Arkansas offers a diverse array of retirement and second home destinations ranging from the “spa” towns of Eureka Springs, nestled in the Ozark mountains, and Hot Springs located in the center of the state, just south of Little Rock, to Little Rock itself, a dynamic, contemporary city with a thriving entertainment district and a distinctly southern flair. Known for its rich musical heritage, the Arkansas Delta runs along the eastern border of the state adjacent to the Mississippi River and is one of the most fertile agricultural regions in the nation. Hot Springs, often referred to as “America’s First Resort,” is surrounded by Hot Springs National Park, which encompasses the Quachita Mountains that rise above the downtown and historic Bathhouse Row. Hot Springs is home to a thriving arts community, high-quality medical facilities, and a host of cultural and educational opportunities, and was recently ranked #2 on Forbes’ 2009 list of “America’s Best Bang-for-the-Buck Cities,” and acknowledged by Where to Retire magazine as one of “America’s Most Affordable Retirement Towns” in 2005.
Red Oak Ridge is a bucolic, 800-acre private community located near Hot Springs National Park. The community is convenient to shopping, dining, health care, and the semi-private Hot Springs Country Club which offers two challenging, vintage golf courses, both of which were recently renovated by Master’s Champion Ben Crenshaw. Amenities within the community include two private fishing lakes, a dedicated trail system, several parks, and a swimming complex. 
If the vibrancy of the city is your cup of tea, Chenal Valley is well located in Little Rock. This 4,800-acre community offers 32 tranquil neighborhoods of luxury single-family and condominium homes, 36 holes of Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed golf, and an abundance of family-friendly recreation including a 105-acre botanical garden and arts center. Shopping is a pleasure at the Promenade at Chenal, a 340,000 square foot center that includes an IMAX theater, and Village at Rahling Road, a neighborhood center that includes a 13,500 square foot library.
Posted in Destination Amenity Communities, Golf Living, Luxury Real Estate, Private Communities, Second Homes, golf communities, second homes in private communities
Tagged Second Homes, Retirement, Private Communities, Second Home, Vacation Homes, Destination Amenity Communities, Luxury Real Estate, golf, Arkansas, Hot Springs
First-time home buyers are not the only ones taking advantage of low prices and interest rates. According to the 2010 National Association of Realtors® (NAR) 2010 “Investment and Vacation Home Buyers Survey” vacation home sales increased 7.9 percent last year. In comparison, primary residence sales rose 7.1 percent. The general consensus is that the housing market has bottomed – finally. A recent Gallup poll concurs, with 77% of respondents believing this to be the case. In music to builder’s ears, new home sales jumped 27% in March, the biggest one-month gain in nearly five decades (since 1963). Standing new home inventory has declined for 31 straight months to achieve an all-time low and the reported March sales activity represents an impressive 23.8% year-over-year improvement. In other encouraging news, the closely watched S&P/Case Shiller Home Price Index reported its first annual increase in more than three years and one recent industry survey showed that more than half of agents polled reported that their selling customers received 95% to 100% of their asking prices. This compares to 53% in 2008 and 52% in 2006. Housing industry think-tank MacroMarkets recently surveyed more than 100 analysts and market strategists. Consensus findings suggest a 12.4% increase in housing prices by 2014 while some gurus think that rate could be as high as 37%.
Interest rates remain at historical lows – in the 5% range – and some lenders are once again funding jumbo loans, (mortgages exceeding $417,000) an encouraging indicator of a loosening credit market and continued interest in luxury residential investment. Nevertheless, the tighter credit market has more buyers paying cash for property, a condition that is serving to move standing inventory. According to Move.com, more than 12% of buyers plan to use 100% cash to purchase a new property and nearly 13% will use a cash down payment of more than 50%. 
The practicality of the matter is that no matter what condition the market is in, each individual must assess his or her specific conditions when considering the purchase of a new home, a second home or a retirement property. As buyers come off the bench, inventories will diminish and prices will increase as demand begins to exceed supply. If you are in the market for a new or second home, the cost of living in your market of choice should carry as much weight as the cost of the home you wish to purchase. According to a study conducted by Where to Retire magazine, certain markets can provide as much as a 30%+ cost of living savings. Myrtle Beach, SC, and Asheville and Wilmington, NC rank amongst these, and tax-free states such as Florida and Tennessee are seeing increased buying activity. Check out PrivateCommunities.com to learn about the myriad opportunities that are currently available in these markets and others.
Posted in Home prices, Housing Market News, Luxury Real Estate, Real Estate News, Sales of Private Communities, Second Homes, Vacation Homes
Tagged Second Homes, PrivateCommunities.com, Retirement, Private Communities, Second Home, Vacation Homes, real estate trends, Luxury Real Estate
Sailfish Point, Stuart, FL
Martin County has just been cited as one of the top five healthiest places to reside in the Sunshine State. The University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Center (WPHC) was awarded a $4.9 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation last year to expand their statewide rankings to all 50 states. The study also found Martin County to have the “highest quality of life” based on a variety of health, lifestyle and environmental factors. The WPHC rankings draw attention to the fact that a community’s health is determined by more than just its health care system. People’s health behaviors and the socioeconomic and physical environment all contribute to a community’s level of health. That said, Martin Memorial Medical Center has been named one of the 2009 Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals in the United States. It is the fifth time Martin Memorial has earned this esteemed distinction, making Martin County a popular retirement choice.
Nestled between tony Palm Beach and burgeoning St. Lucie counties, Martin County is comparatively laid back, boasting a low density, uncongested environment that provides each of its municipalities with a decidedly small-town feel. The City of Stuart’s historic downtown is a winner of the “Most Beautiful City” title from America In Bloom and hosts a variety of year-round events including the annual Treasure Coast Pirate Fest.
Situated at the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean, the Intracoastal Waterway and the St Lucie and Indian Rivers, Martin County boasts some of the best beaches and deep-sea fishing in the state. The area is also well known for its high-quality luxury private communities. Deep water marinas and copious championship golf layouts designed by some of the game’s greats including Pete Dye, Arthur Hills, Gene Bates and Jack Nicklaus, are the norm in private communities such as Willoughby Golf Club in Stuart and Piper’s Landing Yacht & Country Club and Harbour Ridge Yacht and Country Club, both in Palm City. If the ocean is your passion, Sailfish Point is a world-class, second home, island community offering a Jack Nicklaus Signature course, a beachfront country club, and a full service marina with immediate ocean access.
Posted in Affluent Lifestyle, Destination Amenity Communities, Florida Communities, Luxury Real Estate, Private Communities, Private Golf, Second Homes, Vacation Homes, golf communities
Tagged Second Homes, PrivateCommunities.com, Retirement, Private Communities, Private Communities Newswire, Private Golf, Second Home, Real Estate News, Vacation Homes, Destination Amenity Communities, Luxury Real Estate, golf courses, Affluent Lifestyle, florida second homes, Florida Real Estate, Martin County, Healthiest in Florida
According to the latest quarterly survey conducted by the University of Florida’s Bergstrom Center for Real Estate Studies, foreign and domestic investors have returned to the Florida market. Recent sales and pricing activity on the housing front support this thesis.
Florida saw unswerving growth for decades, expanding from 2.7 million residents in 1950 to 19 million in 2009, fueled significantly by retirees seeking warm weather and affordable living conditions. But the influx served to spike housing values and markets throughout the state became focused on attracting wealthy splitters and snowbirds, exacerbating the affordability issue. By 2008, the state had the dubious distinction of having some of the priciest housing in the country while losing population for the first time in more than 50 years as half-backs deserted to more affordable markets such as the Carolinas. As the nationwide housing bubble continued to take its toll on homeowner equity, the Sunshine state’s allure as a retirement and second home haven suffered accordingly, despite home prices having dropped 46% (on average) since their peak.
Lower prices have served to turn things around in Florida as it is once again on everyone’s radar — residents, second home buyers and investors alike. In July 2009, the Florida Association of REALTORS reported that existing home sales had increased 18% over the previous year and existing condominium sales had risen 21%. In Miami, the March 2010 median single-family home sales price represented a 3.8% year-over-year increase. And in Orlando, sales were up nearly 32% in March compared to March 2009 while pending sales rose more than 40%, suggesting a continuing trend of home sale activity.
Moody’s Economy predicts that economic growth in Florida will outpace the nation between 2011 and 2016. Unlike Florida’s heyday, the state no longer relies exclusively on retirement relocation and tourism for its economic health. Cosmopolitan areas such as South Florida (Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach) and the high-tech corridor that stretches across the state from the Treasure Coast to Tampa are indicative of the state’s dedication to diverse economic development. A recent University of Central Florida study suggests that in-migration to the state will resume in 2011, and population growth is predicted to climb 1.5% by 2013. For perspective, that would account for nearly 300,000 new residents.
Florida has an abundance of beautiful communities from which new residents may choose. For more perspective on Florida communities, go to PrivateCommunities.com.
Posted in Florida Communities, Home prices, Housing Market News, Private Communities, Second Homes, Vacation Homes
Tagged Second Homes, PrivateCommunities.com, Retirement, Private Communities, Investment Property, Retirement Homes, Vacation Homes, Splitters, snowbirds, Investment Options, real estate industry, Housing Market News, florida second homes, Florida Real Estate, half-backs, Investment, investors, real estate investment, Sunshine State
Augusta National
Watching the final day of the Masters golf championship at Augusta National, the allure of the game was patently clear. Besides great golfers – Mickelson was masterful and Tiger walked away with a respectable eleven, albeit to the chagrin of his adoring fans after finding himself amongst the trees more than once – the splendor that is Augusta National was awe-inspiring. A well-designed golf course is not just a recreational retreat, but a thing of beauty. This is perhaps the reason that Tiger Woods designs, in his own words “a very select few.” While walking the terrain of the first Tiger Woods-designed course in the U.S. and discussing its progress, Woods was asked by Cliffs at High Carolina developer Jim Anthony if he thought High Carolina represented a good location, particularly for splitters, people who own second homes and divvy their time up between them. Woods enthusiastically replied that he would, in all likelihood, be a splitter himself, having a home in Central Florida and eventually a second in High Carolina. He could not say enough about the abundant “viewscapes” inherent in High Carolina’s topography and the private community’s convenient location just east of super-popular Asheville, NC, a consistent #1 pick by a variety of pundits for both retirement and second home living. In keeping with The Cliffs’ wellness philosophy, the golf course at High Carolina will be a walking course and will accommodate players of all skill levels. Construction at High Carolina began last year and completion is anticipated for 2012.
Posted in Affluent Lifestyle, Destination Amenity Communities, Golf Living, Luxury Real Estate, Private Communities, Second Homes, Vacation Homes, golf communities, second homes in private communities
Tagged Affluent Lifestyle, Asheville, Asheville Area Communities, Augusta National, Destination Amenity Communities, Gated Communities, golf, golf courses, golf design, Luxury Real Estate, Masters, Mickelson, North Carolina, North Carolina Retirement, north carolina second homes, Private Communities, Private Communities Newswire, Private Golf, Real Estate Carolinas, real estate market, Retirement, Second Homes, Splitters, Tiger Woods, Vacation Homes
How about that Duke! Persevering to beat Butler 61-59 to become the NCAA basketball champions in a benchmark game – at no point in the final competition did either team have more than a six point lead. The private university’s persistence to succeed personifies the spirit of the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill Triangle region. Loaded with educational, cultural and social opportunities, high-quality healthcare, myriad private community choices and historic charm, the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill market area is a slam-dunk when it comes to making a second home or retirement destination choice.
The Raleigh market area has grown nearly 40% — more than 4% per year — since 2000. This compares to a growth rate of less than one (<1%) percent per year for the rest of the country. The rate of growth for the “mature” population is even more remarkable. The market area’s 65+ segment is projected to grow more than 50% by 2014 or 11% per year. In a recent study conducted by the Brookings Institute, the Raleigh market area ranked number one for senior relocation ahead of Austin, Atlanta, Boise and Las Vegas.
Briar Chapel
Private community opportunities offering a wide array of recreational and social amenities and activities abound throughout the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill Triangle area. Located in Raleigh, Wakefield Plantation is a 2,200-acre master-planned community with a private TPC golf course and TPC Sports Club. In North Raleigh, Bedford at Falls River boasts a Central Park, a Recreation Center, two swimming pools, tennis and volleyball courts and 26 miles of tree-lined sidewalks. In Chapel Hill the Governors Club offers 27 holes of Jack Nicklaus Signature golf, a 42,000 square foot clubhouse, a comprehensive Tennis Club, and fitness and swim facilities. The Legacy at Jordan Lake offers direct access to the 14,000-acre lake for boating, fishing and swimming. This resort community also has tennis and sports courts, a short iron golf course, fitness and swimming facilities, and 12 miles of dedicated walking trails. Located on the periphery of Chapel Hill is Briar Chapel, the largest “green” community in the Triangle with a 66-acre community park with soccer, football and baseball fields, 21 neighborhood parks, a village center, an amphitheater, and 24 miles of hiking and biking trails. And those are just the on-site amenities. The Triangle abounds with state and county parks and hiking, biking and golfing opportunities. Wake County alone has more than 30 golf facilities, more than half of which are open to the public.
Posted in Destination Amenity Communities, Golf Living, Luxury Real Estate, Private Communities, Private Golf, Second Homes, Vacation Homes, golf communities, second homes in private communities
Tagged Destination Amenity Communities, Duke, Gated Communities, golf courses, Housing Market News, Luxury Real Estate, NCAA, North Carolina, North Carolina Retirement, north carolina second homes, private, private clubs, Private Communities, Private Golf, PrivateCommunities.com, Raleigh, Real Estate Carolinas, real estate gated, real estate industry, Retirement, Second Home, Second Homes, Triangle, Vacation Homes
If you’ve ever driven the Blue Ridge Parkway, you know the feeling. Breathtaking vistas for miles around are picture-postcard perfect. A temperate four-season climate, abundant recreation and extensive and diversified housing opportunities have been attracting visitors and new residents to the western North Carolina Mountain Region for decades. Strategically located less than a days’ drive of 70 of the nation’s top 100 metropolitan areas, the region is uniquely suited as a second/vacation home destination. A significant influx of retirees and pre-retirees has spawned a variety of ancillary services and amenities. As part of the local campus of UNC, the Asheville-based North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement is today regarded as one of the nation’s top institutions for adult learning.
Nestled amongst majestic mountains, the eclectic city of Asheville has popped up on many national rankings over the years including AARP’s “Best Places to Reinvent Your Life,” and “The 50 Most Alive Places To Be.” American Style magazine recognized it as one of “America’s Top 25 Arts Destinations,” and it has also been cited as one of the happiest places in the U.S. in Eric Weiner’s 2008 book, The Geography of Bliss. Therefore, it was not surprising that it showed up on Barron’s 2009 rankings of the “Best Places for Second Homes.” Currently available luxury homes located in and around the Asheville market are priced from $600,000 to several million dollars for an average list price of $1.2 million.
Just a short drive from Asheville is Burnsville, the “Gateway to Mt. Mitchell,” the highest point east of the Rockies and home to The Preserve at Wolf Laurel. The 1,300-acre master-planned community marks the final phase of the larger Wolf Laurel Resort development. The community’s established environment and copious in-place amenities make for a distinct sense of community. “Down home pleasures” are 
commonplace at The Preserve and have included the gathering of 700 residents for a 4th of July celebration. This spirit of community lifestyle is showcased in the preservation and restoration of the The Buck House, the former homestead of original property owners David and Pearl Buck and their eight children. Eighty-five percent of the 13-room Colonial Revival structure’s wood is original, and the property, which is operated as a B&B to accommodate potential property owners, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Posted in Affluent Lifestyle, Destination Amenity Communities, Family Gatherings and Second Homes, Gated Community News, Golf Community News, Golf Living, Housing Market News, Luxury Real Estate, Private Communities, Private Golf, Real Estate News, Second Homes, Vacation Homes, second homes in private communities
Tagged Affluent Lifestyle, Asheville, Asheville real estate, Blue Ridge Parkway, Destination Amenity Communities, Gated Communities, Luxury Real Estate, North Carolina, North Carolina Retirement, north carolina second homes, Private Communities, PrivateCommunities.com, Real Estate Carolinas, real estate gated, Retirement, Retirement Homes, Second Homes, Vacation Homes, Wolf Laurel
For the first time in more than 30 years the American home is shrinking. According to the National Association of Home Builders, the median home size grew continuously between 1973 and 2008, when it shrank 11%. NAHB also reports that 90% of homes built by its members in 2009 were smaller than those constructed in 2008, and 59% of builders surveyed in 2009 plan to build smaller homes in 2010.
In direct response to the new frugality imposed upon homebuyers by an economy that continues to frustrate, “value” is, once again, driving sales. The “smaller is better” momentum has been jump-started by downsizing Baby Boomers who no longer embrace conspicuous consumption. Austerity has become the new buzzword, and conservation the mantra of a generation that spawned the McMansion. But the Baby Boomer whose chicks have flown the coop has something in common with the up and coming next big generation, aka the Millennials. Those born between 1979 and 1993 have yet to start families, making their housing aspirations similar. The shear depth of this potential consumer group will continue to fuel the ensuing wave of “small is better” housing demand. As early as this year, the “Millennial” homebuyer could outnumber the Boomer, supplanting them as the group having the most impact on the housing industry in contemporary history. There will be five million more of them than there were Boomers when that generation first began swelling the housing market. That said, GenY’s comparatively moderate incomes will keep affordability on the front burner.
Production builders are rallying to the cry for affordability as competition from foreclosed properties has served to raise the bar on what constitutes affordable. The most efficacious way they have found to lower prices is to downsize. San Diego-based Newland Communities, Centex Homes and Lennar have all introduced smaller versions of some of their most popular floor plans resulting in the ability to lower prices and meet de
mand that continues to be fueled by the new frugality mentality. This strategy has worked well, particularly in light of the tax incentive program for first-time homebuyers. At Centex Homes’ RiverMist at Dutchman Village, single-family home sizes begin at approximately 1,400 square feet. At Lennar’s Colonial Heritage in historic Williamsburg, VA, single-family homes begin at 1,475 square feet and the largest is approximately 2,500 square feet. At Newland Communities’ FishHawk Ranch single-family home sizes start at approximately 1,300 square feet. While downsizing has resulted in lower prices, quality has not been neglected and many upgrades are now standard features making these little “jewel boxes” a win-win opportunity.
Posted in Home prices, Housing Market News, Private Communities, Real Estate News, Sales of Private Communities, Vacation Homes, second homes in private communities
Tagged builders, downsizing, Housing Market News, International Second Homes, Private Communities, real estate industry, real estate market, Real Estate News, real estate trends, Retirement, Retirement Homes, Second Home, Second Homes, smaller homes
Private Communities Newswire is jealous of those who get to live here, a stocked fishing hole and plenty of trout spots nearby. The builder also offers LEED certification homes, which is very smart.
Big Sky growing as a second home destination? Must be the clean air, or maybe the tax structure? Some pretty good tax incentives, including the business incubator. Many people do not plan to retire altogether and these business incubator ideas can be a great way to non-retire.
Arkansas offers a diverse array of retirement and second home destinations ranging from the “spa” towns of Eureka Springs, nestled in the Ozark mountains, and Hot Springs located in the center of the state, just south of Little Rock, to Little Rock itself, a dynamic, contemporary city with a thriving entertainment district and a distinctly southern flair. Known for its rich musical heritage, the Arkansas Delta runs along the eastern border of the state adjacent to the Mississippi River and is one of the most fertile agricultural regions in the nation. Hot Springs, often referred to as “America’s First Resort,” is surrounded by Hot Springs National Park, which encompasses the Quachita Mountains that rise above the downtown and historic Bathhouse Row. Hot Springs is home to a thriving arts community, high-quality medical facilities, and a host of cultural and educational opportunities, and was recently ranked #2 on Forbes’ 2009 list of “America’s Best Bang-for-the-Buck Cities,” and acknowledged by Where to Retire magazine as one of “America’s Most Affordable Retirement Towns” in 2005.
Red Oak Ridge is a bucolic, 800-acre private community located near Hot Springs National Park. The community is convenient to shopping, dining, health care, and the semi-private Hot Springs Country Club which offers two challenging, vintage golf courses, both of which were recently renovated by Master’s Champion Ben Crenshaw. Amenities within the community include two private fishing lakes, a dedicated trail system, several parks, and a swimming complex. 
