Everybody knows Arizona is one of the most popular golfing destinations in the world, especially during the peak fall, winter and spring months, and with that comes higher demand for homes on sale in golf communities. Homes sell quick during this time. Buyers are getting outbid on their dream home and sellers aren’t willing to move on the price, but there’s a small summer window where buyers can take advantage of the slower time and buy a home in the golf community they want, and possibly even at a better price than they originally thought.
For buyers dreaming of buying a home and living in one of the top golf capitals of the world, the quiet summer season (May through October) is worth paying attention to. Here’s why summer can be one of the smartest times to buy into a golf community in the Phoenix or Tucson areas.
1. The Snowbirds Are Gone, And So Is the Competition
Golf course communities in Phoenix and Tucson see a huge influx of seasonal residents and buyers between October and April. Once summer arrives, many of those buyers head back north, and the pool of people actively competing for golf homes shrinks considerably. Fewer buyers touring homes means more motivated sellers and less competition for available homes for sale.
If you’ve had your eye on a specific golf community but kept losing out to over-asking offers during the winter season, summer may be your best opportunity.
2. Sellers Who Missed the Winter Window Are Ready to Talk
A golf home that didn’t sell during peak fall and spring season is often carried by a seller who priced it hoping to catch the winter rush, but didn’t. By summer, that seller may be paying HOA dues, club fees, and landscaping costs on a property they’re no longer living in. Homes that are still sitting on the market through summer often come with sellers who are considerably more willing to negotiate on price or terms just to get the deal closed.
That’s particularly true in golf communities, where carrying costs (course fees, community amenities, landscaping for desert-adapted golf turf) add up fast on a vacant home. This is true for both private country clubs and 55+ golf communities.
3. More Leverage on Course-Specific Concessions
Buying into a golf community often comes with extras beyond the home itself:
- Membership transfer fees
- Cart storage
- Club initiation costs
- Upgrades (including but not limited to) a casita or guest suite.
In a slower summer market, buyers typically have more room to negotiate a price reduction, ask the seller to cover closing costs, request a rate buydown, or push for repairs and upgrades before closing. Some sellers may even be open to covering membership transfer or initiation fees just to get their home under contract.
4. Time to Actually Evaluate the Course and Community
Touring golf properties in the cooler months often means touring alongside many other interested buyers and risking getting into bidding wars. Summer’s slower pace gives buyers the chance to walk the course, talk with the pro shop staff, sit in on a community event, and get an honest read on the neighborhood without the pressure of getting outbid. That extra time can be invaluable when you’re not just buying a house, but buying into a lifestyle and a membership.
Are you deciding whether you want to live full-time or own a seasonal home here in Arizona? Learn about about the differences here.
Making Your Move Before the Season Turns
For buyers focused on finding the right golf home in Arizona, the slower summer season gives them the opportunity to come across properties with more motivated sellers willing to negotiate and less competition.
If you’re ready to explore what’s available right now, set up a home search so listings across Phoenix and Tucson can get sent to your inbox right away, or reach out to a Deluxe Golf Homes agent (operating under the Forbes Real Estate Team at West USA Realty) to help you out.
