Anyone for golf ?
A view of the sea is one of the top criteria influencing a property’s value both on the Côte d’Azur and in the Var. Other micro-markets, which do not necessarily exclude a sea view, meet with similar success. Especially golfing domains. A few concrete examples…
This sport of Scottish origin does not content itself with demanding high concentration, undeniable qualities of endurance and precision from its fans. It also requires vast and impeccably maintained expanses of green grass, dotted with woods, a lake or stream. In addition to the possibility of wielding one’s clubs whenever one likes, choosing to live on a golf-course guarantees a certain quality of life : soothing vistas, a quiet, natural and often intimate setting.
In the Alpes-Maritimes, the so-called “golf centres” are Mougins - which offers another advantage, that of being close to Cannes -, Opio and Valbonne, both a few kilometres from Antibes. Dorothée Klinkhammer of the John Taylor agency mentions La Grande Bastide, an 18-hole course completed in 1990 and surrounded by beautiful properties, and the Château de La Bégude, a complex of approx. 550 acres on the communes of Opio and Valbonne. The Résidences and Domaine du Golf, the latter gated and guarded, are home to numerous villas. The course is surrounded by a forest which deprives the residences of a view of the greens which are, however, within walking distance. English and Scandinavian buyers, aged 50 and over, invest here in holiday homes in 80 % of cases. Not all of them play golf, though they all apprec-iate the prestigious environment and Olympian calm.
With the exception of Val Martin, which offers a development of apartments, the accommodation is systematically composed of detached houses with considerable space. A neo-Provençal villa of 200 m2 with grounds of 3,000-5,000 m2 starts at 1.4 million €. Living space of 250-300 m2 in the same grounds but with superior appointments can attain 2.5 million €. The presence of a golf-course is not the only factor when estimating values. Another is the renown of Cannes and Antibes and the appeal of typical villages in the back-country. Mougins tops the list in terms of prices, though Valbonne, better preserved, is catching up. Properties on offer are thin on the ground and building land is virtually non-existent.
Pascal Blanquart of Burger Sotheby’s International Realty distinguishes between the Golf Country Club Cannes Mougins and the Royal Golf Club, just a few kilometres away. The development of La Peyrière, some 220 to 230 houses ranging from 700,000 to 1.8 million €, is closely linked to the presence of Cannes Mougins. A classic Provençal villa of 200 m2 in a garden of 1,200 m2 costs from 900,000 to 1.2 million €. A home in good condition, well-positioned, will cost 5,000-6,000 € per sq. metre. These properties were originally intended as holiday homes ; today, the majority serve as main residences. Steady demand comes up against a penury of offerings. The Royal Golf Club has a few apartments and two gated estates with small, semi-detached houses. Ideal pieds-à-terre for golfers, they range from 800,000 to 1.2 million €. Another complex, this time with guardian, proposes properties from 2.5 to 4 million €. A passion for the little white ball motivates 90 % of buyers. Purchase of a property in fact includes playing rights. As for all markets with non-residents, there are many rotations and seasonal rentals.
As far as the courses are concerned, the Var can hold its head up high in answer to the Alpes-Maritimes. Terre Blanche on the commune de Tourrettes is a good example. Sandrine Palmier of Burger Sotheby’s International Realty describes the two 18-hole courses, the Four
Seasons hotel with its 115 suites and spa… All facilities from which fortunate land-owners benefit at their leisure. “There are 7 plots of land left, from 2,500 to 5,000 m2, priced between 1 and 2 million €. The construction ratio is close to 10 % and the architect is free to choose his style.” With top-notch security, the estate already boasts 30 completed residences and about 50 under construction. Clients are foreign golf enthusiasts looking for holiday homes. Two-thirds of them come from England, are 35-45 years old and work in finance. The market looks promising ; the agency has sold over 30 lots in the last 18 months. Valid for 99 years, playing rights cost 50,000 €.
Jean-Philippe Manzon of the Alpha agency defines the Beauvallon golf-club, just west of Sainte-Maxime, as one of the oldest on the Côte d’Azur. Enjoying an ultra-residential environment just 300 metres from the Mediterranean, it faces the sea and the village of Saint-Tropez. Les Parcs de Beauvallon are home to 30 properties, designed by architect François Vieillecroze. Priced from 1.5 to over 2 million €, they benefit from US-style services including stewards, security guards, the beach, private and shared pools. From outside the old Beauvallon estate, one can contemplate stretches of greenery reserved for play and accessible on foot. With more on offer in the agencies than on other domains, these houses date back to the 1930’s-1940’s. Those on the new estate, 30 years old, are spread out on the hills. Scattered over several acres of land, they blend harmoniously into the landscape, though many need renovating. Costing from 1.5 to 5 million € (mostly 2 to 3 million €), their great advantage results from town-planning regulations : the smallest plot is 2,500 m2 with a construction ratio of 10 %. French owners share this sector equally with foreigners. For an equivalent property, clients yearning for Saint-Tropez here pay half the price. Followng the national trend, one notes a discrepancy between the financial pretentions of the sellers, and buyers’ expect-ations in terms of quality. Fairly valued, a property finds a taker in only three months. Other properties on the market take at least a year to sell.
“Facing due south, the Sainte-Maxime golf-course is for experienced and hard-bitten players. Its scenic views embrace the Med, the village dear to Brigitte Bardot and the Massif des Maures. Built around its edges, the domain offers quality residences with sublime views, some of both the greens and the sea,” says Sonia Crulli of the John Taylor agency. Houses of 250 m2 bask in grounds of approx. 4,000 m2. Priced between 2 and 3 million €, they appeal to Europeans seeking holiday homes. At the heart of this well-maintained park, demand exceeds supply. “Posting similar prices, the Golf de Gassin is very close to Saint-Tropez,” adds Sonia Crulli. “Technically more affordable than the latter, it plays host to residences within its grounds. Vines grow in abundance everywhere and the scenery is as countrified as one could wish.”
By Laetitia Rossi
