Retirement frees us spend more time doing the things we enjoy most. Some folks travel, others go back to school, or start a new part-time business. Many golfers relocate to warm, sunny places where they can golf most of the year. There are many places that can be considered as golfing heavens. Let’s take a look at some of these spots that are perfect destinations for the avid golfer.

• New Zealand: With cascading hills of pristine beauty, perfect weather most of the year, a climate that’s never too hot and never too cold, and wide expanse of open areas… New Zealand does look like one gigantic golf course! Pick a spot, any spot, in this lovely country, and for as long as you have a ball and your irons at hand, you could easily start a game of golf.The relatively low cost of living, an abundance of post-retirement opportunities, a laidback environment, and world class amenities make New Zealand one of the best destinations for any retiree, more so the avid golfer!
• Portugal: If you want to experience a taste of the old world to go with your countless hours of golf, then Portugal is the place to be. The country has world class golf courses which are among the most challenging greens in the world. These courses would take years to master, and since you’ll be spending those years work-free, you have all the time in the world to indulge in what these golf courses have to offer.Living in Portugal would give you the feeling that you’re living in the 30′s. It’s this old world flavor that gives the place its unique charms. Portugal is an unconventional destination, but it offers a one-of-a-kind experience.
• Florida: The weather, the low tax rates, the beautiful beaches, the post-retirement earning opportunities… these things make Florida a favorite destination for retirees.But with Naples, Punta Gorda, Bay Hill, the Southern Dunes, the Mystic Dunes and the New Course at Grand Cypress ranking as some of the finest golf courses in the world, Florida becomes a very attractive option for the golf enthusiast!
• Hawaii: Though the cost of living in the island of Hawaii may be a little higher than the other states in the US, there is no denying the tropical appeal that this place possesses—which many people have come to label as paradise on earth. It’s the perfect vacation spot, and there is no reason why it can’t be the perfect retirement destination for any baby boomer.But we’re talking about the golf enthusiast, and immediately, the names Poipu Bay, Wailea, Ka’anapali Tournament Courses, Ko’olau, Kona Country Club and Mauna Kea come to mind. All of these are highly rated golf courses with sceneries and a weather to die for! Paradise on earth, they say? Hawaii is heaven for any golfer!

If you’re planning your retirement destination with a great golfing experience in mind, then these places are your best bets for the time of your life. If you aren’t ready to retire or don’t want to relocate, these locations are also great destinations for a golf vacation.

By Virginia Zignego

Just like the game of golf itself, there is more involved in the purchase of real estate in golf communities than meets the eye. For those who have dreamed about owning a piece of land where your favorite pastime is just out your front or back door, consider that those golf balls will also be in your front or back yard. And you’ll have to clean them up as you dodge more flying golf balls. While this may seem like an extreme case, there is a list of things potential buyers should consider before signing on the dotted line for their piece of putting heaven.

If you’re searching for a year-round residence…

Sure, the Arizona heat feels nice in the dead of winter if you’re from Michigan. But that Arizona heat will be almost unbearable in the summer. If you have your heart set on a golf course with a view of the Grand Canyon, real estate agents suggest employing a snowbird approach. Use the Arizona home as your winter home and keep another home, preferably somewhere cooler, for the summer months. Locales that are nice year-round include Florida, South Carolina, and California.

What real estate agents look at

• Golf carts: the little things are cute, harmless and seem like a good way to get around. But if a course uses gas golf carts, you will be hearing the hum of the golf cart motors all day long. If a course is cart path only year-round, you will have the carts close to your home year-round.

• Homeowners’ Association: Most condos and golf communities are part of an HA. These HAs can prevent you from putting up netting to stop the golf balls from flying into your yard. Check out how strict the HA rules are before signing on.

• How much does it cost to play a round of golf? There should be a logical ratio between the cost of your home and the cost of a round of golf. If it is a daily fee course and a round of golf goes for $25 in the winter, and your house costs $200,000, the cost of the house is probably inflated. If the course is private, check out the initiation and monthly fees.

• Your yard: Does your dream golf home involve the course as an extension of your backyard? Developers have tapped into this, and have eliminated the backyards in some golf communities. This means balls will have a shorter distance to travel before smacking into your windows or house walls. You may also be out of luck if you want to put in a pool to cool yourself off in during the summer.

• Location: Property values along a course usually vary with location. Homes located on the tee box or the greens typically fetch the highest price, and those along the fairways are lower priced. However, you should take this a step further. Your house would get pelted with balls all day long if you are on the right side of a par 4, 180 yards down. It would be more preferable to be on the left side of a par 3 or the left side of a par 4, 20 yards out of most golfers’ driving ranges.

• Decrease in property values: When golf communities become overbuilt, they lose value because the interest is not as high in living there. Look at what the development plans are for the community and the area. This is where it may be advantageous to have strong HA rules that prohibit the number of homes going over a certain amount.

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By Robert Flournoy

With today’s planned lifestyle communities, golf and boating enthusiasts have an opportunity to purchase the home of their dreams just a chip shot away from the green or stone’s throw from the marina. In addition to an ideal home setting, golf and waterfront community residents enjoy an active and diversified lifestyle experience complete with first-class golf courses, marinas, beaches, spas, clubhouses, recreation areas, fine dining and countless other amenities.

Out of the 10,000 master planned communities across the United States, over 2,500 are built around golf courses and pristine waterfront property. Making sense of all the options can be mind boggling. If you are thinking about relocating to one of these golf and waterfront communities, it is imperative to be able to distinguish one community from the next and more importantly, know what to look for before you buy.

Community Types
In the past, golf and waterfront master planned communities catered to distinct segments of the housing market, namely middle to upper income empty nesters and retirees. Things have changed. Today, golf course and waterfront developments are designed to accommodate budgets of all levels and generally fall into one of two categories: multi-generational and age restricted.

The construction of multi-generational communities represents a recent trend in planned community home building. The underlying idea is to attract a diverse population of families including retirees and young professionals of varying income levels and backgrounds in order to establish a robust and vibrant community. After decades of building age restricted communities, builders and developers have recognized that the traditional elements of planned community living such as security, on-site amenities and low maintenance housing appeal to home buyers of all ages.

Most new communities are multi-generational developments. Vistancia situated in the beautiful Sonoran desert outside of Peoria, Arizona is a recently opened golf community attracting individuals and families of all ages. Since home sales began in March 2004, almost 500 families have moved into this scenic development with 1,700 total acres of open space and a 900-acre mountain preserve.

Conversely, age restricted planned communities are developed for the +55 home owner with amenities and facilities for today’s discerning empty nester and retiree. Typically, the age restriction requires one household resident to be at least 55 in order to qualify for home ownership. Over the last decade, an evolution has occurred with the age restricted community model of yesteryear making way for contemporary activity based developments complete with lavish amenities and world-class recreation areas, not to mention the conventional facilities required by the +55 demographic.

The undisputed leader in age restricted master planned community development is Del Webb. Since the 1960s, Del Webb has constructed numerous age restricted golf and waterfront communities across the United States. Del Webb’s Sun City developments are arguably the most recognizable line of age restricted communities stretching from coast to coast with Sun City Hilton Head in North Carolina and Sun City Lincoln Hill in California.

Location
The most important criterion in selecting a traditional home is location and the same is true when deciding on a golf and waterfront community. The old adage “location, location, location” aside, one has to consider whether the new property will serve as a primary residence, second home getaway or retirement abode. The final location decision is generally based on three primary factors: home use, surrounding area and local weather.

For most of us working folk, our primary residence is located within an hour or so of a major metropolitan center. Don’t fret, there are hundreds of golf and waterfront communities centrally located within driving distance from most major metropolitan areas. If by chance you live near Dallas, you have several options to choose from including Stonebridge Ranch in north Dallas and Black Horse Ranch which is only 25 minutes from downtown. Washington D.C. commuters are also in luck with conveniently located golf and waterfront communities in Virginia, Maryland and Delaware. Belmont Country Club, a Toll Brothers property, is a mere 40 minutes from Washington D.C. in Ashburn, Virginia. These examples represent only a fraction of the actual number of suburban golf and waterfront developments.

The location decision is a bit more complicated and not as clear cut when one considers purchasing a second home retreat or retirement residence. In this situation, other factors come in to play such as the activity and cultural richness of the immediate area and of course, local weather. If you are looking for a second home, would you like to be nestled in the woods away from the hustle and bustle of the city, located in a more suburban area or some in between?

Climate is also an integral factor to take into consideration when purchasing a home particularly if you are feeling abused by recent harsh winters. This may clearly point to a direction that takes you out of your home state or even to another part of the country. Conversely, the summer.s never ending heat may drive you to consider the cooler climates up north. Fortunately, there are 2,500 golf and waterfront communities spread out across the United States from Minnesota to Texas and California to Massachusetts.

What is clear in the case of retirement homes is that good local health care and transportation facilities are a must. For most retirees, living over 60 miles away from the closest hospital or airport is just not an option. In the end, it comes down to striking a balance between modern necessities and the beauty of the great outdoors.

Amenities
Once you have settled on a geographic location, the next area to focus on is amenities. These can vary greatly from one golf and waterfront development to the next. Typically, these expanded “goodies” fall into two categories: conveniences and lifestyle enhancements. Conveniences include such things as security services, home maintenance, gardening services, concierge service, on-site retail and office space, cable television and high-speed internet.

Lifestyle enhancements relate to recreation activities and rest and relaxation befitting an enhanced life of leisure. One can find a mix of facilities at planned communities which support numerous activities like tennis, hunting, boating, skiing, and hiking. To balance the rigors of recreation, planned communities provide residents with rest and relaxation amenities such as spas, clubhouses, wilderness preserves, pools, beaches and fine dining.

With real estate opportunities for every budget, isn’t it about time you looked into moving to a golf and waterfront community that offers unbelievable vistas, year round activities, low maintenance living and first-class amenities?

About the Author: Robert Flournoy is a staff writer for Golf Home Connect. For additional information on golf and waterfront vacation and retirement homes visit http://www.golfhomeconnect.com
Source: www.isnare.com