Buying or Selling a Home/Living on a golf course

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Expert: - 7/2/2009


Question
We are about to make an offer on a beautiful golf course home.  It's on the left side, near 8th hole, so not worried about the stray balls.  What I am worried about is safety.  The HOA rules have the homes facing the golf course use black wrought iron fences about 3 feet high, and about 4 inches between each bar.  Not so worried about people coming from the golf course, but more about people coming up the street and walking over the fence into the yard, stealing barbeque, breaking in, etc.  Not a private course, a municipal course in Texas.  The neighborhood seems safe, but this worry has come up.  If you have any concerns, please share.
Thanks

Answer
Dear Liz;
I would advise that you check with the local Sheriff or police department and talk to them about crime in your area.  They can provide you with statistics and incident reports.  If you are concerned about this, there are other measures that can provide some degree of security regardless of an intruder hopping a fence.  Guard dogs, and a good security system with motion sensors can be helpful. If you are concerned about things in the back yard, like furniture, bar-b-ques, etc 'walking' off with strangers, you  might be able to bolt them down.   

I would be less concerned about an open fence than one that hides the property since there is more opportunity for 'witnesses' to spot an irregularity (an intruder or suspicious activity) if your property is in plain view.  Just listen to the experts: they say to cut back bushes that might hide intruders, remove barriers and have your property well-lit.  Again, speaking with the police about this you might get a different perspective.  However, I would be more concerned about privacy--being that the back of the home is more public and open. I find that many buyers want privacy in the backs of their homes and if they are entertaining they like having a private space in the back yard.  Discuss the value of the location with your REALTOR since I cannot see the home and location for myself and have no way of knowing if the golf course view provides enough value to offset the very public location.

Best wishes,
Jessica Bryan

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Jessica Bryan

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Anyone who is in this business and who dedicates oneself to professionalism has continued to take classes and along with it,additional credentials, awards and honors. I can list a host of them, but my greatest accomplishments happen to be those of getting first time buyers (who didn't think they could afford to buy a home)into a home of their dreams. The look on their faces when I hand over the keys is worth all of the hard work.

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