Delaware Gated Golf Community
Perhaps it’s nostalgia. A yearning to go back to the neighborhoods of the 1950’s where neighbors actually acted neighborly, homeowners took pride in their tidy yards of manicured grass, and colorful flower borders lined the walkways to their welcoming front doors. The search for a nice, family neighborhood has led many to consider Gated Communities. In past years, these “Fortressed Neighborhoods” may have been viewed as exclusively for the wealthy, but are now becoming the most sought after developments for new home buyers.
In 1997, an estimated eight million homes existed within the walls of gated communities. People buying into these enclosed neighborhoods cite many reasons for their interest in gated communities, with security topping the list. Considering the globalization of our economy and endeavors, many of todays young families have one parent whose job requires frequent travel, leaving the other parent home alone with young
children for days or weeks at a time. These families in particular appreciate the added sense of security that is gained from living in a gated neighborhood. For retirees and the elderly, who are often perceived as being vulnerable to crime, gated communities offer the security they need to truly feel safe at home. Singles whose jobs require them to leave their homes vacant while they travel also appreciate the peace of mind that gated communities offer.
But, security is not the only reason home buyers are flocking to gated communities. Some buyers are lured to gated communities because of the luxurious amenities often found in these exclusive neighborhoods. So-called Leisure Lifestyle seekers appreciate that they don’t have to leave the security and familiarity of their neighborhood to enjoy things like swimming pools, hiking trails and fitness clubs. The Peninsula on Indian River Bay, a newly developed gated community in Delaware managed by Troon Golf, offers not only the basics such as parkland and walking trails, but also a Jack Nicklaus 18-hole golf course, a wave pool (complete with a sandy beach), a water taxi to nearby Dewey Beach, and a Nature Center. Realtor Michael Brown of Ocean Atlantic | Sotheby’s International Realty on site sales associate at The Peninsula on Indian River Bay says that he is receiving inquiries not only from wealthy buyers, who one would expect to be buying into exclusive golf-course neighborhoods, but also from retirees and young families looking for family-centered amenities that do not require trips away from home to enjoy. In the past, community centers and city recreation facilities provided many of these activities. Lacking adequate funding, city centers often become neglected and outdated. Gated Communities amenities, on the other hand, are financed and maintained in part by homeowner dues. The constant upkeep of the amenities demonstrates a sense of pride in the community, and contributes to the feeling of luxury.
The gated communities of today are not exclusively reserved for the wealthy. More and more, they are appealing to retirees and families wanting to live in safe and secure communities, where neighbors know one another, and amenities promote feelings of leisure, luxury and family centeredness. The newer, modern amenities boasted by gated communities offer an alternative to the often dilapidated city recreation facilities that traditional neighborhoods have access to. Gated Communities offer not only attractive, new housing in a manicured, landscaped setting, but also a host of amenities that non-gated communities just don’t have. Yes, there is a feeling of exclusivity. A feeling of “We Have Arrived!” But, most important, are thefeelings of security, safety and neighborhood that home buyers are finding within these walls.
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