Pickleball is here to stay and growing faster than ever!
Pickleball madness is here to stay! Did you know the sport has more than 36.5 million participants nationwide and was officially announced as the fastest-growing sport in America, according to the 2023 APP Tour's Pickleball Participation report? As a Realtor®, here's what you may want to know about the sport.
That outdoor landscape may change more and more here in South Florida. It's no secret that Florida boasts of having some of the best weather, and with that desirable weather comes year-long activities for residents of all ages. We know that Realtors® are constantly adding new tools to their belt of information and trends to remain up to date with what future home seekers may be seeking out. With that said, you may want to know a thing or two about pickleball soon and what communities may offer this sport.
Over the last 40 years, neighborhood amenities have drastically changed. For instance, in the 1980s, tennis was still making a considerable impact from the 70s with leisurely fun. In the 1990s, we saw a golf explosion in South Florida, with many country clubs in South Florida adding new courses or refurbishing older courses. Then, in the 2000s, communities were placing a pulse on clubhouse space and grandiose resort-style pools. Now, in the 2020s, it is all about convenience and creating community-centric activities like pickleball.
Many developers are buying into this trend and building their neighborhoods with intentionality and appeal. The king of outdoor activities in the past in South Florida has been golf. However, creating a PGA-style golf course can cost a few to several million dollars and hundreds of thousands to maintain. Then comes the cost of gear, memberships, etc. With pickleball, the cost could be a fraction of that, roughly $30,000 to $50,000. This may be one of the reasons more and more tennis courts are also converting into pickleball courts.
Pickleball is not only taking over the courts, but here are just some of the neighborhoods housing the current trend in Palm Beach, Broward, and St Lucie counties. Wellington Shores, The Preserve in Palm Beach Gardens, Waterview Towers in Palm Beach, Park Place located in Broward, Spanish Lakes Country Club, Esplanade at Tradition, Lakes at Tradition, and Kings Isle in St. Lucie. With this amenity, peaking interest in so many different neighborhoods, Realtors® can spend more time finding the perfect home for those who want this beloved sport at their disposal 24/7.
As we can see, this community-driven outdoor activity continuously drives attention and desire toward the residential areas that can provide this amenity. Realtors® can now appeal to those who don’t always want to drive to their local parks, are interested in being more engaged with their community, and enjoy keeping active at their convenience year-round.
Samantha Minns
RWorld Content Writer
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Source: CNBC
