Different strokes: Tales of three couples show what dreams are made of

The Arthur Hills designed Palmetto course at The Landings is one of six in the community, the most challenging and, some believe, with the best views. 

    In the last few months, three of your fellow visitors to this space have purchased property in the southeastern U.S., all as second homes.  These couples had in common the wherewithal to afford a second home now, without having to first sell their primary homes.  And all recognized that, although prices in the south may erode a little more in the next year or two, their leverage with the owners and developers who sold them their properties might never be as strong.  
    Two of the couples plan to move to their new homes permanently within

the next five years, once their full-time working and child-rearing days are over; and the other couple - younger and with two small children - will move within 18 months or so, as soon as they can sell their Connecticut home and build their new home in the south.  
    I was glad to be of help to all of them, referring them to agents I knew in the areas and to communities that I had visited and reviewed earlier.  The couples chose Ocean Ridge Plantation in coastal North Carolina, The Landings near Savannah, and Governor's Club in Chapel Hill, NC, all outstanding properties but all of a decidedly different character.   The Ocean Ridge and Governor's Club couples bought property and will build; The Landings couple purchased a 20-year old home on a nice, treed piece of property overlooking one of the greens on the Arthur Hills Palmetto Course, arguably the best layout of the six at The Landings.
    As investments, all seem solid.  Ocean Ridge's well-regarded courses are semi-private which means a stream of green fees income to support maintenance of the course.  The community sits just a few minutes from the sea, an attraction to tourists and residents alike since the beginning of tourism.  The ocean is always a draw, and real estate a few miles away should always hold its value, all things being equal.  The Landings, also near the sea and with six beautifully tended golf courses, is unique in that homes on its 4,500 acres feel as if they are in a rural location but, in reality, are just 15 minutes from downtown Savannah, one of the nation's great cities.  And Governor's Club, with its 27 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature golf, its involved membership, dramatic topography (lots of ups and downs and rock outcroppings) and its location in one of the most livable towns in America, should continue to command high-six-figure prices for homes there.
    It is easy to get caught up in the headlines about foreclosures, the housing market and the economy in general and conclude that no one is able to sell a home and, therefore, no one is buying in the south.  True, things have slowed dramatically, but as these three couples show, there is always a flight to quality, even in the toughest times.
    If you are contemplating purchase of a home in a golf community or a home in a more traditional neighborhood, but near high-quality golf, I would be happy to provide some ideas at no cost or obligation.  You can reach me via the "Contact Us" button at the top of the page.