In many of the top golf communities in the Southeastern U.S., prices rose in 2016. In some places the increases were more than 10%, in others in the five percent range. For a variety of reasons, prices decreased in a few excellent communities.
        Regardless, bargains still exist across the board if you choose wisely. Below are the lowest priced properties currently for sale in golf communities we have visited and can recommend. Of course, some of these homes will need a lot of work but the prices give a hint at the other bargains available.
CypressLanding15fromtee 1Cypress Landing on the Pamlico River in North Carolina
        A new home is a big investment, and identifying the best possible location can be a challenge, especially in an unfamiliar area. We can help. If you are planning to purchase a home in a golf-oriented area of the South, simply fill out our free, no-obligation Golf Home Questionnaire [click here] -- it takes less than 10 minutes -- and we will review your responses and schedule a one-hour complimentary phone conversation to discuss which areas and which golf communities best match your requirements.
        To whet your appetite, here are the lowest priced homes currently for sale in golf communities we know well.

Dataw Island, St. Helena, SC
$95,000, townhome, 2 BR, 2 BA, golf view
$149,000, single-family, 3 BR, 2 BA, golf view

Pawleys Plantation, Pawleys Island, SC
$260,000, single-family, 3 BR, 2 BA, cul de sac, 6 minutes to ocean
$198,500, condo, 2 BR, 2 ½ BA, view of fairway

Colleton River Plantation, Bluffton, SC
$529,000, 3 BR, 4 BA, marsh and fairway views
$1 lot (not a misprint), 10 homesites available at that price

St. James Plantation, Southport, NC
$254,900, single-family, 3 BR, 2 BA, 81 holes of golf
$129,000, condo, 2 BR, 2 BA, top floor overlooks pond

Cypress Landing, Chocowinity, NC
$289,900, 4 BR, 2 ½ BA, some river views
$29,000, .73 acre lot, corner location

Carolina Colours, New Bern, NC
$285,000, 3 BR, 3 BA, lake and sunset views
$45,000, .34 acres, includes golf membership initiation fee

Wintergreen Resort, Nellysford, VA
$169,900, single-family, 4 BR, 2 BA, finished basement
$54,900, condo, 1 BR, 1 BA, views of 18th hole of mountain course

River Strand, Bradenton, FL
$279,000, single-family, 3 BR, 2 BA, Lennar home, master connects to lanai
$159,900, condo, 2 BR, 2 BA, views of lake and golf

Lely Resort, Naples, FL
$349,000, single-family, 3 BR, 2 BA, club membership not mandatory
$195,000, condo, 2 BR, 2 BA, fully furnished, golf views

The Landings, Savannah, GA
$289,000, single-family, 3 BR, 2 BA, completely remodeled
$295,000, townhome, 2 BR, 2 BA, lagoon view

Currahee Club, Toccoa, GA
$399,000, cottage, 3 BR, 2 ½ BA, golf view

        Start your search in earnest today. Fill out our free, no-obligation Golf Home Questionnaire, and we will schedule a complimentary one-hour phone discussion to identify golf communities that match your search criteria.

        Dataw Island is finally getting noticed -– by experts on planned communities and by retirees who know a bargain when they see one. I had a feeling Dataw’s time had come when, after my second visit two years ago, I wrote that the community was pretty near “perfect” in terms of location, given its remote feel yet proximity to the charming town of Beaufort to the west and an ocean beach in the other direction. The golf was darn good as well, 36 holes by Tom Fazio and Arthur Hills.  Read my 2015 review here.
        Dataw is definitely on the map now with its designation as “Best South Carolina Community of the Year" by Real Estate Scorecard, an online service that assesses planned communities (many with golf courses). In announcing the award, the Scorecard’s Margie Casey wrote that, “Property owners revere how life flows [at Dataw] as gently as the tide.” She noted that average home prices had increased almost $100,000 to $414,000 in the last year, which our calculator says is a 30% increase. In my most recent review of Dataw, in 2015, I wrote, “No one looking for a home in Dataw will panic over its housing prices.”
DatawHousebehindgreenonwaterMany homes at Dataw have outstanding golf course views.
        It might be time to take a closer look, if not panic. Current listings show a lot of house available in the middle price range. For example, a $400,000 current listing has 3 bedrooms, 3 ½ baths, almost 2,700 square feet and excellent views of the Arthur Hills Morgan River course. I noted 23 listings under $300,000, a few of them townhomes; one home is currently priced at $95,000, and it has a nice golf course view!
        Nearby Beaufort is a full-service town just 20 minutes away, with a range of nice restaurants, good health facilities, entertainment options, shopping (the mall and boutique varieties) and a branch of the state’s university. The beach at Hunting Island is 20 minutes east on Highway 21. Parris Island and its Marine base is just as close which makes Dataw popular with former military officers.
DatawPinPositionMarkerFor those of us eyesight challenged, top caps on the 150-yard markers on Dataw Island's two golf courses indicate the pin position on the green.
        In her analysis, Margie pointed to the more than 20 clubs that are popular with Dataw’s residents, but the club I like best is the golf club with its two excellent layouts. On my two visits, I noted that the golf courses were well used by the membership and yet in really nice condition. The two layouts are different enough -– the Hills course more a parkland layout, the Fazio more a marshland layout -– that no member should tire of the diversity of play.
        Dataw Island is one of those grown-up communities on the coast that, after four decades of experience, seems to know what it is doing. If you would like a closer look, please contact me to arrange a visit.