In another thread, a poster mentioned a document they signed at the point of closing on their home in Sun City. Anyone who has bought a home knows they sign a stack of papers that only the most diligent read through in detail (shouldn't be the case but...). In Sun City there are in fact a couple of forms that some places don't have in that stack. One is the "facilities agreement," and the other are the "deed restrictions." Both are imperative to the success of Sun City and both have a long-standing history and without signing them, you will not live here. I know that sounds cold, but there's a reason for it. Sun City is unique and that uniqueness is founded in a community where those two documents have insured we are able to continue on maintain the standards set by DEVCO and the continuation of such a fabulous place to live. First off, the facilities agreement is a document whereby you agree to pay the Rec Centers of Sun City (RCSC) the yearly fees, the Preservation and Improvement Fund (PIF) and the $300 transfer fee. It is a commitment that is in place as long as you live here and includes paying the yearly increases as mandated by the board. The second are the deed restrictions. They lay out the parameters or rules of ownership on your property. They are called the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R's) and lots of places with Home Owners Associations (HOA's) have them. Sun City's are some of the easiest to follow in the country and are administered by the Sun City Home Owners Association (SCHOA). CC&R compliance is mandatory while membership in SCHOA is voluntary. That said, $20 per year is a bargain to support an organization that helps maintain your property values. One of my pet peeves is we (the RCSC) doesn't produce a yearly magazine that spells this information out in detail for residents and potential buyers. I've argued we should distribute it at the annual meeting and we could use it as a year in review and a look forward to the coming year. Better yet it would become an awesome marketing tool. Hope this helps all of the potential buyers out there; lots to learn about the community and the quicker they get their arms around it, the better we are as a community.
The RCSC Facilities Agreement is an "adhesion contract" that some believe has been turned into an "unconscionable" one. The RCSC keeps changing it so that many homeowners are signing different terms that are to the disadvantage of the homeowner and to the advantage of the RCSC. Read the contract. Here is the current RCSC Facilities Agreement: http://sunaz.com/facilities-agreement/. For those who are into researching and comparing contracts, click on the following link to the Maricopa Country Recorder's Office: http://recorder.maricopa.gov/recdocdata/. Search "RECREATION CENTERS OF SUN CITY" and "AGREEMENTS/USE WITH ANY GENERAL AGREEMENT". You can see for yourself exactly how the RCSC board has changed the terms of the RCSC Facilities Agreements in its favor. You cannot buy or sell your property unless the RCSC Facilities Agreement gets signed.
