Sun City Summerlin: Age-Qualified (55+) Living

What Sun City Summerlin is

Sun City Summerlin is an age-qualified community in northwest Summerlin, built by the Del Webb Corporation and marketed to adults 55 and older. It is one of the large Del Webb communities in Nevada and the original of the company's Las Vegas-area Sun City properties; a smaller one, Sun City MacDonald Ranch, followed in Henderson in 1995, and Sun City Anthem opened in 1998. Its main selling points are an established, mature setting with landscaping that has had decades to fill in, amenities built into the community, and a low-maintenance, single-story style of living.

History

Del Webb opened Sun City Summerlin in 1989, and the first residents moved in that year. A 1997 Las Vegas Sun report described a 2,474-acre development that was rapidly approaching build-out, with about 6,170 of a projected 7,700 homes completed, three recreation centers valued at about $16 million with a fourth under construction, and three 18-hole golf courses. The same year, residents took majority control of the community association from the builder.

The 1997 report also described Del Webb's long-standing approach of installing recreational amenities before selling homes. Build-out came quickly: Nevada Business Magazine reported in 2000 that Del Webb sold the last home in the last phase of the 7,800-home community in September 1999, a project of about 10 years. Homes here therefore date from the late 1980s through about 1999.

Homes

Homes are mostly single-story, single-family houses, with a range of floor plans that Del Webb marketed under different names over the years. Because the community was built over about 10 years, you will find several vintages of construction and several generations of building materials and mechanical systems.

• Original systems: roofs, air conditioning, water heaters, and plumbing in the earliest homes are likely to have been replaced at least once, so ask for dates and receipts.
• Updates: kitchens, baths, and flooring vary a lot from home to home, which makes condition a main driver of value.
• Lots: many homes sit on or near golf fairways, and orientation affects sun, views, and noise from golf activity.
• Solar: solar systems are common in older homes and may be owned, financed, or leased, so we review the contract; see Understand the Solar Before Buying the House.

Recreation, clubs, and golf

The community's social life is organized around its recreation centers, which have pools, fitness facilities, courts, and rooms for classes and events, plus a long list of resident clubs. The 1997 Las Vegas Sun report counted three recreation centers with a fourth under construction, and a 2000 Nevada Business Magazine article counted four. Facility lists change as centers are renovated, so confirm the current amenities and hours.

The community's three original golf courses were designed by Billy Casper and Greg Nash and are named Palm Valley, Highland Falls, and Eagle Crest; Eagle Crest is a shorter executive layout. Ownership and access to golf courses can change, so ask whether golf is open to residents, to the public, or by membership, and what any membership costs, before you assume it is included.

Age rules and who can live there

Sun City Summerlin is age-qualified under the federal Housing for Older Persons Act. Under the federal law, a community that qualifies as 55-and-older housing must have at least 80 percent of its occupied units occupied by at least one person who is 55 or older, and it must publish and follow age-verification policies. The community's governing documents may be stricter and set the precise rules, including what applies to younger family members, guests, and caregivers, and what happens if circumstances change. Because those rules come from the documents and not from the listing, ask us to confirm them in writing before you make an offer.

Associations, assessments, and costs to check

Homeowners pay dues to the community association, which maintains the recreation centers and common areas and pays for community programs. Dues, rules, reserves, and any special assessment change over time, so we obtain the current resale package and read the budget and reserve study with you. You should also ask whether a home carries any special improvement district or local improvement district assessment.

Nevada requires the HOA resale package to be delivered to the buyer, and a buyer can cancel within five calendar days of receiving it. See Check the HOA Before You Commit.

Buying and selling in Sun City Summerlin with The Perna Group

Condition and updates matter more than usual in a community built by one developer over a long period. We compare recent sales of similar floor plans and similar levels of updating, and we explain how we adjust for lot, location, and the age of major systems.

• We confirm the age-qualification rules and read the governing documents with you.
• We review the HOA resale package, dues, reserves, and any pending assessments.
• We help you plan inspections for aging systems, including roof, air conditioning, plumbing, and any solar equipment.
• For sellers, we plan preparation and photography around the updates you have made, and we gather the association documents early.