As trends in real estate development shift, existing communities are sometimes overlooked as the perfect choice for a second home. Here’s news this week out of Vero Beach, Florida, where one savvy gated community is restoring grasses on its eco-friendly golf course to augment long-term property values. The Indian River Club first became an Audubon Signature Sanctuary in 1995, and its designer Ron Garl is overseeing the job to make sure the golf course keeps its certification.
If you consider all the upside of buying an existing home in an established community, one of the first things that comes to mind is the stability. With the economic downturn, some developers are halting new construction efforts and existing private communities can sometimes have a location advantage. After all, they were built in prime locations before some of the newer communities. If the community has all the right amenities in the right location, new construction can actually emerge and older homes are torn down so the prime home sites can be customized, sometimes with “greener,” more energy efficient structures.
The Indian River Club in Vero Beach, Florida
Further south on the Florida coast in Palm Beach Gardens, the renown Frenchman’s Creek Country Club affords a few select buyers a year the chance to truly have it all. The Loggerhead Club and Marina gives residents priority access to the Intracoastal Waterway, a newly renovated 72,000-square-foot clubhouse, regionally praised fine dining (the food is delicious!) and residents even have their own private beach club right on the Atlantic Ocean.
Residents Only Beach Club at Frenchman's Creek in Palm Beach County - Truly the "Best of Everything"
The idea of having everything you have ever wanted should be appealing to second home shoppers and those looking to relocate. Despite the downturn, sources at Frenchman’s Creek report that six homes have closed at the private, gated community in the past two months. With all that this and other existing communities can offer buyers, it is easy to see why they remain attractive investments that can be savored immediately.
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Frenchman’s Creek is a wonderful community unlike any other in the area. The professional service from the staff is exemplary and is customized to every member. The private Beach Club is a unique amenity that is very popular. And one can’t overlook the fact that as an established club, it can proudly say in these economic times, is debt free. Only a fraction of the homes are on the market at any time, and are available to those that can appreciate the lifestyle.