Long waits at clubs around the U.S. has some house hunters reconsidering where they buy.
| | | | | | | Sponsored by .png) | | These days, finding the right home on a golf course is half the battle. Home buyers looking for something on the fairways are finding that living in a golf community doesn't always guarantee an automatic club membership. What's worse is that a lot of these courses have long waitlists, thanks to pandemic-era demand that has yet to fully ease. "We did limit our house search because there were a couple clubs that we found out had a two-year wait list," says Sean Swider, who toured a half-dozen cities with his family in 2023 to find the right golf course home. "We didn't want to buy a house and move and not be able to use the golf course right away," says Audrey Swider, a 47-year-old real-estate agent. The couple ultimately landed on the Hasentree Club in Wake Forest, N.C. In May 2023, the Swiders closed on a $1.24 million house that is 6,000 square feet and has five bedrooms. It's on the fifth hole of the club's 18-hole course. They started playing golf two days after they moved in. | |  | | Upon moving in, the Swiders' belongings were still en route from the moving truck, yet Sean and his sons found golf shirts and hit the course. STEPHANIE BERBEC FOR WSJ | | |  | | Audrey and Sean Swider, with their sons and dog, in the living room of their Wake Forest, N.C., home. STEPHANIE BERBEC FOR WSJ | | | | This week we're also bringing readers inside a 260-square-foot living room in Knightsbridge London. The renovation, which cost $300,000, pays homage to nature–especially the $31,000 oak branch chandelier, which was inspired by a tree outside the window and serves as the centerpiece. —Kerry Barger, senior platform editor of Mansion | | | | Buying a Home on a Golf Course? Beware the Lengthy Club Waitlist. | | |  | | AGNES LOPEZ FOR WSJ | | | | Purchasing in a golf community doesn't always guarantee automatic membership, which has forced some house hunters to reconsider where they buy. | | | | | Looking for WSJ's commercial real estate coverage? Sign up for WSJ Real Estate. | | | | | | CONTENT FROM: Pacaso | .jpg) | | Jon Najarian: "It's a very disruptive idea, I love it." | | From his NFL days to exits worth nearly $1B, Wall Street insider Jon Najarian knows how to reach the top. When it comes to Pacaso, he has 3 words: "I love it." He's not alone. Firms like Maveron invested, too. Why? Pacaso's co-ownership model flipped a $1.3T market. $110M+ in gross profits to date. 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. And you can join now for $2.90/share. Disclaimer: pacaso.com/invest Invest Today | ![]() | | | | | A 260-Square-Foot Living Room Gets a $300,000 Renovation Rooted in Nature | | |  | | ALEXANDER JAMES | | | | | | | | |  | | SPENCER PLATT/GETTY IMAGES | | | | Developer Harry Macklowe is working to list his own home at 432 Park Avenue, the Billionaires' Row skyscraper he helped build. There was just one problem: he doesn't actually own the property. | | | Retired tennis star Maria Sharapova is listing her Los Angeles-area home for $24.995 million.The home—which has ocean views but no tennis court—is located in Manhattan Beach, Calif. | | |  | ERIC FOOTE/SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY | | | An estate in Montecito, Calif., owned by former HBO president Simon Sutton is coming on the market for $24.995 million following an extensive three-year renovation. The home spans about 9,700 square feet with five bedrooms. | | | | Want to see more deals? Sign up for our Mansion Deals email alert to have the biggest and best luxury home sales and listings delivered to your inbox. | | | | Arnold Schwarzenegger Remembers When He Fell in Love With America | | | | The 'Fubar' actor on growing up in post-war Austria, discovering bodybuilding and his early Hollywood dreams. | | | | | 7 More Interior-Design Trends That Seem Bonkers to Me | | | | Our columnist sounds off on painful platform beds, sculpted rugs nobody can clean and other decor crazes she considers more head-scratching than hip. | | | | | | |  | | This is the caption and credit for the image above. | | | | WSJ's House of the Week takes us to a Montana mountain home that brings elevated living to an entirely different level. Instead of building the house on flat land, the owners to decided build on a rock ridge—a choice fraught with construction challenge, but the promise of 360-degree views. "I'm an avid mountain climber, so I'm drawn to stories of homes that triumph over challenging terrain," says reporter Jessican Flint. "When I saw the images of this house on a rock ridge, I knew there had to be a fascinating tale behind the person who wanted to go to the lengths to construct something so impressive on such a rugged environment." | | | | - U.K. house buyer demand turned positive in June, the first time since December 2024, but challenges for buyers and sellers remain.
- A new build would create a government-backed loan program for homeowners looking to finance the construction of tiny homes.
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