If you’re a golf enthusiast, it’s easy to imagine why the idea of life on a residential golf estate might seem appealing. For starters, there’s the obvious charm of having a golf course at your doorstep.
But golfers aren’t the only ones flocking to these popular lifestyle estates.
At Pacific Dunes residential golf estate in Port Stephens, hundreds of house and land packages have been purchased in the last year by a diverse mix of young professionals, smart investors and retirees.
This diversity suggests the average age of today’s golfing estate homebuyer is lower than you might expect.
While the laidback lifestyle enjoyed on a golf estate certainly appeals to golf-loving retirees, young families also have a growing interest in this unique real estate proposition.
Here are just a few factors that are driving people to golfing estates in droves.
The price is right
In today’s competitive and inflated housing market, residential golf estates have become an attractive option for young homebuyers and families.
When The Australian reviewed the pricing for golf estate homes around the country in 2013, they concluded that value for money varies from state to state.
Estates in Queensland and Victoria were among the most expensive, while South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia offer some exceptional value.
Following the development boom of the last two decades, Australia now has more than 100 residential golf estates. Between 2000 and 2010, three in four of the fifty three golf courses developed in Australia comprised a real estate component.
This competitive environment may allow residents to benefit from a luxurious lifestyle without the luxury price tag.
Pretty as a picture
The impressive aesthetic of golfing estates sets them apart from other real estate propositions. You don’t have to be a golfer to appreciate the physical beauty of Australia’s residential golf estates.
These estates are immaculately maintained and landscaped, creating a clean, pristine, healthy environment for residents and their guests.
At Pacific Dunes around 40 per cent of buyers are younger families After the obvious allure of golf, the two main reasons for buying into the estate are the security of gated living and the attractive landscaped outlooks.
Baby boomers making the treechange
As the Baby Boomer generation enters retirement, the golf estate market has seen unprecedented growth in Australia.
At the turn of the century, most Aussie retirees were still making the fabled ‘seachange shift’ to idyllic beachfront locales.
But the inflation of waterfront real estate prices has prompted a trend that demographer Bernard Salt calls ‘the treechange’.
Rather than head for the surf and sand, more Baby Boomers are now opting to settle in leafy towns and suburbs that offer easy city access, without the stress of city living.
Salt explains, “The treechange town should be located on or near a body of water: a majestic river or a stately lake is required for fishing, boating, skiing, or just for wandering along the banks.
There should be a [golf] course of some note nearby regardless of whether the treechanger plays.”
This quest for a simpler, healthier, stress-free lifestyle in an accessible location makes residential golf estates a go-to option for Aussie retirees.
Author bio
Keith Evans is sales manager at Pacific Dunes Residential Estate. Keith has successfully placed hundreds of Pacific Dunes residents in their dream home on this beautiful coastal estate, surrounded by a championship golf course.
