Del Webb Communities

Hi everyone,

My wife and I live in a retirement community in SC. I have been a member of the Board for the past 2.5 years(can't wait until I'm done!). During that time our owner/development group went under and we have been waiting for a new owner/Declarant ever since. Our HOA now controls the development, with mixed results. We have almost 1000 homes and while the Board members are bright, accomplished people we are still retired, part-time amateurs. I understand that it is the norm for a developer to turn a community over to the residents after the build out is complete. I am wondering if anyone can share their experience in regard to how well a Del Webb community functions after the residents assume control. My wife and I are considering a move to one of the DW communities in SC, but want to avoid the type of issues we are facing in our present community. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

If your community now is under owners control, what is it you think a new developer would do for you? It sounds like the days of developer/declarant contrail are over, or am I misunderstanding something?

Does your community have a property mgr. (PM)? 1000 homes are whole lot for only a board to manage. Are they detached homes? How many are on your board?

I haven't seen anything specific about Del Webb homes on this forum, but some posters might be able to advise you. Menatime, I fuss I'd Google Del Webb homes in SC and see what you come up with.

I expect Del Webb (Pulte) will be building and adding more sections to their Bluffton and Fort Mill developments that they may well never be turned over to the owners. The one in Charleston may be the same but I know the least about that one and it is quite different than the others in that it has the least amenities and is more a housing development then a full service retirement community..

My good friend who lives in Sun City Hilton Head (retired CPA, former HOA BOD Member/Treasurer in another development which was owner controlled) says he hopes the inmates never get control of the asylum. He says the place is run well and is so complex/large that he doubts few could run it as well as it is presently run. From what I see, I agree with him.

Where in SC is your HOA?

Not for anything in the world would I recommend you move into another Del Webb community, or ANY community with an HOA. While the community might seem "right" when you move in, the regular changing of the guard sets and changes the tone for the community and let's face it, in most cases HOAs are ruled by autocrats who enforce rules against everyone but their friends and themselves. Keep searching the internet for HOA member's opinions to get an idea of everything that can and will go wrong in an HOA. There are an overwhelming large group of "apostles of virtue" on this website and they consistently will tell you how good they are. Don't believe it. HOA communities may deteriorate slightly slower than communities with no structure. However, live in one and you might find yourself going insane with a management style that either shows no effective control of CC&Rs or micromanagement. Based on the internet, the swings are huge. Think long and hard about giving up your independence.

Del Webb? Isn't he dead?

JohnC46,

Thanks for the response. We currently live in Aiken.

I worked as a 'fire suppression technician' installing wet automatic fire suppression sprinkler systems on several Centex condo projects.

I quit in disgust (at myself, for lasting 60 days) !



enough said

Bad memories of our experience living at Terravita....a once very hot Del Webb property in North Scottsdale. My husband was one of three who attempted to sue Del Webb because in the past, DW had a history of turning back the golf course within the community for a dollar. In this case, Webb decided to sell the property to the owners after Webb sold all the lots & homes. If I can recall, owners who bought into the golf club of the community, prior to the sell out, were given the option to sell back their membership and get their money back OR anti up more money to stay in. There were more members in the club than the course could accomodate.It was a mess and I am regretful of my husband's decision to participate in the suit as it cost us thousands of dollars for nothing. Then there was a construction defects Class Action suit against Del Webb. Get this.....Webb has sued some of their subs HOWEVER, the homeowners were never compensated or even aware of the litigation. The Class action was WON BY THE OWNERS who joined the class. We opted to move out and get out of the chaos. We had enough. As I recall, roofing and Iron Pyrite in the sand that was used to mix the stucco were two big items. When you have iron in the stucco, the exterior of the home shows rusts spots...it is awful. I recall one roof was so bad that the home had to be entirely rebuilt because of mold. As we say....BUYER BEWARE.

Let's not go there. I disagree with both of you. Political hate and invective have no place here. Don't kick anyone off the dite, but no more, please. Take that shit someplace else, both of you.

*off the site

or

we can actually adhere to the Constitution and the Covenants

in that order

Golf courses have always been a "bone of contention" in many developments. Only 10% of the public plays golf (more than a few times a month). That % will be higher in the case of a development linked with a golf course but the majority still does not play golf and do not understand how it can be run as a money making proposition. Many non-golfers think it is a drain on their association when it can be quite the opposite.

In the case of Sun City Hilton Head (Bluffton) the golf courses are owned by the HOA and managed by an outside golf management corporation and they do make money for the association. In Sun City Carolina Lakes the association has a working agreement with an adjacent golf course but they have no ownership position in the course. In the case of Sun City Charleston there is no golf. There is an owner's golf group that travels about to play but the HOA has nothing to do with it.

Many people have been burnt by thinking the HOA's association with the courses was not what it was. In some cases the golf course was under a different corporation and later the "membership rules" were changed and in some cases the golf course became something else. This might have well been Joanne's case but it seems she does not recall it all. I know Terravita Golf Club is in operation and gets quite high ratings. All Terravita residents are social members of the Golf Club as part of their HOA dues. Golf membership is extra.

It is not uncommon to have some later discovered construction defects (been some issues with stucco in Sun City Hilton Head) and sometimes the developer has to be dragged to the table to negotiate. This assumes the developer is still in business. The problem arises when the developer is long gone which seems to be one of the main issues with the OP's (Chris) development.