Question 1

What are the capital improvement or preservation fees for?

Accepted Answer

These fees are in place by nearly every age-restricted community in Arizona, and they are a one-time fee that is paid at close of escrow. Most of the time the buyer pays them because they are seen as an entry fee into the community, but they are negotiable. The main purpose of the fee is typically to add to the reserve funds for the community. Most of the communities will save this money for when a major renovation is needed such as remodeling their clubhouses or resurfacing the pools. These can also be called the CARE fund as well.

Question 2

How do the age-restrictions work when buying a home in 55+ communities?

Accepted Answer

This answer can vary by each community, but in general, most communities require that one person living in the home to be over 55. Technically any person can buy a home in a 55+ community, but if they are not over 55, they cannot live inside the communities - this typically only applies to investors who will buy it and then rent it out to someone who is age-qualified.There is also a rule that applies to a majority of the communities where 20% of the community can have people aged 45-54. This is also called the 80/20 rule where 80% must be over 55, and 20% can be over 45. I have never seen a community hit the maximum of the 20% for the over 45. This rule does not apply to all communities though. Victory at Verrado in particular only allows people 45-54 to purchase in the community if they are buying a new build whereas anyone buying a resale home must be 55+.In terms of children living inside the community, most communities allow anyone over 19 to live there full time (with at least one person over 55 living there as well), but anyone under 19 is only allowed to stay for a certain amount of days in the year. It is typically around 90 days, so for grandchildren visiting, you will likely never have an issue with that. The restriction is mostly to not allow kids living there full time. This can vary by community, but this set up of ruling is fairly common in most of the communities.

Question 3

Can children use the amenities?

Accepted Answer

For most communities, yes they can have access to the pools, but there is typically a daily set of hours when they can use the pools. Something like 10AM-3PM is fairly common to see when children are allowed in the pool. There are some communities where they will have a pool that anyone can use and then another pool which does not allow splashing to have a 'fun' pool and a 'relaxed' pool. Nearly every community has some form of pool and hours that children can have access to.In terms of people over 19, their access to amenities is typically much easier. Most communities allow people over 19 to have access to their amenities and even get passes to the fitness centers if they live in the community or are visiting with a resident.

Question 4

How often do the HOA fees go up?

Accepted Answer

Most communities will have their HOA fees go up slightly each year with inflation. I have rarely seen a community make a large jump in fees in one year. The communities will typically have a rule in place where they can go up a certain percentage each year without requiring a vote, but if they feel the need to increase them a large amont, the residents must vote to approve this. In general, I see the HOA fees go up around 5% each year (so a $100 HOA fee turns to $105 the following year), but this is not always the case - there are plenty of times where the HOA fee does not change at all year over year. I have never seen one of these communities have a $50+ a month HOA fee change from one year to the next. That would cause a riot in the community and for good reason.

Question 5

Are there additional fees on top of the monthly HOA fee?

Accepted Answer

In general, no there are typically not additional fees you are required to pay. This of course can vary by the community. For example, Sun Lakes does not include some of their amenities in their HOA fee, so you would have to pay extra to have access to the fitness centers and pickleball. I have not seen that in any other community, but it is an example of an additional expense. There are also some clubs within the community that you may have to pay extra for if you want to join. Something such as a pottery club you would have to pay to join and have access to their materials. In general though, most communities have all the main amenities included in their HOA fees without additional yearly fees on top of the monthly fees.

Question 6

I am under 55, can I purchase in the age-restricted communities?

Accepted Answer

If you are over 45, most communities do allow for 20% of the residents to be between 45-54. There are some that only allow for people over 55 to purchase, but a majority follow the 20% rule where yes you can purchase in one of these communities. You would just want to check with the HOA that they have not hit that 20% cap although I have never seen a community hit that cap before.

Question 7

What amenities are included in the HOA fees?

Accepted Answer

For most of the communities, all the main amenities are included in your HOA fees - fitness centers, pools, sport courts, walking tracks, etc. Typically the only amenities you would have to pay additional for would be things like fitness classes or certain clubs such as pottery where you pay for your supplies.Most communities also regularly offer free events for the community such as concerts, shows, or games. A majority of the clubs are also free or extremely cheap to join for things such as card playing.

Question 8

Are pets allowed in 55+ communities?

Accepted Answer

Nearly all communities are pet friendly for the single family homes. Townhomes and condos are much different for what must be approved. In general there is typically a two pet per household rule, but some also make exceptions if you have 3 pets when moving in and then you are not allowed to have more on top of that. Almost all the communities have a dog park, and many communities even encourage the pets. You will see plenty of people walking their dogs and going to the park on a regular basis.In general, there are no breed or size restrictions, but if you do have a typically restricted dog breed, I would always verify before moving in.

Question 9

Can you buy in a 55+ community as a 2nd home or vacation home?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Every communities has a large population of what are called 'snowbirds' who are people who tend to live in Arizona during the winter and spring when our weather is perfect!

Question 10

Are there many snowbirds in the 55+ communities?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the retirement communities in Arizona have a large population of snowbirds - much more than a typical community. I would say close to 1/3 of the homeowners in these communities are snowbirds who are only there part time. You will often notice that during the summer months of June-August that the communities empty out with not as much happening in terms of events or clubs.

Question 11

Are there still new build 55+ communities in Arizona?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Here is a quick list of the communities that have new builds available. Click on any of them to learn more about each individual community.Victory at VerradoSun City FestivalTrilogy at Verde RiverTrilogy at EncanterraEncore at EastmarkCantaMiaHeritage at AsanteSterling GrovePebbleCreekRidgecrest by Trilogy

Question 12

Can you rent / lease out a home in a 55+ community?

Accepted Answer

Yes, I have not seen any of the 55+ communities not allow for rentals, but the time length for the rentals can greatly vary. The older retirement communities such as Sun City and Sun City West that do not have an HOA allow for nightly rentals such as Airbnbs, but nearly all of the others that have an HOA have some form of restriction on rentals. Some are 30 day minimums, some are 6 month minimums, and some are 12 month minimum rentals.

Question 13

If I rented a place in a 55+ community, do I get access to their amenities?

Accepted Answer

In general yes, but it can depend on the community and your length of stay. If you are doing a month long rental or longer, you will typically always get access to the amenities. I would just double check with the landlord on how that process works, but all of the communities have some form of set up for tenants to have passes to the amenities as well.

Question 14

Which 55+ communities in Arizona are 'golf cart' communities?

Accepted Answer

In reality, nearly all of the retirement communities in Arizona are heavily populated by golf carts, but the usability of the carts can vary from one community to the next. For example, Sun City West has a ton of golf carts, but your drive could be fairly far from the clubhouse or even crossing roads that are 35 MPH where you would likely not want to take the golf cart. Here are what I view as the best golf cart communities in Arizona:PebbleCreekVictory at VerradoCantaMiaCorte BellaSun LakesTrilogy at VistanciaTrilogy at Verde RiverTrilogy at EncanterraTrilogy at Power RanchSterling GroveSun City Grand

Question 15

What do the HOA fees cover in 55+ communities?

Accepted Answer

This can of course vary by community, but in general, they tend to give you access to all the main amenities and clubs. This would be the fitness center, sport courts, pools, clubs, and events the community puts on.Not to mention the landscape of the community is included in the HOA fees which is well worth your cost. These communities are incredibly well maintained with huge clubhouses and gorgeous scenery. It is obvious when you are in a 55+ community compared to when you are not. There are some rare communities that have additional fees for the fitness center or pickleball and other things, but in general those are typically always included in your HOA fees. A few typical additional fees on top of your HOA fees could be if you joined a club that has a fee such as ceramics, or another common add on could be fitness classes.

Question 16

How do you join clubs in the 55+ communities?

Accepted Answer

Joining a club is usually quite easy and quite welcoming! In most communities, there is a person in charge of the clubs as well as a person who manages each individual club. You will just have to get in contact with the person who does this and it will be easy for you to hop in to whatever club you are interested in.Most communities also welcome new clubs if you are wanting to start one, but there are typically already dozens and dozens in each community that are already going!

Question 17

Is golf included in the HOA fees?

Accepted Answer

No, none of the 55+ communities in Arizona have a golf membership included in their HOA fees (that I am aware of). Some courses do offer discounts to residents in the community or only allow residents to become members,  but none of them have higher HOA fees to include a golf membership. The golf is always an additional cost to anyone who wants to join.

Question 18

Is yard maintenance included in your HOA fee?

Accepted Answer

In general, no the front yard landscaping is maintained by the homeowner. This is especially true of any single family home. It is rare for communities to also maintain the front yard landscaping on single family homes, but it is common for townhomes or patio homes to have their landscaping maintained by the HOA. The townhomes or patio homes will typically have a higher additional HOA fee because of this.

Question 19

Which 55+ communities have the lowest HOA fees?

Accepted Answer

Here is a quick breakdown of the communities and their annual cost for HOA fees for two people living in the home. Some of the communities have a required 'rec center fee' which I am counting as an HOA fee below:Sun City - $650 annual HOA costSunland Village - $672 annual HOA costWestbrook Village - $792 annual HOA costSunland Springs - $876 annual HOA costSun City West - $1,080 annual HOA costSundance - $1,296 annual HOA cost

Question 20

Which 55+ communities in Arizona are best for snowbirds or part time living?

Accepted Answer

All of the 55+ communities are great for part time living, and a majority of them have a heavy snowbird population. But, there are still some that I think fit the snowbird lifestyle than others. Typically a snowbird is looking for a community that has plenty to do in our good weather months with an active lifestyle, great amenities, and a broad range of home options including smaller lock-and-leave set ups. With that criteria, here would be my top recommendations:Victory at VerradoPebbleCreekSun City GrandSun CityWestbrook VillageCantaMia

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