bonita National. Estero: Pelican Sound. Ft. Myers: Colonial; Legends. These courses have a number of different designers, and they’re all fun, well-maintained and scenic, and challenging.  Naples Lakes is a superb Arnold Palmer “Signature” golf course that was the last golf course that his design company updated before he passed away.  Treviso Bay is SWFL’s only TPC-designated golf course, co-designed by Hal Sutton and Arthur Hills…and it demands good shot-making!
• Equity/Non-Equity, Economically-Priced Initiation Fee Golf Communities
• Naples: Imperial. Bonita Springs: Hunters Ridge.  Ft. Myers: Verandah; Gateway; The Plantation.  These are also extremely well-maintained, challenging golf courses, again with a mix of golf course designers.  Imperial and Verandah have 36-holes; and, Gateway has the area’s most unique practice range, consisting of a “Golf Academy” school, multiple chipping/short iron greens, and two full-size practice holes.  
• Equity/Non-Equity, Medium-Priced Initiation Fee Golf Communities
• Naples: TwinEagles; The Quarry; Greyhawk/Golf Club of the Everglades. Ft. Myers: Gulf Harbour.  TwinEagles has two 18-hole courses—one designed by Jack Nicklaus—and it hosted the ACE/Chubb Classic (PGA Champions Tour) for a number of years.  The Quarry also features fresh water boating; and Gulf Harbour has its own Gulf-access marina and ridiculously-expensive yachts.
• Equity/Non-Equity, Premium-Priced Initiation Fee Golf Communities
• Naples: Fiddler’s Creek; Olde Cypress.  Bonita Springs: Palmira. Estero: Shadow Wood at the Brooks.  Ft. Myers: Fiddlesticks; Miromar Lakes.  Fiddler’s Creek not only has a great golf course, but it’s another opportunity to add Gulf boating and a beach club to your amenities resume when you live there.  Ditto for Shadow Wood at the Brooks, and they also offer 54-holes of golf. The two courses at Fiddlesticks are high on my list of personal favorites (how could you not like a course named the “Long and Mean”?), and they just lowered their mandatory golf membership initiation fee from $81K to $50K. Miromar Lakes is an Arthur Hills “grip it and rip it” course off most tees, but tougher shots into its greens.  They also have midwest-size fresh water boating lakes.
• Equity/Non-Equity, Elite-Priced Initiation Fee Golf Communities
• Naples: Grey Oaks; Mediterra; Quail West.  Bonita Springs: Bonita Bay.  Ft. Myers: Renaissance.  Very few clubs have these elite clubs/courses on their “Reciprocal List”; but if you do, DO NOT pass up the opportunity to play them.  Spectacular Grey Oaks has three totally-different, very challenging courses; Mediterra has two magnificently-manicured Tom Fazio courses; and, Quail West has two equally-beautiful Arthur Hills-designed courses.  Bonita Bay holds the local record with 90-holes of golf, with three courses on-site in Bonita Springs, and two wildlife-laden courses located in northeast Naples.

The above list features the premier golf courses in SWFL, and you’ll undoubtedly enjoy every round on them.  I apologize to the many other fine area courses that didn’t make my list…because most of them are also worthy of your time and money. But, in my experience, the ones listed above are extraordinary opportunities for reciprocal FUN!

As you may have noticed, most of my articles are targeted at BUYERS of Naples/Southwest Florida golf community homes.  In an effort to somewhat “even the playing field”—and, more importantly, because we still have another couple of key-season months for owners to market their homes for sale—I want to devote this article to some tips for our local golf community real estate SELLERS.  But, BUYERS, you can also learn from this article…so please read on.

Selling a home in a SWFL golf community can sometimes be a little more complicated than the normal home sale.  Why?  Because their selling prices and annual carrying costs are most often higher than in non-golf communities, and their community amenities are normally more extensive…so they require additional marketing expertise.

As with the sale of any home, your asking price is the paramount factor in how quickly your golf home will get sold.  But, determining the correct asking price for a home in a golf community may require some additional evaluations and decisions.  Here are some  key considerations that you will need to address…

• What is my home’s “market value”? Make sure that your real estate agent reviews the most recent 3-6 months’ “comp” sales in your neighborhood.  After adjusting each of these “comps” for your home’s advantages and/or  deficiencies, you’ll be able to get a realistic feel for what it’s worth, i.e. its “market value”.  This is the key decision that you’re going to make, so don’t get greedy…price it no more than 5% over your agent’s calculated “market value” in order to maximize showings and potential offers.  The most critical period for getting the attention of other agents and prospective buyers is when your home is initially listed, so don’t start high with a plan to reduce it if you’re not getting showings.  Starting out too high will just result in more discounting and additional days on the market…and will cost you many opportunities.
• How much inventory is available? Most SWFL golf communities currently have about a 6-month to 1-year inventory of homes on the market.  But, there are some that have as high as a 3-year inventory based on their current sales velocity.  An abnormally-high inventory in an entire golf community typically indicates problems that go far beyond over-priced homes…possibly reflecting unacceptable membership and/or HOA requirements; high annual dues/fees; excessive special assessments;  mandatory golf memberships; developer/member problems; lack of available golf memberships; etc.  These conditions  tend to get worked out over time, so it might be best to hold off on selling your home during this period, if you can. However, if you have to sell right away, your primary options are lower-than-normal pricing on your home, special incentives, and/or extraordinarily-creative marketing. 
• What are the advantages of my home? In my opinion, golf course homes require more promotion, marketing, and advertising than non-golf homes because they have a bigger story to tell.  Golf course view is the most important feature of your golf community home, and it needs to be emphasized in MLS, as this is the vehicle that feeds all of the major real estate websites (realtor.com; zillow.com; etc.).  It also needs to be featured in all magazine ads, handout brochures, postcards, etc.  Make sure your agent promotes all of your home’s advantages, but put your focus on your view of the golf course…that’s the #1 priority of golf community home buyers. A big, panoramic golf course (and lake) view will get you additional dollars for your home; but, if you’re located on a cart path, tee box, or green—in an area that golf carts and 5:30am lawn mowers frequent—you may have to settle for a little less than normal.  In addition to the quality of your golf course view, realistic pricing of your home also requires objective input from your agent regarding the extent of outdoor road noise and the status of indoor updates/upgrades…especially, kitchen appliances and counter tops, baths, floors, window/door storm protection, and air conditioning. 
• What are the strengths of my golf community? In order to maximize the attractiveness of your home, make sure that your real estate agent also  aggressively promotes the major advantages of your golf community.  Does it have lower golf fees and annual costs than its competitors?  Does it have a championship length golf course? Does it have newer and better amenities, and/or additional amenities…i.e. pickle ball, bocce ball, walking paths, etc.?  Does it have fewer golfers; hence, easier access to the golf course?  Does it have less road noise from major streets and highways?  Stress your community’s advantages in all marketing materials.
• What are surrounding golf communities doing? Quite often, you’ll have to make your pricing decisions based on what’s also happening in nearby competing golf communities. If they’ve gotten aggressive in attracting new buyers, you may have to match their “incentives”—ie free membership transfer fee; free annual golf fee for the first year; etc.—or, come up with your own incentives, in order to get your home sold.   

All of the above considerations are integral to the success of selling your home in a Southwest Florida golf community.  Hiring a qualified, professional real estate agent to help you make sound “business decisions” will ultimately SAVE YOU TIME AND MONEY!

Like thousands of other people from all around the world, you’ve decided that you want to live in one of Southwest Florida’s incredible golf communities. But with so many beautiful golf communities from which to choose, how do you determine the right one for you? Even if you’ve owned or rented here for a number of years, this can still be quite challenging…and a search process that should be fun and exciting can sometimes turn exhausting and over-whelming.

The first step to finding your dream home in a SWFL golf community is to find the community that best fits YOUR budget, golfing habits and ability, and family lifestyle. To do this, you need to answer the following questions…

• BUDGET—In addition to the purchase price of the home, what annual costs are acceptable to you? Annual ownership expenses will consist of HOA/condo fees, golf/social membership fees, real estate taxes, cart fees, and possibly special assessments and/or food & beverage minimums. After you total up the home’s annual costs, it then helps to estimate how much time you and your family will be at this home each year. Determine if you can justify this annual expense. If not, move on to a home and golf community that better fit your budget.
• GOLFING HABITS & ABILITY—How much golf will you and your spouse play each week you’re at your SWFL home? Do you prefer to walk when you play golf? Do you want to have your own golf cart? How tough a golf course can you handle? It’s essential to find a golf course that you and your spouse ENJOY.
• FAMILY LIFESTYLE—What other community amenities and activities will you and your family use most…tennis; fitness center; resort pool;  lap pool; pickle ball; bocce ball; spa; casual dining; formal dining? And, what non-community activities—ie beaches; shopping; movies; dining; etc.—are most important to you and your family?

The second step is to then select the golf community “category” that best matches up with your answers to the above questions. SWFL essentially features three types of golf communities—public; private bundled; and private equity/non-equity—and each category has its own unique features and fee structures.

• PUBLIC GOLF COMMUNITIES—These are housing developments that surround public golf courses. These communities typically have lower prices on single family homes and condos, and more affordable annual costs. They provide the opportunity to live in a golf environment, but without paying an initiation fee or annual golf fees…you simply pay-as-you-play each round of golf. They’re a great deal for individuals or families that aren’t going to be in SWFL much of the year, and also for owners that don’t play much golf. These communities normally feature relatively-low HOA/condo fees, but most of them offer basic country club amenities such as pools, fitness centers, tennis, and limited dining.
• PRIVATE BUNDLED GOLF COMMUNITIES—Purchasing a home in one of these communities gets you a full golf/social membership without having to pay an initiation fee. Their annual golf/social membership fees range from about $4,000-$7,000/year. This category is economically attractive to owners who are going to be in SWFL at least 3-4 months of the year and plan to play a lot of golf. These communities offer outstanding golf courses, a full array of amenities, and they constantly update their courses and facilities. If they have any flaw, it’s their high golfer count…typically 799 golf members per 18-holes.
• PRIVATE EQUITY/NON-EQUITY GOLF COMMUNITIES—These communities require an upfront initiation fee for a golf membership, currently ranging from $12,000-$150,000. The median is around $50,000-$60,000, and there are a number of outstanding communities in this range. Only about 25% of the communities currently offer refunds when the golf membership is terminated, with refunds ranging from 10%-100%. Golf memberships are optional in some communities and mandatory in others, so make sure you know the requirements of the ones that you’re considering. Annual fees in these communities normally range from about $8,000-$12,000/year (roughly double the bundled golf communities). Lush landscaping, championship golf courses, elaborate and elegant facilities, and maximum amenities are common to this category…especially in the higher-end communities. A big advantage of these communities is that they restrict their number of golf memberships to 300-400 per 18-holes, so it’s a lot easier to get on the course during the busy winter season.  

Once you’ve matched your answer profile with one of these golf community categories, the third step is to review the individual golf communities in that category. The easiest and quickest way to do this is to use my website, GolfHomeGuru.com, which offers the financial and golf details for every SWFL golf community…and EXCLUSIVELY recommends the “Top 25 SWFL Golf Communities”.  Then, contact me for more information…and to visit our great golf homes!  

Since 2006, I’ve had the good fortune to show thousands of Southwest Florida (Naples; Bonita Springs; Estero; Ft. Myers) golf community single family homes and condos to hundreds of prospective buyers and tenants. These showings have included residences in almost-80 different golf communities, and sales in over-50 various golf communities. The needs, wants, and objectives of every customer have been personalized by their own individual situation…and my goal has always been to help each one of them find the golf home/golf community that will best fit their personal budget, golfing habits & ability, and family lifestyle. 

But, even with their diverse backgrounds and preferences, nearly every customer has asked me the same basic—and extremely important—question…”Is NOW the right time to buy a home in a Southwest Florida golf community?” With the roller coaster ride that both the national real estate market and our local area have experienced during the past 12-years, the honest answer to this question has obviously been very fluid, depending upon when it was asked. 

But, to formulate an answer to this question for the current period of time, I’d like to start with these key general observations regarding the current condition of SWFL golf communities…

• Many prices are still at VALUE levels—Our local real estate market started it’s turn-around 5-6 years ago, and prices have been increasing since then. However, unlike the “bubble” years, this growth has been modest and controlled, and local golf community real estate prices are—in most cases—still significantly below their peak years.
• Interest rates are still relatively close to historic low levels—All types of mortgages are still hanging around the 4.0% mark, and even lower. Actually, 60%+ of our buyers pay cash.
• Spectacular golf homes are still available—Even though the inventory in all of our golf communities is significantly below what it was during the recession, many of the available single family homes and condos (resale and new construction) feature fabulous upgrades and amenities, decorator furnishings, and incredible golf course views.
• Golf communities are much healthier now—A significant number of local golf communities encountered major financial problems during the housing downturn. However, strong real estate and membership sales, coupled with new ownerships, new developers, creative new builder relationships, much-needed changes in bylaws, and significant reductions in membership fees have dramatically improved their profitability and their prospect of on-going financial success.

These favorable conditions have actually imposed a need for urgency on the part of anyone who is currently planning to buy in one of our local golf communities, because…

• Professional investors—recognizing opportunities—re-entered the real estate market and gobbled up many of the best bargains, sometimes buying multiple condo units at once.
• Rapidly-improving sales during each of the past 5-6 years have significantly reduced single family home and condo inventory in golf communities, in most cases down to a 6-12 month inventory level. Some subdivisions within these communities have even lower availability.
• Some of the best value homes on the market are once again experiencing multiple offers, and/or selling prices that exceed asking prices.

In addition, many Southwest Florida real estate experts feel that our local home sales will get even stronger if the stock market’s current growth somewhat slows down, or goes thru a correction. They feel that the rapid, sustained growth of the stock market—although creating wealth for our potential buyers—has “discouraged” them from purchasing vacation homes because they didn’t want to pull their money out of a consistent growth market.  However, a gradual stock market correction may encourage them to diversify into more real estate.  

So, the obvious answer to the question is…NOW is definitely a GREAT TIME to buy your “dream” golf home in Southwest Florida!  And, one more tip for those of you that are TRULY SERIOUS BUYERS…the March/April/May period is your BEST TIME to negotiate a GREAT PRICE because the Sellers know that their prospective buyers are about to head north, and they won’t return until the next January/February!