One of Jerry Svendsen's jobs back in the 60's and 70's was calling people who had bought a place in Sun City and try and talk them off the ledge. Okay, that's my take on what he was saying, but the truth be told, any number of people visited Sun City, got caught up in the grandeur of it all and bought a place before they left. Buyers remorse is a term still used today. Back then, it was just as much a reality for those who fell head over heals for Sun City only to get back home and have relatives and family chew on them for their decision. Jerry needed to try and quell those emotions and fears. No easy task, some 1500 or more miles away. That's why i continue to write as much as i do. Keep pushing the peanut up the hill when most others have quit. Keep writing volumes about the mystical mysteries of the community so many of us love. Just because we found it, doesn't mean others will. There are thousands of age restricted communities and the number is growing every day. Every one of them is newer, maybe nicer. Most are different in texture and makeup. I believe Sun City AZ is the best value for their retirement dollar. That doesn't mean it is right for them. But like Jerry's job was then, mine is to reinforce the idea that the original Sun City is not just a good choice, but a great decision on their part. That when all is said in done, they will have few regrets. That if they give it a chance, they will be delighted. But alas, off to the airport to pick up a friend. I will have to continue my thoughts at a later time.
There was way more to this thread than just the folks who buy here and then get cold feet. Seriously, those of you who know me understand for the most part i approach things from a positive perspective. This thread is no different. The bigger story is what i want to focus on; that point in time where people elect to change the remainder of their lives in search of something wholly different. It seems like decades ago we began looking, and indeed it was. Twenty years back we started seriously contemplating the last third of our lives. Sun City's origins are filled with stories of those coming, looking and finding their place in the sun. It is/was a remarkable time; an experience filled with excitement and concern. I suspect we were no different than most others. We had lived our entire lives in the same state. We traveled a little, but for the most part we were true blue Minnesotan's. The idea we would leave it all behind, pick up and move was both thrilling and scary. The one advantage we had was we knew exactly what we were moving to. Being second generation afforded us an up close and personal look at what Sun City had to offer. That's probably why there are so many second and third generation families that have bought into the Sun City way of life. These pages/threads on Sun City AZ living give potential buyers a glimpse, an understanding of what it is. While it is 20 years ago we started looking, i remember that drive out here in May of 2003, the car loaded with stuff and the excitement of starting anew. I'll never lose that memory, never forget those first days and nights of starting over in the community we were longing to live in. Never forget the challenges of the house hunting, of owning a second home wondering if we spent too much, would rent help cover costs til we could sell and move here permanently. I've been lucky. I have had the good fortune of meeting a half dozen people who bought in Sun City while using this site as their go to place for information on all things Sun City. There was a time when there were way more posters. I came to appreciate these pages being in part being responsible for potential buyers at least considering this community. Perhaps that's why i keep slogging along with these posts that drag on and on. Hoping that a reader/visitor to these pages says maybe i/we should at least look at Sun City AZ. For sure, that is why i enjoyed spending time with Jerry Svendsen. He was there in the beginning. He helped those new buyers get past the jitters of what they had done. Helped them acclimate. He understood no one was born here, they all came from somewhere else and needed a gentle push to grow into a more comfortable spot. They did a better job of orienting new buyers in those days. Pot-luck gatherings and block watches and newcomer's coffees were a way of life. Today people stay connected to where they came from. The internet with skype and mobile phones and all of the other gadgets insure they can reach out back home rather than across the fence of their neighbors yard. Not saying it makes it better or worse, just different. If we understand that, perhaps then we can begin to think about better ways to reach those just moving here. Ways to showcase all the community has to offer. Help folks see the value and values of the Sun City way of life. It was what made Sun City the special place it was in those early years. So how about it gang, who here remembers those first days of looking at homes in Sun City and the joys of their first days of living in the community?
Hey Bill, I for one sure have appreciated all your posts about how Sun City works and plays. Those post are what made me want to look way back in 2013. We have had a few recent set backs that are keeping us from moving there now, but we will for sure get there when we can. We are hoping to be able to make the move next spring. I recall when I first told my wife about Sun City, it was an emphatic NO! Then I convinced her on one of our spring training trips to go look at a couple of houses. We did and then stopped by the visitor center and peeked into the Bell rec center. I was totally hooked, she was still skeptical. The following year we stopped by the museum and I chatted with you for a bit and you couldn't say enough about how great Sun City is. You came out and met my wife and our friend and tried to sell them on Sun City. The drive back to our hotel was a fun conversation, but they were still not sold, although my wife was wavering. Our friend still remains skeptical, she says AZ heat would kill her. My wife is hooked mainly because I am, but she is also looking forward to the SC lifestyle. She does say she will hide indoors during those summer months, but we will see. She loves to quilt and is looking forward to finding some like minded folks. She is part of the quilts of valor foundation and hopes to find a local group there.
Having been involved with three 55+ communities I can say that a large percentage of buyers are leaving a home/ community they have lived in for many years, often decades. That creates anxiety= remorse. It's less about the home, but more about other factors; fear of aging, leaving family and friends, perception of 55+ communities, and the unknown.
I bought my condo back in 2012 when I was just turning 52. My husband and I wanted a place to go to during the winters to get away from the snow in Washington. I had heard that a friend of mine's mother lived in Sun City so I started asking her questions. So in October 2012 my husband and I flew to Phoenix to condo shop. The condo we bought was the first one we looked at. We also looked in Sun City West. I knew from the first time I went into my condo that it was the right one for us. We have been slowly fixing it up. We wanted an outside life style. My husband plays softball and we both like to hike. I have 3 years left to work and then we will be spending winters there and maybe live there full time in the future. We have had no buyers remorse at all. We love it there.
Thanks for the comments gang. Interesting to note, those of you living here part time and those still working have the best part of the move to come. Once you get away from the rat race it just gets better. Work is way over rated. One of the best qualities of living in age restricted communities is that old glass half-full/half -empty argument. If you come worrying about getting old, you'll miss the joys of living each day as it is your last. Savor it and get the most out of it...whatever that means to you. It's really just as simple as this: Age is just a number.
