Will Sun City sales explode?

Well said eyesopen. I cannot tell you how many people over the years who rented and then purchased here. The whole second class citizen thing has always been a turnoff to me, so i can easily grasp the discomfort you felt.

 

Yeah, what's up with that?

They talked about fixing that a long while ago so an owner must actually live on the property for X-number of days/years before they qualify for a refund.

Flipper's are just paying $20 bucks for a new drivers license listed under the current house address that they are renovating, which provides proof that they live there, and then when they flip the property and buy another, they go to the RCSC and claim their PIF/CIF refund.

 

So they didn't put a stop to it Tom?

 

Not that I could see! I looked through the Bylaws, Board Policies and Facilities Agreement, and unless I missed something, I didn't find any thing.

Perhaps EyesOpen can find something since she's the best around!

 

Only thing I found…typically subject to interpretation!

RCSC Refunds FAQs
I purchased a home last year and sold it within a year. Am I eligible for a refund of the Preservation and Improvement Fee/Capital Improvement Fee I paid when I purchased the property?
No. RCSC Corporate Bylaws (Article III, Section 2) outlines situations where a refund of the Preservation and Improvement Fee and the Capital Improvement Fee is allowed. The purchase and sale of separate properties that are/were your primary Arizona residence must be completed within a one year timeframe.
The purchase and sale of a single property does not qualify for the refund of the Preservation and Improvement Fee or the Capital Improvement Fee.
#
RCSC Refunds FAQs HERE

 

The Bylaws also allow for a refund on the Annual Assessment fee but you get three-years to apply for that!

 

I have sold my property in Sun City AZ. How can I get a refund of the annual property assessment paid?
Please complete the Refund Request Form and return to RCSC. RCSC will process the request for the prorated refund from the date of the sale through your expiration date and mail the refund check per the information provided on the refund request form.

The request form for any refunds contradicts FAQs time allowed.

Instructions:
REQUEST FOR REFUND

Attach a copy of the cardholder's death certificate, if applicable.

All refunds are subject to RCSC Corporate Bylaws.

All Requests for refunds must be received by RCSC within the deadlines defined in RCSC
Corporate Bylaws:

a) Within 3 years of the transaction for sale or acquisition transactions, or

b) Within 3 years of the last transaction for Preservation & Improvement Fee refunds, or

c) Within 3 years of the death of the cardholder.

Fees on the form:
• Annual Assessment
• PIF
• CIF
• Golf Pass
• Privilege Card

FORM HERE

 

This is still another portion of the real estate equation that has come up several times. I went looking for the methods available for buying a home as a senior, and in the process, found this information for resources for those needing additional assistance beyond what the foundation can offer. Here’s the information:
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
The Basics
resources, you may qualify for Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a program run by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

If you qualify for SSI, you get monthly cash payments to help you pay for your basic needs. A person who is single can get up to $967 per month in benefits. You also get Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) health coverage automatically, without having to file a separate application.

If you get SSI benefits and start working, you'll probably end up better off financially. SSI's rules are designed to help you find work and make sure that your total income will be higher after you get a job.

Don't get SSI mixed up with other programs
Social Security has two disability benefits programs with very similar names:

• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) gives cash benefits to people with disabilities who have low income and low resources. You do not need to have worked in the past to get SSI. SSI is explained in this article.
• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) gives cash benefits to people with disabilities who qualify because they used to work or have a parent who worked. Learn more in DB101’s SSDI article.

Some people qualify for both programs at the same time. If you get benefits from Social Security, but aren’t sure which ones you get, open a free mySocial Security account or order a free Benefits Planning Query (BPQY) at your local Social Security office or by calling 1-800-772-1213 or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY).

 

Those needing some help maintaining their home and keeping it safe:
Home Repair and Improvement Grants
HOME Investment Partnership Program: The Arizona Department of Housing funds the HOME Investment Partnership program that offers grants to local organizations and agencies that provide home-related activities including home improvements, home repairs, and rehabilitation.

Single Family Housing Repair Grants: Also known as the Section 504 Home Repair program, is offered to low-income households to modernize homes or provides grants to seniors for home repairs that remove safety and health hazards from their homes. You have to be above 62, own or occupy the home you seek to repair, be unable to get credit elsewhere, and have a household income below your county’s very low limit.

Home Repair Weatherization Assistance Program: The Arizona Home Repair and Weatherization Board offer grants for home repairs and weatherization services for low-income households, including seniors. The program is funded by the Arizona Community Services Block Grant.

 

There exists resources to help people in need. The system may not be perfect, but at least there are places you can ask for help from. The Arizona Area Council on Aging also provides resources for assistance. You can call the number and ask about your particular needs and they can usually provide a referral for a resource.

I will stop pasting now, but could be a helpful list for someone in need.

 

Sorry, one more. Could a few local realtors who specialize in selling Sun City properties also have additional information on this type of program? Could help market and sell Sun City


Home Plus Program: This program provides low-interest loans to help seniors purchase a home or refinance an existing mortgage. The program is open to seniors who meet certain income and credit requirements.

The Home Plus Program offers loans with interest rates that are typically lower than those offered by traditional lenders. The program also offers down payment assistance and other incentives to help seniors purchase a home. This can be a great option for seniors who want to maintain their independence and own their own homes.

 

CM, my experience with REAgents out here are that they are basically morons when it comes to marketing SC. They are to sell property, no other reason and the finer points of sales is incomplete at best. My last encounter was that they sort of knew what PIF is but could not explain it other than amount due at closing. I doubt that changed with the CIF fund.

Remember the issue several years ago regarding the PIF and home equity loans? The agents were pleading to discontinue the PIF so locals could access money to live on or have necessary medical treatment. They even paraded a group of mortgage brokers who arranged reverse mortgages. I talked with them and said if we close PIF, how long before we could institute the fund again. They responded 10-15 years and hopefully never as the population here ages. I advised them, not going to happen no matter how many people they bring. This is about our future and our infrastructure. As you can see I made a bunch of new friends.

 

I mentioned real estate agents as there exists a 2 part class, put on by the Arizona Board of Realtors called The senior housing market. It’s a sanctioned class in which realtors who attend get credits towards their advance status as a realtor. It’s offered in Scottsdale for the Scottsdale market. We have long lamented the need for trained agents to sell in the Sun City market to be trained to know the market as well as the value of living here. Also to fairly explain the costs of moving here and how they are administered. If such a class is available in Scottsdale then why not one for Sun City?

 

If only we had a designated RCSC marketing staff person to coordinate a session! RCSC, SCHOA and COA could host a box lunch informational class featuring a video tour of Sun City produced by our RCSC media team along with the speaker’s presentations.

 

If only we did have such a team. We could educate others, including realtors the finer details of Sun City and the advantages of choosing to live here. Especially if a realtor could say they were certified by Sun City as a trained professional.

 

CM, I imagine I could take the basic real estate agent’s test without taking the courses and pass it the first time.
Another instance of the quality of RE agents here.
When the CIF was introduced and discussed three months before being voted on by the Board, a local agent attended every Exchange and Board meeting in those three months and knew what was coming com8ng. When voted on by the Board at he December meeting, the agent turned on the fake outrage and claimed it would cause trouble with properties under contract even though the agent knew for three months this was coming. I was thinking of the purchasers and potential legal action against the agent or at least filing a complaint with the State that the agent failed to disclose a material fact that was known for the previous three months. Since I didn’t sign up to speak, I said nothing but knew I would never do business with this person.

 

IMHO it is inappropriate to use this thread to cast dispersions upon an occupation or an individual or group that is in that occupation.

 

Dave,
It is mandatory in the State of Arizona to attend an accredited real estate school, and garner the requisite credentials to apply for a real estate license.
Your dealings with a single agent were not necessarily all encompassing of every agent out there. I had a delightful experience with my agent before she retired. There are good and bad in any profession, and demeaning an entire industry is not a good way of expressing your dismay with one person’s actions. You made it clear you wouldn’t do any business with this person again, and I am sure if someone asked you to recommend this individual, you would have plenty to say.
Thank you all for your input. I was going more to the ability to have real estate agents schooled and prepared to sell Sun City and provide accurate information to prospective clients.

 

I think we all have seen SC homes advertised For Sale listing Peoria as the school district and no reference to being a 55+ senior community?

 

Homes in Ventana Lakes have a Sun City mailing address, but are indeed in the Peoria School District. When listed in the MLS they will fall under Sun City, AZ because of postal codes.