Before You Buy at The Landings: The Questions Buyers Actually Ask
buyer education Trisha Cook August 30, 2026
buyer education Trisha Cook August 30, 2026
Straight answers about Club membership, Association fees, golf carts, marinas, dining, flood insurance and choosing the right Realtor.
If you have spent any time looking at homes in The Landings, you already know the highlight reel: golf courses, marinas, moss-draped streets, waterfront views, golf carts and more amenities than most people could use in a week.
It is an incredible community, but there are a few things the glossy descriptions do not always explain clearly.
The Landings Association, The Landings Golf & Athletic Club and your property ownership are connected, but they are not the same thing. That distinction affects your costs, access and daily life.
These are the questions buyers ask us most often, along with a few they should be asking.
The Landings is a private, gated residential community located on Skidaway Island, just outside Savannah. It covers approximately 4,200 acres of maritime forest, lagoons, golf courses and coastal waterways.
The community includes thousands of homes, more than 30 miles of walking and biking paths, marinas, parks, recreational facilities and several distinct residential areas.
It is large enough that where you live inside The Landings matters. Your gate access, drive time, golf-cart route, clubhouse proximity and view can feel very different from one section to another. For a broader view of homes, amenities and everyday logistics, read our guide to living on Skidaway Island.
ou can also explore The Landings homes for sale and community information.
No. The Landings is not an age-restricted community.
It is popular with retirees and second-home owners, but it also has families, working professionals and younger residents. The Club offers youth programs, camps, childcare, family pools and children’s activities.
Do not confuse The Landings with The Marshes of Skidaway Island, which is a separate senior-living community located on the island.
This is probably the most important question on the list.
The Landings Association is the property owners’ association. It manages community infrastructure and services such as roads, gates, common property, community safety, architectural standards, parks, paths and certain resident amenities.
The Landings Golf & Athletic Club is a separate private Club. It operates the golf courses, Club restaurants, pools, fitness and wellness facilities, tennis, pickleball, bocce and much of the organized recreational programming.
Owning a home makes you a member of the property owners’ association. It does not automatically give you full access to the Golf & Athletic Club.
No. Club amenities require a separate membership.
The Club currently advertises Full Club, Athletic and Associate Golf membership options. Membership categories, initiation fees, dues, availability and privileges can change, so buyers should request current information directly from the Club.
Do not rely on what a neighbor pays, what was offered several years ago or what an old listing says. Verify the current costs and access before purchasing if Club membership is important to you.
Current membership information is available through The Landings Golf & Athletic Club.
The Landings Association maintains a separate group of amenities for property owners. These include community paths, parks, athletic fields, lagoons, picnic areas, the dog park, kayak facilities, storage areas, community gathering spaces and the Association-operated marinas.
Some amenities require registration, reservations or additional user fees.
Golf courses, Club pools, Club dining, the wellness center and most organized court-sports facilities require the appropriate Golf & Athletic Club membership.
This is why simply asking, “What amenities does The Landings have?” is not enough. The better question is, “Which amenities will I have access to under the membership I plan to purchase?”
The Landings Golf & Athletic Club has six private, 18-hole championship golf courses:
Golf access depends on the appropriate Club membership. The courses are designed by names including Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio, Arthur Hills and Willard Byrd.
The ability to reach multiple courses by golf cart is a major part of the lifestyle, but you do not need to be a golfer to enjoy living in The Landings.
Yes. Golf carts are a normal part of daily life in The Landings.
Residents use them to visit friends, reach Club facilities, attend events and travel around the community. Privately owned carts must be registered, and owners must follow The Landings Association’s current golf-cart rules.
The home’s location can make a big difference in how practical the golf-cart lifestyle feels. A property may be technically golf-cart accessible to a clubhouse, but that does not mean it is a quick ride.
We recommend mapping the routes you expect to use instead of judging everything by mileage.
Yes. The Landings Association operates Landings Harbor Marina and Delegal Creek Marina.
Landings Harbor Marina is located on the Wilmington River and currently offers dry storage for boats up to 30 feet, wet storage for boats up to 40 feet and limited kayak storage. Boat storage is reserved for Landings property owners.
Storage availability, vessel restrictions, fees and waiting lists should be verified directly with the marina. Owning a home in the community does not guarantee that a specific storage space will be immediately available.
For boating buyers, we also look at how quickly a home can reach the marina and which marina better fits the owner’s boat and preferred waterways.
The Golf & Athletic Club operates an extensive private dining network. Its dedicated dining page currently lists nine primary venues, ranging from Palmer’s Steakhouse and Finjin Sushi & Noodle Bar to Deer Creek A Coastal Grill, Osteria Oakridge and 109th Hole.
The Club’s public pages use slightly different totals depending on whether poolside, mobile and specialty concepts are counted separately.
Outside the Club, public sit-down dining on Skidaway Island is limited. Village Bar & Grille identifies itself as the island’s public bistro. Residents looking for more public choices generally drive toward Sandfly or farther into Savannah.
If dining by golf cart is part of the lifestyle you want, Club membership needs to be part of your financial planning.
There are two separate cost categories to consider:
Additional costs may apply for activities, boat storage, the dog park, golf-cart registration, food minimums, guest fees or other services.
Association assessments and Club fees can change. Buyers should review the current resale disclosures, Association budget, governing documents, Club membership schedule and any pending votes or assessments before purchasing.
We help buyers gather the current information so they are comparing actual costs, not numbers copied from an old listing.
Maybe. Flood insurance is property-specific.
The answer depends on the home’s FEMA flood zone, elevation, mortgage requirements and the insurance company’s underwriting. Two homes on Skidaway Island can have very different elevations and insurance costs.
Do not assume every house requires flood insurance, and do not assume a home is safe from flooding simply because a lender does not require a policy.
Before purchasing, buyers should obtain property-specific homeowners, wind and flood insurance quotes. Looking at the seller’s current premium alone is not enough because the buyer’s pricing may be different. Buyers can also review Chatham County specific flood zone information here.
Homes are offered for rent in The Landings, but owners and tenants remain subject to the Association’s covenants and rules.
Rental length, tenant registration, gate access, Club privileges and property-specific restrictions should be verified before purchasing a home as an investment or second property.
A tenant does not automatically receive the owner’s Club privileges. If rental income is an important part of your plan, confirm the current Association and Club requirements before assuming the numbers work.
Public school assignments are determined by the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System based on the home’s address. Hesse K-8 serves students within its designated attendance zone, but assignments and programs should always be verified directly with the school system.
Skidaway Island residents also consider several private-school options throughout Savannah.
We do not rely on the school field in an old MLS listing. Buyers should use the exact property address to confirm the current assignment with SCCPSS.
The Landings is located southeast of downtown Savannah on Skidaway Island.
Drive time depends on the home’s location inside the community, which gate you use, traffic and your final destination. A house near one gate can feel considerably more convenient than a home deeper inside the community.
Buyers commuting regularly should drive the route during the time of day they expect to travel. “Minutes from downtown” can mean something very different at 10 a.m. than it does during weekday traffic.
Yes. Property owners agree to follow The Landings Association’s covenants, architectural guidelines, maintenance standards and rules.
Exterior alterations, additions, tree removal, major landscaping changes and new construction may require approval. The current governing documents should be reviewed before purchasing, especially if you already have renovation plans.
A large lot does not necessarily mean you can add a pool, remove trees or expand the house exactly as planned. Those questions are better answered before closing.
The Association homepage currently provides access to the ARC guidelines, covenants, bylaws, budget and rules in one place
Many residents remain in their Landings homes well into retirement by modifying the property, hiring in-home assistance or relying on local transportation and household-support services.
The Landings Association also has a Neighbors Helping Neighbors volunteer program that may assist residents with temporary transportation needs, companionship, simple household tasks and medical-equipment loans. It is a community resource, not a replacement for professional home care or emergency services.
The house itself matters too. A single-level floor plan, minimal steps, wider doorways, an accessible bathroom and manageable exterior maintenance can make it easier to remain at home longer. These features may not feel important when you purchase, but they can become very important later.
Moving out of a Landings home does not necessarily mean leaving Skidaway Island or the relationships you have built here.
Thrive on Skidaway offers independent living, assisted living and memory care. This gives residents the option to move into a maintenance-free setting and add support as their needs change.
The Marshes of Skidaway Island is a Life Plan Community offering independent living along with assisted living, skilled nursing and short- and long-term rehabilitation. Its financial structure includes an entrance fee and continuing-care component, so it is different from a traditional home purchase or monthly apartment rental.
Some residents choose to downsize within The Landings before considering senior living. Others sell their Landings home and move directly to Thrive or The Marshes because they want fewer responsibilities, more daily support or a plan for future care.
Availability, pricing, entrance requirements and levels of care should be confirmed directly with each community.
This range of choices is an overlooked benefit of Skidaway Island. You can build a life at The Landings without assuming you will eventually have to leave the island when the house or yard becomes more than you want to manage.
No. Buyers and sellers may choose their own licensed real estate agent.
Even The Landings’ published real estate content acknowledges that outside brokers and agents represent buyers and sellers in the community.
The on-site company knows the community, but that does not mean buyers or sellers are required to use it. You should choose representation based on experience, communication, negotiation, marketing resources and whose interests the agent is representing.
Choose an agent who understands both the property and the lifestyle.
Your Realtor should know to evaluate:
The prettiest house is not always the right house once you understand the location, access and ongoing costs.
The Trisha Cook Team has served Savannah-area buyers and sellers since 2007 and is backed by Compass, dedicated marketing professionals, transaction support and a full client-service team.
We do not hand buyers an amenities list and call that local expertise. We help you understand which amenities you can use, what they cost, how the home’s location affects your routine and which questions need to be answered directly by the Association, Club, marina or insurance provider.
For sellers, we combine professional photography, strategic marketing, Compass & multiple Luxury Marketing technology platforms, targeted digital exposure and local market knowledge to sell the home and the lifestyle accurately.
Our team has earned more than 1,600 five-star reviews because we believe the details matter, especially in a community where the house is only part of what you are buying.
If you are considering buying or selling a home at The Landings, search current Savannah-area homes for sale or contact The Trisha Cook Team at Compass. You can also call us at 912-737-2935. We will help you understand the property, the community and the costs before you make the decision
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