Golf homes are making a comeback in the US by resorting to the same tactic luxury apartment buildings are leaning into: a wide and wild array of amenities
- Golf homes are making a comeback, the president of Sotheby's International Realty told The New York Times.
- These homes are evolving to offer lavish amenities unrelated to golfing, like casinos and horseback riding, he said.
- A similar technique can be seen among luxury apartment buildings, which have been employing a variety of amenities to entice buyers.
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Golf homes are making a comeback.
Philip A. White Jr., president of Sotheby's International Realty, told Shivani Vora of The New York Times that after a 10-year decrease, demand for homes on the green is now experiencing an upswing. It's partly because golf communities are evolving from catering strictly to golfers to now including unrelated amenities that enhance these homes' "overall lifestyle appeal," he said.
That includes recreational offerings for those who aren't interested in teeing off - but amenities are going above and beyond just restaurants and pools, he said: "Some communities have casinos, concierges similar to ones you would find at a five-star hotel, horseback riding, go-kart tracks, hiking trails, and cycling paths."
Others even offer glamping, kid's clubs, and summer camps, White added.
Luxury apartments are using perks and amenities to attract buyers
As high-end real estate continues to linger on major markets across the US - including in NYC, LA and Miami - luxury developers are turning to increasingly lavish amenities to entice buyers. It's a competition so pronounced that Jason Fudin, CEO of WhyHotel, previously described it as an "amenities war" to Business Insider.
By offering increasingly lavish amenities, golf communities are taking a page right out of luxury apartment buildings' playbooks to attract buyers. Think rooftop running tracks and dog parks, outdoor movie theaters, and residents-only bars and restaurants.
In New York City, one $85 million condo comes with tickets to outer space and a couple of Rolls-Royces. In Miami, one luxury building provided its residents with Tesla-driving chauffeurs. In Baltimore, 414 Light Street is also loaded with amenities, including an alfresco dining space, a yoga and meditation room, and a business lounge.
And Oceanwide Plaza in Los Angeles, a three-tower development, will feature a two-acre "sky park" with two dog parks, a basketball court, lawns, a swimming pool, and a running track.
However, some condo buyers are forgoing flashy amenities in favor of "well-being" amenities, according to Mansion Global's 2019 Year Ahead report. From Brooklyn to LA to Hallandale Beach, Florida, condos are offering amenities like outdoor yoga decks, private parks, tranquility gardens, and infrared saunas, the report stated.
Business Insider's Katie Warren recently toured 15 Hudson Yards, an 88-story superluxury tower in NYC that devotes 40,000 square feet on the 50th and 51st floors to amenities, including a fitness center, a 75-foot pool, a yoga studio and a private spa.