Although sales activity is picking up in many of the South’s most popular and high-quality golf communities, and prices are beginning to inch up across the region, plenty of bargains are still available.  Here are the lowest-priced golf homes for sale in the communities with properties listed at our companion web site, GolfHomesListed.com.  I invite you to browse the entire site for a comprehensive view of current golf community homes for sale.  In parentheses after the listing price, we include our estimate of the median price of homes in the community.  (Please note: If you are interested is additional details on any of our properties, we ask you for your name and email address, information we and the real estate agent with the listing will never share with anyone. If you have any questions about this, please contact me and I will be happy to explain.)  --  Larry Gavrich, Editor.

Georgia

The Landings at Skidaway Island (Savannah)…3 BR, 3.5 BA, 2,400 sq. ft. on .25 acre, with views of marsh, tidal creek and one of The Landings’ six golf courses….$479,000 (Median price for homes in The Landings around $700,000).

 

Ford Plantation, Richmond Hill…4 BR, 4 BA Cottage, 2,000 sq. ft., 1.26 acres, view of Pete Dye golf course…$750,000 ($1 million+)

North Carolina

Mountain Air, Burnsville, NC…2 BR, 2 BA Adirondack style, 1,223 sq. ft. with mountain views, open living, decks and carport…$299,000 ($750,000)

 

Ocean Ridge Plantation, Ocean Isle Beach…4 BR, 3 BA, 3,000+ sq. ft, all-brick and maintenance free and built to buyer’s specifications, .40 acre, golf course views….$400,000 to $500,000 ($500,000+)

 

Champion Hills, Hendersonville…2 BR, 2 BA Traditional, 1,780 sq. ft., golf course view, open floor plan, fireplace, vaulted ceilings, breakfast bar…$339,000 ($800,000)

 

Carolina Colours, New Bern…3 BR, 2.5 BA townhome, 1,767 sq. ft., brick with Hardi-plank siding…$208,000 ($325,000)

 

Brunswick Forest, Leland…3 BR, 2 BA all brick, 1,700 to 1800 sq. ft., on one floor with open floor plan, screened porch…$259,900 ($325,000)

 

Landfall, Wilmington…3 BR, 2 BA, 2,025 sq. ft. with view of one of 45 holes of Nicklaus and Dye golf….$409,000 ($750,000)

 

St. James Plantation, Southport…3 BR, 2 BA Low Country style, 2,000 sq. ft., .2 acre, view of Members Course “signature” hole and of pond…$315,000 ($550,000)

South Carolina

Belfair Plantation, Bluffton….4 BR, 4.5 BA, 3,474 sq. ft. on .53 acre wooded lot. Two Tom Fazio golf courses…$459,000 ($750,000)

 

Berkeley Hall Plantation, Bluffton…4 BR, 4 BA cottage, 3,188 sq. ft., .23 acre with view of one of two Tom Fazio golf courses…$379,000 ($750,000)

 

Colleton River Plantation, Bluffton…3 BR, 3 BA, 3,794 sq. ft. on .52 acre with golf course view…$395,000 ($800,000)

 

Oldfield Plantation, Okatie…3 BR, 2.5 BA, 2,243 sq. ft. on .14 acre with a lake view in golf and equestrian oriented community…$359,950 ($650,000)

 

Daniel Island, Charleston…2 BR, 2 BA townhome, 1,545 sq. ft. with pool and marsh views, short distance to town center…$329,900 ($750,000)

 

Pawleys Plantation, Pawleys Island...2 BR, 2 BA Golf villa, 1,025 sq. ft., screened porch, private master with bath, wet bar...$124,600 ($450,000)

 

Wachesaw Plantation, Murrells Inlet…2 BR, 2 BA Low Country cottage, 1,300 sq. ft., split bedroom plan, 2 screened porches, gas fireplace…$229,000 ($550,000)

Virginia

Old Trail Village, Crozet…4 BR, 3.5 BA townhome with 1,925 sq. ft. down and 475 up; 2-car garage, balcony…$250,800 ($400,000)

 

Wintergreen Resort, Nellyford…2 BR, 2 BA, one-level condo, 825 sq. ft. on 12^th hole of Ellis Maples mountaintop Devil’s Knob course. Fireplace, new kitches, old furnished…$109,500

 

Dozens more golf homes for sale, including golf properties for sale, are listed at GolfHomesListed.com.

        If you were contemplating a bid for the bankrupt Cliffs Communities, your time has come and gone. Term sheets, which outline the details of an offer, were due on Friday, and qualified bidders were to be identified by yesterday, according to the schedule set by the bankruptcy court in Greenville, SC. Saturday is the deadline for more definitive documents to be submitted by bidders, including a membership plan; those docs will determine if the bidders are “qualified.” If more than one qualified bidder emerges, an auction will be held within a few days. On April 28, the successful bidder –- if an auction is held -- will be notified.

        Observers close to The Cliffs believe that the consortium of the Carlile Group, Arendale Holdings and Urbana will wind up with the prize. Penny and Steve Carlile are the possessors of deep pockets as well as property at The Cliffs; Arendale is a subsidiary of the Jacksonville, FL-based Stokes Group, a development company; and Urbana owns a large bit of the

undeveloped dirt across the communities, courtesy of a deal the company did with financially strapped Cliffs founder Jim Anthony. A lawsuit alleging fraud that Anthony filed against Urbana is still pending and could potentially make a mess of things. Unless Anthony is out for blood, the betting here is that case will be settled before the successful bidders begin to execute their plan.

        One other potential messy detail is that any successful bidder must negotiate a settlement with the Cliffs residents who loaned Jim Anthony $64 million to complete construction of promised amenities, including the Gary Player golf course at the community known as Mountain Park. The Carlile group is already negotiating with the group of note holders; however those negotiations turn out, one thing is certain: The terms for the note holders will be nowhere near as generous as Anthony offered (including a seven-year, 12% return on their $100,000 increments). Given that Anthony was able to return only around $7 million (in one annual payment), the note holders may be content with any arrangement that is close to reasonable. However, the bankruptcy court appears to have the last word on how secured debt (the note holders) as well as unsecured (e.g. membership deposits to non-note holders as well) is repaid.

        According to one Cliffs member, a schism between the note holder and non-note holder groups is probably exaggerated.

        “Many non-note holders do not think the note holders need to simply suck it up [the Anthony loan] as a bad investment,” he told us. “There is recognition…that the note holders gave the clubs more time to keep the lights on.”