You’re looking for a new home and you’re considering maintenance a golf course home. They seem like a dream, but can they really be a nightmare? Here are the good, the bad and the ugly of owning a golf course home.

Deed restrictions and HOA

First and foremost, a golf course community will have deed restrictions and a homeowners association. That means what you can do with your home and property is subject to the restrictions and the HOA.

In order to maintain a certain look and feel of the course, house exterior paint colors are limited and putting things in your yard like a swing set or sandbox are usually a big no no.

Think you’ll be able to get away with it? Think again. Those golfers paying for the privilege of using the course will probably complain to the community or HOA if they see something is amiss. That may be a big deal for you either way, so be sure to ask about it before buying.

Not for community use

Along with those deed restrictions, be aware that during off hours the actual course and cart paths are not for community use. You can’t walk, jog or bike on cart paths or the greens. Letting your dog run on the fairway is really not ok. If space to do those activities is important to you ask about community space set aside for them.

Course maintenance

Those gorgeous grass courses need constant maintenance. Course management won’t inconvenience their bread and butter, the golfers paying to use the course. So all that grass is cut very early in the morning, most likely before sunrise. That means that the groundskeepers are out on golf carts and riding mowers with headlights. If a bedroom window faces a green, those lights will shine on through. And while the golf carts may be quiet electric ones, the mowers certainly aren’t.

Cart paths are a reality that can be a distraction

The path for golf carts will run along one side of the fairway from tee box to green. If that’s behind your home, you’ll see them all day. So remember that if the home you are looking at is less expensive than others in the same community, there are probably cart paths close by. Those greens and tee boxes are also a gathering place for golfers. That means you will hear conversations and laughter and see a lot of rather loud clothing.