AZ Active Retirement Living

Beautiful morning in Del Webb's Sun City Festival, Buckeye Arizona

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If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, please call me or visit my website. Here you will find MLS listings for many of the Phoenix Del Webb retirement communities, including foreclosures & short sales, resale homes for sale in Corte Bella, Sun City Festival homes for sale, Arizona Traditions MLS listings, Trilogy at Vistancia and Sun City West, PLUS see a map of the Surprise AZ area retirement communities. Don't hesitate to call or email if you have questions.

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Kathy Anderson
Ken Meade Realty
Sun City Grand Office

(602) 703-8930

Sun City Festival Gala - Listed & SOLD in 1 day!

Actually I was able to sell it before it even went into the MLS.  Does this happen often?  No, but I do have a number of buyers at any time who are watching for the perfect Gala to hit the market.  This time I had my buyers in town ready, willing and able.  AND... this Gala was special because it has an extended, private block walled backyard in an excellent location.

What is the perfect Gala listing?  It generally comes down to location, location, location since (generally speaking) there isn't much difference between the individual Galas that hit the market.  Of course there are exceptions when it comes to neglected short sale or foreclosures homes, but for the most part they all have granite counter tops, upgraded cabinets and tile where you want it.

Unfortunately (or fortunately if you are the buyer), the prices are pretty well set due to what the new home construction is selling for and what the appraisers say the homes are worth.  That generally means the sellers are taking a loss because most have added improvements to the property that they aren't going to be able to recoup.

The good news is, the resale home market is decent to good in Sun City Festival... at least for the Sun City Festival resale listings under $250,000 or so.

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If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in one of the Phoenix west valley active retirement golf communities, please call me or visit my website. Here you will also find information on homes for sale in Sun City Grand, resales in Corte Bella, Sun City Festival real estate, Arizona Traditions MLS listings, Trilogy at Vistancia and Sun City West, PLUS see a map of the Surprise AZ area retirement communities. Don't hesitate to call or email if you have questions.

Subscribe to my AZActiveRetirementLiving.com blog feed

Kathy Anderson
Ken Meade Realty
Sun City Grand Office

(602) 703-8930

 Big plans for the Arts & Crafts Clubs in Sun City Festival

It's all about lifestyle for baby boomers looking for their Arizona retirement home and it has always been hard to beat the activities and amenities of the Del Webb Sun City retirement communities.  Del Webb (and now Pulte homes) is committed to building the structures needed to expand the club offerings in these communities.

Sun City Festival, the newest of the Arizona Sun City communities, will soon benefit.  Del Webb/Pulte recently announced plans for a new wood shop and crafts studio that will be built close to the ballpark.  Separated into three rooms, the largest space to the left will be home to the wood shop, the middle room will house the glass arts and silversmith studio and the far right room will be a dedicated pottery & ceramics studio.

While these activities may (or may not) interest you, they have a huge impact on the resale real estate market.  After touring the recreation/club facilities of Sun City Grand, Sun City West, Sun City Festival, Corte Bella, Trilogy at Vistancia and Arizona Traditions, I find the majority of buyers I work with are drawn to one of the Sun City Communities... due to the shear number of activities provided as well as the facilities/grounds that are dedicated to the clubs.  I see this over and over.

That's not to say there is anything wrong with the other Arizona retirement communities.  They each have their own appeal and beauty and I have sold homes in msot of the west valley communities.
Arizona Traditions has a wood shop and number of these other clubs as well, but in a much smaller gated community at the foot of the beautiful White Tank mountains.  I find this community appeals to someone who wants a smaller, home town feel... that doesn't want to be in a huge master planned community.
Corte Bella appeals to my senses.  I love the Tuscan/Santa Barbara mission feel of this community with all the arches, courtyards, Italian cypress and bougainvillea... but unless you are looking for a golf country club this may not appeal to you.
Trilogy at Vistancia is first cabin all the way and they have won many awards.  This gorgeous gated community also provides clubs and activities just on a smaller scale.  Great attention has been given to design and landscaping throughout.

What it really comes down to is personal taste and once I give my clients a tour of each community, it isn't long before they are telling me which one feels like "home".  I just find most of them gravitate toward the Sun City concept.

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If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in one of the Phoenix area golf retirement communities, please call me or visit my website where you will find the MLS listings for all of the above mentioned communities as well as a great deal of information most buyers are looking for.

Subscribe to my AZActiveRetirementLiving.com blog feed

Kathy Anderson
Ken Meade Realty
Sun City Grand Office

(602) 703-8930

Sun City Festival resale home sales reports - 1st half of 2010

I've had the pleasure of selling a number of resale homes in Sun City Festival.  There is actually a very good market for Sun City Festival resales provided they don't back up to the power lines or main roads.  This is rather unusual for new home communities as the competition with builder incentives can be fierce.


Fortunately for the residents of Sun City Festival, most of the new construction lot selection is north of the power lines and further away from the rec center than many buyers wish to be. 

The primary factor potential listing clients need to be aware of though is that there is a relatively narrow price range where homes can be listed at if they want to encourage serious buyers to look at and present an offer on their home.  Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, what the sellers net is somewhat less than what they have invested in the property.  This is due to pricing that is established by Pulte homes for their new builds (factoring in deep pocket incentives) as well as by the appraisers who get to weigh in whenever a buyer is purchasing their new Sun City Festival real estate with a new loan.

It is a very rare day a seller might see a cash buyer that disregards what the comps are saying.  Not impossible, but the only time I've seen this happen was in the case of a unique lot/view and there were multiple offers/interested parties at the same time.  All fairly rare in this buyers market.

For buyers looking for their favorite Sun City Festival floor plan out of all the Sun City Festival homes for sale I've made it very easy for you to see what is available.  Just click on the tabs below to find search catagories based on price, square footage, floor plan, golf course listings, etc.

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If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in one of Arizona active retirement golf communities but aren't sure Sun City Festival is the one for you, please call me or visit my website. Here you will also find information on resales in Corte Bella, Sun City Grand real estate, Arizona Traditions MLS listings, Trilogy at Vistancia and Sun City West, PLUS see a map of the Surprise AZ area retirement communities. Don't hesitate to call or email if you have questions.

Subscribe to my AZActiveRetirementLiving.com blog feed

Kathy Anderson
Ken Meade Realty
Sun City Grand Office

(602) 703-8930

Search for Sun City Festival Parada resales.

If your favorite of the Sun City Festival floorplans is the Sun City Festival Parada model you are not alone.  This was one of the more popular Del Webb floor plans.  It started out in Sun City Grand as both the "Rosewood" & the "Cambridge".  From there Del Webb took it to Corte Bella as the "Mirada".  Sometimes referred to as the "party house", the open floor plan and wet bar are the primary features that helped give this popular floor plan it's moniker.  Take a look below.

With the new searches I set up on my website it just got easier to find just the Sun City Festival Parada listings out of all the other MLS listings & homes for sale in Sun City Festival.

Please keep in mind, the information found in this search is only as good as the information the individual listing agents have put into our Arizona Regional MLS.  (Pay attention sellers!)  Out of area agents, including many of those listing Sun City Festival foreclosures and Sun City Festival short sales, leave out search critieria that make it easy to find the listings you are looking for.

Fortunately I was able to do this search by square footage so the vast majority of Parada listings should show up in this new search I have created for my website, KathyAndersonRealtor.com.  You will also see new construction listings the builder has put into the MLS to compete with the resales.  Be sure to click on the map tab to see where, in the community, the homes are located as many of the new home lot selections are north of the high tension power lines and further away from the rec center.

If the Parada model isn't for you, you search for other Sun City Festival real estate and homes for sale by floor plan or model name as well as search for homes by size or price point.  Other favorite searches are Sun City Festival golf course homes and homes in Sun City Festival with a private pool.

Enjoy!

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If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in one of Arizona active retirement golf communities but aren't sure Sun City Festival is the one for you, please call me or visit my website. Here you will also find information on resales in Corte Bella, Sun City Grand real estate, Arizona Traditions MLS listings, Trilogy at Vistancia and Sun City West, PLUS see a map of the Surprise AZ area retirement communities. Don't hesitate to call or email if you have questions.

Subscribe to my AZActiveRetirementLiving.com blog feed

Kathy Anderson
Ken Meade Realty
Sun City Grand Office

(602) 703-8930

Search for Sun City Festival Destiny resales.

If your favorite of the Sun City Festival floorplans is the Sun City Festival Destiny model you aren't alone.  A smaller version of this home was one of Del Webb's most popular floor plans ever.  It was around the last phase of construction in Sun City West when buyers decided a formal living/dining room (in addition to a separate family/Arizona room) no longer made a whole lot of sense.  There was a great deal of square footage that wasn't being used.

Enter the great room concept.  One of Del Webb's first great room floor plans was the Sun City West Prescott.  It became so popular they took it to Sun City Grand as the Palo Verde first and then tweaked it and reintroduced it as the Sun City Grand Borgata.

From there they created a floor plan for Corte Bella that I refer to as the Sun City Grand Borgata on steroids, the Encanto.  The Corte Bella Encanto is essentially the same floor plan as the Sun City Festival Destiny model.

The popularity of the Prescott, Palo Verde, & Borgata was in large part due to the split bedroom floor plan, giving guests an element of privacy from the homeowners.  It also was what I refer to as the "Goldilocks of square footage".  In essence, at 1800 to 2000 s.f. the size felt... just right.

When Del Webb reworked the plan to create the Corte Bella Encanto/Sun City Festival Destiny, they kept the same basic split bedroom layout but dramatically increased the size of the kitchen while also expanding on the bedrooms, den, and utility room.

Take a look below at the Sun City Festival Destiny layout.

With the advent of the new searches I have set up on my website, it just got easier to find just the Sun City Festival Destiny listings out of all the other MLS listings & homes for sale in Sun City Festival.

Please keep in mind, the information found in this search is only as good as the information the individual listing agents have put into our Arizona Regional MLS.  (Pay attention sellers!)  Out of area agents, including many of those listing Sun City Festival foreclosures and Sun City Festival short sales, leave out search criteria that make it easy to find the listings you are looking for.

Fortunately I was able to do this search by square footage so the vast majority of Destiny listings should show up in this new search I have created for my website, KathyAndersonRealtor.com.  You will also see new construction listings the builder has put into the MLS to compete with the resales.  Be sure to click on the map tab to see where, in the community, the homes are located as many of the new home lot selections are north of the high tension power lines and further away from the rec center.

If the Destiny model isn't for you, you can search for other Sun City Festival real estate and homes for sale by floor plan or model name as well as search for homes by size or price point.  Other favorite searches are Sun City Festival golf course homes and homes in Sun City Festival with a private pool.

Enjoy!

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If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in one of Arizona active retirement golf communities but aren't sure Sun City Festival is the one for you, please call me or visit my website. Here you will also find information on resales in Corte Bella, Sun City Grand real estate, Arizona Traditions MLS listings, Trilogy at Vistancia and Sun City West, PLUS see a map of the Surprise AZ area retirement communities. Don't hesitate to call or email if you have questions.

Subscribe to my AZActiveRetirementLiving.com blog feed

Kathy Anderson
Ken Meade Realty
Sun City Grand Office

(602) 703-8930

Search for Sun City Festival Valor resales.

If your favorite of the Sun City Festival floorplans is the Sun City Festival Valor model, it just got easier to find just the Sun City Festival Valor listings out of all the other MLS listings & homes for sale in Sun City Festival.

For the buyers that want to stay under $200,000 the Valor is the go to floor plan.

Please keep in mind, the information found in this search is only as good as the information the individual listing agents have put into our Arizona Regional MLS.  (Pay attention sellers!)  Out of area agents, including many of those listing Sun City Festival foreclosures and Sun City Festival short sales, leave out search critieria that make it easy to find the listings you are looking for.

Fortunately I was able to do this search by square footage so the vast majority of Valor listings should show up in this new search I have created for my website, KathyAndersonRealtor.com.  You will also see new construction listings the builder has put into the MLS to compete with the resales.  Be sure to click on the map tab to see where, in the community, the homes are located as many of the new home lot selections are north of the high tension power lines and further away from the rec center.

If the Valor model isn't for you, you can search for other Sun City Festival real estate and homes for sale by floor plan or model name as well as search for homes by size or price point.  Other favorite searches are Sun City Festival golf course homes and homes in Sun City Festival with a private pool.

Enjoy!

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If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in one of Arizona active retirement golf communities but aren't sure Sun City Festival is the one for you, please call me or visit my website. Here you will also find information on resales in Corte Bella, Sun City Grand real estate, Arizona Traditions MLS listings, Trilogy at Vistancia and Sun City West, PLUS see a map of the Surprise AZ area retirement communities. Don't hesitate to call or email if you have questions.

Subscribe to my AZActiveRetirementLiving.com blog feed

Kathy Anderson
Ken Meade Realty
Sun City Grand Office

(602) 703-8930

Search for Sun City Festival Gala resales.

If your favorite of the Sun City Festival floorplans is the Sun City Festival Gala model you are in excellent company.  This home is the most requested by my Sun City Festival clients to date. Its predecessor is the Sun City Grand Azalea which, at just under 1500 s.f., was introduced in the last phase and became an instant success.

In Sun City Festival they added a little over 100 s.f. and turned the 2 car garage into 2 1/2.  The one objection I have heard regarding the Galas built up to this point is that they actually made the kitchen a little to large for the space.  Pulte/Del Webb listened and I have been told they are pulling the kitchen island back by 10" in all future Gala new builds.

Look below to see the current version

With my new search it just got easier to find just the Sun City Festival Gala listingsout of all the other MLS listings & homes for sale in Sun City Festival.

Please keep in mind, the information found in this search is only as good as the information the individual listing agents have put into our Arizona Regional MLS.  (Pay attention sellers!)  Out of area agents, including many of those listing Sun City Festival foreclosures and Sun City Festival short sales, leave out search critieria that make it easy to find the listings you are looking for.

Fortunately I was able to do this search by square footage so the vast majority of Gala listings should show up in this new search I have created for my website, KathyAndersonRealtor.com.  You will also see new construction listings the builder has put into the MLS to compete with the resales.  Be sure to click on the map tab to see where, in the community, the homes are located as many of the new home lot selections are north of the high tension power lines and further away from the rec center.

If the Gala model isn't for you, you search for other Sun City Festival real estate and homes for sale by floor plan or model name as well as search for homes by size or price point.  Other favorite searches are Sun City Festival golf course homes and homes in Sun City Festival with a private pool.

Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in one of Arizona active retirement golf communities but aren't sure Sun City Festival is the one for you, please call me or visit my website. Here you will also find information on resales in Corte Bella, Sun City Grand real estate, Arizona Traditions MLS listings, Trilogy at Vistancia and Sun City West, PLUS see a map of the Surprise AZ area retirement communities. Don't hesitate to call or email if you have questions.

Subscribe to my AZActiveRetirementLiving.com blog feed

Kathy Anderson
Ken Meade Realty
Sun City Grand Office

(602) 703-8930

Search Sun City Festival real estate and Homes for Sale by Floor Plan or Model Name!

I have a BRAND NEW new Sun City Festival home search for you!  Buyers looking for homes for sale in Sun City Festival know exactly which Sun City Festival floor plans or models are their favorites.  In I was unable to single out specific models in the search engines provided by my website.  That is no longer the case!  Click on the tab below to see what I mean.

For those of you already actively searching for your retirement home, here are just a few searches for some of the Sun City Festival models.

Search for Sun City Festival Destiny listings

Search for Sun City Festival Gala listings

Search for Sun City Festival Valor listings

For those considering a purchase in Sun City Grand, I have also set it up so you can search for Sun City Grand real estate and homes for sale by floor plan or model

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If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in one of the Phoenix west valley active retirement golf communities, please call me or visit my website http://KathyAndersonRealtor.com. Here you will find information on homes for sale in Sun City Grand Surprise Arizona, resales in Corte Bella, Sun City Festival real estate, Arizona Traditions MLS listings, Trilogy at Vistancia and Sun City West, PLUS see a map of the Surprise AZ area retirement communities. Don't hesitate to call or email if you have questions.

Subscribe to my AZActiveRetirementLiving.com blog feed

Kathy Anderson
Ken Meade Realty
Sun City Grand Office

(602) 703-8930

Sun City Festival resales - Jubilee w/ Casita priced to sell!!! 

This gorgeous home is under contract but if you click on Search for Sun City Festival real estate by Model or Floor Plan it will take you to my website where you will see all current resale listings in Sun City Festival.  OR, if the Jubilee floor plan is your favorite you can search for just Sun City Festival Jubilee resales and homes for sale.

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If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in one of the Phoenix west valley active retirement golf communities, please call me or visit my website http://KathyAndersonRealtor.com. Here you will find information on homes for sale in Sun City Festival, copies of the Sun City Festival floor plans, and past sales for Sun City Festival resales.  You will also find information on the other Arizona retirement communities of Corte Bella, Sun City Grand real estate, Arizona Traditions, Trilogy at Vistancia and Sun City West.  PLUS see a map of the Surprise AZ area retirement communities. Don't hesitate to call or email if you have questions.

Subscribe to my AZActiveRetirementLiving.com blog feed

Ken Meade Realty
Sun City Grand Office

(602) 703-8930