The Greater Palm Springs Area is filled with unique housing options offering the very best in premier desert living. Deciding between country club living, private gated communities and new developments with single-family homes can be daunting.
The sheer number of beautiful homes and unique neighborhoods available in the Greater Palm Springs Area abound. Educate yourself and before you buy, be aware of the differences between purchasing a single-family home in a new development, a villa or estate in a country club or a private gated community.
Types of Communities in Greater Palm Springs
The Palm Springs desert consists of these six main housing types:
- Private country clubs offer beautiful housing options around a carefully constructed footprint (usually including a golf course) behind the “walls”.
- New single-family developments can allow for customizing your new home. Depending on where the builder is in the selling phase process, you may be able to take advantage of competitive pricing.
- Many private golf communities are country clubs, with homes built along the course for which many homeowners enjoy.
- Gated communities appeal to those buyers who value security and like-minded neighbors.
- Non-gated communities, traditional neighborhoods, have that community feeling minus a gate or a guard.
- Ranches and equestrian properties offer a large single-family home and often other structures including casitas and stables. Often surrounded by acres of desert and Palm Trees.
- Estates provide an expansive beautiful home on usually an acre with extensively designed landscaping, swimming pool and spa, outdoor kitchens and guest casitas. Some have tennis courts and auto galleries.
Private Communities Versus Single Family Homes In A Non-Gated Neighborhood
Making the choice between these two options begins with what you want in your Desert home. Different people with different needs often prefer one type of housing choice over the other.
Who Lives In Country Clubs and Private Communities Versus Single Family Homes?
People choose to live in a private community or country club for many reasons, we’ve listed some below. What draws homebuyers to the Greater Palm Springs Area depends on the individuals.
- Many people who decide to live in a country club or a private community are looking for the amenities, conveniences and social activities that define club life. These can include golf courses, day spas, and planned social activities like exercise courses and special holiday events.
- In country clubs, sports enthusiasts enjoy convenient access to their favorite outdoor activities, like golf, pickleball, and tennis. Sports tournaments are regular events that create friendly competition among community and club members.
- Most country clubs are private gated communities, which offer top security and exclusivity homeowners appreciate. These are perfect for “snowbirds,” second or third homeowners and retirees.
- Landscape, pool and spa maintenance and is taken care of in both community and club living. The homeowners enjoy professionally managed communities where they pay a monthly HOA (homeowners association and can come and go as they please living a truly lock and leave lifestyle.
In contrast, those who prefer a single-family home or estate living take on these responsibilities of homeownership. They often don’t want the rules and regulations that come with an HOA. The lack of a governing organization or community allows the owner to experiment with their own personal tastes and modifications.
- The owners of a single-family home or estate own the full property and can do with it what they please, from renovations and remodeling to landscaping changes at any time.
- No HOA dues mean no extra fees, reducing monthly housing expenditures.
- Since they prefer to do their own thing and the freedom a single-family home or estate offers, they often aren’t interested in the social and recreational amenities country clubs and private communities offer.
Consider that the great number of country clubs and private communities in the Greater Palm Springs area offer a wide array of amenities and benefits not found in single-family homes in a neighborhood or expansive estates.
Not only do country clubs and private communities offer something for everyone, they are also beautifully landscaped and maintained where you find serene, quiet, and welcoming atmospheres to enhance your Desert living experience.
Pointers to Consider
It’s important to understand what living outside of a community will mean for homeowners who have never purchased property outside of an HOA or private club community. Of course, what might be a downside to one person may very well be a selling point for another. There will be pros and cons to your chosen location no matter where you decide to settle. Take your time and do your due diligence before buying your dream Desert home.
- Living outside of private communities means homeowners are entirely responsible for the upkeep of their property both inside and out. This includes everything from landscaping to pool and spa services to roofing maintenance and replacements and post-storm management.
- Non-community living offers far less security than a gated private community of country club does.
- When moving to a new place, it’s important to get involved in your community doing what you enjoy. You’ll make new friends fast and feel like you made the right living style choice.
- Living in a country club or private provides an easy environment for lasting friendships.
The bottom line— your dream Desert home needs to have all the boxes checked for your total enjoyment and investment in the Greater Palm Springs area.