[NJblue]

Russ, as I recall you were thinking of backing up to a golf course. If so, then the only neighbors that you need to be concerned about from a noise perspective would be the ones on either side. Note that some Designers have their lanais on one side of the house or the other or in some case right in the middle of the house with walls on either side (e.g., the Bridgeport). Hence, by being very selective in terms of which model you buy versus what your neighbors have, you can get a house whose lanai is quite private from your neighbors. Another option would be to be at the end of a cul de sac in which case your backyard is pie shaped and hence does not really have any direct views into neighbors' lanais. It does add another layer of complexity and limitation in your house hunt but may be worth considering.

I see what everyone says about the positives of the CYVs but what dissuaded us was the curb appeal and the garage limitation. (Plus, a secondary factor was its appeal to dog owners - I love dogs more than most, but having lived in a house where the people behind us leave their little yapper outside for hours on end, makes me to never want to live in area which invites this type of neighbor abuse.)