Residents of Sun City:
Iâm a resident in neighborhood 21. I am also in the process of trying to sell my motherâs Sun City home, as she has moved into an assisted living facility. Needless to say, the market out here is weak, and prices continue to decline. The recent property tax bomb, an increased level of turnover, and tough economic conditions are all contributing factors.
We need help to make Del Webb attractive to prospective buyers in order to preserve our property values. Making it hard to do an Open House only contributes to the sales problem. We are now paying someone to drive around and remove Open House signs. So instead of small signs on parkways, we have multiple cars parked with signs inside. Does that make sense? I have asked that the board consider an amendment to allow Open House signs. To avoid abuse, limit them to 12-5 only on Sunday.
We also need to create more demand for houses here. I requested the Board consider lowering the purchase age requirement to 45 or 50. Their feedback was that it would take a 66% majority of residents to agree to the change, so it was basically dead issue. While the law requires at least 80% of residents in age restricted communities be 55 or older, Iâm sure weâre currently well above it.
The following points should be considered:
1. There are currently 180 single family units for sale, of which just 19 are under contract. The length of time on the market continues to increase.
2. The overall decline in property values is accelerating as supply increases are outstripping demand.
3. If you’re 50 and would like to purchase a larger unit, you’re forced to wait or go elsewhere since Pulte has only new, smaller units available.
4. Larger units are more difficult to sell due to lack of demand, which is generally driven by younger buyers in today’s market.
5. Sellers with a sense of urgency are driving prices down. Sellers in age-restricted communities generally have a more pressing need to sell than traditional neighborhoods due to health or mobility concerns.
6. A greater range in age would eventually mean a smoother flow of properties being put up for sale, as the selling population occurred more gradually.
7. Other Sun City developments such as Grand, Anthem Ranch, Vistoso, and Festival allow buyers 45 years of age.
8. Decreasing the age restriction would increase the number of potential buyers, help stabilize values, and potentially reduce association assessment delinquencies, as those properties are sold more quickly.
In today’s financial environment, it’s important to be pro-active rather than wait for the situation to further deteriorate. With an aging population in a community of 5000+ houses, we need to expand the potential buyer base to avoid a glut of homes further depressing the market. Considering the age of homeowners here, we all will be faced with selling in the near future. When you are, youâll be glad steps were taken to make the process a little easier. If you agree, please let your board members know.
Pete Weber
Sun City Resident
I have published opinion pieces in newspapers before, and I will likely do it again. It would be surprising if no one disagreed with something I had posted. It does, however, surprise me when I get attacked for simply reporting facts. Even more so when I get attacked for alleged facts I had never written.
In a prior issue of the SUN DAY, I gave the recent history of Grafton assessments and explained the to-be-expected increases in Grafton for 2011. This projection, now realized, is a consequence of the 18+% average assessment reduction in 2010 engineered by that township’s assessor. I also made it explicitly clear that the Sun City portion of Grafton did not get such large reductions.
And then? In the last issue of the SUN DAY, Mr. Len Di Iorio of N11 took me to task for my report. Instead of blaming the Grafton assessor, he blames a non-existent “McHenry County assessor” for “increasing” his last year’s assessment, which resulted in his tax bill going up 10% for 2010. (The Grafton assessor website for Mr. Di Iorio’s parcel shows his assessment went down 1.6% in 2010. It certainly should have gone down more.) It’s unequal treatment in Grafton that caused his tax bill to go up about twice what it should have. I know of people in non-Sun City Grafton who had anywhere from big decreases to only minor increases in their 2010 bills.
In my article I had written that Grafton as a whole had underpaid for 2010 because of the large average reduction in assessments. I do agree with Mr. Di Iorio of Sun City that he paid more than his fair share. He will gain little benefit by (inaccurately) criticizing me. His interests would be far better served by asking the Grafton assessor why, for 2010, he lowered other parts of Grafton so much more than the Sun City section. [As somewhat of an aside, there is the PTAG organization which is seeking members from ALL portions of Sun City; their goal is to ensure that Sun City gets fair assessment and tax treatment.]
Herm Faubl
Sun City Resident
I have sent several messages regarding a need for a new hospital in Huntley. We in Sun City do not like to drive down Randall Road or I90 to Randall Road to a hospital in Elgin. We need a hospital in Huntley, and the site at Haligus and Reed Road is fantastic.
What else can we plead for?
Jim Bartunek
Sun City Resident
Dear Editor,
As a Sun City resident, I, too, am concerned about fairness in valuation and tax rates within our Del Webb Sun City community.
However, I believe I see deeper concerns in the letters to the editor and in chats with my neighbors.
First, who do you blame? Sure, tax assessors may bear the brunt of responsibility for fairness. But in the end, county governments and the Illinois state government is like a hungry lion that must be fed by our personal income tax and property tax. And, we have elected supervisors and legislators to make those decisions. They decide what the lionâs diet will be. We elect them to decide whether itâs OK to let him gain weight or to put him on a diet.
So, if you feel that taxes are too high, perhaps itâs time to dig a bit deeper, not listen to the campaign speeches but to look at the voting records of what our representatives are doing with our money. If you are happy enough, great, stop complaining.
I have lived in California, Wisconsin, and most recently Tennessee before coming here in early 2010. I knew what I was getting into in Illinois. However, for business and family reasons, I need to be here at this time. I knew that I was coming to a state with very high taxes, a mediocre level of services, and a reputation of corruption and union dominance. I knew this was a state where it would be unwise to retire. And, I knew my friends would laugh at me and wonder, âWhat are you thinking? Chicago?â Nonetheless, I am here and do like the community a lot.
A second concern expressed by my neighbors is the erosion of the value of our homes. That certainly has nothing to do with assessments. We all know that. But, in a way, we wonder how can the value of my house goes down and my taxes go up or stay the same? Ah, remember, the lion is still hungry, no matter what. The only way to tie the amount of tax you pay to the decreasing value of your property is to put the lion on a diet.
One of my clients is a large company in the housing business, which happens to be in terrible shape in the U.S. right now. Property values are tied to jobs and the housing market, among other things. This is primarily controlled by the policies of our national and state governments. So again, if you are happy with your property value, personal and property taxes, and level of services, then you need to voice your concerns to the right people. But, perhaps you are not complaining.
If you are unhappy, you have a weapon to use on the lion. Itâs called your vote and your political activism. If you are unhappy enough, perhaps now itâs time to remove the label âsilent majorityâ from your doorstep.
But, at the end of the day, Sun City, Huntley, is a fabulous community to live in. I do love it here.
Bob Marcom
Sun City Resident
